How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 232 The Night of Bloodshed

Susas Mage Academy, Prophecy Division, Underground Building.

The furnace churned and the hammers clanged.

One by one, the shirtless blacksmiths wielded their hammers to forge arrowheads, which were then handed over to the craftsmen below.

The craftsman attaches the cut wooden shaft to the arrowhead, and a crossbow bolt is thus formed.

Then a dedicated apprentice came over and arranged the finished product properly.

To the left front, a piece of freshly forged iron was being cooled in water after being quenched by a blacksmith.

The two apprentice sorcerers exchanged a glance and together performed a magic trick to keep the water temperature constant, accelerating the formation of the refined iron.

There are nearly thirty forging stations like this here.

Kane and Logan Sussas walked down the corridor, looking at the bustling scene around them.

Logan Susas's eyes were full of surprise as he said, "I've never seen anything like this before."

"What was the usual practice?"

"In the past, even when the royal court or powerful nobles placed large orders for weapons, they were delivered to various blacksmiths in batches."

They stipulated the production quantities for each of them, and the blacksmith usually completed the entire weapon crafting by himself.

It is indeed extremely rare to see a crossbow bolt disassembled into its various parts, assigned to different blacksmiths for forging, and then assembled by apprentices, as is done here.

She looked worried and said, "Although this speeds things up, will the final step of assembling the equipment by the apprentices we've recruited be too sturdy?"

'

Kane shook his head and said, "There are too many unexpected things on the battlefield. Once a crossbow bolt is damaged, it is mostly useless."

But if even apprentices can assemble them, then soldiers can disassemble the intact parts of damaged crossbow bolts and reassemble them into new ones, which is crucial for sustained combat.

Logan Susas was a smart man who understood things quickly, but he still couldn't hide his amazement at the sight before him.

It has been almost a month since I returned from Twin Harbors.

The triumphant parade with the soldiers had naturally won an unprecedented welcome from the common people in the royal court.

After all, those truckloads of skeletal remains, as spoils of war, couldn't be faked.

Kane's reputation with the Academy of Wizardry also reached its peak.

The more than 1,000 soldiers who returned with them replaced the troops originally stationed outside the academy.

After that public parade, the Royal Court's calls for accountability from the Academy, especially from Kane regarding his actions in Twin Harbor, were significantly weakened.

Many people realized that the situation was not right, and many nobles even paid a private visit, and the previous denunciations were silenced.

Kane ignored all of this, entrusting all external affairs to Dean Hammond and others, while he himself, along with the mages willing to follow him, used spells such as turning fossils into mud to quickly carve out a vast underground space.

Through the business association that cooperated with the magic academy, they recruited about fifty blacksmiths, carpenters and apprentices, which is the scene they are seeing now.

Looking at the rapidly changing scene before him, and the rows of crossbows that had already taken shape, Logan Susas could not hide his shock.

The two walked to the end of the passage, where there was a rather rudimentary shooting range.

Kane told his apprentice to fetch a crossbow, handed it to Logan Susas, and said, "Try it again, this is a newly made crossbow."

"Let me try? I'm afraid my strength isn't enough."

Logan frowned, took the crossbow, but froze the moment he touched it.

The crossbow was much lighter than she had expected, and even with her relatively weak strength, she could hold it steadily.

"Is this enchanted? No, there's almost no aetheric aura on it."

She pondered for a moment, then picked up the crossbow with both hands and easily pulled the trigger.

The moment the bowstring was released, the small crossbow bolt shot out and firmly embedded itself in the target.

In terms of destructive power alone, it is probably only equivalent to an apprentice-level magic trick, but it is enough to kill or severely injure an ordinary enemy.

If an apprentice adds a temporary trick to a crossbow bolt, they will have a considerable chance of self-defense, even against a professional melee fighter.

More importantly, its size and weight are sufficient to fit in a bag for easy carrying and use when necessary.

Kane saw through her thoughts and said, "This is my idea, to give the mage apprentices in the academy the ability to protect themselves."

A craftsman told me that the cedar wood produced near Nord is lightweight yet hard enough, and that's why they specifically chose this type of wood for the crossbow body.

