Wizard: I'm leveling up by AFK in another world

Wisps of black smoke were still rising around the jade barrier.

Half an hour ago, this poorly defended elven fortress nearly became a living hell. Dozens of wizards suddenly appeared near the fortress and easily tore through the defensive barrier of the city walls with terrifying fire magic.

Kellan took all the elven mages with him, leaving the remaining garrison helpless against the magic of a first-level wizard.

Just when everyone was in utter despair, a miracle occurred.

An army of elves emerged from the forest and attacked the invaders' rear.

The battle was fierce, but the defenders and civilians on the city walls were unable to see the specific situation clearly.

The battlefield was completely shrouded in a thick layer of gray-green mist, from which the mournful screams of wizards and various chilling explosions could be heard.

When the fog dissipated, the dozens of wizards had turned into unrecognizable ashes.

The one who led this extraordinary force to save the entire fortress was none other than His Highness Prince Elian, the "candidate saint" who was rumored to have died long ago in the Elven court.

The city gates slowly opened to both sides.

Elion rode a white stag into the fortress.

His white robe was spotless, his golden hair shone brightly in the sunlight, and his face wore a warm, spring-like smile, as perfect as if he had just descended from the kingdom of the Father God.

Following him were thousands of solemn-looking, orderly elven soldiers.

They wore dark green leather armor that covered their entire bodies completely, and even their faces were covered with vine masks to obscure their vision.

The roadsides were crowded with survivors.

After a brief silence, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from within the fortress.

"Prince Elian! It's Prince Elian!"

"His Highness is not dead! He has returned to save us!"

The elves surged wildly to both sides of the road, many of them so excited that tears welled up in their eyes, and they knelt down, pressing their foreheads to the cold stone slabs.

They generously threw their meager food, a few freshly picked wildflowers, and even their personal amulets into the middle of the road to express their utmost respect for their savior.

Elian gently pulled on the reins, smiling and nodding to the tribespeople lining both sides of the road.

He gently raised his long, slender, fair hands, and a soft green halo rippled from his palms, brushing over the slightly injured civilians in the front row.

As the halo swept over, a refreshing coolness immediately emanated from the abrasions and burns on the civilians, greatly reducing the pain.

"Praise be to Your Highness! Praise be to the merciful Father!" The cheers from the crowd grew even more fervent.

Behind the throng of people, the wise elf stood quietly in a corner. His weathered face was etched with complex emotions.

"Wise one, did you see that? It really is Prince Elian!" The young elf gripped the old mage's arm tightly, tears of emotion streaming down her face. "He defeated those terrible wizards! He truly is our savior!"

These wandering elves, who had rejected the Silvermoon Forest, had only arrived at the Emerald Barrier yesterday and hadn't even settled down before encountering this war.

"We really should have gone in then," the young elf continued. "His Highness possesses such great power; that forest was utterly harmless. It was undoubtedly a sacred barrier His Highness used to protect his people! We ourselves missed out on His Highness's blessing!"

The wise elf swallowed hard, his saliva dry.

He recalled everything he had sensed at the edge of the Silvermoon Tree Forest.

At the time, he firmly believed in his intuition and did not hesitate to lead his people away from the place he regarded as a "devil's den".

But now, harsh reality has given him a resounding slap in the face.

If it weren't for Elian's sudden appearance, these wanderers, along with the tens of thousands of elves in the fortress, would have been reduced to ashes by now.

"Perhaps... I really am getting senile."

However, amidst this frenzied atmosphere, a discordant, cold voice suddenly broke in.

"Halt! Who gave you permission to enter the core area of ​​the fortress without authorization?"

One hundred heavily armored infantrymen suddenly poured out of the streets inside the fortress and stopped less than ten paces from Elian.

They formed a dense defensive formation, completely blocking the road ahead.

It was Val, the most loyal subordinate of Vice Commander Kellan, and also the current highest-ranking officer in charge of the Emerald Fortress.

Val plunged his greatsword into the crack in the stone slab, his gaze fixed on Elian with a sharp, piercing intensity.

"Lord Val! What are you doing!" the commoners in the crowd shouted angrily. "His Highness Elion just saved us all! How can you point a sword at him!"

"Shut up! This is none of your business, you commoners!" Val roared, intimidating the surrounding crowd.

He turned his head and looked directly into Elian's eyes without fear.

"Your Highness, I thank you for repelling the wizard's sneak attack at the critical moment." Although Val's words were respectful, his tone was icy cold. "However, this Emerald Fortress was reclaimed from the wizards by Vice Commander Kellan and us, sword by sword. You disappeared after the Battle of the Elven Court and made no contribution to the reconquest of the kingdom."

"The deputy commander has just led the main force out to battle, and you've appeared here with an army of unknown origin. I'd like to ask you, are you here to provide support, or to seize command?"

Upon hearing this, the previously bustling street instantly fell silent.

The elves exchanged bewildered glances. While Val's words were harsh, they had indeed touched upon an extremely sensitive issue.

The power struggle between the two high-ranking elves was something that these lower-level personnel could never participate in.

Fran, who had just been rescued, stepped forward and angrily pointed at Val: "Val! Are you blind! If it weren't for His Highness's intervention, you would have been burned to ashes by those wizards' evil magic! What right do you have to question His Highness here!"

Val sneered, his gaze sweeping over Fran's face, which was covered in burn scars.

"I only obey Vice-Commander Kellan's orders. Once he has breached the wizard's starship camp and returned in triumph, I will personally apologize to him." Val gripped his sword hilt, unyielding. "But until then, no one, not even a member of the royal family, shall have any say in command of this fortress!"

Elian gazed silently at Val's face, a face etched with stubbornness and loyalty.

He neither got angry nor argued back. A very subtle smile, tinged with pity, even appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Elian knew that Val's blind loyalty was built on Kellan's unrealistic illusion of victory. Once that illusion was shattered, these so-called die-hards would instantly become a bunch of pathetic wretches without a leader.

"Val, you are a loyal general."

Elian sighed softly and shook his head.

"I wish your fantasy were real. I wish Kelland could really bring us a victory."

Elian raised his right hand and snapped his fingers lightly in mid-air.

"Fran, let him see the truth. Let all his people see what blind arrogance has brought to our kingdom."