Chapter 506: Chapter 22: Reform
Throughout the Silver Moon Fourth Year, the development of Giant Snake City was evident to the naked eye. The nominal victory but practical stalemate in the Battle of the Yadesi River against the Bloodline Elder Council became a driving force behind its rapid growth.
A large number of the Blood Clan defected to Giant Snake City, an event that was almost inconceivable. After all, the Elder Council wasn’t just the highest authority of the Blood Clan; they were also their ancestors and the jointly recognized rulers of the Kolin Peninsula by both Angels and Demons. Under normal circumstances, even if the Elder Council were truly defeated in the Yadesi River Campaign, it would be highly unlikely for the Blood Clan to completely defect and flock to Giant Snake City en masse.
Yet, that’s exactly what happened.
The greatest contributor to this outcome wasn’t Jones, nor even Giant Snake City itself, but the Elder Council. After the battle, the Elder Council voluntarily relinquished its control over the Blood Clan, plunging the entire faction into confusion. At this moment, the olive branch extended by Jones allowed him to not only reestablish the original trade routes but also swiftly achieve de facto control over the Kolin Peninsula.
That’s right, you heard it correctly: he achieved de facto control over the Kolin Peninsula. When the Blood Clan lost its central authority, and the proverbial "big stick" was in Jones’ hands, the entire Kolin Peninsula was effectively under his rule. If one had to name an exception, perhaps only the region surrounding High Court would qualify. The Elder Council remained there, unmoving within just a few dozen kilometers of territory.
However, this was practically no different from total control. On one hand, High Court was a minuscule area compared to the rest of the Kolin Peninsula. On the other hand, the population of High Court was rapidly fleeing—whether Blood Clansmen or slaves, it made no difference. It would soon become a desolate, insignificant ghost town.
And this was just on the surface. In the shadows, even more unfathomable events were unfolding.
...
Clutching the longsword with a black guard and silver blade, Jones swung it forward with force: "Blaze!"
In an instant, crimson flames swept outward, igniting a scarecrow three meters away.
The raging fire blazed, leaving Benedict II and Yilin, both dressed in military attire, utterly dumbfounded.
"We’ve achieved a storage of three uses for magic," Jones said as he handed the longsword to Benedict II. "The activation incantation is ’Blaze.’"
Taking the longsword, Benedict II mimicked Jones’ action and swung it forcefully: "Blaze!"
Immediately, flames roared forth, igniting a second scarecrow.
"You try it too; this is truly incredible!" Benedict II said as he passed the sword to Yilin.
Yilin then ignited the third scarecrow.
Staring blankly at the burning scarecrows, Yilin lowered her gaze and noticed that the originally red stone on the sword hilt had turned completely white: "What’s going on here? The stone changes color?"
"Yes, it’s a magic power storage crystal," Jones answered softly as he took the longsword back from Yilin. "When all three uses of the magic are expended—when all the energy is released—it turns white."
"So what happens next? Do we send it back to be recharged?" Benedict II asked.
"No, it must be replaced." Jones casually removed the now-white stone and crushed it with his fingers. "These are disposable. Once used, they can’t be reused."
Dora, standing nearby, handed over a tray containing more than a dozen red stones. Jones picked one from the tray and equipped it onto the longsword before casually swinging again: "Blaze!"
A fourth scarecrow burst into flames.
At this moment, the first scarecrow that caught fire had already burned down, leaving only a wooden frame smoldering with black smoke billowing into the sky.
"So what happens if someone else says ’Blaze’? Would it be triggered too?" Yilin asked.
"Didn’t you just say it earlier, and nothing happened?" Jones replied with a smile. "It can recognize who the wielder is. The magic will only activate when the wielder utters the incantation. Of course, for the wielder, the activation incantation becomes a forbidden word—something they can’t say carelessly. And when using it, the pronunciation has to be precise. Let me show you something else."
With that, Jones led Yilin and Benedict II to another part of the courtyard. There, three more scarecrows stood, except these were clad in what appeared to be high-quality armor.
Dora handed over a crossbow.
Holding the crossbow, Jones plucked a piercing crossbow arrow from the nearby quiver, loaded it, aimed from a distance, and fired.
With a "thud," the piercing crossbow arrow was deflected just a centimeter away from the armor, generating ripples that spread outward.
"A protective shield spell. I know about this one," Benedict II and Yilin exchanged smiles.
Jones fired three more shots. On the fourth shot, the piercing arrow finally penetrated the armor: "Just like the sword, the shield can only activate three times. Its activation is triggered by speed. When a fast-moving object approaches, the shield automatically activates. Once all three uses are depleted, the crystals must be replaced as well. The downside is that the shield cannot distinguish between what the approaching object is. Even air movement can trigger it. If someone were wearing this while flying at high speed, they’d likely deplete all three charges instantly."
"Don’t worry, none of us have that problem," Benedict II chuckled. "But what about close-quarters combat? If it’s not a piercing arrow but a regular weapon, would it still trigger? After all, armor of this quality isn’t something every blade could cut through."