Ever since he came to this world, Link had managed to master all sorts of powerful spells .

He was of the opinion that there was no spell in this world that he could not master without a bit of hard work . He grew even more confident of this after having mastered all the intricacies spatial magic .

However, he was not so sure about this anymore .

The reason was this: the Level-17 spell, "World of Ice and Snow," that the Snow Mountain Archmage had taught him seemed almost impossible for him to master . Originally a Level-19 spell, the Archmage had simplified it considerably in order to facilitate Link's learning process .

Even so, this less powerful version of the spell still resisted Link's efforts to understand it .

After spending half a day trying to master the spell at a riverbank near the edge of Girvent Forest, Link sighed, cradling his head in dismay . "Your Majesty, I fear I may not have the capacity to comprehend this power of yours . "

Eliard, who had tagged along after Link to listen to the Archmage's teachings, already had a glazed look on his face . This did not mean that he had no intention of learning from the man . Eliard simply could not keep up with the Snow Mountain Archmage's train of thought . Every time he tried to force himself to listen to the Archmage's every word, he would always end up having a throbbing headache .

When Link had said his piece, silence fell upon the forest once more . The only sound they could hear now was the sound of water flowing down the river .

Finally, the Snow Mountain Archmage heaved a long sigh . "Maybe I'm expecting too much from you . "

The enemies they had to go up against this time were incredibly powerful . Every one of them was a Level-16 master . In order to defeat them, Level-16 power would not suffice . Only Level-17 power and above would ensure their victory .

However, Link only had Level-14 power at the moment . Though his knowledge of the mystic arts was considerably more profound than the average Level-14 master, it was still not enough for him to make a three-level jump from his current power level .

When the Snow Mountain Archmage was done, the three of them once more sank into silence .

They all knew that if none of them were able to acquire Level-17 power right now, they would most likely be slaughtered by their enemies . The Archmage might be able to live just a little bit longer . However, he would lose the Shadow Divine Fragment in the process . It would only be a matter of time until death caught up to him .

The future ahead of them seemed so bleak and hopeless right now, it was almost suffocating .

"I'm just going to take a walk around here for a bit," said Link suddenly, breaking the silence in the forest .

The Archmage nodded . "Alright then . Try to clear your head a bit . We still have a few days left, so I really do hope you don't give up just yet . "

The old man sounded almost optimistic .

Link nodded back at the Archmage without another word . Patting a despondent-looking Eliard's shoulder, he got up to his feet and began walking along the river .

The clear water flowed rapidly down the river with a tinkling sound . Oval stones polished by the flow of the river filled the riverbed . Green-feathered wrens flew about from treetop to treetop, warbling sweetly at the top of their lungs . It was springtime, and all manner of flowers were in full bloom to the celebrate the occasion .

The scene before Link was indescribably beautiful .

However, Link was not in a mood to appreciate the beauty of nature at the moment . The Archmage's magical teachings were still buzzing in his head as he strolled along the river absently like a zombie .

However, Link was not in a mood to appreciate the beauty of nature at the moment . The Archmage's magical teachings were still buzzing in his head as he strolled along the river absently like a zombie .

He had not yet given up . As he only had a few days left to master this absurdly difficult spell, the only thing he could do right now was to wrestle with it until he figured it out completely .

As he walked on, lost in his thoughts, all of a sudden, Link's ears p.r.i.c.ked up to the sound of splas.h.i.+ng water ahead of him . In a corner, he saw a 16-foot-high waterfall gus.h.i.+ng down a slope . Beneath the sunlight, a small rainbow had appeared in the white mist which steamed from the foot of the waterfall .

Link came to a halt in front of such beautiful scenery, completely entranced by it .

Suddenly, a thought sprang up in his mind . "The Delas s.p.a.ce-Time Lock . . . the transformation of snow to ice . . . the Lafa.r.s.en Magical Conversion . . . the formation of a glacial realm… Hold on, I've got it!"

Inspiration struck him like lightning . The tightly knotted-up magical problems he had been wrestling with all this time finally seemed to loosen up a bit . He could now see the first glimmer of an actual solution for them .

Sitting down on a rock near the small waterfall, Link excitedly took out his magical notebook and began writing out his calculations .

Link soon lost track of time as he scribbled out his calculations . Every time he came across a hurdle or two, he could hear a disembodied voice whispering instructions in his mind . The voice served as a key to unlock the subsequent stages of his solution . Link was able to make further progress in his work by following its instructions .

