章節 16: Chapter 16. Mana City
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The town, once a quiet haven nestled between the foothills and the forest, was alive with the buzz of activity. Since the announcement, the streets were filled with laughter, the clinking of hammers, and the murmur of new ideas. The atmosphere was electric, like a dormant flame had been fanned into a roaring blaze.
I stood in the training grounds, swinging my wooden sword in a steady rhythm. Each stroke was precise, but my mind wandered. My wealth was vast, incomprehensibly so, and the weight of my resources demanded action.
As I finished a set, Barns approached. His dark green alchemist's robes were slightly disheveled, and a hint of excitement danced in his eyes.
"My lord," he began, bowing. "I've heard rumors that you plan to construct everything with mana crystals. Is it true?"
I paused mid-swing, looking at him. "Yes, Barns. Do you also need mana crystals for something?"
His face lit up. "Yes, my lord! A room made purely of mana crystals is essential for an alchemist of my caliber—or any other profession, really. It amplifies energy, stabilizes experiments, and, frankly, it's every alchemist's dream."
"Alright," I replied casually. "Build your laboratory with mana crystals."
Barns blinked. "A labo—what? What?!"
"You heard me. Submit your request to Lucia. She'll handle the planning."
He stood there, mouth agape, as I returned to swinging my wooden sword. The rhythmic swish of the blade brought me back to my thoughts. With 10,350,000 gold and 693,410 mana crystals at my disposal, I didn't need to worry about the cost.
Shina had long since given up trying to sell the mana crystals. "What do you expect me to do, eat them?" I muttered under my breath. A wry smile crept onto my face. Perhaps I could burn through some resources experimenting with the system.
Turning my attention to the interface, I noticed that all the rare talent fragments had been sold out. Even the common talent fragments only offered a 0.01% chance to upgrade my talent.
"Yosh," I said aloud. "Time to burn some money."
In one swift motion, I exchanged a chunk of mana crystals for 41 common talent fragments. A minute later, the results were in: complete failure. But what else could I expect with a 0.01% chance?
Laying down on the training ground, I let the cool breeze soothe my frustration. My next steps needed careful planning.
The idea of building a trade hub—a city that controlled the world's economy—sparked a glimmer of excitement. "I've given up on an empire," I mused aloud. "But a trade hub? Now that's something worth investing in."
Later, I sent today's batch of 10,000 mana potions to the Chamber of Commerce. My wealth continued to grow, and I approved proposals with a wave of my hand. An outside training trip for the Grade 3 troops? Approved. Expanding the Chamber of Commerce? Approved.
The next day, Kirin, my energetic assistant, sent me a message: Can I add three members to the Chamber of Commerce?
"Do as you please," I replied. I had started the Chamber as a way to siphon off their mana crystal reserves. Now that I didn't need them anymore, it was her playground.
Kirin's potential was undeniable. She was resourceful and ambitious, and despite being younger than me, she carried herself with a maturity beyond her years. I considered raising her like a daughter, though she didn't know how close in age we really were.
As a gesture of goodwill, I posted another 10,000 mana potions at 50 gold each and 10,000 mana crystals at 400 gold apiece. Unsurprisingly, Kirin sold out the stock in a blink. "Welp," I muttered. "She has enough funds to clean out inventory now, huh?"
I transferred another mountain of gold from the system into the real world and handed it off to Lucia. "If there's a problem, give it to the next capable person," I said, quoting an old saying. Lucia, ever efficient, took the gold with a nod and set off to spend it wisely.
Just as I was beginning to relax, news arrived that the Verilith Army had marched into town. Their banners flew high, and their disciplined ranks filled the square. War, it seemed, had come to our doorstep.
"Ah," I said, rubbing my temples. "Wars are expensive, aren't they?"
Lucia appeared at my side, a clipboard in hand. "Yes, my lord. But with our resources, we can handle it."
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For once, I felt excitement about the war.
"Karina!" I called, my voice cutting through the brisk evening air. The grade 4 assassin materialized from my shadow like a phantom, her sudden appearance making me flinch.
"Can you assassinate their leader?" I asked, half-joking, though my tone carried a hint of curiosity.
Her response was unwavering, her voice like tempered steel. "Absolutely."
I turned my gaze back to the massive army of 200,000 before us, their countless banners fluttering like dark waves against the horizon. The setting sun bathed the landscape in hues of molten gold and deep crimson, casting long shadows across their ranks. It was a strange, almost surreal beauty—like a painting framed by the edge of destruction. My eyes flicked to Karina. The soft light played over her expressionless face, her eyes cold and calculating.
I looked at her failing to understand how this was a human and not a monster in the guise of a human.
How was she planning to infiltrate that army, slip past tens of thousands of soldiers, and take the head of their general? A grade 3 on the brink of ascending to grade 4 was no small foe. The thought of her pulling off such a feat was both thrilling and unsettling. But I decided not to question her. Grade 4 ranks had ways of making the impossible seem routine, it was a general knowledge.
"Lead the army into defensive stances," I commanded, shaking off the uneasy thoughts.
"My lord," my general interjected, her voice tinged with urgency. "Can we take the battle off the walls? If they push too close, I fear our civilians will be at risk. They could be taken hostage."
I frowned, the weight of her words hitting me like a hammer. How could I have overlooked that? I resisted the urge to groan aloud and instead rubbed my temple in frustration. "You're right," I finally admitted.
Turning to her, I gave a decisive nod. "You have full authority over how this battle is conducted, General. Handle it as you see fit."
Her lips quirked into a wry smile.
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As I said, if there's something you can't do, delegate it to the next capable person.
The enemy's war drums began to thunder, their sound rolling across the fields like distant storms. Soldiers moved with mechanical precision, their armor catching the last rays of sunlight.
The golden hues of dusk bled into the deep purple of encroaching night, as if the heavens themselves braced for the chaos to come.
Behind me, Karina was already melting back into the shadows, her silhouette vanishing like smoke in the wind. My stomach churned at the thought of what she would do out there, but my lips curved into a grim smile.
The monster was unleashed.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票