Age of Adepts c1-1513

by Zhen De Lao Lang, 真的老狼

  The other Slayer was able to instantly vanish and escape by beating its wings and flying at full speed.

  The insect person, who was striding forward, let out a hiss. It seemed like it had felt great pain when the Third Grade Slayer was killed. However, the insect person quickly recovered. Two bright lights lit up where his eyes were as he stared at Gallow and hissed, “You dare destroy my Third Grade insect servant. Pay for that with your life!”

  The insect person wasted no more words. Black light flashed in his hands, forming into multiple black spears that he hurled unceasingly toward Gallow.

  The forcefield alone was no longer enough to stop these mighty spears. Gallow could only swing his magical sword and use his incredibly powerful force threads to cut up the spears before they hit him.

  The spears of insects were no longer much of a threat if they couldn’t reach Gallow.

  It didn’t matter how many insects there were if this situation continued. They would not be able to touch Gallow at all.

  After such a long time fighting against the bug adept, Gallow had finally figured out his method of offense. The bug adept did not excel at melee combat. He preferred to command his insects and have them attack the enemy.

  Supposedly, Billis would be able to enhance his insects with poison, paralysis, curses, and other magical effects. Unfortunately, these methods that were effective against most living beings were useless against Gallow’s undead body.

  When it came to pure power alone, the bug adept’s variety of attacks and techniques were unimaginable and nearly impossible to defend against. This battle would already be over if he were fighting an ordinary Third Grade adept and not the peak Third Grade Gallow.

  However, the longer the fight, the more calm Gallow became.

  As long as he could calm down and fight a tight battle, Billis would become much less of a threat once he killed the Third Grade insects. When that happened, he could unleash a devastating strike that could exterminate most of the insects and cripple the bug adept.

  Unfortunately, this wasn’t a fair duel, but a battlefield where life and death could be decided in an instant!

  The next second, Gallow paid the price for his hesitation and stalling.

  Chapter 1283 - Gallow Defeated

  Chapter 1283 Gallow Defeated

  As the battle on the ground slowly became a stalemate, the mothership hovering in the sky started to move.

  Goblin Adept Locke stood before the main control panel in the mothership, dressed in sharp military garb. He held his hand over a turquoise button, slowly moving the firing cross onto the muscular figure beneath.

  After all these years of training, he had finally become an advanced Second Grade magical mechanic. He’d also had the fortune to be promoted to the commander of the Versailles. Blood Elf Archer Sandor was also an intermediate Second Grade now and served as Commander Locke’s personal assistant.

  The battle on the ground raged on. As the Versailles’ commander, Locke no longer needed to be personally involved in these ‘lowly’ ground battles.

  He only had to sit comfortably in this neat command center and give instructions to the hundreds of goblin mechanics across this metal beast.

  Once everything was prepared, Locke pressed the communication crystal in his right ear and shouted hastily, “Calling for Sir Billis……calling for Sir Billis; this is Commander Locke of the Versailles. Please reply if you hear this, Sir Billis!”

  A short moment later, Billis’ unique, deep hissing voice could be heard.

  “What’s happening? Can’t you see I’m busy? Whatever you have to say, spit it out.”

  “Sir Billis, Versailles’ giant magic energy cannon is done charging. We can fire at any time. The power of the shot is estimated at around 4200 points of power, with an estimated impact radius of 115 meters. Please distance yourself from the target, or you will be within impact radius!”

  “Just fire at will! If I back off, do you think your clumsy cannon can hit a peak Third Grade bloodline adept? Just fire. I will leave behind some of my swarm to keep him still. Remember, make sure you hit him; this might be your only chance.”

  “Understood! Attack will begin in ten seconds. Please prepare evasive maneuver, sir!”

  “Ten…nine…eight…seven……”

  A loud countdown echoed in the command center.

  When the final ‘one’ rang out, Locke slammed his hand down against the button to fire without hesitation.

  Mothership Versailles trembled in the skies. A five-meter-thick black beam shot straight towards the ground, completely engulfing Scarface Gallow within its radius.

  Horrifyingly powerful magic energy was bound within that black pillar of light. The beam disintegrated all substances that it came into contact with as it shot downward.

  When the black light reached him, the distorted forcefield around Gallow only held for half a second before shattering into pieces. The black light landed directly on his body. Smoldering black smoke rose from his intricate magical armor, his tan skin, and his withered hair. His body itself started to disintegrate and fall apart.

  Moreover, when the black light hit Gallow, it instantly killed the hundreds and thousands of black beetles all around him. The black light that shot past Gallow’s body continued to drill into the ground, vaporizing the tons of dirt, rocks, and sediment, creating an endless abyss on the spot.

  What was this…this terrifying blast magic energy!?

  Gallow turned around to look, an expression of twisted terror on his ugly face. He immediately took a step forward in an attempt to escape the black beam.

  However, while he prepared to apply force and leap away, a shocking number of black beetles braved the beam of energy and swarmed him, turning into black chains wrapped around him and restraining his movements.

  “Bastard…do you want to die already?” Gallow was furious. He swung his magical sword, instantly slicing the chains into carapace shards. From the corner of his eye, he could see Bug Adept Billis quickly fleeing, surrounded by a hundred of his high-grade insect servants.

