Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 871 The Crack Appears (4-in-1)

Two days later.

The world of Captoprón, Grey Eagle City.

Roy, along with Anjali, Beryl, and their newly accepted disciple Masetti, arrived at the headquarters of the Hunter's Guild.

What appeared before them was a dilapidated town rebuilt from ruins.

The dilapidated buildings and broken streets exude a sense of desolation.

When they entered the city, the lookouts on the high-rise buildings noticed them and quickly sent several junior members to investigate.

"Who are you?"

The lower-ranking members of the Hunter's Guild found a dilapidated three-story building and cautiously peered out to ask questions.

There seem to be hidden observers in several nearby buildings.

Massettis raised his hands, displaying the banner that was once commonly used in trade: "Do not misunderstand, we are members of the True God Society, here to celebrate in good faith!"

"Did the association invite these people?"

These words left the staff on duty behind the walkie-talkie somewhat bewildered.

However, since Roy and the others walked in and showed a friendly attitude, he did not dare to order an attack without authorization.

I had no choice but to ask my superiors for instructions.

Soon, a high-ranking official who had seen Roy's true face before was alerted: "It's him..."

They actually showed up uninvited!

In the other room, the old and new Hunter Kings, Senex and Gadal, were discussing something.

"We need to be careful of those evil spirits to the west, especially that mummified corpse..."

The old hunter, Senex, was an old man with completely white hair.

His energy and spirit were clearly not as good as before, and his skin had become much more wrinkled.

Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man in his forties, more mature than the average young adult, but without any signs of aging.

He had a kind face and a calm demeanor. He listened quietly to the many matters that the old hunter king had to explain, occasionally raising some key points.

The old hunter, Senex, was very satisfied.

This is the successor he chose; in terms of ability, wisdom, and vision, he has surpassed his predecessor.

Just then, a guard knocked on the door and brought in a message from outside: "The messengers of the True God Society have arrived, and Roy is among them."

Senex was slightly taken aback.

Gadar also showed a hint of surprise: "Teacher..."

Senex waved his hand and stood up.

"We must not be impolite; let's invite him in first."

……

Shortly after.

Hunter's Guild Headquarters, in the lobby.

Roy sat there leisurely with his eyes closed, taking a nap. Members of the Hunter's Guild, as well as envoys and representatives from various parties, cast surprised glances at him.

Some young men and women who knew nothing were whispering and pointing.

"who's that person?"

"Wow, he's so handsome!"

"Wipe your drool, don't let it drip on me, hee hee!"

"The True God Society?"

Is it the behind-the-scenes supporter of the Hunter Association that has risen rapidly in recent years?
hateful! "

On the other side, the faces of several envoys who came to attend the ceremony were not good.

It really is him!
Decades have passed, and his appearance hasn't changed at all..."

Some people even recognized Roy's identity.

In the past, Nakasen belonged to a national power called the Kingdom of Ryan.

The team they formed was nominally a subordinate organization of the United Containment Organization.

However, that's not the main point. The main point is that after Nakasen's death, his successor was not as good as him, and even died in a dangerous mission, causing the organization to lose several important treasures and completely relegate it to a second-rate force.

Later, news spread that the hunters would trade with those outsiders. The high-ranking officials of the Ryan Kingdom, who had been involved in the transactions, believed that the hunters would seize their channels and even betray the Secret Alliance.

Two friendly organizations that had previously cooperated have almost reached the point of a complete break.

The nobleman from the Kingdom of Ryan who came as an envoy this time, Xiaolet, was the same trench coat-wearing man who used to be by Nakasen's side.

Back then, it was he who personally risked his life to imprint Roy's image in the magic mirror, thus providing Nakasen with the opportunity to use the treasure.

Of course he knows Roy!
However, he is now over 50 years old and has completely lost the spirit he once had, so he can no longer act like a young man and jump out to cause trouble for Roy.

"It seems they've reached a very deep level of cooperation!"

He glanced at Roy with a hint of apprehension, then turned his gaze to the other side.

Senex and Gadal have arrived.

