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Chapter 154: Lanpu's New Pendant
Lanpu had been waiting patiently. At last, he drifted in slowly from the city, descending with a thunderous crash that shook the ground. His flight spell had clearly improved—far more controlled now, mastering the freedom of the skies with ease.
Lanpu’s greedy eyes locked onto the unconscious mages sprawled across the earth. His jagged lips curled into a rictus grin, saliva nearly dripping from the corners of his mouth. To him, and to the entire Kingdom of Ashen, every mage was a precious, reusable resource.
Yes—resource. The vast arcane knowledge buried in their minds, their brilliant intellects… all of it held value to Lanpu.
He approached the Red Dragon, his face alight with the joy of a bountiful harvest. Bowing deeply, he said, “Congratulations, Master. Your wisdom humbles me. You’ve managed to flush out these vermin hiding in the sewers, one and all.”
Kai Xiusu gave a slight nod. “Take them. Use every ounce of their worth. Let them become assets to Ashen Hollow.”
“Yes, Master.” Lanpu grinned wider, the grotesque twist of his face betraying nothing but hunger.
Kai Xiusu noticed the ogre’s palpable excitement and couldn’t help but wonder—had he already eaten them?
Curious, he casually asked, “Lanpu, what did you do with Bennett and his wizard apprentices from before?”
Hearing this, Lanpu instantly realized the Red Dragon suspected him of cannibalism—after all, precedent had already been set.
He hurried to clarify, “My apologies, Master. Rest assured, our Tower of the Great Wise One operates under a strict, fully documented process. Theft? Never.”
He launched into a detailed explanation, his voice eager and flowing.
“First, we strip them of all magical items. Those are all funneled into the Kingdom of Ashen’s treasury—your Treasure Vault. Then, we apply intense interrogation, combined with Truth Spells, to extract every last scrap of arcane knowledge and intelligence from their minds.”
“Finally, when they’re broken, exhausted, and utterly defenseless, we apply the Charm Spell—cracking their psychological barriers completely. Only then can we fully control them.”
Kai Xiusu, usually either sleeping or immersed in spellcraft, had little oversight over the day-to-day operations of the Kingdom of Ashen. He left it all to his trusted lieutenants. But now, he understood the system a little better.
“So… where do they end up?”
“Most of the wizard apprentices become laborers within the tower. Their lives, their thoughts—everything is in my hands. Any sign of rebellion, and I erase them instantly. No complications.”
“As for Bennett, the high-level mage from Victoria Harbor…” Lanpu lowered his head, hesitation flickering across his face before he continued. “His spellcasting ability was too strong. Even if we succeeded in controlling him, the risk was immense. He’d have become a destabilizing force within the kingdom.”
“My lord, I made the decision to execute him. And then… I turned him into a magical artifact. Forgive me, Master. I’ve only just completed the experiment. I hadn’t yet reported it to you.”
With that, the Dragonline Ogre lifted his cloak—revealing the new pendant hanging from his thick neck.
—A human skull. Inside it, a fresh, glistening, crimson brain, frozen in place by Spatial Magic. On either side, mithril necklaces secured the relic around the ogre’s massive frame. Against his towering form, the skull looked almost dainty—like a delicate pendant.
Silence.
Kai Xiusu stared. Lanpu fidgeted, his expression a mix of shame and nervous pride.
> [Bennett’s Wisdom]
> Quality: Rare
> Creator: Lanpu
> Description: Cannibal Magician. Lanpu and Bennett had conversed at length, and the ogre admired the noble mage’s intellect, even calling him a kindred spirit. Bennett, believing he’d be spared, was grateful—only to be met with Lanpu’s execution blade. The ogre didn’t even use his favorite club, afraid of damaging the precious brain.
>
> Through painstaking, delicate experiments, Lanpu preserved his “friend’s” wisdom forever—now permanently hung around his neck. When the wind passes through the skull’s hollows… if you listen closely, you might still hear Bennett’s final cry:
> “Lanpu… why did you kill me?”
>
> Effect: Intelligence +3
> Proficiency: Arcane +4, Knowledge +4, Research +3
>
> You may store up to four spells Bennett once knew within it—equivalent to additional spell slots. They can be cast at will, including:
> - Force Wall
> - Beast Paralyze Spell
> - Protection from Energy Damage
>
> Each spell requires one full day to program in advance.
After reading the item’s details, Kai Xiusu stared at Lanpu with growing disbelief. This ogre… had the makings of a true mad boss.
Intelligence bonus. Spell storage.
If you ignore the appearance… this is a god-tier relic for any mage.
Kai Xiusu sighed internally. But for him? The effect was negligible. His spellcasting didn’t rely on intelligence.
Yet Lanpu’s own creation—[Bennett’s Wisdom]—boosted intelligence by a staggering 20 points. For a mortal being, that was near-peak wisdom. Beyond that, only the rare few who wielded world-altering spells could compare.
A quantum leap. No wonder Lanpu was so ecstatic.
Feeling the Bloodline Pressure emanating from Lanpu, Kai Xiusu sensed the ogre’s true emotions—shame, tension, anxiety. He exhaled softly.
“Next time you conduct experiments of this scale, report them to me first. This was a one-time exception.”
“Yes, Master.” Lanpu dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.
“Handle these mages. Extract every last drop of value.”
“I will complete the task, Master!”
Relief washed over Lanpu. Not only had he avoided punishment, but now he had a fresh batch of mages for his experiments—especially the one he’d long coveted: Gray Hawk Slaud. From the moment he first learned of him at the Arcane Hermitage, Lanpu had coveted his powerful spells—especially [Ice Storm].
With a final bow, Lanpu departed, dragging the unconscious mages behind him.
Even Kai Xiusu felt a pang of pity for them. What awaited was agony—Lanpu’s hundreds of ongoing experiments were no mere tests. They were tortures.
And the [Wagner’s Dragon Binding Array], though completed, remained untouched. Held in place by the Kingdom Domain’s strength, it waited silently—ready for its next activation.
“Soon, the Lionheart Knights of the Bosk Family should arrive.”
Kai Xiusu smirked.
“Slaud… I truly must thank you. You’ve brought me a deliciously fat fish.”
The Lionheart Knights were the Bosk Family’s elite force—formidable even against Dragonline Followers. In the Tiriel Battle, just seven of them had caused serious trouble for Dolo. Within the Kingdom of Ashen, they were ranked among the most dangerous enemies.
(End of Chapter)
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