Chapter 980: Fool
That damned fool—he's still a fool, even after advancing to Sky Rank...
Butler silently cursed in his heart, then turned to Leon with a smile.
"Leon, compensation is only fair. Whatever you want, just say it. If it's reasonable, I'm sure Dubois Charles won't refuse."
Dubois Charles continued to swallow his anger, sitting silently off to the side.
Leon sat there, seemingly calm and expressionless.
"I'm not asking for much, just enough to cover my losses.
The things in that base are priceless—far more valuable than the Four Seasons Plain. But if I make an outrageous demand, you wouldn't believe it. Just hand over the Dilo Fortress on the western edge of the Four Seasons Plain. Consider it compensation for the base."
Hearing this, Dubois Charles could barely contain his fury again.
Dilo Fortress may be just a fortress, but it guards the only entrance to the Dilo Mountains. The mountains themselves are shaped like a bowl with a broken rim, lush with vegetation and teeming with magical beasts. Most importantly, the plant and medicinal resources within are incredibly rich.
Aside from the entrance guarded by Dilo Fortress, only Sky Rank mages might be able to enter the Dilo Mountains from other directions—but the unstable space surrounding the mountains is fraught with danger.
Dilo Fortress sits right next to the Four Seasons Plain, but the mountains themselves lack mineral veins. That's why everyone covets the resource-rich Four Seasons Plain.
Now that Dilo Fortress is being taken away, it's no different than having flesh cut from one's own body.
Half of his income in the Blazeforge Realm comes from guarding the Dilo Mountains with Dilo Fortress.
How could he possibly hand it over?
Before Dubois Charles could speak, Butler frowned and looked over.
After a long moment, Dubois Charles finally gritted his teeth.
"Fine!"
As soon as Dubois Charles spoke, Leon produced a Magic Beacon and sent a magical message to the Gray Orc Fortress, instructing his subordinates to take possession of Dilo Fortress.
After finishing all this, Leon finally looked up at Dubois Charles.
Dubois Charles stayed silent, but also sent a message to his subordinates at Dilo Fortress, instructing them to hand it over.
"Fine, I'll let the destruction of the laboratory go. But the loss of my alchemist team, the most precious sample, and the finished product—forget compensating me for a whole alchemist team, just give me fifty Essence Relics instead. As for the rare sample, compensate me with three thousand Soul Mana Crystals."
Dubois Charles couldn't help but scream.
"Leon Merlin, don't push it too far! Fifty Essence Relics? Three thousand Soul Mana Crystals—you... you..."
"Dubois Charles, do you want to fight? Then come on!"
Leon stood up, molten magma swirling around his hands again...
Butler frowned and pressed Dubois Charles back down.
"Leon, fifty Essence Relics is a bit much. Honestly, Dubois Charles can't possibly come up with fifty of them. Even the Black Tower Sanctuary might not have that many spare Essence Relics...
And three thousand Soul Mana Crystals is also a lot. Dubois Charles can't afford that much—lower it a bit..."
Leon frowned, then reluctantly lowered his demands.
Fifty defensive Soulbound Relics—no less. Three thousand Soul Mana Crystals—not a single one less. If you don't have Soul Mana Crystals, equivalent-value magic metals, gems, or mana crystals will do...
When Butler heard raw materials could be substituted, he said no more.
Fifty defensive Soulbound Relics are a fortune, but as the Black Tower Sanctuary's representative, Dubois Charles could definitely provide them. After all, the Black Tower Sanctuary supplies Soulbound Relics to its elite Mage Legion.
Three thousand Soul Mana Crystals—selling Dubois Charles himself wouldn't raise that many. Not even a thousand could be gathered...
But if materials are substituted, then it's not a problem. The Blazeforge Realm produces so many raw materials that gathering the equivalent of three thousand Soul Mana Crystals, while a massive fortune, is barely possible...
Dubois Charles sensed that the Plane Path of the demi-plane was intact, and the alchemical array undamaged. So, swallowing his anger, he opened the demi-plane and took out fifty palm-sized shields made from black dragon scales.
Leon's eyes lit up as he quickly stowed away the fifty shields. He'd only meant to squeeze some defensive Soulbound Relics out of the Mage Legion, but this was an unexpected bonus.
Fifty black dragon scales—all from the same dragon, and not just any dragon, but a peak Sky Rank black dragon. Judging by the look of it, the body must've lain buried for ages before the Black Tower Sanctuary dug it up.
They're all Soulbound Relics now, but that's just due to the alchemists' skill level. With some modification and nurturing, they could eventually become Essence Relics.
Most importantly, the aura of these fifty Soulbound Relics can be linked together, and when used by the Mage Legion, their power will be at least doubled.