Spellcasting Gods

Undoubtedly, he gave up becoming a spellcaster with a higher social status because of a lack of talent.

But now, he discovers that he has another talent, one that far surpasses that of everyone else around him.

“This is power! The primal power that exists in the blood of every Darent. In the distant age of divine authority, it dispelled barbarity and ignorance, bringing us the first dawn of civilization. It was also it that helped us defeat one enemy after another, becoming the undisputed rulers of our home planet. But unfortunately, due to that war with the gods, the council considered this power dangerous and therefore banned it entirely,” a member of the Shadow Guard explained selectively.

"Forbidden?! Damn it! Why is it forbidden?" The soldier couldn't help but curse immediately.

Not only him, but many members of the expeditionary force who were "forced" to become soldiers began to grit their teeth and vent their deep-seated dissatisfaction.

After all, anyone would be angry or go crazy if someone ruined their future like this.

It's important to understand that in the distinct social hierarchy of the Darents, spellcasters and non-spellcasters are practically worlds apart.

Especially the soldiers who are always at the forefront are always cannon fodder to be consumed and sacrificed. Every time a war is launched, the casualties are dozens or even hundreds of times that of the spellcasters.

On the contrary, spellcasters not only enjoy a variety of privileges, but are also often given special protection in battle.

Unless there is a major error in intelligence and judgment, it is impossible for a large number of spellcasters to die.

In fact, the conflict between spellcasters and soldiers within the expeditionary force was already quite acute. Sometimes, soldiers would even choose to stay behind and carry out suicide missions in order to buy time for the spellcasters to retreat.

However, due to the inertia of strong tradition, most people mistakenly regard this contradiction as jealousy, the jealousy of the untalented towards the talented.

But now...

An ancient force has broken down the originally clear class boundaries!

It turns out that magic is not the only power the Darrents can obtain; there is another power that can rival it, or even surpass it.

As philosophers often say, the most terrifying thing in the world is never cruel exploitation and oppression, but rather the source of turmoil called "hope".

Because the hope is that it will disrupt the existing order and make every person who was originally willing to live at the bottom of society realize that their fate can be changed.

If the foundation of the pyramid-shaped ruling structure is shaken, then the collapse of the superstructure becomes inevitable.

Undoubtedly, in this conspiracy, the Shadow Guard chose those who had long suffered unfair treatment from the lower classes, rather than the spellcasters of vested interest groups.

After all, the former had sufficient reason and motivation to confront the parliament, while the latter had already gained everything and had no need to risk jeopardizing its bright future by offending the highest authority of the entire civilization.

In an attempt to further provoke the already extremely sensitive nerves of the expeditionary force, the leader of the Shadow Guard searched the boy and found the black stone tablet personally authorized by the Speaker, then displayed the pardon within it to the public.

Under such relentless and brutal attacks, not to mention a group of people who had long harbored discontent and war-weariness, even an ordinary Darent would begin to doubt whether the council was truly incapable of leading the entire civilization forward.

"Fellow countrymen! Comrades! I believe you have seen the irrefutable evidence. This time, the parliament's performance has been extremely disappointing. We must find ways to restrain and supervise their power to prevent similar tragedies from happening again," the leader of the Shadow Guard declared righteously and sternly.

He paid special attention to those warriors who had awakened the power of shadow.

In his eyes, those who possessed the same power were his true allies. Even to preserve his power, he was bound to have fierce clashes with the council.

As for whether this renewed promotion of shadow power would awaken the god who had been asleep for thousands of years, he didn't care at all.

After all, the Shadow Guard's situation was already as dire as it could get, and they would be better off even if they returned to the era of theocracy.

"That's right! The power of Parliament must be limited!"

"They are the real traitors! I support the Shadow Guard standing up to oversee the Council!"

"And the Speaker! He who signed the pardon must relinquish his power and step down!"

……

In an instant, shouts filled with anger and discontent could be heard everywhere over the ruined camp.

Admiring the faces that were either burning with anger or filled with grief, the leader slightly curled the corners of his mouth, revealing a smug smile.

He understood that as the plan progressed to this point, Parliament would inevitably have to make corresponding compromises, whether they wanted to or not.

