Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 376 Electric God Pendant
During a lunar eclipse, all living things are affected and become agitated and restless.

In larger towns, those protected by magical power are generally not affected much. However, in smaller villages and towns, there have been several incidents of riots and mutations.

Apart from the cavalry who were riding Crimson Dream Beasts, the rest of the troops were shrouded in red moonlight, which was quite eerie.

Fortunately, Su Mu and his men had high morale; otherwise, they would have been routed by now due to worry and fear.

Goode looked at the moon in the sky, and was also a little worried.

"The months of disaster are increasing. If the lunar eclipse only lasts for one month, that's fine. But if it continues for a long time, I'm afraid the people of the kingdom will suffer!"

During this lunar eclipse, major cities with advanced buildings are relatively safe, as they can be protected by magical energy. As long as free citizens remain within their jurisdictions, they are unlikely to go mad. As for the people in smaller towns, those who can go to higher-level towns for refuge will do so. Those who cannot go to higher-level towns will prepare food and water, hide, and wait for the month of disaster to pass.

However, following this trend, disasters gradually became more frequent, and small villages and towns were hard to survive. This led to disaster victims migrating to large cities to form refugees, and the idyllic scenery of the kingdom was no longer possible.

"War rages, plagues rage, and strange occurrences reappear. What a chaotic era this is!"

Su Mu had actually prepared for this. It was obvious that Esidor had some unspeakable difficulties, most likely due to a disaster.

The disaster that even a millennia-old empire couldn't withstand shows just how terrifying it was. The future direction of city construction needs to take into account its ability to withstand calamities.

However, from the perspective of Sumu and humans, regardless of their reasons for encroaching on their territory, they are mortal enemies. When it comes to survival, there is no room for compromise or concession; it's a fight to the death. Many historical events have already proven the consequences of inviting a wolf into one's home.

"Don't overthink it. We can't influence the world's trends, nor are we saviors."

"It's already quite an achievement to defend Kuraki's territory and protect our people!"

Su Mu and his generals advanced under the cover of night and finally arrived at the address given by the prayer altar.

Wayne first led the Dream Thieves to scout ahead. In the snowy night, his troops proved surprisingly effective, quickly creating a map and marking out suspicious locations.

"There are two hidden caves in this snow mountain, which contain a considerable amount of magical energy. I originally wanted to send a few thieves to explore them, but the information I received was that heroes need to undergo trials, so I did not act rashly."

Su Mu arrived at the two cave entrances. Unlike ordinary elemental illusions, this place was filled with a mysterious aura of nothingness and intense poison.

"Void, deadly poison!"

I originally thought that the place where I placed the Heart of the Gale would be a scene with abundant air elements, but I didn't expect it to be a completely unrelated scene.

One of the two caves contains the treasure you desire. Exploring both caves simultaneously guarantees you the treasure and will speed up the process while reducing the difficulty. No more than 200 troops are allowed to enter each cave at a time.

This will be quite a test of strength, as both caves must be secured and captured simultaneously, requiring each unit to possess formidable capabilities.

Su Mu didn't rush to make a decision, and asked Wayne, "Is there any movement from the Arcane Empire?"

"We're nearing enemy territory, close to a city of an arcane empire. There's been no activity for now, but they could very well use teleportation magic to get here."

"How about we wait and talk about it later?"

Even with Wayne's exceptional abilities, he can only gather the existing intelligence. How the enemy will deploy their forces and march is unpredictable. Jointly exploring the area carries significant risks.

Su Mu first went to look at the cave on one side of the void. He could sense a powerful spatial magic brewing. This fluctuation was very similar to a portal to space and time, but it was more stable than magic.

"A portal! Someone has also made a prayer, hoping to create a portal on the border."

Judging from the fluctuations, it is most likely a one-way portal that can only exit but not enter. If it is indeed the Arcane Empire's wish, then they can mobilize troops from their heartland at any time and have a continuous army. At that time, Silvertop City will face too much pressure.

“We definitely have to explore this cave. Even if it’s not for the Heart of the Gale, we have to thwart the enemy’s plans.” Su Mu then explored the Poison Cave. The situation here was simpler. Although it was winding and meandering, the path was not long, and there were faint fluctuations of air elements.

The principle behind these illusions is actually quite simple: they all share a common core of magical power. If only one passage is chosen, the illusionary spirits will concentrate their power against the intruder, increasing the threat. If two teams proceed simultaneously, the magical power is shared, and the two caves will naturally not be as strong.

However, there are also downsides. Both forces must be able to withstand the pressure, continue to advance, and proceed in sync to prevent the magical power from tilting. A certain degree of tacit understanding is required.

"Good, you lead the cavalry into the Void Cavern, while Sederlos and I will enter the Venom Cavern. Keep in constant contact, maintain synchronized movements, and seize the final treasure!"

"Order!"

Don't be fooled by the fact that Goode only has 40 riders; he is actually more powerful than a full-strength Tier 5 army of 200.

Sedros brought the Mystic Prayer with him, and Su Mu decided to enter with him. This was because the Poison Cave required purification and healing effects, and Su Mu felt that the cave was likely hiding the Heart of the Gale. He wanted to inherit the advanced air element mastery to deal with unexpected situations.

So both teams stepped into the cave at the same time, and the entrance shimmered with a dazzling light.

Wayne stayed put, maintaining constant contact with Orling, and calling for Orling's help at the slightest sign of trouble.

……

Ovid the Void Wanderer was floating in his tower, a state that was supposed to last for several weeks, but he was suddenly interrupted and opened his eyes. He looked towards the snowy region to the south with a thoughtful expression.

"The wandering scholar is indeed hedging his bets, giving away the portal information to someone else. But I anticipated your scheme. Since there are contenders, just eliminate them."

"The Nameless One, lead a group of Void Assassins and Void Archmages to the border town of Grodor. A large army will then move there. Whoever explores the cave, make sure to stop them!"

"Yes!"

Ovid thought about it and felt it wasn't quite right, so he went to tell Somra and another alchemist, Yuna Hari.

"As far as I know, Su Mu possesses the Titan's Arrow, making him a formidable opponent!"

Yuna's previously indifferent expression instantly changed. She took out her own treasure, a lightning bolt-shaped pendant: "You guys are quite well-informed. I've kept this treasure hidden for quite some time."

Since you've come for it, if you win, you must share a sufficient portion of the spoils with me.

At least two level 4 treasures!

【Electric God Pendant (Tier 3 Treasure): Grants the unit immunity to a range of lightning spells, including Thunderbolt, Chain Lightning, and Titan's Lightning (up to level 6).

Evaluation: You found a pendant in a small house destroyed by lightning.

The asking price wasn't high; treasures capable of withstanding lightning are extremely rare. Elton had offered a high reward, but so far had no clue what to do with them.

Ovid only learned about the female alchemist's treasure through inside information from the Tower of Circles. Since she was willing to fight and provide the Thunder God pendant, his chances of winning were much higher.

“Okay, no problem. As long as we can kill him, the Tower of Circles will not hesitate to spend whatever it takes.”

"Don't worry, this is just a test. Even if it fails, there will be no loss."

Seeing Ovid's confident demeanor, Yuna was not very trusting. However, the Titan's Arrow was too tempting. Although she might not get any parts from it, she could obtain two level 4 treasures, which would maximize the use of the Thunder God pendant.

This deal is worth doing.

(End of this chapter)