Warlock Apprentice

When Horus saw Angel emerging from the hall with Rosen’s head, his eternally frozen expression finally showed a hint of change.

”Mechanical Beast Emperor” Rosen, though not the top in combat ability, was undeniably strong in defense. Moreover, Rosen was a genuine Second Level True Knowledge Wizard, the same rank as Horus.

Such a powerful Rosen, reduced to just a head?

Is this the power of that arrow?

Horus now somewhat understood why they all felt an intense premonition of danger before. The power of this arrow was simply beyond their imagination.

Sanders’ expression also turned somber, because Angel had previously mentioned that the situation was not optimistic. He had already guessed that Rosen might have encountered a disaster, but he didn’t expect the outcome to be so terrifying. Rosen, surrounded by alchemy tools and mechanical enhancements, with unparalleled defense, ended up in such a state.

Who was the attacker? Could it have been a Legend?

”Is he dead?” Greya hesitantly asked Angel.

Angel did not speak but sat on the ground, took a piece of secret magic gold from his bracelet, and quickly melted it into a support platform. Then he took out experimental tools and a magic pattern carving pen, carving swiftly.

”To Madam Barbie’s regret, I am not dead yet,” replied Rosen’s head, which Angel was holding with the Hand of Magic.

”It’s fortunate you’re not dead. If you were, and Muse the Dean had to take charge of Sky Mechanical City, I fear the next time I come here, I might find it hard to buy the ingredients I desire,” Greya, clearly familiar with Rosen, said without any schadenfreude, but with genuine relief in her tone.

”What is Angel doing?” Sanders asked at this time.

Rosen: ”I asked him to help me draw an energy balancing magic rune because my Mind Space’s magic vortex has begun to collapse. I need external assistance, at least to prevent the magic vortex from collapsing too quickly.”

Magic vortex collapse! Everyone present, except Asaz and the focused Angel, had their pupils contract upon hearing this.

This is probably one of the most dreaded predicaments for any wizard.

Once a magic vortex collapses, it signifies the wizard’s complete demise. Moreover, a collapsing magic vortex can sweep through mysterious places like the Land of the Soul and Spirit Sea, potentially leaving the soul with no escape.

Although a magic vortex collapse is not irreversible, once it starts to collapse, saving it becomes extremely difficult.

Greya looked at Rosen’s head with complex eyes. Facing such a massive change, he could still calmly and even indifferently articulate his situation, befitting someone capable of overseeing Sky Mechanical City.

When Greya lost her physical body back then, she was in despair for a whole week.

Since Rosen could speak so calmly, it represented that things hadn’t spiraled completely out of control. Or perhaps they already had, and Rosen just wasn’t willing to say.

Regardless of the answer, it’s not something they need to concern themselves with. After all, this is the ”housework” of Sky Mechanical City, and they were already restrained by not adding insult to injury.

After a moment of silence, Sanders asked, ”Was it that arrow that injured you?”

Rosen was not puzzled about why Sanders knew about the ”arrow,” speculating that Angel might have told Sanders: ”Yes.”

”And now that arrow?” Sanders asked, looking towards the hall where the sea of light still surged: ”Is it still inside?”

Rosen: ”... It disappeared.”

To be exact, the arrow turned into light and shadow and vanished entirely after piercing Rosen’s heart.

The arrow vanished? The answer was somewhat incredulous, but nobody was too surprised. An arrow that could traverse the void and directly launch a destructive attack on a person without affecting any matter in the Material Realm was already beyond their comprehension; hence, something more bizarre was also acceptable.

”What exactly was that arrow?” Greya asked.

Rosen did not answer because he himself didn’t know.

When everyone still wanted to inquire more about the situation, a human-shaped phantom shadow emitting a faint blue light suddenly appeared beside them.

At the same time, an unusual teleportation pattern appeared on the wall behind them, and a handsome young man with dark circles emerged from the teleportation pattern.

The faint blue light spirit was Antonio, the Divine Spirit guarding the Research and Development Institute.

And the young man who appeared afterward was another City Lord of Sky Mechanical City, also the director of the Research and Development Institute, the Crownless King of the Southern Alchemy Realm— ”The Mediocre” Muse!

They knew Muse to be consistently idle and indolent, but Muse’s expression was rarely stern and severe at this moment.

After Muse came out, he first observed the people around and then focused his attention on Angel and Rosen’s head.

Seeing Angel carving a partially completed magic pattern, Muse seemed to understand something. He gently exhaled, indicating at least he arrived in time, as Rosen hadn’t yet died.

Muse did not interrupt Angel’s drawing and didn’t care why Sanders and others were here, merely standing quietly on the side, waiting.

During this period, Antonio disappeared for a few tens of seconds. Sanders could sense his whereabouts; Antonio went outside the Infinite Battle Tower, shut the previously opened door, and advised some wizards attracted by the light to disperse. After finishing all this, Antonio returned to the corridor, shutting the metal hall door, completely isolating that still-swirling sea of light.

Angel’s drawing speed was swift. Within less than three minutes of Muse’s arrival, he carved out the energy balancing magic rune on the simple platform.

With a flicker of light, the platform emitted a transcendent aura, indicating that the refinement was successful. Angel then cautiously controlled the Hand of Magic to place Rosen’s head at the platform’s center. Rosen murmured a thank-you, closing his eyes to begin striving to stabilize the disorderly magic vortex in his Mind Space using the energy balancing magic rune.

It was only then that Muse, who had been silent, gently sighed, ”To create an energy-balancing alchemy tool in such a short time, only an Alchemist specialized in enchantment could do it.”

”Thank you,” Antonio whispered to Angel.

They naturally had similar energy-balancing tools, but they had no idea about Rosen’s needs. From the time it would take them to understand the specific requirements and find the right tool, Rosen might not have lasted.

Angel’s presence significantly contributed to Rosen’s survival.

”Are you alright?” Muse noticed Angel’s extremely pale face.

Angel exhaled deeply, leaning against the wall with a bit of fatigue: ”Used too much effort coming here, just need a bit of rest.”

Muse nodded and then looked around: ”This is not the place for discussion; the light in the hall is still unclear, to avoid potential hazards, let’s leave here first.”

Muse said while taking out a peculiar short staff and lightly tapping it on the floor.

A teleportation magic pattern appeared at their feet instantaneously.

With a flash of light, including the slumbering Melisa, everyone disappeared.