Chapter 465 Pollerton
Chapter 465 Pollerton
Jonathan displayed an impressive prowess, effortlessly unleashing a flurry of magical spells. Moreover, he had the astonishing ability to wield two different types of magic simultaneously. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
Torrence stood by in awe, his jaw practically hitting the ground. “Jonathan, if you keep progressing like this, there's no doubt you'll surpass Theos!” he exclaimed. However, Jonathan's expression turned grave, and he responded, “These spells are rather ordinary. While they may be decent, they're nowhere near the skills of a true master.”
Taken aback, Torrence raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jonathan, puzzled by his disappointment. He tried to offer some reassurance, saying, “You're just getting started, my friend! Take it easy. Given your current abilities, you're already a force to be reckoned with in Moranta.”
A faint smile crept across Jonathan's face as he brushed off the concern. Although he acknowledged the issues he faced in mastering magic, he firmly believed he could overcome them.
Changing the subject, Jonathan inquired, “So, Torrence, where do we go from here?”
Torrence replied with a serious tone, “Since Clarabelle is now with us, we're marked by Theos and have become a thorn in her side. Thus, staying in Snowhaven is no longer safe. Fear not though, as there's another place Theos would never care to venture.”
Curiosity piqued, Jonathan asked, “What place is that?”
Torrence proclaimed, “Pollerton!”
Jonathan questioned, “What and where is this Pollerton?”
Torrence explained, “It's a haven for demonic mages, my friend. When all hope seems lost for some individuals in Moranta, they seek refuge in Pollerton. It's a realm where the sun barely shines, and darkness rules the night. A sanctuary for practitioners of dark magic. Guess what? Theos, being a five- element magician, knows absolutely nothing about dark magic. That's precisely why she'd never dare to set foot in Pollerton.”
Torrence paused before continuing, “In Moranta, dark magicians and dragons are scorned. Snowhaven and Pollerton are the last sanctuaries sought by the most ruthless and desperate souls. Thus, if Theos were to venture to Pollerton, those old demonic mages would surely unite against her. That's why I'm certain she would never go there.”
Curiosity burning within him, Jonathan inquired, “If Pollerton is a viable refuge, why didn't you go there earlier? Why did you come here instead?”
Torrence explained, “Well, Pollerton is a gathering place for demonic mages, like I said. It's a pretty disgusting cesspool. I'd rather not venture there unless absolutely necessary. Besides, I fear that if I were to go, those demonic mages would have no qualms about ending my life. After all, I hold no value to them, unlike the Holy Dragon. I had no idea the Holy Dragon was frozen and sealed off back then, and I thought that by bringing the crown, it would accept me. Alas, it seems fate had other plans.”
Jonathan responded with a hint of suspicion, “Well, I suppose that makes some sense. But why in the world didn't you tell me about Pollerton as an escape route when we were running for our lives? You really kept that crucial piece of information to yourself, didn't you?”
A cunning gleam flashed past in Torrence's eyes. In actuality, he didn't wish to go to Pollerton at all. At that moment, he had hoped to ignite Jonathan's passion for cultivating magic. In fact, he believed that
by cultivating magic, Jonathan would rise to great heights. That was why he deliberately withheld the knowledge of Pollerton from Jonathan. However, circumstances had changed. Jonathan had already begun cultivating magic, so now, Pollerton could offer them a secure haven.
This was Torrence's clever and well-thought-out plan. He aimed to ignite Jonathan's desire to learn magic before ultimately seeking refuge in Pollerton and honing Jonathan's newly-acquired magical skills there.
“It's fine. There's no need to say more.” Jonathan, being a keen person, had caught Torrence's hidden intentions by reading his sly expression. He continued, “I know what you're thinking just by looking at that crafty look on your face. By the way, how do we reach Pollerton?”
Torrence explained, “To reach Paradiso, we must journey north. But for Pollerton, we need to head east. It borders Snowhaven, but let me tell you, Snowhaven is a way harsher place compared to Pollerton. In Pollerton, it's survival of the fittest.”
“To be frank, that holds true for every place we've been,” Jonathan remarked.
Torrence retorted, “Let me finish. In Pollerton, there are no rules. It's a wild place where might makes right and lives are claimed without hesitation simply for the sake of treasures. Those who couldn't cut it in Pollerton seek refuge in Snowhaven.”
Pausing for a moment, Torrence added, “We're in the Demon Abyss and too close to the Demon Dragon. That's why no one dares to come this way. Actually, you've been lucky. If you had gone east initially, you would have encountered those ruthless wanderers, and they would have devoured you completely.”
Jonathan was immediately displeased to hear that. “I don't like what you're saying. I encountered Moose and the rest as well as Theos' puppet primordial spirits, yet I managed to survive, didn't I?”
Torrence gave Jonathan a disdainful look and said, “Do you think you would still be alive if you had met those scoundrels from the east instead of me when you and Yeverie were unconscious? I guarantee their first instinct would be to kill and devour you.”
