Chapter 164 Arthur burns his teeth (three in one chapter!)
In fact, Arthur Zhuoya was not very close to Grand Duke Annan before.
Thirty percent of his understanding of Annan came from information that everyone knew...and the remaining 70% came from the Sinner's daily chatter.
...Arthur is not a low-EQ player. Of course he knows that the Pardoner obviously has a strong liking for Archduke Annan.
However, the Pardoner has become a god, and Grand Duke Annan is about to complete his sublimation. They are indeed people of the same world.
Different from myself.
But even from just a few words from the Pardoner... Arthur already knew enough about Annan.
Some people may think Annan is a great person, some people may think Annan is a person who likes to play conspiracies, and some people may think Annan is "their light."
But Arthur is different.
He envied Annan very much.
I really, really envy Annan.
It's not that I envy him for being selected by the Book of Heavenly Chests... but I envy him for being born in the Lingdong family and having a father, brother and sister who love him.
Yes.
Arthur is proud of his own blood, but he deeply hates the blood on his body.
He was born into the Zhuoya family and was born with expectations.
And hope... its existence is not absolute. For some people, it is the expectation and desire that it is best to come as soon as possible; for others, it is a curse that is best never to come.
Just like the "Heart of Winter" of the Winter family.
Arthur also has this inherent curse...but unlike the Winter family, this curse is not necessarily inherited by the Zhuoyang family.
That's where the name "Scorching Tooth" family comes from.
The curse called "The Mark of the Burning Fang" is like a hot and sharp iron that has nailed marks on the body. The wound is as sharp and long as a wolf's fang, and they are born with it.
Babies who have been branded with "burning tooth marks" by an unknown force will have persistent high fever from the age of one year. They will not gradually return to normal until they are four or five years old... After that, their body temperature will also permanently change.
Got higher than ordinary people.
Legend has it that this is proof that they were bitten by wolves in the valley before they were born. They were attacked by the god symbolizing harvest, which means that they were born with the power to destroy "civilization".
...Although it is far from exaggerated.
The truth is that each "burning tooth mark" can replace the "eyes", "fingers", "palms" and other parts to release spells. Not only can it greatly expand the casting range, but it can also cast spells normally in many blind spots.
And this curse can be accumulated.
For example, if there is a "burning tooth mark" on the back, then you can cast a spell behind you that "must look at the target"; if there is a "burning tooth mark" on the chest, you can cast it without raising your hand.
Just use a spell that "must be aimed at the target with your fingertips" to cast.
It's like a "organ without any purpose" growing on the surface of their skin.
In the same way...since it is an organ, it can be sacrificed by distortion magic.
This means that they have more "organs" that can be discarded than ordinary people.
A distortion spell that requires one eye to be used. Ordinary people can only use it twice...but a destructive wizard with "Scorch of the Fang" can use it three times, four times, or even more.
The price is that every time you use "Burning Fang Mark" to cast a spell, it will cause continuous bleeding. And this is essentially a kind of fistula... If the location is inappropriate, or there are too many, it may be life-threatening.
And Arthur was born with thirteen "Scorching Fang Marks". This is the highest number in the history of the entire Scorching Fang family.
If Arthur reaches the Silver level, he will be the strongest Zhuoyang in the Silver level; and if he successfully reaches the Gold level, then he will definitely become the tower master of the next generation of Lava Forbidden Tower...that is, the patriarch of the Zhuoyang family.
, the man behind the scenes in the United Kingdom.
There is a problem here.
That is his parents, who can only be regarded as the middle-level members of the family. The patriarchs of this generation have their own heirs, and the elders have longed for this position for a long time... The "Son of the Tower" mechanism of the Wizard Tower also allows people with other surnames to settle in
If the possibility of the Lava Forbidden Tower is like this, it means that the tower owner with a foreign surname will marry the Zhuoyang family.
The target will naturally be the daughter or granddaughter of the tower owner.
But Arthur's appearance disrupted the entire situation.
His parents' talents are quite average, and there is really no value in winning over them; and he only has that "possibility"...Whether he can advance to gold is not something they, bronze and silver-level wizards, can tell at a glance.
If he is a secular noble, at this time he will either be adopted as the adopted son of the clan leader, be engaged to him, or kill him directly.
The elders of the Burning Tooth family and the Denisoya Council of Advisors all favored the third option. It was also the safest option.
