The black sun hangs high

Chapter 343 Bow!

Through her brief morning visit, Vera had obtained very definite information: since the Black Sun Society began to operate openly, the research on "evil magic" had been receiving increasing attention.

It is no exaggeration to say that "evil magic" or "lost magic," a field that was once regarded by most mages as an "academic black pit" and a suicidal area, has now completely shaken off its original awkward status and become an important topic that is strongly supported by the official Law Committee.

However, official support is one thing, but getting mages to truly commit to it is another.

From several acquaintances at the Healing Magic Academy, Verine learned that there were quite a few cases recently of people being moved directly into the intensive care unit of magic due to their research on related topics. The symptoms of these magic scholars were all similar—magical disorder and mental shock. Some of them, like Verine's mentor, suffered permanent damage to their mental state.

Vera shifted her gaze slightly, landing on a warning sign standing beside the steps.

There is only one sentence above.

"Do not look directly at the black sun for an extended period of time!"

There are already many similar warning signs inside Merlinle, and Virin had already seen similar warning messages when she arrived in Merlinle with the Windless.

This is a general consensus that emerged after the appearance of the black sun.

Staring directly at the deep shadow in the sky for a long time can affect one's mind and thinking, and may even cause serious trauma.

After the first group of skeptical "warriors" were taken to hospitals across the country, people quickly accepted this bizarre "new normal." However, in Merlinle and elsewhere, there were still quite a few people who insisted on observing shadows in the sky in order to advance academic research, so the Legal Committee had to emphasize this point again and again.

A buzzing sound came from afar.

Vilin raised her eyes slightly and saw that the tall mage tower standing in the center of the inner city was emitting a rich magical glow. The three huge magic crystals at the top of the mage tower were vibrating according to a specific pattern, while the hemispherical observatory on the top floor of the mage tower had begun to operate.

There, an enormous magical telescope was set up.

This telescope is very special. In terms of complexity and cost, it ranks among the top in the entire Mehringer and its surroundings. Its interior is engraved with a large number of intricate magical lines that connect with the ceremonial field of the observatory, enabling it to record the observed scenes in a fast and accurate manner.

Its history can be traced back to the establishment of this mage tower and the rise of the legendary deep-sea mage "Ilan Lumba" - this deep-sea mage was once highly obsessed with astrology and prophecy magic. He believed that the reason why the field of prophecy magic had stagnated was because mages could not combine it with the vast starry sky.

Therefore, even after achieving his academic standing, Ilan Lumba was still unwilling to give up his initial efforts and persistence, which resulted in this extremely expensive and sophisticated device, but which seemed to have no practical use.

Ilan Lombard probably never imagined that this telescope would now take on a new mission in a new era—observing the black sun.

Vera saw the long telescope tube, surrounded by beautiful magical patterns, slowly emerge from the neat cracks of the observatory. It looked like a defensive crystal cannon locked onto an enemy, ready to fire a cannonball, or like the curious eyes of some special creature peering into the outside world...

The giant gears on the mage tower kept turning, and the observatory and telescope quickly aimed at their target. Magical light began to flow continuously, and another observation of the black sun began.

Unbeknownst to Vilin, inside the observatory, as vast amounts of observed data were transcribed onto magical scrolls using expensive, hovering ink pens, the mage observers operating the telescopes were already in a state of intense work.

"The area of ​​the shadow is still expanding, and its growth rate is even higher than it was two days ago..."

"The magical turbulence in the central area is intensifying. In another two days, we may no longer be able to observe directly... Those turbulences will affect the ritual space inside the observatory. If we insist on direct observation, it may completely destroy the ritual space inside!"

In reality, these mage observers were both nervous and excited. They were nervous because they were witnessing a strange change that clearly carried ominous signs, and excited because these events had never happened before. In any case, they seemed to be "witnessing history."

But soon, these observers realized the price they had to pay for “witnessing history.”

Nearly half an hour into the observation, the fifth lake-level observer arrived at the telescope.

Following standard procedure, his colleagues set up a protective ritual to maintain his mental stability. Then, the observer put on special protective gear resembling glasses. Once everything was ready, the fifth direct observation of the day officially began.

According to regulations, each observer at the observatory will conduct a three-minute direct observation. During this process, they will need to connect their magic to the observatory's massive celestial instrument and record the observation results on-site.

"Observing the edge of the shadow, diffuse magical lines can be seen, without a specific pattern, but their density has increased compared to the same time in the past..."

“Observing the area inside the shadow, a large amount of magical turbulence can be seen, with a slight increase in intensity, but no obvious structural changes are observed.”

So far, the observation work seems to be going smoothly.

However, when the fifth observer began to observe the central area of ​​the shadow in the sky, his narration and recording came to an abrupt halt.

"Observation... observation of the central area, the central area is visible... visible..."

As if he had fallen into some kind of unconscious state, this observer, whose magic level was as high as the lake level, suddenly began to repeat his previous words over and over again. His right eye was pressed tightly against the crystal lens in front of him, and his palm was gripping the metal handle at the bottom of the observation tube, with the veins on the back of his hand bulging out.

The mage who was assisting with the recording immediately noticed his colleague's unusual behavior. He immediately threw down his paper and pen, gave a shout, and prepared to help the others to remove the observer. However, at that moment, the frail mage unleashed astonishing strength.

He gripped the metal handle at the bottom of the lens barrel tightly, his body like a tree root frozen to death on a lake, unshaken no matter how hard others pulled.

