How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 251 Lord of the Azure Wolves

"Spare me! I can still—!"

A tribesman dressed in a wolf skin stumbled and knelt on the ground, his hands gripping the demon's calves tightly, pleading through his throat.

But the next moment, the bone knife pierced his neck without stopping, the blade emerging from the back of his neck, bringing with it a cloud of blood.

The demon released his grip, letting his body slump to the ground, then grabbed his feet and dragged him across the withered grass.

The body lurched on the grass, blood trickling from the wounds, leaving a dark trail.

The tribespeople who were working froze in unison.

Some people instinctively gripped their pickaxes tightly, their knuckles turning white from the force.

Their eyes were filled with deep-seated pain and sorrow, yet they dared not utter a sound.

These people wore identical coarse linen prison uniforms, yet their appearances varied greatly:

There were dark-skinned grassland people, golden-haired and blue-eyed free city-state people, and quite a few half-elves with pointed ears.

As the coward dragged his bone knife toward an old woman huddled in a corner, everyone lowered their heads abruptly.

They buried their faces in the shadows, numbly swinging their pickaxes to dig into the soil, pushing carts full of earth and stones toward the edge of the pit.

This once lush grassland has been transformed into a massive pit, tens of meters deep and over a kilometer in diameter.

The black soil at the bottom of the pit was soaked in blood, making it sticky and shiny.

In the center is a huge six-pointed star magic circle inlaid with obsidian.

Every line of the magic circle was flowing with scalding blood.

The carcasses of cattle and sheep were thrown in batches, piling up in layers in the center of the magic circle.

Human corpses were mixed in, some still in the posture of struggling before death, densely packed and stretching as far as the eye could see.

The stench of putrid corpses, the stench of demons, and the thick smell of blood mingled together, creating a nauseatingly evil aura.

Whenever the blood seeping from the corpse seeps into the soil along the patterns, a faint dark red light will illuminate the black stone base at the edge of the magic circle.

The light flowed slowly through the patterns like a living thing, like pulsating blood vessels.

Hundreds of people dressed in black hooded robes stood by the pit, all with their heads down, hiding their faces in the shadows of their hoods.

Two people stood at the very front of the crowd.

One was a gentle-looking spellcaster, and the other was a woman with a seductive face, wearing a red tight-fitting dress.

"Dear Chieftain, as of today, nearly 400,000 head of cattle, sheep, and horses have been deployed, along with 200,000 members of defeated tribes—"

At this rate, in another three months, this door will be able to summon the will of the abyss.

On that day, even without the complex ritual of infusing with holy marks, the souls of these sacrifices alone will be enough to summon a demon army.

The woman's voice was alluring, yet carried a hint of cold malice.

The patriarch, with a gentle expression, tilted his head slightly and smiled: "Angie, our plan is finally about to come to fruition."

This woman, named Ange, was the sacrifice she made with Kane during the first generation of the Stigmata ritual at the Demon Cult's stronghold deep inside.

But Anjie lowered her head, her eyelashes obscuring the vertical pupils beneath her eyes.

A strange smile spread across her lips, revealing a set of fine, sharp teeth, like those of a shark: "Even if you are the chosen one of the abyss's will, I hope you will stop calling me by this human name."

From the day the ceremony was completed, Ange was already dead. Call me Grassia.

Upon hearing Grassia's request, the Patriarch was not angry; he simply turned slightly to the side and made a "please" gesture.

Seeing that he agreed, Glasya lowered her head in satisfaction and turned her gaze back to the magic circle at the bottom of the pit.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar.

A cavalryman wearing brown leather armor and carrying a scimitar at his waist galloped up and suddenly pulled on the reins in front of the two men.

The warhorse reared up and let out a neigh.

The cavalryman dismounted, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your Majesty, Lady Gerasija, the Lord of the Azure Wolves has invited you both to the Khan's court, saying that he has important matters to discuss."

The Patriarch and Grassia exchanged a glance, a knowing smile flashing in their eyes simultaneously.

The two boarded the carriage and followed the cavalry as they sped towards the depths of the grassland.

Half a day later, a continuous line of tents appeared on the horizon.

