How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 246 bestowing numerous titles

As the fog slowly dissipated, a view from above revealed a scene of utter devastation.

Many soldiers carelessly tossed their weapons at their feet, some slumped down beside the corpses, others leaned against something in a daze, their faces filled with the bewilderment of surviving a catastrophe.

The faces of the tens of thousands of Wang Ting soldiers defending the city showed a mixture of elation and deep confusion.

They didn't even see how the battle turned around; they only remembered that the thick fog suddenly dissipated, the Duke's central camp was engulfed in flames, and then the enemy army retreated like a tide.

The attacking Duke's army was filled with confusion and trepidation.

In the center of the battlefield, Kane was walking back through the wrecked battlefield.

He shrouded himself in shadow, holding a duke's sword in his hand.

His steps were steady, his gaze sweeping over everything around him as he sorted out the complex and chaotic situation in the post-war era.

Although the war was brutal, it ended abruptly.

The actual number of casualties suffered by the Duke's army was probably less than the number of the routed soldiers who scattered and fled upon learning of the deaths.

"Nearly 200,000 soldiers have appeared out of nowhere. The royal court's existing food and supplies can only last for three months at most."

Kane silently calculated in his mind, his brows unconsciously furrowing.

Because his figure stood out so prominently on the chaotic battlefield, he quickly attracted everyone's attention.

When everyone saw the sword in his hand, a symbol of the Duke's power, they gasped in shock—he had killed the Duke.

Many of the surrendered soldiers, filled with fear, knelt down on the ground.

Kane simply waved his hand without saying another word.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, he finally returned to the city gate of the capital.

Squads of academy mages dressed in red robes filed out to maintain order on the battlefield.

Walking in the middle of the group was a woman with a cool and aloof expression.

It was Logan.

Her long hair was tied up and she wore a hair crown.

The former Duke's officers, both high and low, were kneeling neatly on one knee before her.

Logan Susas, wielding a rapier, lightly tapped each officer's shoulder, his voice clear and gentle: "I forgive your sins."

After hearing this, all the officers showed expressions of relief, as if they had survived a disaster.

Kane stood quietly at the back of the crowd, yet everyone's eyes were still drawn to him.

Upon seeing Kane, a gentle smile instantly bloomed on Logan's usually cold face.

Their eyes met across the distance.

As agreed beforehand, Kane raised the Duke's sword, slowly walked through the crowd, and knelt down on one knee in front of her.

"Your Majesty, the Council of Security has executed the traitor Eisenberg. This is his sword."

"Thank you, my bravest warrior."

Logan nodded, reached out, and gently placed the royal rapier on Kane's shoulder.

Kane's heart skipped a beat, and he was somewhat puzzled, but he still lowered his head in accordance with the rules of the investiture ceremony.

Logan Susas's voice resounded clearly throughout the city gate: "I, Logan Susas, in the name of the sole heir to the Susas royal family."

"Kane is hereby appointed as the new Duke of the Northern Territory of Sussas, and concurrently serves as Regent of the Royal Court of Sussas, Speaker of the Council of Nobles, Chief Justice of the Court of Justice, and Supreme Commander of all legions of the Royal Army."

A series of heavy spittle sounds rang out, far exceeding the agreement between the two.

Kane suddenly looked up and met Logan's gaze.

Those eyes, which always held a gentle smile, were now filled with an unwavering determination and trust that could not be refused.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded slowly.

The royal army units on the city wall erupted in deafening cheers.

After all, as the highest-ranking official of the Council of Peace and Order, Kane is the de facto controller of all the royal army. This appointment is merely a way to legitimize the fact.

The two exchanged a smile, and the on-duty mages in the crowd who knew the inside story of their relationship smiled knowingly, while many more who were unaware of the situation joined in the cheers and applause.

"You! You deserve to die!"

Just then, a frenzied roar, like that of a wild beast, suddenly came from inside the city walls, shattering the festive atmosphere in the square.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and suddenly the mage tower representing the Energy Shaping Branch lit up with a dazzling orange-red light.

A thick beam of fire struck a spot in the inner chamber with pinpoint accuracy, creating a deafening explosion that sent plumes of smoke and dust billowing into the sky.

