Capítulo 412: Foundations
"Huh, is someone talking about me?" I muttered, half to myself, as I tilted my head to dodge a thick vine snapping toward me with the speed of a striking serpent. With a quick leap, I propelled myself into the air, narrowly avoiding its barbed edges.
Below me, the Ancient Treant—a towering monstrosity of gnarled bark and thrashing vines—let out a low, guttural groan, its wooden body creaking with the strain of its movements. This beast was leagues beyond the Elder Treant I had faced years ago, a creature so ferocious that even the very ground seemed to rebel under its influence.
But I wasn't the same Arthur Nightingale anymore.
This was the apex predator of this Ascendant-rank dungeon, an 8-star beast that served as its guardian. Yet, compared to the Paladin of Void—whose very existence defied reason—it was merely a stepping stone.
Still, that didn't mean I could afford to take it lightly.
A sharp crack reverberated through the air as one of its massive branches lashed out, its speed surprising even me. I countered with a burst of mana-infused flames, conjured through the Astareus method. The blue fire roared to life, consuming the incoming branch and leaving behind a smoldering husk.
The Treant let out an enraged roar, its vines retracting momentarily before surging forward with renewed vigor, like a tide of writhing serpents.
"I don't have time for this," I muttered, planting my feet as gravity mana coiled around me like an invisible spring. I launched myself forward, my body cutting through the air as if weightless. With a single, fluid motion, I brought my sword down in an arc of blazing astral energy, cleaving through the first wave of vines.
Each strike of my blade resonated with power, the light mana woven into my attacks burning away the Treant's defenses. Yet, the beast was relentless, its roots surging from the earth in an attempt to ensnare me.
"Persistent, aren't you?" I said, a wry smile tugging at my lips.
A quick step back gave me a moment's respite, enough to glance at the shimmering runes etched into the dungeon walls. The dungeon was alive, its mana thrumming like a heartbeat, feeding the Treant's strength. It wasn't just a fight against a beast; it was a battle against the dungeon itself.
My mind flicked to the aetherite mining team. They would have reached the moon by now, beginning the groundwork for the empire I intended to build. If everything went to plan—and I intended to make sure it did—Noctalis wouldn't just be another guild vying for scraps. We would carve out our place among the Twelve Great Guilds, not just through strength but through innovation.
But first, I needed to clear this dungeon.
The Treant bellowed, its body glowing faintly as it tapped into the dungeon's mana reserves. The air grew heavy, oppressive, as the creature unleashed a barrage of attacks. Its vines surged forward in a chaotic storm, each one infused with enough mana to shatter stone.
I moved instinctively, gravity mana coiling around my legs as I dodged and weaved through the onslaught. The ground beneath me erupted as a massive root tore through it, narrowly missing me as I flipped backward.
"That was close," I muttered, steadying myself as I planted my sword into the ground.
The Treant reared back, preparing for another attack. But I wasn't about to let it dictate the flow of battle. Not anymore.
Mythic Transplant focused on my right leg, the mana surging through it like a roaring river. I propelled myself forward, the sheer force of the movement causing the ground to crack beneath me. The Treant's glowing eyes widened as I closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
"God Flash: Absolute," I whispered, light mana igniting my blade in a radiant blaze.
The strike cut through the Treant's defenses like a knife through paper, the light mana eating away at its wooden body with ruthless efficiency. For a moment, the dungeon fell silent, the only sound the crackling of flames as they consumed the Treant's massive form.
But it wasn't over yet.
The Ancient Treant groaned, its body regenerating as mana surged through its roots. The dungeon itself seemed to shudder, its energy pouring into the beast in a desperate attempt to keep it alive.
"Figures," I said, wiping the sweat from my brow. "You don't go down that easily."
I tightened my grip on my sword, my senses sharpening as I prepared for the next round. The Treant roared, its body glowing brighter as it drew even more mana from the dungeon.
This was fine. I didn't need to outlast it. I just needed to end it.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the mana around me. The air was thick with it, chaotic and wild, but I could feel the threads connecting the Treant to the dungeon's core.
"That's your weakness," I muttered, a grin forming on my lips.
I opened my eyes, the glow of astral energy illuminating them as I raised my sword. This wasn't just a fight anymore—it was a statement.
A statement that Noctalis was here to stay.
