It didn’t take long for to purchase a large building with a huge garden. The properties in the capital weren’t exactly cheap, but I wasn’t exactly hurting for money either.
Especially since a magical weapon could easily be used as money. Four magical great swords, six longswords, and two bows allowed to purchase the building with little fanfare. The owner tried to bargain, but a threat about going to another building was enough to stop his attempts to bargain further.
I also used an agent to purchase the surrounding buildings … but for the mont, kept that particular detail a secret. Subterfuge and teleportation were a very useful combination for that purpose.
The sellers didn’t argue much. Especially since I was significantly overpaying for the old, poorly maintained buildings … but considering my first action was to demolish it completely before I set up a temporary workshop in the open, it was hardly a problem.
Then, I started forging myself a house, made entirely of bronze and steel, right out in the open.
At first, it looked like a needless expense, especially as I was visibly using parts from Class Ten beasts to strengthen the tal further, but there were three benefits to it.
First, it was the best I could create. As I forged out there in the open, a huge crowd gathered in the streets, piling around to watch work. Not everyone could et with soone with Grandmaster Blacksmithing skill.
Of course, technically, I didn’t have that skill anymore. Luckily, for that, the guild helped, which ford my second benefit.
From the window of the nearest building, three people with Grandmaster Blacksmithing skill watched . I had no doubt that they were sent by the higher-ups to assess the threat of the sudden appearance of another Grandmaster, and what was the best way of communication.
And, to do that, they needed to assess my true range of mastery. Not only in terms of skills, but also the key stats, particularly, Strength, Precision, and Endurance.
However, they were unaware that their presence was helping greatly.
No matter how strong my stats were, without my Skills, I was at a disadvantage. Luckily, their presence helped resolve that particular problem.
A string of pure mana, mixed with darkness mana to keep it hidden, connecting to their soul space directly, subtly stimulating their Skill. It was a variant of the trick the Crown Princess pulled, but rather than letting the system create an artificial soul-space on a clone for to control, I tapped the information flow of an existing one.
It was a difficult trick, especially with a Grandmaster-level skill. Rather than my soul space creating a cushion for to absorb it slowly and steadily, the information flooded my mind rcilessly, leaving with a nasty headache even with my Intelligence helping greatly to filter through the knowledge … but the benefits were incredible.
I could sense my forging capabilities improving with each second. It wasn’t as good as directly having the skill … but then, unlike having the skill, it couldn’t simply disappear.
Altogether, it was much more preferable.
The third benefit was simpler. I didn’t use my own mana to forge, but using incredible amounts of monster parts still created a temporary cloud of mana that created so interference despite the constant devouring of the System, which allowed to create a deep tunnel toward the bottom, and several secret basents, which would ultimately be very useful.
More and more people gathered around the place as my tal house started to rise, and at the edge, a line grew … potential custors, much to the distaste of the guild mbers.
It was fun, but unfortunately, I had a lot of things to do, so I stopped after two days, only after building two floors, with the potential to build more.
Then, I grabbed a huge tal plate, and started carving letters on it before I hung at the walls.
And the crowd exploded in shocked whispers.
It was an announcent, one that told that I was recruiting apprentices for forging, as well as mages capable of enchantnt. Each role had several requirents such as level, skills, and minimum stats, which was not exactly shocking especially since I kept them deliberately low.
No, their gossip was triggered by the last line.
No official guild affiliates were allowed.
A declaration of war.
The guild mbers scoffed at my daring as they left, probably to deliver their findings to the headquarters so that they could teach a lesson to soone daring to challenge them. Arrogance, they thought without a doubt.
Admittedly, it didn’t take long for to see an imdiate impact. The huge line of people waiting to purchase my weapons suddenly scattered like chickens, afraid of angering the guild. Only a fraction stayed, and I had no doubt so of them actually belonged to the guild, wanting to buy so of my works for detailed examination.
I ignored them as I put another plate … one that showed a detailed price conversion list. One that contained a huge amount of materials, from common iron and copper to very rare gems and monster parts, each with a direct point equivalent.
I wanted to preempt the most obvious trick the guild would pull against , blocking the sale of the supplies.
I didn’t know if it would actually work to give the materials I needed. I preferred it if it did, as it would keep from going around purchasing materials from other cities under different identities before teleporting back … or stealing from the guild warehouses.
I could do both, but I preferred not to waste ti.
The mont I put the price list on, the line started to grow once more, with several people who had left the line earlier returning.
The temptation of my prices, half of the official guild prices for the sa quality of weapons was hard to turn down.
At a distance, I could see the guild mbers signaling to their mber, who was third in line. The first two quickly purchased a weapon each, cradling them like newborn children. Then, it was the turn of the third one. “I’ll buy everything,” he declared proudly.
“No,” I answered simply.
“What do you an, no?” he asked. “I’m willing to pay the full price.”
“No, I’m not going to sell all my stock to guild dogs so you can continue to swindle the poor fighters that stand against the endless monsters that surround us,” I said, deliberately shouting.
“I’m not a guild mber. How dare you—“ he started, then, suddenly stopped.
Which might about my fingers around his throat as I lifted him up, and threw him away like a ragdoll. Everyone on the line froze while I turned and walked back to the price board, and added another line.
‘Each custor is limited to one weapon.’
That made a lot of people grumble in frustration, and a few more left their places on the line, but more people filled the line … until I sold everything. A few people used monster parts to pay, but most just paid with money.
Understandable, as not everyone just walked around with their carts filled with iron.
“You can stay in the line if you want. I will be selling at least fifty weapons each day. The number will increase if I can find so competent apprentices.”
With that, I started moving my workshop inside, a trivial task with my imnse strength, ignoring the two other growing lines, one for forging apprentices, and one for mages that would work as enchanters. They had been gossiping and fighting, but I didn’t care too much about it.
As long as I had so helpers to look convincing, it was enough.
After all, it was just a cover for the real thing.
Of course, while I was busy with that, people were already trying to purchase the surrounding buildings, most I had already purchased. I didn’t sell any of them, but so, I deliberately let them rent, letting spies fill the places.
Others, I had put on various disguises as I covered them with wards, acting as I belonged to so other group that was spying on as well… By that way, I would be able to act much freer while blaming so mysterious third party.
At the sa ti, I quickly interviewed the apprentices, kicking only the most obvious spies out while letting in the rest.
Just like that, everything was ready…
—
{Strength: 45 Charisma: 45
Precision: 45 Perception: 45
Agility: 45 Manipulation: 45
Speed: 45 Intelligence: 49
Endurance: 60 Wisdom: 45}
{Purified Divine Spark: 33280}
{Pseudo-HP: 15000 Mana: 20000}
{ADDITIONAL SPARKS
Light - Chosen 7.4
Nature - Chosen 10}
{MINIONS
GODDESSES
Elven Goddess
Goddess of Knowledge}
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