They greeted acquaintances along the way, but their attention was focused on Roy.

Roy also noticed their attention and smiled slightly.

"Lord Roy, I didn't expect you to come too."

Senex walked up, and to everyone's surprise, with a serious expression, spoke to him.

"It is indeed impolite to come uninvited."

However, I think that since your organization is holding a rare succession ceremony to mark the changing of the guard, you probably don't need an uninvited guest like me.

Moreover, I have come with sincerity, to present a great gift to you and your esteemed party.

I imagine you two gentlemen would welcome me.

"Oh? What kind of big gift?"

Senex's heart stirred slightly.

Roy said, "Masettis, bring out the gift I prepared for the Hunters' Guild."

“Yes, teacher,” Masetti replied respectfully, then took out a beautifully packaged gift box from a briefcase he was carrying.

Senex took it with some doubt, then his expression suddenly changed slightly.

Gadar asked in a low voice, "Teacher, what's wrong?"

Senex said, "It's the Mirror of Sealing Demons!"

He learned of this thing's existence by combining information from his spies and information that Roy had intentionally or unintentionally leaked.

He already knew that Roy, as the god of alchemy, had transformed the dressing mirror that the Kingdom of Ryan originally used to imprint the image of evil spirits.

Together with the urn, and the power of the labyrinth demon, it was forged into a powerful artifact for containing and sealing.

But unexpectedly, Roy gave it to the Hunters Club!
He saw through Roy's scheme almost instantly; he knew Roy wanted to sow discord.

But this matter is also related to the development of the Hunter Association and the global containment plan.

With the help of such a treasure, when taking action against various dangerous evil spirits, or what wizards call monsters, many unnecessary casualties will be reduced.

This involves the lives and fortunes of countless people, as well as the continuation of traditions.

He couldn't possibly pass up such a gift and give up the opportunity to personally control this power for no reason.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Gadar. Please keep it safe and secure."

Senex thought for a moment and decided to hand it over to Gadal, who was standing next to him, for safekeeping.

The crowd reacted in various ways upon seeing this, but since it was a matter between the True God Society and the Hunter Society, and they didn't know much about the details, they didn't say anything.

Only Scholet's expression changed slightly.

He sensed a familiar power within it.

******
"and many more!"

Xiao Lei shouted, stood up with a livid face, and stared intently at the gift box.

He was 100% certain that what was inside was the mirror he had once possessed!
The mirror obtained after killing a special clone of Captoprone!

The mirror used to imprint Roy's image was ultimately used to successfully seal him away!

Gadar turned to look at him: "Lord Shoret, is there something you need?"

Shoret gritted her teeth and said, "This thing..."

"This is a gift from Lord Roy. Is there a problem?"

Gadar remained calm and put it away.

This movement should be natural and fluid.

Old Hunter Senex saw this, a slight smile playing on his lips, and turned his gaze to Shoret.

Xiao Lei was stunned.

He had originally intended to confront Gadar and examine the item properly, but to his surprise, Gadar simply put it away.

A seemingly unintentional little gesture choked him up, preventing him from saying anything more.

People around them were pointing and whispering.

Xiao Lei's face flushed red and then turned pale, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. Even those around him hesitated.

From the perspective of an uninformed person, his sudden appearance to "curiously" inquire about someone else's gift was indeed somewhat presumptuous.

Explaining the cause and effect of the matter clearly and criticizing someone face-to-face would be even more undignified.

The things have already been taken away, and you don't have the ability to get them back yourself, so you'll only make yourself a laughing stock.

If they had the ability to force Roy and Gadal to bring it out, that would be more like it.

"damn it……"

Shoret stared at Gadar with a gloomy expression for a long time, but ultimately chose to keep his anger to himself rather than expose the matter.

So everyone watched him come forward and then sit back down with a bit of a strange look on their faces, somewhat puzzled.

Senex turned his gaze to Roy and sighed inwardly, "Your Excellency has truly mastered the art of manipulation. Now, we have thoroughly offended the Kingdom of Ryan."

Roy asked, "Are you still afraid of them now?"

