Alka looked at the map in his hand. The orange light on it remained dim.
Having settled the ghosts, Alka and the others took their scepters and emerged into the outer world, staring at the deep depression before them.
They had dug this entire area into space, leaving a large hollow.
"Remarkable! You've accomplished something significant," Pororo said, grinning as he gazed at the vast hole.
Hearing this, several others couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, time to go back."
A mirror appeared at everyone's feet. They sat on it, and Alka controlled it, sending it soaring into the distance.
On the mirror, Alka pulled the treasure from the space.
"Here, give it a try."
Alka handed it to Pororo.
Pororo nodded and took the scepter, his magic flowing into it.
It was very steady, but Pororo still shook his head and handed the scepter to Julia beside him.
"No, it suppresses my other treasures."
Hearing this, Alka nodded.
Pororo didn't have a scepter-level treasure, and this scepter-level protection suppressed his Holy Grail-level treasure, indicating that they were incompatible.
Julia, after infusing her magic power into it, also shook her head.
Next was Lucilia.
Still no luck.
As for Alka and Sofia, they had already collected all their scepter-level treasures.
Until they had obtained a crown-level treasure, any additional treasures, even if compatible, must be used with restraint.
Otherwise, choosing a crown-level treasure would become even more difficult. "I hope one of Jason's group can adapt. It would be such a shame if we went to such great lengths to acquire this scepter-level treasure and no one can."
Alka sighed.
After all, it's scepter-level, and they desperately need this kind of treasure right now.
There are only five in the entire team, but they're just right for Alka and Sofia, bringing their treasure quota to a maximum.
The other one is a legacy Jason and his group received.
"You're right, Your Majesty," Sofia replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Alka gave her a helpless look and pinched her cheek.
However, this time, in addition to this treasure, they also resolved a powder keg. And, by the way, they helped the Stonehoof Clan.
As the Stonehoof Clan recovers within their small world, their influence can expand to even more areas.
After all, they are a race capable of controlling the elements of the earth.
Even more outrageous is the Stonehoof's strength.
One elemental leader—the Great Elder—is at stage eight.
Six elemental elders—two at stage seven, one at the beginning, and one at a lower level. Four at stage six.
Eighty-six elemental warriors—ranging from stage five to stage four, but most at stage five.
The rest are all elemental creatures at stages two or three.
Combined with their power, it would be of immense benefit to Alka's entire small world.
It's just that it hasn't fully recovered yet.
Alka isn't ready to fully revive the entire world just yet.
Then there are the ghosts.
As for these ghosts, Alka simply feels that such heroic individuals who made such great sacrifices shouldn't have received such a result.
If he had the ability, he would naturally be willing to help.
Later, they'd see if they could find a way to infuse the area with more dark elements, making it more suitable for ghosts.
Overall, this operation, aside from some time, cost Alka and his team nothing.
And they'd also gained quite a bit.
...
After a few days of travel, they quickly left the mountains and returned to the Voice of Dawn, heading towards Return Town by land and sea.
They followed the coastline.
On the way, they were lucky enough to witness another battle between ships and a demon ship, but it was too far away, so they could only watch from afar.
They quickly returned to shore and settled the Voice of Dawn once again.
They then used the ship's telescope to appear in Return Town.
As soon as they reached the mirror's dedicated mirror storage room, they heard a bustling noise. Looking out the window, they saw a bustling crowd of people bustling about.
Besides the Vastvaren, other humans could be seen walking the town's streets. Their attire suggested that, besides some guards, there were also many merchants transporting supplies.
Arka and the others walked out.
The guards outside, piloting steel mechs, were startled to see Arka and the others emerge.
"Lord Arka, you're back."
Arka nodded.
They crossed the town directly and arrived at its center.
The center, naturally, was the area where they had previously encountered the temple ruins.
A giant dragon, gleaming with brilliant light, streaked across the sky, swept down in front of the crowd by a gust of wind.
The dragon, with a flash of light, transformed into the human form of Urulius. Jason, unable to dismount in time, rolled over and landed steadily on the ground.
He walked over and embraced everyone.
"What's going on? It took us so long this time?"
With the trips back and forth, plus the waiting in the Ghost Mountains, it was almost half a year.
It was clearly a bit too long, not what I'd expected, but still within an acceptable range.
If it weren't for the remote paging of the puppet girl, Jason and the others would have come looking for us.
