(Mach Faction Castle - Anchorage Island South District)
While Wim was busy hunting for a Fire Salamender for his practical exam, Helbert arrived at the Mach Faction castle with the box he had brought earlier.
Inside the Mach Faction castle, the light of magical crystals illuminated the crimson stone walls. A large golden cogwheel symbol was engraved above the main chair, a symbol of the faction's pride.
Not only that, the sound of gears and the clanking of metal could also be heard from another room, indicating the ceaseless activity of technicians advancing in magitek technology.
Helbert, who had just entered, placed the large box on a long iron table.
THUMM!
The box trembled, but then calmed down.
Helbert: "Huh, finally..." he said with a sigh.
But just as Helbert was sighing, the sound of approaching boots was heard.
A man with black hair tied back, wearing a red robe with a golden cogwheel symbol on the back, entered with a warm smile and greeted Helbert.
??? :"Helbert... it's been a long time since we last saw each other."
Helbert:"Hahaha, Leon! You still look the same, only your face is a little more work-weary now, huh?" he said with a broad smile, his thick beard swaying as he chuckled.
Unlike Helbert, who was a dwarf, Leon was human.
He himself had known Helbert since they were partners with the Mach Faction in the Southern District, even before Helbert finally retired from the faction.
They shook hands, their grip tight and full of respect.
Leon:"I heard you're now at Unio Academy. How are you doing there?"
Helbert:"The usual. They gave me a place to stay, decent food... in exchange for me fixing their broken magic tools. Not too bad for an old retiree."
Hearing this made Leon chuckle slightly at his words, still the same old self. Never changing. He always treated everything as trivial.
Leon also noticed the box Helbert was carrying and began pointing at it, asking.
Leon: "And this? Is this really the item we ordered a few days ago?"
Helbert didn't answer immediately. He simply opened the box slowly. A bluish light emanated from inside. There were several arm-sized battery boxes, their surfaces engraved with thin, glowing runes. Magic cables extended from the top, with a simple yet sturdy design, similar to a car battery.
Then he began to lift one of them.
Helbert: "This mana battery is handmade by me. It uses a different magic stone than the Crimson Ether commonly used by many people. However, it's still not perfect."
Leon: "Thank you, Helbert."
Helbert: "You're welcome, but I'm just wondering. Why did the Mach Faction bother asking for this?" He asked, puzzled by the Mach Faction's request.
Leon: "What do you mean?" He said.
Helbert: "I mean, can't you guys easily get it from the market? In fact, that mana battery is better than the one I'm currently making?" He continued.
Helbert was puzzled by the request. He thought, shouldn't the Mach Faction be able to get this mana battery through the regular market, rather than from Helbert himself?
Considering that the mana batteries on the market are meticulously crafted and polished, making them of excellent quality.
The question caused Leon's smile to slowly fade. He lowered his head slightly and looked at Helbert.
Leon: "You probably haven't heard the latest news. The supply of mana batteries is dwindling. In fact, the price has skyrocketed."
Helbert's eyes widened slightly, curious as to why the price of mana batteries had skyrocketed. He remembered that the price was still quite affordable for everyone.
Then he frowned.
Helbert: "What's the reason?"
Leon took a deep breath, preparing himself for the news he was about to tell Helbert.
Leon: "You probably don't know this, but the Helible Kingdom... They've shut down most of their Crimson Ether exports. Without those crystals, the quantity of mana batteries produced is starting to dwindle."
Helbert fell silent, staring at the battery in his hand. He knew exactly what Crimson Ether was.
A red magic stone that can only be mined in areas with a strong concentration of Mana, and is also the primary energy source for magitek cores.
The Helible Kingdom itself possesses vast and numerous Crimson Ether mines, making them a major exporter and a leading global player.
However, recently, the Helible Kingdom and Cryztolia have been in conflict, leading the Helible Kingdom to halt their Crimson Ether exports. This is likely to prevent Cryztolia from using it if they start a war.
It would be quite annoying if Crimson Ether exports were halted. This could be detrimental to every merchant and other factions using this new magic.
If the embargo continues, much of the continent's technology will be crippled.
Helbert: "...Hmm. So that's why you were looking for me?" he asked with a faint smile, his eyes gleaming.
Helbert: "It just so happens that I've been experimenting with replacing Crimson Ether materials. My rune-resonator can use regular mana stones, with a few adjustments," Helbert continued, patting the battery.
Leon: "Really... Thank goodness," he replied with a sigh of relief.
The two of them then carried the mana battery to a side room. The room was spacious, like a small hangar, filled with metal frames and a giant, three-meter-tall automaton. The automaton wasn't fully humanoid, more like a construction machine with large arms covered in runes.
