120 Repairing the Arrays

Alex and the Elven Queen went inside the treasury. Alex was blinking a few times when he saw the inside. The energy was very rich here. "Then, Mr. Alexander, this way please"

The Queen guides him to go deeper. On the way, Alex has seen so many high-rank materials, from medicinal herbs to metals. If he has those items, he can do so many things. Making pills for breakthrough or other things. But he held himself back, after all, those are theirs.

"This is the deepest zone in our Treasury. There are so many rank 9 materials, Which materials do you need? I will grab it for you"

Alex started to search around. He didn't want to be greedy, so he only grabbed the required items. After he finished. "5 fire materials, 3 water materials, 2 wood materials, 4 earth materials, and 4 metal materials, a total of 18 rank 9 materials and a few bottles of rank 9 monster blood."

But suddenly he stopped. He stopped in front of a pink-colored stone with a size a bit bigger from marble.

"Mr. Alexander?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. Let's go back"

"We didn't know anything about this stone. But from the energy within it, We know this is a high-rank material. So we put it here. You know about this stone? How about I give you this stone as a thanks from our race?"

Alex was a bit tempted. "I'm sorry but I need to decline"

He recognized what stone is this. It was precisely a space stone. From the size, he can make three space rings but won't this consider as a favor? So he better reject it.

"Is it because Mr. Alexander still mad because of me? If that so, I am ready if you wanted to punish me. I will agree even if you want me to become your slave"

Alex shook his head. "That's not it. Sigh, let's just go back. I need to repair it as soon as possible. So I can stop the war. This is just a trade. I gave the 'Life Water' for your help to stop the war. And you can help the Acacia Kingdom if they needed. Of course, it is if the request within the reason. If the request was to endanger your race you can reject it. I will let it be the payment for the array's repair.

Alex walked away. Leaving a dazed queen behind. He didn't want anything to do with her, he just about to hold his marriage, if he brought back another beauty back home, what kind of thing will happen. Of course, The Elven Queen immediately followed him.

After he got all the materials he needs, he goes to the array hurriedly. He went to the first spot, the one with exhausted Fire Material. In this spot, he only needs to replace the material with the new one. He deactivated the array first. Then he grabbed the exhausted Fire Material and replaced it with the new one. The new material is a rank 9 Fire Fruit. It didn't matter what kind of material he placed in this array. After all, they are only fuel. The arrays are the ones who hold the defensive function.  After replacing the material, he activates the array again before he moves to the next spot.

In the second spot, there are two problems in this spot. First, he needs to replace the material inside, and the second, the array itself is a bit broken. There are some symbols that missing a few lines and judging from how dim the array glowing, he was sure that this array was almost unfunctional.  For example, there is a symbol that should be like this 'ф' but now, it becomes like this 'ψ'. Alex needs to repair the missing lines. He opened one of the bottles that contained the monster's blood. Each array contained twenty symbols which combined to make a kind of magic circle. In this spot, there is no symbol that completely destroyed. He only needs to fill the missing lines and the array will function like normal. After he repairs the first symbol, he continued to the second symbol and so on. After he finished filling all the missing lines, before he activates the array, he replaced the material first. This time, the previous material is a medicinal herb contained powerful water energy. Alex replaced it with a bucket of rank 9 spiritual water. After that, he stood up and finally activates the array. The array started glowing far brighter than previous. After he has seen the effect, he finally relieved. He was successful in this spot.

The Elven Queen who watched him all this time was shocked. She didn't understand what Alex doing all this time, At the first spot, she was somehow understood. Alex only replaced the material inside with a new one. But, in this spot, Alex used some rank 9 monster blood to make additional lines on the symbol. She didn't understand why he did that but she keeps her silence, she afraid that her action will disturb him.

She is right to do that. Even though Alex has some knowledge about array. He still hasn't mastered it very well. After all, He only learned from Maxwell for about two weeks. He still needs to experience it himself on how to make an array, etc. If she disturbs him at this moment, Alex will most likely fail. She keeps watching his every movement, every line, every weird symbol. When Alex finally stood up. She immediately worried, is he succeed? Or is he give up? But she immediately gets her answer when she saw the bright glow produced from it.

On the other hand, Alex wipes his sweat. He was relieved when he succeeded. This is another reason why he accepts the job to repair this array. This would be a big 'experience' for him in his understanding of array. 'Experience', this is the one thing he lacked the most. This is very tiring for him, not physically but mentally. He took a few long breaths and adjust his mind before he goes to the next spot.

