I Pioneered Scientific Magic - Chapter 349: Our troops haven't perished; they've just returned to the embrace of the Lord ahead of time!

“I have a decent relationship with Master Gatelin and have had several conversations with him. Hence, I have some understanding of the construction and operational principles of the machine gun,” Lynn explained further.

“However, this weapon is unfortunately too dangerous. If it were to spread, it might make warfare even more brutal. Consequently, after its development, the [Society of Mystical Arts] sealed it away. The elderly grand wizard who developed it met a melancholic end. Only recently was it reactivated to confront the Holy Church’s war,” he continued.

Hearing this, Wilson felt a tinge of regret. Such a genius who devised a weapon for war had fallen in such a manner.

He instantly felt that the [Society of Mystical Arts] had made the most correct decision. He couldn’t even fathom how dire the situation would become if this technology were to spread.

Even formal wizards like them, when faced with a machine gun on the battlefield, might end up being riddled with bullets.

Wilson even suspected whether the Headmaster might have been involved in the development of this weapon of war. Otherwise, how could he possess such detailed knowledge and even directly draw the schematics…

“If you manage to produce five qualified machine guns within a week, after this war, I’ll commend your achievements to the parliament. Everyone involved in the development of the new firearms will receive a Morning Star Medal!” Lynn encouraged.

Most of the alchemists present had been involved in the creation and improvement of flintlocks, matchlocks, and electromagnetic cannons. It was only fair that they receive some form of reward.

Upon hearing this, Wilson and the others were incredibly excited. The Morning Star Medal was undoubtedly something most formal wizards dreamt of obtaining in their lifetime; it was a great honor!

As for the more prestigious Silver Moon and Sun Crown Medals, those were usually reserved for grand wizards and legendary wizards. The only exception in centuries was Lynn. They didn’t dare aspire to compare themselves to this magical luminary…

Lydia was particularly thrilled; it meant she would soon become the first halfling witch in history to receive the Morning Star Medal!

With the upcoming glory as motivation, the fatigue from consecutive late nights suddenly vanished. After downing another bottle of energy potion, the alchemists began brainstorming how to produce this new technology.

Despite having complete blueprints, the level of automation in the machine gun surpassed that of flintlocks and matchlocks. There were numerous technical hurdles to overcome within a tight one-week timeframe.

Seeing Wilson and the others brimming with enthusiasm, Lynn nodded in satisfaction. Once they had laser weaponry for defense and several machine guns as their trump cards, they wouldn’t need to remain on the defensive; they could switch to offense!

Lynn was particularly interested in the petroleum used by the Gryphon Knights for arson. In any case, he had marked this oil-producing region as his own!

…

Nighttime, Kingdom of Hadralata, outside the capital city.

Amidst prayers and hymns, the ground shook violently, and walls over two meters high rose abruptly, forming a makeshift camp.

Soon after, several Archbishops joined forces to cast divine spells, creating a magical barrier spanning several kilometers.

Due to the vast expanse covered by the magic, the protective strength was significantly dispersed. Even a low-level spell could easily break through. However, it wasn’t meant for defense; it was imbued with spells for detection of magical fluctuations and life senses…

Upon an attack on the magical barrier, nearby guards—bishops and priests—would immediately rush to the scene.

The divine radiance of the barrier brought some solace to the soldiers who had just endured a brutal war. However, whenever they closed their eyes, they would recall the booming sounds of firearms and cannons, the walls soaked in blood, becoming an indelible nightmare in their minds.

“God’s people, the devils walk the earth. They’ve occupied kingdoms, aiming to turn this realm into a purgatory… Fear not, panic not; all this is a test from God. Those who sacrifice for God have merely returned to the Lord’s embrace ahead of schedule, to enjoy endless peace and joy in His kingdom…” a compassionate-looking priest proclaimed amidst the anxious soldiers. Surrounding priests chanted prayers loudly, comforting the shaken soldiers.

Compared to these foot soldiers, the precious Gryphon Knights received better treatment. Personally attended to by the bishops, they were rid of their fear of thunder magic using divine spells.

The only unaffected ones were the Silver Armor Divine Punishers.

Each member of the Divine Punishers was an elite who had fought their way out of heaps of corpses. They had witnessed comrades perish under the fangs of demons and beasts, and hunting down dangerous wizards was routine. So, despite the intense noon siege, it wasn’t enough to shake their spirits or beliefs.

In the center of the camp, under the guard of the Silver Armor guards, stood a temporary pure white tent.

Edweil was listening to reports on casualties from this war, which were significantly worse than initially anticipated.

The total death toll had reached over 23,500, including 117 Gryphon Knights and 200 Divine Punishers who fell to lightning nets and swiftly launched alchemical devices.

Listening to each dreadful account, the faces of the Archbishops turned grim.

The result of the initial battle could only be described as shameful. Even in wars against dark gods, they had never experienced such a humiliating defeat!

Edweil couldn’t imagine the repercussions if such heavy casualties were reported back to the Holy City; it would severely tarnish the dignity of God!

In his view, the significant casualties without any corresponding gains were purely due to Edweil’s incompetent leadership!

“We shouldn’t have hurried the retreat earlier. Although those wizards’ weapons are powerful, they cannot sustain indefinitely. The loss of 20,000 lives might have pushed those cultists of dark gods to their limits! It’s like a dam nibbled by insects; a gentle push could make it collapse!” Pratt asserted decisively.

He didn’t understand how firearms and cannons operated, but apart from the Almighty, no power was infinite and eternal!

Powerful forces often meant terrifying consumption!

If during the fiercest moments of the war, Edweil had ordered the Gryphon Knights to cooperate with him in a strong offensive at any cost, perhaps they would now be celebrating victory within the city walls!

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