Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 662 Fortress World (4-in-1)

Shortly after, in the living room.

The big black cat, Domi, sniffed around the "Morcanoher's Hand of the Demon" and cautiously probed it with its front paws.

Seeing that it showed no sign of resistance, I became bolder and pried at it a few more times.

Then he leaped up and jumped onto the arm.

The Demon Hand remained steadily floating.

It used it as a floating mount and had a great time.

Roy didn't interfere much, but instead pondered the problem.

"The path of demonic growth..."

It seems that the only way is to rely on the accumulation of time and natural growth.

This thing already possesses sentience and belongs to the category of Black Iron level souls.

As for the energy supply method, it is worth learning from.

But it's difficult to replicate.

Only engines like the Heart of Mogimor, which fully utilize ley line energy and are more inclined towards magical technology, can be mass-produced.

By comparing the two, he deeply felt the difference between alchemical creation and magical technology.

Just then, Roy suddenly felt something strange about his soul, and his mental power began to fluctuate.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that with the completion of the Demon Hand, the [Sage's Proverb] once again received feedback from the alchemical process and experienced growth.

This primordial talent can be used to extract the concept of "sage," condense the seed of the Philosopher's Stone, and achieve crystallization at the soul level.

It refines its source essence through the alchemical process, thereby increasing its six major attributes.

Therefore, the process of refining the "Mercanoher Magic Spirit" was also a process of infusing it with energy!

Roy then realized that he hadn't had time to meditate, so he quickly focused his attention on the depths of his mind and began to examine himself.

The results showed that the attribute bonus from the [Sage's Proverb] increased from 60 to 75, a jump of 15!

There has been growth in the past, but never this much!

Is it because its essence is a level three magical spirit?

Roy looked surprised and guessed the reason.

The benefits brought by different creations will naturally differ.

However, this difference seems insignificant given the pattern that [Sage's Proverbs] often grow slowly over several years of daily alchemy.

They are all negligible, which is equivalent to having no difference.

Only now has he confirmed that alchemy involving soul recipes may be different.

Even knowing this, Roy had no way to verify it further.

Because this is inherently a very high-end and difficult form of alchemy, even if one's soul rank is high enough, one is still subject to the limitations of the materials.

Moreover, there weren't that many "building block sparks" before.

It seems that it was because its quality was too low, its accumulation was insufficient, and it did not stand out.

"If this conjecture is true, it also means that creating more sentient beings can enhance the amplification effect of the [Sage's Proverbs]."

Forget it, maybe I'll try creating another silly soul or a ghost maid sometime in the future.

This is mainly limited by the materials.

Materials are necessary for experimentation.

The rare fruits we obtained earlier have been used up almost completely, and the few remaining ones will have other uses.

Roy plans to find a stable source of materials later.

……

A few days later, in late July.

Inside the monk's mansion.

The girl's skull floated before Roy, reporting: "Currently, it is known that there are several worlds that can be entered, including the Glacier World, the Mantis World, and the Dark Forest World..."

Each of the guardian wizards within is also recruiting soldiers, attempting to conquer or fight their respective enemies.

Then, a brief introduction was given.

These names are derived from their free translations, and each has its own unique characteristics.

Among them, the Glacier World is a place covered in ice and snow, and its natural environment is very suitable for ice and snow monsters and ice and snow elements.

There are many unique products there.

It also includes special places for mental training and potion materials.

The wizards are fighting there against a type of native called the Frost Giants.

It is a monster of wizard level or higher; adult frost giants possess a physique like a mammoth.

The harsh natural environment has tempered their will, making them difficult to be affected by ordinary witchcraft.

It has always been regarded as a tough nut to crack.

Roy had heard of the world of Mantis, the place guarded by the wizard Bridal, who almost became his mentor.

That was a world at level five, a place with a large number of powerful enemies, and the war had lasted for far more than ten or even several decades.

Therefore, even now, we are still in a stage of intense confrontation.

However, it is clearly visible to the naked eye that there are indeed many more Mantis Blade people for sale on the Wuta side.

