How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 255 The Final Battle

From the air, on the vast land of the Free City-State, millions of refugees are converging into a seemingly endless river, slowly meandering northward toward Susas.

From the air, this densely packed group of people, consisting of the elderly, women, children, and young adults, resembled a swarm of army ants. These refugees came from Lambert and more than a dozen surrounding city-states.

They dragged their families along, carrying their meager belongings, and trudged northward.

Along the way, the allied forces of Sussas and the Free City-States would meet them in batches at pre-arranged supply points, distributing black bread,

Clear water and a warm blanket.

In Lambert Territory, in the heart of the Free City-State, the battlefield, which had ended only three days prior, still reeked of a nauseating atmosphere.

The air was filled with a strange stench, a mixture of putridity, sulfur, and blood.

The once prosperous city-state's outskirts have been reduced to ruins, with scattered fragments of human bones.

On the battlefield where Kane and Balk fought, the various demon corpses were so numerous that even vultures refused to peck at them.

Their blood seeps into the soil, corroding large areas of land and turning them black.

People with weak constitutions will immediately develop unexplained high fever and vomiting if they come near this area.

According to Malcolm's estimates, it will take at least a century for this land polluted by the abyss to grow mist weave again.

At this moment, Kane remains in Lambert Territory.

His army has taken full control of the city-state's defenses and has met with Lord Lambert, Shar the Lamplighter, and others.

Representatives from various countries who were providing aid have also arrived here one after another.

"Your Highness the Regent."

Lambert Downs, president of the Lambert Chamber of Commerce, strode forward, bowed, and said, "Thank you to the army of Sussas for protecting the Free City-State from annihilation—"

Kane shook his head, interrupting him: "You're speaking too soon."

"Too early?"

Lambert's smile froze. He suppressed his unease and tentatively said, "The mastermind behind this invasion, Lord Balk of the Azure Wolves, has been personally killed by you."

We hope that Sussas can be stationed in Lambert Territory for a long time to help us rebuild our homeland.

As for those refugees—consider them as a gift from us to your country, and we will also pay a considerable sum for stationing troops.

Even at this point, are you still making such calculations?

They used the refugees they couldn't support as bargaining chips to secure the protection of the stationed troops.

Kane sighed softly.

He shook his head again and said, "Summon all the envoys from various countries to the Central Chamber of Commerce. I have something important to announce."

Lambert paused for a moment, then met Kane's unfathomable eyes, knowing he had no room for objection.

He quickly replied, "Okay, okay, I'll arrange it right away."

Half an hour later, in a huge circular conference room at the headquarters of the Lambert Territory Central Chamber of Commerce.

Envoys from various countries have arrived one after another, including the Queen's special envoy from the Kingdom of Nord, representatives from various free city-states, and dwarven envoys from the Silver Kingdom.

The envoys of almost every existing regime on this continent gathered here.

As Kane and Valentine walked into the hall side by side, all eyes were on them, filled with awe, curiosity, and complex emotions.

This young regent, Susas, had just personally slain the fallen Lord of the Azure Wolves in an earth-shattering duel.

Kane walked to the head seat without any hesitation and sat down, while Valentine stood upright behind him.

Lambert stepped forward: "Your Excellency Kane, all the envoys have arrived. The meeting may begin—"

Kane shook his head again and said, "Wait, let's hear some news first."

information?

Lambert's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition arose within him.

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and Shar walked in.

The moment this female knight carrying a lantern appeared, she immediately attracted everyone's attention.

She walked straight to the center of the conference room, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said in a deep voice, "Just half a day ago, we received an urgent request for assistance from the Silver Kingdom."

Led by a fourth-tier succubus named Grasia, a demon army of 100,000 has crossed the southern mountains and invaded the heart of the Silver Kingdom.

They successively breached seven important cities, including Rockfist City and Forge Keep, and abducted more than 300,000 people.

"That's impossible!"

