Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 511 : 510

[Dwarf King's Resentment]There are only two ways to leave this cursed space, either through the secret passages or by killing the Black Dragon.

Even though Su Lun had found the resentful Iron Helm Orr and received some help, he still couldn't avoid the path of slaying the Black Dragon.

In this way, as long as the Black Dragon lives, everyone in this cursed space is trapped here.

So, Su Lun wasn't in a hurry to go after those people.

In a valley far away in Giant God Mountain, thousands of mages had set up camp.

They had clashed with the Black Dragon ten days ago, resulting in mutual heavy losses but saving most of the members of the magic guild. These days, they had been searching for a way to leave this cursed rift.

The mages were looking worried, clearly in a dire situation.

Logically speaking, their ten-thousand-member magic guild should have been able to sweep through a broken alchemical plane, but they encountered an absolute crisis as soon as they arrived.

In the forest camp, the mages had already built magic towers to gather magic power.

A few middle-aged mages were discussing strategies.

"How is the situation?"

"Still no other breakthrough methods found. Those mountain dwarves are now hiding in their burrows, making it difficult to extract intelligence from them. Once we approach, they deploy a tactic of fighting to the death. It's not that we can't kill them; it's just that the battle will cause a huge commotion. If that Black Dragon is lured out and Lord Polis gets injured again, our situation will worsen."

"It seems now that to leave this 'temporal rift,' our only option is to kill that Black Dragon."

"Damn it. If it weren't for that damn native causing trouble, we could have killed that Black Dragon and broken the temporal rift ten days ago!"

"Prepare yourselves. Once Lord Polis heals from his injuries, we'll use magic traps to lure and kill the Black Dragon. Also, keep a close watch on the perimeter of the camp; that native might be hiding somewhere, waiting to strike. These days, I always feel like someone is spying on our camp…"

"…"

As Su Lun had predicted, the ten-thousand-member magic guild also had some desperate survival strategies.

In the previous battle, one of the eighth-tier Grand Magic Conductors, Polis, had deployed a burst secret technique, managing to repel the Black Dragon by sacrificing his own severe injuries.

But now, although the Black Dragon had indeed been repelled, the severely hurt mage guild also needed time to recuperate.

Fortunately, giving them a bit more time and bearing some costs, there was still a chance to escape.

...

Meanwhile.

On an inconspicuous mountain peak far away, there was a very hidden abandoned mine.

More than ten mechanical warriors from the Mafa Empire had also been hiding here for ten days.

This "T-level" cursed space had previously had military intelligence, but they hadn't expected to be drawn in themselves.

After discovering that the adventurers' guild was issuing large-scale pioneering missions, Mafa officials had learned of the intelligence and knew there were tricks involved, which is why they sent experts to investigate.

It was these few people who, while Su Lun was dealing with the Iron Shield Adventurer's Group five-member mage team disturbing the formation corner, had destroyed another corner of that plane's magic formation.

If Su Lun were here, he would definitely recognize one of them as Dora Mosie, the very hostage he had once kidnapped.

At this moment, this Miss Hostage was holding a telescope, watching the distant mage camp, her expression detached, pondering something unknown.

"Colonel Dora, it's been ten days now. Are we still hiding?"

"What else? We can't defeat that Black Dragon, nor can we defeat the ten-thousand-member magic guild. We can only wait for them to break this cursed space, or wait for the military to send experts to rescue us. Moreover, this ten-thousand-member magic guild poses a substantial threat to the empire; we absolutely cannot let them leave here alive easily. If they really intend to kill that Black Dragon, we need to think of a way to create more trouble for them."

"..."

Upon hearing these words, everyone's expressions simultaneously turned serious.

As career military personnel, they had long been prepared to dedicate themselves to the empire.

However, on the other hand, they also considered that this place was restraining a ten-thousand-person Mage battalion from a divine realm.

In recent days, they had been constantly searching for a way to break the curse on the space.

But the underground mines of the dwarves were too intricate, filled with various mutant monsters, and fraught with danger.

In a short amount of time, there was simply no way this team could fully investigate the area.

Moreover, various clues seemed ultimately to point to the dwarf's underground city, which just happened to also be the lair of that evil dragon, creating yet another deadlock.

