Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 802 Taking Over (4-in-1)

"grown ups!"

Remogo, Andrew, and all the other apprentice mages, guards, and servants in the castle were stunned.

As soon as they came out, they saw a handsome young man who had appeared out of nowhere violently beating the old monk.

Various magical items, magical techniques, and energy-generating spells were used in a chaotic rampage. Under the effect of the special spell "Time Stop," attacks from different moments erupted simultaneously.

Poor old monk, even his clothes were torn to shreds from the beating.

He was like a small boat tossed about in the wind, drifting uncertainly in the raging sea, on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

The final "Blazing Sun Explosion" indiscriminately engulfed the space where the two were fighting.

The terrifying fire element was relentlessly eroding everything.

The old mage gritted his teeth, trying to muster his last bit of magic to resist, but the flames had already penetrated his defenses, directly scorching his flesh and internal organs.

His gaze was fixed on the enemy opposite him, but he only saw that the other party stood calmly in a blazing inferno of intense heat.

The handsome young man was covered in golden scales, and his crystal-clear diamond skin was further protected, as if he was completely unaffected.

The old monk let out a shrill scream as his eyeballs burst under the intense heat, turning into two charred, empty holes.

The flames continued to erode inward, and the modified bones crackled and popped in the high temperature, like dry firewood being snapped.

In the end, his entire body was reduced to a charred, desiccated corpse in the flames, falling to the ground without any sign of life.

"Damn it..."

Damn it…

The old mage gritted his teeth, abandoned his physical body in the form of a semi-transparent phantom soul, and drifted out.

In this form, he was simply dressed in a gray robe, holding a cedarwood staff that emitted a purple aura, and wearing several rings on his fingers.

Those are all spiritual weapons.

Soul weapons are rare; ordinary people cannot forge them, nor can they purchase them.

Only an old master like him could accumulate several such items over thousands of years.

Even that depends on luck.

However, after witnessing the formidable strength of his opponent, the old mage no longer had the courage to confront him.

He dodged quickly and leaped to the other side of the castle.

But unexpectedly, strands of hair appeared out of thin air and entangled him.

A strand of tough hair struck like a chain spear, piercing right through his chest.

"Oops……"

The moment they made contact, the old monk felt his body stiffen and go numb, and his whole body turned cold.

"This is the 'Soul-Binding Rope'!"
"I...I can't move!"

His eyes showed fear as he looked up at the handsome young man above him.

The other party pointed a finger, and terrifying magical energy suddenly surged forth.

But before he could see what kind of witchcraft the other party was using, or perhaps it was just an illusion, he realized that it was not a magic trick at all.

The Valkyrie floating behind them threw down a spear.

The beam of light penetrated the skull.

In an instant, everything in front of me turned white.

"what!"

……

"Sir...sir..."

"He killed Lord Freyor!"

"Run...run away now!"

Finally, the crowd could no longer contain themselves and scattered in all directions.

Just as they were about to use their skills to leave with various stealth and teleportation spells, they suddenly discovered that while short-range teleportation or dimensional jumps were still possible, large-scale teleportation was like hitting a solid wall and being bounced back.

The chaotic magic caused by the spell backlash surged through his body, and his mind seemed to be in complete disarray, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

"There are unknown barriers around here!"

"We can't escape!"

Many people subconsciously raised their heads and looked up at the sky.

Suddenly, the scenery around them changed dramatically. Amidst the shifting clouds and mist, a huge, golden moon hung high in the sky, radiating its bright light.

Against this dreamlike, ethereal backdrop, the radiance seemed to possess a strange power that could freeze everything in the world.

The moment everyone saw it, they seemed to freeze completely from the inside out, their flesh and blood gradually turning to gold as if they had been struck by a "golden touch".

At the same time, the originally inorganic things, such as sand, stones, grass, trees, city bricks, tiles, etc., seemed to be injected with vitality and became restless.

Even the clothes and staff in his hands were affected and became difficult to control.

Some people were horrified to discover that their long hair had somehow automatically curled around their necks and tightened around their necks.

