Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074

by Zhuang Bifan

  "The three relics left behind by the God of Mages, Geresco, were namely the Book of Eternity, the magical crystal of the Evil Eye Tyrant, as well as the key to the Sky Castle… Haha, what Geresco gave us was the pathway to become a god… Unfortunately, I did not have this luck…"

  Sorenson could feel his heart being struck by an unknown object every time Hutton mentioned one relic. He was leaning against his chair with a pallid face by the time Hutton told him about these three relics.

  Although Sorenson's potential was limited, and he did not have much achievement in the magical domain, his abilities as a level-15 Archmage and lessons from his father who was a Legendary-mage gave him sufficient knowledge of the significance behind the three relics. That was indeed the path to heaven. Just the Book of Eternity itself was said to be the strongest weapon of Geresco, and had the ability to destroy the world. Compared to the book, the Evil Eye Tyrant's crystal was scarier. The possession of it could allow any fool to get close to the Legendary-realm. As for the key to the Sky Castle, it was an item that only appeared in the legends of Anril. The seven Sky Castles were what the High Elves used as impregnable fortresses when they ruled over Anril…

  And now, the three relics were all in that Felic's hands…

  This means that one should never describe the guild of magic as represented by Felic as simply a new force.

  Furthermore, according to the information the family had gathered from all over using their connections, it was a fact that this President Felic was on incredibly good terms with many strong forces. When he was taking over as President, the guest list of the ceremony included not only the shareholder of the Glittergold Trade Union, but also the Archbishop of the Brilliance Shrine and the High Priest of the Darkness Shrine…

  "Alright, I understand it now. I will convince the elders of the family…" Sorenson replied solemnly as he placed the letter down slowly. It was as though the letter was not a thin sheet of paper, but a boulder that weighed a thousand kilograms.

  Chapter 474 - Difference

  "Alright, I will talk to Mentor Cheyenne."

  Just when Hutton was about to leave the study, he heard frantic footsteps. Then, Hutton saw three elders of the family entering the room in rage, as well as a panicking Hahn…

  "Good morning, Elders." Hutton greeted the elders with courtesy as soon as he saw them. He had no other choice. Although he was appointed as the successor of the patriarch by the family, the three elders were biological brothers of Cheyenne. Their status and positions were not what Hutton could compare with. Not to mention Hutton, even the present patriarch, Sorenson, had to be very polite to them.

  "Hmph…" The three angry old men scoffed as they saw Hutton. They showed zero basic courtesy as they walked past Hutton.

  Hutton laughed awkwardly before leaving the study. He knew what brought the three elders here, but he had no intention to meddle in the situation. Hutton had the confidence that his father Sorenson would have the ability to resolve the situation. Yet, he could not help but feel secretly affected. Are they not afraid to damage their old health by being so angry…?

  "What brings the three elders here? Come, quickly have a seat…" Sorenson stood up in shock. He politely invited them to sit down.

  "Hmph! If us three old men would not come, were you plotting to sell out the Malfa Family with your son?" That was the chief elder, Gromm Malfa. He had been assisting Cheyenne when he was still the patriarch of the Malfa Family.

  It was only 20 years ago when Cheyenne finally got a glimpse of the Legendary-realm, and decided to pass the patriarch's position to Sorenson. He chose to explore the entire Anril World alone and finally entered the dream realm of all mages. As the right-hand man of Cheyenne, Gromm naturally became the chief elder of the family.

  Gromm had always put in his best in all of the family's matters, and the present patriarch Sorenson also showed a lot of respect for the chief elder. As the young Hutton grew up to be a man of great potential, the Malfa Family also managed to maintain their status against the Dark Blade. It could be said that a great part of Malfa's achievement could be credited to the three elders.

  "Elder Gromm, w-why… why do you say that? After I took over as the patriarch, I have always been prioritizing the family's interests. How could you say that I am selling the family out?" Sorenson was dismayed by Gromm's remarks despite all the respect for him.