That was the Canglang Khanate, jointly established by the ten most powerful tribes of the grasslands.

Countless white tents spread out like a tide, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The grassland warriors patrolling along the way showed disdain and mockery on their faces when they saw the two foreigners.

But when the sunlight fell on Grassia's curvaceous figure and stunning face.

Many people's eyes immediately turned greedy and fiery, and they made no attempt to hide their gazes as they looked her over.

Grassia didn't care at all; instead, she deliberately puffed out her chest and curled up a seductive smile.

The patriarch remained unmoved, his gentle gaze sweeping over the warriors.

After passing through layers of tents and guards wielding spears, the two finally arrived at the largest royal tent in the center of the Khan's court.

The royal tent was made from the pelt of a whole snow wolf king.

A flagpole made from a wolf skull was planted on the top of the tent, with a black flag flying from it.

Upon entering the royal tent, a strong smell of blood and alcohol assaulted the senses.

Inside the tent sat a giant who was at least three meters tall.

He was shirtless, his muscles covered with crisscrossing scars, and a huge totem was tattooed on his chest.

To his left was a golden-handled scimitar taller than a person, and to his right was a wine cup made from a skull.

Just sitting there, the domineering aura emanating from him was so overwhelming that it was hard to breathe.

The Patriarch and Grassia bowed simultaneously: "Honorable Lord of the Azure Wolves."

The giant, the lord of the gray wolves who ruled the entire grassland, slowly opened his eyes.

Those wolf-like golden eyes swept over the two of them, then looked at the golden-sword guards holding knives on either side of the tent.

The guards understood and bowed as they withdrew from the royal tent.

The heavy tent flaps closed slowly, separating the inside from the outside.

"My patience has run out, Patriarch of the Demonic Cult."

The voice of the Lord of the Azure Wolves resounded in the tent like muffled thunder.

"Five years ago you said you would give me an invincible army. But now, all I see are you digging pits and killing people on my grasslands."

Where is that demonic army I seek, capable of rivaling a pack of giant wolves and tearing apart the walls of the Free City-State?

The Patriarch bowed slightly, his face still bearing a gentle smile: "Lord of the Azure Wolves, please calm your anger. The ritual is progressing steadily; every drop of blood, every soul, is gathering strength for your army."

Soon, you will witness a near-immortal army of demons, entirely yours, emerging from the abyss.

""

Upon hearing the phrase "a nearly immortal army of demons," the Lord of the Azure Wolves' breathing became noticeably heavier.

He suddenly stood up from the wolf-skin throne, his enormous figure walking step by step toward the two of them.

The heavy footsteps made the ground tremble slightly.

He walked up to the patriarch, looking down at him with greed and fanaticism in his golden eyes.

The patriarch's smile remained unchanged, and his gaze did not waver even slightly.

Standing beside him, Grassia watched the giant with great interest, her fingers unconsciously twirling her red hair, a playful look on her lips.

"Your whereabouts have been exposed."

"The Lord of the Azure Wolves said in a deep voice."

"Kane, the regent of Sussus, has informed the other five nations about your blood sacrifice on the plains."

The merchants of the Free City-State are terrified and are contacting the five nations to form a coalition army, preparing to send troops to attack us.

Within a month at most, the allied forces will reach the border of the steppe. You must speed things up; we must take the initiative.

Grassia raised her head, looking at him with seductive eyes: "Your Excellency, are you afraid?"

"Demon! Who are you talking about?!"

The Lord of the Azure Wolves' expression suddenly changed. Before he could finish speaking, he reached out and grabbed the golden-handled scimitar beside him, and slashed it down fiercely towards Grassia's head!

The wind howled, even splitting the candlelight inside the tent in two.

The Patriarch seemed not to have seen anything, remaining standing in the same spot with his usual gentle smile.

"Clang!"

The curved blade slammed heavily into the ground, splitting a deep crack in the hard stone slab.

But Grassia's figure vanished like ripples on water, turning into a phantom.

The next moment, her true form appeared beside the pillar of the royal tent.

He was leaning against a pillar, smiling as he looked at the Lord of the Azure Wolves.

Far from being angry, the Lord of the Azure Wolves burst into laughter, sheathing his golden sword with undisguised admiration on his face: "Excellent! Truly the power of a demon! This speed, this power, is something humans can never attain!"