"what!"

Screams rose and fell.

……

Roy stood in the air, his gaze fixed on Freo's soul, which had been pierced by the spear, his mind already locked onto it.

"do you died?"

He clearly sensed the dissipation of the soul.

His opponent was, after all, a high-level mage, so he did not underestimate him.

It's quite normal for a mage who has lived for many years to have rich experience and profound knowledge, and to retain some counterattack methods from when they were on the verge of death.

However, after waiting for a while, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

He then became certain that Freo was probably truly lifeless.

In the end, the old mage couldn't defend against his own sudden, all-out attack.

Roy scanned the room where the Shadow Demon King was imprisoned with his mental energy and found that a large section of the outer wall had been broken. The huge black shadow seemed to be disturbed by the fluctuations of the battle and turned its head to look over.

The pitch-black shadow was formed like a thick black cloud, with a faint soul fire burning in its pupils, yet it appeared pale as if it were unconscious, and its eyes were slightly empty.

Based on the intelligence he had gathered earlier, he knew that this was preparation for soul-stealing and possession.

Roy tried using the Eye of Hermes to take a look, and surprisingly, a large amount of information appeared.

"Artificial False God, Monster, King of Shadow Demons (Level 4)..."

This masterpiece, meticulously prepared by Archmage Freyor over many years, is a fusion of arcane arts and primitive sorcery, a creation of a demigod-level monster.

Soul Talent 1: "Shadow Blade" - By attacking shadows, one can use the laws of the shadow plane to tear open windows and strike directly at the soul. When using this ability, the target's physical and magical defenses are nullified...

Soul Talent 2: "Shadow Binding" uses the power of the laws of the shadow plane to entangle and bind enemies, also affecting the physical body through manipulation of shadows.

Soul Talent 3: "Soul Stealing" - When a target is killed by "Shadow Blade," their soul energy will be plundered and converted into the user's own spiritual attributes. The conversion efficiency depends on the level difference between the two parties, with a base rate of 1%...

Soul Talent 4: "Shadow Stealth" is similar to the spell of the same name, but it also has the added stealth method of soul tracking. It allows you to jump out of the opponent's shadow and launch an attack directly after locking onto the opponent.

......"

******
"These talents are quite impressive!"

Roy's eyes lit up.

This level alone, along with four soul talents, is enough to justify the years of accumulation of an old mage.

He devoted the vast majority of his wealth and energy to this Shadow Fiend King, essentially creating a magnificent spectacle, like a country building a towering, towering structure.

As Roy continued reading, he discovered that the Shadow Fiend's base mental power attribute was a staggering 15000 degrees!
"It actually exceeded 9999 degrees!"

Roy already knew that after Archmage Frey accidentally discovered a rare Shadow Fiend race, he killed them all and pieced their souls together to create this creature.

This is so that it can break through the conventional limits of matter.

Now, seeing it with my own eyes has indeed confirmed this.

Generally speaking, each dimension has its own limits.

For example, the most standard material plane follows the most basic laws of the realm.

The reality is certainly not that it's exactly 9999 degrees; the boundary was artificially defined as 10000 degrees, and then divided.

The third level is 9999, and the fourth level is 10000 degrees.

This is a method of induction and summarization used by intelligent beings, and it is also a tool for understanding the world and the universe.

However, human wisdom cannot be all-knowing, nor can it encompass everything.

For example, a long time ago, something broke this standard.

That was his demigod-level puppet, the Rose Angel Alice.

Her physical strength was marked as 10 degrees, which is an intensity far exceeding the limits of the material world.

The mystery lies in the fact that it is not an outward-radiating energy, but a stable entity that maintains its own structure.

At this moment, the Shadow Fiend is somewhat like such a creation, except that its primary attribute is spirit, representing the kind of soul energy.

Even now, I am unable to condense my spiritual entity to a degree that the material world can accommodate.

In other words, the spiritual energy of the Grand Wizard system is diffuse. After advancement, it may even be expelled and sent to the star planes of outer space, places that were once thought to be filled with ether and phlogiston.

