[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-synthetic-wizard":3,"chapter-synthetic-wizard-synthetic-wizard-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Synthetic Wizard",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1462233,1912,"Chapter 10: So This Is a Wizard","synthetic-wizard-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>The Black Stone Mine is located in the southwest of Black Stone City, with more than a dozen mines, covering a vast area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The extraction of shallow veins has hollowed out the surrounding mountain walls, forming a concave valley. Looking inward from the mouth of the valley, large areas of red-gray and lead-black rocks come into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All over the valley are mine carts and tracks, showing that the former lord invested considerable resources in constructing this mining area. Unfortunately, after decades, it has long since become a desolate and quiet ruin, with mine carts and tracks covered in rust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kei and Sunan stood side by side at the entrance of the valley, surveying the environment inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them followed more than a dozen knights and over a hundred soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the importance placed on the Black Stone Mine, Kei deployed nearly half of Black Stone City’s forces in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, ordinary soldiers played little role in this operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their task was to guard the retreat path and ensure logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real combat forces were Sunan, Kei, and the dozen or so knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it really okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordon glanced at the pitch-black mine entrance and murmured with some concern:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard from the veterans that those Thun Iron Beasts are very strong. Is it too risky for just our few people to go in?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the other knights all flickered their gazes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, they were all surprised upon hearing that the lord wanted to clear out the Thun Iron Beasts in the Black Stone Mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The affairs of the Black Stone Mine were well-known in Black Stone City, and they had heard some news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is said that several previous lords had thought about solving the Black Stone Mine issue, but ultimately all failed, instead losing many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, no one made any further plans for the Black Stone Mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one expected Kei to suddenly decide to reactivate the Black Stone Mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it weren’t for Lord Sunan saying there was a solution for the Thun Iron Beasts, they would have already voiced their opposition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, many people were still somewhat apprehensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jordon, if you unsettle the troops any further, I’ll punish you by forbidding you to drink alcohol for a month when we go back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kei turned around and gave him a sharp look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jordon shrunk his head and closed his mouth sheepishly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He loved all kinds of fine wines and spirits, and couldn’t enjoy life without alcohol. Being forbidden to drink for a month was akin to taking his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Jordon settle down, Kei finally turned back to look at the mine entrance, his heart also uneasily fluctuating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he had never seen a Thun Iron Beast with his own eyes. If these monsters were more terrifying than the veterans said, it would be troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after glancing at Sunan beside him, Kei ultimately chose to trust his brother and did not show his inner worries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunan touched the scale armor on his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the only scale armor in Black Stone City, more valuable than a complete set of refined iron armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It originally belonged to Kei, but Kei was so afraid that something might happen to Sunan, he forcibly put the scale armor on him and gave him a longsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Sunan’s swordsmanship was very poor, it was better than nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Kei’s order, everyone lit torches and filed into the mine, leaving soldiers to guard the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shallow veins of the Black Stone Mine had long been exhausted, and several deep shafts were subsequently dug to delve underground and extract the lower layers of ore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mines crisscrossed beneath, with oil lamps hanging on the rock walls every few hundred meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the oil inside had long since evaporated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight held a skin bag and poured lamp oil into an oil lamp, then lit it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, lines of fire illuminated the mine passage, drawing out a winding and tortuous path over vast distances with light and shadow, guiding everyone forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they progressed deeper, they gradually slowed their pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The underground tunnels were uneven, and with dim lighting, a slight carelessness could result in a nasty fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although all present were knights with strong bodies, no one wanted to fall flat on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were silent, with only the sound of footsteps and breathing echoing; no other sounds could be heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold, silent underground lacked any trace of life. If an ordinary person were alone in such a place, they would certainly feel an instinctive chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking a bit further, they finally noticed changes in the surrounding rock walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight holding a torch approached the rock wall. In the firelight, the surface of the rock was coated with a layer of dark, cold black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s Black Stone Iron ore!