He walked up to the two men, his voice low and fervent: "I am never afraid of death. I am only afraid of not being able to personally kill all those hypocritical merchants of the Free City State and not being able to take all their wealth and women!"

So what if I become a member of the abyss?

What does it matter if I become a demon as long as I have power?

Moreover, you said that if I offered up the entire material plane as a sacrifice, I could become a powerful demon lord and rule this land forever!

He stared at the two men and said, word by word, "From this moment on, the entire grassland is yours. Take whatever you want. I don't care whether it's my people or my soldiers."

I have only one request: I want to see the first army of demons within ten days.

Also, give me the promised Holy Mark Potion right now.

"As you command, Lord of the Azure Wolves."

The patriarch bowed slightly, took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve, and handed it over.

Grassia's smile vanished, a cold expectation flashing in her eyes.

In the midst of these three people's conversation and laughter, the fate of nearly ten million lives across the entire grassland was completely sealed.

The royal court of Susas, the inner palace.

Five o'clock in the morning.

The sky outside the window was still pitch black.

A dozen or so tallow candles were lit in the bedroom, their dim yellow flames casting long shadows of the two people.

The table was piled high with secret letters and official documents from all over the country, and the ink was almost gone.

Kane took a sealed letter from a guard wearing a red cloak, his brow furrowing slightly.

He opened the envelope and quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

His expression grew increasingly solemn, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around the letter, creating deep creases.

The guards bowed their heads and reported in a low voice: "Your Highness, this is an urgent message just sent by the Supreme Council of the Free City-State."

According to them, the Lord of the Blue Wolves has issued a rallying order to all tribes, requiring all men over the age of fifteen to report to the Khan's court.

They judged that this was an impending large-scale raid on the free city-states, and therefore requested that we immediately dispatch an army group to the border to assist in the defense.

"In addition, the Lanternmen, Harpists' Alliance, and Dark Brotherhood's spies in the grasslands were almost completely wiped out, with only a few managing to escape."

The spy team we sent out three days ago has still not returned; they're probably already—"

The guard paused, then continued, "There's even worse news."

The high shaman, who worshipped the ancestral spirits of the grasslands, publicly accused the Lord of the Blue Wolves of betraying the grasslands and associating with demons at a tribal assembly.

As a result, the Lord of the Azure Wolf immediately ordered the Golden Knife Guards to burn the Great Shaman and all his disciples to death on the sacrificial altar.

The Khanate is now divided into two factions, with many tribes secretly opposing him, but no one dares to speak out openly.

""

"understood."

Kane crumpled the secret letter into a ball and threw it into the brazier next to him; the letter burned to ashes.

"You may leave. Strengthen the security of the palace. No one is to enter the royal bedchamber without my order."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The guards bowed, turned and left the bedchamber, gently closing the door behind them.

Kane looked at the flickering flames in the brazier and rubbed his throbbing temples.

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from behind.

Logan Susas, wearing a white bathrobe, walked over.

Her hair was still a little messy, her eyes were sleepy, and her face showed a hint of fatigue.

She walked behind Kane, gently reached out, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Why are you awake?"

Kane turned around, took her hand, and a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.

"It's still early, you can sleep a little longer."

"I can't let you stay here all night alone."

Logan gently stroked his slightly protruding belly, a happy smile spreading across his face.

"And he was kicking me too. He must have been worried about you and wanted you to get some rest."

Kane reached out and gently placed his hand on her lower abdomen.

He felt the faint fetal movement, and the heaviness in his heart eased a little.

But soon, his expression turned serious again.

"Something happened on the grasslands."

Kane said in a deep voice.

"The Lord of the Azure Wolves has completely sided with the Demon Cult."

The grasslands have always believed in the supremacy of the strong, and that everything of the weak should be plundered.

It seems he has witnessed the immense power of the demon and no longer intends to be human.

"He—he can't really—" Logan's expression turned serious.

"If nothing unexpected happens, he will sacrifice all living beings in the entire grassland."

Kane's voice was cold.

"Use this unprecedented blood sacrifice to open a passage between the abyss and the material plane, and then use millions of souls to summon a demon army."

