Chapter 745 The Dark Lord and the Sage Revolution (IX)
Akares Continent and Arcadian City.
The entire Ring of Nagas has been enveloped by the Dark Lord's declaration. This is the third day after the declaration.
The dawn carries ominous clouds. There are few people on the streets, and the hustle and bustle of the past has been replaced by an invisible sense of oppression. There is a heavy atmosphere in the air, and a thick layer of poisonous fog has enveloped the city. Even the academic atmosphere of Serpentis College has dimmed. a bit.
In the streets and alleys, some radical magic theorists gathered quietly. They discussed the idea of "node independence" in low voices. They believed that each caster's energy should be independently controlled, and the family's control of the magic network nodes. should be lifted.
Those discussions were dominated by hushed conversations, quick eye exchanges and uneasy whispers." Everyone was filled with anxiety and anger, and resistance to family control surged in their hearts.
At the same time, the family's declarations of "magical naturalism" and the threat of the Dark Lord were overwhelming and could be seen everywhere.
"Monsters from hell invade Akares!" Dark fear is coming! 》
"The Lord of the Abyss destroys the order of Nivakhban!" The notorious saboteur invades Snake Spirit Academy! 》
"Wizard society is in danger!" The Dark Lord's power penetrates Akares, and the truth about the fall of Nivahban is exposed! 》
"The Lord of the Abyss Appears in Akares!" The wizarding world should take countermeasures immediately! 》
Various posters, magic phantom projections, magic broadcasts and other equipment continuously broadcast the threat theory of the Dark Lord twenty-eight hours a day.
The Kailasel family uses the powerful magic network resources to control almost every spellcaster's information dissemination channel.
The family's explanation of "magical naturalism" is scrolling on the magic projection screens in the college lecture hall and on the streets of the city.
The family spokesman was wearing a neat black robe, with a solemn and solemn expression, and said almost in a preacher's tone:
"The stability of the Magic Network comes from the 'sacred duty' of each of our spellcasters. Everyone's magic contribution is like the breath of this world. It is a natural flow guided by the laws of magic and is a manifestation of balance. Question this balance Those are all traitors!”
The family uses authoritative spellcasters and high-level scholars to instill the concept of "magical naturalism" into the entire city through public lectures.
The delicate magic light curtain plays the phantom of ancient magic balance, showing the mysterious and profound "way of balance", they said:
"The construction of the magic network has its own mysterious origin. Every flow of magical energy is the result of natural selection. It is not controlled by anyone or manipulated by any individual."
Although the words of the Kailasher family are high-sounding, they cannot hide the authoritarian posture behind them.
Rumors of an "academic blacklist" gradually spread in the city. Scholars who supported the node independence theory were deprived of their right to speak, their academic qualifications were forcibly revoked, and they were no longer even able to attend any academic activities.
These scholars were expelled from wizard colleges and major academic institutions, and the names on the blacklist were like brands, becoming invisible shackles to them.
News of the family's secret pressure spread in the streets. The academy closed down all research groups related to the node theory and directly fired many scholars. Their research materials were forcibly confiscated. The family's authority enveloped the entire academic world like a dark tide. boundary.
In order to consolidate control, the family began to use the word "traitor" frequently to describe those spellcasters who supported the Node Theory.
In public statements and secret documents, scholars who support emancipation theory are labeled "destroyers of the magical order," thereby implying the threat they pose to society. In the streets and alleys, people warned each other not to come into contact with "traitors". Anyone found to support the node independence theory would be severely punished by the family.
In this trial-like oppression, the Kailasers did not stop at warning.
For some key supporters of the node theory, the family directly dispatched agents to monitor their every move and even threatened them.
Their daily lives were completely disrupted, their families were harassed, and strange shadows even appeared at the door from time to time, which was chilling.
Those scholars who were on the sidelines became the targets of the family. Lobbyists came with generous research funds and resources, trying to use benefits to keep these people silent. They promised that as long as they gave up questioning the family, they would receive favorable academic treatment.
At the same time, the family and the academy jointly imposed professional penalties against all scholars who held "radical" ideas.
