Vlad’s greed and ambition surged as he considered the possibilities. Even if they managed to uncover just one Legendary treasure, it would be an extraordinary jackpot. Even if the artifact wasn’t useful to them, they could easily exchange it at the Golden Sky Fortress for sothing that suited their combat styles.
No matter how he looked at it, this expedition was a golden opportunity.
However, beyond the allure of wealth, there was sothing far more critical that Vlad needed to clarify.
"What about the danger?" he asked, his voice even.
Aganon, who had been alight with excitent and greed, imdiately sobered. His expression grew serious. "It won’t be small, Brother. Even though thousands of years have passed, the defensive formations in that place were once strong enough to deter Legends. If even a fraction of their original power remains, they could still be more than enough to eliminate Sages like us."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Actually, that’s one of the main reasons I contacted you. According to our intelligence, the defensive formations protecting the stronghold are all runic-based. Given your skills as a Runic Master, you’d be the perfect person to act as our scout."
A aningful light flashed in Vlad’s eyes. It was clear now—Aganon wasn’t inviting him out of kindness but because he wanted to leverage Vlad’s Runic Mastery.
Vlad wasn’t offended. This was the way of the world. Even among friends, alliances were ford through mutual benefit, and in an expedition like this—where unimaginable treasures lay in wait—everyone needed a clear purpose.
He nodded, his voice steady. "My Runic Master abilities have improved significantly. As long as the complexity of these formations doesn’t exceed Rank 4, I should be able to disable them."
Aganon’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but a broad grin soon spread across his face. "That’s excellent! I had assud you were still at Rank 3. That was one of my concerns about integrating you into the expedition. But if you’ve already advanced to Rank 4... that changes everything."
Vlad simply nodded, acknowledging the complint.
Then, he added, "I want my three companions to be included in this expedition as well."
Aganon’s brows furrowed slightly as he considered the request. He remained silent for a few seconds before giving a slow nod. "That’s fine. They can be part of my team. The entrance to the secret dinsion is set to open in about a month and a half. There will be four other teams joining us."
Vlad’s eyes narrowed slightly. The knowledge of this hidden plane wasn’t exclusive to the Solaris Family. That ant there were already multiple factions aware of its existence.
"Who are they?" he asked, his voice neutral but sharp.
Aganon imdiately understood the unspoken intent behind the question—Vlad wasn’t asking for nas. He wanted to know whether these other groups were trustworthy allies or potential threats.
Aganon took a mont to analyze his words before responding.
"Each of the four teams is led by a representative from a powerful Greacian family. One of them is a close friend of mine, soone I can trust. As for the other three... let’s just say I wouldn’t hesitate to fight alongside them on the battlefield, but I wouldn’t trust them to guard my back—especially if a valuable treasure suddenly appears."
Even though Aganon hadn’t nad nas, his careful choice of words revealed that he was well-trained in diplomacy—likely due to his noble upbringing.
Vlad imdiately understood. "So, one team we can trust. The other three? We can fight with them, but the mont a treasure of real value appears, they’ll likely try to stab us in the back."
Aganon gave a small nod of agreent.
Vlad exhaled slowly, his mind already calculating the risks. Even without the ancient defenses, this expedition was already shaping up to be a battlefield of its own.
Finally, he nodded at Aganon. "I’ll be waiting for your summons, Brother. In the anti, I’ll be honing my abilities."
Aganon smiled and extended his hand. Vlad clasped it firmly before turning and leaving the residence.
Returning to his own residence, Vlad wasted no ti in summoning the Sky Seed Depravitas. Within minutes, the trio appeared in his private chamber.
Vlad’s gaze swept over them, and without hesitation, he shared everything he had learned through Aganon and the A.I. Chip.
He ensured absolute secrecy, knowing that even whispers of such an opportunity could attract unwanted attention.
As they listened, a fire of ambition burned in their eyes. The promise of wealth and power was irresistible. However, as the reality of the expedition sank in, their expressions turned solemn.
Once inside the secret plane, they wouldn’t only have to worry about ancient defenses—they would also have to keep a close watch on the other teams. Even the one team that Aganon considered trustworthy could not be entirely relied upon.
After all, when great wealth was at stake, even the most honorable people could succumb to greed.
"We can’t afford to miss this opportunity," Ouroboros murmured, her eyes sharp. "But we also can’t afford to underestimate the dangers."
Vlad nodded. "Our strength allows us to fight most Sages, but we don’t know who else will be there. So of the other teams might have fighters who’ve comprehended Laws—and if that’s the case, we’ll need to be prepared."
His words sent a chill through the room. They all rembered Urion’s guardian, the Shadow Law user who had effortlessly nullified Vlad’s strongest attacks. A single mistake against a foe like that could lead to certain death.
Fafnir’s jaw tightened. "We need contingencies. If we encounter a Law user, we’ll need more than brute force to survive."
Vlad nodded. "We have a month and a half, which isn’t much. But it’s enough ti for to engrave Rank 4 runic sets into each of you."
The three Sky Seed Depravitas exchanged glances, their expressions hardening with resolve.
They knew the power of Vlad’s runic mastery firsthand and how flawlessly they complented their battle style. If they honed those Runci Set, their battle strength would rise an entire level.
Reviews
All reviews (0)