In contrast, gods, demons, devils, and other beings from outer planes have their own native homelands, which naturally accommodate the true forms of those of higher status.

For example, Heaven Mountain, Hell, the Abyss...

They can all accommodate very high-level true forms, but even at level seven and above, one still needs to entrust one's will to the void.

That's another story.

It is worth mentioning that the legendary mage exists in a different form.

They typically refine their physical body and spirit to a level exceeding 10000 degrees, and then, through some means, transform themselves into interdimensional beings and maintain this entity.

If there is a need to descend to the material plane, it will choose to temporarily compress its own energy by self-sealing or transforming its form.

This fits Shadow Fiend's current state quite well.

However, just as the Eye of Hermes was shining on him and appraising him as an item, Roy suddenly found that he could no longer look at it.

The golden light, which was originally identified as an attribute of the "item," seemed to be suddenly obscured by some mysterious force.

A mysterious will descended silently, taking over this body and thus making the spiritual energy resist external prying.

A thought suddenly struck him, and he realized something.

"Freo's backup plan has been activated?"

This old mage has been planning this for so many years, he must have left some backup plan on this Shadow Fiend, just in case.

It was true that what I had previously sensed—the other person's soul and life dissipating, and even their will being erased.

Having already become a great wizard, it was impossible for him to make a wrong judgment on this matter.

However, the other party may have left some remnant soul or will on the Shadow Fiend King 100 years ago.

That's a method of severing the soul.

What I consider ordinary, other wizards and mages might find quite difficult...

However, difficulty does not mean impossibility.

He was willing to risk his life to do it, and with his foundation at the peak of level three, he was capable of doing it.

Roy calmly activated his magic, maintaining his ghostly body that enveloped the entire area, while he himself was protected by golden scales and diamond skin.

At the same time, without making a sound, he severed the soul on the spot, creating a new incarnation of 1 degree, which quietly attacked the opponent.

At this moment, the giant is heavily restrained to prevent his unconscious, massive soul from going berserk and causing damage to the Shadow Castle.

But at this moment, it was actually Freo who was restricted.

Even if he secretly and risked activating the Reincarnation Technique, he couldn't succeed immediately, let alone break free of the restrictions and launch an attack.

On the contrary, the new avatar that Roy released quickly and successfully entered.

The moment he reached the other's body, it was as if he had entered a void shrouded in thick black fog, and a completely new little world appeared before his eyes.

"here it is……"

He was slightly surprised to find that his separated spiritual will had arrived in a spherical, energy-protected alternate dimension.

It looks like a super tiny asteroid, only about 100 meters in diameter, but its dome is tens of thousands of meters high, acting as its atmosphere.

This evokes images of planets and the starry sky, reflecting the vastness of the universe, and also carries a hint of the human body's internal structure, specifically egg cells.

Everything here is shrouded in a gray haze, clearly caused by the thick fog from the outside seeping in, like a highly toxic fumes corroding everything inside.

It is said that a long, long time ago, about billions of years ago, many planets were also filled with various kinds of magma and toxic gases, creating a harsh environment.

It was the will of the planet that gave birth to it, changed the environment, and thus prompted the birth of life.

However, some scholars believe it is the reverse cause and effect.

It was the birth of life that awakened the planet's will and changed the environment.

This is essentially a chicken-and-egg problem; the two schools of thought debated it for a long time, and neither could convince the other.

Even the gods, and even the more ancient demons, couldn't explain it.

These thoughts flashed through Roy's mind, but he was surprised that the place would present such a scene.

Whether Freo was deliberately imitating it or whether advanced life forms truly possess the mysteries of the universe, each cell seemed like a condensed cosmic landscape.

"You actually managed to get here!"

Soon, Freo also noticed Roy's presence and looked over in surprise.

Then he flew into a rage.

"You're courting death!"

Rumble!
As he finished speaking, a tremendous tremor erupted, accompanied by thunderous fury.

******
"It's somewhat like the world's will has turned angry..."

As a wizard who has witnessed the world's will "act up in anger" many times, Roy can be considered quite experienced.