Helbert: "Hmph. Still crazy as ever. This machine is for construction, huh?" Gasping in admiration,
Leon: "Yes. We designed it to speed up the construction of the protective fortifications in the southern district. The rest is just adding batteries where needed."
Dexterously, they began installing the batteries. A "CLICK! CLACK!" sound rang out as the rune wires connected. The giant automaton slowly vibrated, its crystal eyes glowing a faint blue.
"WHUMMMM…"
Helbert took a few steps back as the automaton began to power up, then he said.
Helbert: "Good... Now all that's left is routine maintenance on the runes, and this burly thing will be operational tomorrow."
While the two were busy, Leon suddenly asked in a casual tone.
Leon: "Oh, by the way. I saw you with a young man earlier. He was accompanied by a small, round automaton, wasn't he? Who is he?"
Helbert paused for a moment, then regained his composure.
Helbert: "He's just a student. Taking a practical exam in an empty field. Nothing more. The automaton is strange, isn't it? Maybe a homemade toy. You know, things are starting to look weird these days."
Leon nodded slowly, though his eyes were sharp.
Leon: "I see... I was just curious. An automaton that small, yet it seems to behave like a living creature... interesting."
...
(Wim's POV)
The empty field in the southern district was now filled with the smell of smoke and scorched earth. The lifeless remains of the Fire Salamender lay scattered everywhere. Wim stood panting, his Hidden Gear's blue sword slowly fading.
Wim: "Phew... crazy, this is more tiring than a 100-kilometer run for exercise."
His battle with the Fire Salamender had drained almost all of his stamina.
Fortunately, that battle allowed Wim to gain more experience than usual during his Practical Training in the Gigan Dungeon.
[You gain an additional 127 experience points.]
Meanwhile, Art hovered around each Salamender corpse, shining a blue light at them. He was scanning them.
Art: "Scanning is complete, Wim."
Wim: "Really? Let me see."
Wim examined each skin, which shone in the afternoon sun. With Art's help, they separated the highest-quality hides.
Wim: "Hmph... Of these, there are 3 to 6 that are truly superior."
Art turned around and looked at Wim.
Art: "I recommend prioritizing high-quality hides for potions, while keeping the regular ones for backup."
Wim nodded, then put the best hides into a special pouch coated with a preservation rune given to him by Helbert.
Not only that, Wim also obtained a drop item from one of the Salamenders: a Magic Stone.
[You obtained 1 Magic Stone. Description: A stone that stores the magical energy accumulated in monsters during their lifetime. Energy Amount: 57%]
On the way to the Mach Faction castle, their promised destination, he took off his Glass Art glasses and examined the materials. The blue light from the lens projected several alchemy diagrams into the air, showing the structure of the Fire Salamender's skin and how to refine it into an L-type Strengthening potion.
From there, it was clear that the method for making the potion involved drying the Salamender's skin until it changed color, then mixing it with other ingredients.
It seemed very simple, but Wim knew it was more difficult than it looked.
Plus, he had been so busy trying to provoke Professor Syit over the past few weeks that he had forgotten about her Alchemy lessons.
But that didn't matter; since this was a group exam, he could leave the rest to his teammates, including Luna.
When they arrived in front of the Mach Faction Castle, Helbert was already standing in the castle courtyard, his hands behind his back, his eyes staring at the approaching horse-drawn carriage.
Helbert: "Ah, you guys came earlier than I expected," he said with a smile.
Wim frowned.
Wim: "Mr. Helbert... why are you here already? It's not even three o'clock yet."
Helbert: "Hahaha. My assignment was completed earlier than expected. I thought there would be a hitch, but there wasn't. So I just waited here," he said, raising his wrist and shaking it.
Then Helbert began to question the man.
Helbert: "So. You've found what you were looking for."
Wim and Art nodded, showing the bags filled with the materials they needed.
Helbert: "Good. I'm glad you've successfully completed your mission. Let's return to the academy."
The three of them walked towards the train that would take them back to Unio. The sound of wheels and horns blended with the sounds of the busy evening city. Along the way, they strolled leisurely, occasionally sharing lighthearted banter, discussing the events in the southern district and what Helbert and his colleagues were up to. Leon
In the afternoon, they arrived back at Unio Academy. The large gates were open, letting in the warm evening light. Helbert patted Wim on the back.
Helbert: "Thank you for accompanying me to deliver my things to my destination."
Wim replied with a big smile.
Wim: "You're welcome. Thank you also for giving us the opportunity to hunt for materials for the practical exam. It was quite an experience."
Helbert nodded in satisfaction and closed the door.
Helbert: "Okay, I'll take care of the rest inside. You guys get some rest in your dorms, young man."
Wim and Art walked back to their dorms, the pouch containing the Fire Salamender skin swaying against Wim's back. The streetlights and the scent of the evening added warmth after a tiring day in the Southern District.