Star Forge Titan

Damn, a schematic diagram of the interior of the palace, how could such a thing appear in the hands of a businessman?

But after a little thought, Alvin guessed where this map came from.

…She memorized it directly?

It's incredible that one of the Sorcerer King's most powerful merchants actually did such a thing behind his back. It goes to show that if a ruler loses the support of the people, their subordinates are likely to do anything.

Well, of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of recruiting ambitious people, but that would be a different matter.

Seeing Ivan's subtle look, the ambitious female mage just smiled indifferently.

Then, she stretched out a slender white finger and pointed at a specially circled quadrilateral marker in the center of the map.

Alvin noticed that there was a circle of abrupt blank space around this quadrilateral marker, which meant that this should be an independent building.

"The Glazed Hall is His Majesty Menes's true chamber. If there's anything truly important, it would most likely be placed here. After all, any safe would be less secure than placing it directly next to the Witch King."

"Indeed, after all, safes don't use magic to blast intruders into pieces." Ivan twitched his lips and said half-jokingly:

"That's not necessarily true." As if recalling some bad memories, Heidi raised her head and looked at the ceiling, her eyes filled with helplessness as if she could not bear to look back on the past.

"The types of safes in the City of a Thousand Towers are very, very... colorful." The female mage uttered the last adjective with an embarrassed expression, and her words made people wonder.

"How do you know?" Ivan asked subconsciously:

As a player, he even knew several ways to pry open the safe in the City of a Thousand Towers, but how could Heidi, an orthodox academic wizard, know such information?

"This is the lady's little secret." The beautiful female mage raised a finger in front of her lips and slightly closed one eye, revealing a playful expression that was inconsistent with her mature appearance.

"...Just pretend I didn't ask." Alvin couldn't help but take a step back, as if he had suffered a strong shock.

After a little thought, he guessed the purpose of the female mage taking out the map.

"You want me to take this information to the Freedom Fists fighters?"

Although from a personal point of view, Alvin prefers to drive the tank and crush the enemy in a dignified manner.

However, as a time traveler from an ancient civilization with a long history of thousands of years, or even an ancient civilization whose origins are no longer traceable (or a super-ancient civilization), although he personally has not deliberately studied things like conspiracies and tricks, after reading the history books of this civilization, he feels a sense of déjà vu to most of them.

Well, in a sense, this is probably also a kind of accumulation.

Heidi wasn't surprised by her young compatriot's reaction. He had always acted unlike someone from a northern barbarian tribe, but she was a little surprised that he had grasped the underlying meaning so quickly.

While her evaluation of Alvin improved a little, the female mage nodded generously in affirmation.

"Yes, do you think that the goal of the Fist of Freedom this time is just an uncertain rumor about the Witch King's secret technique?" Heidi's words made Ivan's heart move. He actually had a guess about this.

The resistance alliance formed by the Fist Fighters had just captured a city-state and should have devoted all their efforts to managing this hard-earned base. Why would they invest such huge manpower and resources just because of a rumor that has not yet been confirmed?

Even Great Elder Rigol, a last resort, had quietly infiltrated Ismailia. It was clear that the Fist of Freedom's target wouldn't be the Witch King's secret technique, which was difficult to distinguish between true and false.

So, what is there in Ismailia, a large city-state famous for trade, that is worth the Freedom Fists coming out in full force?

Alvin's gaze fell on the center of the Shaye Palace map, the small rectangular mark that seemed inconspicuous at first glance.

"Having just killed one Witch King, are you already eager to set your sights on a second one?"

Indeed, compared to a living wizard king, the so-called secret method, even if it really exists, is secondary.

The Fist of Freedom, the desert rebels are surprisingly passionate. As expected of the inhabitants of the Silent Desert, who have managed to survive so tenaciously in such harsh natural conditions, they are no less unruly (not in a derogatory sense) than a tribal savage like me, born in the northern glaciers.

"How do you want me to hand over this map to the alliance's fighters?" Alvin turned and asked about the details of the plan.

"When it comes to a Witch King, if you don't show enough sincerity, the Fist of Freedom won't believe it at all, and even your current identity will be doubted." Heidi didn't hesitate at all, showing the directness of a Northerner on this point.

The female mage placed her hands firmly on the map, her eyes revealing a firm and cold expression like the thousand-year-old frozen soil of the northern ice fields.

"Tell them that the Golden Sands Merchant Guild is willing to fully invest in the Fist of Freedom. I only want the Sorcerer King's secret technique."

Ivan was stunned. The meaning behind Heidi's words was not simple. The Golden Sand Chamber of Commerce was a large chamber of commerce that she, a third-level spellcaster, had painstakingly developed over many years after she defected to the Witch King with the help of the Witch King's power and her own strength. The financial resources it possessed were unimaginable for ordinary desert people.

Therefore, investing so many chips in such a plan with an uncertain future is undoubtedly an extremely bold gamble.

