Alchemical materials.
A spinal bone dropped from the 35th-floor boss of Gray Mist Valley, a level 35 Ridgeback Two-headed Sub-dragon.
A whole Unblemished Gem, extremely rare, excavated from the 39th floor of Gray Mist Valley.
A material from Sylves's personal collection, taken from above the 40th floor of a medium-scale dungeon: half a branch of an Elemental Magic Tree.
And a whole bottle of water of life, of extremely high quality, featuring a sapphire soaked in the Spring of Life.
Every single one of these precious materials was incredibly valuable.
This was exactly why masterpiece grade magical artifacts were so rare, and why top alchemists were few and far between.
Even though Sylves possessed the technique to create alchemical masterpiece grade magical artifacts, he still needed to collect so many precious materials to perform the craft.
He had relied on luck, the development of a medium-scale dungeon, and decades of accumulation.
Only then did he finally have this one alchemical opportunity.
This was a performance, a grand display of alchemy.
The gathered alchemists all gazed at the stage with reverence, their eyes fixed on Sylves's artistic performance.
The alchemy began.
One by one, the materials were carefully placed on the alchemical table. Sylves extended his hands, utilizing the mana within his body to activate the table and begin the process.
Meanwhile, an unremarkable adventurer team emerged from Gray Mist Valley.
The entrance to the dungeon known as Gray Mist Valley was different from that of the Well of Eternal Imprisonment.
The Well of Eternal Imprisonment had a spectacular semicircular vaulted ceiling built of stone blocks and a massive gate.
In contrast, the entrance to Gray Mist Valley was a giant fissure cracked open from the surface.
Gray mist poured incessantly from the rift.
Buildings of various sizes were constructed around the canyon, connecting to the passages of Gray Mist Valley.
The adventurer team that had emerged from the valley quickly went to the Adventurer Association to complete their mission handover.
However, several pairs of eyes had already locked onto them.
Originally, Alchemist Sylves was supposed to draw attention with his alchemy while they took the opportunity to transport the goods.
Everything had been planned seamlessly so that the true treasures of Gray Mist Valley would be moved away without anyone knowing.
However, a mole had already leaked all the details of their plan.
Various factions were like hyenas scenting blood, pouncing toward the only piece of flesh.
The first to appear was a fifth-rank swordsman.
A first-rank swordsman could stimulate Sword Qi. A second-rank swordsman could control it. A third-rank swordsman could contain it throughout their body, releasing it at will.
For a fourth-rank swordsman or a fifth-rank swordsman, the Sword Qi within their body had already undergone a qualitative change.
The fifth-rank swordsman, whose face was completely concealed, simply raised a hand.
Countless strands of Sword Qi left his body, transforming into a giant hand of Sword Qi that reached down from the sky toward the adventurer team.
It looked as though he intended to seize both the people and the goods together.
Clang!!
A bell tolled, and immediately after, a heavy warrior was instantly teleported in front of the adventurer team.
A heavy shield slammed into the ground, and an ultimate defense unfolded.
A fifth-rank heavy warrior could manifest a hard barrier at will, making their physical body nearly impossible to destroy by external force.
Instant teleportation!
The ambushing fifth-rank swordsman widened his eyes, looking at the heavy warrior before him in disbelief.
He realized instantly that the other side already knew they were aware of the plan.
There was a mole among them as well.
The giant palm of Sword Qi slammed heavily against the barrier deployed by the heavy warrior. Amidst the ear-piercing impact, the dispersing gale tore apart the surrounding earth.
The sound of the bell and the noise and aura of the battle immediately drew the attention of countless people.
This included the square where the Alchemy Ceremony was being held.
However, President Sylves remained completely unmoved, continuing his alchemy.
Why was Sylves willing to abandon his neutrality and side with the city lord, Therandil, to help them draw attention?
For no other reason than this.
Simply because Sylves was willing to give everything for the sake of alchemy.
He had not been bribed by Therandil to help draw attention.