The light around him gradually dimmed until night fell . Then, his surroundings brightened, and the sun appeared once more in the sky . It then set yet again, bringing the darkness of night back into the forest . Just as the birds in the forest twittered restlessly to greet a new dawn, Link finally set his pencil down with a long sigh .

He had diligently made his calculations in accordance with the concepts behind the Level-17 magic seal, "World of Ice and Snow . " Though he still could not wrap his head around the spell, this did not mean that his efforts were all for nothing . In fact, he had invented an entirely new spell with immense power .

Behind him, a voice spoke out, "This Level-16 Pinnacle spell is incredibly powerful . However, it is not a spell that you'll be able to cast by yourself . "

Link turned around and saw the Snow Mountain Archmage standing behind him with an intrigued look on his face .

Link turned around and saw the Snow Mountain Archmage standing behind him with an intrigued look on his face .

The Archmage was amazed that a Level-14 Magician was able to decipher a Level-16 Pinnacle spell . Even though he had given Link a few pointers halfway through, the hurdles Link encountered were not that difficult to overcome . If given a bit more time, the Archmage was sure that Link would be able to solve them eventually . He had rarely come across such an affinity for the mystic arts in anyone, even back in his own realm .

It was such a shame that there were so many things going on in the realm right now . No one would be able to stand in Link's way if he were allowed to spend the next ten years honing his magical skills .

Unfortunately, to a Level-14 Magician like Link, this Level-16 spell was just beyond his grasp .

However, Link did not seem disappointed . He looked at the Snow Mountain Archmage and said, "You said that you couldn't bring back the divine fragment to Aragu in your current form . . . You need my help to do so, don't you?"

The Snow Mountain Archmage nodded . His main opponent was the Inferno Archmage . In order to prevent the Snow Mountain Archmage from laying his hands on the divine fragment, the Inferno Archmage had laid out a lot of traps in his path . The Snow Mountain Archmage could break through the barrier between realms with his current Level-10 form without drawing attention to himself . However, there was no way he would be able to bring the divine fragment with him on his way back .

"If that's the case, I don't think teaching me one Level-17 spell would be enough to compensate me for the risks I'm taking to help you," said Link with a faint smile . There was an inscrutable expression on his face . However, what he said was right . This was a matter of life and death . The Archmage would have to offer something of equal value in exchange for Link's help .

The Archmage remained silent . A few seconds later, he asked, "Do you really think I can help you increase your power level?"

"You should be able to help me reach Level-16 . . . This shouldn't be a problem for a Level-19 Archmage like you, should it?" said Link, smiling .

He was not making such a demand on baseless a.s.sumptions, but rather according to what he knew about the Fire Sect . There were presently three Level-16 masters in the Fire Sect . Even Milda and Saroviny were still at Level-16 . As far as he knew, there were no Level-17 masters in the Sect . This could not be a coincidence .

The Snow Mountain Archmage nodded with a sigh . He then shook his head . "The Inferno Archmage may be able to do such a thing, but I can't . "

"Why not?"

The Snow Mountain Archmage nodded with a sigh . He then shook his head . "The Inferno Archmage may be able to do such a thing, but I can't . "

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have a divine fragment with me to store the power of belief from my followers . If I were to help you increase your power level, I would require this power . "

"The power of belief?" repeated Link, stunned . He suddenly remembered something about the Shadow Stalker Morpheus back in the game world .

After successfully killing Morpheus, the Shadow Fortress would drop at a certain rate a couple of mysterious black crystals for players to collect . These crystals were known as Shadow Crystals .

These Shadow Crystals were mission items . They served absolutely no use to the player and had no descriptions about their properties . However, the Legendary Magician Eliard who was already at Level-17 at that point would begin offering high-value rewards for any player who managed to gather these crystals for him . There was no limit to how many crystals you could give Eliard . The more crystals a player could give him, the better his reward would be .

Strangely enough, after giving out this quest to the player, Eliard's power began to increase steadily . Every time the game released a new expansion, Eliard's power would increase by a huge margin . When Nozama entered the scene, Eliard was already on his way to G.o.dhood .

Thinking about this now, Link suspected that the Shadow Crystals must contain the power of belief that Morpheus managed to acc.u.mulate in his lifetime . The Legendary Magician Eliard must have figured out a way to convert these crystals into power .

