Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 803 Attempting to Control (4-in-1)

"My lords, how is the situation?"

When Remogo and Andrew arrived at the square, the crowd that had been waiting there surrounded them, looking worried and asking questions.

"It's alright now, that Wizard Kiric is willing to spare our lives."

When faced with everyone's questions, Remogo came to his senses and solemnly replied that he knew.

"Not only that, there's also a reward!"

Andrew added.

"what?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

Remogo silently took out the prepared treasure, summoned the steward, and began distributing it.

"All novice mages will receive 5000 magic crystals each. In addition, those at the advanced level and above will receive an additional magic artifact."

"The benefits for those at level one and above will be calculated separately, but I've estimated before that each person will receive at least two pieces of level one magic equipment, as well as a number of scrolls, summoning stones, alchemy materials, finished potions, and other consumables."

"What exactly is going on?"

Everyone was both surprised and delighted, feeling as if a pie had fallen from the sky.

"Could this be my last meal before I'm executed?"
I've heard that in many places, before executing a prisoner, they're given a good meal as a gesture of humanity.

An elderly first-level mage couldn't help but express his concern.

Upon hearing this, the others also involuntarily raised their heads and looked up at the sky.

The golden moon that had suddenly appeared still hung high in the sky.

The surrounding area was under strict restrictions, and it was impossible to leave using spells such as teleportation.

"What nonsense!"

Andrew put on a stern face and reprimanded him a few times.

He knew very well that his and Remogo's greatest value was in keeping the few first-level mages and hundreds of apprentice mages and guards under their command obediently.

He didn't want anyone spreading rumors and causing panic.

……

Within a single day, everything inside the Shadow Castle returned to normal, and order was restored.

Subsequent statistics revealed that Roy's actions, including those via Shadow Serpent and subsequent fireball attacks, resulted in dozens of casualties.

Many of the wounded were injured by falling rocks and the aftershocks of various battles.

Upon learning this, Roy surprisingly provided medical treatment.

Although everyone knew this was a ploy to win people's hearts, the novice monks and guards, who themselves thought they were about to die, were extremely grateful to have their lives spared.

Those with minor injuries are spared physical pain and are equally welcome.

So when Freya and Nissa arrived with a small group of people, they found the castle under repair in perfect order.

"Fria, you've come at the right time. Take a look at this."

Roy gave a brief explanation, telling Nisha to handle the personnel arrangements first, and then took out a sealed sample bottle.

"what is this?"

Freya examined it out of curiosity.

The contents of the bottle were a strange black liquid, like ink, but when the gaze was fixed upon it, it seemed to rise and sublimate into the form of smoke.

"This is the essence of the Shadow Fiend King, and also a kind of source substance of the Shadow Dimension..."

Shadow Psionic Energy.

It possesses both material and spiritual aspects, and is also an aggregate of negative energy and shadow energy.

Archmage Freyor created it by extracting the souls of creatures from this plane.

"Isn't that something like nectar of the soul?"

Freya couldn't help but say.

"What you did in the world of Alaj was similar to what you did before."

But after thinking about it, he added, "There should still be some differences."

Roy said, "That's right, this is something mixed with a trace of the will and laws of the plane. Judging from its composition, it is far more chaotic than the Soul Dew."

But purity has its advantages, and so does impurity.

Freya nodded silently.

"From this perspective, Freo's goal was to use it to feed a demon-like being, and after a hundred years, he almost succeeded."

But now, this project, and its soon-to-be-ripe fruit, have fallen into your hands.

"That's right, so my task for you is to master the recipe for refining this stuff as soon as possible, and then help me refine it."

Actually, I have successfully mastered the recipe and plan to make some improvements.

Also, Shadow Fiend himself might not be suitable for me.

To make full use of it, some modifications might be necessary, which will require a lot of my effort.

Roy gave the order.

……

After understanding her mission, Freya began to get busy.

Roy was also preparing.

During this period, the situation on the front lines changed drastically.

Because the Shadow Castle and the Mage Tower had lost contact, the mages stationed there were gripped by unprecedented panic.

Inside the command room of the Mage Tower.

