Chapter 250: Mask of Pain
This Spell Model carried some hazy dreamlike colors and the unique influence of illusion-type rune structures. It was foreseeable that this would be a powerful Dream Illusion Spell.
This Spell Model was the result of Ace’s repeated modifications and deductions based on existing runes. It could create a powerful dream barrier covering a radius of three kilometers. Unless someone had a unique resistance like a Knight or a Mental Block spell, almost no one with mental power lower than Ace’s could escape the dream.
Even if their mental power was stronger than Ace’s, as long as it wasn’t more than twice as strong, there was a certain probability of falling into the dream. The specific probability decreased as mental power increased.
If the mental power was more than twice as strong, this spell would be ineffective, and Ace could only flee quickly.
The power of this spell lay in creating a dream with realistic five senses. As long as the opponent fell into the dream: serious injury in the dream meant light injury in reality; near-death in the dream meant serious injury in reality; death in the dream meant near-death in reality.
If one fell into the dream consecutively multiple times, it was almost certain death with no solution.
“But this is not enough. I want not just manipulation and realistic five senses; I want the effect of manifesting the illusory dream into reality.
Using this illusory reality as a foundation, rooting all kinds of spells upon it. Even if other spells have errors or reach a dead end, it won’t affect my progress. Is it indeed too difficult to achieve?”
Ace murmured. The 3D Spell Model in the air was crystal clear, carrying dreamlike colors. It seemed to have established some mysterious connection with Ace’s Soul Sanctuary, trying hard to drill into Ace’s soul space.
Ace tried his best to reject this Spell Model. According to the knowledge he obtained, once the Spell Model entered his soul space, the soul space would turn into a Pseudo-Mental Imagery World Embryo, and the path would be fixed.
He had already planned to walk the Path of Dreams, the path of turning fiction into reality. But this Spell Model was not perfect; he needed a more perfect foundation!
“Should I petition that existence again? But I haven’t prepared enough gourmet food, and I’m not sure if food can induce that existence to trade again.
The first time required Monster flesh and blood, the second time gourmet food. I might not be able to provide what is needed for a third time. If I really get captured to accompany Him, that would be very bad.”
Ace thought for a while and rejected this method. He decided to take his time exploring and creating this Spell Model first. If he truly encountered unsolvable problems, he would then petition that existence.
Just as he was thinking, the message of Bayen requesting an audience was transmitted through the activated West Tower life form. Ace was tired of thinking, so he ordered the West Tower to open the main door and let Bayen up.
Although there was no explicit election, Bayen, as the Torch-Bearer’s first apostle, was considered by the Council meeting as the most suitable person to communicate and report to Lord Ace. Although Daina had some objections, she couldn’t oppose the collective decision.
Bayen walked into the West Tower with an anxious expression. Since Ace activated the West Tower, the entire tower had become increasingly peculiar.
Normally, Bayen would carefully observe this activated building to see if he could learn Lord Ace’s philosophy and activate his own residence, but today he wasn’t in the mood.
Using Lesser Thrust, Bayen moved a few times and arrived at Ace’s meditation room. As the door opened automatically, he walked in.
The meditation room was densely covered with Rune Arrays regulating Mana concentration and promoting mental focus. Although Bayen felt anxious, his distracting thoughts slowly disappeared. He bowed to Ace and said:
“Lord Ace, I am very sorry to disturb your research. Unknown intruders were discovered in the Northern Mining Area. Three in total. Two have been killed, and one captured.
Bent, the garrison of the Mining Town, sacrificed himself. His soul was made into a Mask of Pain by the enemy. Ancestar returned to support, captured the living intruder, and is currently interrogating him and searching the Northern Mining Area.
The Council meeting has dispatched two Advanced Apprentices to escort the captive. This concerns the safety of the High Tower Territory. We specially request you to preside over the overall situation.”
After listening to Bayen’s description, Ace said slowly:
“This matter indeed requires me to preside. Has a detailed battle report arrived? The captive must be delivered today.
Immediately select twelve Advanced Apprentices in pairs to investigate all parts of the territory. Report problems promptly. Preserving life is the top priority.”
Bayen passed the information reported by Ancestar to Ace. After reading it, Ace remained silent for a long time, then said:
“Bent is the second Wizard Apprentice to sacrifice himself since the establishment of our High Tower Territory. At the cost of his own life, he obtained decisive intelligence for Ancestar to defeat the enemy. We will erect a bronze statue for him in the Fountain Square to commemorate him permanently.”
The entire High Tower Territory mobilized nervously. Under the instant information communication of the Magic Network, Wizard Apprentices began investigating the situation of the territory.
At night, Ancestar and two Advanced Apprentices safely escorted the Faceless Man to the Monster Confinement Room in the West Tower.
As the Wizard most adept at mind control and covenant-type spells in the territory, Ace decided to interrogate the Faceless Man personally. He stared at Bent’s Mask of Pain sent by Ancestar, revealing a thoughtful expression.
This mask was very peculiar and attracted Ace’s attention. A strange power lingered on it: the emotion of Pain.
“Is emotion also a kind of power? Extending this logic, can various thoughts of intelligent beings become supernatural power?”
While pondering, Ace perceived the mask with his Formal Wizard-level mental power.
After separating from the Faceless Man, the degree of torture seemed to lessen, and the expression relaxed somewhat. This mask was mostly composed of Soul Ectoplasm. At its core was a tiny cage.
Ace placed the Mask of Pain under the Magic Microscope for careful observation. He found that inside the cage was a torture chamber. Blazing soul fire burned below, and a very tiny Bent was skewered like a roasted whole lamb, grilled by the flames.
“Very subtle rune structures. I need a higher magnification microscope. This seems to be flames of maximized emotional power grilling this tiny Bent. The flames seem to have lost their source.”
After studying for a while, Ace murmured.
He immediately charmed the Faceless Man, imprisoned his Mana with a sealing spell, and crushed him directly with powerful mental power, wanting him to reveal more intelligence.
Strangely, the Faceless Man seemed to have lost his intelligence. Although completely obedient, he couldn’t speak any effective intelligence.
Ace thought for a while and tried pressing the Mask of Pain onto the empty, faceless black position. As the mask fit, Ace observed through the Magic Microscope that the flames roasting the tiny Bent burned fiercely.
The tiny Bent struggled violently, his expression extremely painful. Accompanied by the roasting, the tiny cage gradually filled with the power of pain. The expression on the mask became unbearable, and the Mana on the imprisoned masked man actually began to recover gradually.
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