Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 706 The Crystal World (4-in-1)

A few days later, in early July.

Central Star Region, Nard Arm.

"Crystal World" Grastan.

Roy stood atop the mountain, looking down at the distant scenery.

What appeared before him was a continuous mountain range.

Cities stand tall atop mountains on all sides.

There are Glastan fortresses there.

"The nobles of this world like to live in the mountains because they are silicon-based life forms, born from the crystallization of rock and soil, similar to glass and crystal. Their life form is close to the earth element and they do not need water resources, so they do not need to live along the river."

In addition, the three major life forms in this world include crystals, metals, and rocks/soil...

Translated into Vizel, these are Grastan, Ishen, and Ose, forming three main social classes, similar to a pyramid-shaped society of priests, warriors, and commoners.

Beside him, the head of a young girl floated, organizing the details he had learned before setting off.

On this mission deep into enemy territory, Roy appeared carefree on the surface, but was actually extremely cautious.

After arriving in this world via "interdimensional teleportation" aided by a magic circle, it did not launch an attack immediately as it did on Potan. Instead, it hid first, intending to scout out the situation before making any further plans.

The troops under his command, the Fran Star retinue led by Edrari, are working hard to gather intelligence.

The five Araghi people—Puleti, Singhus, Mogos, Huerg, and Camilla—were also lying in wait.

The intelligence provided by the spies may not have been entirely accurate, and even if it was accurate, it may have been outdated.

Therefore, at this time of year, it is still necessary to conduct a general on-site inspection.

As he gazed into the distance, a strange ripple suddenly appeared in the sky.

That was a warning from Zophiel, the divine scout hanging in the sky; another mage's patrol machine had come to investigate.

Through a large array set up in outer space, they sensed the disturbance of celestial energy caused by spatial fluctuations and roughly determined that a level three powerhouse had invaded.

It also carried a large number of high-energy life forms.

So, I've been searching everywhere these past few days.

"Forget it, I'd better hide first."

Roy observed cautiously for a while, then turned and walked into a hole behind him.

……

Inside the cave, in a makeshift underground shelter.

The magic crystal lamps lit up, illuminating all directions.

Several alien lifeforms, about 1.5 meters tall and made entirely of rock and soil, resembling "earth elements," were bound by chains and tied to thick wooden pillars.

They are also linked together by chains, forming a complex and interconnected structure.

This is the "bond" between them.

"These are the Osei people..."

Seeing the strange life form formed from the rock and soil, Roy was overjoyed. As the creature trembled, his gaze locked onto a dead individual in the corner.

Those were the Ithen warriors who had been hunting them before.

Samurai of the "Metal" class.

"It looks like an abstract humanoid golem, but its iron content is over 65%, it's truly a gift from nature!"

The next moment, under the horrified gaze of the Osei natives, Roy unleashed the Level 3 "Revitalization" spell engraved on his soul.

As the white light was injected, the metal warrior who had previously died stood up again after a slight tremor.

The impact of this scene is no less than seeing a dead body rise again.

The Osei people cried out in terror.

"Oh oh oh……"

“Galala…”

Through fluctuations in spiritual energy, and the "language comprehension" effect brought about by the "True Dragon Wisdom" inherited from the Dragon Clan, this is achieved through the interaction of spiritual energy.

He could hear the shock in the other person's voice.

"It's a fake corpse!"

To the Osei natives, this metal golem was utterly terrifying.

They were all trembling.

Roy ignored them and turned to go to the other side of the cave, entering the mage's mansion through the portal.

Freya was conducting experiments in the alchemy room when she saw him return. With a hint of joy, she reported, "Lord Roy, I was just looking for you."

"Has the analysis report been released yet?"

Roy asked.

"Yes, the three major races on this planet are all rich in various minerals and energy."

Hunt them down, and you can collect gem fragments, rich metal ores, and various rare earth and clay products from their corpses!
Moreover, their bodies possess an extremely high affinity for ley line energy, which may be related to the essence of the soul.

After being killed, this affinity decreases, but it remains a natural magical material.

