Spellcasting Gods

A colossal creature burst forth from the magically reinforced ground, sweeping across everything within a radius of several kilometers before anyone could react.

Whether it was a temporary structure built with stones and magical clay, or a special building shrouded in layers of protective magic, they all turned into a pile of rubble without exception.

In this underground world filled with powerful force fields, nothing can defy gravity.

Whether it is a naturally existing force or a supernatural force.

With the ability to control the gravity around their bodies, which they had only recently mastered, the clay lifeforms easily destroyed the suppression devices that were scattered around the expeditionary force's camp.

When the suppressed force field was released instantly, everything that the Darrents had built on magic collapsed completely in just over ten minutes.

Some unlucky ones even triggered a terrifying backlash, screaming as their entire bodies turned into flames, frost, lightning, or some other form, before finally breathing their last breath in agony.

Looking at the scene filled with chaos, panic, and despair before him, Luke pursed his lips and said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "See that, my dear brother? This is the Darrent. A civilization built on absolute power, abundant knowledge, and an arrogant personality. Perhaps they act all high and mighty in ordinary times, but once they encounter an enemy stronger than themselves, they are actually no different from any other civilization."

"Differentiation? What kind of difference do you want? Don't forget, although the expeditionary force is considered an elite force among the Darents, the vast majority of them are at the bottom of the pyramid. In any social system, the people at the bottom are always the most foolish, the most easily swayed and controlled. In my opinion, the true carriers of civilization are actually just that small group of elites at the top of the pyramid. Only their actions, thoughts, and awareness can determine the upper and lower limits of a civilization." The boy turned his head, his eyes flashing with a meaningful light.

Undoubtedly, even brothers who share the same spirit and consciousness have differences in cognition and values ​​due to the environments in which they grew up.

As a boy who received higher education from Darrent, he clearly identified with the idea that the upper elites were the true essence of a civilization.

As for the ordinary people living at the bottom, at best they are cannon fodder or tools for the elites to use and consume. No matter how many die or are injured, as long as the elites are still around, the entire civilization can quickly recover to its original state, or even become stronger.

Conversely, if the entire elite class of a civilization were to die out, then the entire civilization would not be far from disappearing.

It doesn't matter how large the remaining population is!

Because the entire civilization will eventually fall into chaos, collapse, and even perish completely due to the lack of vision, management, and planning of its elites.

"No! My view is exactly the opposite of yours. Civilization is an abstract concept, a collective term that integrates knowledge, technology, culture, thought, and complex emotions. Often, the lower classes, whom you consider meaningless, are precisely the most important carriers of the latter part. If the upper and lower classes are too separated, then this civilization will become extremely fragile. Even if it now possesses unparalleled power, it cannot withstand any failure. A truly mature and excellent civilization should be able to rise from the ashes after multiple catastrophic failures." Luke expressed his opinion without backing down.

It has to be said that it was incredibly ironic that the two of them were standing in the middle of a pile of ruins, listening to the screams and wails all around them, and then seriously discussing their understanding of the essence of the vague word "civilization".

What's even more interesting is that the Shadow Guard members were clearly nearby, yet they allowed the giant clay life form to wreak havoc, kill, and destroy everything in the camp.

This situation lasted for a full hour!

When the massive expeditionary force suffered more than half its casualties, and countless people were desperately waiting for the higher-ups to step up and fight this powerful monster, the Shadow Guard finally made its appearance amidst great anticipation.

Without any hesitation, they easily confined the clay golem to a specific area, rendering it unable to move, thanks to their familiarity with the divine runes of the Pillars of Creation.

Immediately afterward, the leader swaggered up to the two boys and roared angrily, "Who gave you the audacity to cause trouble here?"

"Haha! What, have all those self-proclaimed guardian councilors gone into hiding? They've let a few old guys forgotten by history come out and embarrass themselves." The boy pretended not to recognize the other person and sneered sarcastically.

“Protecting the Darent civilization is not just the responsibility of the Council! It is the responsibility of every Darent. Moreover, do you think we only have the Council as a powerful group of spellcasters? No! The Shadow Guard is the ultimate guardian who has been hiding in the shadows and silently giving everything for thousands of years.”

As he spoke, the leader released a thick, black substance, like ink, from his entire body.

In the blink of an eye, it enveloped an area of ​​several hundred meters around it.

Once the entire massive sphere was completely closed, he dropped his disguise and smiled, saying, "Ah! You've finally arrived! You know what? I've been waiting all these days for this day when our plan will succeed."

"It is our honor to cooperate with such an ambitious and powerful person as you." The boy also changed his sarcastic tone and bowed slightly.

It's likely that the expeditionary force outside will never know that the enemies who were just at odds were actually in cahoots.

"So... are you all ready?" The leader cut straight to the point without wasting any words.

The boy exchanged a glance with Luke, then immediately shook his head slightly: "No, not us, but me. My brother won't go back with you; he has some more important things to take care of."

"More important things? This is different from what we agreed on before!" The leader of the Shadow Guard frowned subconsciously.

As an ancient monster who has survived for thousands of years with the help of some kind of power, what he hates most is sudden, uncontrollable changes.

It's important to understand that bringing both boys back is a completely different achievement than bringing only one back.

"I'm sorry, this concerns our future, so I can't go into details. But rest assured, you can pin all the losses and deaths on me. With me as the culprit, I'm sure the council will have to grant you certain powers, no matter what excuse they use, otherwise they won't be able to explain themselves to the expeditionary force that suffered so many casualties..."

Chapter 1390 Actors

The leader of the Shadow Guard stared into the boy's dark eyes for a full minute before tentatively asking, "Why is it only one? This one is different from what we agreed on beforehand!"

