NABC Chapter 183 Spell Meditation in the Dungeon
Chapter 183 Spell Meditation in the Dungeon
Chapter 183 Spell Meditation in the Dungeon
Bang! The iron gate slammed shut.
The monks on duty closed the door, completely blocking the sheriff's view from outside.
However, Kane's eyes flickered slightly as Arundel and Asler were separated, and four red-robed mages each helped one of them up.
Beside Kane, the two mages on duty who had just closed the iron gate fixed their scrutinizing gazes on him, pointing their short staffs at him.
Kane chuckled and raised his hands.
The scimitar fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Seeing his cooperation, the two red-robed mages exchanged a glance, nodded, and simply held their short staffs close to his side.
"Please wait a moment," one of them said.
As Kane waited, footsteps approached from afar.
A female mage in a red robe walked over.
She wore a mask, was half a head shorter than Kane, and was a female half-elf.
Her gaze was serious, and her long, pointed ears were particularly striking, even more so than Ella's features, indicating that she possessed pure blood.
"Outsider, the academy is under martial law. What brings you here?"
The female elf mage looked at Kane seriously.
Kane glanced at Arundel, who was not far away and seemed to be explaining to another red-robed mage.
He withdrew his gaze and calmly replied, "I'm sorry. Unless I meet with someone in charge, I cannot reveal the purpose of my visit."
The female mage's gaze suddenly turned cold.
"Your behavior constitutes an offense to the college."
According to martial law regulations, I can kill you on the spot.
Kane simply maintained that faint smile and offered no explanation.
He believed that the commotion here would eventually attract truly influential figures.
He met the female mage's gaze, his silence conveying a clear refusal to cooperate.
Anger flashed across the beautiful face of the female mage, and she was about to speak when she seemed to suddenly hear something.
After a moment, she glared at Kane and ordered the two mages beside him, "Take him to the dungeon."
About fifteen minutes later, as Kane walked through the passage leading to the dungeon, a barely perceptible hint of helplessness crossed his face.
-
Although I had anticipated that my trip to the mage academy might not go smoothly, being locked in a dungeon as soon as I entered was still unexpected.
However, Kane understood the expression Arundel gave him before he was taken away.
That means they will rescue him as soon as possible.
Okay, I'll just stay here for a while.
The three of them walked into a long underground passage.
The environment was dark, yet surprisingly clean; even the instruments of torture were not visible.
The cage contained many emaciated people, many of whom appeared to be monks, and many of them were holding books.
Kane's arrival drew some glances, but most of them quickly looked down again.
The female mage leading the way noticed Kane's scrutinizing gaze, let out a cold snort with an ambiguous meaning, and said nothing more.
Kane was indeed somewhat surprised.
He had seen the prison cells of the demon cult stronghold, the Nord City Guard's underground prison, and the Night's Watch's cell.
But this is the first time I've seen a prison cell with such a "scholarly" atmosphere.
He coughed and said, "Before you lock me up, could you give me a book? By the way, I'm a little hungry."
The female mage snorted, her face clearly saying "You're dreaming," and ordered the two red-robed mages, "Take him to the next level."
The next level? Kane pondered to himself.
The monk to his left and behind nudged his back lightly with his short staff, signaling him to move forward.
About ten minutes later, in the so-called "next level" of the dungeon, Kane saw a completely different scene from the one above.
The murky air, carrying a stench, assaulted our senses, while groans and whispers rustled in the shadows.
As soon as he stepped inside, the female mage placed her hand on the door and said, "Nord, you've missed your meal. Stay here for now."
Bang! The cell door slammed shut behind them.
The dim candlelight barely illuminated the cage.
As he entered, the prisoners, who had been sitting or lying down, stood up one after another, their gazes fixed on him, a mixture of scrutiny, numbness, and hostility.
A man, dressed in rags but with an unusually muscular build, who appeared to be a mercenary leader, led several equally burly men and slowly surrounded Kane, blocking his way.
"Kid, are you Nord? — We hate people from your country the most."
-
"boring."
Kane sighed, cracked his knuckles, and looked up at the approaching crowd.
"Perfect, time to stretch my muscles."
Click!
Immediately afterwards, cries of pain and wails rose and fell.
Inside the Illusion Academy, at the top of a pristine white tower.
The wind blew through the curtains, and the room was empty and quiet.
Arundel pushed open the door and entered the empty room. He had changed into new clothes and was holding a short cane in his hand again.
He respectfully addressed the open space, saying, "Teacher, I'm back."
"Arundel"
A gentle female voice suddenly rang out, filled with admiration, "Your travels seem to have been very fruitful."
Ripples spread across the empty room, and a figure appeared.
It was a woman dressed in a silk robe, reclining comfortably in an armchair, flipping through a spellbook in her hands.
Her long, pointed ears had a beautiful shape.
She put down her book and looked at Arundel.
"We are aware of the intelligence you brought back. But do you really think holding an academy meeting is feasible?"