He skips the next spot with the wood attribute because there is no problem in it for now. The problem is the fourth spot, This is the one with the worst condition. Unlike the second spot, some of the symbols in this array were completely destroyed without any trace. If Alex wants to repair this array, he needs to remake the missing symbols. After pondering for a moment, Alex decided to skip this one too first. He is planning to get experience from other spots first before he comes back to repair this spot.

The fifth one has the same problem with the first one, He only needs to replace the material in it and the array will function normally again. He continued repairing the array one by one, after the eight spot, he need to rest first. His mind was very tired at the moment, he sleeps for almost ten hours. After he wakes up, his mind feels refreshed. When he wakes up. He noticed that his head was on the Elven Queen lap all this time. Fortunately, the Elven Queen seems to sleep too. He slowly wakes up from his position, he didn't want to wake the Elven Queen up, if that happened, the situation will be very awkward, at least for him. He silently writes something on the ground and place a blanket on the Elven Queen before he continue repairing the arrays.

When the Elven Queen wakes up from her sleep. She looked at her laps, She remembered that She silently put Alex's head to her lap but now she wakes up, she didn't find him anywhere with only a blanket covering her. She smiled a bit. She found Alex's writing on the ground.

"I think, you should prepare the soldiers now, rather than following me here. Don't worry, I have promised to repair this barrier, I will definitely fulfill it"

She was somewhat hurt. At first, she was a bit happy when Alex's covered her with a blanket. But, after she read Alex's writing, pain comes to her heart. Did she not have any charm in her? Or is it really because she is a widow? But that thought immediately disappeared when she read the last part.

"Thank You. I am back to full energy because of you"

The Elven Queen didn't know why but warmth spread all over her heart. She didn't know if that comes from the pride of her beauty or something else. After looking at the first part once again. She immediately stood up and left to organize the troops with full spirit.

Alex continues repairing the arrays, he found many types of problems. From replacing the material to completely remake a few symbols. At the twenty-third spot, he stopped and sleep once again. It was very tiring for his mind. Even the alchemy wasn't this tiring. This might be another reason why array masters are scarce.

He finally arrived at the last array, the thirtieth spot. There are two symbols he needs to remake and three symbols missing a few lines. Alex easily fixed the missing lines. After he finished. He moves to the next step. He needs to remake two symbols. Alex waved his hand and the monster's blood comes out from the bottle. It floating in the air. His index finger started glowing. Before his finger touch the ground, the blood suddenly flew to the tip of his finger like coating the tip of the pen with ink. He can use his index finger since this is a thin line. Using his finger makes him more accurate than when using his mana alone to control the drawing process. Now he moves to another part. This time, he controls the blood and make his fingertip like a painting brush.

Drawing line after line of smooth array symbol. Alex's movement was precise but extremely careful, seeming to not be affected by his environment. He is completely absorbed in making the symbol. When he made this symbol, he feels that this symbol was his best performance so far. With the feeling still going inside his heart and mind, he continued to the other symbol. He draws lines after line, his speed becomes faster than the previous one. His movement become more precise and more agile. He finally finished the last symbol. He then moves to the last step. Connect the two symbols to the rest of the symbols.

Actually, The two symbols have connected the moment it's been drawn. The problem is because those new symbols have a new energy, he needs to assimilate them to the rest. This step called harmonizing. Usually, an expert array master can draw array and performed the harmonizing together at the same time. Alex still hasn't reached that level, he can only draw the array first before he performed the harmonizing. He slowly released his mana from his fingertip. The mana flow like a calm flowing water. It envelops the two energy gently. Like a thread of fate or a marriage thread, the new and the old energy slowly assimilate with each other before finally fused completely. Alex took a long breath. He stood up and try to activate the array. The array glowing brightly, it means he has succeeded. If Maxwell saw his performance just now, He will be very shocked. With very limited time, he has to teach Alex about array. He can achieve enlightenment. This one time will boost his foundation in Array farther.

After he confirmed his success. He then sat down and savoring the feeling from before. One minute…two minutes…ten minutes…one hour... After a full three hours, Alex slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know this is enlightenment, he felt he only closed his eyes for a few seconds, but in reality, here hours have passed. Now, there is an indescribable feeling in his heart, he felt he understand something but he didn't know what it is. But if he was asked if he can repair the second array now, he would answer if not 100 percent, at least 90 percent assurance. At first, he was a bit doubtful when he saw the second array. Out of 20 symbols, twelve of them are completely destroyed and five of them missing a few lines. He is confident to successfully repair the last spot. After he rests a bit to adjust his state of mind. He finally walks to the last array.

When he arrived at the spot he skipped before. He looked at its miserable condition. He makes a plan on how to repair this first. He will finish the missing line first. Before he will make the missing symbols consecutively starting from the left part. After he decided that, he started repairing the last array.