Unless the Speaker goes completely mad and kills the entire expeditionary force on this planet.

Of course, the probability of this is so small as to be negligible.

Even if the speaker really went mad, the members of parliament would join forces to stop his insane behavior.

Population, especially professionally trained elites, is extremely valuable in any civilization.

If this expeditionary force were to be wiped out, the council would not only have to face the angry populace on the home planet, but also abandon countless worlds that had already been occupied and whose resources were being plundered.

"Congratulations, it seems you've gotten what you wanted, haven't you?" The boy looked up, staring into the other's eyes, which were almost filled with ambition and desire.

"Ah! I have to thank you for your cooperation. Don't worry, once those guys in the council return, I'll give you what you wanted..."

Chapter 1392 Compromise

Undoubtedly, the Shadow Guard's instigation of the expeditionary force was so successful that by the time the Speaker returned with the members of parliament, the situation had already spiraled out of control.

They didn't even have time to explain anything to the angry crowd before they were forced to summon the Shadow Guard members and the boys they had captured.

"I think I need an explanation."

Hearing the questions and curses coming from outside the temporary building, the speaker narrowed his eyes and stared at these guys whose attitudes were completely different from before. He gripped the magical item tightly in his hand, as if he might turn on them at any moment.

But that's not surprising!

After all, the Shadow Guard had gone too far this time; it could even be described as outrageous.

Unfortunately, apart from the pardon he signed himself, he was unable to find any fault with the other party.

The leader of the Shadow Guard clearly sensed the Speaker's growing anger and responded with a smile, "No, I don't think I need to explain anything. After all, you broke your promise first, and we were only forced to take some measures. Please remember, the Shadow Guard is not an appendage of the Council, but an organization independent of the power structure. Please do not treat us as your subordinates or servants, and do not try to make fools of us."

"Breaking a promise? You mean I didn't give you enough time to allow the expeditionary force to cross the portal ahead of schedule?" The Speaker's pupils suddenly contracted.

“That’s right! It was from this moment that I realized neither you nor the council intended to keep your promises, so we must rely on ourselves to protect what is rightfully ours. Now, I have brought this boy back alive, as you requested. Now, you should fulfill your promise.” The leader made no attempt to hide his true desires.

In fact, at this stage of the plan, most of it could no longer be hidden, so they simply admitted it outright.

Only in this way can the last, and also the most important, part be covered up.

"Hmph! You wouldn't actually want to turn the Shadow Guard into an overseer, would you? Besides, you've violated a taboo that has existed for thousands of years, reawakening the power of shadow within the race. For that alone, I can purge you all and select a new batch of adaptable individuals to inherit the name and functions of the Shadow Guard." The Speaker grinned, revealing a chilling sneer.

If the other party dares to show even the slightest such tendency, he will absolutely launch a massive purge without any mercy.

In the eyes of the hierarchical decision-makers of the Darent, if something truly threatens the foundation of the entire civilization, then launching a bloody purge is not an unacceptable thing.

You should know that after that battle with the gods, they slaughtered all their compatriots who were unwilling to give up the power of shadow.

It was precisely because of this brutal purge that the foundation for the later glorious magical civilization was laid.

Sometimes, turmoil and bloodshed are not necessarily bad for a civilization.

On the contrary, it is only when the old is destroyed that the new can take root, sprout, and grow rapidly.

The leader of the Shadow Guard clearly sensed the other party's undisguised and intense malice, and shook his head casually: "No! Of course not! I'm not that delusional. My brothers and sisters and I only want what we deserve. As for those guys outside who have awakened the power of shadow, do with them as you please."

"Really?" The speaker leaned forward slightly, as if to confirm whether the statement was true or false.

“Really! I never wanted to interfere with the power of the council. I just wanted to get back into the community instead of staying in that stinky, dark, and cold abandoned temple. You will never understand the indescribable pain if you have never lived in it.”

As they said these words, every member of the Shadow Guard wore an expression of hatred on their face.

Most normal people would develop severe psychological trauma or even mental illness if they lived in a completely closed environment for a few hours or even a few days, let alone for thousands of years.

