Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 137 Heroes Amidst the Vastness of Time, the Victors Make History

The High Priest of Light arrived in the Xilin Plain, silencing some treacherous individuals and ushering in a brief period of peace.

But the high priest did not stay long before leaving Longlet Castle for other areas, and the conspirators hidden in the shadows rekindled their ambitions.

Inside a frozen palace, Salman listened to his subordinates' intelligence and flew into a rage.

"What? Your entire army of griffin swordsmen was robbed clean at the border? What were you all doing?"

"My lord, it's not our fault. The enemy's forces are a mixed bunch, including troops from hell who have connections to the unknown underworld. They don't give face to anyone and have occupied a lot of wilderness areas, making them really difficult to deal with."

"How is this possible? A large number of demonic forces have appeared between Elton and the Arcane Empire. It's absurd!"

The scouts reported with unwavering confidence, but Salim didn't believe them. His family had been operating in the North for so long and had never seen any demonic forces. Perhaps there were some minor demons in the lawless areas, but could those minions defeat the castle's elite troops? It was a joke.

However, the entrance to the underworld made Salman a little nervous. If some forces from the underworld really managed to get to the border through the tunnels, it would be difficult to deal with.

He was already quite annoyed by Longletburg's blocking of westward-bound trade caravans and its refusal to cooperate. Now that even the most secure northern border was in trouble, his so-called grand trade route plan now seemed like nothing more than empty talk.

News came from the family that the father's health was deteriorating, yet he still insisted on working on the front lines.

"This crumbling country, Finaxia doesn't care, Congress doesn't pay attention, and Raven is incompetent. Does he, an old man, have to shoulder the burden alone? Doesn't he even consider the future of the family?!"

His younger brother, Gabe Salman, spent his days in the duchy's castle, obsessed with securing the heirship, completely oblivious to the family's current predicament. Gabe not only contacted the cavalry guards but also secretly pledged allegiance to the cult, as if his father, Duke Salman, were already dead.

Rod Suliman clenched his fist and slammed it into the long table, splitting it in two.

At this moment, the orange-clad witch slowly entered the hall, glancing at the furious duke's heir with a hint of disdain. However, as she approached him, she reverted to her naturally alluring demeanor.

“I heard about the battle from Austin. The opponent is a hero with amazing defensive skills. It is very likely that he used some kind of secret technique to enhance his defensive effect, and he gained 100% physical resistance for a short period of time.”

This time, I will send a sorcerer skilled in magic to eliminate the enemy directly and help you open up the westward trade route.

The Void Cult's unique feature is its Stargate teleportation, which can send its heroes back to their cities or relocate them under extreme circumstances. Salman only recently learned of this, and he felt a sense of disdain for them, thinking they were just running away.

"The High Priest of Light has just left the plains, and you're going there with such fanfare, isn't that a bit..."

Medea frowned slightly: "The void is not afraid of the light. Even if the priest team is here, it cannot stop us from doing our work!"

Rhodes's face was grim, and he cursed the crazy bitch in his heart. It was nothing for them to fight against the Church of Light. Even if they were defeated, they could use the Stargate to teleport back to the Arcane Empire. Anyway, this was a characteristic of the Church of the Void.

But what about him? How can he possibly obtain the right to inherit the family business if he colludes with the Arcane Empire?
She was already at a disadvantage in the competition with her younger brother, and now she could only hope to turn the tide by solving the family's problems, but she was getting deeper and deeper into trouble.

Rhodes' voice was a little hoarse: "What's with the demons at the border? I heard there's also a tunnel entrance. Can't your mighty empire even handle some small fry?"

Medea replied, "The appearance of the tunnel entrance is very strange. The Empire has sent people to investigate. Several demon heroes are constructing a magma tunnel, which is not easy to deal with. However, they do not have a suitable demon city and cannot establish a foothold. They will eventually be driven back underground."

Upon hearing this, Rhodes burst into laughter, shouting hoarsely, "Ultimately being driven back underground? What about my trade routes? My father might pass away at any time, and I still need this achievement to surpass Gabu. You're telling me it will take more time? How can I wait!"

Medea's face darkened completely as she looked at the deranged Rhodes. She slowly walked over. An invisible giant hand appeared in the void, and Rhodes felt as if a burly man had grabbed his neck and lifted him up.