  “No……”

  Scarface Gallow instantly understood.

  That damned Bug Adept Billis had already made the decision to keep him restrained. He was even willing to cast aside all of his insect army to do so, only escaping with his high-grade servants.

  The insects hissed and swarmed towards Gallow, despite having been abandoned and used as sacrificial pawns. Even as the energy blast vaporized tens of thousands of their kin, they continued forward with no fear or hesitation.

  Obviously, their actions had put Gallow in a terrible spot!

  All matter was quickly being disassembled and disintegrated under that ferocious beam of magic energy. Three seconds later, a scorched figure, almost half-melted, struggled out of the black beam. They stumbled and kneeled upon the ground.

  If it weren’t for the strange magical sword that the scorched figure had gripped tightly in his hands, even Billis wouldn’t have been able to recognize what this shapeless ‘thing’ was.

  The might of the mothership’s main cannon was incredible. Even a Fourth Grade adept had to be careful around it. A Third Grade adept like Gallow? If not for him still being close to peak condition, it not for him having an undead body, and if not for him having tremendous magic resistance, Gallow would have been reduced to dust already.

  In all seriousness, what saved Gallow was none other than the three body parts that he had grafted from the corpse of the Fallen Emperor he found: the Spine of the Undead, the Withered Heart, and the Hand of Death.

  These three body parts from the Fallen Emperor had reached the standard of an immortal body. They were also the sources of power that pushed Gallow’s Physique, Strength, and magic resistance to such heights. Most of Gallow’s body parts had already been melted and destroyed in the face of such surging magic energy. Only these three body parts had kept Gallow alive, due to the unique Fourth Grade forcefield that rose around them.

  I
t was unfortunate that this patchwork ‘immortal body’ of Gallow’s was not complete. Otherwise, he would not have been so grievously injured by that concentrated energy blast. He would have been able to escape with a few minor wounds.

  Strike while the enemy was down!

  Upon seeing how ravaged and injured Gallow was, Bills immediately turned back. His entire body erupted into a swarm of black insects, each buzzing loudly as they lunged back toward the battlefield.

  Magical mantises, Voidreavers, Slayers, and a dozen more types of insects charged forth, slipping into the shadows, disappearing into the wind, or simply leaping forward. They descended upon Gallow like a dark cloud.

  Gallow lifted his burned face. Only half of his head was left now. He held back the boiling embers of rage within him and slapped his chest. Most of the flesh on his chest had been carbonized, revealing his steel-like ribs beneath.

  Through those scorched bones, one could see that gray heart lying silently within, cold and unmoving.

  It was the Withered Heart that Gallow had transplanted into himself!

  It was a shame that the violent energy blast had ultimately managed to penetrate the forcefields generated by the undead body parts. Not only had Gallow’s flesh been burned away, but a small corner of the Withered Heart had also been scorched.

  Both the Withered Heart and the Spine of the Undead had received damage of varying degrees. Moreover, such damage was irreversible and irreparable.

  If Greem were here, he would be happy to realize that Gallow, who previously had 39 points of Strength, now only had 37 points remaining. His Physique had also slipped from 34 points to 32 points.

  It wasn’t in reference to his energy reserves, which could fluctuate at any time. No, these were his actual base attributes!

  The points that he just lost could not be regained through food, rest, or nourishment. The loss in attributes represented the loss in origin power from the ‘immortal body parts’ that Gallow had transplanted. It was a permanent loss of origin power.

  For Gallow, who wanted nothing more than to advance to Fourth Grade, this tragedy was an unbearable agony upon his heart!

  However, no matter how pained and furious he was, surviving was his utmost priority at the moment.

  Gallow shocked his Withered Heart and activated a Talisman of Escape he had hidden within. The next second, his body fell apart. The flesh and bones appeared to be released from the death energy that kept them together and scattered across the ground.

  Thirty seconds later, all the flesh and bone melted down into puddles of black liquid, which slowly seeped into the dirt and vanished without a trace.

  Gallow managed to escape in the end.

  …………

  The invasion of the Dener Clan had provoked the Crimson Clan into an all-out resistance.

  The border where the two Fourth Grade clans were connected had turned into a battlefield so chaotic and messy–where advances were made and losses sustained at every hour–that no one could predict how the war would pan out.

  On the one hand, the Crimson Clan was quickly mobilizing its forces to defend important resource sites, mystic realms, and restricted areas. On the other hand, they were sending out numerous elite parties to ambush and hunt down the Dener Clan forces that had penetrated deep into Ailovis.

  Ambushes, traps, reinforcements, interception, counter-interception: all sorts of battle broke out along the vast tens of thousands of kilometers of Ailovis land, centered around the Crimson Clan’s strategic locations. Schemes, conspiracies, and plans unfolded one after another, turning this once peaceful land into a bloody slaughterhouse where adepts spilled their blood.

  First Grade adepts were no more than obedient soldiers and cannon fodder in a war of this scale. Only Second Grade adepts and above could be considered vital forces in this conflict. However, to truly dominate a region of the battlefield, a Third Grade adept was required.