This crossbow can be stored in a pouch and taken out when necessary, making it extremely useful for apprentices who lack self-defense skills.

Logan rubbed his crossbow, looked up at Kane, and asked, "Has the situation deteriorated to this point? We're even sending apprentices to the battlefield?"

Kane shook his head and said, "For ultimate success, we must use all available resources."

The royal family is already building momentum, preparing to hold a general meeting with resident representatives to prove that the academy's previous accusation that King Susas was cursed was all a fabrication.

If this meeting proceeds smoothly, his next step will inevitably be to send people to the academy to further restrict our actions —”

Logan Susas frowned: "With the Mage Tower and the Grand Master here, the royal family shouldn't dare to do that."

Kane shook his head again: "Unless the royal court faces a life-or-death crisis, the Grand Dean will never take action."

Moreover, using the mage tower would completely expose our true strength to that duke.

He looked at Logan Susas and continued, "Among the soldiers who returned with us, many should have broken through to the professional level through combat experience during this period."

We must rely on this army to achieve our goal—to control the monarchy and parliament, and avert the impending catastrophe brought on by that duke.

Logan Sussas looked at Kane and slowly nodded.

Footsteps approached, and Kane turned slightly to the side upon hearing them.

Logan Susas recognized the person and immediately bowed, saying, "Greetings, Dean of the Mistweaver."

"Have I disturbed you two?"

As soon as the voice faded, a smiling old woman came out, her expression kind.

She was the Mistweaver Lady, originally residing in the war-torn city of Shantar, who was invited by Kanetohammond.

She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a purple robe representing the dean of the Protective Academy. Her entire demeanor was completely different from that of the alchemy workshop owner.

Kane smiled—this senior had always been very kind to him—and said, "We're just discussing the follow-up arrangements."

"What are the next steps?"

Lady Mistweaver looked at the bustling scene in the underground workshop, at the apprentices and craftsmen forging and moving weapons, her gaze slightly serious, and said, "Dean Kane, your actions are quite significant."

"I'm sorry to have dragged you into this mess."

Kane looked apologetic, but only for a fleeting moment, and continued, "The problem I'm dealing with now is the same as when I dealt with that royal representative in War City."

O

"The same?"

Lady Weaver took a deep breath and instantly recalled the Demon Legion incident.

After learning of the tragic fate of the third-tier mage tower master, she already understood how outrageous War City's decision had been.

Fortunately, everything was brought to a sudden stop by the actions of this young man. Little did I expect that I would have to go through it all again.

She couldn't help but gasp, but Kane shook his head and said, "This matter will be solely the responsibility of the Prophecy Division. All actions will be attributed to the Dean of the Prophecy Academy instigating a group of mages to act on their own." The other academies only need to remain on the sidelines.

"Are you underestimating me?" Lady Weaver frowned and said in a deep voice.

"If it's really that serious, what does it matter if I personally go on the battlefield and die?"

"No, Dean Mistweaver." Kane shook his head. "This is just in case. If things don't go well, the academy can use this as an excuse to sever ties with me and preserve its core strength."

I will not be easily captured. I will immediately escape from Sussas and head to the free city-states or the grasslands to rebuild my strength.

This was something that Dean Hammond and I had discussed long ago.

Moreover, I don't believe I will fail.

After listening to Kane's words, Lady Mistweaver finally sighed and said, "I understand, kid. Just don't be shy about asking when you need my help."

Although my protective magic isn't top-notch as the dean of the Protection Academy, I do know a bit about all kinds of spells.

Kane nodded and smiled, "Okay."

Kane sighed softly as he watched Lady Weaver's departing figure.

After he came into this world, he was treated with genuine kindness and care by two third-tier mages.

One of them was Lady Mistweaver, who helped him escape from the Night's Watch and avoid certain death.

The other one is Flint, the former head of the House of Prophecy.

But thinking about what Flint was about to do, Kane couldn't help but sigh deeply, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes, which instantly turned into an unwavering determination.

"Time is running out. Deliver the two hundred newly modified crossbows to the soldiers first, and take action on the day the meeting is held."

