The magical mirror's "emotional spying" feature was the reason Ian took it.
He is a studious Alchemist.
"No mistake, not even my hair is messed up." Ian repeatedly confirmed that he hadn't grown little horns on his head, leaving him increasingly puzzled as to why the black-robed Wizards in Steel City were so afraid of him. Honestly, if he had dark skin, he might understand their fear of him polluting their white bloodline.
But he's very pale now.
His skin is smooth and delicate.
"Hey! Did you mistake me for someone else?" Ian shouted loudly, his voice scattering in the wild wind. He then attempted to extend his Spiritual Power towards the protective barrier to express goodwill to the Ancient Wizards inside. However, as soon as his Mental Power touched the barrier, it bounced back as if it had touched a hot iron.
Clearly.
This Protective Magic even blocked the intrusion of Mental Power. Despite possessing the Rank of a Legendary Wizard, Ian couldn't shake this protective barrier in the slightest.
This was what Ian couldn't understand the most—clearly, these Wizards all had Magic and Magic Power that were as strong as or even stronger than his own.
Yet they were as terrified as startled birds.
Was it necessary?
Just as Ian was baffled.
At this moment, Steel City suddenly moved.
Not the city itself but a mechanism inside the city was activated. The Wizards in Steel City ignored Ian's goodwill, raising their hands and chanting ancient Spells.
The next second, the entire city's steel surface began to wriggle, the once-still steel pipes started to twist and transform, the ground cracked open, and innumerable metal beasts peeled off from the walls, towers, and mechanical gears. Their bodies were made of black metal, steam spewed from their joints, and eerie blue flames burned in their eye sockets.
These beasts took various forms, some resembled giants with three heads and six arms, with joints bristling with spikes; some like giant serpents, covered in gear-like scales.
Others looked like spiders, with their eight long legs ending in glinting points.
Without exception.
They were all huge.
And purely metal in construction.
With shells of steel and cold eyes, controlled by a group of black-robed Wizards, they appeared like a swarm of awakened war machines, hundreds of metal creations flying out of the buildings.
"Is this... a welcome ceremony?" Ian's mouth twitched as he watched those colossal entities lift off from the city's edge, looking like an intimidating giant swarm.
"This... this is too exaggerated!" Ian's eyes widened as he quickly backed away. There was no doubt about it—he could feel it, these metal beasts were targeting him.
The next second, these Steel Beasts lunged at him with incredible speed, nearly reaching his position in an instant. Ian reacted swiftly and cast a spell.
At the same time.
"Boom—!"
The first Steel Beast flapped its wings and flew in; its form resembled a mechanical dragon, with wings spanning twenty meters wide, metal claws glinting coldly.
Ian quickly raised his Magic Wand and unleashed the most effective spell he could think of.
"Severing Charm!"
A silver light shot towards the nearest spider-shaped beast but only left a white mark on its shell. The spell couldn't even budge these beasts.
Ian had to dodge clumsily.
"Incendio!" Ian launched an attack first, red flames bursting from the end of his Magic Wand. However, the moment the flames touched the Steel Beasts, they vanished as if swallowed by a black hole.
No other choice.
Ian could only transform the flames into Fiery Fire. The roaring flames turned into a dragon, charging at the Steel Beast. Yet just as the flames were about to engulf it.
The metal surface was covered with dense runes, rendering the invincible flames completely absorbed. Yes, even though the blazing fire was like a roaring Fire Dragon rushing towards the Steel Dragon, it instantly vaporized upon touching the dragon's body, leaving no scorched marks.
This wasn't the first time Ian encountered material that Fiery Fire couldn't consume.
And it was at this moment.
"What?!"
Ian's eyes narrowed.
He realized that the city and these beasts—the metal composing them was from that earlier Bronze Gate. As expected, the Bronze Gate and the Wizards here were at least somewhat connected!
Before he could digest this information, another Steel Beast attacked from the side, its body like a giant scorpion, tail spraying high-pressure steam.
A sharp metal stinger thrust directly at him!
"Evil Energy Burst!" Ian roared, the tip of his Magic Wand erupting with an emerald green beam of Evil Energy, a modified Killing Curse strong enough to exceed even Voldemort's achievements over hundreds of years.
Yet, as the Evil Energy spread and burst upon hitting the Steel Beast, those runes lit up again, and the beam was devoured, leaving no trace. Moreover, when the energy hit another Steel Beast behind it, it was absorbed directly, converted into its life force.
Or could it be the metal's Life Force.
"What?! It can use the Star Absorption Technique?!" Ian was dumbfounded. He suddenly realized—this wasn't ordinary magical defense but rather an energy system beyond his understanding.
"Listen! I'm not an enemy! I'm from another era! I just want to return home!" Ian shouted in multiple ancient languages.