It's an excellent choice for creating puppets or bringing golems to life!

Upon hearing this, Roy also recalled the feeling of waking it up using "Animation".

"The magical energy it can store is comparable to that of the highest grade of enchanted marble!"

In the magical universe, there are various minerals that naturally gather together and transform into magical creatures.

Roy had seen similar accounts in books before.

But this is the first time I've ever been to a planet ruled by such life forms.

"This is probably why mages invest resources and station troops in this world."

We need to find a way to get rid of them!

Roy immediately had an idea.

"At the very least, we must capture a group of these special life forms and relocate them to the world of Araghi!"

But in that case, issues related to water and soil, as well as the spirituality bestowed by the will of the world, would need to be studied.

The origin of the souls of indigenous creatures is closely related to the spirituality of the world's will.

Roy also thought of this: "As the saying goes, different environments nurture different kinds of life..."

Even after the wizarding world became more advanced, it dared not arbitrarily destroy its native environment or alter the structure of souls. Such non-native species might not be able to successfully reproduce in the world of Aragir.

It would be best to conquer it and establish direct or indirect rule!

……

A few days later, Artia, Prandtse, and Nisa, who had been sent out to investigate, returned one after another.

Each of them brought back several native lives.

"My lord wizard, spare my life!"

In the eyes of the natives of this world, the metal monsters that were resurrected after death by "animation" were indeed equivalent to zombies.

Seeing how fierce the guards at the door were, I couldn't help but tremble.

"Don't worry, as long as you cooperate well..."

I won't kill you.

Roy chuckled and turned his gaze to the Grastan people, who seemed to hold a higher status among the natives.

"I know! I know! That city of Oros is guarded by one magical armor and three alien armors of the Ellen race!"

Because there is a medium-sized magic gold mine nearby, and it also produces some magic crystals and gems!

Their base was located in the western mining area, and there were also several branch camps on the eastern side!

The native nobleman immediately spoke.

"Damn Landro, do you know what you're doing?"

"That's what the metal samurai, who seems to have a strong sense of integrity, said."

They are as hard as iron.

Roy chuckled and approvingly said, "Alright, you'll lead the way for us then!"

******
As he spoke, his hair darted forward like a snake emerging from its shell.

The animated strands of hair, like sharp spears, pierced directly through the chest of the metal warrior, instantly killing the elite warrior, who was equivalent to a Grand Knight.

This time, Roy did not use it as the target of the "Animation" spell, but preserved it intact, preparing to explore it in depth.

The main research topic this time is how to quickly and easily kill the native inhabitants of this world.

In fact, wizards have a deep understanding of this.

Silicon-based life forms like those in this world are not unique to the magical universe.

There was once a case where acid mist was used!

A continuous, wide-range, level-zero spell with destructive power similar to "acid splash"...

It permeated the entire country.

Over time, all the residents' skin rusted, their bodies decayed, and their movements became stiff and inconvenient due to wear and tear on their joints.

Then all I could do was helplessly surrender.

Roy's immediate thought was to replicate that successful case and use a similar specially formulated acid to deal with them.

And indeed, he achieved results very quickly.

"The blackening agent, with added chlorine and some radium salt... can be made into a special venom targeting the natives of this world!"

The key is in the proportions!

In addition, you can add blue salt collected previously on Fran Star to enhance stability...

This prevents the acid from easily evaporating during the process, thus preventing it from spoiling.

Even more concerning is that if this acid remains on the ground or building surface and is heated by the sun, it will trigger a new round of reactions, causing subsequent damage such as acid fumes.

This is equivalent to multiple stages of acid rain and acid fog, achieving several benefits in one fell swoop!
Unless thoroughly diluted with plenty of clean water, it will retain its corrosive properties!

……

Ten days later.

In the mage's mansion, in the alchemy room.

The magical alchemical tools hopped and skipped around busily, even the noisy beaker covered with black tape was filled with bubbling strong acid, joining the reaction process.

"Indeed, adding some carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid makes it more effective..."

Blue salt can solidify these substances, but once it lands on the ground and comes into contact with other materials, it may be released!