  After that, a sense of regret hit Gromm. He felt that he had been too direct with his words. Since Sorenson became the patriarch, he had been working very hard for the family. Although he did not have too much significance in the rise of the family, his efforts were great. Yet, that sense of guilt was quickly replaced by anger.

  "Always prioritizing the family's interests? If not for Harvey, we three would be kept in the dark about your plans. How could you and Hutton want to send the family's elites to assist that Tower of Dusk? What's the Tower of Dusk? Is it even in the Breezy Plains? Could your assistance bring the family gold coins or territory? Stop joking, Sorenson. That is just a force that has been established half a year ago. They only have a dozen men including their President. I presume they wouldn't even be able to pay our travel fees if we were to go there…"

  "Elder Gromm, please hear me out… This time, when Hutton went to the Blackstone Mountains—"

  "Stop mentioning Hutton!" The elder snapped upon hearing the name. His fury was on the verge of burning down the study. "The three of us were always in approval of your decision to appoint Hutton as the heir of the family for his careful and thoughtful attitude. But, this time, he really disappointed us. How could he make such a ridiculous decision without us?"

  "Elder Gromm…"

  "Alright, Sorenson. I will be straightforward with you. Hutton's decision is too absurd. We do not believe that it could be a decision made by the future patriarch of the Malfa Family. As for the reason behind it, we cannot help but suspect there to be a shady deal going on between Hutton and the Tower of Dusk. And you, Sorenson… since you are Hutton's father, I presume that you should know it very well. Hence, our intention in visiting you today is to request that you temporarily step down from the position of the family's patriarch. The three of us will take over the management and hand the seat of the patriarch to a more suitable person."

  "Elder Gromm, you… you must be joking… That's right, the elders of the family have the power to impeach the patriarch, but it must be during a critical phase. Do you think the people in the Malfa Family would agree that I step out of my seat over an undecided matter?"

  Sorenson could not help but feel a sense of injustice when he talked to Gromm. Although he'd expected that the visit from the three elders would not end well, he had not expected that things would be as serious as to reach an impeachment. The power of the Malfa Family had always been shared between the patriarch and the three elders. It was a rule that continued for centuries. There wasn't any instance where a party would try to overturn the other. The elders rarely tried to impeach the patriarch in the past hundreds of years. When it happened, it would really mean no turning back for both parties.

  He could not believe that the three elders were serious in their decision of impeachment…

  "Alright, Sorenson. We will be holding a council after three days. The 13 stakeholders of the Malfa Family will collectively decide if you have the ability to continue in the role of the patriarch. Until then, you have to give up assistance for that Tower of Dusk, together with your participation in the family's affairs."

  "What if I don't agree to do so?"

  "If you don't…" Gromm stood up slowly. "You are going to carry the crime of betraying the family!" he said crudely.

  "You…" Sorenson nearly lost his breath. He had managed the Malfa Family for a dozen years, and had never thought he would one day become a traitor to the family.

  "Who is going to betray the family?" Just when the two parties were in a deadlock, the door of the study was pushed open.

  The creaking of the door made everyone
freeze—including the chief elder…

  There was only one person in the whole Malfa Family or even the entire Aminya who dared to open Sorenson's door without knocking…

  He was Hutton's grandfather, the father of Sorenson, the eldest brother of the three elders, and the man who had been managing the Malfa Family for decades—Legendary-mage Cheyenne!

  That was right. It was Cheyenne…

  This Legendary powerhouse of Aminya looked a lot younger than his age suggested. He was well-built and good-looking. Apart from the slightly gray hair, he looked like a 30 years old man. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he rarely smiled, but that handsome face of his looked as cold as marble, which struck fear in anyone who looked at him. He did not say anything when he entered the room, but glanced at the three elders.

  The three elders did not dare to start speaking before Cheyenne. Sorenson stayed in his place and did nothing to greet Cheyenne. At once, the atmosphere in the study became extremely stale.

  "Sorenson, I heard that you are intending to betray the Malfa Family?"

  "No, Father. As the descendant of the Malfa, I would never betray the family."

  "Alright." Cheyenne nodded. No one could tell what was on his mind through his expression. This Legendary-mage gently put down the magic staff he always had with him. Then, he asked something that terrified the three elders. "Does that mean that Gromm and the others are spreading false rumors?"