With each step he took, Rhodes was lifted a foot higher, and Medea's beautiful face seemed to change, transforming into a dark, ethereal mask that stared directly into his soul.

“You were the one who approached us. The cult helped you, so you should be grateful.”

As for your family's messy affairs, you'll have to deal with them yourself. Otherwise, the Church won't have any pity on a worthless heir.

Rhodes clutched his neck, struggling in vain. He felt isolated in a void, unable to breathe, about to suffocate. The fear of death came so suddenly that his eyes were filled with nothing but terror.

"Boom!"

His massive body crashed onto the floor, and Rhodes, ignoring the pain, greedily inhaled the air.

Medea leaned closer, her alluring expression returning: "Don't worry, as long as you do as I say, I guarantee you'll become the duke's heir."

After saying this, Medea turned and left, pushing open the door of the palace. What greeted her was a howling wind and glistening white snow.

She gazed at the dim stars in the night sky, her expression turning serious.

The weakened Elton attracted even more wolves, but the Void Cult's goal remained unchanged, ensuring it could reap the greatest benefits.

……

In the no-man's-land where the Arcane Empire and Elton meet, the once noisy and chaotic camp is now filled with magma, with dozens of burning pillars of fire rising up. In the center is a passage leading underground, connecting to an unknown land.

The overwhelming smell of sulfur and intense heat filled this place with violence and madness.

"My lord, we were your earliest servants, and we are utterly loyal to you. You cannot do this!"

Several nomads were tied to pillars, while a group of gogs below danced and uttered distinctive demonic whispers, seemingly enjoying a hellish barbecue.

Standing on the altar was a hero with fiery red skin and golden eyes, who said to them with a smile: "I know your loyalty. Since that's the case, offer me your last flesh and heart, and make a great heretic!"

With a wave of his hand, Gog threw the ball of fire in his hand at the pillar, burning the nomadic soldiers alive.

Amidst the melodious screams, hard horns sprouted from the hero's head, spewing blood and flames.

This man was none other than Karl, the traitor who had escaped from Elton. Using his diplomatic skills, he lured a large number of neutral troops to the Demon Ruins, where he stumbled upon a silent altar and surprisingly made contact with the Abyss Demon Lord.

Through the veil of flames, the demon lord saw Karl's past betrayals, killings, and cunning, and greatly admired them. So he bestowed upon him demonic power, corrupting him into a new heretic.

[Karl: Attack 4, Defense 3, Spell Power 5, Knowledge 4]
Advanced Persuasive Diplomacy: Wilderness troops weaker than you have a 100% chance to join your army and undergo corruption at the corresponding level, gradually transforming into a demonic form. Surrender costs are reduced by 60%. Linking to Demon Iwo Jima is possible once all four stats reach 6.

Intermediate King of Gogs: For every 8 points of Spell Power Knowledge a hero has, the range of Gogs' (including upgraded units) fireball attacks is increased by 30% and fire damage by 1 point.

Intermediate Hellfire Arrow: Ranged units gain +25% damage and are inflicted with magma flames that burn enemies, causing a 1% damage increase (stackable, up to 10 stacks).

Intermediate Fire Elemental Mastery. Karl completely dedicated his soul to Hell, gaining immense power.

As for these guys who were lured here by diplomacy, they naturally became the best sacrifices.

Of course, it wasn't just those who were bewitched; a few days ago, many northern troops crossed the border and were all captured in a surprise attack, becoming sacrifices on the pillar of fire.

He loathed Elton's humans to the extreme, wishing he could kill them all, but being able to make use of them was not a bad option.

He seized this territory, opened the sealed entrance to the tunnel, summoned evil life forms from the depths of the earth, and prepared to carry out the evil plan of the great demon lord.

He was clearly happy to see Elton and the Arcane Empire plunged into chaos and disaster.

Especially that damned Longlet Castle, if it could be burned by flames and poured with magma, it would be absolutely exciting.

But as Karl pondered, he recalled Sumu on the battlefield, and a sudden jolt went through him.

"Let's avoid this plague god for now. We'll develop our strength on the border and let Salman provoke us. I'll amass a force and then deal with him slowly!"