Without killing the Black Dragon, there was no way out.

Dora thought of this, then continued her previous thought, "We just have to wait for an opportunity."

Her companions clearly knew what she meant by this.

At that moment, someone else spoke, with a grave tone, "Colonel Dora, the person who previously sabotaged the Mage battalion's formation has completely disappeared. He might have already found another way to escape. Should we continue looking for him?"

Upon hearing this, Dora shook her head, affirming, "That guy definitely hasn't left. His Spatial Ability is extremely strong; he easily could have avoided this earlier. But since he came in, it means he's pretty sure he has a way out. This cursed space poses little threat to him, so he'll likely choose to stay and reap more benefits..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became complex and somber again.

The future was filled with uncertainties, and death loomed over them like an inescapable dark cloud, heavily oppressing the atmosphere.

At that moment, a middle-aged man in the team with three golden stars on his shoulder suddenly spoke up, asking, "By the way, Dora, who exactly is that person? We in Mafa have no record of such a person... And, you seem quite confident about him?"

This Grand General's mentality remained good, his face always bearing a calm demeanor.

Dora glanced at the middle-aged man, having guessed something.

After all, strictly speaking by seniority, this Grand General was still her uncle.

She did not know what exactly her grandfather had said when he returned, but the incident of her being kidnapped for ransom had become a source of jest among the upper echelon of the empire. The elders always liked to jokingly mention it.

Dora pursed her lips, her tone slightly helpless, "Uncle Sam, it's the person you're thinking of."

However, she did not elaborate further on Su Lun's identity, instead adding, "That guy is indeed strong, but not strong enough to change the current situation. I just feel like he must have some special knowledge about this space, some kind of trick up his sleeve. For example... if I were him, I'd find a way to lure that Black Dragon again and eliminate all these guys."

Hearing this, the Grand General responded, "Oh? Are you sure he would take such a big risk to kill these people?"

Managing to leverage power in a way that leads to mutual destruction was already a rare situation.

But, he isn't from Mafa, so why would he take this risk?

"Very sure."

Dora spread her hands, as if she remembered something else, then added, "His talent is related to the laws of death, allowing him to grow stronger through killing. Moreover, that guy is quite greedy; a typical Mage is richer than an Alchemist, and this divine realm's 'ten-thousand-person Mage battalion' is a huge fortune..."

Thinking about that fellow who spoke grandly of the survival of civilizations, yet still extorted a ransom from her, Dora still felt, to this day, how despicable he was!

And whenever she encountered that guy, it never ended well.

The first time they met, on Gold Digger Island, years of undercover planning had gone down the drain, and her family had paid a huge ransom;

This time around, she had been dragged into a "T-level space";

"In any case, it was a terrible experience."

Upon hearing this, the Grand General showed a thoughtful look.

...

Wrapped in shrouds, Su Lun set up some high explosives near the treasure-filled hall of the Dwarf King and then teleported out with Number Nineteen.

They didn't go directly to trouble the Black Dragon healing atop the treasure pile but planned to find the Ten Thousand Mage Group first.

The area of this cursed space was vast, yet it wasn't endless.

After advancing to the seventh tier, Su Lun's perception had also greatly improved.

Without much effort, the two of them located the hidden mage camps in the forest.

On a hillside, Su Lun and Number Nineteen stopped behind a giant tree and observed the distant forest from afar.

Surrounded by dense giant trees, everything looked normal, casting deep shadows.

Number Nineteen glanced around, didn't spot any enemies, and directly asked, "Do you see anything?"

Su Lun replied, "At nine o'clock, 1500 meters away, there's a camp. There's a magical barrier distorting perception, so it's invisible. Do you see those owls? Our plane doesn't have that species of Strigiformes, those are 'Spirit-Eye Owls,' favored by the mages from the Divine Plane. They have strong visual and auditory capabilities, alertness, and can form magical contracts...they're the best magical sentinels."

There were many birds in the forest, none of them conspicuous.

Hearing this, Number Nineteen then noticed the owls in the trees.