Senex said, "It's not a matter of being afraid or not. Back in the day, Lord Nakasen and I admired each other and were very good friends."

Roy said, “Mortal life is too short. I was once a mortal myself, and I always worried about how to realize my value in the fleeting hundred years.”

Once they are promoted to a formal rank and have a lifespan of hundreds or thousands of years, or even longer, they will no longer worry about these things.

If you have the opportunity to embark on the path of a wizard, I imagine you won't dwell on these things too much.

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Senex's eyes, but then dimmed again.

I'm too old; I don't have many opportunities left.

It's not that easy to switch to the path of wizardry in a short period of time and start as an apprentice.
However, Gadar, being his own student, still has a better chance.

Sure enough, when Gadar heard this topic, his eyes suddenly became bright.

……

The ceremony then continued.

The old hunter Seneca had paved the way for Gadal, and Gadal himself lived up to expectations, so there were no opponents within the organization.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly.

Roy acted like a genuine guest, staying quietly until the ceremony ended without causing any trouble.

But the people from the United Containment Organization stepped forward.

"Lord Gadar, as the new Hunter King, could you tell us whether the Hunter Association will continue to uphold the leadership of the United Containment Organization in the future?"

Gadar remained calm and said, "You flatter me. We have always adhered to the principle of independence and autonomy, and jointly participated in and maintained the United Containment Organization. There is no question of who leads whom."

"Is that so?" the envoy sneered. "But in the past, the agreements signed by our ancestors united us under the agenda of 'Joint Containment'."

"Oh, is it because our Hunters Guild hasn't paid enough dues recently, or because the frequency of missions we send out and the quality of the missions we complete are not up to standard, that makes you have such doubts?"
If I remember correctly, the Hunters have consistently worked diligently and conscientiously, completing the tasks assigned to them by the United Containment Organization in a high-quality and efficient manner.

Gadar avoided the issue of leadership, but on this point he was ruthless and confrontational.

The envoy was speechless for a moment.

However, he did not fall into Gadar's verbal trap: "I do not mean to criticize your association, but I would like to remind you that during the time when Lord Senex was in charge of the Hunter Association, he had close ties with the True God Association and even reached a long-term and stable trading relationship."

This time, it's no longer an internal matter for the Hunter Association.

What's more, Kamurus of the True God Society, and his henchmen, killed many of our people back then!

We've never had a chance to settle this score with them, yet you've been secretly colluding with the True God Society...

Doesn't this require an explanation from us and everyone else?

These words immediately sparked a discussion among the crowd.

"Yeah, those guys from Kamurus..."

But those are the people who killed us!

"This wound on my body is thanks to them!"

I was too young then, I had no chance to fight back!

"My grandfather and my uncle also died at their hands!"

Gadar knew the matter was complicated, so he did not answer immediately.

The messenger continued, "Even today, the True God Society has sent messengers to congratulate you!"
Could it be that you secretly formed a pact and united back then?
Today, I don't expect you to give any definitive answers or talk about the future, but at least you should explain the cause and effect, and give everyone an account, right?

"Yes! We need to give an explanation!"

"What exactly did you all secretly discuss? Did you reach some kind of conspiracy, as rumored in the streets?"

"If it harms the interests of the United Containment Organization, it harms everyone in this world..."

"I'd be the first to disagree!"

"I won't agree!"

Seeing this, Xiao Leit finally changed his previous bad luck and showed a look of pleasure on his face.

If the hunters and Gadar could still offer excuses for the previous issues, this time, it won't be so easy to evade the main points.

However, this time, even though Roy came under the name of the True God Society, no one paid him any attention.

This really made Xiao Leite feel a little depressed.

At this moment, everyone involved in the discussion knew that now was not the time to target Roy. The most important thing was to take advantage of the Hunter Association's transition between old and new members to launch an attack.

Otherwise, in three to five years, or even a decade or more, Gadar could simply shift the blame onto Senex and claim he knew nothing, thus absolving the Hunter Association of any responsibility.

This has become a mess.