They are restricted from publishing papers, cannot enter any public academic venues, and their names are deliberately excluded from invitation lists for every conference.
The theories of scholars were suppressed, research results were sealed, and all voices were forcibly silenced, turning into countless dusty scrolls, silently piled up in the shadow of Arcadian City.
*
*
At this moment, an oppressive silence enveloped the air in the meeting hall of Serpentis College.
On the main seat in the center of the hall, Alex Kellasel, the guardian of the Crystal Wall Council, and Alfred Kellasel, the current head of the Kellasel family, sat side by side, with unconcealable anger in their expressions. and uneasiness.
The two men had gloomy expressions and their gazes were locked in front of them, as if invisible pressure was gradually eroding their majesty.
Under them, the teachers of Serpentis College and the backbone of the Kelasel family lined up, watching the head of the family quietly.
The professors lowered their gazes, not daring to face the majesty on the throne.
In the queue, the old craftsman Satis Alosak remained silent, his eyes passing over his colleagues beside him. His eyes were as calm as an ancient well, but there was a hint of calm observation hidden in them.
Bang——
In this silence, the head of the Kailasel family slammed the table, and the sound exploded in the meeting hall like thunder, and angry flames almost spewed out from his eyes. He roared, with an unconcealed sense of loss of control and anger in his voice:
"I don't understand why the wizarding world is now talking about the coming of the Lord of the Abyss! It seems that the poisonous swamp and poisonous fog of Akares are destined to become the place of doom for our Kailasel family!"
He stood up suddenly and scanned everyone in the hall with sharp eyes, trying to find some answer on these faces.
"Remember? Four hundred and fifty years ago, our bloodline of the Kailasel family established this Serpentis Academy to carry forward the inheritance of snake spirit magic! At the seat of the Wizards' Federation, on the 100th floor Above the world. Every inch of the Ring of Nagas was once under the control of our family. The glory of our wizarding world hangs high in the sky, and the glory of the Ring of Nagas is forever connected to us."
The master's tone suddenly became low, his voice was like suppressed thunder, carrying a majestic lament.
"At that time, our wizards were high-spirited, the family's talismans shone in the light, and faith gathered at our feet like a tide. The wizards all voluntarily loyal to the power of the family, and their loyalty was as solid as rock. The grand scene at that time was like heaven and earth. It's all in our hands, that unparalleled glory... just like yesterday."
"However, today, just a declaration has turned this poisonous swamp that we have sheltered for generations into our nightmare! The shadow of the abyss is gradually infiltrating. The night shadow snake spirits, those creatures who have served us, shrink and flee, even Even the cages of Nawahban tremble before his power."
"Those rebels who were once suppressed by us have now escaped because of him, and we, the Kailasel family, the pillars of the Wizards' Federation, are forced to feel fear and uneasiness in our own land!"< br>
"Is our Kailasel family, this once omnipresent and controlling wizard family, really going to decline on this land? Just because of a declaration? Just because of the shadow of an abyss lord?!"
The silence in the hall became even more oppressive, as if even the air was condensed by the anger.
Under the owner's fury, the hall fell silent.
No one was willing to touch this sharp angry thorn. Everyone held their breath and considered their own positions in their hearts.
Only the guardian of the Snake Spirit Crystal Wall Council and one of the seven elders is not afraid of the majesty of the family master.
I saw him standing up slowly, the golden snake pattern on his red robe flickering slightly under the firelight, his eyes as cold as ice, scanning everyone present.
"There is a traitor among us."
The guardian's voice was low and filled with a biting chill.
The moment the words fell, everyone's faces turned pale and gloomy, and the surrounding atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Alex continued, his voice like a sharp blade cutting into everyone's heart:
"The secret order of Serpentis Academy was leaked and fell into the hands of the Dark Lord. That person also assisted the Dark Lord in kidnapping and brutally killing a member of my Kailasel family - Damian. Kailasel. By the time we found him, his blood had long been drained, leaving a miserable body."
A wisp of cold wind penetrated the hall, and a suffocating sense of oppression quickly spread among everyone.