The wizards have begun to have a stable channel to continuously hunt down insectoid followers from over there.

They are equivalent to high-quality senior knights, or even great knights, and are already comparable to the top experts in the world of Araghi under my control!
But Roy always felt that it was a sinkhole.

Because that is a Zerg hive plane, most of the Zerg have the characteristics of rapid reproduction and fierce fighting, making it difficult for them to submit like in the world of Tailin or the world of heroes.

The Zerg army surged forth relentlessly, creating a terrifying force akin to a horde of monsters.

Given that the Grand Wizards are fighting against the will of the Insect Hive and will not easily intervene, it is impossible for the high-level wizards to fight them head-on with a group of mid- to low-level wizards alone.

It can definitely be called a high-intensity battlefield!

That's rare; it's a place that's rated as "high intensity" in the world's Level 5.

One fundamental reason is that indigenous organisms are highly organized and fearless!

The other worlds are similar, all in a phase of conquest or conflict.

Roy pondered deeply: "My primary task right now is to raise my mental strength to over 500 degrees and achieve the goal of reaching the peak of level two."

This is the major premise for experimenting with "slicing techniques." Many related experiments require a sufficiently strong spirit and soul as a prerequisite.

At the same time, continued improvement and growth also depend on this!

With my current soul talent, I might be able to condense a level three source of magic on my own and attempt to advance to the next level once I reach that stage!

"Then comes the [Alchemy Master]..."

"I once unintentionally achieved the transformation of an 'art master,' and from this I saw the hope of forging an 'alchemist master.'"

However, the latter is much more difficult, requiring the accumulation of more Iron-level talents as pieces of the puzzle.

Then comes the daily act of saving money, accumulating various forms of wealth and resources...

Besides that, we need to gather some soul materials to further test our conjectures about the "Sage's Proverbs"!

If it were truly possible to rapidly improve one's abilities by crafting high-level alchemical products, perhaps even with just the [Sage's Proverbs], one could reach an astonishing level!

Just then, the girl's skull mentioned another world, "War Fortress" Gusbur.

Based on a literal translation of the wizarding language, it could be called "Fortress World".

******
To understand a world, perhaps you can start with its name.

The wizards called it "Gusbur," and there is a reason for that.

In wizarding languages, the name means "war fortress," referring to a circular fortress built along a city during ancient warfare, and also implying city walls and defensive lines.

Sure enough, the projection provided by the girl's skull through mental power then revealed some of the scenes there.

Black metal walls forged from demonic blood.

A war hall formed by a gigantic skull.

Beneath an eternally dark sky, an eternal war rages between angels and demons.

"Wait, why are there so many angels there?"

Looking at the lawful good creatures in the picture, with halos above their heads, wings on their backs, and skin as smooth as jade, Roy showed a hint of surprise.

"These are benevolent beings from the heavens, among whom the angels from Mount Paradise are exemplary models of lawful goodness and justice."

They are often noble souls from the Kingdom of God, who have been cleansed of selfish, base, and evil spiritual forces, leaving only sublime beings. They are definitely high-quality souls.

To tempt angels to fall, or to hunt angels for use as materials...

"This is something that evil people like to do, and the great wizards were quite involved in it during the early stages of venturing out into the Star Sea."

He was well aware of this history, so he was quite surprised.

Because angels usually don't cooperate with such "evil forces".

The girl's skull explained, "Gisbury is not a world exclusively for wizards; several powerful forces, such as Paradise Mountain and Achinira, also have operations there."

It can be described as a defensive line jointly established by the Lawful Faction, primarily aimed at preventing the Abyss invasion from there, thereby endangering several neighboring planes!

"I see!"

Roy suddenly understood.

Alignment distinctions include Lawful and Chaotic, Good and Evil.

Among these, good and evil tend to be more innate and do not often affect cooperation between nations or races.

Two forces with deep-seated hatred may often cooperate for mutual benefit, and may even become as close as brothers or spouses.

Fighting the Abyss is a very important matter, especially at special junctures that may endanger multiple surrounding planes, where various races may engage in in-depth cooperation.

