Chương 411: Moonshot
I stepped through the doors of Noctalis, the faint hum of mana-infused wards and enchantments greeting me like a familiar tune. The guildhall was alive with activity—members preparing for missions, scribes cataloging resources, and a few sparring matches taking place in the corner of the training grounds. It was a sight that never failed to stir a sense of pride in me, though today, it also brought a weighty sense of purpose.
"Time to get to work before I have to return," I muttered under my breath.
Noctalis was mine. My creation. My foundation for the future. It wasn't enough to simply be a guild. I was going to make Noctalis the guild—an entity that would surpass even the vaunted Twelve Great Guilds.
The title of Guild Master came with responsibilities, expectations, and more than a few headaches. Yet, it was also a crown I wore willingly. This was my staging ground for a larger plan, one that would ripple across the world in ways few could yet comprehend.
The first step had been acquiring an 8-star adventurer license. That, at least, had been straightforward. My achievements spoke for themselves—neutralizing the Paladin of Void, dismantling the Tower of Alchemy's schemes, and surviving battles that would have broken others. Cecilia had helped push the paperwork through, her connections and influence smoothing the edges, but even without them, my record alone would have been enough.
Still, an adventurer's rank was just a number. The real test of Noctalis lay ahead.
The guild was already formidable, thanks in no small part to Kali and Jin. The two of them had taken my resources—an obscene amount of gold, connections, and favors—and built a solid foundation. Our roster was filled with exceptional talent, from veteran adventurers to rising stars. The infrastructure was sound. The reputation was growing.
But to elevate Noctalis to the heights I envisioned, two things were crucial: control and dungeon clears.
Control, because power wasn't simply about strength. It was about influence, the ability to shape the world's systems to your benefit. That meant dominating an industry, not just existing within it. Dungeon clears, because fame and prestige were still the lifeblood of a guild. We needed achievements that would echo in every adventurer's hall, from the Central Continent to the distant reaches of the South.
I already had the industry in mind. Not something established, where entrenched powers would fight tooth and nail to maintain their hold. No, I would set my sights on something new. Something revolutionary.
The mana-tech industry.
Mana technology was, to put it mildly, a mess. Its reliance on beast blood, bones, and other body parts was both wasteful and grotesque. It worked, yes, but it was inefficient, clumsy, and unsustainable. The reliance on high-tier mana beasts made it a bottlenecked resource, driving up costs and limiting potential.
Aetherite, however, changed everything.
Aetherite was a material imbued with the residual intent of the dead. Its very nature made it uniquely suited to carry and channel mana particles. It was resilient, versatile, and—most importantly—the key to unlocking a new epoch of magical and technological innovation.
The material was rare, but I knew where to find it. The moon.
Yes, the moon. An untouched frontier that no one else had considered mining. The logistics would be challenging, but the payoff? Unparalleled. By establishing the first mining company capable of extracting aetherite from the moon, I would lay the groundwork for a monopoly.
Of course, mining was just the beginning. Aetherite was raw potential. To realize its value, I'd need processing facilities, distribution networks, and connections with the most influential powers in the world—the Tower of Magic, the Creighton family, and even the ruling factions of other continents. The applications were limitless: better potions, more efficient runes, advanced spell arrays, and artifacts that surpassed anything currently known.
"A new epoch," I murmured, the words resonating in my mind as I stepped into the central meeting chamber.
The room was quiet, its usual bustle absent. Kali and Jin had done an admirable job, but this was my next step to oversee. This wasn't just about gold or power. This was about legacy.
And it wasn't only for Noctalis. This was for humanity, for a future unbound by the limitations of the present. A future where mana-tech reshaped the very fabric of society, bridging the gap between the mystical and the practical.
I stood at the center of the chamber, the faint blue glow of mana crystals illuminating the polished stone walls. This wasn't just ambition—it was destiny.
The moon, aetherite, mana-tech—this was the road to supremacy.
And Noctalis would lead the charge.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Charlotte leaned back in her chair, staring at the faint shimmer of the spatial pathway she had just stabilized. Her lips pursed as she considered the audacity of the request Arthur had made.
"Arthur works fast," she muttered to herself, her tone a blend of admiration and exasperation. It had been barely a month and Noctalis had cemented its reputation as one of the most formidable up-and-coming guilds, clearing Ascendant-rank dungeons with ease and even conquering an Immortal-rank dungeon—a feat that few could boast.
Their rapid ascent had drawn both awe and suspicion from all corners. For most guilds, strength alone might have been enough. But the Twelve Great Guilds, the titans of the modern world, had built their legacies on more than just dungeon conquests. They dominated industries, holding economic power that matched, if not exceeded, their martial prowess.
That was the gap Arthur intended to close.
Charlotte's gaze shifted to the now-quiet portal. The amount of cargo he'd requested to send through had been staggering—mining equipment, stabilizers for mana extraction, specialized containment vessels, and a crew of highly trained adventurers. The destination? The moon.
She let out a breath, shaking her head. "He always aims high."
The moon had remained largely untouched, its harsh environment and complex mana flow rendering it an unattractive prospect for most. Yet Arthur, in his characteristic way, had seen potential where others saw obstacles. The request for a spatial pathway to establish a base there was bold, almost reckless. But then, Arthur thrived in the space between audacity and pragmatism.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed as she recalled the leader of the group. A 7-star adventurer, his aura brimming with confidence, nearing peak Ascendant-rank. He was the kind of talent who could soon earn an 8-star license—exactly the kind of recruit Arthur would groom to push Noctalis further up the hierarchy.
Her mind returned to the Twelve Great Guilds. They wouldn't remain idle. Arthur's rapid rise, combined with this new venture, would undoubtedly attract their attention. They would watch, analyze, and plan their moves carefully. If they decided he was a threat, they'd act decisively.
"He's playing with fire," Charlotte murmured, tapping her fingers on the edge of her desk. "And yet, he's the only one who might not get burned."
The moon was an unknown frontier. Whatever Arthur hoped to achieve there, it wasn't merely about exploration or expansion. No, this was a calculated move. Whether it was tied to resource extraction, innovation, or a more abstract strategic play, it was clear Arthur intended to claim the moon as his own.
Charlotte exhaled deeply, her mana receding as the spatial pathway faded completely. The energy lingering in the room dissipated, leaving a sense of quiet finality.
"If anyone else had asked, I'd have laughed them out of the room," she muttered. "But you... you always make the impossible seem inevitable."
Her eyes drifted to the faint remnants of mana still clinging to the air, the last traces of the monumental undertaking Arthur had set into motion. A small smile tugged at her lips, equal parts admiration and curiosity.
"Let's see what you do next, Arthur," she said softly, standing to leave. "The whole world will be watching."
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