Her mechanical eye featured a thermal imager; upon looking, she also spotted that the positions of those owls were indeed special, like sentinels monitoring the surroundings of the forest. A few fixed points were enough to deduce that there was a camp there.

However, Su Lun didn't deduce this from the birds, but through Soul Perception.

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Though the magical barrier could limit perception, soul fluctuations were very clear.

There were quite a few people in the camp.

The two of them didn't take action directly but changed direction a few times and discovered more hidden magical camps in the forest.

Finally, upon finding the third camp, Su Lun stopped again.

This time, he seemed to have confirmed something, his eyes flashed sharply, and he muttered to himself, "So this is what these guys are up to..."

Number Nineteen looked over, a questioning look in her eyes.

She realized that after following Su Lun, it seemed she no longer needed to think for herself, as Su Lun always considered everything thoroughly.

Now, Su Lun had a very deep understanding of the mage group's methods. Just by looking at the positions of these few camps, he guessed something and explained, "They're probably preparing a massive magical trap, 'Forbidden Spell: No Air Forbidden Domain,' which includes void and magic chains, usually used to encircle and kill top-tier large magical beasts."

He knew well that the Ten Thousand Mage Group was caught off-guard in the battle ten days ago, which led to heavy losses.

Actually, the capabilities of the Ten Thousand Mage Group were far beyond that.

If arranged in advance, they had the ability to kill that Black Dragon.

"Hmm."

Listening, a sharp glint briefly flickered in Number Nineteen's eyes.

She clearly understood Su Lun's implication.

What the enemy was preparing was precisely what they needed to thwart.

The two of them did not communicate much but knew tacitly what to do.

Su Lun held a black umbrella in his right hand, his perception fully extended outward; with a tap of his left hand finger on the trunk, he muttered a number to himself, "Five hundred thirty-one!"

This was a camp of a five hundred-strong unit.

Approximately more than ten seventh-rank professionals, the rest were sixth and fifth-rank mages.

Under normal circumstances, a fully organized unit of five hundred mages, even when facing an eighth-rank professional, could fend them off for a moment.

Seeing this, Su Lun's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said directly, "There are magical alert devices near the camp that will detect us once we approach, so... I will charge in directly. You just wait and proceed with the plan."

Number nineteen listened and nodded, "Mm."

Before coming, the two had already discussed the battle plan, so they spoke no further.

With a pinch of the Suren Sorcerer's Seal, Su Lun had already disappeared from his spot.

Looking again, a commotion suddenly erupted a kilometer away in the camp.

...

The camp had alert devices and some magic traps, but Su Lun avoided them all directly.

After all, spatial mages are extremely rare, and there were even fewer who could surpass Su Lun.

When he smoothly burst into the magic tower where the sub-chiefs with the strongest soul fluctuations of the seventh rank were, seven or eight mages were meditating.

These individuals, startled by the appearance of a stranger in the magic tower, were horrified and quickly raised their magic wands to prepare to counterattack!

But Su Lun, already initiating a sneak attack, gave no chance for the enemy to react.

Previously, when he was of the sixth rank, Su Lun faced these seventh-rank mages with a rank suppression, and many techniques at the level of laws didn't produce the desired effects.

But now,

The gap between Alchemists and Mages of the same rank immediately became apparent!

Alchemists advanced step by step, and in this fragmented alchemical plane, it was purely by their own bit of understanding of the universe that they struggled to progress.

Whereas, as devotees of deities, the mages, as long as they were devout, would receive enlightenment from their gods during critical advancements.

One is a wild grass in the desert; the other, a plant in a nutrient-rich greenhouse. To grow just as tall, the processes they undergo are starkly different!

As soon as Su Lun appeared, he pinched the sorcerer's seal, "Domain: Living Forbidden Zone!"

Dominant aura swirled around him, and he seemed like a source spreading darkness, as a visibly eerie black light emanated.

After advancing to the seventh rank, he had finally mastered this supremely lethal method, comfortably utilized only by top-rank professionals!

The seventh rank is a watershed for Alchemists, the most crucial difference being the "Domain".

A Domain is both a sword and a shield.

If your sword is sharp enough, it can cut through the opponent's shield;

If your shield is robust enough, it can block the enemy's blade.