Rather, Therandil had provided the materials, giving him the chance to create a masterpiece grade magical artifact.
Therefore, he would perform the alchemy.
In his entire life up to this point, he had only ever crafted two masterpiece grade magical artifacts, yet that had already made him the president of the Northern Territory Alchemist Association.
He had become an object of admiration for countless alchemists in the Northern Territory and even the entire kingdom.
Every alchemical process made him feel one step closer to that supreme realm.
One more time. He wanted to do it one more time before his life ended, for if he missed this chance, there would be no other.
He wanted to search for the opportunity to break past the masterpiece grade.
He wanted to know exactly what he was lacking.
He wanted to pursue the truth.
"That old geezer is helping Therandil divert attention!"
Several gazes fixed on the alchemy site quickly reacted.
In an instant, several mana auras that had been hidden within Gray City were exposed, no longer concealed.
One of them was actually a knight squire who had lived in Gray City for nearly ten years, married and with children!
The high tower above Gray Castle.
Tobin, who was monitoring all of Gray City through the Gray Mist Bell, looked down coldly at the city.
"Quite a few old friends are hiding here."
Why was Gray City shrouded in gray mist?
This was actually an environment specifically created by the city lord, Therandil. By utilizing the gray mist emitted from special stones found in Gray Mist Valley, the Gray Mist Bell could perfectly exert its special effects.
This allowed for the perfect surveillance of every movement in Gray City!
"None of them are from the Grey family. It seems the mole among us was indeed arranged by the Grey family."
Through the Gray Mist Bell, Tobin confirmed every aura that had erupted at this moment.
Most of them were old-timers whose lifespans were nearing their end, yet who did not dare to go deep into Gray Mist Valley to find a ring seal stone.
Even for a fifth-rank, going deep into a medium-scale dungeon without a team was extremely dangerous.
Therefore, they hid in Gray City, waiting for an opportunity to obtain a ring seal stone, become an angel, and extend their lives.
"However, there is still another hidden, massive power..."
"Who is this?"
Tobin frowned slightly.
In the square of the Alchemy Ceremony, Feiwan looked up.
She could feel that along with the previous tolling of the bell, the sensory power that had been constantly shrouding the inner city of Gray City had intensified several times over.
It had already reached half the strength of Tongmu's gaze.
'I wonder if all the high-level powers outside the Northern Territory dungeons are gathered here.'
Feiwan could not help but think this.
She remained steady for the time being.
Meanwhile, Fete, who was beside her, was already so terrified that he had slumped into his chair.
With this much commotion, surely they weren't all here to catch him!
"By the order of Lord Therandil, the city lord, all unrelated personnel are to withdraw immediately, or be charged with rebellion!"
No one paid any heed.
"Clang!"
Another bell rang, and another figure was teleported to the front of the adventurer team, standing behind the heavy warrior.
The newcomer drew the longsword in his hand. As the blade left its scabbard, mana overflowed from the edge; it was actually a lesser magic grade magical artifact.
Meanwhile, the heavy warrior retreated and hoisted the long box that the adventurer team had escorted out of the dungeon.
Relying on his shield to protect the box and himself, he launched a fierce charge in one direction.
"Stop him! The treasure is with him!"
The fifth-rank swordsman shouted.
Three fifth-rank extraordinary beings, drawn by the commotion, ignored the fight between the two swordsmen and quickly locked onto the charging fifth-rank heavy warrior to give chase.
At this moment, six fifth-rank individuals were gathered in Gray City simultaneously.
Tobin, who was guarding the Gray Mist Bell, sighed and struck the Gray Mist Bell before him once more.
"Clang!"
This time, Olorine was teleported to the scene of the struggle.
With so much power invested in the dungeon conquest, Tobin had no other choice but to teleport Olorine there.
However, upon being teleported, Olorine raised her sword and slashed directly at the heavy warrior.
She had betrayed them.
'She really betrayed us.'
Rate on N.U.