The growth of a demon depends on the corruption of people's hearts. As the war intensifies, his army will grow larger and larger. Chaos is the ladder for his ascent.

……

In the ancient ruins, dozens of eerie temples flickered with a bewitching red light, and countless skeleton warriors rose from the ground. The Undead Grand Duke drank a cup of blood wine, regained his physical body, and transformed into a handsome and young general.

He rose from his throne, stepped out of the dark hall, and onto the familiar grass.

Any green grass that came into contact with his aura instantly turned grayish-yellow. But he quickly controlled the leaking aura of the dead, though a chilling wind swirled around him, sending shivers down one's spine.

He sensed the connection to his old friend and prepared to take action, deciding to do it himself.

……

On the eastern battlefield of the kingdom, Raven, disregarding the favorable situation, temporarily withdrew his army, failing to press his advantage and capture the Fal Forest. This move drew the ire of Parliament, with many members feeling that the Marshal had been overly cautious and missed the best opportunity to reclaim lost territory.

Some radicals even considered replacing the aging and senile Raven with a young and promising general.

The king, unable to withstand the outrage in parliament, is carefully considering the matter.

Only Lloyd of Isildur, looking at the illusionary forest constructed with supernatural magic on the ruins of the Far Forest, and the thousands of mangrove warriors and unicorns lurking within it, couldn't help but sigh.

It was just a hair's breadth away. If Raven had been a little more aggressive, he could have lured the enemy into an ambush, mobilized his hidden troops, and, together with the tens of thousands of "defeated" soldiers outside, annihilated Elton's main force here.

For this ambush, he even enlisted five high-ranking heroes from the Elder Council and used the sacred artifact of the Natural God Cult to conceal the army's presence. Even if the enemy had a Saint-level diviner, they wouldn't be able to detect this force.

Lloyd was certain that Raven was unaware of his ambush, but the enemy chose to withdraw at the last moment before victory, a truly dramatic turn of events.

Could it be that his reputation was too great, and he lost it too quickly?

The losses were real; both the vanguard and the main force suffered crushing defeats. The strategic battles were also real, with Lloyd even having to fight on two fronts. If the frontal assault went smoothly, these ambushing troops would be teleported directly to the heart of Elton and launch a surprise attack on its capital.

I can't figure it out. All I can say is that Raven, that old fox, has fought a lifetime of battles and has an incredibly sharp sense of smell.

Elton is not yet doomed.

However, the other side's situation is probably not good. Everyone in Elton believes that after several major battles, they have the strength to defeat the Barrier. The reason they were defeated and fled in disarray before was simply because they were unprepared.

That's good. If Elton can replace Raven, that old codger, the battles will be much easier.

As the saying goes, national wars are all about national strength, seeing who can hold out until the end.

……

Su Mu stood atop Cangmu City Wall, watching hundreds of wooden carts carrying grain and clothing being pulled into the city gate, and only then did his heart finally settle down.

Natural disasters and man-made calamities threaten the nation's survival, leading to endless chaos.

His abilities were limited; he could only protect Kuraki and the citizens of Langlit Castle, as well as the heroes who trusted him.

He couldn't and wouldn't bother with anything else.

Perhaps if Kuraki Castle develops further, he will be able to intervene in the Kingdom War, at least protecting the plains, which would be worthy of the Knight Commander's trust.

In today's kingdom, ambitious people are like wild grass, constantly emerging.

Different heroes from different factions have their own goals and pursuits.

Humans guard order, fortresses seek resources, towers pursue profound truths, hell listens to desires, and the graveyard yearns for revival.

If you put yourself in each of their roles, you'll find that there's a reason they're destined to win. There's no inherent right or wrong in this world, only legendary stories.

Su Mu hoped he would be the final victor, because only the victor could write history.

Just as he was gazing into the distance, his face suddenly felt a chill. He instinctively reached out and caught a series of hexagonal ice crystals.

It's finally snowing!
The towering mountains and vast land were instantly transformed into a silver-clad landscape, pure and flawless.

Even a city of hundreds of thousands of people appears so insignificant in the face of nature, let alone heroes.

He could only move forward with difficulty, cultivating alone, comprehending the mysteries of incantation and magic, hoping to one day break through the limits of mortals.

However, this winter in Elton is unlikely to be so pleasant.

(End of this chapter)