Of course, when things turn sour, they won't hesitate to use deadly force.

In the early days, wizards also had the option to choose a faction, with both benevolent white-robed wizards and evil black-robed wizards existing.

Even during the reign of the white-robed wizards, they were once a model of good.

Ultimately, the Seven Towers Alliance chose neutrality.

These are the foundations of cooperation.

As Roy was thinking about these things, he soon saw another kind of giant-like, imposing figure.

Those giants, each over 10 to nearly 20 meters tall and resembling a small building, did not seem to be from an ordinary race of giants.

Roy asked, "What is that? It doesn't look like an ordinary Titan."

The girl's skull said, "They are a hybrid descendant of the Titans and the Mountain Giants, who call themselves the sons of the Titans!"

"The Titans!"

Suddenly, Roy remembered something.

This is a race with 12 main gods, who were once the rulers of the universe.

However, as Ragnarok gradually declined, it lost the grandeur of its golden age.

However, their innate racial characteristics, as well as the "Great Titan Helios" formed by the fusion of the true spirits of multiple main gods, made them a great being at the peak of level eight.

His illustrious reputation has influenced later generations.

In addition, the Titan bloodline has been integrated into the myths and legends of many races, and many races still worship and believe in this race to this day.

Every adult Titan possesses a demigod-level status and strength; outstanding warriors are undoubtedly true gods, and the name "God Race" is well-deserved.

"I've heard that the true form of the Titans is over ten thousand meters tall, and all of them possess characteristics similar to the 'Heart of Mogimor,' able to continuously gain power simply by standing on the ground."

In addition, they also harnessed the celestial energy, for they were, according to legend, the children of Uranus, the god of the heavens, and Gaia, the goddess of the earth…

"From this perspective, Gusbur has a large number of subordinates under various forces such as mages, angels, and Titans, making it a place on the front lines where it is easy to broaden one's horizons and gain benefits."

Roy was already slightly tempted when he saw the angels there.

Now, we are really considering it.

If I go there myself, I will have more opportunities to come into contact with high-level beings, and the Eye of Hermes can really show its power!
What is Gusbur's world level?

Roy composed himself and asked a question first.

The girl's skull said, "It's level seven!"

"Level seven! That's incredibly high?"

Roy was slightly surprised.

The girl's skull said, "According to the data, it's because the remains of a demon god are buried there, similar to the previous world of Astor."

"I see."

Roy nodded secretly.

In reality, whether it's a projected incarnation or a holy son or daughter...

All materialized earthly beings can only reach a level three at most.

Unless they disregard the collapse of this material world, the gods from other realms and powerful figures from all sides will not forcibly descend in their true forms.

Therefore, it is actually equivalent to level three being the highest combat strength.

The world of Osis, which I visited before, is a typical example.

There are true gods who govern the world, but they never descend. The highest-level powerhouse is only level three.

But there is one exception here, and that is the true form of the Titans.

They are rare beings whose soul and body are closely intertwined.

The Titans could traverse the stars in their physical bodies and easily descend directly into the material world in the form of giant meteorites.

It depends on whether they are willing or not.

However, after Roy learned a little more, he realized that the long-term stability there was also related to the restraint of the Titans.

They have no intention of destroying that world, so they will not rashly descend in their true form, but will only send out some mixed-race descendants.

"I used to hide in a lower-level world for safety, but now I have my own base..."

Perhaps we could consider giving that kind of world a try!

Roy's heart fluttered.

Whether something is high-end or not is of little significance to him.

But soon, he learned from the information that one of the world's main specialties was actually the soul!
To be precise, they are fragments of the Soul Stone that have been condensed in the battlefield!
It can be understood as the crystallization of wandering souls, from which many spiritual powers such as bestiality, humanity, and divinity can be extracted and then thrown into the furnace to forge the soul.

It is the source of many soul materials in alchemy.

With this in mind, Roy had made up his mind and decided to make it his next target.

******
After that, Roy collected some information about the "Eternal Doomsday War" and discovered that it was actually the history of the battle between Paradise Mountain and the Abyss.