However, the Speaker was clearly not so easily convinced, and kept scanning the eyes of the Shadow Guard members.

A full minute passed before he relaxed his tense nerves slightly and said in a somewhat tired voice, "Since that's all you want, I can grant your request. But there's one condition: you must deal with those incited expeditionary forces outside and ensure they accept the leadership and orders of the council again."

“No problem! We’ll deal with the trouble we’ve caused ourselves. That’s fair!” The leader of the Shadow Guard agreed without hesitation.

After all, this matter was exactly what he wanted to do. Not only could he take the opportunity to recruit a group of talented individuals and quietly expand the influence of the Shadow Guard, but he could also get involved in the military and even win over a few high-ranking officers.

"Very good! Here, these are your new identities. Remember, don't try this trick again. My patience has its limits." With that, the Speaker tossed several stone tablets recording his new identities onto the table and waved for them to leave.

After all the members of the Shadow Guard had left, he turned his gaze to the trapped boy and asked coldly, "Well, are you starting to regret your foolish actions now? You could have integrated into this glorious and great civilization in a gentler way, but you chose the most violent one."

"Regret? Why should I regret it? Besides, you haven't even dealt with the masterminds, so how could you bear to deal with me, your collaborator?" the boy replied with a smile.

His relaxed and cheerful face showed no sign of the awareness a prisoner should have.

On the contrary, it seemed to him that this was just a game, a game that could be ended without paying any price.

The Speaker chuckled dismissively. "Hmph! You think I don't know those bastards are secretly passing you intelligence? No! I know! And I know just as much as you do. It's just that I haven't exposed them; I've chosen to compromise. Because for a long time to come, the Darent civilization will need to devote all its energy to researching your bloodline. During this period, the council won't have enough manpower to maintain the massive conquest system, and they are just temporary substitutes. Once the research is over, whatever they did during this time will ultimately become insignificant dust in the long course of history..."

Chapter 1393 The Days of Being a Prisoner (Part 1)

Undoubtedly, politics is the art of compromise.

Every organization and even every civilization is inevitably filled with various contradictions and conflicts of interest.

As the supreme ruler, what should be done is not to exacerbate conflicts, much less to launch a massive purge without considering the facts, eliminating all those who disagree, leaving only one voice and one will.

Generally speaking, guys who do this don't end up in a good way.

Even if they succeed, they are destined to become the object of countless people's scorn.

Despite being an oligarchy composed of a small number of powerful spellcasters, the Darrent civilization, though possessing considerable power as its leader, could not act arbitrarily.

So on the way back, he discussed it with the other councilors and decided to appease the Shadow Guard first, rather than directly using that powerful magical artifact.

This would not only greatly reduce political risks, but also allow for the reuse of resources, enabling the Shadow Guard to deal with planets that need to be reconquered, ensuring a continuous flow of resources back to the home planet.

Of course, the most important prerequisite is that they must keep their promise and bring the runaway boy back alive.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable to make a slight concession for the time being.

The day after the boy was brought back to his home planet alive, the largest and most costly expedition in the history of the Darrent civilization finally came to an end.

The ravaged expeditionary force members, before they even had a chance to rest, were scattered and sent to missions in one world after another.

Those who have awakened the power of shadow have no idea what a tragic fate awaits them.

In a sense, they were effectively exiled, never to return to their home planet, and even their contact with the outside world would be cut off.

Only a very small fraction returned to their home planet with the Shadow Guard, serving as pawns to sow discord and divide the organization.

After all, people live for an endless struggle!

Fighting against the environment, fighting against enemies, fighting against colleagues, and even fighting against one's own brothers, sisters, and parents.

Any so-called kinship, friendship, or love seems so pale and laughable in the face of this ubiquitous struggle.

The Speaker believed that once a new generation of Darrents who had mastered the power of shadow grew up, the Shadow Guard would be filled with all sorts of different voices and even factions.

At that time, he will be able to manipulate the other party at will by virtue of the parliament's powerful strength and his skillful political maneuvering.

It's possible that the Shadow Guard, which has caused headaches for successive Speakers, will be completely eliminated in this generation.