Hearing this, Pororo smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Boy, we did something big this time. You missed it."
"What big deal could it be? If we really did something, wouldn't I know about it?"
Jason said disdainfully.
He was still in contact with the hunters and demon hunting teams at the Demon Hunting Fortress. If there was any intelligence worth paying attention to, he would have known it long ago.
Hearing this, Pororo simply smiled and didn't argue. He would know the details after they told him about it.
Alka looked around. The town they returned to was much larger than when they left, at least double in size, though still within the town's boundaries.
But Alka could see that, in addition to the guns they'd seen before, there were more weapons for sale.
That large mass of machinery covered in gray cloth must be some kind of engineering or city defense weapon.
"Have any new weapons production lines been developed while we were away?" Alka asked.
Jason nodded. "Yes, they've built a city defense elemental cannon that can adjust its ammunition based on certain demonic attributes, allowing for targeted attacks.
The main thing is that they've reduced the structure, resulting in a more robust design at a lower cost.
The main function is its ability to concentrate energy, allowing it to fire farther, effectively damaging those distant cyclopses."
Alka nodded, understanding. This meant it met the standards for mass production, was durable, and could address some of the previous shortcomings.
While the cost couldn't be lower, it was sufficient.
This meant that Return Town had truly become an arms dealer.
But there was nothing that could be done about it.
For the current World Scar, of all the Vastva research, only the weapons they had previously researched were suitable for the current situation.
Other research that aided development still had little market or impact in a place where even safety couldn't be guaranteed.
However, this also showed that the Vastva had firmly established themselves here.
The Alliance had even dispatched guards to coordinate the defense of Return Town.
"Where are the others?" Sofia asked, looking at Urulius and the others.
"Matriasa has gone to provide medical assistance and should be back soon.
Juanlu is trying to raise some healthy beasts to provide a stable food supply.
Simon, of course, can only stay in the laboratory downstairs."
Everyone nodded at this.
Then they returned to their residence to rest.
Then they returned to a small manor built specifically for them by the Vastwa people.
As night approached, everyone gathered in the hall of the residence.
Pororo, already awake, sat on the huge sofa custom-made for him and recounted their experiences.
Lucilia and Sofia added to the conversation nearby.
"You've accomplished so much in just six months? And solved a problem that's plagued them for years? You've saved a race from extinction and given those warriors the results they deserved."
Jason summed up their experiences, leaning back in his chair, a look of regret on his face. "I should have gone with you guys earlier."
Urulius, standing beside him, nodded seriously. She had lived with Alka and the others since she was little. The adventurous gene ran in her blood.
"Okay, now we can take a look at this treasure."
Alka said, pulling the Cloud Staff from the space and placing it on the table.
Looking at the staff.
"It's really simple and unadorned," Juanlu mused.
Matrica looked at Porro and the others: "Have you tried it yet?"
They all nodded. They had tried it on the way back, but it didn't suit them.
The few people who remained in the town looked at each other. It seemed they were the only ones to give it a try.
Looking at the staff, Juanlu couldn't help but think of his own staff. You know what? They looked a bit similar.
After a moment's thought, he reached out and took the staff to test it.
After feeling it for a moment, he shook his head.
Clearly, it wasn't working.
Soon after, Mathilda, Juanlu, and Simon each tried it out, and everyone shook their heads.
Clearly, none of them were suitable.
Finally, only Jason was left.
Jason took a deep breath and placed his hand on the scepter.
If he wasn't suitable, then this treasure would be in jeopardy, and the very thing Alka and the others were worried about would happen, although that was perfectly normal.
As magic power flowed into his hand, the scepter remained motionless.
After feeling it for a moment, Jason shook his head.
No.
Instantly, expressions of deep regret crossed everyone's faces.
A treasure of the scepter's caliber was left untouched.
It was truly a matter of regret for everyone. At that moment, Ululius took up the scepter.
As magic poured in, the scepter shone, and clouds of mist emerged from it, swirling around it.
"How did you do that?" Alka asked, puzzled.
Due to their deep bond, Ululius and Jason's attributes were nearly identical; there couldn't be a situation where one was suitable and the other unsuitable.
Ululius took up the scepter and closed her eyes. A faint light emanated from her body, transforming into a streamer that flowed into Jason's body.
"Now it should be suitable."