  "B-Big Brother… We… We did not spread any rumors!"

  "Alright." Cheyenne nodded again before glancing at the three elders once more. "Why don't the three of you explain why Sorenson wants to betray the Malfa Family?"

  "It is like this, Big Brother…" Gromm spoke as he suppressed the terror within him. He told Cheyenne about the Tower of Dusk's request for Malfa's assistance. He took 10 minutes to finish his speech. Only after finishing the story did he add his piece in self-defense. "Big Brother, the rule was set by the ancestors. The three of us did not want to make things difficult for Sorenson. Why should the Malfa Family form an alliance with the Tower of Dusk when they have been established half a year ago? They only have a dozen of people, including their President! Look, Brother, this might agitate you, but I'm still going to say it: Hutton and Sorenson have already damaged the interests of the Malfa Family!"

  After struggling to finish his piece, Gromm felt that his back was wet with cold sweat. He could not help it. There was simply too much stress involved when he faced Cheyenne. So what if they were brothers by blood? Not to mention the dignity he had built as he took charge of the family over the years, his ability as a Legendary-mage alone was enough to instill fear in his brothers. It was fate that prevented his brothers from communicating with him like natural brothers.

  Once a person entered the Legendary-realm, he would not be treated like a mortal. That realm was close to the divine. It did not matter if Cheyenne was the former patriarch of the family. The distance between a Legendary-mage and mortals could be compared to that between the sky and the ground. To some extent, he was void of emotions of normal humans. That was evident from how he treated Hutton. Despite being his grandson by blood, Cheyenne banned Hutton from calling him "grandfather". Hutton had always addressed him as "mentor"…

  This was the difference between Legendary powerhouses and mortals…

  Chapter 475 - A Bit of Trouble

  Average humans would never be able to understand the thinking of Legendary powerhouses. Even if the three elders had great authority in the Malfa Family, such as impeaching the patriarch, all of their power would be meaningless before a Legendary powerhouse. Any slightest mistake would render them eternally doomed.

  The atmosphere in the study turned solemn. The three elders who were there to condemn the patriarch cowered at a side, not daring to breathe in too much air…

  "The alliance Hutton formed in the Blackstone Mountains was approved by me. We are not going to talk about it anymore…" Cheyenne was extremely calm when he said that, just as though he was not talking about an alliance that would affect the family's survival, but about a burnt bread they had for breakfast.

  "Noted." The three elders agreed to Cheyenne's calmly spoken words without further ado.

  "Alright, Sorenson. Let me look at the letter Tower of Dusk sent us." After helping Sorenson out of his difficult situation with a few words, Cheyenne requested for the letter of assistance from the Tower of Dusk.

  The letter was not long. It only had a hundred words. In fact, if Beckley did not try to make the content more fancy, the length of the letter would be even shorter…

  Cheyenne finished reading the letter very quickly. Then, a rare smile appeared on that cold marbled face.

  "Hehe, this President Felic is very interesting…"

  "Mentor…" Hutton gasped. He wanted to help to speak for President Felic. Hutton had read the contents of the letter. Although the word choice was nuanced and full of euphemism, the aggression and coercion within it was obvious. How could the wise and clever mentor not understand the real meaning behind those words?

  The letter was a risk for great trouble. How would any Legendary powerhouse be able to tolerate such coercion? Their pride reached deep into their bones…

  "It's alright…" Cheyenne shook his head smilingly, and unlike what Hutton expected, he had zero rage in his expression. "Having stepped into the Legendary-realm at the age of 20, it is only normal for President Felic to have such a temperament… Don't worry, I will not object to the alliance between the Malfa Family and the Tower of Dusk just because of how the letter is written. To reject such a formidable ally just because of that would be an impulsive act that could only happen between you youngsters. I'm far from that impulsive age…"

  When he was speaking, Cheyenne's smile carried an unabashed sense of compliment. No one knew if he appreciated the potential of that young President or was impressed with how overbearing the letter was.

