Chapter 1106: What Can You Offer Me?
Diras had spent ages buttering up Morgan, and only then did Morgan reluctantly sit back down, looking thoroughly displeased.
"Sir Diras, it's not that I don't want to help you, but the price you have to pay is so steep I can barely bring myself to mention it. How am I supposed to explain this to Archmage Leon?
We were both at the peak of Ninth-Rank Title Archmage before, and we're all just waiting to take that final step toward transcendence...
You don't need me to tell you how hard this is.
Do you honestly think it's easy? If helping someone achieve transcendence were simple, there wouldn't be so few Heavenly Mages in Northend.
It's only here, at that temple, that you can exchange for rare materials you can't even find in Northend. That's the only reason there's a sliver of hope.
But it still takes endless experiments, and the success rate is abysmally low. Even if you finally manage it, there's no guarantee you'll actually transcend.
Just exchanging for all the materials costs nearly two hundred mana crystals, not to mention that many of the ingredients come straight from Archmage Leon himself. The total cost is almost two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals...
To be honest, I've never told anyone this, but I've been hunting Pseudo Sky Rank Beasts like a madman these days, barely resting at all. I was almost dead from exhaustion before I finally gathered enough materials...
It was only with Archmage Leon's selfless help that I managed to transcend. I want to help you, but I can't just ask Archmage Leon to provide all the materials, can I?"
Diras's face twisted in shock.
"Two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals? That many?"
Morgan looked utterly contemptuous.
"Sir Diras, are you kidding me? Do you seriously think two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals are more precious than transcending and becoming a true Heavenly powerhouse?
Diras fell silent, biting his lip.
"Sir Morgan, can you just tell me exactly what is needed?"
Morgan's lips curled into a faint smile, which instantly faded into bitterness.
"Sigh, you shouldn't think this is expensive. Honestly, if I could transcend and become a true Heavenly powerhouse, even a thousand real Sky Rank Beast Mana Crystals would be worth it!
Nothing matters more than your own strength...
Back when I was hunting like a madman, I met a lot of people. They all tried to talk me out of it, but what did they know? I never told them the truth.
I hunted for days without sleep, just to gather two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals. Then I needed two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses for materials. Only then did I barely scrape together enough for the cost.
You know, Archmage Leon is a powerful Worldshaper, and a master of alchemical potions. Brewing those potions is insanely difficult—even for someone as strong as Archmage Leon, it's a brutal process.
It drains your spirit, and can even cause permanent mana loss. Even after a successful brew, you need ages to recover.
I only broke through because Archmage Leon wanted to boost our alliance's strength. Those idiot orcs keep getting stronger, and we need true Heavenly power to fight back...
To repay Archmage Leon, I handed over half the mana crystals I hunted afterward, plus a ton of alchemical materials.
This time, I came here just to deliver mana crystals and materials to Archmage Leon..."
Diras looked dazed.
Damn it, that much material... That bastard is squeezing me dry. Two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals are worth as much as two or three Essence Relics.
Even a fully awakened Essence Relic could be exchanged for two of them at the temple.
And with the materials harvested from two hundred beast corpses, the total value is astronomical. Even if you left the Blazeforge Battlefield, it would be enough to elevate the entire Shadow Tower's power by a tier.
On top of that, you have to give up half of the mana crystals you hunt...
Before Diras could say anything, Morgan kept talking, using that 'I'm only doing this for your own good' tone.
"Sir Diras, don't think this price is too steep. Honestly, this is the bare minimum. If word got out, people would be lining up to beg Archmage Leon for help.
Two hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals—that was just my cost at the time. But now, Archmage Leon isn't in great shape, so the cost will definitely go up.
You'll need even more materials. I'd say at least two hundred and fifty Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals.
And those Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses—do you know what they're used for?
They're not just for harvesting beast materials. The whole corpse gets refined for every ounce of usable essence.
Pseudo Sky Rank Beasts might barely count as having a touch of Sky Rank power. Most rule fragments have to be extracted from these corpses.
