Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 303 A New Path for Illusion

"Mr. Duncan, please try to use your prosthetic arm to grasp and release it."

"Hmm...Okay, please try to move your lower limbs. Yes! Keep moving at a steady pace..."

"Can you successfully channel the magic power in your body into the transplanted limb? Try to complete a magic channeling?"

Duncan raised his alchemical prosthetic arm, which was not yet very docile, and stumbled over the simplest arcane magic. Looking at the arcane magic power slowly condensing in his silver-white metal palm, he smiled with satisfaction.

Harvey also noticed the slight sluggishness in his spellcasting and quickly spoke to him in comfort, "The magical energy channels designed into the alchemical prosthesis are far more extensive than the magical veins in your current body. You just need some time to recover and re-concentrate the abundant magical energy within your body. Then you'll be able to cast spells as quickly and instantly as before."

The alchemical arm transplanted to Duncan is completely different from the limb shape of a normal human. It is mainly to match the illusion state that he may use in the future. Therefore, in addition to the part that fills the original broken limb position, the prosthesis also has a retractable metal mantis arm grafted on the ribs and connected to the artificial spine on the back. It can be folded up and hidden under the wizard robe at ordinary times. Once the illusion spell is cast, it can become part of the beast mimicry and assist in combat.

In other words, Duncan, the master of illusion, now actually has three hands.

But compared to the slightly conservative prosthetic modifications on his upper limbs, his lower torso is a bit shocking - Harvey directly extracted inspiration from the design of the wolf spider alchemist and grafted a set of metal insect legs with three pairs of feet for Duncan. These can also be folded and merged into two slightly slender human legs for normal use. But if there is no wizard robe to cover it, it will be found that these two long metal legs look a bit uncoordinated in terms of thickness and length.

Once the illusion spell is cast, the two legs can immediately split into three, turning Duncan into a strange crab-like form with six legs, and possessing the special ability to climb and hang, no different from the Alchemical Wolf Spider Beast.

When Duncan's three students entered the surgical laboratory trembling with fear, he was trying to perform the illusion spell that he was best at under Harvey's guidance.

After a creepy sound of flesh and bones rubbing against metal, Duncan successfully completed his most proficient werewolf transformation for the first time after being injured and disabled. However, compared with his student Eye of Illusion, his transformed state was slightly different - although still in werewolf form, his body was obviously taller and stronger, and his originally hairy ribs and waist suddenly had two sharp metal blades extending from his back. These two metal blades could actually stretch and retract freely, and looked extremely flexible.

The flesh and blood limbs in the lower part of the body were also replaced by two thick metal animal feet, but the shape was more like that of a large monster. The knees were not bent forward like humans, but were strangely bent backwards, somewhat similar to the toe structure of scaly creatures.

The advantages brought about by this are of course very obvious. At least in the process of bouncing and exerting force, it can provide greater explosive power to the already heavy and huge beast body.

After some attempts, Duncan's body, which had not been guided by meditation for a long time due to injury, quickly ran out of magic power, and he had to end the illusion spell with reluctance.

"Teacher! How do you feel now?" The Eye of Illusion hurried forward to support Duncan and helped him sit back on the operating table.

Duncan lifted his newly implanted metal prosthetic arm and stretched it, muttering with deep emotion, "I originally thought I'd never be able to perform illusion again. I never thought... I never thought it would be so..." He looked up at Harvey standing beside him and bowed sincerely once again. "Your Excellency, please allow me to express the highest respect and gratitude a spellcaster can offer. If it weren't for your help, I might not even have the courage to live."

Harvey smiled and nodded in response, "That's not necessary. The surgical experiment has also confirmed obvious flaws. You may not be able to use your bird-like transformation state in the future. Although the metal prosthesis provides a strong body-bridging function, its flaws in the transformation state are also very obvious. Your flesh and blood body cannot bear such a heavy metal part and soar freely in the sky..."

Chris leaned forward and added, "Furthermore, the newly transplanted limb will require your repeated adaptation. After receiving feedback, we'll need to re-adjust the details. So, I'm afraid you'll need to stay here for a long time to cooperate with us in completing a series of post-operative observation experiments..."

After saying that, he stole a subtle glance at Harvey, and the two of them looked at each other and nodded knowingly.

Now, not only can Mr. Duncan's three high-level spellcasting students stay in the territory and serve them for free for a long time, but even the high-level master of illusion himself will have to work for Harvey for free for a while.

Astrologer Melissa quickly fetched a long-prepared mage robe to cover her teacher's six terrifying metal insect legs. She said with lingering fear, "Your Excellency, I wonder what we're going to do next..."

"Please rest assured, I have already prepared a separate courtyard for Mr. Duncan to recuperate. You can also stay in the territory and don't need to return to Jackdaw Town."

The Eye of Illusion and the Mithril Unicorn looked at each other and felt a little embarrassed. It seemed that they did not pay any price, but in return the other party provided such strenuous rescue and subsequent reception arrangements. No matter how they thought about it, they felt ashamed that they had taken advantage of it.

Fortunately, their teacher Duncan thought for a moment and finally spoke.

"Your Excellency, there's no need to be so polite. My body needs some time to recover and be observed, but the three of them are all well and healthy. If you need them for anything, please feel free to ask."

Harvey was delighted and asked directly without any reservation, "I heard that Mr. Duncan and your three students all graduated from the Orland Royal School of Magic, and they are all extremely talented spellcasters..."

He paused, looking at the four confused masters and apprentices, and slowly continued, "I've always hoped to establish a small private magic academy in this northern wilderness. It's indeed currently accepting quite a few magic apprentices from Saint Valen who have been persecuted by the church and the nobility. The only difficulty is that we're a bit short of teachers. I wonder..."

Without waiting for Duncan to speak, the Eye of Illusion and the Astrologer immediately said in unison, "Do you need us to provide magical enlightenment for those children and guide their apprenticeship advancement? That's absolutely no problem!"

Chris quickly leaned in and interrupted, "Could you please assign Mr. Benoit to my alchemy lab? I've always wanted to collaborate and exchange with independent high-level alchemists in the southern territory. There are many alchemy projects in the labs in the territory that are still waiting to be launched!"

(End of this chapter)