[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-465":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257469,4404,"Chapter 465","above-the-mage-chapter-465",465,"\u003Cp>A branched bolt of lightning flashed across, tearing through the night sky shrouded in dark clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven and earth briefly shifted from deep night to daylight, exposing every tiny detail hidden in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thunderclap followed, shaking the heavens and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Storm’s coming,” muttered Aldrich, startled by the thunder, instinctively looking up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled his hood tighter, concealing his face completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the weather, Aldrich wore a waterproof oilcloth cloak reaching his knees, with a hood, and a pair of high leather boots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, even if heavy rain came later, he wouldn’t get soaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he muttered, Aldrich instinctively held his breath slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he had now reached the shore of the Marko District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the lagoon, brown-gray sewage occasionally bubbled up green gas, releasing a nauseating stench that stung his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still this stinking mess—how the hell do these commoners endure living here? Can’t even scare them off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich cursed under his breath, his disgust and loathing plain to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could drive the Marko District’s poor away, it would count as a “great achievement,” with a hefty reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Sea Sentinels kept diligently patrolling to cull the water beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Releasing them, then culling them—honestly, the whole practice had lost its meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least, that’s what he thought; he just didn’t know why the higher-ups never canceled the mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aldrich didn’t care to think deeper. He got paid to do jobs—simple as that. Other matters weren’t his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze strained forward through the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand, Aldrich carried a clay jar, covered with a rope loop for easy lifting and carrying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was the fixed time to hand over the stinking salamander eggs—he had come here “out of courtesy” for this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter was of grave importance: under imperial law, releasing water beasts to maim civilians was an unforgivable crime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So absolute secrecy was required—the fewer who knew, the better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hence, the handover was done personally by him, at midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having served the city’s big shots for years without ever getting caught, his professional discipline was top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though those big shots broke their promises, paying him with spirit marrow instead of the agreed-upon “spirit-burning fluid,” enraging him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aldrich lacked the courage to confront them, so he kept doing these dirty jobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he chose to keep doing them, he had to do them well—or not at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich understood this principle well, yet resentment still festered inside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when he noticed his subordinate, who should’ve been waiting on shore long ago, was absent, his face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dare to ignore my orders? Have I been too soft? Or have these people grown too bold?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After suppressing his fury for a full ten minutes, a faint splashing sound finally broke the silence—growing louder, approaching from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the pitch-black night, a narrow, flat boat emerged from the dense shanties, rowing toward the shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another lightning bolt split the sky, illuminating heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that fleeting “daylight,” Aldrich saw the figure on the boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was bent low, rowing hard, but Aldrich recognized him instantly by his silhouette and attire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Hack, the leader of the seven men he’d assigned to the Marko District mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the lightning faded did the thunder arrive, belatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hack” rowed swiftly, soon reaching the shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been waiting half the day,” Aldrich said coldly, face expressionless, his displeasure unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though in truth, he’d waited less than ten minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boss, something went wrong,” Hack said, lowering his voice deliberately in the quiet night, altering his tone slightly from his usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something wrong?” Aldrich raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boss, get on the boat—I’ll explain while we go.” Hack’s voice was urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine.” The situation was urgent; Aldrich had no time to think. He stepped lightly and leapt onto the boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boat lurched sharply downward under his weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yesterday, someone attacked us,” Hack said as he rowed furiously, the boat speeding toward the nearby shanty district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attacked? What? What happened next?” Aldrich’s voice tightened with alarm, his guard rising instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was a Sea Sentinel mage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Sea Sentinel mage sent to drive off the water beasts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, caught his breath, then continued: “After clearing the beasts, he didn’t leave Lagos City—he came back, discovered our stinking salamander breeding, and attacked us on the spot, trying to arrest us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A Sea Sentinel mage!” Aldrich froze, then sat upright. “How did he find you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know,” Hack thought, then shook his head hard. “We’d already left before he even reached Marko District.