Chapter 1517
Chapter 1517: Section 1518 Redemption of Points Chapter 1517: Section 1518 Redemption of Points Seeing Angel looking so entangled, Falina asked with confusion: “What's the matter, do you think the White-cheeked Domain Demon's frontal eye is still not worth the exchange?”
Angel shook his head and expressed his thoughts: “The frontal eye of the White-cheeked Domain Demon may indeed be worth as much as the Scroll of Fortune, but the White-cheeked Domain Demon appears infrequently in this world. I'm wondering, if the auction houses and major guilds don't have it, how can I obtain it… Perhaps I have to request help from the Prophet Wizard?”
Although Vifette lowered the standards, Angel still felt quite troubled.
After hearing Angel's explanation, Falina paused for a moment and then laughed lightly: “It seems you have misunderstood Vifette's intentions.”
Angel looked at Falina full of question marks and waited for her to elaborate.
“In fact, Vifette understands that after your promotion, he's genuinely interested in befriending you. With this premise, he wouldn't make things too difficult for you.” After a pause, Falina continued: “Indeed, the frontal eye of the White-cheeked Domain Demon is hard to find outside. However, there is one place that definitely has it.”
“The demonic materials repository at the Research and Development Institute.”
Angel was slightly dazed: “The R&D Institute has it?”
Falina nodded: “Exactly, because Vifette knows the R&D Institute has it, he proposed this requirement. Of course, his current experiment genuinely coincidentally needs the frontal eye of the White-cheeked Domain Demon, otherwise, he wouldn't offer up the highly treasured Scroll of Fortune.”
Seeing Angel still looked somewhat bewildered, Falina asked with suspicion: “Haven't you ever visited the demonic materials repository?”
Angel nodded, his preparations had been rushed, and he still possessed many materials himself, so he truly had not visited the demonic materials repository.
“The reason why we, the members of the R&D Institute, can endure the Director's nagging and come to live in the Fantasy Mechanical City, is primarily because of the demonic materials repository. Inside are many precious demonic materials that cannot be bought in the outside world, typically provided only to internal members of the R&D Institute.”
Hearing this, Angel breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the R&D Institute had the material, he could eventually obtain it without specifically waiting and hunting in the void, and it was very likely he would not even be able to hunt it down.
Angel expressed his gratitude to Falina.
Falina, however, waved her hand: “I mentioned before, if you contact Vifette personally, he will likely be accommodating. After all, he's a shrewd man, and he sees your worth and potential very clearly.”
After settling this matter, Falina and Angel discussed matters of alchemy. Angel also learned of the specific reasons for Falina's return this time.
Falina planned to refine an exclusive Strategic Level artifact for her lineage of the ocean.
Angel's Ocean Rhythm could certainly be considered Strategic Level, but it leans more towards a supportive nature. The artifact Falina was preparing to refine, however, would lean towards offensive Strategic Level.
After listening to Falina's ideas and descriptions of her planned artifact, Angel was somewhat surprised.
Though Falina was refining a Strategic Level offensive artifact exclusive to the ocean lineage, the attribute that the artifact most effectively countered was still that of the ocean lineage.
Judging from the purpose of refining, it seemed as if there was an intention to commit massive slaughter against the ocean lineage?
Angel felt curious and asked Falina why she wanted to refine such an item.
Falina's answer was to give a mysteriously smile: “Someone has requested that I refine it.”
This response made Angel even more puzzled.
Someone asks an Ocean Mage to refine a Strategic Level artifact of the ocean lineage that most effectively counters their own lineage. What kind of logic was that?
For example, it was like someone asking Angel to refine alchemical tools specially designed to counter the Art of Nightmare Illusion. Without a very special reason, Angel would definitely not refine such tools.
Angel wanted to inquire further into Falina's reasons, but Falina only laughed without answering, obviously indicating that there was an unknown story behind it.
After all, it was Falina's own matter; Angel didn't press further and stopped there.
Then, they chatted about other topics, like Angel's upcoming plans and some matters related to Sharley. As the tea in their cups slowly cooled, their conversation gradually drew to an end.
“The alchemical thoughts of Wizard Pat are indeed unexpected and have given me a lot of inspiration. I hope that our next exchange can come soon.”
“As long as Lady Falina remains in the Fantasy Mechanical City, there will certainly be an opportunity.” Angel performed a chest-waving courtesy as a gesture of farewell.
After leaving the Water Pattern Witch's oceanic pavilion, Angel casually tapped on a metal pillar by the street.
When a clear sound echoed, a glowing humanoid energy body slowly rose from the ground.
“Mr. Pat.” A guardian spirit in noble butler attire, with a face obscured by a blue glow, appeared in front of Angel.
“Anthony.” Angel greeted politely, “I have some questions that I would like to ask, is that alright?”
“Of course, if it's related to the R&D Institute, I will answer each query. I can also help arrange if there are issues with day-to-day life.” Anthony paused: “Is Mr. Pat referring to subsequent arrangements?”
Naturally, these subsequent arrangements pertained to the matter of being a special judge.
“That's not urgent; I wanted to ask about the demonic materials repository.”