However, the observer's strength was ultimately limited, but just as he was being pulled away from the telescope, he finally ended his repetitive babbling and let out a loud roar.

“In the center, you can see… eyes! Eyes!” He repeated the last word hysterically: “Eyes! Huge black eyes!”

A healing mage rushed over, helped pin the observer to the ground, and used his mage hand to remove the protective goggles from his face. Everyone present couldn't help but gasp.

At some point, the mage observer's eyes had changed.

The once distinct pupils and sclera are now disrupted by the chaotic magic, becoming a jumbled mess—different colors are mixed together, forming a constantly rolling, boiling mass of filthy color.

The observer seemed to have no clear perception of the changes happening to his body; he seemed to have gone completely mad, still twisting and struggling, and repeating the same words over and over again.

"Eyes! Eyes!"

Officials from the Legal Committee responsible for the operation of the observatory arrived at the scene quickly, along with several Deep Sea-level mages who happened to be holding a meeting at the Ilan Lumba Mage Tower.

One of the deep-sea level mages approached the crazed observer, quietly observed the two eyes that were in a state of chaos, and then raised his head to give his opinion to the official beside him.

“You, come here! Go and inform the Public Affairs Office, and advise them to issue an emergency notice, advising against anyone continuing to observe the sky in the coming days… Prioritize notifying all members of the Academy, ordering them to immediately cease observation activities, and requesting the Hermitage to send someone to monitor the situation. Anyone who violates the regulations can be punished directly.”

Under the "advice" of these deep-sea level mages who, though without actual official positions, wielded immense influence, a series of decisions were swiftly made. After these warning messages were successfully transmitted via secret instruments to the various offices of the Legal Committee, the massive telescope, which had only been in operation for a short time, immediately began to retract.

Many mages in the inner city were surprised by what they saw above the mage tower. In their memory, each use of this huge telescope usually took several hours or even a whole day.

This kind of shutdown after less than half an hour of operation is unprecedented.

However, soon the magical loudspeakers installed on the buildings in the inner city began to make a loud noise.

Virin, who was riding in a crystal carriage to the embassy district, frowned.

In her memory, Merlinle's public magical megaphone could only be activated under three circumstances.

Firstly, if an officially certified spellcaster achieves significant academic results or successfully passes the assessment and becomes another Deep Sea-level mage, the Spell Committee will issue a notification to the entire Merlinle region.

Secondly, when major holidays arrive, the Public Magic Affairs Office will send routine greetings to all residents of Merlinle and announce the large-scale events that may be held during the holidays.

Third, in the event of a major accident or emergency, all personnel need to be vigilant and take precautions or respond accordingly.

Veraine had never experienced the third type, but she knew that when special circumstances occurred, the announcements coming from inside the magical megaphone would be absolutely different from the others.

Just then, the Crystal Carriage happened to pass by an official building of the Legal Committee, and Vera immediately heard a somewhat piercing whistling sound.

It was the cry of some kind of owl, sharp and rapid, lasting for two seconds and repeated three times.

"A word of advice to Merlinle and all residents: regardless of status, profession, gender, or age, please refrain from observing the sky as much as possible in the near future. Furthermore, it is not recommended to observe the black sun directly or indirectly in any form..."

"Anyone who experiences physical discomfort or develops illness due to careless observation of the sky must promptly report to the nearest official monk. Anyone who causes serious consequences due to ignoring warnings will be held fully responsible."

"To be repeated, and to all residents of Merlinle..."

As Vilin listened quietly to the endlessly repeating official announcements in the crystal carriage, her expression grew increasingly grim. Seeing that the mage apprentice driving her carriage couldn't help but look up at the sky, she immediately summoned her mage hand and forcefully pressed the young apprentice's head down.

The cold magic emanating from the mage's hand sent a chill down the apprentice's spine. He immediately realized what was happening, gratefully thanked Violet for her timely warning, and then cautiously continued driving the vehicle, carrying Violet towards their destination.

At the same time, similar notices began to be sent to other locations, and all the docks in Merlinle and the bay immediately began to use secret means to contact the vessels of all sizes registered with them, ordering them to cease all operations and return to port immediately.

The various magical crystal warehouses and mines that had suffered huge losses in the previous magical upheaval also received a stern warning at this moment. The mages in charge of warehouse security immediately began an intensive inspection, and the mine owners responsible for monitoring the miners' work also began to unusually drive the workers away from the mines.

After Merlinle entered a new state of alert, a large number of warning messages began to be sent to various parts of Vaan. In a short time, whether it was a small coastal duchy in a remote corner or an important kingdom that was located in the center of the region, they all took corresponding measures.

"Don't look up, don't look at the sky, and don't look directly at the sun!"

Although it was still daytime, people carrying magical megaphones were loudly proclaiming their messages in towns and villages everywhere, making this world, which was already particularly dull under a mysterious shadow, even more eerie and tense.

At the other end of Merlinle and the inner city, when Hughes hurriedly bid farewell to the head of the monastery and came outside, he saw people all over the street with their heads down.

He suppressed the urge to look up and observe the sky, but the dark abyss magic within his body became restless at this moment.

Inside the metal disc, all creations connected to the Dark Abyss Palace began to come alive, while beings belonging to other deities and power systems, such as the Touch of Karron and the Running Rats, all chose to lie dormant.

It seems that after so many days of preparation, the dark shadow hanging in the sky has finally entered a new phase.

(End of this chapter)