Only with those rare materials added can you even hope to brew that potion.
I'd guess you'd need at least two hundred and fifty Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses. If any are incomplete, the effect drops, so with partial corpses, you'd need at least three hundred..."
As Morgan spoke, Diras's face turned a little green...
"Three hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses? Are you kidding me?"
Diras hadn't even finished his sentence when Morgan snapped, yelling loudly.
"Sir Diras, what did you say? You think I'm joking with you? Damn it, I'm helping you here! Do you think breaking through to Sky Rank is easy?
If you think you can break through to Sky Rank and achieve transcendence so easily, why are you here at all?
This is just the cost—the cost, you get it?
All of this gets used up on you!
And most importantly, do you think having enough materials means you can break through to Sky Rank? Don't kid yourself—the most important thing is Archmage Leon!
Only Archmage Leon can turn these materials into potions that help mages achieve transcendence!
But do you realize the price Archmage Leon has to pay?
Do you expect Archmage Leon to make such a sacrifice and brew your potion for free? Even in Northend, any random alchemist would ask for double materials—one batch just as payment.
Can you really come up with five hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Mana Crystals? Or six hundred complete Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses?
Of course not. That's why I said you should hand over half the mana crystals you hunt to Archmage Leon as payment—it's already a bargain.
I can't even guarantee Archmage Leon will help for such a low price, and you still think it's too much?
Damn it, I should never have helped you!"
Morgan sat down angrily, while Diras's face turned a little green.
Damn it, that bastard Morgan is definitely helping Leon Merlin squeeze me dry. Two hundred and fifty mana crystals just to exchange for materials—how can it take so many?
At the temple, you can exchange for the best materials—even some that are extinct. You could get several types.
But some of those materials are magic metals—not for potion making...
We're all from the Odin Kingdom, so why is this guy helping Leon Merlin from Andalusia instead of me? He should be helping his own countryman.
That idiot probably thinks I didn't offer him enough at the start, or maybe he's getting better perks from Leon Merlin...
Those Henry family merchants—huh, a bunch of disgraceful mages, helping the rival kingdom instead of me...
The more Diras thought about it, the angrier he got, but he had no idea what to say—he was the one begging for help now, not the other way around.
All that anger just turned inward. A few seconds later, Diras was practically in tears.
"Sir Morgan, come on, how could I possibly gather two hundred and fifty mana crystals, let alone three hundred Pseudo Sky Rank Beast corpses? That's just impossible.
We're both mages from the Odin Kingdom. We've fought side by side before, we're the closest of friends—can't you help me out, just lower the price a bit...
That way, the strong ones would still be from the Odin Kingdom...
Inside the Blazeforge Battlefield, nothing matters, but the Odin Kingdom and the Andalusia Kingdom are rivals.
You remember the wager between our two kingdoms, right?
In the end, whichever kingdom scores the most points gets control of the entire Blazeforge Plane. The losing kingdom has to leave for good.
The little benefits we've gotten so far are nothing compared to the whole Blazeforge Plane. Later, the Andalusia Kingdom and Leon Merlin will be our rivals...
We should be strengthening ourselves! Please, help me out here—I only have one hundred and ten mana crystals. No complete beast corpses left, but I've got materials from over a hundred.
With that much, it should be enough to brew the potion, right?
If we seize the Blazeforge Plane, I'll carve out some territory from the Shadow Tower's holdings and give it to you..."
Diras lowered his voice, making it clear: we're both from the Odin Kingdom, and you're helping an outsider squeeze me dry. How is that worth it?
Helping a fellow Odin Kingdom mage is the only way to get lasting benefits...
Morgan sneered inwardly. Like I can't understand what Diras is saying.
What an idiot. Help you? Don't make me laugh...
So what if Andalusia and Odin are rivals? In the end, it's all about profit.
Even if we beat Andalusia, all we'd get is a pile of resources. But no one ever became a Sky Rank powerhouse just by stockpiling resources...
What can this bastard offer me? Can he help me transcend and break through to Sky Rank?