However, some of the "Burning Ya", including the current clan leader, did not want him to die.
A destructive wizard with thirteen "scorch marks", even if he cannot advance to gold, he is still a very talented person. Due to the characteristic of being killed and exploded after death, the destructive wizard can basically only be knocked unconscious and controlled.
It cannot be killed directly...but this problem does not exist with Arthur.
Those "burning tooth marks" hidden under clothes can be transformed into "eyes" through the sacrificial ritual; and his ability to cast spells 360 degrees without blind spots without any casting movements gives him the strongest "deterrence"
.
He is an indispensable talent for the Lava Forbidden Tower that pursues "deterrence".
But if you want to train him as the master of the tower, it is not safe.
Because he may not really be able to advance to gold. This may instead allow him to secretly kill the real successor after gaining power.
And as long as Arthur exists, it means that the interests of other people will be harmed.
On the surface, he is the "hope for the future" that no one can harm. People dare not use drastic measures to avoid being retaliated by the angry patriarch.
But secretly, there is suspicion, jealousy, suppression, use... and even the most extreme, assassination.
The life that Annan had never experienced before, Arthur had already experienced it before he was Annan's age.
When he was seven years old, he almost died from food poisoning for the first time due to eating cakes at home;
And among the "little friends" who visited him, they didn't know who took his hair and nails...the purpose was to curse him;
After he recovered, he almost got into another uncle's carriage and was sent outside the city to be killed quietly;
He was also kidnapped by pirates when he was out, and his father died as a result, and the pirates were also hired; when he was studying in a warehouse, he was locked in there for three days and three nights, and then
Hungry and thirsty, he was forced to swallow a sponge soaked in his own urine, but he did not give up his life because of this, and almost died in the end.
This was repeated for more than ten years until he entered the Lava Forbidden Tower.
The continuous murderous intentions from the same family, the same surname, and the same bloodline... have long burned out the warmth of Arthur's bloodline.
Fortunately, the patriarch of this generation, the current tower master of the Lava Forbidden Tower, saved him a little.
As for the things he encountered...the patriarch didn't think it was something that needed to be taken care of.
He did acknowledge the "possibility" of Arthur.
But this possibility is based on the situation that "everyone else is trash".
This does not mean that Arthur is not useless.
The clan leader believes that all the Zhuoya of this generation are useless people who are not worthy of being called "Shuoya". Instead of handing over the position of tower master to them, it would be better to hand it over to an outsider.
Arthur is the semi-exception.
He was "lucky" and was born with talents beyond ordinary people.
If he can be recognized by the Lava Forbidden Tower and become a son of the tower after he enters school... then he will receive the most formal training and inherit everything from him, including the faction.
It is precisely because of this that the assassination of Arthur always seems like a joke.
Otherwise Arthur would have been dead long ago.
One instant death spell, one explosion. When the entire clan is a destructive wizard, it is too easy to kill an ordinary person who is not even a transcendent.
Because it doesn't deserve to be called a "conspiracy" at all. Even calling it a "temptation" may not be enough.
It was just pure and incomparable "malice" that was so full that it overflowed.
Arthur must use his own brains to find out the malicious master who is entangled in him. And let him find the evidence himself. His parents are useless, and they have no relatives they can trust. This can only let Arthur
Come on your own.
As long as Arthur finds evidence, the patriarch will kill the prisoner mercilessly.
Even if that is his biological child.
That's right, even people of the same ethnic group, even direct relatives, must receive a fair verdict as long as evidence of a crime is found. With an attitude that is indifferent to the point of inhumanity, the most objective, fair, and beneficial choice for the majority of people must be made.
This is the rule of the Shaoya family.
As long as it is "burning teeth", it must be arrogant.
They are born to be mediators... When they are less than ten years old, they must learn how to look at problems from a detached perspective and how to judge and judge things fairly.
It is a matter of course that they will be suppressed, blackmailed, threatened, even controlled, kidnapped, and assassinated.
Not only that, they must survive, but they must not be tainted with charges. Because as long as there are charges and there is evidence, they may be blackmailed. In this way, such a powerful force will be controlled by others.
It was not just the power of an explosion, a beam of fire, or an instant death spell. It was the influence on them that was enough to change the political situation and the world.
This is the source of the Zhuoya family's innate strong self-confidence, self-esteem, and pride.
