Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2504: Harvest

As Emery stepped through the portal, an electrifying wave coursed through his body before he found himself standing in an awe-inspiring realm. Above him stretched an endless sky of deep violet, where streams of ethereal light drifted like constellations come alive. Luminous clouds floated lazily, pulsating with a rhythm that cast a serene, otherworldly glow over the landscape.

The air itself felt alive, saturated with potent spirit energy so thick it seemed to hum against his skin. Emery inhaled deeply, feeling a rush of vitality. Towering trees with translucent, shimmering leaves loomed above, their trunks laced with veins of radiant silver. The ground was a living tapestry of bioluminescent moss that glowed faintly underfoot, creating a soft, magical light with every step. Flowers with shifting, opalescent petals dotted the terrain, exuding faint trails of sparkling mist into the air.

Beside him, Grand Magus Soltz and Livi stood in silence, their eyes wide as they absorbed the majesty of the surroundings. Even the usually composed Soltz seemed momentarily overwhelmed by the grandeur of the realm.

Emery closed his eyes briefly, extending his divine sense to gauge the environment. To his surprise, his abilities felt constrained here, only stretching a hundred miles. Within that range, he detected no other participants. The competition had apparently scattered them to distant corners of the realm. However, his senses quickly picked up something else—powerful auras lurking in the distance. Beasts of immense strength, some of them emanating godly-level energy, roamed the lands.

After confirming that there was no immediate danger, Emery turned his attention to his surroundings. His eyes widened with excitement as he spotted multiple medium-grade materials—tier 3 and tier 4 ingredients—scattered abundantly within his vicinity.

”What a fascinating place,”

Emery wished he could gather every precious material in sight, but the Skyroot factionʼs strict rules for the competition loomed over him. Each participant had been provided with a special pouch, an advanced magical container capable of perfectly preserving the quality of the materials stored within it. However, this pouch came with two key limitations: first, it could only store items found within the realm, and second, its capacity was restricted to ten cubic meters.

The rules ensured that only its contents could be used for the final assignment. Attempting to smuggle materials outside the pouch or introducing items from external sources would result in immediate disqualification. Worse, offenders would face steep penalties, potentially owing reparations to the Skyroot faction. This meant Emery had to be selective—he couldnʼt simply gather everything he encountered. Instead, he needed to focus on collecting the most valuable and versatile ingredients.

There was an additional rule to consider: participants were forbidden from harvesting newly grown materials. While Emery doubted the Skyroot faction could enforce this across the entire realm, he suspected they had methods to monitor the participants. It wasnʼt worth the risk to test their vigilance.

Livi broke the silence, pulling the pouch closer to inspect it. ”Ten cubic meters isnʼt much...”

”Indeed”

Emery scanned the surroundings once more, his eyes glinting with determination. His divine sense couldnʼt penetrate the full extent of the realm, but even within the limited range, he spotted an abundance of materials waiting to be claimed. ”Alright,” he said, clenching his fists. ”We have twelve hours. Letʼs start searching” The search for the finest ingredients was what separated a true apothecary master from the rest. Identifying a materialʼs tier was one thing, but recognizing its true potential? That required a keen eye and deep understanding. A slight variation in color, an extra set of leaves, a faint shimmer along its stem—these were the details that determined whether an ingredient was ordinary or extraordinary.

Unfortunately, neither Livi nor Grand Magus Soltz possessed the expertise to assist him. Had this event taken place in the Magus Realm, Emery would have brought Cedric or Karin, both of whom had an eye for rare and valuable materials. But here, in this unknown realm, he had to rely on his own knowledge and skills.

Thankfully, he had something far more valuable than mere experience—his [Nature Grasp] technique.

Selecting a spot within a particularly lush section of the forest, Emery instructed the two to keep watch while he fully immersed himself in the energies of the realm. Taking a deep breath, he extended his divine sense, allowing himself to become one with his surroundings.

Instantly, the world opened up to him. Every shimmering leaf, every glowing mushroom nestled against tree roots, even the bioluminescent moss lining the ponds—he could feel them as if they were extensions of his own body. His awareness stretched further, sinking deep into the earth, where thick veins of spirit-rich minerals pulsed beneath the surface.

The deeper he searched, the more amazed he became. Nearly one in every three plants he detected was unknown to the Magus database. He had to cross-reference each one with VIAʼs celestial database, yet even then, some remained entirely undocumented.

His heart raced as he discovered a patch of Moonveil Ferns, their translucent leaves shimmering with soft silver hues. Nearby, clusters of Emberroot Tubers pulsed with a fiery glow, exuding warmth even from a distance. And then there was the Luminis Bloom, a delicate flower with petals that constantly shifted between colors, brimming with potent light energy.

When he sensed particularly high-grade ingredients—some reaching tier 6 or even tier 7—he made sure to examine them personally. Carefully, he harvested each one, ensuring their integrity before storing them in the enchanted pouch.

”Alright, onto the next location,” he murmured, satisfaction evident in his tone.

At the second site, and then the third, the process repeated. His pouch steadily filled with exceptional finds, the competition already proving to be a rewarding venture.

However, upon reaching the fourth location, he halted. His divine sense picked up something unusual—voices.

Two groups of participants were locked in an argument, their heated discussion revolving around a particular plant. Probing further, Emery identified the object of their dispute—a rare Netherglow Cap, a tier 8 mushroom with immense alchemical potential. Such an ingredient could be a game-changer in this competition.

His eyes narrowed as he considered his options.

”Hmm… should I get involved in this?”