\" Jordon’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without him saying it, everyone present could see it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They immediately became very cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moving forward again, they would reach the still-untouched vein layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was likely that the miners back then encountered the Thun Iron Beasts ahead, forcing them to cease their extraction efforts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, they were about to encounter the target of their journey soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out they were not mistaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advancing four to five hundred meters further, everyone soon heard a rustling sound coming from the front, as if something was creeping along the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Be alert! Prepare for battle!\" Kei uttered gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone raised their weapons with solemn expressions, staring ahead as if facing a formidable enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, feline creatures emerged from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They elegantly stepped into the torchlight’s range, fixing their grey gemstone-like eyes on this group of uninvited guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iron Devouring Beast!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exactly like the picture Sunan had seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More Iron Devouring Beasts appeared in the darkness; a quick count revealed over ten, with several pairs of glowing eyes flickering beyond the light-shadow boundary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than ten Iron Devouring Beasts had vaguely formed a semicircular encirclement, surrounding the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These creatures have quite an appetite, looks like they plan to keep all of us here!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knight Brad muttered, tightening his grip on the giant steel shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the second most powerful knight in Black Stone City after Kei, just a step away from advancing to Senior Knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing two meters tall, adept with a shield, he was the best in Black Stone City’s shield technique, famously fierce in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the Iron Devouring Beasts up close, Brad could tell these creatures’ aura wouldn’t exceed Junior Knight level, which made him relax considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that’s true, it’s actually a good thing, only worry is if these creatures try to flee.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kei noticed this too, letting out a slight sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With more than ten Junior Knight-level creatures, their lineup was sufficient to cope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question was how to prevent this group of Iron Devouring Beasts from escaping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reality didn’t afford them the luxury of pondering; the Iron Devouring Beasts soon launched their attack, leaping towards the crowd fiercely!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Battle erupted in an instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of clashing metal echoed incessantly through the tunnel!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brad raised his shield, smashing an Iron Devouring Beast aside; the beast flew over ten meters before crashing into the rock wall with a thud, rock dust cascading down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Iron Devouring Beast merely shook its head after standing back up, then continued its assault as if nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon seeing this, Brad’s brows furrowed tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere, knights were also engaged in a hard fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Iron Devouring Beasts’ bodies were exceedingly tough; even weapons imbued with Fighting Qi could only leave faint cracks on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Kei, as a Senior Knight, could inflict noticeable damage on the Iron Devouring Beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were it not for the tunnel’s narrow confines hindering the beasts’ movements, preventing them from showcasing their agile speed, they would have been even harder to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle was not as easy as anticipated, and a stalemate ensued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Sunan acted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He uttered strange syllables and pointed his finger, instantly forming a basketball-sized blob of acid at his fingertip, which then shot forth, hitting an Iron Devouring Beast’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White smoke emitted from the Iron Devouring Beast’s face, and it rolled frantically on the ground, trying to scrub off the corrosive liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are no weak attack spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Acid Splash was merely Tier Zero Magic, its corrosiveness was more terrifying than King’s Water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chicken egg-sized blob of acid could completely corrode away an average adult human male, leaving no trace!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Iron Devouring Beast’s casing is incredibly tough, enduring such an attack on a vital spot is quite unbearable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hush!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure darted forward, thrusting a sword into the Iron Devouring Beast’s facial wound; with a forceful exertion, the beast’s head exploded, and its headless body swayed for a moment before collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kei withdrew his sword, surprised as he glanced back at Sunan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other knights were also visibly aghast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had personally felt how tough the Iron Devouring Beast’s body was, rivaling actual Black Stone Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, such a robust body had half its head corroded within a few breaths!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of terrifying power is this?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If flesh and blood experienced such a strike, what would happen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just imagining this scenario made everyone’s scalp tingle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is what a wizard is capable of!\u003C\u002Fp>",1567,"2026-06-06T02:33:43.173Z",1,"novelbin.me","61a23f631e658505568bc51c30582bed55c69bc0a545f491fbf2622f417c7a95","synthetic-wizard-chapter-11","synthetic-wizard-chapter-9",369,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsynthetic-wizard-cover.jpg"]