  Given the typical flow of adept wars in the Central Lands, Third Grade adepts were considered ultimate weapons that could decide the conclusion of a war. Fourth Grade adepts, on the other hand, were nuclear weapons meant for a truly apocalyptic war.

  The moment Fourth Grade adepts appeared, there would no longer be any concept of victory or defeat. The only things left would be death and survival!

  When it came to overall power, the Crimson Clan’s accumulation was a little lacking compared to the Dener Clan due to their relatively recent rise. However, the quantity and quality of Third Grade adepts in the Crimson Clan was undoubtedly superior.

  That was why the Dener Clan was able to catch the Crimson Clan by surprise with a sudden war. They launched a full-scale invasion into Ailovis and managed to conquer nearly a thousand square kilometers of land with their better-trained foot soldiers.

  However, as the Crimson Clan managed to stabilize themselves and retaliate, the Dener Clan’s advances were rapidly halted. The flames of war spread out over five thousand kilometers as hundreds of battles broke out simultaneously.

  For a moment, the west border of Ailovis had become a vicious battlefield where adepts from both clans waged conflicts of life and death!

  Chapter 1284 - Forceful Invasion

  Black Rose Manor.

  It was deep in the night now, but the manor was still brightly illuminated, and many silhouettes flickering here and there.

  However, the only people who could enter and exit from the manor were strange individuals dressed in robes or armor. Judging from the metal emblem they all wore on their chests, these people were official adepts of the Dener Clan.

  Numerous powerful magical beasts were also looming in wait around the manor, some more hidden than others. They formed a tight and impenetrable defensive net that firmly protected the estate.

  At the moment, about one kilometer southwest of the manor, a strange bat clung upside down to a branch in the sparse woods. It quietly monitored the movements of the estate under cover of the leaves.

  Flap, flap, flap.

  The soft sound of beating wings came from the darkness as three furry bats with red eyes the size of a human head landed in a clearing in the woods.

  The bats then transformed into two men and one woman dressed like nobles.

  The bat that had been left here as a lookout hastily emerged from the canopy. It landed on the ground and turned into a pretty, noble lady. She knelt before the three nobles and paid her respects.

  “Viria’s greetings to you, Lady Spalla, Lord Kevin, and Lord Stevens!”

  “That’s enough; you may rise! How long have you been posted here?” Blood Elf Shapeshifter Spalla stepped forward and asked coldly.

  “It’s been five days! I was assigned here to watch Black Rose Manor ever since the Dener Clan’s forces occupied Andman. I have three companions on this task with me. They are scattered in several other locations.” This noble lady had clearly only been turned into a vampire recently. It was only natural that she was so shaken and excited to see the Third Grade Spalla suddenly.

  “Since you’ve been watching for so long, are you able to confirm the location of Grand Duke Antoneil?”

  “The enemy forces have strict security around the manor; we couldn’t find any chance to infiltrate. The last time we saw the Grand Duke was three days ago. He was seen briefly at a certain window on the second floor. We have not seen him since!”

  “Which is to say, we can say with certainty that he remains in this manor.” Spalla took a few casual steps forward and looked at the bright manor through the sparse trees. A vicious expression appeared on her face.

  “Yes, my lady,” First Grade Vampire Viria hastily lowered her head and replied nervously.

  “And the manor’s defenses? Who’s in charge there?”

  “According to our investigations, a Third Grade psionic from the Dener Clan is stationed here. Moreover, a strange group of adepts took up residence in the manor two days ago. We still haven’t managed to figure out where they came from and who they are.”

>   “A Third Grade…” Spalla’s face warped into a vicious expression when she heard this.

  Her blood master, Mary, had recently made a promise to all of them. She was prepared to choose the most elite individual from among the best-performing Third Grade vampires and forcefully promote them to Fourth Grade to bolster their forces.

  When news of this spread, the only seven vampires in the clan became incredibly excited. They wanted nothing more than to pull their hearts out to show their loyalty to Mary.

  However, with the number of competitors, there had to be some sort of objective standard of assessment!

  This sudden adept war became the perfect trigger for the vampires. They recklessly threw themselves at the battlefield to prove themselves.

  To obtain greater contributions in the war, Spalla the shapeshifter led several of her high-grade subordinates and a party of weaker vampires here. She was prepared to break in and rescue the Crimson Grand Duke.

  Time was wasting away!

  Should news of Antoneil’s presence here reach the clan headquarters, this place would be swarming with the Crimson Clan’s forces. She wouldn’t have the chance to claim all the contributions for her own.

  At the thought of this, Spalla didn’t dare delay any longer. She waved her hand, and her two advanced Second Grade subordinates bowed.

  “My lady, what are your instructions?”

  “Kevin, Stevens, the two of you lead the forces and infiltrate the manor from the flanks. If the enemies don’t discover you, then slip into the building and search for Antoneil. If you are discovered, then immediately retreat while covering each other. Remember, retreat to the southeast.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Let’s set out now, then!”

  The two Second Grade vampires nodded to each other, then put their hands to their mouths as they let out a silent call in the direction they came from.