Free Web NovelChapter 521: Chapter 449: The Sudden Wizard War
The soul of the Starfall Wizard lightly drifted out of the lounge, heading to the main control room to connect to the Magic Net.
The Alloy Gate silently slid shut, leaving only Clark, Viola, and Jeming, the three master and apprentice, in the room.
Almost the moment the door closed, Jeming keenly sensed a subtle yet definite change in the atmosphere of the room.
Not hostility or tension, but a sort of... tranquility.
A tranquility that follows the discussion of relatively "private" or "technical" matters and shifts towards more serious topics.
The air seemed to have grown heavier.
Jeming subconsciously straightened his back, his gaze inadvertently wandering to Professor Clark who was still leisurely sipping his hot drink, then glanced at Viola beside him.
Senior Sister Viola obviously noticed it too; the lively expression on her face due to teasing Starfall quickly gathered away, her brows slightly furrowed, her gaze becoming sharp and focused.
"Ahem."
Professor Clark gently put down the metal cup in his hand, the contact between the bottom of the cup and the table emitting a crisp and faint sound.
He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly swept over his two students, that plain tone conveying words that would make any member of the Nolun Workshop’s heart tremble:
"Make preparations ahead. Before long, Nolun Workshop will go to war with the Tower of Annihilation and the Chaos Secret Sect."
Jeming’s heart suddenly leaped, blurting out in astonishment: "War? With the Tower of Annihilation, Chaos Secret Sect? Why?"
In his knowledge and experience, Nolun Workshop and these two Wizard Influences under the Star Ring Federation have always had a harmonious relationship, could even be said to be close cooperative partners.
The most direct evidence is the "Boundary Point."
The super-large inter-plane transfer hub co-financed, co-constructed, and jointly maintained by the three parties.
Its existence is to provide a stable, safe, and fully functional initial base for the Wizards participating in the Plane War from the three parties.
The prior preparations and gatherings for multiple Plane Wars Jeming participated in were mostly done at the Boundary Point.
On the battlefield, Wizards from these three different influences fought side by side, mutual support was the norm.
Jeming himself had collaborated with the Wizards from the Tower of Annihilation.
The cooperation among the three major influences although occasionally clashed, overall atmosphere was rational and efficient, all for the common goal of acquiring plane resources and expanding Wizard Civilization.
How suddenly, intimate allies will turn into life-and-death enemies?
Viola’s reaction was calmer than Jeming’s, but her brows knitted even tighter, she looked at Clark, her tone somber: "They... can’t wait any longer?"
Upon hearing this, Clark displayed a near-sarcastic smile.
He slowly said, "Originally, each of our three major influences only had one Eighth Level Wizard stationed. Although the accumulated foundations and specific scale of the influences varied, from the most decisive strategic power at the top, a fragile balance was roughly maintained. Differences could be talked over; benefits could be shared. The advantages brought by cooperative win-win far exceeded the potential gains from confrontation."
He paused, his gaze under the gray robe became deep: "But now, things have changed."
Professor Clark’s words acted like a key, instantly unlocking a neglected corner in Jeming’s mind.
Anton Buchanan!
Professor Clark’s mentor, his master!
Recently completed Law Solidification, becoming Nolun Workshop’s second Eighth Level Wizard!
Back then Jeming was on site, overwhelmed by the vast Law manifestation and knowledge torrent.
Only felt the workshop’s strength greatly enhanced, a bright future ahead, never deeply pondering what drastic impact this would have on the surrounding political landscape.
For a long time, the wars he participated in all focused externally, combating alien civilizations, plundering plane resources.
This made him unconsciously associate "war" with "external," inadvertently neglecting the cold rational competition and conflicts present within Wizard Civilization, among different Wizard Influences.
Now upon reflection, it’s only natural.
On the plane battlefield, Wizard Squads temporarily formed might, upon discovering resources precious enough to drive one mad, resort to "rational betrayal" and turn on their comrades by weighing risk and reward.
Even among individual Wizards, that’s the case.
As a huge interest collective, how could Wizard Influences always coexist peacefully?
The pleasant past cooperation was merely based on "equivalent strength" as the optimal solution.
The cake from cooperation was large enough, shared among everyone satisfactorily, far more worthwhile than tearing faces resulting in mutual loss.
But now, the balance has been broken.
Anton Buchanan’s successful promotion to Eighth Level means that Nolun Workshop’s top strategic power has transformed from "one" to "two"!
Within the Wizard Civilization, High Tier Wizards, especially those at Seventh and Eighth Level, almost represent 90% of the deterrent force and actual combat power of a wizard influence.
The birth of a newly promoted Eighth Level Wizard, without exaggeration, almost doubled the comprehensive combat strength of Nolun Workshop!