Just like the previous "Forbidden Nun" Jonabelle's life extraction, if one couldn't resist that force of time flowing within the Domain, the enemy wouldn't even qualify to clash.

And Su Lun's "Domain: Living Forbidden Zone" was very special, almost unaffected by any technique and nearly countering any law domain.

With the powerful Necromancy Spell Penetration enhancement from the "Goddess Hel's Rune Soul Umbrella," this domain was overwhelmingly dominant, utterly irresistible by the dark barriers belonging to death!

The eight seventh-rank Magic Conductors raised their magic wands, their bodies also illuminated by various magic shields, and they released various elemental domains as well.

Alas, Su Lun's domain was like the night sky, once it arrived, all light was repulsed!

Even facing eight enemies, the darkness over Su Lun's body eroded all brightness.

In just an instant, all the light within the vast magic tower was suppressed, turning into specks of starlight, forcing several mages to retract their domains hastily for self-preservation.

And that wasn't all!

They also discovered that within this shimmering flow of colors, their bodies were being eroded by a strange corrupting force, their lifespan and flesh fading at a terrifying rate.

...

"How is this possible!"

The lead mage, dressed in a blue robe and specializing in wind magic, was immensely shocked.

As a deputy leader, he was proud to surpass most other mages of his rank.

Yet even so, facing this sudden enemy, he immediately felt the oppressive presence of death nearing him.

What surprised him more was the strong sense of law suppression he felt against that black domain!

This was a cognitive-level suppression; the opponent's domain had no flaws!

The suppression from the domain was like sharp needle points piercing into his protective magic shield, his life force gushing out uncontrollably like air from a deflated balloon.

If he himself was in such a state, how could his less experienced companions keep their calm?

"Damn it!"

The old mage cursed inwardly and bellowed, "Go!"

When Su Lun appeared, these people had recognized him.

That signature law of death, wasn't it the same guy who caused trouble before?

But, how could he have progressed from a sixth-tier to a seventh-tier alchemist in just ten days?

And not to mention his advancement, why was he so abnormally powerful?

If it weren't for the eight mages in this magic tower having a practiced accord, linking their energies as one, they might have been annihilated by this bizarre domain at the first confrontation!

Simultaneously part of a magic squad, several people also had emergency plans.

With a burst of the magic aura, leveraging that rebounding force, they blew themselves out of the tower.

With a loud "bang," several large holes were made in the Rune Stone Walls of the magic tower.

Su Lun, seeing this, how could he let these people escape so easily?

When he was sixth-tier, he was already killing these seventh-tier magic conductors, let alone now that he was at the seventh-tier?

Targeting the three who escaped the slowest, he conjured a black scythe in his hand and savagely chopped down.

After advancing to the seventh tier, his understanding of the laws had climbed another level, and the black scythe, bolstered by the laws, greatly increased in power.

The scythe's blade flowed with black light, tearing through the fabric of space, slashing three continuous times with a "whoosh," "whoosh," "whoosh."

The three slowest, already the weakest and most affected by "Domain: Living Forbidden Zone", had a large amount of life force drained. The black scythe cut through almost without resistance, easily smashing their magical shields.

From the moment Su Lun appeared in the magic tower to their deaths, it took but a moment, and the three's faces hadn't even fully registered their terror before their heads fell to the ground.

"Heh!"

After killing three men, Su Lun didn't spare them another glance, the shadow of the Grim Reaper surging behind him, reaping the souls from their severed bodies.

He relentlessly pursued the others without pause!

....

Suddenly, intense combat noises erupted within the camp, causing the mages meditating inside the tents to come out and check the situation.

But before they thoroughly understood what had happened, they witnessed the scene of several team leaders being awkwardly blown out of the temporary magic tower.

Through the holes in the magic tower, they also saw the three bodies inside.

However, in the moment their gaze was fixed, the reaper wielding the black scythe had already charged out.

With his scythe rising and falling in his hand, he immediately bisected another magic conductor, blood splattering the ground.

Only then did the mages react, with several shouting in quick succession, "Form up! Form up!"