If she fails, Heidi will lose not only her huge financial resources, but also her identity as the Witch King's personal merchant, and more importantly, the possibility of taking a further step on the path to transcendence.

"Is it worth it? If it's just to be promoted to the fourth level..." Alvin couldn't help but look at the female mage with a determined look.

Heidi smiled slightly, and an expression of deep nostalgia inexplicably appeared on her face.

"Boy from the North, you really don't know anything about the secrets of the Witch King."

Chapter 102: Overthinking Leads to Danger

"You should already know that the Witch King can control the rain."

Heidi pointed to the ceiling of the underground laboratory. Ivan nodded, but was a little confused as to why she suddenly brought this up.

"I should have said before that I first came to the Silent Desert and was assigned to study the local hydrological conditions." When she said this, a mocking sneer rose on the face of the female mage.

"Although that's a lame excuse, as a mage, I've also researched some relevant information in my spare time while traveling for business."

"Then, I discovered something 'interesting'."

"About what?" Ivan asked with a hint of curiosity:

"Rain." Heidi lowered her voice.

"I've looked through the records of local hydrological conditions by a few scholars in the desert region. Although their recording methods are relatively primitive and backward, the data they contain still has some reference value."

At this point, the expression on the female mage's face in the underground laboratory, which was only lit by candlelight, seemed to be shrouded in a shadow, making the atmosphere at the moment even more obscure and confusing.

"What's incredible is that until the five Witch-Kings began to rule the Silent Desert, rainfall in the area actually showed an increasing trend each year."

"Although the amount is very small, it is indeed increasing, especially in areas close to the edge of the desert. There are even signs that vegetation is invading the desert."

"..." Hearing these words, Ivan couldn't help but show a look of surprise. But he soon realized that there might be a deeper meaning behind this phenomenon.

Alvin still remembers the large mural recorded by the ancestors of the cat-cat worms that he saw inside the body of the sandworm king Herbert, from which he obtained some secrets that others did not know.

More than a thousand years ago, the once-prosperous Giant Kingdom engaged in an extremely brutal war with an unknown enemy called the Pure Color Ultra Beast.

Finally, the contemporary Giant King issued an order of destruction, releasing some kind of legacy weapon from the Titan Uranus civilization, which directly turned one-third of the continent into a sea of ​​fire. The focus of the weapon's attack was the former site of the Giant Kingdom, which is now the Silent Desert.

The power of the legacy weapon is beyond imagination, and its aftermath alone can cause almost irreversible changes to the continent's terrain.

But time is more powerful than that force. Now, thousands of years later, the almost irreversible damage is beginning to recover under the cycle of nature.

According to the reasons for desert formation in planetary geography, given the current geographical location of the Silent Desert, its area will not necessarily continue to grow. Instead, it may change back to its original appearance under the influence of the external environment.

In other words, as long as it takes a long enough time to repair, this place can return to its prosperous state during the Giant Kingdom period.

"So, what changes happened after the Witch King's reign began?" Thinking of a possibility, Alvin subconsciously lowered his voice.

"Changes? Nothing has changed." Heidi's voice was also very low.

In the dim room, two people approached each other, as if they were plotting something shocking.

"The changes have stopped. The desertification process, which had originally begun to reverse naturally, has come to a halt. The annual rainfall in this area has always remained at the minimum standard. This situation can only be..." Heidi leaned close to Ivan's ear and murmured in a very low voice:

“It’s man-made.”

Recalling the secret that the female sorceress told him at the end, the black-haired boy couldn't help but clench his fists.

After that, Heidi didn't say anything further, simply urging him to pass the information on to the Fist of Freedom as soon as possible. Furthermore, the female mage used some clever tricks to make it look like the Golden Sands Merchant Guild had proactively approached Ivan, thus alleviating any suspicions about him.

So, Alvin had to return to Master Rigor's courtyard with full of doubts.

After learning about the gamble made by the hostess of the Golden Sand Chamber of Commerce, Brother Brad and Master Rigor expressed their doubts, but when they confirmed that the information on the map was highly credible, they all fell silent.

They all seemed to not want this junior fellow apprentice and the youngest disciple to get too deeply involved in the grand plan to assassinate the Witch King, so they did not reveal any relevant information to the latter. They just asked Ivan to continue to concentrate on the King Selection Boxing Tournament, but even if he could enter the finals, they would arrange for him to evacuate with the others in advance.

As for the matter of the Golden Sand Chamber of Commerce, naturally there will be alliance companions to conduct further investigation.

At this moment, Ivan was sitting in the contestant's bench below the arena. Next up would be his final match before advancing to the next round.

In fact, based on the number of boxers who have not been eliminated yet, there are only two more games left before the final ten people are selected to participate in the finals.

His own game has not started yet, so Alvin still has some time to think about the news he just received.

The Witch King's secret technique can actually affect the natural environment of the entire Silent Desert, which has exceeded the limits of a fourth-level secret ritual.