However, this is different from the "anger" that comes with a sudden burst of anger.

In this place, a huge bolt of lightning, as large as a bucket, struck down, attacking fiercely in the form of "lightning spell".

Roy quickly activated his mental energy, creating an "energy shield" that resembled an eggshell covering his body.

Amidst a deafening roar, plasma shot out in all directions, and lightning forked.

But it did not cause any damage.

"How is this going?"

Archmage Freyor was utterly shocked. "This is impossible! The spiritual entity you infiltrated is so weak, only 1% of my strength. How could it be completely unharmed!"

The spiritual power of the soul he cut out and placed inside was indeed above 100 degrees.

According to Roy's standards, this is a secondary slice.

For most beings, severing the soul is a very serious matter that requires utmost care. The slightest mistake could result in permanent loss and could also cause serious damage to the larger part of the original body.

It's practically impossible for someone else to cut such a large piece of their spiritual consciousness into the body.

Therefore, reserving 100 degrees of spiritual energy here as a defensive force is more than enough for him.

In addition, during the process of creating the Shadow Demon King, he gained many powers to control the mind and soul of the other party.

The lightning summoned at this moment is actually simulated using spiritual energy, existing within this small inner world like a natural magic.

Even a soul stronger than oneself, with energy levels reaching hundreds or thousands of degrees, can be reduced to ashes.

"To be honest, even I was a little surprised."

I originally just planned to switch out of my avatar and come in to take a look.

It's possible that ordinary projections are illusory, representing a weak spiritual entity.

What I'm entering now is a true soul, which is equivalent to a physical body.

Roy didn't sense much threat from the other party, and while closely observing the surrounding environment, he made his guesses.

Then he gave a faint smile.

"Of course, it's more likely because I'm a great wizard with a high enough soul level."

"The Great Wizard?"

Freo's body trembled violently, and an expression of disbelief immediately appeared on his face.

To everyone's surprise, a dazzling golden light emanated from the other party, almost blindingly bright. The overwhelming and terrifying power was so powerful that even a slight touch was enough to cause deep dread.

He was then surprised to realize that a huge figure seemed to have appeared on the other person, stretching across the void.

A huge, golden figure, as large as the moon, hanging high in the sky.

"This...this is..."

Freo finally panicked completely.

This existence, this feeling!
He really is a great wizard!
Moreover, he is a powerful great wizard who has been promoted for a long time!
A typical level four entity would need over a thousand years to accumulate a strength of around 2 degrees.

In the Arcane Empire, many legendary mages had similar experiences, recording the data they observed over the years for future generations to reference.

As a high mage, he was aware of these things.

Without hesitation, they launched another desperate attack.

This time, however, Roy was protected by a golden energy shield, and he launched a counterattack while receiving the attack.

A thorn in the soul!

A sharp blade materialized out of thin air, taking the shape of a golden cone, and immediately launched an attack.

Archmage Freyor also summoned an energy shield to block it.

Unlike Roy, his soul quality was lower, but his energy was stronger, and he also had the support of the Shadow Fiend King's massive energy body, making him feel right at home here.

The golden blade merely shattered the shield, without harming him in the slightest.

"He actually has this skill!"

So, how about this?

With a slight thought, Roy summoned Valkyrie to his body.

Her consciousness was attached to this avatar of a soul fragment, and in her hand she held the Holy Light Inevita Spear, which could also be used in the spiritual consciousness space.

This weapon itself possesses basic characteristics such as spiritual guidance, exorcism, anti-magic attacks, and near-light speed...

The attack type is also a mental attack.

Even because of the inherent properties of light itself, it dispelled the surrounding gray and black smoke as soon as it appeared, and the clear and transparent light illuminated the world.

"No!"

Feeling the terrifying power that suddenly appeared on Roy, which was many times greater than his own, Freo was utterly desperate.

But in the blink of an eye, a spear shot over, piercing through him along with the shield he had instinctively deployed.

The spirit then shattered into pieces.

