The cold light of the laboratory illuminated Linde's expressionless face, only the torrent of data in his purple eyes revealed the turbulent thoughts beneath.
The initial analysis of the "source code" inside Tris's body confirmed his core conjecture, but also brought even greater pressure.
The power of Tiolantis is deeply bound to the planetary magic network, which means that "defeating" it in the conventional sense is almost impossible.
Attacking Him is tantamount to attacking the very foundation of this world's magic system, and the resulting chain reaction could send the continent back to barbarism or even cause its complete collapse.
This was not the ending Linde desired; he sought control and order, not destruction.
“If it cannot be destroyed, then it must be ‘isolated’ and ‘reconstructed’,” Lind whispered, setting the tone for the strategy.
He first summoned Narochana. The old Shadowbinder leader appeared silently in the shadows of the laboratory, as if blending into the darkness.
“Narosh, I need you to use all your ‘hidden networks’ at all costs to gather information from all over the continent regarding magical anomalies, unusual activity at ancient magical ruins, and any information that may be related to the ‘Root Ark’ or the core legacy of Zedo. Focus on investigating areas where magic is scarce or completely ‘dead,’ where clues beyond the influence of the magic network may remain.”
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Narakush responded hoarsely, a glint of light flashing in his deep-set eyes, “The tentacles of the Shadowbinders have long since penetrated into the shadows. We will bring you the information you need, even if it is buried in the deepest dust of history.”
Then, Lind summoned his adjutant, Astaire.
This soldier, nearing forty, walked with a steady and powerful gait. Although his temples were streaked with gray, his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's, and his posture as upright as a pine tree.
Ten years of hard work have added a touch of vicissitude to his brows, but also a sense of reliability and perseverance.
“Aster,” Lind pointed to the complex data on the light screen, “Based on our existing analysis, initiate Project ‘Ark Echoes.’ I need you to coordinate all the technicians and rune masters to try to reverse engineer the possible operating principles of the ‘Root Ark,’ especially the technical path it attempts to connect to and control the source of magic. At the same time, optimize the rune matrix of the ‘Global Law Stabilization Tower.’ I need it to be able to cope with both high-intensity magical shocks and distortions at the rule level.”
Astaire listened intently, his brow furrowed slightly, clearly understanding the difficulty of the task, but he did not hesitate and replied in a deep voice:
"Understood, sir. I will immediately organize manpower and prioritize resource allocation. I will personally oversee the matrix optimization of the stability tower and strive to come up with a feasible enhancement plan within three days." His voice carried the crispness and efficiency characteristic of a soldier, as well as the composure honed by years of experience.
Finally, Lind turned his gaze to the special intensive care unit.
Triss, this dangerous "key," needs the most careful "safekeeping" and the most in-depth "research."
He personally reinforced the barrier around the ward, incorporating the "order solidification" of the Light Vein and the "existence concealment" of the Shadow Abyss, making it like an independent spacetime bubble, isolating it from the outside world to the greatest extent possible, especially from the detection of the magic network.
After doing all this, Linde once again immersed himself in a deep analysis of the "source code".
This is not a simple code deciphering, but an interpretation of a completely different, man-defined divine rule.
Each deeper exploration of spiritual power felt like touching the true face of "creation" beneath Tiolantis's cold, divine mask.
Time flew by amidst the intense preparations and research.
A few days later, Narosh brought the first piece of valuable information.
One of his Shadowbinder squads discovered an extremely well-hidden Zedo outpost ruin deep within a magical desert known as the "Eternal Silence" in the far north. It seemed completely unaffected by the current magic network system, preserving unique, non-magic network-driven energy core remnants within.
Almost simultaneously, Astaire arrived, looking slightly tired but excited, to report that the first prototype of the "Global Law Stability Tower" had been secretly built on the outskirts of Blackrock City and was undergoing final testing.
He pointed to several modified rune nodes on the drawing:
“My lord, we have referenced part of the ancient protective array structure obtained from the Holy Fallen City and enhanced its resistance to the distortion of rules. Once activated, it will form a ‘law silence zone’ covering a radius of five kilometers. All magic network-related spell effects within the area will be greatly weakened or even nullified, while having less impact on the power of light veins and shadow abyss.”
On the very night that the prototype tower was about to be activated, an unexpected change occurred.
Above Blackrock Territory, the once clear night sky was suddenly enveloped by a magnificent yet eerie aurora. It was not a natural phenomenon; the colors twisted and shifted, radiating a chilling magical aura.
A buzzing sound, like high-voltage static electricity, filled the air. All the mages, including Alice and Lillian, felt their magic become sluggish and difficult to mobilize, as if the magical elements of the entire space were resisting their will.
A cold, vast, and emotionless will, like an invisible giant wheel, slowly rolled over the sky above Blackrock Territory.
There were no words, no warnings, only pure, absolute pressure, as if declaring: this place has been watched by the gods.
Inside the lord's manor, Alice, her face pale, gripped the window frame tightly. Nazra's fox tail bristled, while Leonis instinctively tightened her grip on her sword hilt, though she knew it was pointless. The children, too, felt the tremor that seemed to originate from the depths of their souls.
“He has come…” Alice murmured.
Aster rushed to the lord's manor's defensive center immediately, his voice echoing through the communication array to all the guard posts:
"All units! High alert! Activate all defense systems not dependent on the magic network! Hold the line!" His command was concise and powerful, carrying the iron-blooded aura of impending battle, attempting to suppress the soldiers' instinctive fear in the face of unknown divine power.
Just as the divine will attempted to further probe into the core area of the lord's mansion, searching for the "anomaly" that displeased Him—
"Buzz—!"
The prototype tower on the outskirts of the city suddenly lit up under Aster's remote command! Countless light vein runes and dark shadow abyss patterns intertwined and shone, and an invisible force field mixed with the power of order and nothingness soared into the sky, like a giant umbrella that forcefully resisted the descending divine will!
Force fields and will collide in the air, without a deafening explosion, only a deeper, more rule-based friction and distortion.
The aurora in the sky rippled and shattered violently, like water with pebbles thrown in!
That icy will seemed to pause for a moment, revealing a hint of... surprise? It then transformed into an even colder rage.
However, He did not force a breakthrough. Although the force field could not completely stop Him, it acted like a tough barrier, greatly interfering with His perception and the direct penetration of His power.
After a stalemate of about ten breaths, the magnificent yet eerie aurora receded like the tide, and the vast divine will vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
The night sky returned to tranquility, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.
But everyone knew it wasn't an illusion.
Black Rock Territory has just faced the gaze of a god head-on, and has managed to keep him "out of the way" with its own power!
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