Immediately afterwards, the mage tower of the Bewitching Division also lit up.

Under the combined bombardment of the two mage towers, the frenzied roar was gradually suppressed by the roar of the spells, and finally only a muffled groan remained.

Kane's brow furrowed instantly.

He knew the power of the mage tower better than anyone else.

A single mage tower can increase the spell power of an ordinary third-tier mage several times over, and multiple mage towers working together can even cast fourth-level spells.

But surprisingly, there are enemies who have been able to withstand the siege of several mage towers for so long —

His gaze turned serious.

Logan Susas noticed his expression, gently patted his arm, and whispered, "Go on, I'll take care of things here."

Kane nodded, watching as she turned to continue reassuring the surrendered soldiers and generals.

He then turned and, accompanied by several guards from the Security Committee, walked straight into the inner palace.

Kane followed the increasingly clear roar to a secluded alley in the outer courtyard.

The scene before my eyes was shocking:

The ground was covered with fragments of white skulls, broken bones and shattered armor mixed together, making a crunching sound when stepped on.

There were also many corpses of Wang Tingjun soldiers lying haphazardly.

Many surviving soldiers, shield in hand, huddled at the alley entrance, staring fearfully into the depths, not daring to take a single step forward.

The entire alley was almost completely leveled, the houses on both sides were blown into ruins, and the ground was covered with spell-induced craters several feet deep, clearly caused by high-level magic.

The only person capable of causing such a commotion in the heart of the royal court, besides the academy, is that war mage named Malcolm.

He stepped over the soldiers surrounding him, and when the crowd saw him, it was as if they had seen a savior; they all made way for him.

Kane raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, then slowly walked into the depths of the alley, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

At the end of the alley, the skeleton and the mist stood back to back, their faces extremely solemn.

The skeleton's left arm had been severed at the shoulder, and black blood dripped continuously from the wound, leaving only the right hand tightly gripping the white bone staff.

The Mistweaver's robes were torn in several places, and a trace of blood clung to the corner of her mouth.

Malcolm and a masked drow female ranger stood in front of them, both of them being Tier 3 powerhouses, and both were also injured.

The four men were attacking a figure in the middle, while arrows from the soldiers around them rained down on him, but with little effect.

In the center of the battlefield, a half-elf over two meters tall was struggling frantically.

His entire body was covered in raw, dark red muscle, crisscrossed with grotesque scars, some of which were still slowly oozing dark red blood.

Countless white skulls pressed against his body, tightly binding his limbs like vines.

Each time he exerted his strength, he could tear apart more than a dozen skeletons.

With each swing of his giant axe, stained with shattered bone and flesh, he could cleave the skeletons in his path into dust.

The crossbow bolts fired by the royal soldiers only left a few white marks on his body.

In front of him lay the scattered remains of three tier-three corpse servants, torn to pieces, along with the corpses of many more soldiers.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of burning iron powder and a faint smell of sulfur.

Kane glanced at it and immediately understood the whole story.

After news of the Duke's death spread, Malcolm and the third-tier Drow immediately turned against him, joining forces with Bonebreaker and Mistweaver to target the howling warrior.

"Even when facing two traitorous Tier 3s, plus the Tier 3 Corpse Servant Squad of Skeleton and the Mistweaver's siege."

He still managed to kill three corpse servants and even caused the skeleton to lose an arm—the iron powder arrows had almost no effect on him.

Kane's eyes flickered as he looked at the half-elf who was screaming and exhausted, yet still refused to give up.

He received almost the same assessment as Mistweaver: "Advanced Fire Resistance — and Advanced Toughness."

Watching the figure struggling despite being bombarded repeatedly by the mage tower, Kane's alarm bells rang loudly.

"It seems that the research on the Iron Powder Arrow must be accelerated, and new weapons also need to be developed."

If the Demon Cult were to use the Sacred Mark Ritual on a large scale to create such warriors, and even produce beings like the Fire Demon, Berserker Demon, or Balor Flame Demon who are nearly immune to fire, we simply cannot contend with them using our current methods.