Because they must be stronger, more independent, and wiser than anyone else in order to have the power to exercise this obligation that only they can exercise.
Mediation.
At the beginning, Arthur would be so shocked that he didn't know what to do. At that time, he didn't know how to be afraid at all.
As I grow older, I will have the extreme fear of almost being killed.
Then there is the sadness of having one's "friends" want to kill him, the pain of not being able to trust anyone as he looks at anyone who could kill him, and the doubt of why he exists here, damn it
What is the meaning of "talent"?
And when the cry-loving Arthur stood up again from endless self-torture.
He will never cry again.
He was only thirteen years old that year.
He recognized his own excellence as a matter of course, and realized that excellent people would inevitably be jealous of others. What's more, his excellence was not unrelated to them... His mere existence could destroy the future of others.
"I am a person who lives in the present and the future."
He swore this: "All the pain I am experiencing now is to reach that 'future'."
He gave up all entertainment and even humanity. He severed ties with his mother and became the adopted son of an elder. He secretly sold his body to nobles and ladies in exchange for wealth. He publicly forgave those who had killed people.
He killed his own people, and used the wealth and the authority of his adoptive father to persuade or coerce them into signing a contract and agreeing to strict "new rules" to control the young people of his generation.
When he got a more relaxed environment, he immediately began to study like crazy, absorbing all the knowledge he could come into contact with. Even including etiquette, calligraphy, and even his speech and behavior, he strived to achieve perfection.
He even used ritual sacrifices to drop six "Scorching Tooth Marks" to continuously strengthen his soul and increase the capacity of his mana pool. He chewed charcoal and embers every day and tasted the taste of "fire".
When he had just reached the bronze level... he showed his abnormal desires.
This desire that was too heterogeneous and too strong finally attracted the attention and admiration of the big shots.
There is no doubt that little Arthur ignited his desire for gold.
This is no longer a mere "possibility".
They are not mortal beings who are born with good luck without knowing it, but great beings who are destined to become great figures.
The presence or absence of the "Scorch of the Fang" no longer matters.
With this desire and perseverance alone, even if he cannot become the master of the tower, he will become another gold-level member and join the "Advisory Council"; at the end, he can also become the talker of the family, and finally become an elder and become the Denisoya Kingdom.
The "Justice" naturally holds the front row position in the "Committee" and even becomes the Chairman.
Arthur, who is only fourteen years old, is destined to become a "big shot".
In this way, he is no longer a creature on the same level as the cowardly crybaby from before.
After he graduated from the Lava Forbidden Tower, he was sent to various parts of the world as a Bronze-level person, and he would start trying to "mediate". Once he became familiar with the work process of the Zhuoyang family, he would come back to take over the family business.
.
He was careful in his words and deeds all the way, without committing any crimes or leaving any evidence behind. He changed from a boy to a young man, his actions became more mature and steady, and his speech and behavior became more elegant and comfortable.
But when Arthur returned, he encountered an accident.
He encountered an unknown attack in the underground city.
Because he didn't want to kill someone... Arthur hesitated when he fought back, and was knocked unconscious.
When Arthur woke up again, he was soaked in ice water and suffered severe pain all over his body.
The "scorch marks" on his body, as well as the idiosyncratic desire burning in his heart, were sacrificed by someone unknown.
This goal is too precise.
So much so that Arthur immediately realized that there must be a traitor around him.
But at that moment, Arthur, who was unwavering, felt fear.
After losing the "Scarring Fang Mark"... can he really inherit the Lava Forbidden Tower? Can he really reach "that ending" as he swore before?
He didn't say anything or call for help because the long-lost fear in his heart returned again.
He was afraid that he had asked for support but failed to catch the thief. In that case, everything he had obtained might be lost in an instant.
After all, the Burning Fang marks are hidden under his clothes... As long as he hides it well, no one may be able to notice it immediately.
So Arthur chose to hide the incident quietly and return to Denisoya.
Sure enough, the family did not realize that Arthur had lost his roots as a "genius".
But when Arthur returned to the Lava Forbidden Tower.
But he desperately discovered something.
That is the Lava Forbidden Tower. In the past few years since he was away... he has chosen a new son of the tower.
However, it was not him, not even any Zhuoya, but a girl with a foreign surname.
At the age of nineteen, she was already able to advance to gold.