Blood and fire can bring Susas back to life.

Only the reborn Susas can help the material plane resist the threat from the abyss.

It was late at night in the inner palace of the royal court.

The seat of the noble council is a magnificent hall with rows of columns.

The spacious hall was filled with numerous members of parliament, and the entire council chamber was bustling with noise.

-

The presence of many unfamiliar faces in the hall displeased the councilors.

"Why are commoners from the outer court allowed to enter?"

"What exactly is Your Highness thinking? You've even summoned ordinary residents! We are the foundation of Susas!"

"It seems His Highness Grayson is really anxious—by the way, I think the royal family should relax the tax requirements for the various noble territories and affiliated merchant guilds."

"I agree. After all, the royal family needs our support more now. His Majesty hasn't issued any new decrees for a long time."

The commoner representatives representing the outer court of the royal court took their seats in the empty seats at the back one after another. Seeing this, the nobles whispered among themselves without restraint, their tone full of dissatisfaction and mockery.

Their conversation was relayed word for word to the private room by the informant. Grayson listened to it all, clenched his fists, and cursed under his breath.

After Kane conducted that shocking trial in Twin Harbor, these nobles immediately jumped out to condemn him and even tried to interfere with Twin Harbor's trade.

But when Kane returned with cartloads of undead corpses and even had priests pray for the souls of the dead, the nobles, seeing his soaring popularity among the people and his formidable guard, immediately changed their tune.

Not only did many nobles claim illness and skip parliament, but many more tried to extract more benefits from the royal family in order to blackmail them.

However, he made sure that the "father king" transformed from the melting wax demon could not appear frequently, for fear of revealing a flaw, which allowed these people to take advantage of him.

"These nobles—" A ruthless glint flashed in Grayson's eyes.

"Once I seize true power, I will strip this class of all real authority, just like the nobles of Nord. In all of Sussas, there will only be one voice!"

As he was pondering this, a hooded mage pushed open the door and entered, whispering, "Your Highness, the time has come. His Majesty is in position."

"Let's go," Grayson nodded and said coldly.

"It's time to prove that the claim that Father was cursed by a demonic cult is a complete lie."

A calm smile appeared on his face as he followed two royal mages and the royal guards down the steps, through the curtain, and to the front of the council hall.

The moment he arrived, King Susas also appeared at the perfect time, sat on the throne, and looked at the crowd below with a tired expression.

Many nobles who tried to come forward to pay their respects were stopped by the guards.

Grayson frowned slightly and said, "The meeting is about to begin. Please return to your seats."

The nobles could only retreat reluctantly.

"We can't let them continue to have doubts."

Grayson stood at the front of the stage, said a few simple pleasantries, and then changed the subject: "Next, I have something to announce, which concerns the Mage Academy."

Upon hearing this, all the nobles fell silent, turning their gazes toward Grayson and frequently sweeping toward "King Susas" on the throne, trying to discern some clues.

Grayson suppressed the agitation in his heart, exchanged a glance with the hooded mage beside him, and slowly said, "Three months ago, the mage academy suspended its mission due to an attack by the demon cult, and announced that my father had been cursed by the demon cult."

My father's safe and sound appearance is proof enough that this was all a lie.

lie?

The noble council members looked at the smiling "King Susas" on the throne and felt a vague sense of unease.

Although they initially believed the other party's appearance, the various anomalies over the past three months, along with rumors of other royal heirs running into trouble, all proved that something was definitely wrong within the royal family.

So everyone was skeptical and waited to see how Grayson would prove it.

Grayson declared loudly, "Now, let's invite Dean Flint to step forward and prove that his previous predictions were nothing more than erroneous conclusions drawn under the influence of others."

Incited by others? Is this a direct attack on the Mage Academy?!

The noble councilors squinted as they watched a frail old man emerge from behind the curtain.

It was Flint, the former head of the House of Prophecy.

At this moment, however, his face was covered with age spots, and his aura was as weak as an ordinary person's, as if he had no strength left even at the apprentice level.

Many nobles were greatly shocked.