And just like that, this 'boiling acid' specifically designed for them is complete!

Roy sat in front of the alchemy table, manipulating the complex "transformation array" with his mental power.

A moment later, the "Strong Acid Refining" formation was activated.

A dark, highly acidic substance resembling carbonated beverage, known as "boiling acid," appeared before my eyes.

In such a short period of time, he not only completed the entire material development and research, but also mastered the more efficient transmutation process in alchemy.

After that, you can join "Roy the Wizard's Alchemy Box" and quickly create it using the "Treasure Sacrifice" method!

Roy put the items away and began casting a spell: "~..."

(Projection technique)

A dark figure rose up suddenly, like a shadow beneath one's feet.

Roy transmitted his thoughts about the alchemical formula, forming a temporary intelligent entity.

Then, the projected avatar sat in front of the array platform and continued to cast spells based on previous successful experiences.

"Lord Roy, my results are in too..."

Freya came over, but she was there to explain a different issue to him.

The collaborator Landro provided crucial intelligence: the reason the mages were able to easily rule the world was because they possessed a special sonic weapon capable of reacting to the hearts of the Grastan people.

In a sense, the native nobles of this world, the Grastans, are all "fragile-hearted".

Their hearts are composed of a special type of crystal, possessing properties similar to glass.

What surges within is a magical energy that resembles an electric current, but is not an electric current.

"Glass has a low resonant frequency, usually within the range of sound waves that are audible to the average person. However, it can be shattered by high-pitched singers or strong sound waves of a specific frequency."

Gemstones have a dense structure and an extremely high resonant frequency, which falls within the ultrasonic range and cannot be destroyed by ordinary sound.

But... if magic is used...

By precisely matching the inherent frequency of high-intensity ultrasound and focusing the energy using a clustering and shaping method, it is possible to create a "sonic hammer" spell for precise strikes!

This type of spell is just as effective against the Grastans as the third-level sorcery "Finger of Death" against ordinary creatures!

"We must stockpile this kind of magic!"

The mages' legions will certainly adapt to local conditions and establish native armies.

That will come in handy when the time comes.

……

After their conversation, Roy left the alchemy room, the girl's head following closely behind.

Suddenly, his eyes flickered, and he received a message from the outside world.

"Master, the summoning circle seems to be responding!"

"Oh?"

Roy went outside and saw that in a spacious, dark space in the underground cave, an inverted pentagram drawn with goat's blood was emitting a faint glow, becoming exceptionally conspicuous.

As Roy approached, a bright red skull burning with flames lit up in the center.

That was the figure of Osteron, the Bone Demon King.

"Lord Roy, is there something you need from me?"

"It's been a while since I last saw you. You seem to be doing quite well."

Roy glanced at the other person and said calmly.

"Getting back to the point, I've roughly ascertained the mages' strength here, and I'd like to ask you for a favor..."

Osteren grinned.

Although the skull doesn't easily display a wide range of expressions, the subtle curves it reveals suggest that it's aware Roy wants to take his army for free.

Or perhaps it's not really about getting something for free, but using him is a done deal.

But the next moment, his expression turned serious.

Because Roy revealed the "boiling acid" he had concocted and the "sonic hammer" spell he was exploring.

If these technological advantages can be fully utilized, they can achieve unexpected results.

"...At that time, the souls of the fallen mages and the Ellen aliens will all belong to you!"

Roy then presented Osteron with another offer that was hard to refuse.

"If all else fails, I won't require you to risk your life; I can simply rely on my skeleton mage legion..."

Those 36 level-two skeleton mages...

Join forces to unleash a large-scale destructive spell!

Do you really think I don't know what you're up to?

Although that spellcaster force wasn't all I had, it was still quite elite.

If they are locked in a fierce battle and in danger of annihilation, and you summon me again, wouldn't that be tantamount to being kidnapped by you?

If you really need them, you must give me collateral first!

At least if I do suffer some losses, I can recover my initial investment and avoid being crippled!

******
"You're really being petty..."

Roy was speechless when he heard Osteron's suggestion.

This guy is definitely not easy to fool!

