Chapitre 80: Everlasting City Siege (6)

![Ice Arrow]

[You have dealt 39 points of damage]

[The spell [Ice Arrow] has been successfully cast. A [Blood Mark] has been stacked]

[You have successfully killed [Level 2 Soldier]. You have earned 5 EXP]

For the past few days, Arthur has been managing the engineers so that they would make the siege weapons necessary for winning the battle. However, the Everlasting City Siege was the perfect environment for him to develop his [Ice Arrow] proficiency. Hence, whenever his mana was full, he would approach the city walls and a couple hundreds of meters away from them, he would cast [Ice Arrow] repeatedly, causing meagre damage to the Baron's army.

Soldiers were patrolling on the city walls, and he was accurately sniping them down from afar, using his favourite long-distance elemental spell. Of course, he could use his archery skills too, but he wanted to bait the attention of the intermediate-rank acolytes.

Almost every time he showed up, two intermediate-rank acolytes would reveal themselves.

[Ice Arrow]

[You have dealt 39 points of damage]

[The spell [Ice Arrow] has been successfully cast. A [Blood Mark] has been stacked]

[You have successfully killed [Level 6 Knight]. You have earned 80 EXP]

'A beginner-rank knight...It seems like I can kill one quite easily now...', Arthur analysed as he killed an existence that was on par with beginner rank acolyte in one single spell without putting much will into it.

Although Arthur was quite wary of these acolytes, he had gotten a bit of information from their attempts to disable his daily attacks.

[Name - Jack Bare | Title: Blue Oax Tailor Shop Owner

Class - Level 13 [Intermediate] Acolyte

HP - 20 / 20 | MP - 130 / 130

Attributes:

Strength – 2 | Agility – 1 | Vitality – 2 | Magic Power - 13

Status - Healthy

Skills - (?)

Craftsmanship - (?)

Spell - Earth Spear [Low-grade] (28), Shield of Mud [Low-grade] (18), Earth Spirit Summon [Low-grade] (15)...]

[Name - Baron Lark

Class - Level 12 [Intermediate] Acolyte

HP - 40 / 40| MP - 120 / 120

Attributes:

Strength – 3 | Agility – 1 | Vitality – 4 | Magic Power - 120

Status - Healthy

Skills - (?)

Craftsmanship - (?)

Spell - Fire Arrow [Low-grade] (48), Wall of Fire [Low-grade] (28), Fire Spear [Low-grade] (15), Fire Ball [Low-grade] (28)

Magical Artefact - Fire Stone Amulet [Low-grade] (Increase fire spell damage by 15%)]

These were the two strongest intermediate-rank acolytes Arthur had managed to get information. The process of gathering information was quite easy. Arthur relied heavily on his ring artefact, which allowed him to scan the individual he targeted mentally. This included skills, spells and relative proficiency.

Although he was always precautious and never approached the walls, thus limiting the appraisal of his opponents' skills, their spell casting had allowed him to get a rough understanding of their magical attainments and spell proficiency.

The two strongest intermediate-rank acolytes were several levels above him. Obviously, the effects of daily meditation over extended periods of time showed results eventually. Considering their current realm of strength, they were at least grade 2 talents. Even with a basic meditation set, they reached the peak of the intermediate acolyte realm.

Arthur had already made calculations in his mind. Considering that he was earning 20 EXP daily from the high-grade and incomplete [Black Widow Brotherhood Meditation Technique], he would need roughly 750 days to level up just once. In other words, considering the increasingly high demands in EXP, it would take him roughly one decade to reach the peak of the intermediate acolyte realm if he only relied on meditation.

Although it seemed an enormous time investment, it was already impressive. Many acolytes would stop making progress after using a reactive elixir. In the entire Porfield Kingdom, the number of Magi could be counted on one's hands. Hence, advanced-rank acolytes were considered the true magical powerhouses in the continent. After all, magi were too few in numbers.

Even then, there were only so many advanced-rank acolytes.

Hence, the fact that Arthur could reach the top 1% of the magical echelons in a matter of years with absolute confidence was shocking enough.

"Body Scan", Arthur spoke with confidence, wanting to compare himself with his enemies.

[Name – Arthur Landragon

Class – Level 10 [Intermediate Rank] Acolyte (0 / 15 000 EXP)

HP – 130 / 130 | Mana: 85 / 130

→ Experience Stored: 3 240

Attributes:

Strength – 15 | Agility – 5 (+1) | Vitality – 8 (+2) | Magic Power – 10

Skills: Advanced Swordsmanship (107), Advanced Archery (103), Magical Knowledge (85), Ice Magical Knowledge (70), Deceiving (40), Spell Reading (35), Acting (26), Strategy (23), Cartography (20), Scroll Copying (15), Eloquence (25), Charming (18), Poetry (15), Trading (18), Information gathering (26)

Perk: [Ice Physique: (+2) Vitality, (+6) Magic Resistance, (+30%) Ice Damage]

Knight Technique: Heavy Vertical Strike (58), Power Thrust (32), Killing Intent (40)

Spell: Ice Poison Aura [High-grade] (62), Soul Seal [Intermediate-grade] (42), Frozen Hands [Low Grade] (40), Shield of Ice [Low-grade] (32), Charm [Low-grade] (17), Ice Arrow [Low-grade] (50), Frozen Seal [Low-grade] (15), Frozen Curse [High-grade] (12)

