Chapter 2103: Metal Fire

In Magus World, Sein really did not need to worry about being scammed.

Aside from black mages, Magus World was actually quite fair toward its own members.

This was especially true for law-wielding mages like Sein.

Besides, this was Sky City, a sacred place in the hearts of spellcasters throughout Magus World.

Sein also did not believe that an erudite Rank Six Grand Mage like Wharton would stoop so low as to covet his treasure.

Master Wharton seemed to realize that his request might cause some misunderstanding, so he quickly explained, “Many of the functions involved in constructing the central fortress you requested will require integration at the law level. Because of that, I’ll need to test them one by one with this world-class secret treasure of yours.”

“After all, you intend to control so many space fortresses through this world-class secret treasure. Having it here as a ready-made interface will also reduce the chances of errors during testing,” he added.

Master Wharton’s explanation made sense. He also made it clear that, as the client commissioning the fortress, Sein would be able to participate throughout the entire construction process.

This was perhaps the biggest difference between commissioning a custom-built space fortress in Sky City and simply purchasing a standard one elsewhere.

Paying more than ten times the usual price naturally came with its advantages.

Moreover, the custom-built space fortresses produced by Sky City’s major heavy industry laboratories were widely regarded as the ones best suited to the individual needs of Magus World knights and mages.

Among the people Sein knew, only Feylis’ fortress had been specially customized in Sky City.

After hearing Master Wharton’s reasoning, Sein nodded.

“I certainly trust your expertise in space fortress construction, Master Wharton. I have no problem leaving the Magic Cube with you for a while.”

“However, I’d like to retrieve a few things from it first,” Sein added.

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep blue light flashed across the surface of the Magic Cube, and Fermera reappeared beside Sein.

The sudden appearance of a Rank Six mechanical angel clearly caught both Master Wharton and Sina by surprise.

Master Wharton studied Fermera with obvious admiration before turning his attention back to the Magic Cube in Sein’s hand.

“No wonder it gives off the fluctuations of a mid-grade high-tier world-class secret treasure. This device of yours is truly remarkable,” Master Wharton praised once more.

“There’s nearly one hundred thousand mechanical angels in my Magic Cube currently, along with roughly four million ordinary cannon-fodder robots. I wonder if...” Sein began.

“Rest assured. Those mechanical creations won’t interfere with our upcoming experiments, and I won’t disturb them either,” Master Wharton replied.

“In fact, what I intend to develop and utilize is only one aspect of your Magic Cube’s functionality.”

He glanced at the cube again.

“It seems this treasure has quite a few functions, doesn’t it?”

Sein merely smiled and did not elaborate further.

***

Sein ultimately signed the contract with Master Wharton and allocated 120 million magicoins to the project.

He had deliberately added another 20 million to the original budget because he wanted the central fortress perfected down to the finest detail.

More importantly, Sein did not want to return to the Divine Tower of Ashes and immerse himself in his experiments, only to be interrupted later by requests for additional funding or other issues.

After signing the contract, Sein did not leave Sky City. Instead, as Master Wharton had previously suggested, he joined the design and development of the custom-built central fortress himself.

Any requirements or ideas Sein had could be brought directly to Master Wharton and his team.

And as expected, Wharton was not working alone. Under his command were at least ten law-wielding expert alchemists.

Including the subordinate teams working beneath them, the total number of people involved likely exceeded ten thousand.

This reminded Sein of Peyton, the old Rank Two mage he had met when he first arrived in Sky City all those years ago.

Back then, Peyton’s team had been responsible for only the propulsion systems used in war airships.

The construction of something as massive and complex as a space fortress truly required the combined efforts of many people.

Afterward, Master Wharton did indeed keep the Magic Cube with him for a while.

Sein assumed he had brought it to his private laboratory to conduct more detailed tests on its various properties.

His guess was correct. However, testing the Magic Cube was not the only reason Wharton had taken it away.

He had also brought it before the Fire Seed Source.

The Fire Seed Source contained an even greater concentration of technological law energy than the Ark’s core fragment the Magic Cube had devoured in Divine Descendants World.

Yet when the Magic Cube appeared before the Fire Seed Source, it showed no desire to devour it. Instead, it faintly conveyed a sense of affinity.

Although the Magic Cube had originally been created by scientists of the Gallant Federation, it was the Fire Seed Source and the Light of Wisdom that had granted it a certain degree of sentience and helped elevate it into a world-class secret treasure.

In a sense, the Fire Seed Source and the Light of Wisdom were almost like parents to the Magic Cube.

How could it possibly think of devouring them?

The Fire Seed Source was equally delighted to see it.

A blazing mass of metal fire emerged from the Fire Seed Source and slowly spread across Sein’s Magic Cube, eventually enveloping it entirely.

“Although this won’t be enough for you to advance again, it should still help you grow a little. It’d be nice if Little Light were here too. By now, it has probably destroyed quite a few federal warships on the front lines, maybe even a few overlord-class battleships or giant mobile suits.”

As it spoke, the Fire Seed Source took the form of a human child and rested its chin thoughtfully in one hand.

“If we could bring back some of the technological law energy from those, it should be more than enough to fill your tummy.”

After absorbing the special metal fire, the Magic Cube began to shine even more brilliantly. Its deep blue glow became richer and more profound.

The greatest difference between Sein’s Magic Cube and existences like the Fire Seed Source and the Light of Wisdom lay in its potential for growth.

The Fire Seed Source and the Light of Wisdom had already reached extraordinarily high levels, but in many respects, they had also come close to the limits of what they could become.

On the other hand, the Magic Cube was still growing, with countless possibilities ahead of it.

Perhaps that was why the Fire Seed Source felt something of a nurturing instinct toward this younger existence.

In truth, the Magic Cube’s current quality was already extremely high. With just one more major transformation, it could reach the same level as the Fire Seed Source.

That was also why the metal fire it had just absorbed could only provide a relatively limited boost.

“Your master is the successor to the Faceless Mask? What a coincidence. Looks like asking old man Wharton to take on this job really was the right choice.”

The Fire Seed Source reached out and patted the Magic Cube.

“Work hard. I have high hopes for both of you.”

***

Sein ended up spending nearly twenty years in Sky City.

That was quite a long time.

During those years, he repeatedly discussed his requirements with the mages involved in the project and explained nearly all of his ideas for the fortress’ early-stage design.

Sein could have stayed in Sky City if he wanted to, but there was no way he could spend several hundred years there waiting for the fortress to be completed. He still had plenty of experiments and other matters waiting for him elsewhere.

For now, all he could do was leave the project in their hands. If anything important came up in the future, Sein would simply return to Sky City as quickly as possible.