NOVEL WEB Chapter 102: Signature.
The crisp morning air of Linye was alive with the sounds of a city reborn. The rhythmic thud of hammers, the joyous shouts of workers, and the distant rumble of Aria's massive form moving heavy stone marked the dawn of Sylus's new order. But for Sylus himself, the true dawn lay in the depths of Alhara.
Alfred, his youthful vigor now fully embraced, stood at the desolate entrance to the Alhara cave, a detailed map of the surrounding terrain clutched in his hand. Around him, a contingent of Linye's sigil-bearers, their faces grim but determined, began the arduous task of establishing a fortified base. The air here was still heavy with a faint, unsettling mana corruption, a lingering echo of the Dalins' presence.
"Your Highness," Alfred murmured into a communication crystal, his voice barely a whisper, "the perimeter is being secured. The ground is... unstable. And the mana signature from within is unlike anything I've ever encountered."
Sylus's voice, clear and steady, resonated in Alfred's mind. 'Proceed with caution, Alfred. The Dalins are guardians. They will not be easily deterred. Establish a strong defensive line. No one enters Alhara without my express command.'
Alfred nodded, surveying the jagged entrance. He had seen the pure Mana Crystal Sylus had manifested, felt its serene power. He understood the stakes. This wasn't just a mining operation; it was a venture into the heart of creation itself. He barked orders, his new Chess Legion abilities already making him a formidable organizer. Rook-like surges of mana allowed him to direct his men with impossible efficiency, seemingly ignoring distance as he coordinated their efforts.
Deep within Alhara, Sylus stood before the colossal Mana Crystal walls of the Heart's Sanctum, the central mana sphere pulsing softly before him. Zani and Sophia flanked him, their expressions a mixture of awe and unwavering readiness. The Sanctum, now free from immediate threat, hummed with a profound, almost sacred energy.
"This is where we begin," Sylus stated, his voice resonating with purpose. His chest wound, thanks to the Sanctum's mana and his Eternal Healing, was fully mended, leaving no trace. He felt invigorated, his Catalyst Star burning brighter than ever.
He held aloft the pure Mana Crystal he had manifested earlier, its blue light a gentle beacon. "This crystal will be our conduit. It will channel the primordial mana from the Manifestation Engine, allowing us to manifest resources with far greater efficiency and less personal drain."
He explained his plan: a systematic, controlled manifestation and extraction. They would focus on Mana Crystals first, as they were the most vital resource for Linye's technological and magical advancement.
"Zani," Sylus began, "your connection to the Bringinger is vital. You will be the primary anchor for the 'heart I can trust' command. Your unwavering loyalty and pure intent will stabilize the manifestation process, ensuring purity and control."
Zani nodded, a fierce pride in her eyes. "I understand, my lord. I will not fail you."
"Sophia," Sylus continued, turning to his shadowy summon, "your destructive essence, your Concept of Envy, will serve a different purpose. You will act as a mana filter. The primordial mana here is raw, potentially chaotic. You will absorb any impurities, any lingering Destroyer influence, ensuring the manifested crystals are utterly pure. And you will be our ultimate deterrent against any Dalins that breach our defenses."
Sophia's form rippled, her eyes glowing with a dark, satisfied light. "As you command, Master. I shall enjoy purifying their impurities." Her voice held a chilling promise.
Sylus took a deep breath, his mind racing through the complex calculations. He pressed the pure Mana Crystal conduit against the central mana sphere. He poured his Catalyst mana into it, initiating the calibration sequence. The sphere pulsed, its light flaring, and the ancient symbols on the walls began to glow, responding to his command.
He focused on the "music note," the precise frequency to tune the raw mana. Then, the "stars align," calibrating the flow with cosmic intent. Finally, the "heart I can trust," drawing on Zani's unwavering loyalty, channeling it through the conduit.
"I wish for... a thousand perfectly formed Mana Crystals," Sylus commanded, his voice echoing through the Sanctum. "Pure. Stable. And ready for extraction."
The sphere roared. Not a sound, but a surge of pure, raw power that vibrated through the very bedrock of Alhara. The colossal Mana Crystal walls pulsed with blinding white light, channeling the primordial mana into the central sphere. Sylus felt the immense drain, but it was significantly less than his first manifestation, thanks to the conduit.
Before their eyes, the air shimmered. Ethereal light coalesced, swirling, forming. Slowly, one by one, then in clusters, perfectly formed Mana Crystals began to materialize in the air, dropping onto the smooth, crystalline floor with soft, resonant chimes. Red, blue, green, purple – a dazzling array of colors, each pulsing with an internal, serene glow. They were flawless, radiant, utterly pure.
Thousands of them.
[Manifestation: 1000 Mana Crystals (Pure) successful.] [Mana Crystal (Pure) obtained: 1000 units.] [Primordial Mana Drain: Significant (Reduced by Conduit).] [Karma Points: +50 (For large-scale resource generation benefiting populace).]
Sylus stumbled back, gasping, but a triumphant grin stretched across his face. "It worked! A thousand! And the drain... it's manageable!" He looked at the shimmering pile of crystals, then at Zani and Sophia, their faces alight with awe.
"My lord... this is... this is unbelievable," Zani whispered, her hands hovering over the crystals.
Sophia merely purred, a low, satisfied sound, her dark mist subtly receding, having filtered the raw mana during the manifestation.
"Now, the extraction," Sylus declared, his mind already moving to the next challenge. "We need a way to get these to the surface, safely and efficiently."