The two opposing forces of order and chaos have been battling each other since ancient times, for over a million years.

The Soulstone fragments produced may originate from the souls of both angels and demons.

Wizards are a latecomer with a very short history; the "Seven Towers Era" of the new calendar is only a little over 13000 years old.

The earlier "White Robe Era", "Dawn Era", "Dark Era", "Star Sea Era", "Ancestor Era", and other nodes, combined, only amount to a total of more than 30 years.

This is considered short-lived in the history of many intelligent civilizations around the world.

After all, it's common for some intelligent beings to have lived by hunting and gathering for millions of years. The rise of wizards has an element of chance. If it weren't for a stroke of luck, the first batch of level four great wizards wouldn't have emerged in just tens of thousands of years, and then continued to grow to level seven, or even level eight!
They're probably still like those tribal shamans in Diovis, picking fruit to eat in the jungle.

Nisha glanced at the information and scoffed, "The so-called Lawful Alignment is just a sham; it still excludes the devils, doesn't it?"

Roy said, "As enemies, neutrality is already a form of cooperation."

The devils may not seem to have joined this effort because of the angels' presence, but holding this line is also in Hell's interest.

Pranzhe then asked, "If you go there, will you need to participate in the battle as a combatant?"

Roy said, "I intend to seek the position of logistics manager, using my alchemy skills to get the job."

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I shouldn't need to go to the front lines.

This illustrates the importance of having a specialized skill.

It can attack or defend at will, offering complete freedom.

At this point, Roy also said to the two of them, "The policy orientation of the Seven Towers Alliance is still inclined to drive wizards to various worlds to travel around and toil, making it difficult for them to accumulate experience."

In such an environment, all benefits originate from the Wuta, and only by relying on it can one accumulate strength and technology.

Many regulations, including those prohibiting lingering in the Wizard Tower and those governing the High Wizard Governor's side, originated from this...

But perhaps precisely because of this, the consumption of low- and mid-level wizards is very high, and they need a constant influx of new talent to accumulate.

Alchemists like myself, who have reached a certain level, already possess considerable value.

In the future, after advancing to a higher level, they will be able to continuously and stably provide alchemical and magical heritage for thousands of years!

I believe the higher-ups are not short-sighted, and they will definitely take care of technical talents like myself.

Upon hearing this, Prandtse couldn't help but roll her eyes.

You're really not afraid of praising yourself!

But upon closer reflection, one has to admit that it seems to make some sense.

……

A few days later, on the fifth floor of the Witch Tower.

Roy finds the ghost in the red dress and discusses related matters.

In the crystal ball ahead, interdimensional communication was activated, reflecting the scene of Gusbour in the distance.

It was an old-fashioned room built of dark stone, looking like the interior of a castle.

A wizard dressed in black robes, with a golden skull emblem embroidered on his chest, sat at a table.

"Wizard Roy, I am Hayred, in charge of recruiting new wizards for this world..."

"Hello, Mr. Harris."

Roy sensed the aura of a high-level wizard emanating from the other person and rose to greet him.

Hayred said, "I have a basic understanding of your situation from your resume. To be honest, you meet our requirements in all aspects."

However, I have some concerns. Alchemy is a profession that emphasizes accumulation, and you, sir, are not yet a hundred years old; there are some aspects you may still lack.

Upon hearing this, Roy simply smiled faintly: "I dared to apply for the job because I am capable of doing it. Instead of asking these questions, let's talk about the specific responsibilities and compensation."

Hayred was slightly surprised.

However, since Roy had said so, he didn't ask any more questions. He simply said, "We need you to be on duty at a fixed location in the fortress on the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month."

Their main responsibilities include, but are not limited to, taking on alchemy-related commissions such as manufacturing, repairing, and identifying materials, as well as recovering specific materials for the Alliance.

In addition, there was another important responsibility: to provide alchemical mentorship to those who possessed the tokens.

This includes imparting knowledge and teaching skills...

Roy nodded, understanding dawning on him.

