How come this arcanist is invincible?

Chapter 4 Incomplete Projection

Without hesitation, Kane rolled over on the spot.

Heavy claws grazed his back, and a burning pain instantly spread throughout his body.

He suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed on the distance.

The Quass demon stood on the pile of rubble.

Its face wore a strange expression that was neither a smile nor a frown, and its eyes gleamed with a human-like cunning.

"How about I offer you a fingernail, and we'll settle this matter?"

Kane made the suggestion with a forced smile.

His heart suddenly tightened, and his hand quietly gripped the dagger.

Swish!

The next second, Quassa disappeared right under his nose.

When it reappeared, it had already flashed to his side, its sharp claws tearing through the air and aiming straight for his throat!

Kane swung his blade backhand.

The dagger tore through the air, but unexpectedly missed.

The figure of Quassamon disappeared again.

"Invisibility!"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a tearing pain shot through his left arm, and blood gushed out instantly.

Kane, enduring excruciating pain, swung his dagger fiercely in the direction of the sound, only to strike nothing but air.

Another sound of wind breaking through the air.

A new injury was added to my left shoulder, and the burning pain intensified and spread.

Kane staggered backward, dodging repeatedly while blindly swinging his dagger toward the source of the commotion.

But all that echoed in his ears was the mocking laughter of Quassamodo.

"It's fast and can become invisible, but it can't completely eliminate its movements."

Kane was not discouraged; instead, he calmly analyzed the situation.

"They dare not engage in direct combat, either they want to torture me to death, or... their direct fighting strength is simply insufficient!"

He looked around warily.

The wasteland is littered with pebbles, which might leave footprints, but these traces are far from enough.

"We must force it to reveal itself!"

laugh!

A sudden gust of wind rose behind him, and before Kane could turn around, his previous wound was torn open again.

At this moment, he was covered in blood and grime, almost half of him was covered in blood.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly grinned and shouted:

"The existence of the Quassa is a joke of the abyss; it has neither power nor wisdom, and only uses its ugly appearance to frighten mortals!"

The shrill laughter stopped abruptly.

The Quassamon appeared ahead, its malevolent gaze fixed intently on him.

Kane twitched his bloodied lips; his provocation had succeeded.

Being provoked by its prey is something that chaotic creatures like demons cannot tolerate.

Whoosh!

Its figure disappeared again.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of air being torn apart came from all directions!

Legs, arms, shoulders, back...

One wound after another appeared on Kane's body.

Blood soaked through the clothes, dripping in a winding trail on the ground.

"Is that all you've got?"

Kane, now covered in blood, wielded the dagger with increasing steadiness.

He gradually became able to deflect some unseen attacks.

The situation is vastly different from the initial one-sided setback.

The price was that, except for vital organs, his body was almost completely covered in wounds.

"Too weak, too weak, you pathetic worm abandoned by the abyss."

A ferocious smile squeezed out of Kane's blood-stained face, and his mocking voice echoed across the open space.

Hiss!

The attacks became increasingly intense, and a chunk of flesh was ripped from Kane's waist, leaving him covered in blood.

He staggered, swaying precariously, as if he would collapse at any moment.

At that very moment, a particularly sharp whistling sound pierced straight into my heart!

"They're here!"

Kane's mind sharpened.

Chi!

The sharp claws pierced deep into his body.

At the critical moment.

Kane barely avoided a fatal blow, but blood still spurted out, soaking Quassamon.

Beneath the bloodstains, the canine demon's invisibility spell completely failed.

Its bat-like wings trembled slightly, and its malevolent eyes reflected Kane's miserable state, finally revealing a cruel smile.

But to its surprise, Kane was also laughing.

And his smile became even more ferocious.

Immediately afterwards, Kane stretched out his hands and clamped them tightly around the claws that were piercing his abdomen!

Quassem was shocked and furious. He tried to break free, but found that the power was not what a seriously injured person should have.

It couldn't break free immediately!

"Little puppy, I've caught you!"

Kane's mouth was full of blood, but his smile grew even sharper.

"Just as I expected, your strength attribute is weaker than I thought."

Under the horrified gaze of Quassam.

Kane's wounds began to heal at a visible rate.

The skin rolled back, the scabs fell off, and it was completely restored in just a few breaths.

This scene left Quassammon completely stunned.

It recalled those high-ranking demons, who also seemed to possess the same immortality...

tear!

Kane didn't give it time to react.

With his immortal regenerative abilities, he suddenly pulled out his dagger and stabbed it into the body of the Quassamon one stab after another!

The blade flashed, and blood splattered like rain.

The Quassamon struggled frantically, its ferocity fully unleashed, and it turned around to tear at Kane's wounds.

But to its despair, it discovered that all the places it had torn open were rapidly healing.

"Too weak...too weak!"