The dwarven envoy from the Silver Kingdom slammed his hand on the table, abruptly stood up, his beard bristling, and declared, "The treacherousness of the Southern Mountains is enough to exhaust even the strongest dwarven warriors!"

Moreover, each of our cities has sturdy walls and well-trained militias, as well as watchtowers scattered throughout the mountains.

How could they have done it so quickly?

"They are demons, not humans."

Shar shook her head, interrupting him.

"For them, those cliffs that humans consider insurmountable are just flat ground that they can cross after a short rest."

Even the ferocious monsters in the mountains were merely snacks for them during their march.

She paused, then continued, "With the Regent's advance planning, the Lanternmen have dispatched all eight of their knights except me to the Silver Kingdom to assist in the defense of the Eternal City."

Susas's Second Army reinforcements have also arrived at the border between the two countries and are constructing a defensive line.

"Moreover, according to our reconnaissance, this demon army does not intend to carry out indiscriminate slaughter like Balk did."

Their primary objective was to abduct people and take them back to the grasslands.

This indicates they have a bigger scheme.

As Shar continued her narration, the atmosphere in the conference room grew increasingly heavy, and everyone's faces turned exceptionally grim.

Kane slowly stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire room: "The demons clearly don't intend to engage in a full-scale battle with us yet, but our time is running out."

Go back and tell your leader that two weeks from now, I will be waiting for you, the one truly in charge, at the court of Sussas.

After saying this, Kane turned and left the meeting room, leaving Valentine to handle the remaining cleanup.

The Royal Court of Susas, a giant mage workshop within the city.

The blazing furnace illuminated the entire workshop as if it were daytime, the air thick with the acrid smell of molten metal and arcane magic—

Energy fluctuations.

Lucas, Hammond, the Archmage of the Bones, and others stood on a high platform in the center of the workshop, below which were densely packed black-robed apprentices and skilled craftsmen from all over the country.

They were busy with the final adjustments, and countless shimmering enchanted marks flowed across the metal surface.

Before everyone stood a colossal, unprecedented behemoth.

Its main body resembles a huge ship, but without oars and sails.

A silver-white airbag, a hundred meters long, is attached to the top of the ship. Several huge brass burners are suspended below the airbag, constantly spewing out scorching flames.

The sides of the ship were fitted with several thousand specially modified light cannons and giant cannons, which gleamed with a cold metallic luster.

Just then, a squad of guards in red cloaks entered the workshop, surrounding a pure-blooded elf woman wearing a crown.

All the mages and craftsmen immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty."

Logan Susas nodded slightly, and as the light fell upon the massive airship, he asked, "How is it?"

Lucas stepped forward and respectfully replied, "The ancient arcane notebook that His Highness the Regent brought back from the front has been of great help to us."

Combining the principles of levitation in our notes with the alchemical blueprints for hot air balloons once provided by the Regent, we finally succeeded in building this airship.

"We have installed rapid-fire crossbows with low recoil and improved alchemical cannons on the hull, which are sufficient to effectively kill ordinary flying demons."

However, it still has some shortcomings. Even if we add high-purity ether crystals to the power core, it still needs to rely on burning coking coal to generate heat to maintain buoyancy.

However, we have applied multiple protective enchantments to the surface of the airbag, making it impervious to ordinary arrows and fire.

He explained the airship's various performance parameters at length, and Logan listened patiently until he nodded and said, "Then, let's begin the final takeoff test."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lucas turned and gave instructions to the apprentices below.

With each command, the dozens of thick ropes binding the airship were untied one by one.

The enormous airbag gradually expanded, carrying the entire airship slowly off the ground, rising higher and higher until it finally hovered steadily hundreds of meters in the air.

This breathtaking scene was witnessed by all the residents of the royal city.

"My God! What is that? Is it a miracle?"

Countless people knelt down, clasped their hands together, and began to pray.

These days, the demonic atrocities reported from the south have left everyone living in fear.