I surged forward, light mana flaring around me as I aimed for the heart of the dungeon itself. My blade struck true, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the cavern. The Treant let out one final, agonized roar as the connection to the dungeon was severed, its body crumbling into ash.
The dungeon fell silent.
I stood there for a moment, catching my breath as the residual mana dissipated.
"One more step forward," I said to myself, sheathing my sword.
Noctalis wasn't just a guild anymore. It was an idea. A force. And I wasn't going to stop until it reshaped the world itself.
"So much work," I groaned, leaning back in my chair as the holographic display flickered to life before me. The bluish light from the projection bathed the room, casting sharp, angular shadows that mirrored the labyrinth of plans I was juggling in my head.
Kaelion had been sent to the moon to oversee the aetherite mining operation—a cornerstone of my grand design. With his expertise and the team accompanying him, I was confident the supply would soon stabilize. But as much as the foundation was important, the real work was just beginning.
Supply was only the first cog in a machine that had to work seamlessly. Transportation, processing, prototyping, and finally, domination—the path ahead was a precarious tightrope walk, and I had no illusions about the stakes.
The hologram shifted, revealing the schematic of a sleek, modern facility. Its clean lines and efficient design were the epitome of functional elegance. This would be the factory where raw aetherite would be processed into a form that could revolutionize the mana-tech industry.
But it wasn't enough to have a factory. The processed aetherite needed to go somewhere. And the only reliable route to the moon was through the Tower of Magic.
Charlotte.
The Archmage had already helped facilitate the initial transport, but establishing a regular supply line was another matter entirely. She wouldn't do it for free, and I needed to prepare something valuable enough to bring her to the negotiating table.
"I should give them something they can't refuse," I muttered, zooming in on the factory's layout. Aetherite was a game-changer, but it was still just potential until we could demonstrate its value. And for that, I needed prototypes.
The holographic schematic expanded, displaying detailed plans for specialized labs and research wings. This factory wouldn't just process aetherite—it would be a crucible for innovation. Potions, runes, spell arrays, artifacts—the possibilities were endless, and each breakthrough would cement Noctalis as a powerhouse not just in adventuring but in shaping the future of mana technology.
But I couldn't do it alone. The Tower of Magic might facilitate transportation, but for the actual research and development, I needed the best minds in the field. That meant the Creighton family. Their mastery of magic and spellcraft made them unparalleled in innovation, and their reputation was as unyielding as the mountains they called home.
"I'll need exclusive contracts," I said, tapping my fingers on the desk. Trust was hard-earned, but I trusted the Creightons enough for this. They valued results, and with aetherite in hand, I had the leverage to deliver exactly that. Partnering with them could bring cutting-edge applications to life while ensuring that no one else could replicate what we were building.
The display shifted again, showing logistical pathways for transportation and the timelines for production. It was a lot to juggle—too much, maybe—but there was no turning back now. The vision was too big to falter.
Transportation first, I decided. Without a reliable supply chain, the rest of the plan would crumble. Charlotte might be temperamental, but she was no fool. A mutually beneficial deal could be struck, provided I offered her something compelling enough.
Then there was Kaelion. He was competent, but the moon was an unforgiving environment, and the team would need continued support. I had already approved the schematics for modular expansion to the mining facilities, but monitoring the operation closely was non-negotiable. I made a mental note to check in with him after finalizing the next steps with Charlotte.
And the factory? That needed to be more than a processing facility. It had to be a symbol. A testament to what Noctalis could achieve. I scribbled a few notes, refining the design to include not just functional spaces but an architectural elegance that would turn heads.
Prototypes would follow. I could already see it in my mind's eye: new-generation potions with unmatched potency, rune arrays that could channel mana more efficiently than ever before, and artifacts imbued with aetherite's unparalleled resonance.
I leaned forward, letting the weight of the moment settle over me. The journey ahead was daunting, but the potential rewards were staggering. The Twelve Great Guilds dominated because they didn't just fight monsters—they controlled industries, economies, and innovations. If Noctalis was to stand among them, we couldn't just compete. We had to redefine the rules.
"Alright," I said, standing up and stretching. The hologram flickered off, leaving the room in relative darkness. "Time to move the pieces."
The moon, the Tower of Magic, the Creighton family—each was a crucial step toward the future I envisioned. And I wasn't about to let anything stop me.
Status de energia semanal
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