Chapter 114: Advanced Artifact

Great Disintegration Technique, also called Mage Bankruptcy Technique, is detested to the utmost by any powerful, wealthy Mage.

The individual struck by Great Disintegration Technique will have all magical benefits on their body destroyed, along with the vessels that bear those benefits.

This leads to one consequence.

If a Mage is hit by Great Disintegration Technique, all the various Magic Items he has amassed over nearly a hundred years, spending millions of gold coins to collect or forge, will turn to ash.

Worse still, even an Artifact struck by this spell has a one‑percent chance of being destroyed! A senior Mage's Combat Power is mostly reflected in the expensive Magic Items covering their body; compared with the pitifully few Spell Slots, items such as a Disjunction Staff that can release the Disjunction Technique three times a day are their primary weapons.

A staff, six rings covering both hands, earrings, necklace, headband, and bracelets together can grant a senior Mage at least twenty‑plus Spell Slots.

Some bards have even mocked in verse that the old, toothless Mage's gaudy ornaments outnumber those of the city's noblewomen.

It is precisely for this reason that Great Disintegration Technique is so loathed by senior Mages.

If the scroll before us truly is Great Disintegration Technique, even a powerful Abjuration spell like Magic Duncan Arcane Seal would stand no chance.

Because Great Disintegration Technique was created as a counter‑spell to Abjuration spells, it is the bane of all protective magic.

Naimi Xisi, after a brief frenzy, calmed down; he knew the devil would never so kindly give him a free scroll worth two million gold coins.

There must be some attached condition.

"What do you want?" Naimi Xisi asked calmly.

Rafael curled his lips, feeling extremely smug; even a True Dragon cannot escape the devil's temptation. In this world there are no eternal enemies nor eternal friends—only profit, and great profit is the ultimate truth.

"Oh, I ask for little; behind the door lies something that once belonged to me, and I merely wish to take it back," Rafael said with a humble expression.

"Ha, then why do you still need me? Can't you just go in and take it yourself?" Naimi Xisi suddenly sensed something amiss.

Rafael fell silent.

Naimi Xisi's expression turned subtle: "You can't, can you? Or you need my permission to take it?"

Rafael, irritated and embarrassed, retorted: "You don't need to meddle; just tell me whether you agree."

"Ha," Naimi Xisi sneered, "Why should I agree? I don't know why, but I suspect the contents are a hell command you're giving me, just like the prey of the Dimagao you once provided."

"You want to line your pockets, chase the wind?"

Rafael, after hearing that, did not continue his anger; instead he shrugged and put away the scroll.

The contents are indeed prepared for you; more precisely, the most precious item inside, that High‑Level Artifact, was made for you. What I seek is merely a sacrificial offering, an artwork this Mage fails to appreciate; I only want that.

Rafael said word for word: "If you do not agree, I will not give you the Great Disintegration Technique scroll. In fact, this scroll is my personal investment; any other devil you bring would only devise a blood‑sacrifice ritual, summon their true form to break the seal for you, and would never give less than what I demand!"

Naimi Xisi considered this; he did not object to Rafael's words. Devils are the most greedy creatures, and it was clear that even if Rafael were driven away, any other devil would not offer him a better deal.

More importantly, the High‑Level Artifact Rafael mentioned deeply attracted Naimi Xisi; in this world, every High‑Level Artifact has a name and lineage, and they are exceedingly rare.

As the pinnacle of mortal treasures, each High‑Level Artifact is forged by a deity‑level being, possessing terrifying power. If one could truly obtain such an artifact, agreeing with Rafael would be no problem, right?

Naimi Xisi was not interested in the artwork Rafael spoke of; he didn't even know what it was. As long as the High‑Level Artifact is in his hands, everything else is negotiable.

"Fine, I agree," Naimi Xisi said solemnly.

Rafael's eyes lit up; without hesitation he said, "We must sign a contract!"

Naimi Xisi frowned: "Must we sign a contract? Can't we rely on a divine oath?"

Rafael scoffed, "That childish thing—devils have countless ways to evade. I suggest you never place too much trust in the binding power of a divine oath; compared to a Hell Contract, it's far inferior!"

Naimi Xisi was surprised: a divine oath can be broken? That was a secret absent from his inherited memories.

Indeed, the devil most adept at loopholes can even violate a deity‑witnessed oath. "Signing a contract is fine, but I must pray to Ogm, letting Him witness that the contract has no traps," Naimi Xisi replied, refusing to be denied.

Now it's Rafael's turn to be upset: "What are you saying? The only witnesses of a Hell Contract are the Justice Sisters. How can a deity monitor our signing of a contract!"

"That's beyond my control," Naimi Xisi sneered, "Are you unaware of what you are? I don't trust a contract drafted by a devil. Accept this condition, or we're done. I'd rather leave as if I never heard of this High‑Level Artifact, than let a devil use a contract to control me."

Rafael let out a cold snort, his face displeased: "I agree, fine. Damn deities aren't any better than those disgusting demons; they're everywhere, these troublesome beings!"

Rafael was about to produce the contract when Ao Duo Li interjected, "Wait!"

"We agreed to split the loot fairly; shouldn't that High‑Level Artifact be shared among the three of us?"

Naimi Xisi was speechless at that remark; this Naga offspring was truly brainless, having listened in vain. Sure enough, Rafael laughed the next moment.

He gently asked Ao Duo Li, "You want it too?"

Ao Duo Li nodded foolishly.

Rafael casually pointed to the ground; a life‑size bronze mirror materialized before him. He gestured at the mirror and said to Ao Duo Li, "Look inside and tell me what you see."

Ao Duo Li was bewildered, and Jia Fu Na Si remained silent; she could only look into the mirror and saw only her own reflection.

"There's nothing but me?" she said foolishly.

Rafael scratched his ear, blew away the earwax, leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Yes, look into the mirror."

"What kind of beast are you!!" Rafael roared suddenly, startling Ao Duo Li into a shiver. She gave him a slightly aggrieved look, but he continued without hesitation.

"I told you to look into the mirror so you could see what you are! I brought a scroll worth two million gold coins—did you think I was here to play with you? What do you want? Tell me, are you a chosen of a deity? Are you a noble True Dragon?"

"No!" Rafael sneered, "You're merely a foolish mortal unworthy even of a double‑headed baboon's mark, just like the vast majority of foolish humans, daring to covet a hellish gift."

Hmm… poor Ao Duo Li, merely fighting for her rights, was harshly humiliated by Rafael. Perhaps one day she'll stand before him and say, "Thirty years the river flows east, thirty years it flows west; do not despise a poor girl,"? (End of chapter)