******
The others probably thought of the same thing, and it's even possible that they had secretly joined forces and prepared to turn against each other before coming here.

Upon hearing this, they stepped forward one after another.

Freedom Group, Witcher, Demon Slayer, Monster Association...

One after another, these were top-tier powers in the world of Captoprón, forces that could speak openly. These national organizations, nominally affiliated with the United Containment Organization, were always quick to shirk responsibility and prioritized their own interests.

But after years of watching the Hunters make a fortune through insider deals with the True Gods, they finally couldn't take it anymore.

Roy reached to the side, picked up a small snack that looked like sunflower seeds from the table, and started eating it without making a sound.

His gaze, however, lingered on Senex and Gadal, ready to watch their performance.

The true God would not do business with the weak.

If the hunter can't deal with the combined forces of these natives, he really wouldn't mind finding another trading partner.

As long as someone is willing to provide me with monsters, that's fine.

Senex and Gadal clearly knew this as well, and wisely chose not to direct the fire at Roy and the others, but instead took it upon themselves.

"That's right, I will make a deal with the true god!"

Senex stepped forward and readily admitted it.

The crowd was in an uproar.

"They...they actually admitted it!"

The younger generation, as well as many relatively free individuals who were unaffiliated with demon tamers, began to discuss the matter.

"But I'm doing this for the greater good, to save the world!"

Senegal then immediately added.

"Don't make it sound so nice!"

"You're clearly only doing this for your own benefit and the Hunter Association's own selfish interests!"

The United Containment Organization was naturally not satisfied with this answer.

Some even said, "I now suspect that the escape of the Alchemist God is related to you!"
"How cunning! Senior Nakasen and his men were fighting tooth and nail in front of you, and you stabbed them in the back?"

Roy, who was eating sunflower seeds, almost choked.

No, do you guys have such vivid imaginations, or have you completely underestimated me?
If I wanted to escape, would I need Senex's help from the inside?

Senex was amused by the wild accusations, but wisely he didn't try to defend himself and instead stared intently at the speaker.

Those were messengers from the Witcher. Feeling their icy gaze, his own momentum weakened.

But he quickly straightened his back and chose to meet the old hunter's gaze.

Seeing this, the others silently stood by his side, showing their unspoken support.

"What, you've been hit where it hurts? Feeling guilty and having trouble answering?"

"Lord Senex, we respect you as the old Hunter King, who once led the Hunters Guild through countless life-and-death battles to contribute to the United Containment, which is why we are asking you these questions in person."

Otherwise, it wouldn't be as simple as just questioning!

"That's right, public anger is hard to quell, and so is public confusion!"

"Your association needs to provide an explanation!"

"Explain..."

Senex's chest heaved slightly; he was almost laughing in exasperation at these people.

But he was also very clear in his heart that it was indeed necessary to give an explanation.

Otherwise, who knows when, the old Hunter King, or even the entire Hunter Association, might become a human traitor who betrays this world.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment.

Nakasen and Nealard had also looked at the USB drive and even copied the data from it.

As a result, their descendants turned their backs on them and pretended to be ignorant.

We all looked at those documents together, why aren't they explaining it?
The old hunter, Senex, truly lived up to his reputation as a man of the world; even at this point, he remained as calm as ever.

However, as a high-level being, Roy was able to directly read the shallow thought processes of intelligent beings, so he quickly discovered that Roy's mind was not very calm.

Amidst the turbulent undercurrents of their inner thoughts, a fleeting glimpse of murderous intent flashed by.

From his perspective, this was a painstaking and meticulous plan he had been meticulously crafting for the future of the world of Captoprón.

Unfortunately, these useless people not only don't help, but they also always drag us down!

What he himself did not realize was that once the gap in strength, wealth, and status widened, an irreparable rift had already formed.

The Hunter Association and other organizations have become two major factions, and it is no longer possible for them to be as close as they used to be.

From his perspective, he and the Hunters are the main characters, the heroes and forces that will save the world.

The others, who might not even qualify as supporting characters, dared to spout such arrogant words, demanding some kind of "explanation" from him.

