Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2372: Chapter 2373: Soul Arms

Nis casually drew a symbol in the air.

An almost imperceptible force field encompassed the entire laboratory.

Renko’s pitiful and suppressed cries were immediately isolated outside.

”It’s better not to have background music when discussing serious matters, especially when the music isn’t that pleasant,” Nis shrugged. ”Screams, particularly hysterical venting, are more pleasing to my ears, especially the howls of the undead. This kind of restrained, enduring cry lacks a bit of flavor. And it’s the roar of a man.”

Angel: ... Only you would treat screams as background music.

Without the disturbance of external sounds, everyone finally began to discuss the serious matters.

”Previously in the Wilderness of Dreams, many things weren’t fully clarified. Let’s talk about it now. What did you do, and what caused the current outcome?” Angel looked at Nausicaa.

Nausicaa nodded and started talking from the time she resolved to make her decision in the Sky Mechanical City.

Reynaud also occasionally added some content in between.

Time slowly passed by in her narration.

In her narration, all the details that Reynaud didn’t mention before were completed.

Nausicaa indeed followed Reynaud to the laboratory where he had been imprisoned since childhood, for the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s hand.

The reason Nausicaa was interested in the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s hand was because Reynaud detailedly introduced the ”peculiar object” within the arm.

The so-called peculiar object is something unnamed and special obtained through a sacrifice ceremony in exchange with a certain power in the Quest World. These peculiar objects can be injected into organs to transform extraordinary organs through some special methods.

According to Reynaud, the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s arm was the organ with the most peculiar objects and the highest spiritual value in that large sacrificial ceremony over a decade ago. Many sacrificial ceremonies of various sizes have occurred over the years, but few in the limb of an arm surpass the Witch of the Night Butterfly.

Although the peculiar objects in the organ are not the most accommodated or the most effective, generally speaking, the greater the spiritual value and accommodation, the stronger the power.

It was also because of the peculiar objects’ presence that Nausicaa paid more attention to the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s arm.

Nausicaa was not solely attracted to the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s arm for its power. According to her, ”I could completely wait for Master Pat to refine a new prosthetic if it were truly about power.”

Angel had promised before that after obtaining better materials and more excellent structural ideas, he would later refine a more powerful prosthetic for Nausicaa. With Angel’s alchemical skills, it was not impossible to refine a formidable prosthetic.

What truly attracted Nausicaa and led her to resolutely follow Reynaud to steal the Witch of the Night Butterfly’s arm was another special trait of the ”peculiar object.”

”Through the transplantation of organs, the peculiar object within can create a certain degree of connection... or resonance with the soul.”

”It’s like armor tailored for the soul.”

”Its specific name is quite special, and I can’t remember it. However, considering its uniqueness, I gave it a name.”

”Soul Arms!”

As a Bloodline Transcendent, Nausicaa’s combat power is almost unrivaled in the same rank, but only almost, because Bloodline Wizards have weaknesses, the most typical being the lack of soul defense. When the enemy is prepared to attack the soul, Bloodline Transcendents, even Official Wizards, may suffer severe injuries.

Before True Knowledge, Bloodline side seldom had the capability to directly protect the soul.

The existence of Soul Arms fills the biggest gap in the bloodline side. Nausicaa valued this point, not only for restoring the limb but also for forming Soul Arms via the peculiar object in the limb to protect the soul. This is something that prosthetics or transplantation of other biological organs cannot achieve.

After hearing Nausicaa’s account, Angel wasn’t particularly moved because his soul is special. Even a banshee’s howl is neither painful nor itchy to him, and he has never experienced the defenseless soul feeling that Nausicaa described.

However, for Nis, Nausicaa’s description astonished him to the point where his eyes almost popped out.

It was actually... Soul Arms? Soul Arms!

This was uncharted territory for him. Perhaps Alchemists could refine similar soul equipment, but achieving a resonance with the soul as Nausicaa described, almost tailor-made, was nearly impossible.

To a Soul Witch, the value of Soul Arms was crystal clear.

