The dust from the massive explosion did not immediately dissipate from view; it continued to gather, like a heavy fog obscuring vision. Everything around became increasingly dark, as if this world was actively concealing its true face. Lynch watched everything unfolding before him, always feeling a sense of unreality, as if he were currently in someone else's dream. If it weren't for the increasing waves of muscle pain in his body, he'd almost shout to himself, "Wake up, you sleepy little mage!"

"Using high-level magic before my strength is fully recovered was truly a foolish move." Lynch clamped his twitching right hand with his refined gold arm, summarizing his new insights and lessons. "I've never heard of a plane that would cause such a massive spell explosion. If this disaster wasn't caused by me personally, I would think it was the effect of a legendary magic."

Legendary magic is the private collection of those high-level mages. They are not exchanged, nor can they be, as they are merely rewards for reaching a certain level of magical attainment. A black-robed mage once said, "You don't know where legendary magic comes from. It just suddenly pops into your mind."

The mage wearily cradled his head, his shoulders dropping limply. As soon as he closed his eyes, the image of the Desire Demon Eryies laying in a pool of blood emerged in his mind. If someone could peer directly into the depths of the mage's soul through his Eye of Insight, they would also see images of Zilvra and other friends and family. Although Eryies was merely a slave in name, Lynch knew that from the moment they stepped into the Grey Ruins, the Desire Demon could cast aside the pact of Bator without a scratch and leave his side. Lynch knew it wasn't some "inherent devil's orderliness" that kept Eryies by his side. Stubbornness? Perhaps a little bit. But there was certainly something stronger. He needed to go back and unearth it.

"Alright, mage! Lynch! You need to pull yourself together now." Though saying this could somewhat restore his confidence, Lynch knew that the possibility of leaving this place was incredibly low. If Devil Duke Banaya needed to eliminate his enemies or exile a nuisance never to be seen again, he would definitely choose the cages most impossible to escape from.

Looking into the distance, Lynch had to admit that this cage was the best prison he had ever seen. Not because it lacked iron bars, or because its high walls were made of Absolute Curse Stone, but because it didn't look like a cage at all. Everything about the scenery was very much like the mage's hometown. The brown soil looked a bit moist, perhaps due to a light rain; clusters of small flowers speckled the grass, and a burst of fragrance permeated around the mage. If not for the still swirling smoke behind him and the deathly stillness all around, Lynch would have thought that Duke Banaya had actually sent him straight back to the Anriel World.

Lynch coughed a few times, making sure his ears were functioning properly. Because here, apart from the earlier explosion and the sounds of bodily operations within, there was nothing. Birds chirping, wind rustling, leaves whispering, and streams babbling—none of it existed. Such that the mage somewhat doubted whether this world was an enormous illusion technique, and everything was an unreal landscape. And this unreality had become "real" enough that the Eye of Insight could not discern it.

He rubbed his eyes vigorously, forcing himself not to pay attention to the soil, trees, and flowers. He concentrated on the burns, the pain, and the relentless muscle spasms, keeping his mind awake.

"After finding oneself in a predicament, what's the first thing to do?" Lynch imitated his mentor's accent, speaking as it helped him recall what he'd learned at the Mage Association. "Don't look around aimlessly; first check your pockets."

The mage was alone in this world, but he wasn't without resources. Since magic—albeit not all of it—could still work, there was no immediate need to worry about food and water. So far, Lynch hadn't discovered anything that could threaten his life, and if there were, he was confident he could avoid it. Besides that, he had a pocket full of historical books on driving away devils and demons from years past, countless magic materials. Of course, there was also one most important piece of information, "decryptor."

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