Chapter 25: with translation of chapter title

Underground street, obsidian material shop.

"Mm…… Your 'in a couple days' is really quick."

"We last met, it seems just a few hours ago."

Old Ke Mu looked at the magic gold Ta Ke took out, his face breaking into a smile.

Whenever he saw these heavy, deep-colored magic gold, Old Ke Mu always felt he had grown several years younger.

"Do you have a reliable alchemist?"

Ta Ke lowered his voice.

"The degree of reliability depends on the amount of your magic gold." Feeling invigorated, Old Ke Mu became much more energetic.

"The second-tier alchemist's robe is somewhat damaged, maintaining its original shield property, and adding some source energy recovery materials." In his thoughts, Ta Ke slowly spoke.

"The reforging enhancement of second-tier transcendent equipment isn't cheap."

"Just repairs alone can't be done without 10 magic gold."

"Materials, you have to pay extra."

"15 magic gold's worth of source energy recovery materials, totaling 25 magic gold." Ta Ke gave the range he could accept.

Although it's a bit expensive, safety is paramount.

"No problem!" Old Ke Mu readily agreed.

Lamoer High Tower City-state's underground street, a spontaneously formed gray industry chain, Old Ke Mu is part of it.

【Alchemist's Robe】 mainly assists fine control of source energy and storing source energy to form a shield.

【Wizard's Robe】 mainly helps wizards accelerate source energy absorption and simultaneously helps them complete the first stage of source energy refinement.

If one wants both the shield and fine control of the alchemist's robe, as well as accelerated source energy absorption and refinement, can that be done?

Of course.

But, you have to pay extra!

Moreover, the more you add, the better the effect.

Even in the transcendent world.

"Money power" still works!

After the transaction was completed, just as Ta Ke was about to rise and leave, Old Ke Mu called out to him.

"Ta Ke, have you heard?"

"What?" Ta Ke was stunned.

"The underground demon king's treasure! This is a big deal."

Old Ke Mu said enthusiastically.

"Now everyone is hotly discussing this; you couldn't possibly not know, could you?"

"Although the high tower side blocked the news, it still got out."

"I don't know which bold grave robber managed to dig up the demon king's tomb treasure."

"Moreover, they chiseled a big hole in the seal gate of the demon king's tomb."

"Now, everyone is forming groups wanting to go to the underground demon king's seal area."

"Even if you don't go to that chiseled-open seal gate, other seal gates are also quite good."

"You... aren't going?"

Ta Ke thought for a moment, then spoke seriously.

"I'm not interested in the treasure!"

Then, without looking back, he left, walking with great determination!

"Not interested in the treasure?"

Old Ke Mu stroked his whitening stubble.

"When did this kid change his ways?"

"Strange!"

The Ashen Day gradually rose.

The blood-red luster gradually thinned out.

But walking on the street, it was still very cold.

Originally, Ta Ke planned to rush to the outer tombs of the High Tower District.

However, upon seeing the "bunker district" with its sharp, towering rooftops exposed in the sunlight.

Ta Ke intended to detour along the original route, perhaps he could make some discovery.

"As expected, the matter was still exposed, or rather, it couldn't be concealed from the start."

"That guy Carlos must have been locked up by his sister."

"Otherwise... given his personality, when the Ashen Day rises, he will surely gather people at the Griffin Den Tavern to launch a new round of exploration."

"Moreover... the Griffin Den Tavern also has no High Tower personnel stationed."

"At least, that kid and his sister didn't give me away."

"He's still somewhat of a loyal guy."

"As for the demon king's tomb seal, as long as I don't stir up trouble, basically there's no problem."

Gradually letting go of the matter of the demon king's sealed tomb.

Ta Ke lifted his gaze, landing on the traces of the eaves that were lofty, sharp, and twisted.

The original houses were not like this.

But when the ashen dark tide arrived, many things came back to life.

Or rather, the afterglow of the dim sun lightly reshapes the world's ecology.

Apart from the ecology within the range of the transcendent steam emitted by the roaring steam high tower, it remains within human comprehension.