The guardian's eyes stayed on the professors, and he raised his wand coldly:
"There is no doubt that the traitor is among you."
His action of taking out the wand was full of chilling meaning. The professors around him finally couldn't bear it anymore. They looked at each other and put their hands on their chests, touching their own wands, and their whole bodies were tense and alert.
The backbone of the family did not hesitate, and directly took out their wands and pointed them at the professors, with undisguised vigilance and hostility in their eyes. The professors were livid, realizing that the situation before them was completely beyond their expectations - this was not an emergency meeting on how to deal with the Dark Lord, but a carefully arranged Hongmen Banquet.
The mentors of the Poison Fang Sect and the Mysterious Scales Sect looked gloomy, and the positions and dignity of the representatives of both parties were challenged - the former represented the academic class of the wizarding world, and the latter represented the civilian wizarding class.
Adrian Finn, the mentor of the mysterious scale sect, looked at the guardian coldly with his eyes like daggers, and his tone was uncompromising:
"Are you Kailasel planning to trap us here today?"
Alex narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice cold and indifferent:
"We're just making sure there's no hiding place for the traitors."
Adrian sneered, his tone full of sarcasm: "If you want to accuse us, why bother? I don't think you are going to let us leave today, all beards and tails, right? But you know that attacking us means What.”
At this time, Alfred, the head of the family, glanced at the guardian coldly, and said in an unhurried voice with a hint of dissatisfaction:
"That's enough. We are not in the trial court. It is unwise to accuse anyone without conclusive evidence."
Although his tone was gentle, the majesty in it still made the guardian lower his head slightly.
Alfred, the head of the family, immediately faced the professors with a gentle look on his face, and his voice slowed down, as if he said in an elder-like tone:
"Everyone, Damian's death and the failure of the college's defense have indeed had a great impact on the foundation of the family. As the head of the family, I am deeply disturbed. This is not only a loss to the family, but also a loss that all of us can hardly ignore. Hidden danger.”
His tone was gentle and considerate, but his eyes remained calm, like hidden sharp blades.
He continued:
"We have asked the sage for instructions, and the sage is about to send down the Holy Word and take action to eliminate the Dark Lord's chaos. But at this critical juncture, any slight omission may lead to irreparable consequences."
Alfred's tone gradually became heavier, with an invisible pressure.
"Therefore, before the sage's holy words officially arrive, for the sake of the safety of the family and the future of the college, I can only temporarily ask you to stay here to ensure nothing goes wrong. This is our common responsibility, and it is also for the long-term interests of the family. .”
As soon as the head of the Kailasel family finished speaking, a deeper shadow fell on the faces of the professors in the entire meeting hall.
They were helplessly silent, with gloomy expressions on their faces, knowing in their hearts the true meaning of "staying here temporarily".
The changes taking place in the city of Arcadian are obvious, and everyone understands that once they are under house arrest, it means losing the power and freedom to speak out, and it means that the academy and the power of resistance will be completely dismantled.
The professors glanced around secretly, and the Aurors formed a circle, watching them coldly and warily.
There was simmering hostility in the air.
At this moment, there are two Seven Guys sitting in the hall, one is Dao Zu and I am Fish and Flesh. Once they resist, they will give the Aurors an excuse to suppress them in one fell swoop.
The power of the family is now like a high-hanging blade, which can be cut down by one slightest carelessness.
The professors' hands trembled slightly, but in the end, with extreme anger and depression, they were forced to slowly lower their wands, and the fingertips were clenched so hard that they almost pierced their palms.
Seeing this scene, the head of the family smiled with satisfaction, his eyes filled with the coldness of a sure victory. He clapped his hands gently and ordered in a deep voice: "Put them on the magic-forbidden shackles."
As the order was issued, the Aurors of the Kellasel family swarmed forward, holding heavy shackles in their hands, and roughly twisted each professor's hands behind their backs, and the cold and hard magic-forbidden shackles were mercilessly fastened to their wrists. superior.
These shackles are heavy and cold, and are infused with anti-magic spells. Once worn, they completely block the caster's magic channels.
