A mage's journey begins with a battle mage.

Chapter 84 Fishmen and Mermaids

The weather in Verisco is always like this: a fine drizzle falls on the streets of Verisco, splashing up droplets of water.

Outside the window, a continuous drizzle falls; inside, a warm fireplace burns.

In his office, Jiang Shuzhou looked quite content. Just this morning, he had successfully advanced to the second-tier mage level, and with the support of his powerful alchemical talent, he had also successfully mastered a method for refining a potion.

He was in a good mood. In just a few more days, he would be able to officially become an alchemist, and then this war would not be a danger but an opportunity.

If he were still an ordinary mage, even if the high-ranking mage promised not to force his conscription, the situation would be different if the battle went badly, and there would be a high probability that he would be conscripted.

However, things are different now. As long as Jiang Shuzhou becomes an alchemist, even if he is conscripted into the army, he will only be responsible for logistics work, and there may even be some extra money to be made.

As for what would happen if this war were lost?

This matter is not being considered. Velisco is backed by the Mage Alliance. In any case, even if the war is lost, it will only maintain the status quo. After all, Velisco is an extension of the Mage Alliance's power in the Storm Sea and will not be erased under any circumstances.

At this moment, Jiang Shuzhou's only worry was the Alliance of Saints. The antagonism between mages and priests had lasted for thousands of years, and it was obvious to anyone with a brain that the Alliance of Saints would take such a step.

Who's attacking the mage? Our Alliance of Saints must lend a hand!

"It's likely to be another three-way battle."

If possible, Jiang Shuzhou really didn't want to fight a priest. The strength of the paladin was still fresh in his mind. This thing was really outrageous. Not only was the individual strength strong, but there was also a god standing behind him. If he didn't like you, he would make you break through in the middle of battle. Anyone would be dumbfounded.

After finalizing Hayes' contract, should he stay or leave?

Leaving won't bring any additional benefits; its advantage is stability.

Staying might be dangerous, but the advantage is that you can acquire a lot of various resources.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Shuzhou decided to stay.

I have resurrection coins, what am I afraid of!

The timid starve, the bold thrive; only those who dare to fight will win!

"I wish I were proficient in divination magic."

A prophetic mage can always choose the one most advantageous to himself from countless options.

With a sigh, Jiang Shuzhou decided to drop the matter; he had many other things to do today.

For example, studying alchemy, or learning second-order spells, etc.

All of this takes time, and what was originally a fairly ample amount of time became tight again after Jiang Shuzhou's successful advancement.

There's nothing we can do about it; he's a genius. While others might take one or two years to get promoted, or even more than a decade, Jiang Shuzhou got promoted in just one month.

That's what you call genius.

Jiang Shuzhou thought to himself, and then he turned around and immersed himself in the ocean of knowledge. For him, today seemed no different from any other day.

However, some people are different.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"What! This is impossible!"

"You're taking advantage of our misfortune!"

"Take it or leave!"

Bishop Mereges watched the argument unfold before him with a calm expression. This was the eleventh round of negotiations between the Alliance of Saints and the Fishman Kingdom.

Each negotiation failed to reach an agreement. The Alliance of Saints wanted the right to preach, but the Fishman Kingdom was unwilling to give it up. They were only willing to grant the Alliance of Saints the right to mine some islands and deep-sea mineral veins, on the condition that they fight against the Mage Alliance.

Naturally, the two sides have failed to reach an agreement.

If it weren't for the archbishop's repeated orders for him to relinquish the missionary rights, Bishop Meredes would probably have already left with his negotiation team.

In any case, they had already signed a non-aggression pact with the Mage Alliance, so no matter how the two sides fought at sea, it would not affect their homeland. In other words, they were in an invincible position from the start, it was just a matter of how much they could eat.

"The majesty of the Storm God is inviolable! We, the merfolk, have long ago sworn an oath to worship Him for generations to come, yet you make such a demand—what are your true intentions?"

Upon hearing this, the clergy of the Alliance of Saints rolled their eyes. Didn't you know what they meant? They've said it over and over again.

"We have not deprived the murlocs of their right to worship the Storm God; we have merely given them more options."

Once again, Bishop Meredes uttered those words.

"That's impossible. However, if you are willing to help us drive out those evil mages, I am willing to hand over a quarter of the near-shore islands to you for rule, and even the mineral resources in the deep sea can be developed by you."

Once again, the merfolk's negotiators chose to refuse.

"But I remember one of your high priests has already been killed by the Mage Alliance, right? What? Are you so confident that you can hold out?"