Simply ridiculous!
But the old hunter, Senex, was ultimately neither a transcendent being nor an immortal.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Okay!"

Since you want an explanation from me, then I will give you an explanation!
This story begins 20 years ago with the USB drive that Nakasen, His Excellency Nealard, and I received together…

At that time we..."

Senex seemed to have anticipated this situation, and in simple terms, he clearly and logically recounted the entire story.

Finally, he added, "Words are no proof. This matter can be verified by the 'Question-Answering Ghost' of the Kingdom of Ryan!"

You've probably heard of this thing before; if it works properly, it's very easy to get definite answers to all sorts of questions.

"By the way, they have the original documents. We can ask them to bring them out so we can compare them carefully. Then everything will be clear."

Everyone immediately turned to look at Xiao Leite.

"Lord Shoret, what's going on?"

Why didn't you say something so important earlier?

"So all those rumors were true! I thought someone was deliberately stirring things up to stir up trouble and take advantage of the chaos!"

Some were genuinely angry, while others seized the opportunity to cause trouble.

Of course, some people pretend to be ignorant and are happy to see such a scene.

High-ranking officials in various countries are not lacking in information channels and have vaguely learned that Nakasen and others have obtained such things.

However, due to insufficient strength and the lack of suitable opportunities, they could only tacitly allow them to hold those things and enjoy those benefits exclusively.

Now, by pressing the old hunter king for answers, they have finally managed to force him to give an "explanation".

At this point, it wouldn't hurt to go along with his words and press the Ryan Kingdom a bit further.

If you're going to confess, confess everything at once!
Xiao Leite's face turned pale.

How did the fire end up on us?

But it's really hard for him to deny something like that.

Moreover, he had no idea what Roy, who was sitting here now, was thinking.

If Roy were to help the old Hunter King, even if his words, spoken from the perspective of the enemy, lacked credibility, they would still easily invite doubts from the public about himself and the Kingdom of Ryan.

******
The old hunter stopped there, sighing, "I originally thought that this kind of thing has both advantages and disadvantages. I should digest it internally first, and then use the results to motivate everyone and save the world."

But since everyone has misunderstood, I have to admit that my initial idea was indeed ill-considered.

Okay, I'll hand over the data on the USB drive and donate it to the Joint Containment Organization. Please make all its contents public...

After reading this, you will understand the difficult reason why we chose to make a deal with the True God.

After saying this, he immediately summoned his trusted confidant and asked him to retrieve the document he had kept for a long time.

This "explanation" includes not only the original USB drive, but also some of the research findings of the Hunter Association over the years.

Everyone was excited, viewing it as a stage victory.

Of course, they also want a share of the trade with the True God Society.

However, this matter should not be rushed.

Pushing the old hunter too far might backfire.

There are many hidden thoughts behind this that are not for outsiders to know.

But what even the old Hunter King didn't know was that Roy, as a god-level being, could read surface thoughts with ease.

His long life, spanning over 400 years, gave him plenty of free time, allowing him to study micro-expressions and psychology.

This is all determined by the wizards' pursuit of knowledge and their belief that knowledge is power.

Sitting here watching a group of people from the containment organization force him to resign and interrogate him for what he deserves, I can see it all clearly.

He immediately knew which of these people were politicians who could be won over and bribed, which were reckless and foolish, which were impulsive and easily angered and could be used, and which were cunning and treacherous and should not be allowed to live...

For him, the biggest takeaway from this trip to the scene was recognizing the humanity of these people and gaining a clearer understanding of the internal workings of various factions.

"Teacher, have these people achieved their goal?"

Masettis was just a 35-year-old wizard, lacking Roy's experience and powerful mind-reading abilities, and mostly just watching the show.

However, he vaguely guessed the true meaning behind the teacher's earlier statement that he had brought him here to "broaden his horizons," and couldn't help but secretly send a telepathic message to himself.

"That's right. They are wary of the Hunter Association's current strength, but they are unwilling to let them have all the glory, so they want to force them to hand over the USB drive."