How can the Tower of Annihilation and Chaos Secret Sect not be flustered? How can they not be anxious?
How can one allow others to snore beside them?
Especially when this "other" suddenly grows an arm that can easily crush them.
Just as Jeming quickly sorted out this harsh political logic in his mind, Professor Clark’s plain voice continued, confirming his thoughts:
"From a purely rational perspective, their choice is not wrong. Taking action while Professor Anton has just been promoted and is not yet fully familiar with or controlling Eighth Level power, before converting this power completely into a strategic advantage for the workshop, is their only possible opportunity to stifle us, or even to seize benefits in turn. The earlier they act, the better it is for them."
Jeming’s heart tightened: "Then... doesn’t that mean the war might break out immediately?"
Jeming had no doubt that, with the action-oriented nature of Wizards, once they understand this point, they might immediately start a war.
Viola shook her head at the side and took over the conversation, her tone tinged with a hint of mockery: "Not as fast as you think. Because the Star Ring Federation won’t allow it."
"Star Ring Federation?" Jeming looked at Professor Clark.
Clark nodded and explained: "Nolun Workshop, Tower of Annihilation, and Chaos Secret Sect ultimately belong to the member forces under the Star Ring Federation. The Federation usually doesn’t interfere with internal affairs of the forces, granting a high degree of autonomy. But if large-scale armed conflict broke out between member forces, the Federation has the right and responsibility to coordinate."
Viola seemed to think of something, her lips curling slightly, adding: "After all, if a group of Wizards were really allowed to act freely, the repercussions of this matter would inevitably grow bigger."
"However, coordination is not a forced ceasefire order, which doesn’t align with the Wizard’s core logic of ’equivalent exchange’ and ’power supremacy,’ and is prone to burying deeper hidden dangers." Clark’s tone seemed to be stating some objective law.
"Federation coordination usually involves delineating a specific time and a particular area based on the demands, power comparison, and controversy focus of conflicting parties. They’re required to invest major combat power into the designated area for ’duels’ within the specified time."
"The winner gains the disputed interests or voice, while the loser must bear the corresponding cost, such as ceding part of their interests, or being ’assigned’ to riskier civilization frontiers to independently develop new territories as compensation."
He glanced at Jeming: "Of course, one can choose not to abide by the Federation’s coordination, privately initiate a war, and escalate the conflict. But doing so would result in simultaneously defying the Federation’s rules and provoking other forces cautious of spreading war, facing joint sanctions from the entire Star Ring Federation system, possibly including the Star Orbit Arbitration Court. The cost of that, no wizard influence can afford."
Jeming immediately understood: "So... the workshop senior management uses the Federation’s coordination mechanism to delay the time of the war?"
"That’s right." Clark’s faint smile vanished, replaced by a trace of regret, "Though the time is delayed, earning us a precious preparation period, but... the delay isn’t very long."
He lifted his head, as if his gaze penetrates the wall of the spaceship, looking towards that invisible future, or perhaps actually seeing some unknown fate line.
"From the circulated news and the progress of negotiations within the Federation," Clark’s voice was flat, yet each word clear, striking Jeming and Viola’s hearts, "this war could at most be delayed until eighty years later!"
"Within eighty years, the workshop will focus as much as possible on gathering resources, enhancing combat power, and integrating strength. But..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the direction Starfall Wizard had left, gently shaking his head.
"It seems, Starfall won’t catch this war."
Jeming listened to Professor Clark’s assertion, a trace of doubt still lingering in his heart.
Why is the mentor certain that Starfall Wizard won’t catch the war eighty years later?
Is it just because she lost her body?
For Wizards, especially High Tier Wizards, the destruction of the physical body is indeed a major setback but doesn’t mean an irreversible dead end.
The technology to reshape the body and adapt it to the soul is not a secret within Wizard Civilization, and even can be said to be quite common.
It only requires some resources and a few days to reconstruct a new body.
By then, the wizard just needs to connect the new body with the soul to "come alive" again and regain most of the combat power.
Starfall Wizard, despite suffering significant losses this time, also gained considerably, surely not to the extent of missing this war?
Just as Jeming pondered privately, the alloy door of the lounge slid open again.
Starfall Wizard’s soul floated back.
However, unlike her previous state when she left eager and full of vitality.
At this moment, she appeared... unusually adrift.
Though she is inherently an ethereal soul, this "drifting" was not due to the inherent illusion of the soul body, but rather a lack of focus after severe mental shock.
Her "floating" motion is much slower than usual, and the flow of the soul’s light seemed somewhat sluggish and chaotic.
The pair of half-transparent eyes lost focus, as if still immersed in some unbelievable shock.