Several monks looked anxious and spoke in hushed tones.

The monk in charge of guarding the communication device continued to send messages.

"How is it? Still can't get in touch?"

"That's right, it suddenly stopped!"

"My God, how could this happen?"
Archmage Freyor... reply quickly!

"The wizards' attacks are getting fiercer, and we don't have complete control over the mage tower. If this continues, something terrible will happen!"

Everyone was extremely anxious, but they were at a loss for what to do.

Just then, an unusual sound, like that of an old-fashioned radio with a crackling electrical hum, suddenly came from the instrument.

"Hello? Hello? Is this the Mage Tower?"

"Ah, it's Lord Zonianke!"

The correspondent was overjoyed.

Freo's magical pet, Zonianke, was naturally known to those who resided in the tower.

"We finally got in touch!"
Is something wrong on your end? Why did you miss several routine communications?

The people at the mage tower quickly inquired.

However, the other party's environment seemed somewhat noisy, with inexplicable interference.

Zoniank did not answer his question, but instead said in a hoarse voice with deep sorrow, "Listen, I command you to activate the mage tower immediately and head to the Shadow Plane!"

"what?"

The people in the command room were shocked to hear this.

What exactly happened in the Shadow Dimension?

"There's no time to explain. Immediately transfer to the tower spirit and activate the authorization code..."

Just then, a white sphere of light appeared, revealing the tower spirit with immense spiritual power.

"The Tower Spirit has received the order, but refuses to carry it out!"

"This……"

Everyone was surprised and doubtful once again.

"You dare disobey orders?"

"Zonianke said excitedly."

A cold, mechanical voice said, "The identity of the communication contact has been detected as Lord Freo's magical pet, Zonianke..."

But at this moment, its attribute is 'Undead'.

According to the regulations of the Yachinila Mage Tower, Section 4, Chapter 33, it is not permitted for abnormally stated souls to directly or indirectly command others.

This tower refuses to carry out the order!

It turns out it was due to an abnormality in the soul...

Everyone was astonished upon hearing this.

and many more!

What did the tower spirit just say?
Undead?

"I see, I understand now!"

The sound we just heard was from the Deathrattle spell!

In the command center, someone suddenly realized what was going on.

******
"Deathrattle magic," also known as "last words" or "deathrattle," is a special magical power that is set to be triggered after death.

Moreover, magical pets are usually linked to their masters' lives, so triggering this kind of magic means that Lord Freo is likely in grave danger.

However, as an old master who has lived for many years, he may have already grasped some of the mysteries of the soul state between life and death.

They left a backup plan with their summoned creatures beforehand, transforming them into undead and activating their deathrattle.

He's currently trying to mobilize the mage tower to save himself, try to retrieve his soul or something similar, and then think of other ways.

As expected, Zonianke said angrily, "The legendary mage of the Empire, Lord Anthony, once made an agreement with my master that he could help revive him if necessary!"

"You've delayed my master's important matter; can you afford to take responsibility for that?"

The tower spirit's voice was calm and composed: "Even if a legendary mage were to come in person, the management regulations must still be followed."

Zonianck cursed under his breath, but remained defiant.

"Alright, from now on, you are stripped of your management rights!"

Fortunately, the owner was very prescient and had already learned about the management regulations from the High Council!
Knowing you can't disobey the underlying commands, we'll simply cut off your control and start it ourselves!

"This……"

Everyone in the command center was taken aback upon hearing this.

I suddenly feel very panicked.

Archmage Freyor, how dare you!
As expected, artificial intelligence is still too limited, completely lacking the boundless limits of humanity!

The tower spirit also fell silent.

However, it remained steadfast in its duty, allowing Zonianke to launch a mysterious countermeasure that severed some of its control.

Then, they illegally took over remote control!
"The mage tower is moving!"

At the same time, people outside exclaimed in surprise.

Outside the misty area, Aug and the others stared in disbelief at the scene.

Previously, the mage tower was hidden deep in the mist, but its general outline was still vaguely visible.

But after a massive surge of energy, its form seemed to vanish completely from this world.

