CLANG! CLATTER! CLANG!
From deep within the gorge, the sound of something hitting a hard object and rock falling rang out. The sound kept increasing until a figure jumped out of the gorge, landing on the snow-filled ground with a simple flex of his knees.
Looking at his surroundings, Zick let out a Turbulent breath.
'I reached the surface at last.' Zick looked around warily, not letting down his guard.
The cyclops might still be around the area making him nervous.
'If I encounter them again, it will probably be my end....' Zick's eyes scanned his surroundings carefully.
He had already used more than 80 percent of his mana, he would run into a wall right away if he had to fight or run in this situation. His body was also not in optimal condition, it was extremely exhausted by the pressure it was put through.
Fortunately, it seems like the snow cyclops had already left the area by the time he came out of the gorge.
This made him rejoice, even greed rose but it was eliminated immediately. He could go look for the lake mentioned in the novel but it was still very dangerous there.
'Who knows when a strong monster would pop out of nowhere.' Zick had become a lot more cautious from this place and was not willing to stay there for long.
He could always return to this place after becoming stronger, kill all the monsters and loot the mana crystals.
'It's a letdown that I cannot spread the information of the rare monster being here, if I could, others would have taken care of the monster for me. But this could not be done, they will without a doubt discover the mana crystal mine in here and start looting it.'
Zick had to explore this place by himself later on. The group of meatshield that he was going to assemble could also be used but he had no plan on using them here.
He wanted to keep the whole mana crystal mine for himself! He had no reason to share it with others. So what if he could collect faster with the help of others?
He would have to share some profits without a doubt then.
Only if he was urgently in need of money would he be willing to share some benefits with others.
'It's a letdown that I couldn't bring many of it as I expected.' Thinking this, Zick started running towards the mountain some distance. He planned on resting in the cave of one of the snow wolf packs that he controlled.
He had collected 14 high-quality mana crystals which was equal to around 7000 platinum coins and 53 low or middle-quality mana crystals whose value was more than 1000 platinum coins.
'With this much, I should have no problem for a while. Now, I only need to cure Seveleen at an appropriate time to make her more indebted to me.'
'She should have around two more weeks to live if nothing serious happens.' Zick calculated, he was very knowledgeable about this disease.
Though he felt that it would be good if he could make Seveleen fall in love with himself, Zick had no intention of showing any affection at all.
It was a total waste of time in his eyes, there were still many talented people that he had to collect, and he could not give special treatment to only one of them could he?
'I also have to collect the wicked eye,
Realen.'
This person was one of the supporting characters in the novel. He was a bow master who never missed his target even once.
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He was in the Hevertec kingdom where Zick was planning on going.
'Recruiting him should be easy, he should still be staying in the slums right now.' Zick thought while entering the cave which was a little above the foot of the mountain.
The cave was completely empty, the snow wolves had already run away feeling the presence of the snow cyclops.
Sitting Crossed leg in one corner of the cave, Zick started recovering his consumed mana while lost in thought.
The reason he was creating two identities for himself was that he could always have a way out for himself if something were to happen.
If by chance the Everlor organization were to betray him or get destroyed by something, Zick could always use his second identity of being a normal traveler with many kind deeds as a cover. He never trusted some seal or whatever.
Though it sounded perfect, Zick had to be on his guard all the time if he didn't want to get dragged into something ugly and reveal his identity.
All the places were filled with risk but Zick was not as nervous as he was when he entered the Lectic mountain region. He was able to learn something while going deeper into this place.
It was not possible to gain anything without taking risks!
But this didn't mean he had to go around taking risks like a madman. If he felt his chances of success were very low, he would not take the risk until forced otherwise.
There was a limit to how much he had to restrain his movements.
'As to how I can make the dragon race participate...It would be hard...almost impossible for the current me.' Zick felt pressured thinking about this.
He could solve the problem of recruiting talented people by thinking extensively, but what about the dragon race?
Nothing came to his mind even when thinking about it. The only way he could think of making them participate was to make the demonic race go and offend them somehow.
'There were only a few demons with grandmaster-level strength and they were all smart too, fooling them to attack the dragon race would be a hard task.'
For now, Zick put the matter of the dragon race at the back of his head.
The death of The red thunder qilin, Zrector, one of the five disasters made the war with the demonic race accelerate for sure. So he had to prepare for any unforeseen situation that would sprung up at him.
After a few hours.
Zick left the cave, heading towards the border of the mountain region.
'A little more than a day has passed but I still made it in time somehow. Today is the day I agreed to meet up with Ovelon.'
Climbing up the mountain, Zick tried to use dragon fear but his heart still hurt so he stopped.
"Sigh... " He sighed to himself, pain wasn't a problem to him, he was worried that something might happen which could damage his already weak heart.
With the snowstorm not getting in his way, Zick moved swiftly. At the speed he ran right at the moment, it would take only six to seven hours to cross the two mountains.
While crossing the two mountains, he encountered only a few monsters as he and the snow wolf packs had already killed and eaten them.
Snow boar, wolves, and yeti were the monsters that mostly lived in this snow region.
The monster encountered by Zick was immediately killed and left laying on the snow floor. He had only a little space left in his space ring so he couldn't put it in it either.
He hurried, feeling that he might be late, and used more mana to strengthen himself. All the emotions he felt while exploring the snow spiders node went away. His face was adorned by his usual expressionless face.
He didn't rest and continued moving, crossing the last mountain soon and reaching the end of the Lectic mountain region.
Looking around, Zick could not find Seveleen anywhere. Making him internally a little restless.
'Did she run away...? It would not be weird as she must be worried about her sister. Or has something happened and she died along the way, not being able to cross the mountain....'
The possibility was low but there was a chance that she might have died in the mountain region. After all, there were so many mysterious things that occurred in this place. It wouldn't be weird if she died encountering a strong being.
So it made Zick a little restless. He would have to go look for her if she didn't cross the mountain region, he was unwilling to do this.
He immediately thought about who to choose between Varine and Seveleen.
Zick didn't think Ovelon would wait to sell Varine to him for long. There were many people to whom he could sell her and make tons of money.
Both personally and rationally, Varine was the best choice for him. But letting go of Seveleen, a future Archmage, was a letdown.
'In the end, I can't get everything I want, can I? I can only compromise here and let seveleen go....'
Doing so would drop the chances of him beating the demon Lord to an unknown degree.
"..." While Zick was lost in his thoughts, Suddenly the howling sound of the snow wolf rang out. Jolting him out of his deep thoughts.
The howling sound was very weak but with his sharpened senses, he was able to hear it.
Zick dashed towards it with no hesitation. The howling sound came from his right side, beside the mountain which he climbed, where another huge mountain stood.
He didn't have to run for long, within five minutes, he could sense Seveleen and the snow wolf's presence.
The snow wolf walked while limping its leg, which was hurt by another monster, and many claw marks of boar were left on its tough hide. Seveleen sat on the wolf, feeling extremely dizzy.
They encountered many monsters along the way, forcing Seveleen to create magic even with her exhausted mind.
Seeing them, Zick's eyes shone. 'I guess there is no need for me to change the plan.'
He walked towards them slowly, right at that moment he could not release dragon fear so the snow wolf bore its fangs feeling someone coming towards them, growling weakly.
Grrrr.....