Link then asked, "If I provide you with an alternative source of this power of belief, do you think you'll be able to help me?"

The Snow Mountain Archmage raised a brow . "Yes, I may be able to give you the power you seek with the aid of the Shadow Divine Fragment . "

Link was pleased to hear this . "Come with me . There's a place I need to show you . "

Ever since he came to this world, Link had managed to master all sorts of powerful spells . He was of the opinion that there was no spell in this world that he could not master without a bit of hard work . He grew even more confident of this after having mastered all the intricacies spatial magic . However, he was not so sure about this anymore . The reason was this: the Level-17 spell, World of Ice and Snow, that the Snow Mountain Archmage had taught him seemed almost impossible for him to master . Originally a Level-19 spell, the Archmage had simplified it considerably in order to facilitate Links learning process . Even so, this less powerful version of the spell still resisted Links efforts to understand it . After spending half a day trying to master the spell at a riverbank near the edge of Girvent Forest, Link sighed, cradling his head in dismay . Your Majesty, I fear I may not have the capacity to comprehend this power of yours . Eliard, who had tagged along after Link to listen to the Archmages teachings, already had a glazed look on his face . This did not mean that he had no intention of learning from the man . Eliard simply could not keep up with the Snow Mountain Archmages train of thought . Every time he tried to force himself to listen to the Archmages every word, he would always end up having a throbbing headache . When Link had said his piece, silence fell upon the forest once more . The only sound they could hear now was the sound of water flowing down the river . Finally, the Snow Mountain Archmage heaved a long sigh . Maybe Im expecting too much from you . The enemies they had to go up against this time were incredibly powerful . Every one of them was a Level-16 master . In order to defeat them, Level-16 power would not suffice . Only Level-17 power and above would ensure their victory . However, Link only had Level-14 power at the moment . Though his knowledge of the mystic arts was considerably more profound than the average Level-14 master, it was still not enough for him to make a three-level jump from his current power level . When the Snow Mountain Archmage was done, the three of them once more sank into silence . They all knew that if none of them were able to acquire Level-17 power right now, they would most likely be slaughtered by their enemies . The Archmage might be able to live just a little bit longer . However, he would lose the Shadow Divine Fragment in the process . It would only be a matter of time until death caught up to him . The future ahead of them seemed so bleak and hopeless right now, it was almost suffocating . Im just going to take a walk around here for a bit, said Link suddenly, breaking the silence in the forest . The Archmage nodded . Alright then . Try to clear your head a bit . We still have a few days left, so I really do hope you dont give up just yet . The old man sounded almost optimistic . Link nodded back at the Archmage without another word . Patting a despondent-looking Eliards shoulder, he got up to his feet and began walking along the river . The clear water flowed rapidly down the river with a tinkling sound . Oval stones polished by the flow of the river filled the riverbed . Green-feathered wrens flew about from treetop to treetop, warbling sweetly at the top of their lungs . It was springtime, and all manner of flowers were in full bloom to the celebrate the occasion . The scene before Link was indescribably beautiful . However, Link was not in a mood to appreciate the beauty of nature at the moment . The Archmages magical teachings were still buzzing in his head as he strolled along the river absently like a zombie . He had not yet given up . As he only had a few days left to master this absurdly difficult spell, the only thing he could do right now was to wrestle with it until he figured it out completely . As he walked on, lost in his thoughts, all of a sudden, Links ears p.r.i.c.ked up to the sound of splas.h.i.+ng water ahead of him . In a corner, he saw a 16-foot-high waterfall gus.h.i.+ng down a slope . Beneath the sunlight, a small rainbow had appeared in the white mist which steamed from the foot of the waterfall . Link came to a halt in front of such beautiful scenery, completely entranced by it . Suddenly, a thought sprang up in his mind . The Delas s.p.a.ce-Time Lock . the transformation of snow to ice . the Lafa.r.s.en Magical Conversion . the formation of a glacial realm… Hold on, Ive got it! Inspiration struck him like lightning . The tightly knotted-up magical problems he had been wrestling with all this time finally seemed to loosen up a bit . He could now see the first glimmer of an actual solution for them . Sitting down on a rock near the small waterfall, Link excitedly took out his magical notebook and began writing out his calculations . Link soon lost track of time as he scribbled out his calculations . Every time he came across a hurdle or two, he could hear a disembodied voice whispering instructions in his mind . The voice served as a key to unlock the subsequent