Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 134 Void and Light

Su Mu quickly received Ivan's message, and he was also surprised when he heard that the duck he had just eaten had flown away.

As Ivan described the Stargate teleportation in detail, Su Mu was able to recall some information about the Arcane Empire.

The Void Cult is a faith that blends bloodline and magic, incorporates advanced alchemical techniques, and draws upon a sliver of the blessing bestowed by the Void Titan (Tier 7, Tier 3 unit).

They are considered one of the mysterious high-level sects within the tower. Their goal is to awaken the sleeping Void Titans, enabling the entire tower's forces to achieve physical ascension and become part of the Titans.

As for Austin's desertion, he was wearing Titan armor and possessed the blessing of the cult, which allowed him to activate long-distance teleportation under extreme circumstances. This was an effect of the tower's special architecture, and it was indeed a characteristic of this cult.

Not only teleportation, but also battlefield teleportation, summoning void entities, and hand-crafting Titan Arrows are all characteristics of the Cult, which mainly emphasizes superb mobility and single-target damage.

Under normal circumstances, there would be no way to deal with the other party, but Maggie brought him the War Shackles, which can restrict the enemy's escape.

The sealed treasure has been sealed for nearly a month and is now ready for adjustment. This time, he plans to have Ivan carry it to guard key passages. If the Void God Cult dares to interfere again, they will be shown what it means to have nowhere to run.

Ivan felt somewhat guilty for letting Austin escape, and Su Mu comforted him. The battlefield situation is ever-changing, and no one can completely control it. Against a mysterious sect like the Void Cult, gathering information first and then formulating a targeted strategy will be much more effective.

This also shows that he has a good understanding of the various forces. If it were an ordinary lord, he would probably have to suffer more losses to obtain the information.

But why is the Void Cult getting involved in Elton's affairs? Does the Arcane Empire want to interfere?
This is not impossible. After all, the Kingdom and Isildur are locked in a fierce battle. If the Arcane Empire wants to annex the Snowfield, targeting the Salim family would be the best entry point.

In the past, when the kingdom was at its peak, Salman was able to navigate the borders with ease through trade. Now, he wants to use the same tactic again, without even considering his own situation. Cooperating with the Church of the Void is tantamount to seeking help from a tiger.

Duke Salman should still be somewhat wary of the other party, but Rhodes, due to a series of 'dazzling' achievements in the early stages, was somewhat desperate and sought treatment in a desperate attempt to show off his abilities, thus inviting the wolf into the house.

The kingdom is now like a leaky house; powerful neighbors all want to come in and steal things, there's just no way around it.

The enemy certainly won't let this go easily and will send targeted forces to retaliate. Although Ivan possesses comprehensive physical resistance, he is helpless against elemental damage and magic. Support troops must be provided to thoroughly cripple the enemy in order to curb the Void Cult's ambitions. Su Mu can't interfere with the Cult's attempts to invade the North and target Salman, but if they try to cause trouble in the Marquisate, well, sorry, we'll just chop off their outstretched claws.

Compared to the Arcane Empire's clandestine machinations, Isildur's side was the real threat.

After Isabel's vanguard's defeat, Isildur maintained the front line in the hills, more than doubling its troop strength using its considerable national resources. The kingdom, not to be outdone, drew upon its accumulated reserves and rapidly recruited soldiers, unleashing its full war potential to replenish Raven's ranks.

Marshal Raven lived up to his reputation as a great general. After his forces were strengthened, he led his army to push back and reclaim the fertile lands in the east, advancing directly towards the Far Forest in the north.

Lloyd's repeated defeats drew criticism from within Isidore, and rumors even circulated about a change of manager.

Su Mu was happy with the victory, but also somewhat worried. Lloyd was no ordinary man, and Isildur still held a huge advantage; there was no reason for them to be defeated. There might be a conspiracy involved. However, the kingdom's commander-in-chief was Raven, who was knowledgeable, calm, and meticulous, and had absolutely no problem controlling the overall situation.

