Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 42 The Tower and the Dwarfs

After a thrilling bowling exhibition match, it was time for the satisfying harvest. These jackals, who had probably robbed merchants or passersby, still had some wealth. They found coins worth two gold and four silver coins, as well as a few pieces of jewelry, which they simply divided equally among themselves.

"Equal division" means that if a mage has two summoned creatures (considered three people), the remaining half is divided equally among the three teammates.

The two gnolls who tried to escape also met their demise, being killed by Zhang Yuan with a single sword strike, which also served as a way to recharge his energy pool.

The energy points were the biggest gain from this battle. All the monsters that were crushed by Xiaoxiao were attributed to the mage, and with the four points remaining from before, the total was 46 energy points.

This was a windfall, someone secretly chuckled to himself, his auto chess team finally seeing a glimmer of hope.

It's too difficult, really too difficult. Only monsters killed by his own hands or summoned creatures count as energy points, so he has only accumulated four chess pieces along the way.

Now that we've suddenly become wealthy, we have more ideas and suggestions.

Upon entering the Auto Chess panel, I looked at the few pieces that refreshed today and started to nitpick. There was nothing I could do; my mage level hadn't advanced at all, so all I could use was level 1 summon monsters, and correspondingly, all I could get were level 1 pieces.

"Tiny, Goblin Tinker, Clockwork Goblin, Enchantress, Crystal Maiden"

Why is it always you? Seeing Zhang Yuan again, she felt a surge of disgust, completely ignoring the fact that he had just made great contributions.

Someone bought a second Ice Maiden without hesitation, hoping to see her long, white legs soon.

After a moment's thought, I then acquired Tinker and Enchantress. One of them can launch missiles, and the other has healing spells. Combined with Ice Maiden's arcane aura, they can both heal and attack, forming a complete system.

"Watchmaker Model"

I'm sure I can charm you.

With two opening remarks, the Void Chessboard announced the arrival of a new member.

Satisfied, Zhang Yuan exited the panel and continued forward, only to see his teammates' strange expressions when he looked up.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Do I have tentacles growing on my face?"

"If it really grows tentacles, then you—no, we—are in big trouble. Don't joke about those octopus heads," Kagan retorted dismissively.

The person nodded politely in thanks, and then casually gestured for Little Stone to stand next to Kagan.

Bard stepped forward to explain: "Your behavior just now was very strange. First you were spacing out, then suddenly you started laughing, and the expression on your face was very... very..."

"Sleazy, huh?" Even though Bard was too embarrassed to continue, Zhang Yuan had already guessed those two words.

Someone said in a serious tone: "My smugness just now wasn't because I thought of anything lewd, but because I suddenly had an epiphany and improved my summoning spell."

Since their own mage was taking it seriously, the teammates could only listen to it as well. After all, he was the only mage, and they managed to fool the other mages with this kind of nonsense that would make them furious.

Leaving aside Kegan, who was having a great time playing with the little mouse and getting caught by the cat, the group finally arrived at Highhold.

When Zhang Yuanzhen stood before this magnificent mage tower, he realized that his understanding of Gaolibao, which originated from a game in his previous life, was merely a superficial glimpse.

The mage tower in front of us is a tall tower with a regular octagonal cross-section. The tower covers a wide area and is different from the pagoda-shaped structure of Ramasis. The top and bottom of the tower are almost the same width, and the entire tower is straight up and down with a flat shape.

For reasons unknown, each corner of the octagonal tower was replaced by a cylindrical watchtower, giving the entire mage tower a touch of the 17th-century European bastion style. The tower is about twenty meters high and has five floors. Regardless of whether there are any space-expanding spells inside, the Highhold itself is already enormous. The outer walls of the tower are gray and inconspicuous, but the flashes of electricity and arcane light and shadow through the windows in the outer walls make it impossible for anyone to underestimate it.

