Chapter 349: Aftermath
Chapter 349: Aftermath
The Viper Academy's outpost had long been reduced to ruins, with countless monsters tearing at the corpses on the ground.
Amidst the wreckage, members of the Abyss Cottage and the Demon Hunter Corps, including wizards and wizard apprentices, scavenged for their spoils of war.
In the distance, Maggie, concealed by her Invisibility Spell, clenched her fists in frustration.
"Damn it!" she muttered.
"We're too late."
"It wouldn't have made a difference if we came earlier. Even a Second Circle Wizard was killed by surprise. There's nothing we can do." Linen shook his head. "Let's go."
"Alright."
With a resigned sigh, Maggie waved her hand, casting a Flying Carpet Spell to transport them low across the ground.
She dared not fly too high, even with her invisibility, as there was still a risk of being discovered, which would inevitably lead to a fight.
The academy's powerful warriors had already retreated, leaving the area filled with enemies.
The outpost had been strategically chosen as a choke point, but now it forced them to sneak past the enemy's noses.
Fortunately, the true powerhouses were engaged at the front lines, allowing them to navigate this dangerous area with a mix of caution and luck.
"The owner of the Abyss Cottage is a Fourth Circle Wizard, the strongest in the vicinity. With the Demon Hunter Corps, the academy might be in real danger." Maggie's voice carried a hint of worry.
"I hope the academy will be alright."
"You're overthinking it," Linen shook his head. "The academy has dozens of wizard towers and even a presence in the Astral Plane. It won't be that easy to breach their defenses."
Maggie nodded, about to say something, when she suddenly raised her eyebrows and looked towards the dense forest ahead.
"A deep abyssal creature."
Linen soared into the air, and after assessing the situation within the forest, his tone relaxed slightly.
"They're our people. I'll go help."
He transformed into a colossal lion engulfed in flames and roared as he charged towards the forest.
Inside, a deep abyssal creature was pursuing several wizard apprentices.
Its tentacles, covered in eerie eyes, flailed wildly, and its aura of fear made it challenging for the apprentices to cast spells.
A First Rank Demon—the Abyssal Squid! Linen was momentarily stunned upon seeing this familiar creature.
"Hehe..."
With a light laugh, the flame lion he had transformed into descended from the sky, its four claws pinning down the squid.
Simultaneously, it opened its massive jaws.
"Roar!"
Viscous magma erupted from its mouth, engulfing the Abyssal Squid like a pillar of fire.
Having inherited Xize's bloodline, Linen could also transform into a flame lion, though not as powerful as the evolved Flame Scale Wyrm. However, he excelled in maintaining the form for extended periods and possessed considerable strength.
The Abyssal Squid had incredible regenerative abilities, but it couldn't withstand the relentless scorching of the magma.
"Puff!"
Accompanied by a sound akin to bursting bubbles, the Abyssal Squid collapsed.
"You few," Maggie appeared and addressed the startled wizard apprentices. "Who's your leader? What's the situation here?"
"Wizard Maggie!"
"It's you!"
"..."
They clearly recognized Maggie, and upon realizing she was an ally, their expressions relaxed. They began recounting their experiences from the past two days, but the multitude of voices made it chaotic.
"Silence!"
Maggie frowned and pointed at one of them. "You, tell us."
"Yes." The person took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Yesterday, the Demon Hunter Corps suddenly turned on us, attacking our outpost. Several wizards perished, including the Shadow Witch Gloria.
"We fought and fled, separating from most of our group. We made it here but encountered this abyssal creature. If not for the two seniors' help, we'd be dead!"
He expressed his gratitude, glancing at Linen, who had resumed his human form.
"Did you scatter?"
Maggie furrowed her brows. "Let's return to the academy!"
...
When they arrived at the academy, the floating wizard towers had already ascended, and various barriers enveloped the entire mountain peak.
The town surrounding the academy was also on high alert, as various abyssal creatures had already appeared in the vicinity. Even the apprentices who ventured outside were being assassinated by members of the Demon Hunter Corps.
"Isaiah."
"Yes?"
"Help me keep an eye on the Wizard Tower. Don't let anyone in for now, and if anyone visits, tell them I'm busy."
"Yes, sir."
After giving these instructions, Linen brought the bodies of the Hundred-Face Demon and the Skin Wizard to the second floor of the Wizard Tower and sat down cross-legged.
"Huff..."
A phantom flame appeared out of thin air, transforming into countless fine threads that wove towards the Skin Wizard's skull.
"Soul Scouring!"
"Come out!"
To restore Susan's sanity, it was necessary to know the method of refining the Hundred-Face Demon, so Soul Scouring was inevitable.
This was something the original body excelled at.
Whenever the original body killed someone, unless they were protected by a deity, their memories would be drawn into the Divine Domain Fragment.
From this, the original body had also refined the art of Soul Seizure.
One could even say that when it came to plundering the memories of others, not even a Fifth Circle Wizard could rival the original body.
After several days, a three-meter-tall Hundred-Face Demon crawled on the ground. Linen placed his hand on its head, and the mental sea spell model rapidly shifted.
"Buzz..."
A halo of light flickered.
The faces on the Hundred-Face Demon's body seemed to come alive, writhing and squirming, some even emitting pitiful screams.
"Ahh!"
"No, please!"
Before their deaths, they had all endured inhumane torture, as only such agony could awaken the madness and fury within.
The facial features that originally occupied the Hundred-Face Demon's head also squirmed, gradually being replaced by a female face.
It was Susan!
"Waa... Waa..."
Susan blinked her eyes, and the chaos in them faded, revealing a glimmer of clarity. She then covered her face with her hands and moaned in pain.
"Linen..."
"Yes, it's me."
Linen exhaled a breath of turbid air, and a weary smile appeared on his fatigued face. "It seems like your consciousness hasn't completely collapsed. At least you still remember who I am."
"Do you remember your name?"
Susan lifted her head, her eyes filled with confusion. "Linen..."
"Never mind." Linen shook his head. "As long as your consciousness hasn't completely collapsed, there's a chance to regain your memories. I'll teach you a method to stabilize your mind. You must memorize it and practice it daily. You need to suppress all other consciousnesses within this body to truly be yourself; otherwise, you'll remain a puppet."
Susan still looked bewildered.
She had been forcibly awakened by Linen, like a newborn baby, feeling dazed and confused about everything.
Fortunately, she knew she could trust the person in front of her.
"Alright."
...
After several more days, Susan finally began her cultivation, attempting to refine the power of the Hundred-Face Demon and make it her own.
Meanwhile, Isaiah brought Linen some good news.
"Wizard Linen."
"Because you and Wizard Maggie worked together to defeat the Skin Wizard, Kito from the Abyssal Cottage, and the traitor Charles, your request has been approved."
"Oh!" Linen's eyes lit up. "Does that mean the academy agreed to give me a Second Rank Flame?"
"Not quite." Isaiah paused, then bowed his head and checked the messenger scroll to confirm the message. "It's a First Rank Flame."
"First Rank?" Linen's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and then he nodded lightly.
"That's fine."
"Even if they gave me a Second Rank Flame now, I might not be able to refine it. It's better to start with a First Rank Flame to build a foundation, and then it'll be easier to obtain a Second Rank Flame later."
"Yes, sir." Isaiah replied, then added in a low voice, "There's one more thing..."
"The academy requires all wizards to participate in the battle, including you."
(End of Chapter)
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