"Although the conditions for the arrival of these high-level demons are extremely harsh, it is hard to guarantee that some cultists will not be willing to sacrifice more souls to try."

Just as he was pondering, the half-elf warrior suddenly let out a deafening roar, bit into the skull of the skeleton beside him, and broke free from the skeleton's restraints.

He then charged toward Malcolm, who was closest to him, brandishing his giant axe.

The next moment, a black light shone again from the Mage Tower of the Bewitching Division in the distance.

A beam of light struck him precisely in the chest, and his movements froze instantly.

Immediately, more skeletons rose from the ground, densely covering his entire body and enveloping him completely.

From a distance, it looks like a small mountain made of bones.

Seeing that the skeleton had raised its staff, preparing to use the Death Finger to finish him off, Kane suddenly spoke up: "Wait, Dean Skeleton, spare his life."

"reason?"

The skeleton turned its head, its cloudy eyes looking at him and asking.

"We need a live specimen."

Kane's gaze was unwavering as he said, word by word, "I want people from other countries to see with their own eyes what kind of monsters the Demon Cult can create, so that I can intimidate them with fear."

A week later.

Deep within the inner court, the council chamber that originally belonged to the noble council has been completely renovated.

The bloodstains left from the bloody night of yesteryear have been wiped clean, and the scorched face of the dancer has been repainted.

At this moment, the venue has been transformed into a grand pre-coronation banquet hall.

Those nobles who had survived the bloody night and were standing in line were all present.

All the major chambers of commerce sent their most important representatives, and some high-ranking officers from the former Duke's army also appeared here.

Soldiers in crisp military uniforms, elegantly dressed noblewomen, shrewd and capable businessmen, and envoys from various countries raised their glasses and chatted and made vows under the candlelight.

It was as if the war that swept through the entire royal court a week ago was nothing more than a nightmare.

With the Duke dead and no other legitimate heir in the royal court, Logan Susas's throne as queen has not yet been formally crowned, but no one questions it.

Everyone has chosen their side, the new power structure has been settled, and everyone has received their share in this grand feast.

With a bang, the hall doors were slowly pushed open.

Guarded by royal guards clad in silver armor, Kane helped Logan Susas, dressed in a white royal gown, up the red-carpeted steps.

The hall fell silent instantly, and all eyes were on the two of them.

Their expressions varied, some showing awe, some envy, and some hidden apprehension.

Kane tilted his head slightly, and Logan said in a low voice, "Once you embark on this path, there's no turning back. Are you really sure?"

Logan squeezed his hand: "If this helps you, I'm not worried. Dumpling, are you really not going to accept the surname Susas?"

Even if you don't become regent, you are still the Duke of the North, and sooner or later you will have to go to your territory to govern your fiefdoms.

Kane nodded, his gaze sweeping over the faint stares in the hall: "There are still too many things to deal with. The former Duke's territory harbors remnants of the Unholy Demon Cult, and I've already sent people to investigate."

As for the criticisms of others, let them be. Soon no one will care about discussing it anymore.

As the two were speaking in hushed tones, a man dressed in a black tuxedo, with black hair and black eyes, stepped forward and stopped them, bowing in a standard aristocratic salute: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Highness the Regent, may we speak privately for a few moments?"

Kane and Logan exchanged a glance, and Kane said calmly, "Ambassador Nord, Mr. Sean, I will arrange a time to discuss this further with you after the dinner."

Sean straightened up, a polite smile on his face: "Your Excellencies, Queen Nord has sent her sincerest congratulations to your country."

However, there is still much to discuss regarding the future alliance and military cooperation between the two countries.

After all, we are also victims of the demonic cult, and we have too many enemies to fight together.

Kane pondered for a moment, glanced at Sean, and then subtly swept his gaze over the various envoys from different countries who were looking at him with probing eyes.

After Susas completely seized power and demonstrated the power of his iron powder arrows and repeating crossbows on the battlefield, these countries were clearly unable to hold back any longer.

They wanted to establish cooperation with Sussas, but were also wary of Sussas's suddenly rising military strength.