This enormous ship, capable of flying in the sky, was like a ray of hope, dispelling the gloom in their hearts.

Meanwhile, Kane, who was leading the Royal Court Army back to the capital, saw the airship slowly rising during the march.

His tense lips finally curled up slightly, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

According to the original historical trajectory, the demon legion would simultaneously launch rebellions in various countries, catching everyone off guard.

But now, because of his intervention and the pre-established six-nation pact, the demon's first large-scale invasion only broke out in the grasslands, giving other countries ample time to prepare.

With the support of a large amount of weaponry provided by Sussas, the armies of various countries have built strong defensive lines along the border.

The demons were forced to abandon their frontal assault and instead resort to guerrilla warfare using their high mobility.

They abducted people from relatively weakly defended regions such as the Silver Kingdom, turning them into new demons or using them as food to enhance their own power.

His envoys to various countries not only brought weapons and supplies, but also unified defensive tactics, effectively hindering the demons' expansion plans.

In any case, the successful test flight of the airship gave him greater confidence in his next plan.

Next, he needs to persuade all the remaining fourth-tier powerhouses on this continent to join him in venturing deep into the heart of the grasslands.

Destroy the demon gate that is under construction and kill the mastermind behind it all.

His mentor, the Patriarch.

Two weeks later, at the Susas Mage Academy, in the former arena.

The enormous arena was now completely empty.

Only two people were standing in the center of the field, and a single spectator of high status was sparsely seated in the stands.

Two figures silently clashed in the center of the arena.

A swordsman wearing a gray hood, wielding a rapier with lightning speed, launched a barrage of attacks from all directions.

His sword speed was so fast that no sound of it cutting through the air could be heard; each strike precisely targeted the opponent's vital points.

And with each swing of the sword, a faint black crack could be seen.

His opponent, the young man with black hair and black eyes, calmly dealt with the situation.

Countless black shadows spread out from beneath his feet, forming an indestructible barrier around him.

Whenever the rapier came at you, it was cleverly deflected by the shadow.

At the same time, his figure can constantly teleport between shadows, making it impossible for his opponents to pinpoint his exact location.

After an unknown amount of time, the hooded swordsman suddenly sheathed his sword, retreated, and stopped attacking.

He took off his hood, revealing a weathered face.

He bowed deeply to Kane, his tone filled with admiration: "Your Highness, the Regent, truly lives up to your reputation."

The warrior who was able to defeat the Lord of the Azure Wolves is indeed far stronger than me.

I lost. The Pact Alliance will abide by the Six Nations Agreement and, at the agreed time, launch an attack on the Demon Land together with the allied forces of all nations.

The person before me is none other than the Sword Saint of the Contract Alliance, the most recognized swordsman on the continent.

Kane also withdrew the shadows around him, and the black shadows receded like a tide at his feet.

He knew that, in terms of pure offensive power, this swordsman was not much weaker than him and Balk.

However, the opponent is not immortal.

Even so, the longsword in his hand, enchanted with the "Exorcism" attribute, was still able to inflict massive damage on demons.

Kane nodded, his gaze shifting to an elderly man standing at the edge of the field.

That was the dean of the magic academy, an old man with gray hair and dim eyes. His body was very weak, and it seemed that a gust of wind could blow him over.

But when Kane looked at him, he still gave him a gentle smile.

Kane sighed inwardly.

In this era of increasingly scarce etheric energy, the power of fourth-tier mages has been greatly limited.

This old man, who dedicated his life to protecting the mainland, will likely be exhausted and nearing the end of his life after this final battle.

Just then, a tremendous gust of wind suddenly came from the sky, accompanied by a deafening dragon roar.

"It's a dragon!"

A series of exclamations arose from within the city.

Kane looked up and saw a huge white figure slowly descending from the sky.

It was a huge, old white dragon, its scales covered with scars from battle, each one gleaming with a cold, icy light.

The white dragon landed steadily in the center of the arena, its enormous wings kicking up clouds of dust.