After a while, Anthony led Angel to a side hall near the Creation Hall, whose mechanisms were even more intricate than the Creation Hall.
After a series of verifications, Angel arrived in front of a wall.
The wall was massive and wide, with exquisite hollow carvings on it. In front of the wall hovered a Light Screen, but at this moment, it displayed no information.
“Mr. Pat, this is the Transport Wall of the Magical Material Repository,” Antonio explained the concept of the Transport Wall.
The Magical Material Repository itself is located in a special Other-dimensional Space because many Demonic Materials require very specific storage conditions such as moist fertile soil, dry Scorched Earth, or perennial spring-like weather… These are actually just the most basic conditions. Many other Demonic Materials must be stored in a vacuum, surrounded by gaseous Elves, with rich Elements present or even in the blood pools of Wizard Level Magical Creatures.
Due to these unique storage conditions, the Other-dimensional Space encompasses various environmental conditions, truly making it a Universal Magical Material Repository.
As such, the Magical Material Repository is extremely precious, with only Muse, the Dean, and Antonio permitted entry; even “Mechanical Beast Emperor” Rosen has never been inside.
Members of the Research and Development Institute who want to access items from the Magical Material Repository must do so through this Transport Wall since they cannot enter.
After selecting the required materials, Antonio would transport them through the Transport Wall.
The process of selecting materials is also very simple; by projecting the desired item with mental energy onto the Light Screen, a display of the current state of the Demonic Materials would appear.
Under Antonio's guidance, Angel tried projecting his mental energy onto the Light Screen.
The next second, a string of information appeared on the Light Screen.
“Transforming Pliant Worm, uninvestigable, remaining quantity: 0; exchange credits: 25 credits.”
Angel was thinking precisely about the Transforming Pliant Worm; instantly, its status was displayed on the Light Screen through his mental energy.
As Midora had previously stated, the Magical Material Repository currently did not hold any Transforming Pliant Worms.
Angel tested a few more times; as long as the Magical Material Repository had it in stock, the Light Screen would project the current remaining quantity, the specific condition, and the necessary credits for exchange.
Angel estimated on his own that the value of credits was roughly 1 credit equivalent to 10,000 Magic Crystals.
However, the value of 1 credit seemed almost equal to 10,000 Magic Crystals, but considering market scarcity and other factors, its actual value was undoubtedly far above that of Magic Crystals.
Because the credits here are exchanged for rare Demonic Materials not available outside.
For example, the Transforming Pliant Worm, based on credit conversion, would be approximately worth 250,000 Magic Crystals in the market, but at auction, prices could be ten times higher… and most importantly, some items have a value but no market.
Therefore, this credit to Magic Crystal exchange was not actually proportional.
It was simply an estimation in Angel's mind.
After a series of trials, Angel finally projected the targeted item onto the Light Screen using his mental energy.
“White-cheeked Domain Demon's forehead eye, uninvestigable, remaining quantity: 3; exchange credits: 30 credits.”
Just as Farina had said, “the forehead eye of a White-cheeked Domain Demon” did have stocks in the Research and Development Institute, and considering the scarcity of White-cheeked Domain Demons, the repository still had a significant quantity remaining.
And the amount of credits required for exchange did not seem much.
However, at the moment, Angel didn't have any credits at all.
“Antonio, if I were to participate as a special judge in the upcoming New Star Competition, how many credits would I get?”
Angel recalled that when he was at Black Castle, Dean Muse had told him through the Signal Tower that he would receive a large amount of credits if he served as a special judge.
He wondered if it would be enough credits.
Antonio: “10 credits.”
Angel turned sharply: “Only 10 credits?”
Wasn't it supposed to be “a large number” of credits? Are 10 credits a large number?
Antonio nodded: “Yes, 10 credits would be granted to sir if you were to participate as a judge in at least 10 matches. If sir only participates in one, it would be just 1 credit, and so on.”
After the New Star Competition's second round, Angel could go and be a judge.
From what Angel understood, there were nearly a hundred matches in the second round: “If I participate in every match, would that make for a hundred credits?”
Angel remembered that Muse had mentioned that the job of a judge only required determining the winner, which seemed quite easy, and with every match having a judge, he would just be a “special” judge and could do nothing, even zoning out. He wouldn't mind attending more matches, at worst serving as a mascot.
Antonio shook his head: “There is a limit of 10 credits, even if sir were to judge every match, only 10 credits would be given. This has been a rule set before the New Star Competition.”
Angel: “…” His dream of point farming shattered.
“Then… Can I surrender some rare Demonic Materials in exchange for credits?” Angel thought, since the repository had no Transforming Pliant Worms, he could have Popota cultivate a few and exchange them for credits.
However, dreams are beautiful, but reality is often cruel.
“It requires the Dean's approval,” Antonio paused, “There have been similar requests from members before, but so far, the Dean has never agreed.”
Nobody knew Muse's judging standards, but, so far, the approval rate was zero.
The most important point was that Muse was currently in seclusion, and it would be a while before emerging. Even if Angel wanted Muse's judgment, there would be no chance.
“Well then, apart from being a special judge, is there any other way to earn more credits?”