Roy released the "Soul-Binding Ropes," which, like tentacles, captured and collected all the shattered spirits.

Immediately afterward, a golden light appeared, revealing a strange object shaped like a key.

"Relic: Key of Will (Level 4)..."

The core of spirit and consciousness, a remnant of lingering beliefs, and some scholars even believe it to be a natural semi-material form condensed from the origin of the soul...

This key is a symbol of Archmage Freyor's control over the Shadow Fiend King's consciousness space, possessing the authority to manipulate the body.

Roy's body trembled upon seeing this.

Then, however, I was genuinely amazed.

"I've struck it rich!"

……

This time they really struck it rich.

Outside, in the shadowy castle.

Roy quickly took control of the area, summoning the captured Remogo, Andrew, and others to inspect the items and take stock of the treasure vault.

At the same time, as he reached out and held out his hand, several other high-level pieces of equipment radiating a rich purple light appeared.

"Thunderous Roar - Cedarwood Staff (Level 3)..."

A staff forged from the fusion of a thunder core and cedar branches, its top inlaid with a top-grade magic crystal...

Special Effect 1: When attacking, there is a chance to release "Secondary Chain Lightning", which deals additional lightning damage to up to 3 targets.

Special Effect 2 (Damaged State): "Thundercloud Domain," gathers power to form a wide-area barrier with thunderous properties, attacking enemies from a distance. Requires charging before casting; the attack form is a level one "Lightning Bolt"...

Effect 3 (Damaged State): When a lightning spell hits, it applies a "Static Mark". Three stacks of the mark trigger "Chain Lightning"...

Special Effect 4: During heavy rain, all lightning damage is increased by 25%...

This is Freo's main weapon, which he has carefully prepared for himself.

As an alchemist, Roy's main focus was on golem studies, bloodline magic, and various aspects of the soul realm. Coupled with his meteoric rise in power and rapid advancement across social classes, he hadn't prepared a similar staff for himself.

Of course, they also made quite a few other weapons such as spears, hammers, and mechanical contraptions.

So he put it away, intending to repair and modify it for his own use.

******
Apart from the level 3 item with 4 special effects, most of the other robes, rings, and other physical items were damaged, and the remaining relics were just some essences.

Even so, Roy used his alchemist abilities to quickly repair and modify it, making it a very good first or second-tier item.

For example...

"Soul of Flames - Fire Copper Ring (Level 3)..."

This is a copper ring inlaid with a crimson crystal, with flowing flame patterns engraved on the surface, and you can feel a faint warmth when you wear it.

"Special Effect 1: "Fire Enchantment", when activated, the surface of the ring and the held magical artifact will have a lava-like sheen, and the wearer's next physical attack will be enchanted with elemental enchantment and burning effect.

Special Effect 2: "Fire Wall" - Casts a large-area fire wall spell, creating a fiery barrier that is effective against small and weak creatures.

Special Effect 3: "Protection from Fire" - When wearing this ring, grants an additional 50% fire resistance (cannot stack with similar items), and immunity to non-direct fire damage.

There is also a similar "Heart of Ice Soul Mithril Ring (Level 3)..."

It also has similar enchantments, attack, and frost armor.

Roy simply repaired and enhanced the two rings, making them more artistic and giving them a 10+ degree attribute of [Aesthetic Value], as well as two simple powers such as Master Effect.

Then, Remogo and Andrew were summoned.

"Freo is dead, what are your plans?"

The two looked at each other, unsure how to respond.

Roy suggested, "Why don't you work for me?"
At least during your captivity, serve me and cooperate with my arrangements, and I will repay you with formal treatment.

Ten years from now, I will formally notify the Achinila authorities and have them ransom you.

Freo, as a high-ranking mage, is your direct superior, but he is disrespectful to his elders and ignorant of his duties, only knowing how to exploit and oppress you.

You've been promoted to level two, but you're still doing the things that level one would have to do. You're all three or five hundred years old, and you still have no future prospects. Your resources and knowledge are also very limited!
I believe you all harbor some resentment, but you had no other choice before.

