Chapter 221: The Beginning of the Monster Tide

The mirror image clone looked at the increasing number of Monsters gathering in groups outside the city walls, feeling his scalp tingle.

Ever since the fleet left, Monster attacks on the territory had become frequent. The mirror image ordered Ancestar to organize the musketeer unit to attack immediately. The power of the skirmisher square formation was quite good. Combined with the rifled cannons, they killed the attacking Monsters with almost no casualties.

However, as Monster activity gradually increased and more attacks occurred, the musketeer unit began to suffer casualties. The mirror image made a prompt decision to withdraw everyone into the city and organized apprentices to ramp up the production of rifled flintlock muskets and steel-barreled rifled cannons. He also established a Musketeer Militia unit as a city defense combat force.

Looking at the Monsters outside the city with red eyes, fighting and killing each other, the mirror image sighed heavily and muttered to himself:

“Even with the rush, we only trained 500 Musketeer Militia. If the Monsters continue to increase, we might need universal conscription! Fortunately, we have stored a large amount of charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur, which should be enough.”

The mirror image glanced at the Monsters again, thinking uneasily: “The state of the Monsters is very abnormal. Although they are just beasts and most lack human-like intelligence, this reckless slaughter and bloodlust is abnormal. It is necessary to capture some Monsters to research the cause of their sudden frenzy and bloodlust.”

The mirror image had Ancestar lead the Musketeer Soldiers and Musketeer Militia to continue guarding and patrolling the city walls. Then, preparing to use Flash Teleportation to fly down from the wall, in a short time, he captured five red-eyed Monsters with Mana Crystal Cages.

He took the Monsters to the Magic School castle and imprisoned them in the West Tower.

Just then, Bayen sent a message to him through the Grimoire outside the tower, reporting an important matter.

As soon as Bayen entered the West Tower, he bowed slightly to “Sharp,” then said:

“Lord Sharp, there have been many strange brawls in the city recently, many of which are group brawls.

I found that when they were fighting, they were all in a state of extreme mental excitement, emotional loss of control, and extreme violence. I have already imprisoned these people. After observation, red light flashes across their eyes from time to time. Every time the red light flashes, they become particularly manic!”

The mirror image said to Bayen: “These conditions seem somewhat similar to the Monsters?”

Bayen nodded and said: “My Lord, your judgment is correct. It may be a similar influence mechanism. Perhaps we can research this mechanism to find the reason for the Monsters’ sudden collective brutality and mania.

In addition, I visited many barbarian families and asked the local elders. The barbarians call this collective manic attack of Monsters the Monster Tide.

Legend has it that it happens once every few decades and lasts for nearly a month. When the night of the waning moon arrives, the Monster Tide will enter its most dangerous time. Not only will Monsters slaughter each other crazily and attack other creatures including humans in large numbers, but what’s more terrifying is that humans will also go mad.”

Meanwhile, Leon and other public officials of the Administration Office were listening to an old barbarian man speak.

“On the night of the waning moon, the Monster Tide is at its most terrifying. Everyone must hide, hold their breath, control their emotions, and control distracting thoughts to prevent being infected by the Monster Tide and falling into madness!”

Leon frowned and said: “I remember the Wizard Apprentices have a spell that can suppress emotions and maintain rationality. Perhaps…”

Back at the Magic School castle, Bayen said to “Sharp”: “I suspect this change is similar to the situation we encountered in the Larr Mountains last time. At that time, the apprentices also suddenly fell into madness. Thanks to Lord Ace using a spell to calm everyone down, a tragedy was avoided.”

The mirror image naturally remembered. The Ace beside the apprentices at that time was him. He said seriously to Bayen: “Bring all the imprisoned people whose eyes have flashed red. We must conduct comparative observations between them and the Monsters. If the situation is confirmed to be consistent!”

The mirror image’s eyes revealed a trace of vigilance and worry. He thought of the Northern March being encroached by the Abyss and continued: “It means we are all at risk of being influenced by the Monster Tide.”

Bayen soon brought the imprisoned people. The mirror image imprisoned them collectively next to the corresponding Monsters and began recording. As days passed, the records in the mirror image’s Magic Diary gradually increased.

“It can be confirmed that both Monsters and humans are affected by the Monster Tide, but humans are affected less. If they can persist in remaining calm and controlling distracting thoughts, humans can resist the influence of the flashing red light to a certain extent.

After multiple experiments, Lesser Mechanized Mind and Calm Spell can effectively help humans and Monsters resist manic influences. Perhaps a ritual can be constructed to bless everyone in the city with the Mechanized Mind effect. I hope the host returns soon. Without the assistance of the Spirit of the Book, it will be difficult to complete in a short time.

According to the accounts of the imprisoned humans, when the red light flashed, they seemed to hear some kind of tyrannical whispering. This whispering made them manic, which is somewhat similar to the host’s condition. I am increasingly certain that perhaps there is a pollution source in the Larr Mountains.

Legend says that the skull and flesh of a terrifying demon are buried in the Larr Mountains. Could it be His influence?”

Just as the mirror image wrote down the concluding remarks, a new battle had begun on the west city wall.

Carlo skillfully tore open the paper cartridge with his teeth and quickly poured the granular gunpowder into the barrel. Watching a monkey-like Monster climbing the parapet wall, he calmly compacted the gunpowder with the ramrod, then took out a lead bullet and pushed it into the barrel with the ramrod.

The Monster had climbed halfway up the wall and was opening its big mouth at him. They were only four meters apart.

Carlo grimaced as the monkey-like Monster leaped fiercely toward him. He could clearly smell the stench from the Monster’s mouth. Gunpowder poured into the priming pan, trigger pulled, flint struck sparks—Bang! A huge noise!

Accompanied by thick smoke, the gas pressure forced the wooden stopper at the bottom of the lead bullet into the hollow, expanding the base to grip the rifling tightly. Under the pressure of the rifling, the bullet spun at high speed and flew out of the barrel instantly!

The lead bullet spun out at high speed, forming a standard straight line, disturbing the air, and instantly hit the pouncing Monster right in its gaping maw. The lead bullet easily pierced through the monkey-like Monster’s skull, creating a mist of blood.

The Monster’s blood-red eyes quickly lost their light, and it fell powerlessly from the wall. Carlo spat forcefully after killing the Monster and retreated with standard military steps. The soldier behind him was ready, raising his rifled flintlock musket and stepping forward.

Unlike smoothbore guns, rifled guns were much more accurate. The mirror image clone had added sights to their rifled muskets and cannons, making it easier for soldiers to kill or injure Monsters within two hundred meters.

But there were simply too many Monsters. Some fish always slipped through the net and rushed near the city wall. Ancestar drew his longsword, killing Monsters back and forth along the wall until late at night, finally repelling this wave of frenzied, irrational Monsters.

At this time, Ace arrived at the harbor with the fleet.

Standing atop the mast of the Magic Ship, Ace activated the Soul Spell Ultrasound Retrieval Perception. He found the harbor district and the paved avenue empty, save for some red-eyed Monsters fighting and biting each other.

Ace ordered the Seeker and other ships to stop. He used Flash Teleportation to fly to mid-air above the harbor district, then activated the Lesser Spell Air Cushion to descend slowly.

Just as he stood on the ground, Ace suddenly felt a shudder throughout his body and a tremor in his soul. His eyes abruptly turned red.

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