Kane swung his blade wildly, the dagger repeatedly plunging into the head and limbs of the Quassamon...

Blood splattered everywhere.

This time, however, the one covered in blood became a demon.

The balance of power has been completely reversed.

In just six or seven stabs, Quassamon's body had been riddled with holes.

He was on the verge of death, but the malice in his eyes remained undiminished.

"Go back to the abyss."

Kane delivered a final, all-out stab, extinguishing the life force in Quassamon's eyes.

Its body collapsed to the ground and gradually turned to ashes.

Kane only truly breathed a sigh of relief when the system notification sounded in his mind.

He stared at the panel that appeared before him, his eyes gleaming with intense light:

[Check: You have killed a fragmented projection of the Quassamon. Your level is lower than the monster's level (lv3). Base experience is 100%]

[Note: Due to the +80% experience gain efficiency, the actual experience gain is 180%]

[Cumulative Experience Points Gained: 300]

……

[Hint: Your dagger mastery progress has reached 100%, advancing to level 1]

[Hint: Your dagger mastery progress has reached 100%, advancing to level 2]

……

A dense array of prompts flashed before his eyes, and a tremendous sense of satisfaction welled up in Kane's heart.

Even after deducting the experience gained from restoring health, the remaining experience is still a huge profit.

He looked at the panel this time, pondering:

"Dagger level 2...Am I an arcanist or an assassin?"

He was both amused and exasperated.

Just then, the flames on the wasteland gradually dimmed, and the smell of sulfur dissipated.

The heavy darkness surged back in and engulfed him.

……

The mentor's gentle gaze fell on Kane's still body, as if he were examining a perfect work of art.

Shar whispered from the side:

"Mentor, Kane seems to have other ideas."

"It's alright."

The mentor smiled and shook his head.

"We must give lost sheep a glimmer of hope, even if it's a futile struggle."

Shar frowned.

"It can be used as a sacrifice; all that is needed is to offer one's soul and limbs."

She paused, then added:

"If the power he projects is also stronger, he will fight back fiercely when facing demons."

The mentor's smile deepened slightly:

"Shar, do you know the true purpose of the Stigmata Ritual?"

"It attracts demonic projections, gradually weakens the souls of the sacrifices, and ultimately draws in powerful demons."

"That's right."

The mentor nodded.

"The stronger the soul, the more desperately it resists, the stronger the demonic projection it attracts."

"If his soul still hasn't dissipated after the thirteen holy marks."

The tutor's voice was as soft as a sigh.

"Then I will request the Patriarch's intervention to inscribe more stigmata... until the very end."

When the lamb has endured everything yet still finds no redemption, that despair becomes the sweetest nourishment.

He looked at Shar with a deep gaze.

"Perhaps, we really will witness the arrival of 'Auras'."

Upon hearing that name, Shar lowered her head.

His fingers trembled almost imperceptibly, and he finally responded in a low voice:

"Yes."

She bit her lip, her eyes hardening with determination once more.

Their conversation came to an abrupt end.

Almost simultaneously, Kane slowly opened his eyes.

He pretended to be extremely weak, based on the original owner's memories.

"How is it?"

The mentor asked gently.

Kane forced a smile that barely qualifyed as a laugh:

"That lord... was quite pleased as he devoured my body."

At this point, a hint of piety appeared in his eyes, which then turned into madness.

"You've worked hard, get some rest."

The mentor smiled and nodded.

"Yes, mentor."

Kane lowered his head.

Seeing this, Shar summoned several black-robed cultists.

Several people lifted him on a stretcher and took him to receive herbal and medicinal treatment before returning him to his room.

Back in his familiar room, Kane finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As he was deep in thought, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Kane's heart tightened as he looked at the figure in the candlelight.

It could only be Shar.

Alarm bells rang in his mind, but outwardly he still tilted his head, grinning maniacally:

"Oh, isn't this the Executor? What can I do for you?"

Shar gazed at him silently for a long time before speaking:

"Is there anything else you need lately?"

"Anything is fine?"

"Can."

The conditions are surprisingly lenient?

Kane, filled with suspicion, subconsciously began to scrutinize Shar.

Feeling his unbridled gaze, Shar showed a hint of anger.

She was about to speak when he spoke first:

"Then please have someone send me some books, preferably those related to magic."

Also, give me a dagger.

Shar looked at him, then suddenly laughed—a clear, mocking laugh.

"Even the most brilliant arcane apprentice would have to spend years learning magic on his own."

Why waste your precious little time on this?

Kane was preparing to deliver his prepared speech.

Shar shook her head:

"never mind."

She left the room.

Soon after, someone delivered everything he had asked for.

A dagger and a handwritten copy.

Kane finally saw his first spellbook.

The Hand of the Mage.

This is just the most basic zero-ring trick.

But the moment Kane saw the pages, his eyes lit up.