Even the Ouroboros Curse, a spell that bypasses the Sage's network, cannot be cast.
Click——
The sound of locks being tightened echoed over and over again in the hall, and each sound was like a brand of oppression, deeply engraved in the hearts of the professors.
The old craftsman Satis Elosak was also shackled and his eyelids were lowered.
The professors beside them all had angry expressions on their faces, with deep humiliation and depression in their expressions, and a sense of resistance and powerlessness in their hearts.
They avoided each other's eyes, not wanting others to see their helplessness at this moment, but the shadow of humiliation shrouded everyone's face like a shackle.
Aurors, on the other hand, are full of coldness and contempt, and have no respect for these former academic authorities.
They roughly pushed the professors and led them out of the chamber like prisoners, as if they had been completely reduced to prisoners worth noting.
Soon, the news spread quickly and deliberately, and the entire city of Arcadian was talking about the professors being placed under house arrest.
The family deliberately promoted this incident as a "purge operation of reactionary forces" and put the professors under house arrest collectively as a "necessary measure" for the family to rectify the wizarding world. Those reactionary forces who dared to speak out were brutally suppressed by the Aurors.
Since then, the city of Arcadian has been filled with fear and oppression under the high pressure of the Aurors. All voices of resistance have gradually been silenced by this iron-blooded authority, and seem to have been completely crushed.
*
*
Akares Continent Letherian (North).
The continent of Akares is divided into plates with their own characteristics. The southern part of the continent is a humid and gloomy poisonous swamp area. The capital of the continent, Sercassa, is located, and the city of Arcadian is a satellite city of Sercassa.
Letherian is located in the northern part of the continent of Akares. It is also contemptuously called the "Muggle stronghold". It is also where the Muggle class and the civilian wizard class gather.
There is a peaceful countryside outside of Letherium called Aedlin Village. Although this village is surrounded by the wizarding city, it is mostly inhabited by Muggles. The villagers live a simple life and know little about the wizarding world. However, today, the silence of Adelin Village was broken. An Ouroboros flag engraved with [∞] sounded in the wind, attracting the attention of the villagers.
This flag symbolizes a mysterious and unknown power. Many villagers whispered, with curious and apprehensive expressions on their faces. They did not dare to get close, but they were deeply attracted by the sight in front of them.
Groups of black-robed wizards lined up neatly, with cold and serious faces, standing silently on the village road. An invisible chill filled the air. The villagers had never seen such an orderly and majestic team of wizards. .
The black-robed wizards stood as calmly as statues, maintaining a precise distance from each other, exuding a majestic and inaccessible aura.
The leader of these black-robed wizards is a young woman. The woman's emerald green hair glows softly in the morning light. She talks softly to an old wizard.
The old wizard he talked to was Taslo, the guardian of Adeline Village, an old spellcaster who was known for his friendly treatment of Muggles.
Although Taslow is old, he has always maintained a sense of superiority in the relationship between Muggles and wizards, and there is a hint of innate arrogance.
However, today's Taslow has changed his previous attitude. When facing this young woman with long emerald green hair, his expression is obviously humble and respectful.
He bent down slightly and seemed to be explaining something to her, with a trace of unconcealed panic in his voice.
"Lord Camille," Taslo whispered, trying to sound calm, but his nervousness could not be concealed.
"Although Adeline Village is small and most of the villagers are Muggles, everything is under your control... You don't need to worry about any resistance here."
"This place should be very close to Letherian, right?" Camille asked.
"Yes... it's very close. It takes less than five hours to travel back and forth." The old wizard replied.
"Very good."
Camille nodded and looked at Letherian deeply.
On the third day after the Dark Lord's declaration, the Auror class suppressed all reactionary forces in the capital of the continent of Akares. The Nivahban led by the Emerald Witch marched to the "Muggle Base Camp" in the north.
Camille had been mentally planning to conduct a small raid in a few days to test Letherian's Auror power.
She planned to lead Nivahban on a march and stage a siege of Letherien.
Yes, you heard me right, it's... a siege.