We are about to face an unprecedented war, a war that will determine the survival of the entire material plane.

"this----"

Logan's body trembled slightly, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Kane reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back.

Logan felt a little more at ease after feeling his warm embrace and his firm heartbeat.

Kane held her in his arms, his gaze fixed on the dark night sky outside the window, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

In the original storyline, there were instances of people sacrificing their people to gain the favor of the abyss, or even voluntarily transforming into demons.

But he never expected that the one who would take such a crazy step was the ruler of one of the six kingdoms.

In the original storyline he remembered, this Lord of the Azure Wolves was a true hero.

When the demon army invaded the grasslands, he led the last thousand or so Azure Wolf cavalry and Golden Blade Guards in a desperate charge against the million demons.

He eventually died from exhaustion, leaving no trace of his body.

But now, he has been seduced by the demons, betraying his own race, betraying his people, and even abandoning everything that makes him human.

The plot has strayed too far from the truth.

Even someone as far back as him, a "prophet," could no longer predict what would happen next.

Kane rubbed his temples again.

Even the iron powder arrows and silver potions that he is now vigorously promoting, as well as the artillery regiment that he is forming, are things that never appeared in the original plot.

Moreover, the current material plane is far from being as bad as it was during the turbulent times of the previous life.

He hesitated for a moment, then released Logan.

He walked to the table, picked up a quill pen, and began to write quickly on the parchment.

"I will draw 200,000 troops from the Royal Court Army Group from the four major army groups."

"Logan," Kane said, pausing his pen and looking at her.

"Please organize a council and immediately build a temporary camp at the border, with enough tents, food, and medicine."

We need to be prepared to receive at least one million refugees from free city-states.

"As for the budget, there's no need to worry about it."

Kane's tone was firm.

"The free city-states will bring their accumulated wealth to cover all these expenses."

Even if it means emptying the national treasury, we will save as many people as possible.

"I see."

Logan nodded, a serious expression on his face.

"I will inform Parliament now and tell them to begin preparations immediately."

Kane watched her retreating figure and took a deep breath.

Before reaching the Free City-State, he planned to conquer the labyrinth as soon as possible, obtain advanced knowledge, and break through to the fourth rank.

Only by becoming a fourth-tier powerhouse can he possess more power in the upcoming war.

He pondered for a moment, then rang the bell on the table.

A guard immediately pushed open the door and knelt on one knee: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"Relay my orders."

Kane said in a deep voice.

"The First Army Group shall immediately assemble, carrying all its magical cannons and conventional artillery, and shall march with me in two days."

"Yes, sir!"

The next morning.

When the first rays of sunlight pierced the sky and illuminated the spire of the Susas royal court, the entire city was already in a frenzy.

A royal army of nearly 200,000 men had assembled in the square in front of the inner palace.

The infantrymen, clad in gleaming iron armor and wielding spears and shields, stood in neat square formations.

The cavalrymen rode tall horses, with scimitars at their waists and longbows on their backs.

The artillerymen pushed along rows of dark cannons, their expressions solemn.

Countless flags embroidered with the emblem of Sussas fluttered in the morning breeze.

The streets were packed with people who came to see him off.

An elderly man with white hair leaned on a cane, his eyes filled with anticipation; a young woman held a child and waved to the crowd; children...

The children screamed excitedly and tossed the flowers in their hands into the air.

When Kane appeared at the front of the procession riding a black warhorse, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers.

"Long live the Regent!" "Long live Sussas!"

Cheers rose and fell, echoing through the sky.

Kane reined in his horse and slowly raised his hand.

The cheers stopped immediately, and the entire square fell silent.

He looked at the people and soldiers who were looking at him with reverence and self-respect, but his heart felt incredibly heavy.

He knew that once he left, many people would never return.

But he had no way out; to protect the land behind him, he had to move forward.

Kane didn't say anything grand or inspiring; he simply nodded slightly to the crowd.

Then he turned his horse around and waved.

"Set off!"

With a command given, the army slowly began to move.

The heavy footsteps, the sound of horses' hooves, and the rolling wheels mingled together like rolling thunder, heading westward.

half a month later.