The accompanying wizard said, "That energy fluctuation just now..."

It's "interdimensional teleportation"!
It activated "Interdimensional Teleportation"!

"They actually fled without a fight..."

Aug muttered to himself and sighed.

His expression suddenly changed drastically.

"I understand... Oh no!"
It went that way!

……

The movement of the mage tower immediately stirred up a storm and attracted widespread attention.

Roy naturally found out immediately.

"That Freo guy..."

"Lord Roy, something seems to have happened inside the castle."

As if things weren't bad enough, Nisa, who was in charge of internal affairs, soon came to report to him and told him something.

What kind of anomaly is this?

Roy took out his magic crystal ball and entered commands into the area indicated by Nisa.

The crystal ball glowed softly, reflecting the scene on the other side.

In the castle's underground area, near the room where the Shadow Demon King was imprisoned, a strange black mist, resembling thick smoke, permeated the air.

They seep into the material in a thick, oily manner, slowly accumulating on the walls and floors.

It was clear that the attack would soon affect the room where the Shadow Fiend King was being held.

The mysterious energy contained within it gave rise to some translucent, ghostly beings.

Various eerie shadows, resembling ghosts, began to roam the corridor.

What particularly caught Roy's attention were the distorted silhouettes of shadow demons faintly visible in the corner, emanating shadow energy from the Shadow Demon King.

"What are these?"

Nisha noticed this as well, and said with some surprise.

Roy thought for a moment and said, "It should be a monster that naturally arose in the Shadow Dimension."

Wraiths are lost fragments of souls, while Shadow Fiends are pure aggregates of negative energy.

But it is also related to the Shadow Fiend King and the Shadow Castle itself.

I haven't been in charge here long enough to fully digest everything, and I'm not entirely clear on their origins.

However, I think this is related to elements like 'haunted houses' and 'ghost castles' in certain strange tales and legends.

Freyor had left some tricks up his sleeve, attempting to disrupt the situation and create an opportunity.

Upon hearing this, Nisha gasped, "Didn't you kill that guy?"

"For true powerhouses, death is never the end, but merely another form of existence."

Roy glanced at her and said something meaningful that was a universally acknowledged fact in the magical universe.

"What a despicable fellow, he's still causing trouble even after he's dead!"

Nisha cursed under her breath.

"Now how to do?"

Roy pondered for a moment: "The castle's protective array should have isolated these dimensional energies, but they still managed to infiltrate. It must indeed be related to Freo's will..."

What he was actually considering was whether or not to trust Remogo and Andrew, who were inside the castle.

They should have some solutions.

At the crucial moment, the effects of winning people's hearts and minds came into play.

Roy summoned the two men and questioned them, and indeed learned a solution from them.

The Shadow Castle already has a magic array set up inside; all that's needed is to activate it and take action.

In fact, Roy had specifically summoned both of them together.

Under the mental control of the great wizard, if there is any collusion, deliberate collusion, or joint malicious intent, the mental fluctuations of these two people will surely give them away.

However, when explaining this method, he was open and honest, and there was nothing wrong with his emotions.

He could roughly judge that the method was correct and effective, as if he could read minds.

Roy decided to take the risk and let the two of them do it.

They are still unaware that the mage tower is heading this way. Inside the castle, news is being kept under wraps, and overall, things appear quite calm.

However, once the mage tower arrived and launched a full-scale attack, everything changed.

"Lord Roy, the anomaly below has disappeared! That negative energy has stopped seeping in!"

Just as Roy was assessing the situation, mentally scanning all sides, and using his previous secret agents to monitor everyone and fill any gaps, Nisha found him again, bringing good news that things had temporarily calmed down.

"Don't be careless. The reason they were able to appear just now is still related to Freo's remaining will."

This is something fundamental, a remnant of the true spirit rooted in subjective will.

In other words, the 'ghostly' occurrences may continue...

Roy reminded him.

"Master, let's not worry about what's happening inside the castle for now..."

The Mage Tower has arrived!

Suddenly, the girl's skull floated over, giving a stern warning.

"Hmph, that Freo guy!"

