How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 67 Contact with the Magic Network

The sixth district, the trade market.

The information broker Fogg slipped out of the market, looked around, and hurried off in another direction.

Since his home was broken into last time, he has moved away from the original address and has changed his residence every now and then.

He returned to his current lodging, which was the back door of a shop.

After carefully locking the iron gate, Fogg opened the wardrobe again.

He rubbed the heavy gold coins between his fingers, unable to suppress the joy on his face.

"Have you finished counting?"

A calm, emotionless voice suddenly came from behind, and Fogg froze.

—Why is this guy showing up again?!

He slowly turned around, the joy on his face long since turned into a bitter smile.

"Lord Kane... what do you wish to inquire about this time?"

He was genuinely afraid of the Night's Watchman.

The first time I inquired about "Rusty Hands," the entire organization was wiped out.

The second time they inquired, they learned that the underground forces had gathered in Rat Hill, but soon the underground forces were wiped out by the city guards.

This is the third time... I wonder which unlucky person will suffer next.

Kane raised an eyebrow, noticing his sweat-drenched appearance:

"I'm just here to ask you something, there's no need to be so nervous."

Fogg wiped his brow with his sleeve, adopting a fawning expression:

"I'm not panicking, I'm just wondering what your instructions are..."

"Do you have any news regarding the group of mage apprentices in the city?"

Kane asked directly.

Fogg paused, then shook his head and smiled bitterly:

"Your Excellency, you have made a mistake."

My intelligence network only extends to the outskirts of the sixth and seventh districts.

"A mage apprentice...that's already the inner city's circle."

Kane nodded, then asked:

"Have any new faces resembling mage apprentices appeared in the adventurers' taverns in the outer city recently?"

Fogg frowned and thought carefully for a moment, but finally shook his head.

"no."

Kane's expression was knowing—just as he had expected.

That "Demon Child" with the power of a ghoul has probably already made his move against the mage apprentice.

Logically speaking, even the lowest-ranking mage apprentice would be readily accepted by many adventurer teams if they were willing to take action.

After all, even magic tricks can turn the tide of battle at crucial moments.

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze settling on Fogg's tense face:

"I have a request."

Upon hearing the word "request," Fogg began to sweat again.

"You...you said..."

"Help me forge an identity, pretending to be a stranger from out of town who wants to become an apprentice at the Mage Tower."

This matter could actually be handled internally by the Night's Watch, but Kane didn't intend to do so; he had other plans.

Fogg's lips twitched.

A night watchman asked him to do this kind of illegal thing... Could it be a sting operation?

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the Night's Watch insignia on the other man's body, then steeled himself and spoke with righteous indignation:

"I'm sorry, but I refuse. I always strictly abide by Nord's laws."

Kane looked at him and suddenly laughed: "Are you sure you can't do it?"

Fogg met his gaze and, forcing himself to speak, said:

"I have already told a few friends about my relationship with you."

If something happens to me, they will definitely leak everything, including your name.

Kane smiled.

Fogg was immediately terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.

He didn't want to agree, because if there was a first time, there would be a second.

Moreover, Kane's official status is the reason why he can still muster the courage to refuse at this moment.

But then he heard a sentence that sent chills down his spine:

"Fogg, have you paid your taxes?"

"...Pay taxes?"

Fogg looked at Kane as if he saw the devil smiling.

His intelligence trading was already a gray income, so how could he possibly record and report it like a regular chamber of commerce?

"Lord Kane, taxes... shouldn't that be the sheriff's responsibility, not the Night's Watch's?"

Kane's smile remained unchanged:

"It is indeed under the jurisdiction of the sheriff."

However, which do you think is more credible: the testimony of a Night's Watchman or the testimony of an information broker?

Seeing Kane's calm expression, Fogg felt a wave of dizziness.

……

The following day, in the third district.

Kane changed into a faded old robe and mingled among several young people dressed in various ways, standing under a pure white mage tower.

This tower is called the "Tower of the High Dome," and its master is a third-tier mage of the School of Prophecy.