  "Alright, we will let Hutton be in charge of the assistance we provide to the Tower of Dusk. Hutton, I will let you decide on the date and manpower."

  "Alright, Mentor."

  "Brother…" Gromm turned anxious upon seeing how that decision was going to be fixed. "I beg your pardon. We are not even clear about the background of the Tower of Dusk. How could we bet the future of the Malfa Family on them? Why don't we postpone the decision? We can wait till they settle their scores with the Syer Bandits. They will have to succeed to earn the right to form this alliance with the Malfa Family…"

  "Right? Haha…" All Cheyenne did was smile. Yet, that smile instilled a sense of terror in Gromm. "Gromm, I think that you are becoming more and more muddle-headed as you age…"

  "W-wha… What…?" Gromm was stupefied by Cheyenne's response.

  "Did you not hear what I said? The President of the guild of magic you were referring to is a Legendary-mage at the age of 20. Do you know what it entails? This means that it is fated for him to enter the Sanctuary-realm in his lifespan… That's the Sanctuary-realm, an invincible realm that even I have fear for. Did you not realize what it would mean for the future of the family if we were to offend a young Legendary-mage with great potential?"

  "I-I… I only suggested to postpone the agreement to observe them, and did not have the intention to offend…"

  "Observe? Haha! I'm not sure if I should call you naive or foolish. Do you not know what drove President Felic to write us this letter? Do you think a Legendary-mage does not have the ability to eliminate the entire Syer Bandits? Do you think the ambition of such a talented mage is only limited to one Syer Bandits, or a mere Doland?"

  "Big Brother, what do you mean…?"

  "Wait and see. This is just the beginning. The elimination of the Syer Bandits is just a welcome gift President Felic intends to give to all the forces in the Breezy Plains… Believe me, Gromm, the Tower of Dusk with only a dozen men is fated to become one of the strongest powers in the Breezy Plains. They would not give any importance to forces like us and the Dark Blade… Why don
't you predict who will be their next target after Doland City? It is obviously Roland City that is in close proximity to Doland. And, after that, it will be Aminya. If we were to decline their request for assistance, we would never have the chance to form an alliance with them anymore. They might be in cahoots with the Dark Blade and turn against us, or even engulf both Dark Blade and the whole of Aminya…

  "The motive of this letter is not to request assistance, but an instruction for the Malfa Family to choose our side now!"

  Cheyenne finally concluded his speech in a self-derogatory note.

  …

  At this time, Lin Li had reached the Dragon Mountains. He found the camp set up by the mages from the Tower of Dusk very quickly with the help of his massive mental strength.

  Lin Li who had descended from the sky attracted the attention of the mages standing on guard. Gerian and the other mages came out of their tents, and were all looking into the sky vigilantly.

  "That's… Felic? Haha! Why are you so late?" Gerian recognized Lin Li very quickly.

  Lin Li greeted Gerian before entering the campsite with other mages.

  "Tell me quickly, what is happening?" Lin Li asked eagerly the moment he entered the tent.

  "Those bastards, the Syer Bandits, attacked Black Clouds Town while we were away from the Tower of Dusk. I heard that they dug something out from the church, and had harmed many villagers. Even Old Salatt…" Gerian scoffed with anger. Even the flesh on his plump face trembled with rage. Gerian looked as though he had a strong urge to burn the bandits into cinders.

  In fact, Gerian did not know much about the situation. He only heard it from Beckley. After giving Gerian some time to cool down, Lin Li again asked, "Wasn't Syer left with a few fishes? I've gotten rid of Vanskore and his 300 men in the Blackstone Mountains. What took you so long?"

  "What could we do about it? We have beaten that group of scoundrels up the moment we entered Dragon Mountains. The weird thing is, when we were about to burn their nest down, it was as though these fellas had consumed something indigestible. They became more aggressive than usual. Our 100 mages battled them over the span of a few consecutive days, but failed to make any progress. The most absurd thing was, their team suddenly had 10 level-18 Archmages. Goddammit, if I had not reacted fast enough, we would have lost," Gerian complained with a sense of injustice.