No wonder he was worried that he wouldn't be able to handle the job.

This is a true all-rounder, using one person as if they were seven or eight!

Hayred continued, "We allow you to adjust service prices within a certain range, but you must abide by the castle's merit ranking system. You cannot refuse commissions from qualified personnel without cause, nor can you overstep your authority to accept commissions..."

They are allowed to recruit apprentices and handle commissions of corresponding levels, but they do not have the authority to manage their personal disciples...

As for compensation, we do not provide it directly, but the alchemy workshop is responsible for its own profits and losses, and all profits are at your disposal...

In addition, there is a special material quota of 300 million magic stones per year...

Those are limited purchase quotas for some rare and precious items, which you need to pay for to buy them.

But believe me, those are absolutely amazing things that money can't buy!

As Roy listened, he gave a brief analysis of the conditions.

Follow the merit ranking system within the fortress...

This is easy to understand.

Who should provide services, and who should refuse to provide services?

Just follow the instructions from above.

It is acceptable to recruit apprentices as employees, but not to poach them.

As for compensation, it's up to you to bear the profits and losses.

Roy was also confident.

What he really cared about was the "special materials quota".

The purchase cost is 300 million, and we need to fund it ourselves.

"May I ask what it includes?"

Upon hearing this, Hayred smiled confidently: "I cannot provide a specific list, but I can guarantee one thing: Soul Stone fragments are a specialty of this world, and there will be plenty!"

Roy was taken aback by what he heard.

really!

This is exactly what I need right now; it can solve many problems at the same time!
Following that, Roy asked a crucial question.

That is the length of service.

Hayred said, "A 10-year contract, or until another suitable replacement is found."

It's clear that their goal was simply to find someone to temporarily fill in, and they didn't expect a young person like themselves to be competent.

A mid-level wizard has a lifespan of a thousand years, and ten years is equivalent to one year for an ordinary person.

This is also a relatively safe timeframe.

Roy said, "Alright, I have no other questions."

Harry said, "I'm here, looking forward to your arrival."

Roy nodded.

He immediately went back, made some preparations, and then entered the world through the teleportation array.

******
7 month 30 day.

Inside the witch tower.

Roy, along with Prandtse, Nisa, Freya, and others, set off from the teleportation array on the fifth floor.

A moment later, they arrived at their destination – “Fortnite World” Gusbour.

The city guarded by the wizards was a black castle built on a hill.

The massive mountain served as a natural base, standing like a black castle cast in steel, gleaming with metallic luster, against the dim sky.

Above, dark clouds rolled in, creating a gloomy scene that seemed to have existed for eternity, making it difficult to see the sun.

Below lay an endless plain, dotted with countless tiny figures.

Looking into the distance, one could see some angel soldiers fighting against low-level demons.

The area also contains wizard apprentices, high knights, and other soldiers.

They were scattered across the vast plains, like chess pieces on a chessboard.

Soon, Roy and the others arrived at the office below, led by the guards.

It was a three-story building, as always, cast in steel and jet black.

Roy went inside and met Hayreth in the office on the third floor, where he successfully completed the stationing procedures.

Afterwards, Hayred straightened his black robe and said, "Wizard Roy, should we settle down first, or go to our workplace?"

Roy said, "Let's go check out the workplace."

"Alright, I happen to have some free time, so I'll take you there myself."

Soon after, the group arrived at the encampment arranged for Roy.

This is a standalone building standing at the crossroads. It houses residences, has shops open to the public on the ground floor, and is separated from other buildings by alleyways on both sides.

Roy saw some hanging signs there.

Blacksmith shops, apothecaries, machinery, equipment...

Some of the alchemists who were also working nearby came to visit, and it turned out they were all "colleagues".

Gusbury had more than just Roy as an alchemist, but only a handful had reached the second level.

One of them left before, and now they've been brought back, making it three people.

"Let me introduce you. This is 'Pharmacist' Tikel, and this is 'Blacksmith' Gova..."

Hayred jokingly referred to the two men by their nicknames, while also reminding Roy of their respective professions.