"Because everyone lives for themselves, driven by insatiable ambitions and desires. Although we may share common goals and interests to some extent, that is not all."

Although the boy maintained good manners throughout, the things he said were anything but reassuring.

After all, he has proven his destructive power more than once, so no one will take his plans lightly.

"What if I insist on keeping both of you here?" the Shadow Guard leader threatened in a low voice.

The boy smiled and shrugged, replying, "Then I can only apologize to those poor expeditionary forces outside. In a minute at most, they will all be dead. Perhaps you and your men can spare one of us, but the price will be taking responsibility for the disastrous consequences. Just imagine, once the entire expeditionary force is wiped out, what leverage will you have left to negotiate with the council, let alone seize that mysterious magical artifact?"

Threats can only be established when there is an imbalance between the two sides.

Now, it is the Shadow Guard who needs him, but he doesn't necessarily need the Shadow Guard. Even if there is a threat, it should be him who threatens the other side.

The leader lowered his head and pondered for a moment, finally unable to help but reveal a helpless expression: "It seems I don't have any room for negotiation, do I?"

"That's right! In return, we'll cooperate with you to put on a good show, leaving everyone speechless."

The boy, who had an extraordinary understanding of psychological activity, did not choose to push his luck; instead, he offered a bait.

He understood that in the hearts of these old folks who had been oppressed for thousands of years, nothing was more important than regaining their rights and freedom.

Otherwise, if they don't destroy that magical device, they will be forced to obey the council's orders, no matter how absurd, dangerous, or deadly those orders may be.

"Alright, we'll do it your way." Although the leader looked a little unhappy, he still nodded in agreement.

As the last word was uttered, the black, unidentified substance covering their heads and feet rapidly contracted towards the center.

Just as it was about to touch the people inside, it suddenly exploded in all directions.

boom!

After a muffled thud, the black, unidentified substances scattered and flew everywhere like raindrops.

Everything it touches, no matter what it is, will be devoured, disintegrated, and merged at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye...

Finally, a huge black pond appeared out of nowhere beneath their feet.

Glug glug glug...

Numerous bubbles rose from below, each carrying astonishing energy.

When they collide with each other, they immediately cause a terrifying spatial collapse, trapping everything around them inside.

"I told you, you can't escape."

The leader of the Shadow Guard once again entered "Best Actor" mode, focusing intently on playing the "hero" who turned the tide.

The other guys around him weren't idle either; they started attacking Luke, who was standing to the side.

For a time, both sides displayed a variety of techniques, some flashy, some bizarre, and some terrifying, but none of them were truly threatening.

Even those perilous situations were all part of a performance staged under the premise of mutual understanding.

However, the play was performed so realistically and vividly, and the others in the camp had just experienced an unprecedented catastrophe, so no one could tell that it was a fake.

As the saying goes, an actor who doesn't understand the audience's inner expectations and desires can never become a truly perfect actor.

Unfortunately!

Both boys and the members of the Shadow Guard were top-notch actors, and the powers they used were based on the symbols on that stone pillar, which ordinary Darrents couldn't understand at all.

Perhaps some who have come into contact with the essence of power can barely sense a strange familiarity, or even resonance, from these symbols.

But these resonances were too weak to trigger anything hidden in one's bloodline.

"Enough! It's time to put an end to all this. No one can be presumptuous before the glorious and great Darrent civilization! You must pay the price for your actions!"

The leader of the Shadow Guard secretly gave a signal, suddenly stopped all attacking actions, and began to slowly sink into the black pond, which was more than two hundred meters in diameter.

First the feet, then the legs, the waist, the upper body, and finally even the head.

After his body completely disappeared, the bubbles that had been rising incessantly vanished, replaced by a terrifying silence.

next second...

boom!

A giant wave rose into the air and completely enveloped the boy.

The more it struggled, the tighter these viscous black substances enveloped it, eventually shrinking the area little by little to form an unbreakable seal.

"Damn it! Forget about me! Run!"

Realizing he couldn't break free, the boy immediately turned around and shouted at his brother.

"Hold on! I'll find a way to come back and save you."

Luke feigned nervousness, quickly shook off the other Shadow Guard members, rushed straight to the Clay Life, broke free of his restraints with lightning speed, and then made a large hole in the ground to escape.

However, the leader didn't seem to have any intention of giving chase. Instead, he asked the captured boy with a cold smile, "With your intelligence, you should know what kind of treatment you're going to receive, right?"

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to me. I have a pardon signed by Parliament. That means that whatever I do is innocent according to ancient tradition and law.” The boy grinned, revealing a sarcastic smile.

"What?! A pardon! How could the council possibly grant a pardon to a heinous criminal like you?!" the leader roared in "shock."

Judging from the expression on his face, no one would imagine that he had actually obtained this pardon from the Speaker.

But now, this statement has become a tool to undermine the prestige of Parliament.

Even a small number of Darrents, enraged to the point of losing their minds upon hearing this news, began to awaken their most primal bloodline power.

A large amount of black substance rapidly flowed out of the pores of these people, eventually slowly gathering together...

Chapter 1391 Incitement

Pfft!

Pfft!

Pfft!

With each powerful heartbeat, and black, unidentified substance oozing from every pore, the Darrents all felt as if they had connected to a life form so powerful it defied description.

However, this life seemed to be in a dormant or sleeping state, and no matter how hard we tried to wake it up, we never received any response.

However, given the Darents' innate sensitivity to energy, they could clearly sense that this power, which did not belong to any known category of magic, was slowly flowing toward that powerful life form.

"What...what exactly is going on?"

A soldier struggled to his feet, staring at his hands, which were now completely covered in a black substance.