These battle-hardened legion mages quickly congregated, dozens of small squads coming together, each squad covering the others, pulling out their legion magic devices, massive magic shields were erected, while others began chanting offensive spells.

Defense and counterattack, this was the legion's basic response to danger.

Given the professional soldiers' reaction speed and organizational discipline, this wasn't something any makeshift adventurer group could compare with, the legion battle formation was indeed a miraculous combination of numbers turned qualitative.

Normally, as long as they weren't facing an eighth-tier opponent, they were completely capable of protecting themselves.

Unfortunately, the enemy was Su Lun.

He was now too familiar with the magic legion!

Before he single-handedly stormed into the camp, he had anticipated this reaction from the mages, almost to the letter.

Just as he was slaying another seventh-tier magic conductor from the magic tower, Su Lun also pulled out a string of spatial scrolls, his mind flickering with a thought, "Just the right time to test the 'Anti-Magic Battle Formation' I've devised!"

Forming the sorcerer's seals with his hands, a cross-like phantom quickly condensed in the sky.

With a narrowing glance and a light shout inside his heart, "Puppet Theater: Steel Knight Squad!"

"Bang," "Bang," "Bang"... the scrolls burst apart.

On a closer look, numerous silver bright stone gargoyles suddenly appeared all around the vast camp.

More than two hundred of them!

These stone gargoyles were quite rough, even lacking a plating layer on their bodies, fully covered with exposed runes.

These were produced by the war workshop working day and night over the past ten days.

Although crude, they were barely sufficient.

And it wasn't just stone gargoyles, in order to make up a thousand-man legion, there were also mechanical knights in magic armor and even a seventh-tier mechanical magic beast!

A thousand steel puppets instantly outnumbered the five hundred mage legion on the field.

....

The enemy was proficient in magic battle formations, but Su Lun was equally adept at various knight legion battle formations.

One for close combat, one for ranged attacks, it was still unsure who was superior.

But now, it was time to decide who was the strongest!

This was also the first time Su Lun's Mechanical Legion made an appearance, as he commanded the puppets to charge fiercely toward various magic formations.

At this moment, his thoughts were as cold and calculating as those of a machine, calmly, logically, and keenly capturing everything on the battlefield.

Because he knew in detail the weaknesses of the magic formations, the Mechanical Puppet Legion chose very tricky breakthrough points for their charge.

A thousand mechanical puppets split into several teams, covering and coordinating with each other.

When the legion charged, it was unstoppable!

The mages, who faced the assault, were left with nothing but panic and fear.

One wave of cannon fodder was responsible for breaking the shields, followed immediately by another wave, where steel collided with flesh, and even the physically strong rune mages dared not meet them head-on.

And since it was Su Lun alone commanding, there were no errors in coordination.

The Mechanical Legion, like a sharp dagger, repeatedly pierced through the camp, leaving corpses everywhere and rivers of blood in its wake.

After several charges, the fleshy bodies of the mages had already begun to rout.

How could they stand against the puppets that neither feared death nor felt pain, and to whom magic damage was but a mild nuisance?

The mages of the magic formations would die once and for all, but the Mechanical Legion was essentially expendable material, completely recyclable.

Even if one batch was damaged in battle, Su Lun could quickly replenish with another.

The number of mages in the magic legion dwindled, whereas the number in the Mechanical Legion never seemed to decrease!

As one diminished and the other grew, this magic legion of over five hundred had no power to resist.

Moreover, there was still Su Lun!

Once the Domain of Death unfolded, black light constantly drained the life force of everyone present.

Hadn't those high-tier mages from the celestial plane thought of killing the Puppet Master?

Unfortunately...

With Su Lun's current strength, he simply wasn't someone that a few individuals could kill.

He was guarded by the Mechanical Legion, possessed the ability of Void Displacement, and was also extremely strong in close combat. Capable of both fleeing and fighting, without a large-scale formation of a thousand men, it was practically impossible for him to face any threat.

Even if more people from the Holy Church's army came, Su Lun did not feel there was anyone among his peers who could defeat him.

As for these groups of a hundred?

They scattered upon a single charge.

Merely after a few exchanges, the large mage camp was utterly devastated.

....

In the dense forest a kilometer away.