Everything in the depths of the ashen dark tide challenges human cognition.

After the ashen dark tide receded.

This slightly twisted yet unusually sturdy, distinctive architecture was also preserved.

And this also formed a unique architectural style.

It also has a very pleasant name—Ashen Gothic.

In the Bunker Area, these buildings, three or four stories high together with the bunkers, were bought by many merchants.

They used them as entry and exit points and warehouses for the Lamoer High Tower City-state.

On the wide street, the rumbling of carriage wheels sounded continuously.

Ta Ke seemed like a bard, stepping on the blood-colored sunlight, shuttling through the Ashen Gothic architectural complex.

Sometimes he stopped to watch, sometimes he pondered, sometimes he gained insight.

Soon.

Ta Ke stopped at a crossroads symbolizing the convergence of fate.

"Snort snort snort..."

A remarkably sturdy and muscular horse, its whole body as dark as thick ink, the 'Blacktooth Horse'.

Pulling an extremely wide four-wheeled carriage, it stopped at the intersection.

Although the carriage's body and curtains tightly enclosed the interior,

But the interior situation was still completely visible to Ta Ke.

A middle-aged wizard whose energy, experience, ability, and strength were all at his peak.

A youth about the same age as Ta Ke.

He was also a wizard.

Moreover, he was a wizard with bloodline power.

His supernatural equipment, a single piece roughly matched Ta Ke's entire outfit, possibly even surpassing it by a lot.

"A pay-to-win youth from a wizard family!"

Ta Ke said silently.

At the crossroads, there were no other carriages.

But the Blacktooth Horse stopped.

It seemed to be waiting for something.

"Level 29, with astonishingly strong physique and abundant stamina."

"If it were to turn into a sheep, turning into a black mountain goat would be best; in the deep wilderness, goats are among the best mounts."

Ta Ke fixed his gaze on the Blacktooth Horse, seeing everything clearly.

It seemed to sense Ta Ke's remark.

That Blacktooth Horse directed its gaze toward Ta Ke.

"Oh no..."

Ta Ke secretly thought it was not good.

As expected.

When the Blacktooth Horse locked eyes with Ta Ke for a moment, it raised its head high, vigorously shook its glossy black mane, and then let out a loud, muffled snort.

"I'm actually being looked down on by a horse."

Ta Ke had a black line across his face.

As a carnivorous, hot-blooded equine species, the 'Blacktooth Horse' has the ability to discern level through sight.

If your level is higher than the horse's, you are qualified to ride it.

But if your level is lower than its,

Sorry.

Riding is out of the question, and it will even generate a level-based contempt chain toward you.

Inside a house near the crossroads.

A plump girl with fair skin, wearing a pale yellow long dress, saw this scene, covered her mouth and giggled.

"How interesting, that wizard was actually looked down on by a horse."

"Oh dear... I almost made eye contact with that Blacktooth Horse."

"If it saw my level, I would also be looked down on."

The girl quickly used her slender hand to block the Blacktooth Horse's position at the crossroads.

The girl was also a wizard.

On the other side.

Behind the attic glass on the top floor of a bunker.

A youth wearing a black wizard robe, with a grim face and a black rune mark on his forehead.

He silently observed everything like a statue.

A youth from a wealthy wizard family.

Out of place in the Bunker Area, he could only stand by the roadside, a poor wizard.

And there's that girl, whose development is astonishing.

These visions were perfectly presented in the youth's mind.

And the youth was also a wizard.

Soon!

The clip-clop of hooves sounded, and the proud black-toothed horse carried its master away.

The girl also pulled the curtains.

The youth in the attic shifted his gaze elsewhere.

An accidental little gathering thus came to an end.

Feeling that all perception, sight, and sense had departed from oneself.

Taku by the roadside rubbed his brow.

And beneath the covered palm was Taku's mouth corner forming a smile.

The bloody dawn light filtered through the gaps in the palm, falling on Taku's pupils, reflecting the face he sought.

"A-rank genius, hello!"

"Hmm... a pretty good meeting."

"I hope I left you a good impression!"

(End of chapter)