Roy muttered to himself, genuinely feeling a headache coming on.

It must be admitted that the old mage's contingency plan is indeed quite troublesome.

He made a "dimensional leap" and arrived outside the castle.

Just as the girl's skull had predicted, the figure of the mage tower appeared in the sky.

******
Against the backdrop of a dark sky, an oval-shaped metal mage tower stands upright, suspended in mid-air.

Its entire body was enveloped in a bright halo that was distinctly different from its surroundings.

Among them, the waist area features a ring of arcane runes formed by energy that slowly rotates, making it particularly eye-catching.

Its spatial energy is exceptionally powerful, and even the "Apache Forbidden Zone" that it condensed using secret methods is almost unable to withstand it.

Don't be fooled by its seemingly still and quiet appearance; it's actually a nightmare barrier set up before it seeks out and attacks you.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should be able to get through within a few hours.

Although this mage tower was somewhat battered by Orgrimmar's legions, it is still considered to have the combat power of a level four golem, given its size and status as a war fortress.

It also serves as a platform for weapons and troops. Once the barrier it has set up outside is breached, it will immediately launch a nuclear attack, followed by several arcane police officers leading a large number of troops in a full-scale assault.

This may not pose any threat to oneself, but it is definitely bad enough!

"In addition, the presence of the mage tower here is absolutely contrary to the management regulations of Achinila."

If I remember correctly, the garrisoned legions are not allowed to leave their posts without permission, let alone easily move the mage towers.

That old mage definitely violated the rules.

He was fine; after he died, he didn't care about the raging flood...

But I might get noticed.

Originally, the fighting was too intense elsewhere to warrant sending a legendary mage to clean up the mess.

But after all this, it meets the requirements for dispatch!

All these unfavorable situations were giving him a headache.

What we can do now, and what we should do, is to clean up the mess as quickly as possible before the opponent's legendary mage arrives, and to digest the Shadow Fiend King's spoils.

Without such a substantial benefit, the other side wouldn't even consider taking it back.

From a psychological perspective, without the sunk costs of those investments, people would easily accept reality and give up directly.

Of course, more importantly, he himself had also been promoted to Grand Wizard, and now had the authority to "discourage" others from retiring.

However, if the Yachinila side smells blood, even if it's just to reclaim the Mage Tower and the Shadow Fiend King, they should focus on their strategic deployment here and mobilize more troops.

This was the old master's final arrangement.

……

Before the mage tower breached the barrier and threatened the castle, Roy returned to the room where the Shadow Fiend King was imprisoned to carefully examine his condition.

"Should we bring Aug and the others over?"

During this time, Nisha was also thinking of a solution.

"It's not very meaningful; the mobility of a regular army is far inferior to that of a mage tower."

Moreover, the situation in Nehbur itself is complex enough that it is best not to make any changes to the deployment on the main battlefield.

Let Beryl and Anjali fight instead.

"Disrupt the mage tower and slow down the attack."

Maintaining the "Apache ban" is no easy task.

Moreover, that thing mainly incorporates the power of nightmares, which can affect the judgment of a living being's mind like an illusion, but it cannot stop the attack of mechanical puppets and ground troops.

Roy believed that the Mage Tower was full of talented people and would soon notice this.

They are only temporarily misled; they cannot remain misled forever.

Therefore, in addition to Beryl and Angari, he quickly activated "Interdimensional Summoning" again, summoning the black dragon princess Melas, who had been prepared beforehand.

"Roar!"

As soon as it appeared, the mother black dragon, having regained its true dragon form, roared to the sky and flew high into the air, sending a message to Roy.

"Is it finally my turn to take the stage?"

Where is the enemy?

Her gaze showed no regard for her surroundings, only a burning desire for battle.

Unlike ordinary creatures, this true dragon can adapt to various planes and environments extremely quickly. Although the Shadow Plane is not as comfortable as her home, it is definitely a place where she can be ready to fight at any time.

Roy nodded, quite satisfied.

He then ordered, "You, go and destroy the mage tower!"

"what?"

Melas then realized that he seemed to be inside a barrier controlled by Roy.