Number 19 watched as Su Lun entered the enemy camp alone, initially feeling a bit worried.

Over five hundred mages, and about a dozen at the seventh tier... if it were her, even with this powerful suit of armor, she felt it would take quite an effort to defeat the enemy.

Moreover, the enemy had strength in numbers, and possibly some formidable methods at their disposal.

However, just as Number 19's worries started to grow, suddenly the camp exploded into action, loud noises of intense fighting filling the entire forest.

And before a few moments had passed, the magic barrier was destroyed and the horrific scene unfolded before her eyes.

When Number Nineteen saw the exaggerated number of mechanical puppets in the camp, her eyes shimmered with astonishment, unable to hide the shock in her heart, "What! His puppetry technique has reached this level already?"

Watching the scene of a thousand mechanical puppets slaughtering in the enemy camp, she had no idea how to describe her feelings.

Number Nineteen knew that Su Lun was powerful and had recently advanced to the seventh rank—the domain of death was incredibly strong!

But this puppet legion was a domain of combat power she was entirely unaware of.

She had never imagined that a Puppet Master could control so many puppets at once.

Moreover, the mechanical puppets' combat was not disorganized; it clearly matched certain knight charge formations!

Seeing the distant, lonely figure shrouded by the shadow of the Grim Reaper, as Number Nineteen was shocked, the worry in her heart also subsided as she muttered, "He has become so powerful after advancing..."

Every time he attacked, one could see an astonishing level of combat power and magical changes in Su Lun.

Even though she was the only one who knew about the domain "Living Forbidden Zone," that black light still gave her a thrilling feeling.

...

At the same time, the battle in the forest instantly drew the attention of everyone nearby.

On that inconspicuous hilltop, Mafa and his group were also attracted.

Almost the instant the battle started, birds scattered from the treetops as an observer shouted, "Colonel Dora, there's movement over there!"

Upon hearing this, Dora hurriedly stepped out of the cave and took out her binoculars.

A glance revealed the battle area with trees collapsing in large patches and intense magical fluctuations reddening the sky.

Seeing the signature puppet crosses, Dora immediately realized, "Puppet Theater! It's definitely that guy!"

Looking again at the dense silver gargoyles, she was shocked and scoffed, "This guy has indeed turned the 'Animating Silver' into puppets..."

Unsurprisingly, some of those stone gargoyles were contributions from her own Mosie family.

The forest was dense, and it was not clear from a distance what the specific situation of the battle was.

But just from observing the magic fluctuations, it was apparent that the mages were not faring well.

Dora, looking with furrowed brows, puzzledly said, "Strange...him launching a surprise attack on a small camp would undoubtedly provoke the encirclement of the ten thousand troop group. Although he has become very strong now, where does he get the confidence to withstand two eighth rank grand magic conductors head-on?"

The moment the thought occurred, she suddenly thought of something, "Huh... could it be the Black Dragon? No, that dragon was severely injured last time and might not be drawn out this time. If it doesn't come, even if he can perform spatial teleportation, he might not survive."

A puzzled expression flashed across her face as Dora couldn't make sense of it herself.

At that moment, she thought of something and formed a sorcerer's seal, sharply chanting, "Disenchant·Release!"

With another look, her eyes now only contained an absolutely rational and cold gleam.

Countless thoughts flashed in her mind, as if telling a computer to run, quickly resulting in the most logical cause and effect.

She suddenly realized, "Right, the 'Animating Silver' must have a massive stock in the Dwarf Underground City! This guy dares to be so reckless now because he's probably sure of his backing. These mages have been looking for him these days and haven't found him... The biggest possibility is that he's been hiding in that dragon's nest in the underground city. Maybe, he's already found the 'Grudge Master' and got some crucial information..."

Upon thinking this, Dora's mind had already reached a conclusion that was extremely close to the truth.

Narrowing her eyes, she murmured again, "That guy...probably plans to bury this ten-thousand troop group in this cursed space."

Hearing this conclusion, the middle-aged general beside her turned his head and looked at her in surprise, revealing a face full of disbelief.

A level eight mechanical warrior like himself had no assurance at all, could a level six professional be sure?