"No——!"
When the four main combatants arrived at the main battlefield in front of the cliff, Gary, clad in steel scale armor, and Iron Bone William, similarly equipped with "Venom," had just broken the final witchcraft shield of the last Evil Alchemist together.
A group of "Skin-Wearing People," gathered around like monsters, swarmed and hacked the despairingly wailing Official Wizard to pieces.
The final battle had concluded.
For a group of Physical Side Transcendents, the highest priority in a battle with a wizard is always ensuring he's silenced forever. Especially after Aiven had already given orders: in this mission, killing an Evil Alchemist was first, capturing second.
Yet "Dead Bone" Rudolph, who had just been fighting side by side, hadn't followed, having quietly left at some unknown moment.
Once the agreement was fulfilled, regardless of how Aiven and Anita had previously demonstrated their character.
As an old pirate and Necromancy School wizard, out of caution, he had no desire to put himself in the peril of being surrounded by three peers and a troop of Transcendents.
"Master, only one Clockwork Servant, Billiver, remains; we've captured twenty-five Wizard Apprentices and thirty-nine strange women of unknown race. Apart from those who slid into the river along with the fortress, the rest have been killed."
Seeing Aiven approach, Boris, drenched in blood as the commander, ran to report to Aiven.
Besides the wizards of the Vitalist School, Boris was likely one of the few most invested in this operation.
After all, it concerned his son Calvin's future; the more complete and stronger the Vitalist School's legacy, the more assured Calvin's future would be.
"Good, First Mate, thank you for your hard work. Instruct that all participants be rewarded ten Golden Lions each, and for the fallen, compensation will be given at the top standard; for Transcendents, double."
Even though most of them owe their current strength to the Dragon Cavalry's creation, Aiven would not be stingy with their deserved treatment.
"Yes, Master!"
Amidst the cheers of the combatants under his command.
Aiven had already walked up to the last surviving Clockwork Servant, the so-called strongest mercenary of the New Continent, the Clockwork Man Billiver.
Although aware that most of these Clockwork Servants were also victims of evil experiments, it was impossible to ask his soldiers to risk injury or death for mercy.
After the battle ended, the strongest and most valuable Billiver was the only survivor.
Much like their first meeting, only his head, most of his chest, and one arm remained human flesh; most of his bodily tissues and organs, including his heart, had been replaced by machinery.
But his character had evidently been "formatted," becoming like a cold, killing machine, long devoid of his previously snarky tongue and the professional integrity he once showed in strictly fulfilling mercenary contracts.
"Ow—!"
At this moment, his body writhed on the ground, emitting beast-like growls. Even under the lingering effects of the Frenzy Potion, his only apparent desires were for attack and destruction, with other emotions seemingly stripped away.
However.
From the start, Olivia used a Light Beam Cannon to take out one of his legs, and later, an absolutely superior group of Transcendents dismantled him when the opportunity arose, now leaving him unable to harm anyone.
With a gentle wave, the large, red magic book "Flesh Sacrifice" reappeared in front of Aiven.
Rustle...
As the pages turned, a green witchcraft spiritual light rose from it, falling over his body, and then, like a phantom, penetrated his brain.
Immediately, some small symbols composed of black, murky things, indistinguishable between matter and energy, started being washed out by this watery wave.
[Chief Privilege·Reformation Reset]
This wondrous power could only be activated through the school chief's status, the mysterious source "Life Tree," and the core magic book "Flesh Sacrifice."
With the highest reformation priority, it could erase the marks of modifications by the school, restoring the experiment's true form. Similar to an "undo button" in document modifications, reversing the loss of control caused by Olivia's Moonstone spiritual purification.
The wave-like witchcraft spiritual light flowing through his brain became clear again.
The mechanical coldness in Billiver's pupils gradually recovered some distinct brilliance, eventually slipping into a deep sleep. When he awoke again, he would be a brand-new "Clockwork Man" of the Vitalist School.
"Flesh Sacrifice" naturally possessed the highest authority on flesh-modified beings aside from the master. In cases of the master's fall or other incidents, the chief would acquire junior command rights in the school's name.
Once repaired, he would surely be a rare commanding officer.
At least Aiven returned self-awareness to Billiver, making him not just a cheap, numb, unfeeling tool, but becoming an idealistic, dignified, salaried... tool; congratulations, congratulations.
As for the twenty-five captured Wizard Apprentices.
With systematized witchcraft knowledge from "Brass Key" in the Mechanical Immortality School and the brains of three Peak Wizards, these Wizard Apprentices were practically of limited use.
However, they were still quite suitable as future industrial workers in fields like mechanical manufacturing, shipbuilding, military industry within the territory.