stages of his solution . Link was able to make further progress in his work by following its instructions . The light around him gradually dimmed until night fell . Then, his surroundings brightened, and the sun appeared once more in the sky . It then set yet again, bringing the darkness of night back into the forest . Just as the birds in the forest twittered restlessly to greet a new dawn, Link finally set his pencil down with a long sigh . He had diligently made his calculations in accordance with the concepts behind the Level-17 magic seal, World of Ice and Snow . Though he still could not wrap his head around the spell, this did not mean that his efforts were all for nothing . In fact, he had invented an entirely new spell with immense power . Behind him, a voice spoke out, This Level-16 Pinnacle spell is incredibly powerful . However, it is not a spell that youll be able to cast by yourself . Link turned around and saw the Snow Mountain Archmage standing behind him with an intrigued look on his face . The Archmage was amazed that a Level-14 Magician was able to decipher a Level-16 Pinnacle spell . Even though he had given Link a few pointers halfway through, the hurdles Link encountered were not that difficult to overcome . If given a bit more time, the Archmage was sure that Link would be able to solve them eventually . He had rarely come across such an affinity for the mystic arts in anyone, even back in his own realm . It was such a shame that there were so many things going on in the realm right now . No one would be able to stand in Links way if he were allowed to spend the next ten years honing his magical skills . Unfortunately, to a Level-14 Magician like Link, this Level-16 spell was just beyond his grasp . However, Link did not seem disappointed . He looked at the Snow Mountain Archmage and said, You said that you couldnt bring back the divine fragment to Aragu in your current form . You need my help to do so, dont you? The Snow Mountain Archmage nodded . His main opponent was the Inferno Archmage . In order to prevent the Snow Mountain Archmage from laying his hands on the divine fragment, the Inferno Archmage had laid out a lot of traps in his path . The Snow Mountain Archmage could break through the barrier between realms with his current Level-10 form without drawing attention to himself . However, there was no way he would be able to bring the divine fragment with him on his way back . If thats the case, I dont think teaching me one Level-17 spell would be enough to compensate me for the risks Im taking to help you, said Link with a faint smile . There was an inscrutable expression on his face . However, what he said was right . This was a matter of life and death . The Archmage would have to offer something of equal value in exchange for Links help . The Archmage remained silent . A few seconds later, he asked, Do you really think I can help you increase your power level? You should be able to help me reach Level-16 . This shouldnt be a problem for a Level-19 Archmage like you, should it? said Link, smiling . He was not making such a demand on baseless a.s.sumptions, but rather according to what he knew about the Fire Sect . There were presently three Level-16 masters in the Fire Sect . Even Milda and Saroviny were still at Level-16 . As far as he knew, there were no Level-17 masters in the Sect . This could not be a coincidence . The Snow Mountain Archmage nodded with a sigh . He then shook his head . The Inferno Archmage may be able to do such a thing, but I cant . Why not? Because I dont have a divine fragment with me to store the power of belief from my followers . If I were to help you increase your power level, I would require this power . The power of belief? repeated Link, stunned . He suddenly remembered something about the Shadow Stalker Morpheus back in the game world . After successfully killing Morpheus, the Shadow Fortress would drop at a certain rate a couple of mysterious black crystals for players to collect . These crystals were known as Shadow Crystals . These Shadow Crystals were mission items . They served absolutely no use to the player and had no descriptions about their properties . However, the Legendary Magician Eliard who was already at Level-17 at that point would begin offering high-value rewards for any player who managed to gather these crystals for him . There was no limit to how many crystals you could give Eliard . The more crystals a player could give him, the better his reward would be . Strangely enough, after giving out this quest to the player, Eliards power began to increase steadily . Every time the game released a new expansion, Eliards power would increase by a huge margin . When Nozama entered the scene, Eliard was already on his way to G.o.dhood . Thinking about this now, Link suspected that the Shadow Crystals must contain the power of belief that Morpheus managed to acc.u.mulate in his lifetime . The Legendary Magician Eliard must have figured out a way to convert these crystals into power . Link then asked, If I provide you with an alternative source of this power of belief, do you think youll be able to help me? The Snow Mountain Archmage raised a brow . Yes, I may be able to give you the power you seek with the aid of the Shadow Divine Fragment . Link was pleased to hear this . Come with me . Theres a place I need to show you .