The Mage Academy has been outside the Susas system for far too long.
If we intervene rashly, neither the Noble Council, the Susas royal family, nor other forces will be happy about our interference.
This concerns real, tangible interests.
Arundel placed his hand on his chest, his posture becoming increasingly respectful, but his voice was clear and firm: "Mentor, I understand the academy's position and concerns."
But we must anticipate the worst-case scenario: if the King of Sussas is indeed assassinated, and the Duke seizes the opportunity to launch a civil war, even engulfing the Nord kingdoms—how many people will be displaced in this land?
The current situation is no longer a question of whether the academy should remain aloof.
Transcendence brings peace and resources, that's true, but that shouldn't be a reason for us to stand idly by. After all,
He raised his head, his gaze intense.
"Without Susas, there would be no Susas Mage Academy."
After listening, the woman smiled, gently placed the book aside, and carefully examined her student. After a moment, she said, "It seems you have made up your mind. Very well, I will convene an academy meeting in three days. At that time, you will personally present your case to the deans."
A huge weight lifted from Arundel's heart, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he thought of Kane: "That—my friend?"
The woman smiled: "You can bring him out now. However, if he causes any trouble within the academy, you will be fully responsible."
"Yes! Thank you, Mentor Bella."
Arundel bowed deeply.
"Alright," Bella said, picking up the spellbook again and relaxing a bit.
"Now, tell me in detail what happened when you encountered the demon in the academy corridor."
Don't overlook any detail.
Arundel composed himself and began to carefully recount his memories.
As he narrated, Bella's relaxed brows gradually furrowed.
Deep inside the dungeon, however, lay a completely different scene.
"Boss Kane—this, this is tonight's meal, please enjoy—"
"And, and here's mine too—today it's William's corn chowder with white bread."
"Please enjoy your meal. We'll clean up when you're done."
Kane sat on a mat made of other people's clothes, looking at the food laid out in front of him, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Although the living conditions and the quality of the "roommates" were clearly inferior to those of the spellcaster prisoners on the upper floors, the food did not seem to be any less.
He said "thank you".
"I don't deserve it! I don't deserve it!"
Beside him, a tall prisoner with a bruised and swollen face clutched his arm, which appeared to have been dislocated but had just been set, and hurriedly began to fawn over him.
Most of the other prisoners around him were also injured, and their eyes as they looked at Kane were a mixture of fear, flattery, and lingering resentment.
Kane smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
These prisoners are at most Tier 1. Theoretically, given the large number of them and the fact that both sides are unarmed, even a Tier 2 professional at the captain level would find it difficult to escape if entangled.
But for him, he only needs to use his "undying" ability to recover from his injuries to continue fighting.
It was through this continuous fighting, where injuries were exchanged for injuries, that all the prisoners were "educated" by him.
The one who was beaten the worst was the original leader, who was now the tall prisoner who was being the most obsequious.
Kane looked at him and said, "There's something I need to tell you."
"What are your orders?" The burly man jumped.
"Call me Your Excellency."
"Yes—Boss—No, Your Excellency!"
The tall prisoner nodded hurriedly, and the others respectfully echoed his sentiments.
"Hmm." Kane said, then sat down and began to eat.
The others quickly made way for them.
From the outside, Kane occupied most of the cell, while more than ten others were crammed into a small area, but no one felt it was unfair.
Kane ate while checking the panel that appeared in his mind.
The experience points column contains a rather impressive number.
it's time.
From Twin Ports onward, a fierce battle ensued: cultists in the Savannah, the Wax-Melting Demons in the Merchant Guild Warehouse, and the battles that followed their entry into the Royal Court —
Although the skill points gained were not many, the experience points increased considerably.
With focused attention, the numbers following the grade begin to jump.
Experience points are consumed like flowing water, and the level climbs from LV21, 22, 23, 24 — until it stops steadily at LV25.
As his intelligence-centric attributes increased, Kane could clearly feel that his perception of the "ether" floating in the environment had become more acute and clear.
There are about 20 experience points left, which will be retained for now.
Turn your attention to the other entries on the panel.
He hadn't used his chance for a "Perfect Meditation" yet, but instead of choosing it, he looked at the regular "Meditation" function.
He hadn't used this function since escaping the demon cult's stronghold, because it consumed a lot of experience points and the results were not always as desired.
"Perhaps—it's worth a try." A thought flickered in his mind.
My gaze swept across the spell bar, where seven spells were temporarily stored due to "Spell Mark Inscription":
[Secondary Illusion], [Thunderclap], [Earth Shaping], [Light], [Wind Dance], [Burning Hand], [Spider Walk].
After a moment's thought, he chose [Burning Hand (Temporary)].
[Should I invest 5000 experience points in meditation? Yes/No]
"Temporary spells can indeed be used for meditation, but the cost is doubled."
He understood and silently said, "Yes."
Kane closed his eyes, and the arcane principles of "Burning Hand" surged through his mind, rapidly circulating, disassembling, and reassembling.
