309: Mess

Mess

The increase in the rate of dungeon appearances was most pronounced around the Three Continents. Out of all the Five Continents, Somaria was the least affected.

At the Mage Association Tower,

Some Elders were holding a meeting about this very scenario. One of the reputed mages was giving his opinion.

"Isn't this situation proof that mana density and its balance are closely related to the appearance of dungeons?" he proposed.

The Mage Tower was deeply invested in researching dungeons, which were one of the biggest mysteries in mankind's history.

Even now, no one could determine why dungeons appeared or why they had specific gates like Blue, Yellow, and Red.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence. We have seen several Dungeon Breakouts over the past 100 years," one of the Elders commented.

Edward Amaris, one of the Elders, was present. Due to the dungeon breakouts, a guild had requested a team of mages of different ranks for support.

The meeting's discussion began to deviate from the primary issue to the reasons behind this phenomenon.

"But if we only consider the balance, the dungeons appearing aren't S Rank or above," another individual pointed out.

"I'm not sure about that. But this situation suggests that the disappearance of those SSS Rank monsters is behind the current challenges," he replied.

"We're straying from the main reason we gathered," Edward noted, bringing the meeting back on track.

"The Chairman is busy recovering his mana, so we need to decide how many mages we will deploy," Edward added.

Given that most dungeons were ranked below S Rank, the demand for higher-ranked mages diminished.

"If the Guild contributes to the Mage Tower, we can provide support. But we can't expend vast resources, especially after dealing with the Monster Tide," another Elder proposed.

A balance was essential to ensure that the Mage Tower continued operating, regardless of external factors.

The amount of resources consumed by the Mage Tower was substantial. All mages required significant materials for their research and training.

Sending Mages to dungeons had its advantages and disadvantages.

Based on the support provided by the Mage Tower, profits from the Dungeon would be divided. Sometimes, the Mage Tower would even claim an artifact as compensation.

Typically, smaller guilds hesitated to request assistance from any associations. But currently, they lacked the manpower for the emerging dungeons.

As the meeting progressed, some Elders were reluctant about dispatching numerous mages on short notice.

Dungeons always posed a risk, and hunters could perish within.

A single mistake could be fatal. Not all hunters received training at World Academy with the best resources. And most weren't on par with the graduates of World Academy.

Elite students typically joined premier Guilds, while those from average backgrounds would often join the World Association.

From an external perspective, joining the World Association seemed more appealing. Guilds like Abyss Guild or Moonlight Guild had a set hierarchy, which was tough to climb. In a Guild, only one's talent and strength mattered.

After the meeting, Edward headed to his personal library, assigned to him due to his Mage Tower status.

Inside, he scanned his cluttered desk, filled with his research and other duties, especially with Silvus's temporary absence.

Edward, well-informed and connected, was aware that the SSS Rank Hunters who went to Belvoria had not returned and were currently training.

"This entire mess is because of this," Edward mused, reflecting on a report about Zephyr.

He then glanced at permit documents from World Academy and it was about the permission to enter the Mage Tower.

The rewards for the Rank 1 team were pending, and he needed to forward the permits so the deserving students could claim their rewards after the current turmoil subsided.

"Well, they will send them when they feel safe about it," Edward put it aside as it wasn't the most concerning issue right now.

At World Academy,

Asher sat in his room, reviewing the data that Tom had sent him. It pertained to the reactions of every individual who had signed a contract with Aztech.

With those individuals now under his control, it was time for Asher to gradually enter that market without being overly intrusive.

Aztech served merely as a facade for Zephyr, soon to be transformed into a vessel for Zephyr's operations.

"What about the deal with the Black Market?" Asher inquired, referencing the yet-to-be-completed transport of the stock of Pure Mana Crystals that he traded in the Black Market.

Asher had told Tom to monitor the progress of this trade closely.

"We've dispatched the final batch. If I'm not mistaken, they'll finalize the transaction within this month," Tom responded, scrutinizing the information on his screen.

"Their pace has quickened suddenly, as though their clients are pressuring them," Tom observed.

"Stick to the original plan and alert me if there are any changes," Asher instructed before ending the call.

With Tom confirming that the deal was almost done, the next mission for Dane and Kai was approaching. Asher could now shift his attention to other matters, given that everyone was preoccupied with the ongoing chaos.

Even Asher understood that individuals like Alfred, Helena, and other High Council members would sense the disruption in the energy around them.

It wasn't difficult for them to realize that something was amiss. As they worked to decipher the situation, Asher could maneuver without hindrance.

"He might become a variable I need to watch out for," Asher murmured, recalling Nathan.

Nathan was the only individual whose next steps Asher couldn't predict.

However, Asher was certain that Nathan would utilize the Mana Gem in the near future. Depending on Nathan's actions, aspects of Asher's strategy might need to be adjusted.

"It should suffice to keep them engaged," Asher murmured, observing the number of dungeons that had emerged suddenly.

This was ample to maintain the Guilds' concentration on the dungeons, and conflicts between several guilds were inevitable.

Major guilds like Abyss Guild and the Moonlight Guild remained unaffected by these developments. However, smaller guilds would likely target the new dungeons, especially if there was potential for significant profit from rare resources or valuable artifacts.

Ping!

Asher received a notification. It wasn't something official but a message from a certain individual.

His eyes scanned the sender's name: Reece Williams, who wanted to converse with him.

Asher reviewed the message, then informed Reece of the time and place for their meeting.

In the Fourth Year Area,

"So he took the bait," Reece mused upon seeing Asher's reply.

He sat in his training room located within the Fourth Year's Ranker's Dorm.

Reece had initially intended to wait longer before reaching out to Asher, but given the current circumstances and the dwindling opportunities, he opted to act.

"Let's see what has Leon so agitated," Reece remarked, setting his weapon aside and exiting the training room to prepare.

In the Outer Sector, within a private meeting area designated for those looking to discuss trades or assignments, two young men sat opposite each other.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Reece Williams," Reece stated, maintaining his composed demeanor.2

"Asher Greville," Asher responded.

"I know, I know. I believe there's hardly anyone in the entire Academy unaware of your name by now," Reece said, a hint of a smile gracing his features.

"Why did you want to meet me?" Asher inquired, his indifferent gaze fixed on Reece.

For the first time, Reece felt a pressure conversing with someone of his age bracket. This sensation had only previously occurred when watching his father interact with others.

"Now, now, let's not rush," Reece cautioned.

"I have several matters to discuss," he added.

Reece had thoroughly researched Asher and his history at World Academy.

'They weren't wrong about him,' Reece reflected.

His father, the head of the Williams Family, had warned him to tread cautiously around Asher Greville due to the circulating rumors about his talent long before Kalvas Gala.

Greville were gaining a lot of power, and due to the appearance of the twins and rumour that was still being doubted, there was a lot of Elite Families that had their eyes on Asher.

Lot of people still didn't believe that Asher had broken Nathan's Awakening record, but looking at his talent, a large of majority of them were starting to believe it.

As Reece was going to be the heir of his family, he needed to make sure he had positive relations with everyone, so he could use it when needed.

pqdm.com