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could this Sea Sentinel mage really have supernatural powers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible,” Aldrich dismissed it offhand, frowning. “If they were that powerful, they’d have found you years ago—why wait till now? You were careless. You left traces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's impossible—if they were truly that powerful, they would have discovered you years ago; why wait until now?\" Aldrich dismissed Hak's claim with a wave, frowning. \"You must have been careless and left some trace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that Sea Sentinel mage reported this, and the higher-rank mages came to investigate, the big shots would cut ties with him instantly and throw him out as the scapegoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once that Sea Sentinel mage carries this news back and reports it, when the Sea Sentinel’s high-ring mages come down to investigate, given the nature of those big shots, they’ll sever all ties with him in an instant and throw him out as a scapegoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made Aldrich’s heart race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the status of that Sea Sentinel mage now?” he demanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait,” Aldrich suddenly noticed something wrong before Hack could answer. “A Sea Sentinel mage is at least a First-Rank mage—immensely powerful. You seven are only mage apprentices. How are you still alive after his attack?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait,\" Aldrich suddenly noticed something wrong before Hak could answer his question. \"Sea Sentinel mages are at least first-ring mages—immensely powerful. You seven are merely mage apprentices. How are you still alive after encountering him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another flash of lightning rolled across the sky, splitting the black heavens—and illuminating Aldrich’s stunned face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thunder roared like ten thousand cavalry charging, drowning out his unfinished words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the boat suddenly shuddered violently, rocking as if hit by waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the water was perfectly calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boss, water beast!” Hack’s urgent, panicked voice rang out after the thunder faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Boss, there’s a water beast!\" As the thunder faded, Hak’s urgent, panicked voice rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich froze in shock, whirling to look outside—and saw a dark shadow dart past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too fast—he caught only a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It moved too fast; he only caught a fleeting afterimage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark shadow surged upward beneath the boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The narrow, unstable boat flipped over instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, it turned upside down on the water’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the boat folded in half upon the water’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich and Hack both tumbled into the filthy water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn, it stinks!” Aldrich choked back sewage, cursed, then held his breath and reached for the boat, trying to climb back aboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his hand touched the gunwale—it was greasy, slippery, impossible to grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked closer: the boat’s edge was coated in a slick, glassy layer of oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trouble!” Aldrich thought inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A seasoned gang veteran who’d clawed his way up, he instantly connected the dots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he cast a [Shield Spell] on himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic surged around him, forming a transparent, faintly glowing shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich’s decision was flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crystal-clear sword, radiating bone-chilling cold, pierced the murky water like a streak of frost, striking toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De, disguised as Hack using [Disguise+], had lured Aldrich into the water. Now, he lightly tapped a block of ice he’d formed with [Water Manipulation], using it as a launchpad, shooting forward like an arrow, covering dozens of feet in an instant, hurtling toward Aldrich with terrifying speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Low-rank mages couldn’t fly; without solid ground, their movement became sluggish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he entered the water, he’d already cast [Wolf’s Speed+], gaining wolf-like leaping ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before reaching shore, he’d pre-cast [Feather Step+], eliminating terrain-based movement penalties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the thin layer of ice beneath his feet felt as solid as pavement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his right hand, he gripped [North Wind], frozen to the boat’s bottom earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the moment the boat flipped, he’d drawn it from its sheath in one fluid motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew no refined sword techniques—not even basic stances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t need them. He only needed [North Wind]’s extreme cold, like wielding an electric prod—just touch the target’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d rehearsed every motion countless times; execution was seamless, instantaneous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[North Wind], moving at his top speed, lashed toward Aldrich like a white serpent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water droplets splashing from the blade froze instantly into ice beads from its chill, striking the blade with a clattering, cascading sound—like pearls tumbling onto jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water droplets splashing around the blade froze into ice beads from the cold breath of the northern wind, then fell upon the blade, producing a clattering, interwoven sound like large and small pearls dropping onto a jade plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the sword scabbard partially blocking the northern wind’s chill, even frozen beneath the hull and separated by thick planks, Aldrich would have felt the cold acutely and sensed something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just centimeters from Aldrich, a metallic clang rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich’s immediately cast [Shield Spell] blocked the northern wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The northern wind’s inherent chill would normally shatter ordinary [Shield Spells] outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aldrich was a second-circle mage; though [Shield Spell] was a first-circle spell, when cast at second-circle level, its defensive power far surpassed that of a first-circle mage’s [Shield Spell].