Standing at the entrance of the mage tower, looking at the castle gate-like entrance in front of him, he had only one thought in his mind: What a damn waste!

According to the information he gathered in town, Master Tyrantir, though possessing great magical power, was aloof and preferred to be alone, and even treated customers who came to buy magical items with a cold shoulder.

Other monks would take on one or two apprentices, whether as a means of passing on their mantle, as a cheap assistant, or even as backup experimental materials.

But this guy, I heard, didn't even take on an apprentice, and just stays all alone in his tower. Listen to that, is that something a human being would do? Living alone in a building that occupies almost the area of ​​three apartment buildings, with an actual usable area that would be even larger, is just too extravagant and wasteful.

How about we consider taking on a highly talented and exceptional apprentice, like me, as our last disciple? And while we're at it, maybe give me two floors of the mage tower in front of us as a bonus?
Someone was so engrossed in daydreaming that they were practically drooling.

Everyone saw a bell at the entrance, presumably to remind the tower master and guests of their arrival. Out of caution, Zhang Yuan dismissed the Crystal Maiden pawn first, since a humanoid summon was rather conspicuous.

Regardless of how distraught Münster was after suddenly losing his guardian witch, Zhang Yuan simply picked up the bell and shook it gently. The bell rang crisply but not loudly. Just as the others were wondering if the sound could reach the tower, Zhang Yuan had already put down the bell and was waiting for the tower master's summons.

In a short while, heavy footsteps came from behind the door, and with a creak, the tower door opened wide.

The newcomer was not human, but a two-meter-tall golem that walked towards them with somewhat sluggish steps.

When everyone was able to observe it up close, they discovered that the golem was made of a very peculiar material. It was neither metal like steel or mithril, nor was it made of mud, sand, or soil. Instead, it looked as if it was pieced together from the bodies of different animals.

"Frankenstein's monster!" A strange cry escaped from Kegan's mouth: "I know this. It's the most evil creation of necromancers, pieced together from the corpses of their victims."

The two generals, unaware of the situation, were stunned, only to find that what Kegan said seemed to make a lot of sense.

Kegan, now energized, declared passionately, "The man living in this High Hedge is not the magic master we thought he was, but an evil necromancer. The only outcome for us if we go in is to be placed on the dissection table in the laboratory."

Zhang Yuan couldn't be bothered with this guy. He didn't even know the difference between a flesh golem and a Frankenstein's monster, yet he dared to spout nonsense at the archmage's doorstep? He's got some nerve.

He simply crossed his arms and watched Kegan act silly. Zhang Yuan knew very well that Tyrantil was fully aware of everything that was happening in the entire mage tower, and Kegan was in for a rough time.

Sure enough, just as Kegan was speaking eloquently and explaining the pros and cons, and the two generals were hesitating about whether to stay or leave, the golem that had been standing in front of everyone suddenly grabbed Kegan.

Held in the hands of a two-meter-tall fleshy golem, Kegan looked like Tom the cat caught red-handed doing something naughty by his mistress, constantly swallowing his saliva and not daring to move.

Before Kegan could even beg for mercy, the golem grabbed the poor dwarf and started spinning him like a windmill. The clumsy golem spun faster and faster, eventually giving off the feeling of a legendary blade storm.

And Kegan, unfortunately, that sword.

Fortunately, he was only given a light punishment before being put down. When he landed, Kegan swayed like a drunkard and was about to lose consciousness.

Suddenly, gasp... Kegan really did resemble a wine barrel at this moment, except that while ordinary wine barrels spew out wine, this guy...

Archmage Tyrantir probably hadn't expected this to happen. The flesh golem kicked Kegan off the steps at the entrance, and then a somewhat hoarse but deep and powerful voice came from inside its body: "Let that fool wait at the door. Don't defile my mage tower. You guys follow the golem."

So the group went down the stairs, patted the stupid dwarf on the shoulder to show their sympathy, and then followed the golem up the mage tower.

(End of this chapter)