On the dragon's back sat a blonde woman dressed in silver armor and wearing a crown.

She was the Queen of the Kingdom of Nord, and also the last fourth-tier dragonborn warlock in this material plane.

In addition to Kane himself, the Grand Master of the Mage Academy, the Sword Saint of the Covenant Alliance, and the Dwarf King trapped in the Eternal City of the Silver Kingdom.

These five individuals are the only remaining native Tier 4 combatants on this continent.

Queen Nord did not dismount from the dragon's back. She looked down at Kane, her voice carrying a hint of authority: "Regent, my War City Legion is ready to march. Where is your army?"

"The four army groups of Sussas are ready to be deployed to the grasslands at any time."

Kane answered calmly, completely ignoring the other party's condescending attitude.

"As long as you help me hold off those fourth-tier demons—I will personally pilot the airship straight to the demon gate that is under construction and kill the patriarch."

"Do you still stand by your promise?"

"Queen Nord asked."

"The war merits will be distributed according to the number of demons killed, the post-war lands will be divided, and the wealth that the free city-states are now pouring into Sussas will be allocated accordingly —"

"If the material plane is lost, everything will be meaningless."

Kane said calmly.

Queen Nord's lips curled into a meaningful smile upon hearing this: "What if I want something else as payment?"

"Please speak," Kane said, frowning slightly.

"I admire heroes like you."

Queen Nord's gaze lingered on Kane for a long time before she spoke slowly.

"Besides, you have Nord blood flowing in your veins, which is for the best. After the war, if you are still alive, come and live in the Nord capital alone for a year."

After saying that, she gently patted the white dragon's neck without waiting for Kane's reply.

The white dragon let out a deafening roar, spread its enormous wings once more, soared into the sky, and disappeared into the horizon.

Queen Logan, who had heard everything clearly outside the arena walls, turned ashen-faced instantly.

Kane and the Sword Saint of the Contract Alliance exchanged a glance, both seeing a strange look in each other's eyes.

Kane shook his head helplessly and smiled.

Now, everything is ready.

It's time to launch a counterattack.

A resounding horn blared across the sky above the royal court of Susas.

One sound after another echoed throughout every corner of the city.

The four army groups scattered throughout Sussas began to break camp and set off.

Meanwhile, the Nord War City Legion, the Contract Warriors of the Contract Alliance, the mercenary legions reorganized by the Free City-States, and the dwarven expeditionary force of the Silver Kingdom—

The armies of the five nations marched from different directions toward the same goal.

The grasslands, now completely polluted by the abyss, converged there.

The grasslands are now filled with chaotic negative energy.

There was no sun in the dark red sky, only an eerie moon radiating a cold light.

The air was thick with the smells of sulfur and blood.

What was once a boundless green grassland has now turned into a barren black desert.

In the very heart of this desert, on a massive platform made of countless bones, stands a strange stone gate hundreds of meters high.

The stone gate was carved with countless twisted and hideous demon patterns, and black abyssal energy constantly poured out from the cracks in the stone gate.

The patriarch, dressed in a long black robe and barefoot, slowly walked across the platform covered with bones.

With each step he took, the white bones beneath his feet made a crisp cracking sound.

Thousands upon thousands of demons prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to look him in the eye.

Beside him stood three powerful fourth-tier demons.

One of them was the succubus Grassia, who led a large army to invade the Silver Kingdom.

Grassia looked at the distant sky, a cruel smile curling at the corner of her lips: "They've finally arrived."

The Patriarch raised his head, his gaze piercing through the thick clouds, as if he could see the allied forces of various countries approaching.

His voice was deep and hoarse, carrying a chilling fervor: "Yes, they're here."

Their arrival will be the best offering to the great Lord Orath, and my once beloved disciples will become vessels for Orath.

"It won't be long before Lord Oras arrives in this world."

"At that time, he will become the sole ruler of the entire material plane!"