As experience points are continuously consumed, they drive the exploration of deeper understanding.
After an unknown amount of time, Kane opened his eyes, his gaze calm.
"Nothing was gained."
Meditation is like that; it's a gamble with experience points. Even if you invest a lot, you may not necessarily reap any rewards.
However, when he looked at the panel again, he was slightly taken aback.
Because the "(temporary)" after "[Burning Hand]" disappeared, and it became "[LV1]".
Kane's eyes flashed, revealing a hint of joy.
Is that really okay? But upon closer inspection, it makes sense.
Meditation, in essence, is the process of repeatedly constructing, analyzing, and inscribing magical models into consciousness.
When one's understanding and mastery of a certain "temporary" model reaches a level sufficient to construct it independently without relying on external objects for maintenance, it naturally becomes "one's own" magic.
"By converting temporary spells into permanent mastery, I can free up more skin area to inscribe new runes."
Kane pondered for a moment, looked at the remaining experience points, and without hesitation, continued meditating.
Time passed by, bit by bit.
The spells 【Light】, 【Wind Dance】, and 【Spider Walk】 were also transformed into permanent spells through meditation, and the word "temporary" disappeared.
The remaining [Secondary Illusion], [Thunderclap], and [Earth Shaping] are not worth investing in for the time being due to their relatively low value.
Night was falling.
Inside the cell, the other prisoners were already sprawled out, emitting heavy or uneven snores.
The ground was covered with dirty straw, and the smell was mixed.
Just as Kane was about to close his eyes to rest, his earlobe twitched almost imperceptibly.
He looked up and gazed toward the prison gate.
The iron gate slid open silently, and the passageway outside was empty and deserted.
"Lord Arundel, you have kept me waiting for quite some time."
As soon as he finished speaking, Arundel's figure indeed appeared out of thin air.
He looked at Kane apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I've wronged you. I'm here to take you away."
His gaze swept over the huddled, bruised and battered group of prisoners next to Kane, then over Kane's "spacious" territory, and his lips twitched slightly.
Even though he knew a bit about Kane's "extraordinary" abilities, he was still speechless at how well Kane could organize the environment even in the dungeon.
Kane stood up, dusted himself off, and shook off the scattered straw: "Let's go."
Arundel nodded and stepped forward to lead the way.
The moment Kane stepped out of the cell, he paused slightly, turned around, and glanced meaningfully at the "sleeping" figures on the ground before letting the iron gate slam shut behind him.
The footsteps faded into the distance.
The dungeon remained deathly silent for several breaths.
Immediately afterwards, the prisoners who were "sleeping" opened their eyes almost at the same time, sat up rustlingly, rubbing their sore spots and grimacing.
The tall prisoner rubbed his swollen cheek, spat, and muttered bitterly, "Those damn Nord barbarians—when I get out of here and run into them again, I'll make them—"
Before he could finish speaking, he felt a dozen pairs of eyes fixed on him.
The tall prisoner's throat bobbed, and under the silent gaze of the crowd, his voice trailed off: "—From a distance—aim a crossbow bolt at him—"
But just then, with a click, the iron gate seemed to be bumped, as if something had happened.
The tall prisoner froze, abruptly turned towards the cell door, and almost reflexively bowed, saying urgently, "Sir! I was talking nonsense! How could I dare!"
The words were spoken, but there was no response.
For a long time, the iron gate remained closed.
It wasn't until they heard the sound of the lock being put on that everyone realized it was probably just a monk on duty passing by.
"Tch—" Someone let out a disdainful hiss.
Everyone lay down again, and the cell fell into a stifling silence once more.
The tall prisoner gritted his teeth, wanting to say something threatening, but ultimately didn't.
His earlier groveling had completely shattered the little "prestige" he had built up in prison through his fists.
Upper dungeon.
Kane followed behind Arundel, walking through a relatively clean and tidy passageway.
The red-robed mages on duty on both sides cast questioning glances, but seeing that it was Arendel leading the way, they did not stop them.
Meanwhile, in the cells on either side, many of the prisoners dressed in tattered mage robes or scholar's attire looked up from their books and silently watched the departing stranger.
Just as he was about to leave this floor, a voice suddenly rang in his ears: "This is not a safe haven, Nord."
Upon hearing the sound, Kane paused almost imperceptibly.
But he observed that neither Arundel nor any of the other mages on duty seemed to have heard the sound.
Kane's eyes shifted slightly, revealing a faint, knowing smile.
He stopped and looked around at the prisoners of various backgrounds in the cells next door.
"Lord Kane?"
Arundel seemed to notice his momentary pause and turned to ask.
"It's nothing."
Kane withdrew his gaze from the cells on both sides, shook his head, and regained his composure.
Arundel didn't ask any further questions and continued to lead the way.
Kane followed without looking back, but his expression became slightly serious. The waters inside the mage academy might be deeper than he had imagined.