She is not like herself, who rushes towards gold with a desire to "become a big shot" that cannot be put on the stage, but with the determination to "weigh all justice and injustice".
That desire was enough to advance to gold, but she was able to control it. Because she judged that her current strength and ability could not control the situation after becoming the master of the tower, so she chose to continue to develop and suppress her advancement process.
.
Her strong desire for destruction, as well as her violent and arrogant temper brought about by learning destruction spells were completely controlled by her.
Even Arthur had to admit her talent and the fact that he was jealous of her.
He even fell in love with him uncontrollably because of his excellence.
Even if you can't get the location of the Tower Master, it might be good if you can get her.
Arthur thought so.
But it was the "love" in his heart that ruined everything for him.
Once he lost his determination to "do whatever it takes", Arthur quickly fell. The fire of his desire was as dim as a candle, and his whole person lost that vigor.
Strength and judgment will retreat instead of advancing.
He realized that he had to work hard.
So Arthur chose to advance directly to Silver without informing the Lord of the Tower... But something went wrong during the advancement process. He almost didn't wake up from the nightmare and even degenerated into a demon. It was the Lord of the Tower who personally took action to
The curse that was wrapped around him was "destroyed".
It was detected that he had recently been injected with a mixture related to "Devil's Blood". It was also discovered that his "Scorch of Burning Fangs" had disappeared.
Of course, everyone knew that he had been framed because there was really no reason for him to do this.
But because he did not choose to call his family at that time, he could not prove his innocence. The soul search results could not be shown to a third party, so they could not be used as evidence... But he had used demon blood, which could be used as evidence.
For the Zhuoyang family, which emphasizes that no "handles" can be left behind, this is tantamount to cutting off his path to advancement.
It was precisely because he was clearly aware that someone seemed to be targeting the "Scorching Tooth" family...that's why those who tried to murder Arthur when he was young did not continue to attack him when he was killed.
They all ignored Arthur and got caught up in the busy work of searching for the murderer. They even turned around and cared about Arthur and took care of his life... But this made Arthur even more unacceptable.
Arthur, who had barely advanced to the Silver level, had already exceeded 70% due to the corrosion caused by trace amounts of demon blood... It was basically impossible to enter the Gold level.
He is still a Silver-level transcendent.
He is still a justice with rich "mediation experience".
To ordinary people, he is a high-ranking "upper-class man". Less than thirty years old, he has become a winner in life. He is young, healthy, tall, handsome, elegant, wise, powerful and genius.
But only Arthur knows...he is a loser.
Because he was born with outstanding talents, he started with a good hand of cards. He gave up everything for this, just to reach the "end that must be reached."
But because of his own "negligence" several times, he was ruined. He could never get closer to his original goal.
Overnight, he seemed to have transformed back into the thirteen-year-old crybaby Arthur. Although he persistently chose not to cry... he still chose to escape.
He didn't dare to return to the Lava Forbidden Tower, nor did he dare to go home. But after he disappeared, no one came to look for him... It was as if he became irrelevant in an instant.
Arthur came to the underground city in a daze, thinking that his future was ruined anyway. He accepted murder commissions to make money or vent his anger. The money he earned was spent on playing with women and drinking. His whole person was visibly depraved.
Go down.
And a few years later, like a lost dog... he met his "captain" Selicia.
It was a doll-like girl whose appearance was very similar to that of the son of the tower.
The moment he saw her, Arthur was stunned.
Even though his reason told him that these should be two different people...he still instinctively and timidly wanted to escape.
"You are Arthur Burning Fang. I have heard of you."
When she met, she said: "You and I are the same kind of people. People who once had hope, but were betrayed by hope."
The petite girl in pink and purple stretched out her hand to the drunken Arthur.
"But I believe... you definitely haven't given up yet.
"Because there is pain in your eyes, but there is no despair. You are just confused, but you have not given up yet.
"Want to follow? Come with me... and make one last bet."
She said this and pulled the numb Arthur back from the hopeless hell.
But now, Arthur has long become a "character in legend" and a cardinal of the Pardoner. He has even touched the edge of the golden stage, and he has regained his confidence.
That does not come from his talent, nor does it come from his surname, rank, or strength. It also comes from everything he has done.
He returned to this country again.
Not as a loser or a deserter.
Not as a "big shot" or as a "hope for the future".
Instead, Arthur Burning Fang used his own name to have equal discussions with the rulers of the two countries.