Kane gave Logan a reassuring look, and Dumpling Sean said, "In that case, after this dinner, I would like to invite His Excellency the Ambassador, as well as ambassadors from other countries, to see something together."

"I am deeply honored by the Regent's invitation."

A hint of joy flashed in Sean's eyes as he watched the two turn and walk towards the other guests, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The war had just ended, and he had intended to meet Logan at the first table, but there were too many people who wanted to see Logan, making it difficult for him to get close.

And this Regent Kane was even more decisive and efficient.

He met with the commanders of the various corps under the former duke, reorganized all the troops, and added a large number of people to the committee to eliminate the threat of mutiny.

He also used the wealth he had seized from various families and fleeing merchant guilds during the war to purchase large quantities of grain from the free city-states at high prices.

This not only solved the food shortage in the capital, but also completely extinguished any thoughts that other countries might have of using food to interfere in the internal affairs of Susas.

But now, he has finally gotten the chance to formally negotiate with the top brass of Susas.

After the banquet, Sean, led by a royal guard, walked through several dark corridors and arrived at a heavily guarded underground building deep within the royal court.

But as soon as he stepped through the gate, he couldn't help but frown.

The air was thick with negative energy and a faint smell of blood, along with a chilling roar that echoed through the empty underground hall.

But as Nord's plenipotentiary ambassador, he could not show the slightest fear.

He suppressed his anxiety and followed the guards further inside. But when he reached the central seat of the hall, he was completely stunned.

"Besides him, ambassadors from the Free City-State, the Covenant Alliance, the Grassland, and other countries are all here."

Everyone's face bore the same doubt and wariness as his.

Sean's eyes flickered slightly as he forcibly suppressed his shock and stepped into the crowd.

Right there, the heavy iron gate opened again.

Escorted by a squad of royal guards armed with crossbows, Kane, dressed in his black regent's robes, walked out slowly.

He looked at the crowd with their varied expressions and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"I know you all have many questions in your minds."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable power:

"I have invited you all here today for only one purpose: to let you witness firsthand the true conspiracy of the Demonic Cult."

As soon as he finished speaking, a heavy iron door at the end of the hall was slowly opened.

From behind the dark doorway came a terrifying scream and the heavy thud of chains being dragged, each sound like a hammer blow to everyone's heart.

Sean instinctively gripped the ceremonial short sword at his waist, his eyes widening.

Finally, the sound of chains grew closer.

A huge, two-meter-tall figure appeared before everyone's eyes.

His hands and feet were tightly bound by ten thick steel chains, each chain being pulled by eight strong soldiers.

He was only able to be barely controlled by someone wielding an iron whip and constantly striking him from behind.

He twisted his body frantically, trying to break free of his restraints, but his mouth was tightly gagged with an iron bit, and he could only let out a series of hissing roars.

Those scarlet eyes were filled with madness and murderous intent, sweeping over everyone present.

"Release the arrows!"

The captain, standing to the side, gave a stern order.

Ten soldiers pulled the trigger at the same time, and crossbow bolts rained down on him, but they couldn't even scratch his skin.

The expressions of the envoys from various countries changed instantly.

Kane looked at the shocked faces of the crowd and slowly spoke, his voice echoing in the empty hall: "Ambassadors, I think you are all well aware that the tentacles of the Demonic Cult have reached every corner of the continent."

As for the Stigmata Ritual, it's hardly a secret to you all.

"The monster before you was once just an ordinary soldier of the Duchy of Theodore."

He only completed thirteen Stigmata rituals and hadn't even taken the final demon potion before he turned into this state.

Invulnerable to swords and spears, impervious to pain, possessing immense strength, and never tiring.

"The goal of the Demon Cult is to promote the Stigmata Ritual throughout the entire material plane, creating thousands upon thousands of such monsters, and then using them to conquer the entire world."

"And this is the true conspiracy of the Demon Cult."

Looking at the envoys from various countries with their different expressions and eyes filled with fear, Kane revealed a cold smile.

He no longer intended to play hide-and-seek with the demon cult.

Since darkness can no longer be hidden, let's expose it completely to the sunlight.

Let all nations understand that associating with demonic cults will only breed monsters that turn on them.