After submitting the forged identity documents provided by Fogg, he followed the other prospective apprentices into the hall.

A dozen or so people have already gathered here, standing in three groups:

One group consisted of noble children, another of merchant families, and the third of commoners.

Just like my previous experience in the "Gray Tower," there was a clear class distinction.

Kane silently walked to the edge, lowered his head, and pretended to be timid and uneasy.

His purpose today is very simple:

He plays a mediocre countryman who barely becomes an apprentice and is penniless.

By appropriately revealing ambition and embarrassment, one can attract the attention of the "devil's son" lurking in the shadows.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded beside him:

"Hello, my name is Talia, and I'm from the Fifth District. It's nice to meet you."

Kane turned his head and saw a girl in a dress with a gentle smile.

Kane, wary, hesitated for a moment before responding cautiously:

"I'm Kate, from Nilfgaard. Hello."

Upon hearing the name "Nilfgaard," a fleeting hint of disdain flashed across Talia's eyes—though she concealed it well.

Kane noticed this, but was not surprised.

To the residents of the war city, those who come from outside the city are all country bumpkins, let alone Talia, who comes from a middle-class family in the fifth district.

However, Talia was clearly deep in thought, and soon smiled again:

"Once the assessment is over, everyone will be an apprentice."

Kane nodded.

Talia smiled and, making an excuse, turned to talk to the other people.

Kane watched her retreating figure, his heart unmoved.

This is the law of survival in the Mage Tower. From the moment you step into this place, everyone is busy scrambling for resources and connections.

The reason he was unwilling to let Zeya enter the mage tower in the first place was because he saw through this.

That girl is naive and simple-minded. If she doesn't have enough talent and powerful backing, she will eventually be used as a pawn.

As he was thinking, a formally dressed monk in a pure white robe walked in.

"Everyone, follow me. I will now teach you how to perceive the magic network, followed by an assessment."

Only those who can successfully connect to the magic network can become formal apprentices of the High Dome.

Kane responded along with the others.

His gaze inadvertently fell upon Talia smiling slightly at him again.

If he were truly an ignorant outsider, he would probably regard her as a kind and considerate "white moonlight" (ideal figure).

Kane chuckled inwardly, but outwardly returned a slightly reserved smile.

Talia turned her head with satisfaction.

The group followed the white-robed monk into a secret chamber.

He lit a stick of incense and addressed the crowd:

"Now close your eyes, meditate, open your senses... feel the invisible 'net' around you."

Seeing that everyone had closed their eyes, Kane did as they were told.

As an arcanist, he doesn't actually need to use the magic network to cast spells—but he has to pretend at this moment.

As his perception expanded, he sensed the activity of the ether around him.

Behind the closed eyelids, there was not pure darkness, but rather an invisible flow of energy, like gently rippling fabric.

This is the Magic Web.

He experienced the wondrous sensation of being connected to the world, the ether pulsating rhythmically within the magic web.

An intuition told him that he could easily cast spells by imprinting the spell model onto it.

Temptation quietly emerges.

"But I am an arcanist... My power should originate from within myself."

His resolve quickly hardened.

The magic network can greatly reduce the difficulty of casting spells and speed up the learning process.

However, once trapped in a forbidden area where they cannot connect to the magic network, or encountering special circumstances, their combat power will be greatly reduced.

Moreover, if one wants to use spells like "Water Manipulation" and "Mage's Hand" more freely and adjust them flexibly, one cannot rely on the magic network.

The spell model of the magic network is fixed; the caster is merely a requester of authority, not the true controller.

Without hesitation, he severed that resonance.

When he opened his eyes, he found that everyone had gotten up and their eyes were all on him.

Talia looked at him with exceptionally bright eyes.

"What's wrong? Did I meditate for too long? But it feels like it only lasted a moment..."

At this moment, the white-robed monk approached, his eyes filled with approval:

"Kate, come with me, the tower wants to see you."

The plan has run into problems, so we have to change the approach.

Kane paused for a moment, then quickly composed himself.

He bowed respectfully to the monk and then followed him step by step up to the upper level of the tower.