Imagine, when someone invades your Land of the Soul, thinking they can deal with you without worries, your soul produces a gleaming Magic Wand, gently waves it, and all becomes silent.

This kind of soul invasion incident wasn’t rare. Angel was nearly deprived of his soul land by the Parasitic Lady at the Sky Tower before.

If Angel had had Soul Arms at that time to deal with the Parasitic Lady, it would have been much more relaxed and pleasant.

That is just one application of Soul Arms.

As a Soul Witch, what’s most important is spell casting via Soul Force, yet the soul body post Astral Projection isn’t necessarily robust. Having defensive Soul Arms allows for carefree combat.

Hence Nis was so taken aback.

This laboratory actually managed to create Soul Arms!

Nis now had an enlightenment, he realized why Dororo suggested he come to the Mist Belt. The main reason wasn’t to help Angel, nor was it due to the lucky Reynaud, but because of Soul Arms!

Even after learning about the existence of Soul Arms, Nis felt a faint pulse in his forehead, he had a hunch... Perhaps his pursuit of the path to True Knowledge would start here.

”Where is that laboratory? I want to take a look.” Nis struggled to suppress his inner desire and asked.

Nausicaa and Reynaud didn’t sense Nis’s urgency, but Angel did.

He briefly contemplated and understood Nis’s intentions.

Angel: ”Earlier you criticized Ferro’s foolishness, and now you’re jumping into the pit? Hold on, visiting the laboratory isn’t urgent right now. Let Nausicaa finish, I’m sensing she might share something else that could interest you. Like... that weapon.”

Nis took a deep breath, realizing he was overly excited. Even if visiting the laboratory was truly needed, understanding the situation there was necessary.

Furthermore, Nis grasped Angel’s implication.

The ”weapon” Angel referred to was the one Reynaud and Nausicaa used after escaping the laboratory, to fend off the magical creature’s infant form. Later, according to Nausicaa, Reynaud handed this weapon to her at the last moment.

At that time, when Reynaud was recounting, he didn’t specify what this weapon was, but from his context, it was clear that this weapon was extremely powerful, and also very secretive. Otherwise, why would Reynaud use it at the last moment?

According to what Nausicaa had previously said, Nis had some guesses, perhaps this weapon that Reynaud kept mysterious all along, was actually the Soul Arms!

Nis restrained the eager thoughts in his heart and continued to listen to Nausicaa’s narration.

The content that followed was basically the same, the situation in the laboratory was not much different from Reynaud’s account. The only thing worth mentioning was that on Reef Island, Reynaud had concealed one matter: why must he take Nausicaa to the laboratory?

Reynaud had expressed at the time that he didn’t take Nausicaa to the lab for free, he wanted to search for some information, and after finding this information, he needed Nausicaa’s assistance.

But specifically what help, Reynaud did not say at that time.

And now, Nausicaa has revealed the secret among them.

The information Reynaud was looking for was data for the removal of soul marks. He wanted to remove the ”X,” ”1” number on his face, which for him, was like a slave’s mark, starkly displaying his painful past.

During the initial Star Tournament, had Reynaud used his soul force, he might have achieved a better ranking, but he did not use his best ability because he didn’t want to expose the soul mark.

Moreover, as long as this mark exists, he can never escape the pursuit of the laboratory.

So, he must remove this mark. The removal process required someone’s help, and he ultimately chose Nausicaa.

Reynaud’s mindset was understandable to Angel and Nis, so they had no objections to his hiding this matter, and just signaled Nausicaa to continue.

The following content was about triggering a device left by Number 17, and being chased by a magical creature, forcing them to escape the laboratory.

Although this magical creature was in its infancy, its bloodline was extremely strong, being a descendant of a True Knowledge level magical creature in the Mist Belt, it was just a few years old, yet already possessed abilities comparable to a wizard.

At the critical moment, Reynaud pushed Nausicaa out of the laboratory; he himself took out his weapon to face this magical creature.