The moon hung high in the sky, while a huge metal fortress stood suspended in the air opposite, revealing its majestic, mountain-like form.

Black Dragon's face turned even darker.

Are you trying to kill me?

"Don't worry, you won't die."

Besides, if things really come to a head, won't you run away yourself? Just run away then, I won't blame you."

Roy sent a telepathic message, briefly explaining the cause and effect of the matter.

Black Dragon's expression softened slightly.

Only then did he realize that Roy's real purpose was simply to have him hold off the mage tower.

If it's possible to cause disruption and delay their attack, that would be best.

If not, try your best to persevere and buy him time to deal with the Shadow Fiend King in the castle.

……

After luring Melos away and drawing the attention of the mage tower, Roy turned his gaze back to the Shadow Fiend King in front of him, and began to plot.

"With the help of the Eye of Hermes, I have gained a basic understanding of this Shadow Fiend King and established a basic mental connection with him."

At the same time, my soul's status is high enough, and my mental strength is strong enough.

Theoretically speaking, the chances of successfully controlling it are a thousand times greater than those of Freo.

Perhaps it won't even take three years...

Three days, just three days!
"I will be able to achieve Freo's goal, which has been around for two or three hundred years!"

At this time, he conceived a very bold and radical idea, but in reality, it was based on deep consideration.

"However, I cannot simply cut out a level 4 slice of 10,000 degrees and store it inside to take risks, as is the usual practice."

That would significantly weaken my power as a newly appointed Grand Wizard.

When the legendary mage arrived, they were immediately at a loss.

However, ordinary methods are insufficient for souls of low rank and low energy to control it...

I also have no way to achieve true spiritual transformation like those god-kings and plane rulers, through pure true spirit and will!

The only favorable condition that could possibly achieve this goal is the mutation of the [Sage's Proverbs] that I previously controlled.

Perhaps because of the materialization of spiritual power after reaching level four, it actually broke free from the natal chart and condensed into a physical Philosopher's Stone.

To investigate further, I also cut out a new slice at 1 degree...

Using this as a foundation, we can anchor our will within it and cultivate a new incarnation!

That way, at least we can temporarily control this Shadow Fiend…

Transformed into a single slice, he commands such a massive and powerful puppet...

This is absolutely dangerous.

Roy didn't expect it to last.

But as long as it's temporary...

That's enough for now!
******
Boom!

Several loud noises suddenly came from outside.

While pondering, Roy quickly investigated and discovered that Melas and Angaree, among others, were engaged in separate attacks and defenses, and had begun to fight the mage tower.

That mage tower also seemed a bit strange; there might not be a consensus among its members, and it didn't use weapons of mass destruction.

But the arcane police were dispatched, and some mage legions also formed ranks around the castle and launched a probing attack.

Nisha began to handle it herself.

Freya had no choice but to leave the laboratory and begin to temporarily deploy various Matan demons, even golden Matan, to prepare for battle.

Roy didn't care about anything else and focused all his attention back on what was in front of him.

His first action was to materialize and refine the Philosopher's Stone using the spiritual essence he had already mastered...

Having condensed its own spirit and will, this new incarnation, possessing 1 degree of energy, materialized as a small gemstone.

Then, they directly entered the mental space.

Without Freo's spirit hindering him, he could do whatever he wanted.

In the blink of an eye, golden light burst forth in that spiritual world, which resembled an asteroid.

Like the union of sperm and egg...

The spiritual energy originating from the Shadow Demon race, along with the "Soul of Will" derived from human spiritual will, began to merge.

His consciousness coalesced in the mental space, transforming into a colossal figure that blotted out the sky, and appeared beside the Shadow Demon.

The enormous figure looked down at the "asteroid" shrouded in a hazy black mist below and discovered that it had become a clod of earth the size of a fist.

As the giant hand extended and the five fingers slowly closed, Roy held the entire "planet" steadily in his palm.

"Follow my will, refine it!"

Amidst the murmurs that sounded like the whispers of an ancient god, four-colored light suddenly shone from his palm.

Black represents decomposition, white symbolizes purification, yellow signifies reorganization, and red represents spirituality and life.