Jonathan was left dumbstruck. Darn it! I had totally forgotten about that!
Torrence's words made perfect sense, and he found himself unable to argue back.
“However...” Jonathan quickly changed the subject. “If even Theos is too afraid to tread the grounds of Pollerton, won't it be incredibly perilous for us?”
Torrence replied, “If Theos ventures there, it would alert the great demonic mage who's staying hidden at the moment. We, on the other hand, are but mere adventurers, unlikely to catch the attention of such formidable enemies. Furthermore, my friend, as a magician practicing dark magic, you'll surely command more respect and fear than the average magician in Pollerton. Besides, let's not forget that our physical combat skills are second to none too!”
Jonathan had to admit that Torrence had a point. Even though his magic skills were still a work in progress, his physical cultivation was off the charts.
He felt that he didn't even need to rely solely on magic. After all, with his lightning-fast reflexes and brute strength, he could break through magical defenses easily.
With newfound confidence, Jonathan felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. He breathed a sigh of relief.
He suddenly recalled something and said, “Oh, by the way, Torrence, are there any powerful old demonic mages in Pollerton who can open a portal for us to return to the main world? There's no point in toiling away with magic cultivation here since the magic won't be usable in the main world anyway. Once we're back in the main world, we won't have to fear Theos anymore!”
Torrence was taken aback by the question. Truth be told, he didn't really want to go back to the main world with Jonathan. Deep in his heart, he harbored a different ambition, which was to forge a legacy alongside Jonathan in the realm of Moranta. However, at this moment, he couldn't simply dismiss Jonathan's desire. After all, just as he wished very much to stay in Moranta, Jonathan longed to return to the main world. He understood the importance of respecting Jonathan's aspirations, for every person had their own plans and dreams.
“In theory,” Torrence began cautiously, “there may indeed be such old mages dwelling in Pollerton.
Nevertheless, convincing them to aid our cause won't be a simple feat. They won't simply trade their assistance for trinkets. No, they would rather take your life and claim your treasures as their own. If, however, you manage to threaten and force them to do your bidding, that surely means that your cultivation has surpassed theirs. At that point, you can easily open a portal yourself and go back without their aid, right?”
Jonathan stared at him before saying, “I see what you're trying to do. You just want me to stay in Moranta with you. It would likely take at least a decade for me to reach the level of those old mages. By then, returning to the main world would be of no point for me.”
Torrence's thoughts were laid bare before Jonathan's astute perception, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
Seizing the opportunity, Jonathan wrapped his arm around Torrence's shoulder. “Torrence, back in the main world, I was unjustly stripped of my rightful throne by that scoundrel Anakin. It was a great shame, and as my loyal comrade, how can you refuse to aid me? You claim to have no specific enemies here, so why don't you come to the main world with me instead?”
Torrence knew that Jonathan's words held merit, but as someone who had spent his entire life in Moranta, he couldn't easily let go of his attachment to his homeland. With a forced smile, he conceded, “Very well, as long as you discover a pathway back, I shall go with you.”
“Excellent. It's settled then,” Jonathan declared.
With that, the conversation winded down. Now that their goals were set, they finally found solace and settled down for rest. Torrence, exhausted from the day's events, lay down to sleep, while Yeverie sought warmth beneath the cozy covers as well.
Jonathan, however, remained awake. His legs were crossed in meditation as his focus shifted to cultivating his magic.
Though Jonathan's casual demeanor might give off an air of carefreeness, his mind was in fact meticulously calculating. He understood that deepening his understanding of magic would increase his chances of survival in the treacherous land of Pollerton.
As he closed his eyes, his mind became attuned to the vibrant sphere of light which pulsated with a myriad of colors within his cerebral domain.
Just like how the dragons possessed inner essence balls, it was within this sphere of light in the cerebral domain that the human magicians drew their power.
This sphere of light was not a physical object within Jonathan's mind, but rather an ethereal manifestation of spiritual energy.
The spiritual energy was not tangible; it was simply a kind of energy force or a magnetic field.
It resembled a small vessel, capable of containing limitless information, yet the vessel itself was minuscule.
With closed eyes, Jonathan could sense the magical sphere of light slowly rotating within his mind's eye.
At this stage, he had overcome the hardest part of his cultivation journey and no longer needed to project his consciousness beyond his physical body. Instead, through meditation and focused intent, he
could easily draw the magic elements from his surroundings into his cerebral domain.
In that way, Jonathan immersed himself in deep meditation, allowing the various elements to flow into his mind sphere, which eagerly began absorbing them.
He persisted in his meditation for two whole hours.
After a couple of hours, Jonathan made an intriguing discovery. His mind sphere was not limitless and had now reached its capacity. No matter how much he attempted to draw in additional elemental energy, the sphere remained saturated, unable to accommodate even a single mote of it.