The middle battle process was not detailed, but the final result was that Reynaud struggled with all his might to halt the creature’s advance, but before long, the creature surged forward again. Nausicaa was not one to abandon teammates, she did not leave, and even wanted to re-enter the laboratory to assist Reynaud.

Reynaud wished for Nausicaa to survive, he deemed himself unsalvageable, so at the last moment, he entrusted his weapon to Nausicaa, and once again pushed her into the deep sea. This time, Nausicaa did not return, as she was swept away by an ocean current...

Subsequently, it was the story of Nausicaa drifting at sea and finally arriving at Ghost Dock Island.

The situation on Ghost Dock Island was already recounted by Nausicaa back in the Wilderness of Dreams, but the retelling involved more details.

Among them, the matter that drew Angel and Nis’s attention was undoubtedly the battle after Nausicaa’s awakening.

At that time, her magical core was depleted, to conserve magic power, and to end the battle quickly, Nausicaa used the weapon Reynaud gave her.

”Is this weapon the Soul Arms?” Nis asked.

Both Reynaud and Nausicaa nodded.

Nis turned his gaze to Reynaud: ”So, without transplanting organs, the Soul Arms can be transferred for use by others?”

Reynaud: ”Yes, but many inconveniences arise in between.”

Nausicaa explained on his behalf: ”Using Reynaud’s weapon, I could clearly feel an obstinate resistance, as if separated by a layer of gauze, unable to masterfully utilize it. Moreover, the energy consumption was extremely high, completely different from the low consumption described by Reynaud for Soul Arms.”

Reynaud: ”Because it’s not the most suitable one... the most suitable to bear the Soul Arms are corresponding organs and a resonant soul.”

Nausicaa used Reynaud’s Soul Arms, naturally unable to wield it adeptly, barely manageable.

Nis pondered thoughtfully: ”I see. May I take a look at the Soul Arms?”

Nausicaa turned her head to look at Reynaud, as the chain belonged to him.

Reynaud nodded.

Although Reynaud agreed, Nausicaa still did not immediately take it out. It wasn’t that she was unwilling, but that her soul force had been consumed to a critical point, unable to present the Soul Arms, and she didn’t possess the ability for astral projection.

Nis noticed Nausicaa’s predicament and reached out his hand toward her: ”Do not refuse, I’ll transfer some purified soul force to you.”

However, before his hand touched Nausicaa, Angel stopped him.

”The forehead will do,” Angel said calmly.

Nis’s mouth twitched awkwardly and he grudgingly cursed a few words, but eventually moved the hand that was reaching toward Nausicaa’s chest, slowly upwards to her forehead.

”The soul force I purified greatly supplements her kind of soul, possibly even enhancing her soul strength,” Nis murmured, ”I am enhancing her soul at my own expense, so why not take a little advantage? Is that too much... not like I was really going to do anything.”

Angel also understood Nis’s nature, back when Sanders took him to Soul Valley to examine soul anomalies, even with Sanders around, he took a chance to fool around with a woman during an experimental gap.

Usually, Angel couldn’t be bothered to manage, as it was consensual. However, as Nausicaa was his friend, he couldn’t allow Nis to ruin her, even a small advantage was out of the question. Nis was the kind of person who would take a mile if given an inch, no opportunity could be allowed.

Ignoring Nis’s complaints, Nis’s solo act could only be played by himself.

After transferring soul force to Nausicaa, he helplessly concluded his monologue.

”That should be about enough.” Nis indicated Nausicaa could summon the Soul Arms.

Nausicaa nodded, closed her eyes and sensed some soul force, feeling an unprecedented comfort from the soul force so abundant it was nearly overflowing.

With the harmony of her body, mind, and soul, Nausicaa began trying to pull the chain within her soul.

In others’ eyes, it seemed as if Nausicaa gained a phantom.

When the phantom converged with Nausicaa again, a black hole, akin to an abyss, appeared on her chest.

A jet-black chain, like a venomous snake capturing prey, shot out from that deep black hole.