Synthetic Wizard

Chapter 98: Chapter 90: The Warlord’s Downfall (Part 2)

Anyone could see that the defeat of Marquis Golden Rock was inevitable now.

This much-anticipated war was already without suspense.

…

In the month of Summer Crescent, the sun was blazing hot, and the heat made people restless.

But inside the lord’s manor of Golden Rock City, the atmosphere was dense and ice-cold.

Especially in the study of the backyard, the passing servants were walking on eggshells, fearful of angering the Marquis and ending up like the unlucky ones who were executed a few days ago.

In the study.

The atmosphere was somewhat silent.

Casper stood by the window, looking at the haggard face of Marquis Golden Rock, his feelings a mix of complexities.

Two years ago, when he saw Marquis Golden Rock, the man was still vibrant and full of black hair, but now, his face had many more wrinkles, his hair was significantly grayer, and his spirit visibly waned.

A once Legendary Knight reduced to such a state showed how much pressure he’d been under lately.

In retrospect, who would have predicted two years ago that Marquis Golden Rock, a local overlord, would eventually fall to a mere baron?

Especially since four years ago, this baron was indirectly exiled to the frontier, living precariously, due to Marquis Golden Rock.

Yet in just four short years, their circumstances had completely reversed.

Looking back now, the entire development was so absurd that it felt like a dream.

But Casper was well aware that this was no dream.

Everything was because of that wizard named Sunan.

It was due to his presence that Black Stone City grew and expanded at an astonishing pace, becoming the colossal force it was now.

The Priest was right; wizards were indeed monsters beyond conventional understanding!

Thinking about this, Casper suddenly felt a bit disheartened.

The stronger Sunan was, the slimmer his chances of retrieving the Divine Blood Amber from him.

It was because of losing the Divine Blood Amber that he was stripped of his position as the person in charge of Stone Bell City, currently only running errands under Priest Joris.

As Casper’s mind was wandering, Marquis Golden Rock finally broke the silence, his voice somewhat hoarse.

“What business does Priest Joris have in coming here this time?”

Joris, sitting opposite, leisurely took a sip of tea, smiled, and said, “I’ve come on behalf of the sect to consult Marquis if you have any confidence in holding off the army from Flashing Territory?”

Casper subtly curled his lips.

He noticed Priest Joris used the word ’hold off’ rather than ’defeat’.

Clearly, Priest Joris understood very well that with Marquis’s current situation, defeating Flashing Army was a pipe dream; maintaining a non-defeat would already be commendable.

Marquis Golden Rock gave Joris a profound look and said expressionlessly, “If I say I have confidence, would your sect believe me?”

Joris paused in silence, then shook his head.

“Even if you could hold off Flashing Army, once Sunan makes a move, you would undoubtedly die!”

Marquis Golden Rock’s eyes twitched, remaining silent.

Ever since losing contact with Herb, and after learning the Beastification infection in Ranshuang Province had stopped spreading, he knew Herb’s fate was grim.

What he couldn’t comprehend was, why couldn’t even Herb defeat Sunan?

The boy had been a wizard for only four or five years, and Herb was an experienced wizard with over a century under his belt!

Facing such a mysterious and unpredictable foe as Sunan, even the battle-hardened Marquis Golden Rock couldn’t help but feel a tinge of fear deep inside.

There was naturally nothing he could say to refute Joris.

“You didn’t come here just to tell me this, did you?”

Joris said eerily, “When we first cooperated with you, it was because we valued your potential, hoping you could leverage your power to control the entire Spark Principality, allowing our sect to grow alongside.”

“But now that plan has failed.”

“Fortunately, we still have other means.”

Marquis Golden Rock felt an inexplicable foreboding rising in his heart, frowning as he asked, “What means?”

“We have found Herb Gillman’s laboratory in Ranshuang Province and discovered the Beastification Infected’s weakness. By offering this method to the Grand Duke of Spark, fast relief of the disaster should secure us sufficient rewards. What do you think, Marquis?”

Marquis Golden Rock’s pupils constricted, his face darkening completely.

Upon realizing Herb was dead, he immediately dispatched people to Ranshuang Province to find Herb’s lab, aiming to discover a way to control the Beastification Infected.

If successful, he could have a comeback chance.

But he didn’t expect the Starfire Sect to find Herb’s laboratory first.

Now he truly had no option left!

“Of course, that alone might not be enough, which is why I’m here to borrow something from you, Marquis.”

Joris said with a beaming smile.

As soon as he finished his sentence, the sitting Marquis Golden Rock abruptly moved, leaping up like a cannonball towards the wall by the window.

But the next second, he hit an invisible force with a bang and was thrown back, rolling several times on the ground before stopping.

Ignoring the pain, he looked up in disbelief, discovering that the familiar study had vanished, replaced by a vast starry sky.

Countless stars arranged in a grand array surrounded him, and a splendid Milky Way spanned the universe above majestically.

He seemed to be in the boundless stars.

What was going on?

Marquis Golden Rock’s eyes showed bewilderment and uncertainty.

“Marquis, aren’t you a bit too hasty? I hadn’t finished speaking yet.”

A dozen meters away, Joris, holding a book, looked at Marquis with a smile.

Casper, the henchman, had also vanished.

“…Stop pretending, you just want my life as a sycophantic offering to the Grand Duke of Spark! I can’t think of anything else of mine worth your coveting.”

Marquis Golden Rock sneered repeatedly, his gaze covertly sweeping over the book Joris held, which appeared out of thin air.

Was it because of that book?

“It’s good that you understand, Marquis.”

Joris apparently hadn’t noticed Marquis’s small movements, speaking to himself:

“Speaking of it, we are actually the same as you, both made dual preparations.”

“Just like you secretly collaborated with another wizard, causing the Beastification disaster without informing us from the start.”

Marquis Golden Rock snorted coldly, about to speak, but immediately sensed something was wrong; his stamina and fighting qi were rapidly depleting.

This starry sky actually absorbed stamina and fighting qi!

Realizing this, Marquis Golden Rock ceased his words and leaped forward, lunging at Joris like a leopard pouncing.

But only to pass through him.

“It’s useless,” Joris said leisurely, “You can’t hurt me here.”

Disbelieving, Marquis Golden Rock attempted several more times but couldn’t touch Joris.

As time slipped by, the feeling of weakness grew ever more prominent, until finally, he collapsed powerless on the ground.

“For the sake of our past cooperation, I’ll leave you a whole corpse.”

Joris walked over, looking down at Marquis, eyes filled with a hint of pity.

Marquis Golden Rock, weakly gasping, rasped, “Stop pretending. I’m waiting for you to join me down here; don’t forget you are also part of the ones who killed Sunan’s father. He won’t let you off.”

“No need to concern yourself with that.”

Joris laughed with indifference.

“Once the sect’s grand vision is realized, a mere Sunan is nothing to worry about.”

Marquis Golden Rock managed a mocking smile, gasping without saying anything further.

The Starfire Sect was too arrogant!

Just as he was back then.

If he had valued Sunan more, not allowing him the chance to grow, and nipped him in the bud, he wouldn’t be in this predicament.

The Starfire Sect would eventually follow in his footsteps.

Seeing the changes in Marquis Golden Rock, Joris felt slightly annoyed, snorted coldly, and gently pressed his palm against the book’s pages.

Buzz!

Boundless stars rushed forward, swarming over Marquis Golden Rock like a tide!