"Lord Edwin, disaster strikes!
The ambush plan has been thwarted, and we've suffered heavy losses!"
"He has laced the halls and corridors with Blackening Potion, creating toxic fumes and dark mist to inflict casualties!"
"It's nearly impossible for us to advance!"
Soon, reports from all fronts were gathered and relayed to Edwin.
Edwin's face flushed red, then paled.
"Damn that Wizard!"
Everything was going wrong, and it infuriated him.
But moments later, his gaze locked onto the Humanoid Angel guarding the area below, and a sudden realization dawned on him.
"It hasn't left that spot, nor has it launched any attacks. Why is that?
Could it be…?"
As his thoughts raced, a massive fireball materialized in his palm.
"Fireball Spell!"
Boom!
The deafening explosion echoed.
The Humanoid Angel remained defensive, refusing to attack.
Edwin seemed to grasp something and issued orders to his subordinates.
"Everyone, gather here! Concentrate your firepower and breach this refuge!"
As he spoke, his staff's tip once again gathered magical energy, transforming into a blazing fireball that crashed down with a roar.
...
"It seems the plan is working—the entire quarry has become a battlefield!
Though the aftermath will be troublesome…
Completely purging all the toxins and rebuilding the structures will take some time."
Inside the Alchemy Room, Roy's consciousness quietly extended through the Magic Conduction Pipelines embedded in the walls, observing from specific vantage points to assess the general outcome and losses.
"But even so, it won't stop them completely.
Their leader doesn't seem ready to give up yet—he's still trying to bombard us!"
Celine spoke up in warning.
"I've already summoned nearby Wizards, but to prevent the enemy from ambushing our reinforcements, they'll need to gather at a midway point first. Only with sufficient force can they make their move.
This depends on the farthest reinforcements arriving."
As Roy spoke, a message came through in a covert manner.
"About eight hours…
We'll need to hold out here for over eight hours before reinforcements arrive!"
Celine exclaimed in surprise, "Eight hours! That long?"
"That's already fast. I can't expect them to come alone.
And there's still the risk of the enemy intercepting them."
"What should we do now?"
Celine coughed dryly, struggling to stand as worry etched her face.
"Honestly, I don't think we can rely much on the reinforcements.
This attack was sudden and ruthless—it seems they came prepared."
A resolute expression crossed Roy's face.
"If I were them, I'd definitely try to hinder our reinforcements.
Fortunately, there's still a chance…
I've decided to rely on ourselves…
Replace this body as soon as possible, then unleash the power of the Golden Behemoth to fight them to the death!
Even if their leader seems strong, a powerful warrior closing in for a surprise attack could still finish him!"
Celine was taken aback.
But when she glanced around, she noticed the glow of the Wizard Array in the Nutrient Pod gradually fading, followed by the sound of draining liquid.
As the pod's door opened, the adolescent body inside broke free from the tubes, leaving only an umbilical cord attached to its stomach as it stepped out.
This was essentially preparation for another pod-exit experiment.
Roy had already completed the preliminary work and now lay down on the operating table.
"Will there be enough time?"
Celine couldn't hide her concern.
"I've calculated that the entire replacement process, if done proficiently, will only take half an hour to two hours at most..."
Roy replied.
"Adapting and entering combat is much faster than waiting for reinforcements!"
Though in his mind, he silently considered that this "brain transplantation" surgery essentially involved aspects of Genesis Studies related to Bloodline Wizards cultivating new bodies.
But these foundational tasks had already been completed earlier.
Now, only the "neural connection" remained.
With the enhancements from [Proficient] and [Artisan Skill], the procedure would receive additional benefits.
"What about outside..."
"It's nothing. While performing precise surgery on myself, I can manage some defense simultaneously.
He won't be able to break in."
Roy said confidently.
The previously deemed useless [Multitasking] had finally proven its worth this time.
It allowed him to divide his attention while performing apprentice-level Alchemy operations without reducing the success rate.
After all, he couldn't guarantee precise control over the Humanoid Angel...
Simple command control would suffice!
Seeing Roy busy himself while answering, Celine refrained from saying more. Despite her injuries, she helped clear the workspace and prepare the instruments.
But in truth, there wasn't much she could do.
Once Roy lay down, he enveloped himself with powerful mental energy.
Materialized mana formed a sterile environment, completely covering both himself and the young body.
He reviewed his notes and the numerous materials he had compiled earlier, checking for any gaps.
Celine's situation had taught him that even seemingly mature technology could yield adverse outcomes if not personally practiced.
However, most of those issues arose from prolonged inability to supply the body with necessary mana after Bloodline collapse.
Sophia's body had long been on the verge of collapse, consuming too much Life Energy.
With the brain as another major energy consumer, the limitations were even greater.
If transplanted into a new body, even if problems arose, the brain's aging and depletion wouldn't progress as quickly.
At least in the short term, combat capabilities would see significant improvement.
Because this body was extraordinary...
It was a Homunculus body that had previously used the "Golden Behemoth Bloodline Potion"!
"This should allow the physique and strength aspects to fully develop, providing room for growth.
The foundational physical conditions and Bloodline Factors are entirely different now..."
...
Just as Roy began his preparations, far away, a Sky Strider Battleship soared past, dropping Alchemy Bombs.
As expected, they launched a relentless bombardment in this direction.
"Emergency! Our unit is under attack!"
"The enemy has initiated an assault—their true objective is unknown!"
In the royal capital's castle.
Erlant immediately reported the news to Flosf. The old Wizard's eyes gleamed sharply as he rapidly calculated.
The battlefield was like a chess game, but not as transparent or immediately responsive.
Every piece of information he received was fragmented and delayed.
As he synthesized the flood of data in his mind, he vaguely discerned the enemy's intentions but couldn't make a resolute decision.
Because he understood that if he truly ordered the other Wizards to rush reinforcements to the Tata Mountains, Gumm's offensive might immediately turn from feint to reality, seizing the Mana Crystal Mine or other cities first.
"All others hold your positions and defend your sectors.
Erlant, you will take the 'Double Chariot' from my Shatranj Chess and go...
As for Roy, save him if possible. If it's truly too late, use him as bait to trap and kill Edwin!"
After a moment, Flosf made his decision.