The only possibility is that this secret method is not just a secret promotion ceremony, but it also possesses some more secretive and powerful power. It is likely related to the Giant Kingdom thousands of years ago, and it is even possible that it is related to the Uranus civilization.

Coupled with the bizarre blood tax, the strange spell that allows the Witch King to directly plunder the magic and vitality of others is obviously not just a harsh law used by the other party to demonstrate power. Perhaps there is some deeper conspiracy, or it may be a preliminary preparation for a more terrifying purpose.

"It's getting more and more complicated." Alvin sighed and slowly clenched his fists.

The host of the boxing match shouted from a distance, his match had begun.

“Sometimes there’s no use thinking too much.”

The originally vague thoughts suddenly became clear.

The black-haired boy clenched his fist and swung it forward with force. The entire lounge was instantly enveloped by a strong wind.

"Throw your fist first!"

Walking forward along the dim passage, the sunlight from the outside arena gradually enveloped Ivan's whole body, illuminating the undisguised smile on his face.

The opponent in this match was obviously from the aristocratic faction. Not only did he carry a metal spear that was rare in the desert, he also wore a rather expensive full-body plate armor. The bright red cloak hanging on his back was more than two meters long. God knows what it was used for.

At the same time, the voice of the boxing host seemed to come from far away, but that was no longer what Alvin cared about.

Because he suddenly realized that the simplest solution was actually right in front of him.

That is... to punch the Witch King, and then tear apart all conspiracies with his fists!

Chapter 103 Ancient Dragon Rock Scales

The decision has been made, but the problems ahead are also serious.

How can a second-level body fight against a powerful fourth-level crowned master who was promoted through a secret ritual?

This is the biggest problem facing Alvin.

"I am Alonso Quijano, a disciple of Lan Dou Gang Fengliu. Today, I will teach you what failure means!" shouted the opponent, wearing armor and carrying a two-meter-long red cape.

This guy seemed to have attracted a lot of admiration in the previous games. You could hear cheers of his name in the stands.

"Stop." Alvin raised his hand and made a pause gesture to the other party without even looking at him.

"I'm thinking about something." The black-haired boy said calmly:

To be honest, Alvin had absolutely no intention of insulting others, but this inaction-free truth immediately angered his opponent.

How dare you get distracted during a fight? Isn't that an insult to others?

Apologize, you farmhand from the oasis in the countryside!

With such anger, the boxer named Alonso used all his strength to summon the power of his own configuration.

And then... he flew.

Oh, this time it wasn’t Alvin who knocked the enemy away with just one punch, but the enemy flew up on his own initiative and consciously.

The strong wind generated by the force of the boxing configuration blew strongly from bottom to top, and the two-meter-long cloak on Alonso's back was blown open like a sail. The thin but extremely strong metal mixed spider silk connected the end of the cloak and the back of the armor, making the two together form a bow-shaped wind-receiving surface.

At the same time, the armor on Alonso has some special enchantments. It is not the defense enhancement commonly used in most magic armors, but a set of weight-reducing and lightweight enchantments.

With the combination of various elements, Alonso was blown by the updraft generated by the power of the boxing configuration in the blink of an eye, and floated directly to the air about three meters high. This is the unique secret of Lan Dou Gang Fengliu - the flying iron configuration!

I saw him move the five fingers of his left hand slightly, quickly adjusting the output of his boxing configuration, and then he was like a swooping vulture, waving the spear in his hand as if riding an invisible Pegasus, charging straight towards Ivan from mid-air!

"Interesting." Seeing the other party use the power of boxing configuration in this way, Alvin was also quite curious.

Indeed, the unfettered imagination of boxers should not be underestimated. This particular school utilizes the power of boxing formations as a supplementary magic. Using this power as a source of propulsion, combined with specialized equipment, they soar through the sky, then unleash a gravity-force charge from the sky with their spears.

Such an idea that breaks through the barriers of old technology makes people want to applaud.

However, the boxer in front of him was obviously from an aristocratic faction, otherwise he would not have the financial resources to produce such targeted equipment.

The all-steel knight's gun alone is very expensive. Most ordinary boxers in the desert area do not have the financial resources to equip themselves with metal weapons, let alone a full set of metal armor covering the entire body. This kind of thing is also a very expensive luxury in other developed countries.

The desert nobles are also studying boxing.

That’s right, after all, they are not fools.

While he was thinking about it, the spear was already approaching.

At the same time, a strong wind, strong enough to blow away an adult in full metal armor, hit them head-on. The strong wind made it impossible to open your eyes, let alone see the already extremely fast wall-riding charge.

Such a ferocious combo attack is the systematic combination of moves that a qualified boxing style should have. Due to the unique characteristics of Lan Dou Gang Feng Liu, most boxers have a high probability of being killed by the initial attack when they first encounter its moves.

Well, the vast majority...of people.