During this time, Su Mu led the heroes to the Star Axis to enhance their magical power. Maggie and Wayne also went to the Marit Tower to obtain defenses.

Although the illusionary buildings have a limited number of uses, they are still very valuable. Moreover, he only has a few people under his command, so once they are upgraded, that's enough. There's no way to upgrade them repeatedly.

Having fought a great battle to capture the Star Axis, Ivan was clearly the biggest contributor. The other heroes came forward to talk to him and express their gratitude.

Everyone was under Su Mu's rule, and their relationships varied in depth. Forrest and Orling, as early adopters of the company, were naturally closer, able to contact each other immediately when needed, and helping each other out when problems arose in their respective fields. Maggie, high above everyone else and as the heir to a marquisate, didn't actually interact as closely, but her special status made everyone willing to befriend her. Wayne and Ivan, who joined later, fought side-by-side in several battles and gradually became acquainted.

Everyone is working together with one heart and one mind to develop Kuraki, which is what Su Mu hopes to see.

As for talk of power politics and checks and balances, suppression and promotion, it's completely unnecessary. They don't even consider the state of the kingdom. Even if they are united, they may not be able to survive in this chaotic world. If they engage in factional struggles, the outcome will be absolutely tragic.

Ivan held the passage, leaving the other side helpless. Even the nobles of the North sent envoys to negotiate, hoping to quell the conflict.

Someone suggested that Longlitburg could share the trade routes in the North and that both sides could share resources, but this was directly rejected by Sumu.

Su Mu could hear what the Northern nobles were up to, even across the plains. The westward trade route, originally exclusively controlled by Longlet Castle, had low tax rates, allowing everyone to profit. Now, the North had imposed high tariffs, giving Longlet Castle scraps as if it were a favor.

Beyond the border, further north, the other nobles' trading markets had long since formed alliances and would not accommodate them at all.

Since that's the case, let's just break the rules and prevent anyone from monopolizing the spoils. As long as we control the gateway to the west, we'll have a trump card to counterattack, and the northern nobles won't dare to act rashly.

"With a great war imminent, you have neglected your public duty for personal reasons. The nobles of the North will surely unite and petition the Parliament for trial. Prepare to be punished!"

The marquises and nobles who came to negotiate were very dissatisfied and made outrageous remarks.

Maggie stood up, showing no mercy: "You've taken all the benefits, why didn't you think of Longletburg in the first place? Go ahead and sue if you want, I want to see if Salman can control everything in Congress!"

As the head of the marquisate, Maggie rarely showed such assertiveness.

In the past, she might have compromised out of concern for the enemy's backing or thought that forbearance would bring peace. Now, following Su Mu, she has clearly made much progress. If she doesn't inflict serious damage on the enemy and accumulate enough prestige, those nobles will definitely remain the same as before.

"Hmph! Let's see!"

The two sides parted on bad terms. Su Mu ordered Ivan to continue guarding the area and gave Ouling 150 Earth Bows to be stationed in the wilderness for immediate support.

In this situation, Saliman might take a desperate gamble, disregarding the Duke's family's reputation and forcibly taking action. In the worst-case scenario, Parliament might directly side with the North, sacrificing Longlet Castle to make concessions. If that happens, don't blame Sumu for turning his back on everyone and immediately initiating a chaotic war within the region; no one should think about forbearance for the sake of the country, just fight.

The northern nobles slunk back, and Longleat Castle was on high alert, but no major conflict occurred.

Just as Maggie and the others were wondering what was going on, they received a message.

The High Priestess of Light of the Kingdom, Jonia di Medici, has arrived in the Marquisate and is about to enter Langlit Castle.

No wonder the Northern nobles have been quiet; another important figure from the kingdom has arrived. Those with shady dealings with the Arcane Empire clearly dare not show their faces.

Maggie and the others were very happy; it seemed that Su Mu was about to be ennobled.

(End of this chapter)