This was likely orchestrated by the United Containment Organization, and many factions were kept in the dark.

But for them, it was an unexpected bonus, and they were satisfied enough.

Massettis said, "But wouldn't that mean we'd have a complete falling out with the hunters?"

Roy said, "What I used was an open strategy, and it was bound to develop to this point sooner or later."

Even if they don't do this, once the Hunters Association grows up and seeks greater power, they will only have the option to compromise.

Of course, the headquarters of the United Containment Organization is not entirely honest either.

And then there are the Witchers, who have simply joined forces with other monsters and demons.

Part of their confidence stems from the power they gain through the support of external forces!

Massettis exclaimed in admiration, "I see."

This is really...

It's complicated!

Roy chuckled softly and transmitted his voice, "Actually, it's not that complicated. Politics only arises when the forces are evenly matched."

If one possesses absolute strength that is one level or more higher, things become much simpler.

Next, the members of the joint organization were indeed eager to verify and divide up the spoils.

Senex and Gadal secretly discussed the matter, but still decided not to expose the Witcher's collusion with the monsters and demons.

Not just the Witcher, but also the Freedom Band, the Monster Association...

They were all involved in the secret as well.

Their decision not to press the matter of the Hunters' Guild's deal with the True Gods was, in a way, a compromise.

Since everyone's hands are dirty, there's no point in criticizing anyone else.

Hand over the USB drive, and that's it.

……

A few hours later.

Roy, Masettis, and the others left first.

On the way, he remained obedient and did not use his divine domain or teleportation abilities, but left Gray Eagle City in the conventional way.

Halfway there, suddenly, a group of people blocked their way.

He is a member of the headquarters of the United Containment Organization.

"Please wait a moment."

A middle-aged man with a scar on his face, who looked fierce and cold, walked out.

"Ferodeler?"

Roy recognized the other person's identity.

"The giant of the United Containment Organization, the 'Hammer King' ranked third in the world?"

Massettis was startled.

The top experts in this world possess demigod-level strength.

Of course, this does not mean that magical energy or life energy reaches the level of several thousand or nearly ten thousand.

They are the strong ones in a special system, focusing on the characteristics and depth of the laws they apply.

The foundation is built upon a jigsaw puzzle of various strange powers combined with a legendary destiny bestowed by the will of the world.

Therefore, even though it was only at the level of a zero-level life form, it still managed to cause setbacks for powerful members of the True God Society, including Kamurus.

He thought the other party was there to cause trouble for his teacher.

However, Ferrodler's next words greatly surprised Massetti.

"Could you grant us the same trading share as the Hunters' Guild?"

If there are any conditions, we can discuss them; we can cooperate!

"Oh?"

Roy's face showed a hint of amusement.

Ferrero said, "There's no need to doubt my sincerity. Besides, I can represent the United Containment Organization in full..."

Roy chuckled, "In that case, why wouldn't I be happy to do it?"

Faced with the power of time, many past grievances have long since vanished.

The group killed by Kamurus and his associates was a different group.

Within the headquarters, Ferrodler and his faction had never directly clashed with the True God Society, so there was no deep-seated hatred between them.

They were actually more interested in the insider trading rumors circulating in the public eye.

At that moment, Roy told the Hunter Association about the details of his deal, and indeed, as they wished, they offered equal terms.

However, when it came time to agree on the time and place for the first transaction, he suddenly made an additional request that was slightly different from that of the True God Society.

"I want to study strange demons..."

For example, the Syringe Demon can be exchanged for 30 regular monsters...

Can you get it for me?

Ferrero thought for a moment: "Let's just consider it a demonstration of our strength and sincerity."

I agreed.

However, I requested a direct discount of 50 portions.

Moreover, this will not be repeated.

We're discussing a payment method that you can choose yourself, not a method you specify and entrust to others.

Roy smiled and nodded: "Okay."

In the blink of an eye, several days have passed.

Ferodeler kept his word and actually brought the strange demon that had appeared before, the mummified nurse corpse with a giant syringe, to Roy!
(End of this chapter)