The army finally arrived at a strange, barren mountain on the border.

A cold and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air, sending chills down one's spine.

Even under the midday sun, it doesn't feel very warm here.

This is the Glaspan Labyrinth.

Kane immediately recalled detailed information about the maze in his mind.

This labyrinth was built by the sixth-order arcane mage, Glaspan.

Glaspan was a genius who was proficient in both arcane arts and alchemy.

In his later years, he lived in seclusion here, hiding all his life's learning deep within the labyrinth.

It even transplanted its tower spirit into the labyrinth, becoming the labyrinth's spirit and guarding its secrets.

This very maze was the site of the death and injury of two former deans of the magic academy.

From then on, no one dared to easily set foot here again.

According to the original plot.

This place should have been explored by an elite adventure team mainly composed of third-tier professionals, who spent several years exploring and defeating countless puppets and monsters.

Ultimately, they gained the approval of the labyrinth spirit and took away its wealth, knowledge, and enchanted equipment.

But now—he has no use for any of these things.

Moreover, he didn't have time to explore slowly, nor did he have the energy to crack those complex mechanisms and traps.

Kane looked back at the army behind him, and the two immediately urged their horses forward.

The one who walked forward on the left was Malcolm, who was wearing a dark blue hooded robe.

After being recruited by Kane, this former war mage of the Free City-State became the chief mage of the Royal Court's mage corps thanks to his outstanding magical skills.

On the right is Valentine, clad in heavy steel armor.

This former commander of the Twin Port Legion had recently advanced to the third tier of warrior and was appointed by Kane as the frontline commander of this Royal Court army.

"Your Highness the Regent."

The two knelt down on one knee at the same time to pay their respects.

Kane looked at the mountain wall in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Malcolm, you lead the mage group and prepare protective spells to prevent monster attacks."

Valentine, gather all the modified magic cannons and regular artillery, line them up, and bombard the maze entrance with all your might.

Once the monsters inside rush out, you will command the infantry and archers in battle.

"Yes, sir!"

The two accepted the order and left.

Soon, hundreds of improved conventional cannons and more than twenty magic-powered giant cannons slowly emerged from the ranks, lined up at the foot of the mountain, propelled by the artillery regiment.

The dark muzzles of cannons were pointed at the mountain wall ahead.

"Load!"

"Aim!"

"put!"

At Valentine's command, a series of cannon shots rang out! Hundreds of shells whistled as they crashed into the mountainside, creating deafening explosions.

Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, the outer layer of rock on the mountainside exploded with a deafening roar, sending debris flying and dust billowing into the sky.

After several rounds of bombardment, a huge hole appeared in the mountain, and you could even see the layers of stone walls and winding passages inside.

An even colder aura emanated from the cave, faintly exuding an eerie atmosphere that beckoned people to delve deeper.

"Keep bombarding! Don't stop!" Kane ordered coldly, his expression unchanged.

The cannons roared in round after round, and shells rained down on the mountainside.

Under the continuous bombardment, the mountain collapsed, and huge rocks rolled down the mountain, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Half an hour later, when a huge gap tens of meters wide was blasted open in the entire mountain wall, a piercing scream came from the gap.

Immediately afterwards, hundreds and thousands of second-tier monsters swarmed out!

There are giant spiders with enormous bodies and eight legs, ogres wielding wooden clubs and covered in pustules, and centaurs wielding bows and arrows.

In the sky, countless harpies with women's heads and bird wings screamed as they swooped down, their sharp claws gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

But when many of the demons rushed halfway up the mountain and saw the hundreds of thousands of troops standing in full battle formation at the foot of the mountain, they were all stunned.

Some of the more intelligent monsters immediately let out terrified screams and turned to run back.

But it was too late.

"Magic Cannon, fire!"

At a command, more than twenty magic-powered cannons simultaneously emitted a dazzling light!

Thick beams of blue magical energy ripped through the sky, like the scythe of death, instantly sweeping across the horde of monsters.

Any monster struck by the magical energy beam instantly turned to ashes, leaving not a trace behind.

Immediately afterwards, countless improved ballistae were also fired!

The enormous crossbow bolts, like spears, hurtled towards the monsters with a whistling sound, pinning them one by one to the ground.