They had all heard of the renowned head of the Prophecy Division and had even tried to visit him, asking him to predict the future and guide them on their path.

But now, this third-tier spellcaster seems to have completely lost all his cultivation.

What exactly happened?

Grayson breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Flint walk onto the stage.

When the other party took the initiative to contact him, even after passing the royal mage's lie detector spell, he still couldn't believe that this former dean really wanted to pledge allegiance to him.

But when the other party said that he had been abandoned by the academy and had a child who had been living away from home, and that he only wanted to ask for a noble title for his child, Grayson believed him completely.

After all, the other party had lost the ability to cast spells, so it was reasonable for them to be abandoned by the academy.

It's only natural to want your child to have a bright future; no one is without selfishness.

Moreover, Flint's identity is of great use to him, and Flint's children have long been entrusted to his trusted confidants to prevent them from turning against him.

"Please speak, Dean Flint."

Grayson smiled and instructed the hooded mage to cast an amplification spell on Flint, then whispered, "Tell everyone that my father was simply ill, and it has nothing to do with the curse."

Flynn nodded, his voice trembling as he looked at the crowd below, his voice amplified by a spell: "The King Susas who sits on the throne now is a..."

Upon hearing this, Grayson revealed a confident smile.

But Flint's voice suddenly rose, echoing throughout the hall: "He's a demon in disguise! The real King Susas was already murdered in a conspiracy!"

The entire hall erupted in uproar, and the nobles were in an uproar.

Grayson's expression changed drastically, and he roared angrily, "Damn it! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Looking at the former dean of the Prophecy Division on the stage with a mocking smile, he finally understood that he had been completely fooled.

The other party was willing to risk his own life and even his own flesh and blood to publicly expose the colossal lie he used to whitewash the situation and indirectly manipulate the parliament.

"Damn it! Seize him! Interrogate him severely! This is a conspiracy by the Mage Academy!"

The nobles were already in chaos. In his desperation, Grayson disregarded the threat from the mage academy and only wanted to muddy the waters.

But at that moment, the candles in front of the council hall suddenly went out all at once.

Two "citizen representatives" who were originally standing at the back had somehow gotten to the front of the stage, suddenly ripped off their coats, pulled out two crossbows, and pulled the triggers hard at "King Susas" on the stage in the darkness.

At the same time, a servant pulled out a dagger, rushed to the front desk, and lunged at Grayson!

Several crossbow bolts pierced the air!

"Shield!" "Spell Armor!"

In the darkness, the two royal mages responsible for guarding him quickly cast protective spells on "King Susas" and simultaneously used Burning Hands to set the assassins charging with daggers ablaze.

The latter collapsed heavily to the ground amidst screams of agony.

The flames ignited by the spell lasted only a moment, but they allowed Grayson to see clearly what was before him:

The two crossbows fired four arrows simultaneously. Two were blocked by the shield, while the remaining two pierced the body of "King Susas".

At that very moment, the candles in the hall were lit up all at once again.

"Susas above! What is this thing?!"

The entire audience erupted in chaos as everyone witnessed an incredibly bizarre scene:

Two crossbow bolts were stuck in King Susas's body, and what flowed out was not blood, but thick wax!

The wax slowly flowed down the wound, and in the eyes of "King Susas," a malice that seemed inhuman surged. Seeing the nobles screaming and fleeing in all directions, as well as the assassins who had already taken advantage of the chaos to escape, Grayson's emotions completely spiraled out of control.

Flint, the instigator, had green venom dripping from the corner of his mouth, but a mocking sneer appeared on his face: "Your conspiracy has been completely exposed, Your Highness."

Watching the witness drink the poisoned wine and commit suicide in front of everyone, Grayson could no longer suppress the surging resentment and rage within him. He finally roared hysterically, "Seal all the gates! My guards, kill everyone in the arena!"

The royal guards, who were standing in formation, suddenly twisted and turned into wax demons.

They looked at the panicked nobles on the field with a ferocious malice in their eyes, and the wax instantly gathered into curved blades, piercing the bodies of one noble after another.

Flowers of blood suddenly bloomed in this hall, which symbolized the core of Susas's power!