However, if we consider them as allies, rather than as easy prey... Roy hesitated for a moment, then agreed.

"Alright, you want something as collateral, so I'll give you something as collateral!"

A total of 36 level 3 gems, how about that?

"You actually have so many of these gems?"

Osteron's eyes lit up, and he was also somewhat surprised.

Roy smiled without saying a word.

He recently conquered Fran Star and Potan Star, earning a lot of resources.

One part consisted of captured enemy supplies, while the other part consisted of planetary resources, various ransoms for prisoners, spoils of war, and other gains.

Level 3 gems have also become relatively easy to synthesize thanks to the effect of [Alchemy Intuition].

He will soon receive another windfall: the formal transfer of control of Potan to the Seven Towers Alliance.

That would be a business worth hundreds of millions.

This gain alone is enough to pay off the debt!

"Not only do I have it, but I can pay you right now!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a handful of gemstones the size of lychees, shaped like polished, multifaceted crystals.

"Recently, the price of gemstones has fluctuated greatly, but the market price is still fluctuating around 1.5 for grade one, 65 for grade two, and 2800 million for grade three!"
At current prices, this level 3 gem is roughly equivalent to 28 million!
36 pieces, totaling a staggering one billion!

Roy said to Osterion.

That's not actually the case at all.

In the market, it's rare to be able to acquire a large quantity of gems in one go. Often, people have gems in hand but are not necessarily able to sell them.

But this is by no means because the gemstone is not valuable or has limited uses.

It's because the value is so great that there aren't many situations where you can acquire it all at once!

However, if one is capable of refining it oneself, relying solely on [skilled worker] and [luck], the refining cost can be reduced to over 1700 million.

After acquiring [Alchemy Intuition], the actual test results showed it to be as low as around 1400 million!
So he really doesn't care much about these things anymore.

By exploiting this contradiction between production and demand, one can easily exchange it for something of immeasurable value...

This makes it easier to achieve the effect that "both parties feel they have gained something".

It can be said that, apart from crafting semi-divine artifacts, it is one of the more profitable ventures.

Sure enough, even a powerful figure like Osteron couldn't help but have his eyes light up when he heard that.

"One billion!"

If that's the case, then I'd be working as a henchman for this Roy wizard...

It doesn't seem like it's impossible!

……

After slightly updating the contract terms and agreeing on the summoning time and deployment method, Roy generously threw in all his gems.

Then, dozens of soul flames flew out.

It turned out that Osteron had handed over the "military command" of his skeleton army to Roy!

Although they did not reveal the "true names" of those skeleton mages, they retained secondary command authority and the power to summon and utilize various abilities.

They've all been handed over!
In addition, Osteron generously promised, "Each of them also controls some level one skeleton mages..."

In addition, I recently recruited over ten thousand more bone demons from Hell...

You can summon it if you need to!

With Roy's strength, he could control monsters of those ranks without needing things like true names or soul fire.

The basic agreement of the "Kritik Pact" alone is sufficient to force conscription.

"As expected, money really can make the devil turn the millstone!"

After ending the communication, Roy turned and left the place where the inverted pentagram was depicted.

"However, this is still too expensive."

"I wish there were a group of people willing to work for free and even pay me extra..."

Hearing his mutterings, even the girl's head couldn't help but roll her eyes, a habit stemming from Celine's virtual personality.

"You're not only beautiful, you also have beautiful ideas..."

Roy chuckled.

"I was just saying it casually; I didn't really expect anything so good to happen."

However, on the other hand, those guardians of the divine kingdom controlled by the gods, the likes of the supplicants...

That's really true.

Divine grace is as vast as the sea, divine power as deep as a prison.

Only fanatical believers have ever offered up their souls in a frenzy, even going so far as to cause all sorts of trouble in the material world, in order to summon even a moment's attention from the gods...

Moreover, compared to me, those level zero bone demons were practically free kills!
Didn't you see how generous Osteron was, giving away over ten thousand level bone demons in one go?
There's actually a lot that can be done about that!

The girl's skull quickly realized: "We can coat them!"