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why merely casting at a higher circle allows a second-circle mage to easily crush a first-circle mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint glow of the shield rippled under the northern wind’s glacial chill, holding firm without shattering instantly, and Gao De’s momentum ceased as he plunged into the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint glow shield settled back into stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?! How dare you attack me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich shouted loudly underwater—both a question and an attempt to draw Gao De’s attention, buying himself time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already silently activating a spell model.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aldrich, you ordered your subordinates to release water beasts to injure people—that is a grave crime. As a Sea Sentinel mage, I am here to arrest you.” Gao De’s voice exploded through the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his meticulously prepared strike had failed, he felt no great discouragement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die!” Even as Aldrich was startled by Gao De’s self-revelation, his hands moved without hesitation—he roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water instantly converged before Aldrich, forming a massive, rapidly spinning vortex; the internal currents rubbed against each other, emitting a piercing whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With astonishing momentum, it surged toward Gao De’s position, the water’s tip sharpened into a cone like a spear, as if ready to pierce through all obstacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Water Impact], a first-circle evocation spell!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In aquatic environments, [Water Impact] gained additional power, and with higher-circle casting, one could imagine—if it struck home, Gao De would be gravely wounded, if not killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao De, whose [Adaptation] had evolved extreme water sensitivity, had sensed Aldrich’s move long before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer despised the filthy, stinking water; with a powerful twist of his waist, he plunged downward sharply, moving with the fluid grace of a swimming fish, his speed astonishingly swift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one observed closely, one would notice thin membranes had quietly grown between Gao De’s fingers and toes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These membranes fluttered gently in the water like fins, granting him the swimming speed and agility of a fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exclusive Sea Sentinel spell: [Ocean Touch+].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water was his battlefield!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water vortex roared over Gao De’s head; though it missed him, the intense water pressure still pressed against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the pressure of a second-circle mage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So fast!” Aldrich, realizing his spell had missed, widened his eyes, desperately searching for Gao De’s figure in the dark water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where could he possibly find him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waters of Marko District were already murky; now, with such scarce light, it was worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current environment was far too hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was deep night, just before a torrential downpour; thick clouds blanketed the sky like a canvas soaked in ink, rendering visibility zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had mastered [Darkvision], he would not have been affected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But [Darkvision] was a second-circle spell—he had only just advanced to second-circle mage less than half a year ago; how could he possibly have mastered it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another issue: he was now submerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lagos City was a traditional fishing town, bordering the sea; as a local native, Aldrich had certainly learned to swim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But humans are not fish—even if one can swim, movement underwater remains cumbersome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aldrich’s disadvantages were precisely Gao De’s advantages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a first-circle mage, though he lacked [Darkvision], [Adaptation] had greatly enhanced his ability to see in darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not reaching the level of [Darkvision], he still held a decisive edge over Aldrich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dual boost of [Ocean Touch+] and [Adaptation] made Gao De feel as if he were swimming in his own element.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was timing and terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, Gao De’s head broke the water’s surface not far from Aldrich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garbage and rotting debris splashed outward with the current.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De forced down his urge to vomit; a spell model in his arcane star-sea had just completed activation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint glow appeared on Aldrich’s skin beneath his clothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first like a tiny bean, it spread rapidly, forming a strange, intricate, mystical totem pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First-circle rare spell: [Hunter’s Mark+].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2256,"2026-06-19T14:28:50.414Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bbfc67a7e5e82ca8859496ecbf09bc5b3d78c39910dd04611d74032d2a039ad9","above-the-mage-chapter-466","above-the-mage-chapter-464",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]