Chapter 143: The Ambush
The Wizard Apprentices, especially the Enchanted Wizard Apprentices, recalled the hundreds of days and nights they were pursued. Fear, unease, pain, and fury interwove and magnified in their hearts.
Ace looked at the few apprentices who still seemed hesitant. He continued to use the quasi-Suggestion effect, saying: “We Wizards are a new supernatural power born from mortals. We are currently weak, but that does not mean we can be wantonly bullied!”
“Our contradiction with the Divine Descendants is an irreconcilable enemy contradiction. The Divine Descendants have already told us with the blood of hundreds of Wizard Apprentices that it is either you die, or we perish! We need to strike back, and we must strike back!”
“We must strike back! Annihilate the legion remnants!” Sulu suddenly leaped up, shouting loudly in anger.
Black cat Bayen and Daina immediately reacted, following suit and roaring: “Announce the annihilation of the legion remnants!”
The anger and shared hatred in the hearts of the Wizard Apprentices were gradually amplified by the quasi-Suggestion effect. Tears streamed from their eyes, and fury filled their hearts. In an instant, they were fiercely agitated.
This Sulu is unexpectedly useful.
Ace thought this while pressing his hands into the air. After the crowd quieted down, he said: “Everyone rests for a quarter of an hour. We depart immediately after one quarter of an hour!”
“Bayen, come with me.” Ace tilted his head slightly, speaking to black cat Bayen.
The man and the cat moved away from the group to a secluded corner.
The mirror image Ace’s lips trembled slightly. The Advanced Magical Trickery Spell Model in his Soul Sanctuary was activated. He chanted in a strange cadence, his arms waving with the pulse of Mana.
“Leaves, Return!”
The leaves on the surrounding trees moved without wind, floating down to the ground, forming a small pile of slightly dry leaves.
The mirror image Ace continued to activate Advanced Magical Trickery, saying rhythmically in a strange cadence: “Transformation · Garment · Gray Robe Conversion!”
Accompanied by his incantation and gesture, Mana gathered from the surroundings, flowing rhythmically toward the pile of leaves. With a flash of Mana, the pile of leaves transformed into a brand new gray cloth robe.
The mirror image Ace pointed his finger. Accompanied by the pulse of Mana, the cloth robe flew up and covered black cat Bayen.
“It is not good to be naked all the time. Put on the clothes, my emissary.”
Black cat Bayen dissolved his Lesser Transformation Spell. Holding the dice, he put on the gray cloth robe Ace had given him and said, “Thank you, Respected Torch-Bearer. Your magical skill is astounding.”
The mirror image Ace smiled and nodded slightly. He glanced at Anazir’s Dice, which black cat Bayen tightly clutched, and led Bayen back to the group’s resting place.
He did not covet the dice. Even though it was miraculous, it was the serendipitous discovery of a member of the organization he was about to establish. Unless the person willingly offered it, forcibly taking it would surely dissolve the organization.
The organization should be built on a system that allows members to choose voluntarily between limited sharing and individual research. As long as they see greater benefit in limited sharing, no one will sacrifice more for less.
Thinking this, the mirror image Ace and Bayen returned to the group.
The Wizard Apprentices looked at the gray-robed, barefoot Bayen with curiosity. Except for Daina, it was the first time the Wizard Apprentices had seen Bayen in his human form.
Ace sensed the location of the Secret Imprints he had placed, confirming the distance to the legion remnants.
“Daina, you select a portion of the Wizard Apprentices and move with me. Bayen, you will guide the others to Mount Baal according to the Grimoire’s instructions.”
After Daina selected the personnel, Ace looked at Bayen leading the rest of the Wizard Apprentices and their families away. He then said to Daina and the others: “You are excellent warriors. I need your strength to exact revenge on the legion! We have only one objective: feign defeat, and lure the legion members, primarily the six Pseudo-Heroes, into the trap I have set…”
As Ace explained, the Grimoire interface of the apprentices displayed the surrounding topography of Mount Baal and the location of the trap’s recessed area, with the legion’s position marked by a moving red dot.
“The plan is this: I will transform into an eagle and directly monitor the legion remnants from the sky. You, led by Daina, will follow my guidance and be responsible for luring the enemy into the trap’s recessed area!”
Ace surveyed the 11 Enchanted Wizard Apprentices. He used Advanced Magical Trickery to place a Secret Imprint on each of them and apply a one-time activation of the Mana-Crystal Protection Membrane.
“If you face irresistible danger, channel your mental power into the rune structure on your right hand. A Mana-Crystal Protection Membrane will appear to shield you. Now, I entrust everything to you all!”
The Wizard Apprentices, feeling the enhancement, were somewhat reassured. They bowed solemnly in response to Ace’s slight bow. If Ace hadn’t consistently used the quasi-Suggestion effect, it would have been difficult to reassure these apprentices so quickly.
People are self-interested. They talk about revenge and striking back, but when the moment comes, are they truly willing to lure the enemy into a trap? Ace trusted the spell’s effect more than human nature.
The 150-odd remaining soldiers of the legion, led by six Pseudo-Heroes, were advancing north, nearing the Larr Mountains.
Meanwhile, Daina, guided by Ace, led 10 Enchanted Wizard Apprentices along a side path to lay an ambush near Mount Baal.
“Report! The edge of the Larr Mountains, Mount Baal, is about one kilometer ahead.” A reconnaissance cavalryman dismounted and loudly reported to the Captain Anhel Bain.
“Very good. Everyone push hard. We will rest once we reach the foot of the mountain.”
Shean Medea curled his lip in disdain. He still couldn’t accept the situation. He felt a pang of envy when he saw Anhel’s composed command.
Swoosh!
The sound of a weapon slicing the air reached them. The 10 Enchanted Wizard Apprentices Daina led specialized in the Mana Crystal Shaping and movement spell series. They were perfectly suited for sneak attacks and quick escapes.
Various Mana Crystal Weapons, imbued with Inherent Mana, were thrown, piercing several legion soldiers who were caught off guard and killing them instantly.
Daina, meanwhile, had been charging up her power. She had recently developed a new spell: a combination of Mana Crystal Shaping and the Fire Element/Explosion Runes—Lesser Unstable Burning Mana Crystal Shaping Projection.
The Spell Models sequentially appeared behind her. Relying on superb micro-manipulation skills, Daina could quickly construct several Lesser Spell Models in a short time. This was a combat talent, perhaps even a form of Super-Magic Technique.
One, two… seven. The Spell Models were imbued with explosion and scorching. Seven unstable Mana Crystal Burning Short Swords emerged sequentially from the flickering planar Spell Models behind Daina. Accompanied by the injection of Daina’s Inherent Mana, the spell reached its limit.
The seven unstable Mana Crystal Burning Short Swords, radiating heat and explosive power, flew toward the six Pseudo-Heroes!
Anhel, the Captain with the red-tasseled helmet, sensed the imminent danger. He quickly leaped backward several meters.
Boom!
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