This is an alchemist with specialized skills who has already "changed his profession".

In contrast, Roy's own resume described him as a "generalist," possessing expertise in all four ultimate branches.

Potions, magic crystals, creation, creation...

He has dabbled in all sorts of recipes and creations.

“We had already heard that a new person was coming to replace the original Master Alki…”

Tikel and Gova, who had been called out, stepped forward and looked at Roy with a hint of amusement.

As second-level wizards, they were confident that they could easily surpass Roy, their junior, in both wizarding level and alchemy skills, and thus carried a somewhat condescending arrogance.

This wasn't necessarily out of malice, but at least they weren't treated like peers.

It's a very simple principle: they've lived for hundreds of years, while Roy has lived for less than a hundred.

It's impossible that all these centuries have been wasted.

As for things like giving someone a show of force, there's no need for that, and it's impossible to do so.

Everyone has to take a certain amount of respect for this extremely young rising star.

Even if a conflict arises between the two sides, Wuta will favor the younger generation rather than the older generation whose potential has already been exhausted.

Looking at everyone's expressions, Roy instantly understood his predicament.

However, he didn't say much, just greeted them and went inside.

Hayred had some counters with sealed seals opened and took out a lot of materials.

Immediately following, another batch of broken weapons, armor, and other items arrived.

"This is the previous Master Alki..."

That is, what your ex left behind.

If possible, deal with them first.

Hayred gave his instructions.

"However, some things here are difficult to handle."

Whether it's restoration, assessment, or any other treatment, do what you can within your means.

After all, even Master Alki would find it somewhat troublesome, otherwise he wouldn't have left it behind..."

Seeing this, Roy smiled slightly.

"What's so difficult about that? I can handle it on the spot!"

As a newcomer, it's inevitable that people will be unconvinced, which will hinder the progress of various tasks.

Although there's no backstabbing or intimidation involved, in this skill-based industry, you still need to show off your abilities and demonstrate your true skills to earn respect.

Especially for the two colleagues who are both at the second level, they may gain access to more resources and information in the future.

So he used the Eye of Hermes to look around.

In the blink of an eye, several items radiating azure light and purple glow were selected from a large pile of gray and white objects.

Following that, he picked out a few more green-glowing items and threw them into another pile.

Tikel and Gova were somewhat surprised to see this.

They had handled these items before and had ample time to assess and select them.

I know it is indeed a difficult problem to deal with.

But to everyone's surprise, this new young wizard quickly and correctly classified the wizards.

"This axe is made of Upal alloy, but it has been forged by demonic fire, which has mixed in a lot of impurities. Its value has been greatly reduced. It is classified as a first-level wreck and should be handed over to a first-level equipment master for disposal."

These are armors infused with demonic energy, already possessing the potential to nurture a spirit...

I'll raise it again and see if I can create a new level 1 equipment.

And these are bone ash sand after the demon bones have been burned... Although the quality isn't very pure, they are still quite rare.

These shadow spider silks... might have some recycling value.

And what looks like sand and gravel is actually crystallized from the soul of a demon!

Every single task was completed quickly and efficiently.

It's almost like a scanner; the problem is solved with just a glance.

"They got it sorted out so quickly!"

"This wizard Roy is simply amazing!"

Everyone was amazed and began to discuss among themselves.

"This……"

Hayred, Tikkel, and Gova were equally astonished.

They seem to know the facts clearly, so surely they're not just spouting nonsense or making things up?

But in an instant, they began to think that Roy was truly capable and that what he said was correct.

Because they discovered that the things they could identify and deal with were all correctly predicted!

Roy isn't faking it; he's genuinely talented!

At that moment, Roy himself was slightly lost in thought.

After examining the materials, he suddenly felt a faint stinging pain between his eyebrows.

[Alchemy talent gain in progress (100%)]

[Basic Magic Crystal Science (Iron Level)]

[Mastering the basic methods of preparing magic crystals allows you to create simple crystallized products, but this is limited to apprentice-level alchemy operations.]

We've really obtained the source material!
(End of this chapter)