With that, Ululius handed the scepter back to Jason.
Jason was equally puzzled, but he accepted the scepter, this time channeling his magic power fully into the treasure.
"It's...become suitable again? What? You shared something with me?" Jason turned to look at Ululius and asked.
The streamer just now was a manifestation of the power of sharing, indicating that Ululius had shared something with him.
It was this sharing that allowed him to regain control of this treasure that was originally unsuitable.
Hearing this, Ululius looked at him and said, "Although this treasure isn't suitable for you, it is for me. We're deeply connected through our contract, but there are differences.
If you think about it, I actually only control one ritual crystal.
The other treasures are actually yours. As long as I temporarily block the power of your treasures from affecting me, as long as she adapts to the ritual crystal, she will naturally be able to control them.
I just need to temporarily sever the connection with these treasures. This way, through this state of time, I can share the appropriate state with you, and you will also become suitable."
Hearing this, Jason was a little confused. He frowned and began to organize his thoughts, and soon he roughly understood the meaning.
"Can the power of sharing be used in this way?"
Ululius smiled proudly. "Of course, I've studied it carefully." "
The two of them are practically one, so the treasures they research are different.
Adding sharing and integration allows their control over each other's treasures to merge, which is the powerful use of their treasures when combined.
"So, won't the two of us be able to directly master two sets of treasure configurations?"
"How is that possible? You're dreaming. This is just a simple loophole. It's fine once, but two or three times will cause serious problems.
The perfect triangle configuration cannot be changed at will by you or me. This is the law of the world. "
After hearing Ululius' words, Jason nodded and dismissed his thoughts.
In other words, this ability can be used to control unsuitable treasures.
But it cannot be used to control additional treasures.
For example, the appropriate ritual crystal was an additional treasure, and they had barely paid attention to it, because in the end, it would be discarded.
Only when they perfected the triangular structure would they consider incorporating other treasures.
"I don't know how you did it, and I don't understand the current situation. But now that it's suitable, let's start controlling it," Alka said from the side.
Jason looked at the scepter in his hand, thought for a moment, and said to Ululius, "Since this treasure favors you, it's definitely more appropriate for you to control it and delve deeper into its control.
After all, everything can be integrated and shared in the end." Urulius nodded, not refusing. He took the scepter and poured his own magic power into it.
Dazzling magic poured into the scepter, and it immediately began to move forward. A large amount of smoke drifted out from it, filling the entire room in an instant, and finally slipped out through some cracks.
Luckily, not many people escaped, so it was unnoticeable. Moreover, it was dark, so it did not attract the attention of those around.
Mist surrounded everyone, but more mist
It primarily swirled around Ululius.
With a flicker of light, the clouds soon gathered, converging in the center of the hall, transforming into a spherical ball of mist.
Ululius, holding the scepter, opened her eyes.
"How interesting!" she said, her eyes gleaming, unable to resist a smile.
With that, she transformed into a ball of mist and began to fly around the room.
The transformed mist could also shift into various shapes.
"Hahaha, this feels so interesting."
Now, this transformation truly felt like some kind of conscious touch.
After a circle, the mist dissipated and transformed back into the shape of Ululius.
The clouds began to transform into various shapes.
"I can now transform myself into mist, control it, and even control the weather to a certain extent.
This is just the most basic use. There are more interesting uses, and I'll be able to use them once I'm familiar with them."
Urulius concluded after using it for a while.
Everyone nodded.
This treasure has finally been found, and the team has one more person who has collected all the treasures.
Jason and Urulius, now considered one, each possess four Holy Grail-level treasures and two Scepter-level treasures.
Like Sofia and Alka, only the top-level Crown-level treasures remain.
…
After traveling for nearly half a year, Alka and the others returned and began to rest.
Alka also began to arrange some of the semi-elemental creatures in the town of Return.
Their ability to freely control the power of the earth's elements is of great benefit to the architecture of Return Town.
They can also construct totems to dispel the aura of the Abyss from the area, providing a certain degree of protection.
Furthermore, the patch of land that Alka and his team had previously excavated into the space was once a valuable mining area.
The evil spirits there have been restrained by the pink aura and are returning to normal. However, the ore in the mine still needs to be mined.
Therefore, Alka has also arranged for some semi-elemental creatures to work there.
After a good rest, it will naturally be time for more treasure-hunting adventures.