Chapter 502

Chapter 502

Once we approach the entrance underground, I'm happy to see three large men standing outside the heavy metal door that leads to the underside of her workshop.

After a quick inspection and appraisal, I can see all of them are between level 300 and 400. This is nearing Elite levels, and is surely the top of the line security one can get in a place like this.

There's no way any common thieves, or even professionals who have surpassed C Class could infiltrate this security without causing quite the commotion.

I use my telepathy skill to send a message to Bri, three floors above me to let her know I'm here, but step up to the security guards in the same instant to test them and see if they'll do their jobs.

Ember and I stand before them with zero detectable mana radiating off of our bodies, and I speak up.

"I have a meeting with Bri. I'd appreciate it if you'd let us pass."

Using my conceal skill, mixed with the hidden attributes of my cloak, and new silver essence of infinite regeneration; I have it shape shift into a perfect replica of a D-Class Association Hunter's ID with a picture of the face that I'm using to conceal myself right now.

"There's my ID, you can see I'm just a normal hunter. I have some rare items farmed from the new dungeons out in the forest."

I point to Ember and smile.

"My partner here is unregistered, but you can just consider him my security. We work as a team here—"

The guard takes a step forward and snatches the ID out of my hand while the other two guards step in front of the large locked door. He eyes us up and down, then looks over the card before shoving it back in my face.

"Move along. I don't really care what you have to sell. You're not in Ms. Briana's meeting schedule today, I suggest you don't show your face around here again unless you have official business."

I smile inwardly as I take the ID back. They're certainly up to par with my initial expectations, but I want to try one more thing before Bri gets all the way downstairs to stop my fun.

I pull out a handful of gold coins in one hand, and an earth element stone farmed from the 38th floor of the labyrinth in my other, creating mana shielding around it to make sure the excess earth magic flying off of it isn't too extreme.

"Come on, here, just a small token of my appreciation to let me pass, I want to sell this stone to your boss, there's no one else in the city that will give me a better price."

His eyes widen for a moment at the sheer amount of gold in my hand and the rarity of the stone I'm holding, but his iron will doesn't budge. He replies as the door behind him opens.

"It's still a no. There will be no customers allowed inside unless they are on Ms. Briana's invite list. This is not negotiable."

A familiar voice calls from behind them as Bri stares past the three guards straight at me with an amused look on her face.

"Let them through, boys. I can fit them in before my important meeting tonight. These two were just testing you. You passed."

She sighs and the three guards move aside with confusion while Ember and I walk through them.

I put the earth stone back in my pocket which leads to my item storage and flick three gold coins in the air behind me before placing the rest back in my storage too.

They land in the hands of the guards as the door closes behind us. Bri gives them a nod and turns with a smile.

"Keep up the good work."

The door shuts and we start walking upstairs to her office.

I allow my appearance to shift back to its normal undisguised state as we do.

"Nice to see you again so soon, Bri. This is Ember. We'll be working together from now on."

Bri turns to both of us, then shakes Ember's hand, trying to get a read on him as we walk up to the top floor.

"I don't know what is more intriguing; the fact that I can't sense even a drop of power coming off you even when you're using your magic, or this mysterious new friend you've brought to see me with the same energy readings. What happened while you were away...?"

We make it up to her office and I put up a [Hush] barrier while she illuminates the room.

"Well... Quite a lot actually, but I'll keep the summary short. We defeated the leader of Sector 1 and are actively expanding to take over the Dark Continent, I surpassed level 2000, and on top of that, secured six guaranteed trade deals with down payments that I need fulfilled in the next 30 days."

She whispers to herself.

"Luminite... you actually managed to find some..."

There's a moment of silence.

"You want to make your own teleport platform, don't you?"

She looks up to me and the bright stone reflects off her eyes to make them sparkle even more as I reply.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to do."

Bri picks up the containment case and looks closer at them, nodding her head and standing up to begin pacing around the room with excitement.

"I've contemplated many ways to make this work if the time ever came. I think with the amount you have here, there will be enough to make a single craft. We're going to need to construct a base platform first to imbue the materials. Then... we'll need a few million MP worth of mana crystals to support the energy needed as a catalyst for the craft."

She walks over to a small arrangement of artifacts on her back wall and turns a dagger 180 degrees. It clicks and a compartment in the wall opens up to reveal a small bookcase with less than a dozen old books inside it.

She takes one out, and the wall converts back to its original state while the dagger clicks back into place in the display.

She opens the book to a page that displays a very detailed drawing of the craft with messages sketched out that look just like my mythic grade craftsmanship interface. It is written in ink, making it clear that there is not another exact copy of this anywhere. Whoever made this book definitely had the same skill that I do, and the way to merge all of these items together becomes clear.

As the book and luminite is placed on a coffee table in the center of the room with all three of us staring at it, Ember speaks up for the first time while eyeing the book.

"There is one small problem you may want to consider before beginning the craft. Teleportation magic like this works differently than a skill or ability on one's status. It performs more like a dungeon would."

He points to a line in the book and keeps explaining.

"This kind of teleportation magic always comes back to a certain place on a map, not an object or living being. The platform we'll create is what stabilizes the luminite and mana input, but once the transport location is set, it won't be moved no matter where you position the physical platform. You're basically creating a geo-locked dungeon respawn point, like when you kill a boss in a dungeon, you're always sent back to the same place."

We all flip through the few pages that outline this craft in further detail, and Ember is completely right.

I speak up.

"Well, in that case, let's take a trip to Sector 2. I know just the place to make this craft."

I close the book while Ember sits back.

Bri looks hesitant for the first time at my words, then her gaze shifts to a clock on the opposite wall.

She walks over to her desk again before replying.

"Well, I'd love to come, but I have an important checkup meeting...

She gulps.

"It's with the Association, I can't miss this..."

I remember back to when we first arrived and she said she had an important meeting right after ours. The fact that it is with the Association and her change in demeanor make me want to question her intentions, but I'm hit with a wave of telepathy from Ember before I speak up to ask.

"She's telling the truth. A very powerful Association worker is on their way here now."

He moves his gaze in the direction that he senses this person. I push my enemy detection skill outward to see what he's talking about; scanning the streets until I find the match about a full kilometer away walking through the lower income housing toward our exact location.

Her words begin to make much more sense.

A familiar A-Ranked hunter at [Lv.1391] with a series of confusing readings on his status rush into my mind's eye. I look Bri in the eyes and ask her a question.

"Your meeting later today, is it with your brother?"