"That's good. If I had enough time and energy, I would coat their skeletons with a coating, using the same enhancement method as diamond skin..."

We can immediately build our own powerful army!

If you were to add metallic flesh and blood...

It will be at the level of armor!
Their intelligence is more than sufficient to support combat.

It's perfectly adequate for carrying out some basic combat missions!

Then develop this model to the first stage...

It's entirely possible that I could get a lot of level 1 skeleton mages for free!

Their intelligence will be higher than that of the level 0 Bone Demons, and they will be able to perform more tasks!

"This... seems pretty good!"

Even the girl's face couldn't help but show a look of "surprise and uncertainty".

It suddenly seemed to understand why it's said that artificial intelligence is unlikely to replace humans.

She hadn't even thought of this way of getting something for free!

……

Another ten days or so passed quickly.

During this period, Roy's subordinates, including Adrari, Priti, and Singus, clashed with the mage legion stationed there, resulting in small-scale conflicts.

So far, these have mainly involved harassment.

Roy did not make a move, nor did the opponent's level three combat power and the three magical armors.

The overall situation presented a calm before the storm.

However, on November 5th, a little over a month after Roy and the others arrived,

This stalemate was completely broken.

In the world of Glastan, a large number of bone demons suddenly appeared in the city of Oros, where the garrison legion was stationed, and in the surrounding mountains.

At the same time, a wide-ranging storm descended, and the acid rain forced the metallic Ithen warriors to stay indoors. Corrosive toxic fog also began to permeate the city, causing chaos.

The mages' armor could no longer remain still.

They were forced to deploy a large number of level 2 armors, as well as several level 3 armors, in an attempt to quickly eliminate the group of bone demons.

But Roy was waiting for them to come out.

In a matter of moments, artillery fire rained down, attacking the troops.

War is imminent!
******
"damn it!

Where did these ghostly things come from?!

"How could it be a Potan rocket launcher?"

And these war puppets are clearly models produced by the Ellen aliens!

"They even have magical armor?"

After the artillery barrage subsided, Priti and his men, along with the armored troops led by Adlari, launched an attack.

The variety of weapons, equipment, and tactics shocked the mages stationed there.

By the time they realized what was happening, Roy had already sent his slices into the battlefield.

Among them, many autonomous puppets and war machines joined the Legion of the Level Zero Slice.

Thanks to his research on smart chips, he has now mastered the means to control this scientific creation.

They can't handle very precise tasks, but following combat orders, pinpointing targets, or carrying out pre-set combat procedures is perfectly fine.

They quickly coordinated with the Bone Demon troops to eliminate the enemy.

During this period, the mage legion under Osteron's command performed even more impressively.

Those 36 level-two skeleton mages displayed a power that even Roy took notice of.

Their combined spells allowed them to temporarily advance a major rank, directly unleashing the "Fire Serpent" spell that Osteron had previously used.

The enormous fire serpent, more than two meters in diameter and tens of meters long, raised its head high, like a giant cannon, and continuously spewed out fireballs.

The intense bombardment completely crushed an enemy legion.

Finally, using the "Sonic Hammer" model provided by Roy, he unleashed another type of sonic spell called "Sonic Boom".

Powerful orbs of magical energy rained down on the crowd, causing explosions and chaos.

This is not very effective against mechanical enemies, and even against living beings, it only causes temporary disorientation or dizziness.

It can be considered a control skill.

However, some noble sorcerer legions composed of Glass people were immediately wiped out.

Just as the intelligence indicated, they all clutched their hearts and collapsed in agony.

"It works great!"

Although the Grastans were not physically strong, there were reasons why they were able to rise to the top of the world's pyramid.

They are almost all natural-born sorcerers, capable of using some ray magic and elemental evocation spells!
Some even have something in their brains that resembles a monster's crystal core, but it's more like a gemstone!
If the mages manage to control enough Glastan warlocks and form an army, they could cause us considerable trouble!

Warlock Legion...

Although its overall spellcasting ability is far inferior to that of the Mage Legion.

But it is also a legitimate caster sequence.