The archers drew their longbows, and a rain of arrows fell like a torrential downpour, felling monsters in droves.

Under the onslaught of artillery fire and crossbow bolts, the labyrinth within the mountain began to collapse on a large scale.

Rocks kept rolling down the mountain, smashing the monsters that couldn't escape into mincemeat, while some rocks were stopped by the spells cast by the mage group.

Kane frowned slightly; such a forceful attack would inevitably result in a lot of waste.

The labyrinth was filled with countless precious combat manuals, spell scrolls, and enchanted equipment, all of which were now buried under rubble as the mountain collapsed.

But given the current situation in the material plane, he can no longer afford to worry about those things.

Compared to the survival of the entire world, this wealth is utterly insignificant.

His only goal was the arcane tome deep within the labyrinth, and the tower spirit possessing a thousand years of wisdom.

"After three volleys, the entire army attacks!"

Kane drew his ceremonial sword from his waist.

"Target: The core of the maze!"

"Susas!"

With a deafening shout, the vanguard of four legions, totaling 20,000 soldiers, shields raised and spears held high, slowly advanced towards the massive breach in the hillside.

Meanwhile, in the grasslands thousands of miles away.

The once vast and continuous Khanate of the Wolf Warriors is now a sea of ​​fire.

Thick black smoke blotted out the sun, turning the entire sky a dark red.

The earth was stained black with blood, and burning tents and mutilated corpses were everywhere.

Countless tribesmen collapsed and fled in all directions, their cries, screams, and pleas for mercy echoing throughout the land.

But hordes of demons chased after them, knocking them down one by one.

The cowardly demon tore open their throats with its sharp claws, the succubus used seductive magic to render them powerless, and the horned demon cleaved them in two with its battle axe.

Blood stained every inch of the grass, and corpses piled up like mountains.

A group of shamans dressed in animal skins and holding staffs were surrounded by demons in front of the altar.

They stared at the towering demon in the center of the encirclement, a figure wearing a crown of bones and with a pair of black wings on his back, their eyes filled with despair and indignation.

The old shaman, leaning on his totem staff, questioned in a hoarse voice: "Balk! You traitor to the grasslands! Why did you kill the Great Shaman? Why did you betray the ancestral spirits? Why did you lead the demons into the grasslands?"

Are you going to exterminate even the children in the tribe who are not even as tall as a cartwheel?

The demon wearing a white bone crown, who was none other than Balk, the Lord of the Azure Wolves who had completed the transformation of his holy marks, slowly turned his head.

His skin turned dark red, fine scales grew on his face, and his golden pupils turned into vertical pupils.

He, or rather, his mouth split open to his ears, revealing a set of sharp fangs.

He looked at the old shaman and growled, "Ancestral spirits? What can ancestral spirits give me? I have prayed to them my whole life, and they have never answered me! But the abyss gave me power! It gave me immortality!"

It promised me that this grassland would forever be my territory, and all the land I conquered in the future would also belong to me!

'

"When I rule the entire material plane, everyone will have to pray to me!"

"You will be punished! The ancestral spirits will not let you go!" the old shaman uttered his final curse.

Balk chuckled and waved to the dozen or so Fire Demons behind him.

The Fire Demon immediately spewed out a raging inferno, engulfing the old shaman and all the shamans behind him.

A piercing scream came from the flames, but it quickly disappeared.

A raging fire burned on the altar, illuminating the entire sky.

Behind the altar, a six-pointed star array, ten times larger than the previous one, was in operation.

Countless drops of blood flowed into the center of the magic circle along the patterns, and a dark red light shot into the sky. The evil aura, almost tangible, enveloped the entire grassland.

A faint whisper from the abyss echoed in the air, a voice from another dimension, filled with malice and greed.

Balk looked up at the dark red pillar of light in the sky, feeling the demonic power surging within him, and revealed a wanton and crazy smile.

He turned to the patriarch beside him, his voice booming like thunder: "Pass on my order! All demon armies, assemble immediately!"

"Next stop, attack the Free City-State!"

"As you wish, my lord."

The Patriarch still wore that gentle smile on his face and bowed slightly.