Before stepping into the spatial rift to return to the academy, Markus paused at the edge of the glowing Heart-Root Sanctuary. He turned his head slightly, his silver-blue eyes fixing Elder Celadon with a sharp, calculating gaze.
"The elven canopy is secure, Celadon, but my vision extends far beyond a single forest," Markus said smoothly. "If I am to equip the academy and forge an army capable of withstanding the rival empires, I need raw resources on a continental scale—precious minerals, law-infused ores, and rare botanical catalysts. Which factions in this primordial realm are open to trade, and where are the richest mineral vein domains?"
Elder Celadon bowed respectfully, instantly recognizing the sheer ambition behind the question. He raised his wooden staff, tapping the slate floor three times.
A shimmering projection of green and golden light erupted from the surrounding root walls, displaying an expansive, intricate map of the primordial continent's uncharted territories.
"Lord Markus, the primordial continent is vast, treacherous, and largely divided between primordial beast clans and ancient humanoid enclaves," Celadon explained, using his staff to highlight three distinct regions hovering on the light-map. "If you seek allies, rare minerals, and high-tier materials, three major territories stand above the rest."
Celadon pointed his staff at the rugged, mountainous cavern network drawn along the western border.
"If precious minerals and forge-metals are your immediate priority, you must make contact with the Stone-Forge Clans of Karak-Vorn," Celadon advised. "They dwell deep within the abyssal roots of the mountain ranges. Their deep-mine shafts touch the core of the ancient world, yielding Star-Core Iron—a dense, spatial-conductive metal that no human forge on your continent can replicate."
"What do the dwarves lack that I can provide?" Markus asked, cutting straight to the economic leverage.
Celadon smiled knowingly. "They are master smiths, but their subterranean mines are constantly plagued by Chrono-Shear fissures and spatial collapses that swallow their deepest mining tunnels. A master of Space and Time Law could stabilize their deepest shafts in a single afternoon. If you clear their abyssal mines, King Thorin of the Stone-Forge will happily open his secret vaults and trade routes to your academy."
Markus absorbed the information, his mind instantly mapping out a grand trade nexus.
By utilizing the secret Floor Zero sub-basement beneath the academy as a central hub, he could establish direct, hidden spatial conduits to the Elven Canopy for botanical catalysts, the Stone-Forge Clans for rare metals, and eventually the Tide-Weavers for oceanic energy cores.
The Aurelian Empire's nobility thought they were attending a high-class imperial academy. In reality, Markus was quietly anchoring the academy's foundation to the entire wealth of the Primordial Universe.
"Save these coordinates to my spatial record," Markus commanded smoothly, flicking his wrist to absorb the glowing map projection into his storage array. "Maintain active communication with the Stone-Forge border outposts, Celadon. When I am ready to expand our trade agreements, you will act as my emissary."
"It shall be done as you command, Lord Markus," Celadon bowed deeply, his voice filled with unwavering loyalty.
With his strategic roadmap for the primordial continent fully mapped, Markus turned back toward the central spatial threshold. Folding the local dimensions around himself, he stepped into the silver tear, leaving the elven forest behind as he returned to the academy's secret depths.
**
The atmosphere inside the secure subterranean vault beneath the academy was quiet, broken only by the hum of ancient spatial runes stabilizing the perimeter. Stepping out of the silver tear, Markus unrolled his spatial storage array, revealing the shimmering harvest from his trip—heavy Star-Core Iron ingots, raw Ocean-Core crystals, and preserved botanical catalysts from the Heart-Root Sanctuary.
With practiced control, Markus flicked his fingers, directing the rare minerals into heavy, runic containment boxes designed to isolate high-tier elemental radiation.
As the glowing blue interface of NOVUS pulsed in his vision, each box was scanned, sealed, and neatly labeled with detailed notes on mineral purity and law-resonance profiles—tailored specifically for Isolde's upcoming experiments. Markus knew Isolde's eyes would light up the moment she saw the raw quality of materials she had to work with.
With the logistics settled, Markus slipped effortlessly into a high-altitude spatial fold above the central quadrant of the academy grounds. Hidden between the layers of folded space, he hovered soundlessly, watching the midday classes unfold below.
From his vantage point, he could see the vibrant energy of the campus:
Down on the martial grounds, Sloane was putting a line of high-tier cadets through relentless heavy-impact drills, her gauntlets flashing with controlled kinetic bursts as she taught them how to structure their defensive aura.
In the main lecture hall, Isolde stood before a packed amphitheater of attentive students, calmly demonstrating the precise temperature shifts needed to refine Tier 4 herbs without burning off their vital energy.
Watching the girls step into their roles with such natural authority and finesse brought a rare, genuine smile to Markus's face. The foundation he had envisioned was finally taking root.
A soft, familiar ripple disturbed the quiet fabric of the spatial fold behind him.
Despite Markus being fully cloaked within layers of spatial law, a slender, emerald-and-gold scaled form materialized right through the void boundary. Nagini slithered effortlessly across the dimensional seam, her eyes gleaming with warm recognition as she coiled gently around Markus's shoulders, resting her smooth head against his cheek.
"You really thought hiding in the fold would keep you away from me, partner?" her voice echoed softly in his mind, carrying a playful hiss.
Markus chuckled quietly, reaching up to stroke the smooth scales near her hood. "Not hiding, Nagini. Just observing. How have things been on the ground while I was away?"
Nagini flicked her tongue, radiating a feeling of deep satisfaction through their soul connection. She began catching him up on everything he'd missed:
Sloane's Classes: The students were terrified of her training regimen, but their physical endurance and combat reaction times had jumped nearly thirty percent in just two weeks. They practically idolized her.
Isolde's Department: Her alchemy lectures were standing-room-only. She had even identified three rare prodigies among the newer intake who showed exceptional promise in delicate energy control.
Campus Morale: The overall discipline was at an all-time high, with the student body feeling a fierce pride in being part of an institution that commanded such power.
Markus listened intently, nodding in warm approval as Nagini spoke. Hearing how well the girls were leading filled him with deep pride and happiness. They weren't just running a school; they were building an elite power structure that belonged truly to them.
"They've done an extraordinary job," Markus said softly, looking down at the thriving campus. "Which means it's time to take the next big step."
Nagini tilted her head, her slit pupils focusing on him. "The next step?"
"Our internal foundation is rock solid now, but isolated strength only goes so far," Markus explained, his silver-blue eyes reflecting a calculated light. "I intend to return to the Valerian Empire shortly."
He turned his gaze toward the distant eastern horizon beyond the academy shields.
"I'm going to set up an official One-Month Exchange Program between our academy and the Valerian Imperial institutions. We will invite a handpicked selection of their top guest professors to lecture here, alongside a elite group of Valerian exchange students."
Nagini let out a soft hiss of intrigue. "Bring imperial noble talent straight into our backyard? You want to test our students against theirs?"
"More than that," Markus smiled faintly, resting his hand on Nagini's scales. "It will allow us to assess their true capabilities up close, build diplomatic ties with influential faction heirs, and showcase our academy's overwhelming superiority and unique resources. By the time that month is over, those guest professors won't want to leave—and the exchange students will be dreaming of transferring here permanently."
With the harvest secured, the academy flourishing, and his next strategic move clearly mapped, Markus turned back toward the lower grounds, ready to share the news with the rest of his team.