He scanned the Sanctum, his Blessing of Information working overtime. The "Temporal Residue" still hummed faintly, a reminder of Haves's influence. He focused on it, searching for any clues, any hidden mechanisms for transport.
And then, he found it. Not a physical elevator, but a temporal lift. Woven into the very fabric of the Sanctum, subtly linked to the temporal gate they had used to escape. It was designed to transport matter, not just individuals, through the temporal currents. It was another gift from Haves, a hidden pathway for resources.
"Zani, Sophia," Sylus explained, "there's a temporal lift here. It can transport these crystals directly to the surface entrance. But it requires precise mana calibration, and it's linked to the temporal gate. It's Haves's work."
He led them to a section of the wall, where a faint, almost invisible shimmer pulsed in the crystalline patterns. It was another complex sequence, similar to the escape gate, but designed for mass transport.
"We need to activate it," Sylus stated. "It requires a sustained mana flow, precise temporal alignment, and a constant anchor. Zani, your connection to the Bringinger is the anchor. Sophia, your mana filtering will ensure stability. I will provide the power and the calibration."
The task was arduous. It took hours of concentrated effort. Sylus poured his mana into the temporal lift, guiding the raw energy, calibrating the temporal frequencies. Zani stood beside him, her hand pressed against the wall, her pure intent anchoring the unstable temporal currents. Sophia hovered, her dark mist absorbing any stray mana fluctuations, ensuring the process was flawless.
Finally, with a soft, resonant hum, the wall shimmered. A section of the crystalline surface dissolved, revealing a shimmering, ethereal platform. It was a temporal transport, capable of lifting the manifested Mana Crystals directly to the surface entrance of Alhara, where Alfred and his team were establishing the base.
They carefully loaded the first batch of Mana Crystals onto the platform. With a final, precise calibration from Sylus, the platform shimmered, then vanished, carrying its precious cargo upwards through the temporal currents.
[Temporal Lift: Resource Transport successful.] [Mana Crystal (Pure) delivered to surface entrance: 100 units.]
"One hundred down, nine hundred to go," Sylus muttered, a weary but satisfied smile on his face. The process was slow, but it was consistent. Linye's future was being forged.
On the surface, at the desolate entrance of Alhara, Alfred was overseeing the construction of a formidable defensive perimeter. Sigil-bearers, their strength amplified, moved massive boulders, while others, former Red Vipers now purified and disciplined, dug trenches and erected watchtowers. The air was thick with dust and the scent of freshly cut timber.
Suddenly, a shimmering ripple appeared in the air near the cave's entrance. Alfred, ever vigilant, tensed, his hand going to his sword. Then, a platform of pure Mana Crystals materialized, glowing with an ethereal blue light, before settling gently onto the ground.
Alfred stared, his jaw dropping. "By the stars..."
The crystals pulsed with a serene, immense power, unlike any Mana Stone he had ever seen. They were utterly pure, radiating a palpable sense of creation.
"Report!" Alfred roared, his voice echoing across the construction site. "What is the meaning of this?"
A scholar, one of the newly recruited sigil-bearers, rushed forward, his eyes wide with awe. "Commander Alfred! These... these are Mana Crystals! But they're... they're pure! Untainted! I've never seen anything like it!"
The news spread like wildfire. The workers, the guards, even the former Vipers, gathered around the shimmering pile, their faces reflecting a mixture of disbelief and fervent hope. This was the promise. This was the future.
Alfred, recovering from his shock, immediately understood the implications. This was Sylus's "hard work." This was the solution to Linye's monthly budget, and far more. He ordered the crystals secured, then sent a mental message to Sylus. 'Your Highness! The crystals have arrived! They are magnificent! Your plan... it is working! We are securing them immediately.'
Back in the Sanctum, Sylus received Alfred's message, a faint smile touching his lips. "Good," he murmured. "The first batch is through."
They continued the process, batch by batch, sending the pure Mana Crystals to the surface. It was a slow, painstaking effort, each manifestation and transport draining Sylus, Zani, and Sophia. But with each successful delivery, the hope for Linye grew stronger, a tangible force radiating from the surface.
Days turned into a week. The surface base at Alhara's entrance transformed into a bustling, fortified mining operation. Pure Mana Crystals flowed into Linye, fueling new construction projects, providing energy for innovative machinery, and most importantly, securing the promised monthly wages for the thousands of new workers.
Linye was flourishing. The walls between Upper and Lower City were gone, replaced by bustling, unified streets. Merchants, drawn by the sudden influx of wealth and stability, began to immigrate. The jobless percentage plummeted. The city, once a symbol of neglect, was rapidly becoming a beacon of prosperity.
But the changes in Linye did not go unnoticed. Whispers began to spread beyond its borders. Tales of a young prince, a Star Killer, who had transformed a barren county into a thriving metropolis overnight, wielding power unlike any seen before.
In the grand halls of Verdenez, King Martin, still under Sylus's subtle command, received the reports with a growing sense of unease. His own financial advisors were baffled by Linye's sudden, inexplicable wealth. The Astrodial Corporation's vast income, once solely his to control, was now subtly being siphoned by Elizabeth, under Sylus's command, to fund the daily wages, but the monthly influx of resources into Linye was a mystery.
"Ione," Martin commanded, his voice strained, "dispatch a scouting party. Discreetly. I want to know the true source of Linye's prosperity. And I want to know what my third son is truly doing in that county."
Meanwhile, far away, in a hidden celestial prison, Haves, the Principle of Time, smiled. Her temporal gifts, her carefully laid plans, were bearing fruit. The Star Killer was awakening. The Bringinger's will was stirring. And the cosmic stage was being set for the final act.