"That's our own business."

One sentence killed the conversation, and Bishop Meredes was speechless.

This round of negotiations clearly ended in discord once again.

Negotiations like this have happened several times in a row, each time with similar arguments, and each time ending in discord.

The Alliance of Saints was trying to make the Murloc Kingdom realize that if the Murloc Kingdom faced the entire Mage Alliance alone, they would suffer a crushing defeat, or even be wiped out.

It is precisely for this reason that the Alliance of Saints proposed the right to proselytize, so that the two sides could form an alliance to fight against a great enemy.

Unfortunately, the Fishman Kingdom seems to believe that the Mage Alliance and the Saints Alliance are mortal enemies, so a war between them is inevitable. Therefore, they have been using delaying tactics, hoping to drag things out until the two sides officially go to war, at which point they can get the support of the Saints Alliance for free by paying only a small price, or even nothing at all.

But is that even possible?

The expansion of the Mage Alliance is certainly alarming, but the Alliance of Saints is no less so!

Does that mean only the Mage Alliance will expand? Why can't my Alliance of Saints?

According to the law of conservation of expansion, if both sides expand, it is equivalent to neither side expanding.

"It seems we need to make other plans."

Bishop Meregius's gaze was deep. If the negotiations dragged on without any progress, he would report to the archbishop and immediately take the second option. In any case, the Holy Alliance could not be absent from this war, regardless of which side they stood on or who they were fighting.

If I can't beat the Mage Alliance, I can still beat you!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Deep within the Stormy Sea, inside the palace of the Mermaid Empire.

"Father, why are you silent?"

The young princess Serena questioned her father, expressing her disappointment in his attitude.

"Serena, you are a princess, and you may even become the future empress of the Mermaid Empire. Don't let your emotions control you."

"You're always like this! War is coming, how many merfolk will die because of it? As their overlords, why can't we help them?"

"Because of the contract, how could I not want to help them? But Serena, you must understand, we cannot."

"Is it that you can't? Or that you don't want to?"

"It's both that I can't and that I don't want to!"

Seated on his spacious throne, the legendary warrior and Emperor Helix of the Mermaid Empire looked at his stubborn yet naive daughter and responded in this way.

If he weren't a legendary powerhouse with extremely low fertility, having only produced one child from his harem of three thousand, he probably would have turned against him long ago.

As his only child, Serena had everything she wanted since childhood. She could even have someone bring her the stars. This is not a metaphor, but a statement.

As a legend, it wouldn't be difficult for him to pluck a star from the astral plane.

However, it is precisely because of his pampering that Serena has become a child who never grows up. Even though she is 133 years old this year, her mental age is still that of a teenager.

"Father, I am disappointed in you!"

Before Helix could say anything, Serena spoke up again.

"I will resolve this in my own way. I will lead a delegation to the Mage Alliance and end this war!"

"You'd better approve it immediately!"

Serena then turned and left, leaving only Helix's lonely figure on the throne.

"Oh well, this is fine too."

Helix sighed and did not stop them.

"Your Majesty, are you really going to send Princess Serena as an envoy to the Mage Alliance?"

The seawater around Helix coalesced, and an old man materialized. He was Mor, the Tide Priest, the religious leader of the Merfolk Empire. His upper body was very old, as if the blessings of the gods had not made him immune to the effects of aging, while his fish tail was smooth as new.

"Let her go. The Mage Alliance won't stop unless the Murlocs pay a huge price. I only wanted to give her a happy life, but I didn't expect things to change now."

"How is my god?"

"It's terrible, He still hasn't given us a response."

"The Mage Alliance is so terrifying that even the Storm God Talos has fallen to such a state."

Helix sighed deeply, and at the same time felt a chill run down his spine.

The expansion of the Mage Alliance will not stop, and perhaps one day the target of war will be the Mermaid Empire.

"How is the missionary work going?"

"Very successful, most of the mermaids expressed considerable respect for you."

"Which antiques?"

"They are still unwilling to abandon their old beliefs."

"Moore, do you know what? I learned a phrase from humans."

"What did you say?"

"Faith will sprout in suffering."

"And war is one of the sources of suffering."

Moore replied, seemingly having grasped Helix's thoughts.

"It's time. Talos is a thing of the past. We need a new god."

Helix rose from his throne, radiating a divine glow.

He is now trying to reach some new agreements with the Mage Alliance, agreements that will eliminate his rivals.

In the war, a new throne will rise.