Combat capabilities are highly assured!

According to the intelligence Roy had previously obtained, there were quite a few individuals among them who were equivalent to advanced apprentices or elite apprentices.

Furthermore, under the tutelage of the mages, dozens or even hundreds of level-one warlocks were assembled...

Just like the dragon vein sorcerers among the Golden Dragon people, it is not surprising at all.

But now, it has been completely suppressed.

……

"Damn, how could this happen?"

At this moment, east of the city of Oros.

Inside a hidden cave.

Theo, the mage pilot of the magical armor, looked somewhat anxious.

He sensed a strong whiff of conspiracy in the current situation.

Just then, a light screen appeared in front of him.

Meanwhile, colleagues on the other side brought updated battle reports using "message techniques".

"The mining area can't be held... The fortifications behind it are also under heavy artillery fire, and many of the fortifications have been damaged!"

Should we send reinforcements?

"No, we can't send reinforcements!"

Theo instinctively refused.

"The enemy still has powerful figures who haven't made a move. Didn't we analyze this before? Based on intelligence from the past few years, it's highly likely to be Roy or Legatos..."

Those were truly high-level wizards who successively breached the gates of Fran Star and Nard Star!

Today, the Central Star Region has some figures like Roy who have gained fame.

"Especially Roy, whose growth trajectory is evident when compared to his previous achievements such as killing Edwin and capturing Fassus."

The assessment of him by the local community is that he is extremely dangerous!
That's someone who has the potential to become a Grand Wizard!

"Indeed!"

At that moment, another voice entered the channel; it was another colleague of one of the three pilots of the magical armor.

"Logically speaking, we should mobilize three great mages to join forces and kill him!"
Or at least there should be a top-tier archmage leading the team...

The three of us are all level two mages. Even with level three armor and some spare high-level spell scrolls, it's impossible for us to do this!

More importantly, the situation at the front is dire, and there's simply no way to send an archmage over!

"He showed up here precisely because he saw this kind of opportunity!"

Theo frowned even more deeply upon hearing this.

……

"Lord Roy, it seems the mages have fled!"

"What? Let me see!"

The battle lasted for several hours.

Before it even got dark, a new message arrived from Edrali.

Roy immediately transferred Zoffer over there, and upon seeing him from afar, he was quite surprised.

The three magical armors, along with the remaining seven level-three armors, quickly withdrew from the battlefield.

The rest lacked the means to break out and were surrounded by the skeleton mage forces of the Fran aliens and Bone Demons. Seeing that they were doomed, they were either fleeing or surrendering.

Roy sent his men to chase after them briefly, and they saw the magical armor leave behind some cannon fodder summons before activating "Interdimensional Teleportation".

They actually escaped this world!
Zophiel, the scout of the gods, also has the ability to detect the type of spell.

After roughly catching the energy wave of the spell and making a judgment, he sent a message to Roy.

Roy was also greatly surprised.

"Those mages are really good at running!"

After detaching some troops and being on high alert against a counterattack, Roy quickly took over the city of Oros.

He rode the three-headed dragon Trekepharos, deliberately displaying this level-three puppet, and descended upon the city center in an imposing manner.

The mountain city, which has been hit by a large amount of acid rain, is now showing signs of corrosion with toxic smog everywhere.

However, the local nobles still braved the corrosion and came out to greet them, using various magical shields or rainproof tools.

"Great Wizard, we are willing to submit!"

"Please cease your magic and forgive our people."

Roy turned his head to look at Landro, who was being escorted over by Adriani and the others.

"what do you say?"

"My lord, my family is also in the city, and we would be more than happy to serve you!"

"In that case, a massive downpour will follow, so everyone should keep their doors and windows tightly shut. By daybreak, there should be no problem."

Roy gave the order.

"Do your will."

The skeleton mages who followed bowed respectfully.

Roy ignored these trivial matters and, after giving his instructions, immediately headed to the most valuable mining area on the planet, the source of Viser obsidian gold!
　Because I broke my routine the other day, I was in a bit of a rush to finish the manuscript today, so I'll update first and proofread later...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)