Magical Artefact: Moonlight Ring (Strength Blessing Cast [1/1]), Arcane Fox Mask (+30 Mana), Blood Earing (+5 HP / spell), Blood Totem (Blood Arrow Cast), Vine Ring ([Vine] cast), Jogorn Elven Tribe Stone (+1 Agility), Elven Moonlight Pearl (+30 HP),

Unused Magical Artefact : Jogorn Elven Tribe Heirloom Pendant (+50 Proficiency points in shapeshifting)

Enchanted Items: Celeste (Medium-grade Enchanted Weapon), Ring of Courage (Low-grade Enchanted Item, (+1) Pain tolerance), Amulet of Healing (Low-grade Enchanted Item, +1 Regeneration), Orc General Flag (Low-grade, (+1) Fear)

Research: [Frozen Warrior Creation] - Progress (31%)]

Attribute-wise, skill-wise, equipment-wise...Arthur was a monstrous existence in comparison to the two old acolytes eyeing him from the walls.

They might have two, or even three levels more than him, and thus higher magic powers. However, even if they were to fight him at the same time, Arthur would win ten times out of ten. His magical artefacts obviously played a huge role in those odds, but even his spell proficiencies were so high that it made his magic more lethal, more fluid and faster to cast.

In other words, it was like comparing a bodybuilder with a soldier. Though a bodybuilder might have higher strength, a soldier who had killed on a battlefield would enter a duel with an entirely different mindset and resolve.

To Arthur, the fact that Count Elderwood and his vassals were trying to pin the shame of 'defeat' on the Landragon Household by giving him authority in this siege, and their willingness to put an amazingly precious magical ore mine for the sake of it proved that they ignored everything of acolytes.

What defined acolytes' strength was not magic power, or numbers. In a siege battle, what mattered was battle experience and magical knowledge.

Unfortunately for the Baron Lark's army, Arthur could be considered an extremely powerful existence in the [Ivory Tower], an environment where the most talented acolytes gathered and studied to become stronger.

Baron Lark and his wandering acolyte friends might have gotten more time to cultivate, but in the end, cultivation and battle prowess were two different things.

'Should I test it out?', Arthur thought

Upon reaching 50 points of proficiency in his spell [Ice Arrow], his attainments in the spell had gotten much deeper. Just like at 50 points of proficiency, his swordsmanship had turned into intermediate swordsmanship, spells underwent a qualitative change at 50 and 100 points of proficiency.

Ice Poison Aura not only slowed the body, it also slowed the mind after reaching 50 points of proficiency.

As for [Ice Arrow]...

[Ice Arrow - Rank 0 Offensive Spell (Intermediate Mastery)

Condense ice elemental particles into an arrow shape. It is then propulsed towards the target with a burst of mana.

Cost - 5 points of mana

Effect - Deals 10 + [Magic Power] points of damage

Option: You can choose to spend twice the mana cost in order to deal [Magic Power] additional [Ice] Damage

Proficiecny (50) Effect: You can cast three [Ice Arrow] at the same time. However, the time casting is increased by 80% upon doing so. Mana consumption is doubled]

By spending 20 points of mana, he could now cast three ice arrows at the same time, each dealing 39 points of damage. In other words, one spell could deal over 100 points of damage, a number so high that it would be enough to take down average intermediate-rank knights even if his spell didn't touch vital spots.

This was incredible, and the result of Arthur investing all the spell proficiency points he had gotten from previous battles and missions into [Ice Arrow].

Thinking about killing Baron Lark, a quest emerged

[Lark Household Fall - Mission

You have set the goal to kill Baron Lark and destroy his heritage.

Task - Kill all the Lark-affiliated Acolytes (0 / 19)

Rewards - 5 000 EXP, Southern Gate Region Reputation Gain, Elderwood Household Reputation Gain, Landragon Household Reputation Gain, Halefire Household Reputation Gain, Palford Household Reputation Gain, 20 Spell Proficiency Points, 10 Skill Points

Optional Task - Slaughter Everlasting City Inhabitants (0 / 5 000)

Rewards - 10 000 EXP, 10 Spell Proficiency Points, 10 Skill Points]

Although the rewards were very alluring, Arthur immediately shook his head upon reading the optional task.

He was a monster, but slaughtering a city was...too much, even for him. It was not a matter of morals. He would have nightmares about it, but if it meant earning 10 000 EXP, which was the equivalent of one year's worth of meditation, he was ready to go through it. His conscience would take a blow, but growth in strength would allow him to become much more influential in the Ivory Tower, and create even more advantageous situations.

In the end, he had set his goal to create a magical tower in the Landragon fief, and govern his inhabitants well. However, if he was too weak, the creation of a magical tower would only end up backfiring on his subjects and family. He could live with killing thousands of people. He could not live with the idea of his family dying, and his duty failing.

Hence, the reason behind the refusal to slaughter the city was quite different.

There existed a magical organization in the Kingdom, led by the Royal Magus [Xenoph]. Any act of sorcery breaking the code of magic, and the [Law of Equivalent Exchange], would result in investigations.

Arthur did not want to become a [Dark] Acolyte so soon.

[Dark] Acolytes, and [Dark] Magi were wanted criminals. Although they were often stronger than normal acolytes and magi, they would most of the time end up dead not even a month after they became wanted.

Arthur was confident in his strength, but he was far from being stupid enough to break the code of magic with mere acolyte strength.

If he ever became a magus...then it would be a different story altogether.