"He actually knew all this..."

The two monks looked at each other in surprise upon hearing this.

Unbeknownst to them, Roy had once captured Fass and had also dealt with so-called privileged women like Valentina from earlier times.

He knew very well that the Arcane Empire had long since progressed to the academy stage, and the atmosphere of master-disciple inheritance was far weaker than that of wizards.

Freo's relationship with them was definitely not as good as that with Frosvet and himself, much worse than that with Amifkent himself.

This generally follows the principle of "equivalent exchange," where a job and a future are offered in exchange for personal dependence.

If you want to treat your subordinates like livestock, it's not entirely impossible...

That means giving the other party enough benefits to satisfy them and actively giving full play to their initiative.

Beyond this exchange value lies exploitation and oppression, without a doubt.

In the short term, one can rely on their own strength or other factors, such as the other party's limited resources, to force them to endure...

This is essentially exchanging something else.

But it may result in resentment and dissatisfaction.

Wizards have heard stories of disciples killing their teachers, and it's pretty much the same among mages.

Later, reforms were necessary, and those at the second level were forced to transfer.

The intelligence gathered earlier immediately proved valuable, and combined with the powerful mental strength of the Grand Wizard, Roy completely controlled the other party's psychology.

Of course, knowing all this is useless; it's just playing power games.

He also invested heavily.

"If you obediently serve me, I will reward you with these two high-grade items."

I will not mistreat anyone who serves me, and I don't even expect your lifelong loyalty; you only need to serve me faithfully during these years.

"This……"

Both of them were stunned.

These conditions are way too generous!
Generally speaking, such seemingly too-good-to-be-true opportunities can be categorized as scams.

Magical scams are hard to guard against.

They also had their doubts.

But since Roy has said that, what choice do the two of them have?
I had no choice but to agree.

Roy's next move greatly exceeded their expectations.

He didn't even mention anything about a contract, nor did he actually wait for ten years.

He simply tossed the two rings to them casually, like throwing two stones.

Remogog and Andrew accepted the two high-end rings, which they would never have dared to dream of in normal times, with slight trembling. It felt like a dream.

"In addition, take thirty percent of the contents of the treasure vault and distribute it all to the people below!"

After that, Roy announced something that shocked the two of them.

"Thirty percent?"

Don't be fooled by the seemingly small percentage of 30%.

That's the wealth of a great mage...

Although most of it was used for investment in pilot projects.

The two of them, feeling dizzy, replied with a "Yes, ma'am".

Then he went out.

……

"what to do?
It seems there's no need to risk it all...

"This wizard is very generous!"

After moving away from the castle hall, Remogo looked back and used his mental powers to quietly ask Andrew a question.

"He's incredibly cunning. He took Lord Freo's treasures and gave them to us, treasures that are far beyond our current social standing..."

I won't know how to explain this when I get back!

If someone were to say that we betrayed him, leading to the Grand Master's demise, we would be utterly unable to defend ourselves!

"what?"

Remo was dumbfounded.

He really hadn't thought of that.

"Oh well, for now we can only do as he says..."

Andrew said with a complicated expression.

"I suspect he's eyeing the Shadow Demon King inside this castle and wants to possess him..."

But that's not an easy task.

Andrew is intelligent.

He roughly guessed what Roy was thinking.

Of course, this was something that was out in the open, and Roy never intended to hide it.

This huge find, more valuable than all the others combined, is the most precious and essential part of Freo's estate.

Wouldn't it be a waste of this trip if we didn't take it?
But it's not like ordinary valuables that can be easily packed up and taken away.

This is why he lavishly rewards people and wins their hearts.

However, what Andrew had no idea was that Roy had no intention of spending so many years.

After temporarily calming the people inside the fortress, he summoned the skull of the maiden and devised a plan.

Three years...

Within three years, defeat the Shadow Fiend King and achieve the goal that Freo has been preparing for for hundreds of years but has failed to accomplish!

With my current abilities and alchemy skills, I should be more than capable!

(End of this chapter)