Under the influence of alchemy, the black mist began to surge violently, forcibly extracting the spiritual energy of the Shadow Demons and intertwining it with the Soul of Will.

Then, the "Relic: Key of Will (Level 4)" that I had obtained earlier appeared out of thin air.

Just like in conventional alchemy, symbolic materials were added.

Roy could clearly feel the Philosopher's Stone, in the form of a small gemstone, merging with it and gradually implanting itself into the core of this "planet".

Before long, it seemed as if the crystallization of gemstones spread from the inside out, and the entire "planet" transformed into something similar to a soul gem.

"It seems like it worked..."

Roy gazed at this brand-new masterpiece and activated [Eye of Hermes].

"The Spirit of Willpower, the Philosopher's Stone (Level 4)..."

Even more central and crucial than the Key of Will, it is a symbolic object used by Archmage Freyor to control the Shadow Fiend King's consciousness space, possessing the ability to control the body...

This is a superior substitute for creations at the level of spiritual will.

This is a refining plan he came up with in a very short time, combining all his past learning with the current situation.

That is, to make full use of the [Reddening] technique in one's alchemical talent, to infuse the substrate with spirit, and to complete the sublimation.

The description of this ability seems simple, but in reality, it involves infusing spiritual will and mastering one of the ultimate goals of "Magic Crystal Science": the crafting of Philosopher's Stone series creations.

He used this method to make full use of Freo's relic, the Key of Will (Level 4), which he had prepared for many years.

This process naturally involves decomposition and recombination.

But unlike in the past, all of the previous operations were carried out on a material level.

This time, however, it took place in the realm of consciousness.

All the fundamental substances in the universe can be decomposed, purified, recombined, and sublimated using the four alchemical techniques!
In a sense, this is the cycle of the universe's great reincarnation.

The magic of nature is constantly performing such transformations.

The substances that make up the human body are constantly undergoing metabolism and circulation.

From a macro perspective, it's like a giant sand table, where all atoms and molecules flow through different people and things.

Even an ordinary, unremarkable life is composed of "raw materials" from the outside world, essentially stardust, and is no different in essence from those high-ranking nobles or even gods.

Even the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe contain various atoms and molecules that are absorbed by the body and participate in metabolism.

An atom or a type of energy that was part of a lettuce yesterday may become a component of a nobleman's body tomorrow.

The next day, it will once again participate in the cycle of heaven and earth, flowing with the mysterious magic of nature to a certain deity...

All of this gave him the opportunity to reshape his will in this way.

The Philosopher's Stone (Level 4) that appears in my hand at this moment is actually a Soul Gem.

A new consciousness space began to form within it, a true attempt at control...

it has started!

……

"How is this going?"

"What happened down there?"

The moment this strange change occurred, everyone inside the castle felt a tremor like a violent earthquake.

Remogo, Andrew, and the others instinctively rushed to higher ground, casting their gazes toward the place where the Shadow Fiend King was imprisoned.

To their astonishment, the enormous figure straightened up on its own and began to move.

He was like a giant who had been asleep for a long time and had just awakened, still somewhat bewildered.

But soon, he gradually mastered certain manipulation techniques and became able to control his body.

The tremor we just experienced was caused by the impact with the castle walls during this process.

The body formed from condensed smoke, due to the immense energy it contained and its level reaching level four, possessed some characteristics of materialization.

Even a slight touch deformed the wall.

Wow!

Soon, the iron chain was also stretched taut.

As the mysterious power flowed, it gradually contracted, as if it were part of one's own body, merging into it.

"hold head high!"

The giant opened his mouth and let out an indescribable, low roar.

Immediately following, its body swelled up, spreading out like smoke.

It exhibited a smoky form, and its original size of only 30 meters suddenly increased to several thousand meters.

The entire castle instantly appeared beneath His feet, transforming into something resembling a toy model.

Inside the tower, Zonianke seemed to sense something.

In a hoarse voice, it cried out in terror, "Impossible! This is impossible!"
Shadow Fiend King...

How could it have started moving!

(End of this chapter)