Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 457: CH457 Interplanar Trade II

CH457 Interplanar Trade II

***

By the time she was done, she had effectively cleared the vault of resources worth at least five million gold coins.

That was, of course, assuming they could be brought back to Pangea.

Even so, there were more than a few materials among her selections that could be put to immediate use right here in Verdantis.

Eleanor glanced at the items gathered in her wish basket. They barely filled the sack they had brought along.

Yet every single item within was worth more than its weight in gold.

”This is all you are taking?” Azgrug frowned.

For a moment, Alex and Eleanor both thought the orc chief was about to haggle.

”Are you sure this is enough?” Azgrug asked instead.

”These are the only items here that hold value to us,” Eleanor replied smoothly. ”And we can only carry so much.”

Azgrug’s brows furrowed even deeper.

As a proud orc chief, he did not appreciate the feeling that he might be cheating his trading partners—especially not guests he respected.

Alex stepped in before the atmosphere could sour.

”Do not worry, tribe chief. This will suffice for now,” he said calmly. ”We can discuss further remuneration once the other side of the trade has been completed.”

Since it was the human himself saying so, Azgrug could only let the matter drop.

Eleanor shot Alex a sideways glance, but he subtly shook his head.

’One shouldn’t be too greedy.’

Reluctantly, Eleanor accepted it.

After all, the combined value of the items they were selling to the orcs barely reached one hundred thousand gold coins—and more than half of that value came from the special item Alex intended to use to fulfil the orc chief’s desire for greater strength.

In this single trade, they had potentially recouped most of the cost Alex spent on the Interplanar Gate itself.

With profits like these, it was no wonder the nobility of Pangea were obsessed with interplanar expeditions, trade... and conquest.

”For the other part of the deal, I will need a clean room,” Alex said to Azgrug.

Azgrug turned to the Shaman, who gave a short nod.

”Please, follow me,” the Shaman said.

The orc led the group out of the vault and through a series of corridors until they stopped before a sealed door.

Behind it was a spotless room, its purpose unclear—clean enough that it was obvious it was rarely used, yet maintained meticulously.

Alex took a bag from Mogal, who had been carrying it slung over one shoulder.

Inside the satchel was a golden box, decorated with cheap yet dazzling gemstones.

The box was so ostentatious that Alex nearly scowled. Every instinct in his body rejected something so gaudy.

Unfortunately, Eleanor had been very insistent on using this particular container.

Suppressing a sigh, Alex solemnly placed the box before Azgrug.

The orc chief’s eyes immediately lit up.

Azgrug might not understand human society in depth, but he did know one thing—humans liked to hide truly valuable items in overly shiny, exaggerated containers to display their worth.

Alex felt the urge to sneer at the expression on Azgrug’s face but restrained himself—made more difficult by the fact that Eleanor was watching him from the side with barely concealed amusement.

He opened the box.

Inside lay a single scroll.

”This is a Sigil Tattoo Scroll,” Alex said evenly. ”With it, I will brand a sigil onto your body—one that can temporarily increase your strength.”

He closed the box with a soft click.

”But I want you to listen carefully,” Alex continued, his tone turning grave. ”There is risk involved at every stage of using this item.

”First, the branding itself can fail. If it does, your strength will not increase—it will decrease.

”Second, even if the branding succeeds, the sigil requires a tremendous amount of energy to function. You must feed it energy stones or crystals. If you do not, it will draw directly from your vitality and life force.

”Finally...” Alex paused. ”Because this product is still in its testing phase, this particular sigil can only be activated three times before it degrades completely. After that, I cannot guarantee that you will ever be able to brand another sigil tattoo again.”

”I understand the—”

”No, you don’t.”

Alex cut Azgrug off sharply.

”You are a tribal leader,” he said coldly. ”Your decisions carry weight beyond yourself. You cannot afford to act on impulse.”

He met Azgrug’s gaze directly.

”You need to think clearly before making a choice you may never be able to take back.”

Azgrug was taken aback.

In all his years, he had never met a trader who seemed so intent on convincing a customer not to buy his own product.

Strangely enough, that only made Azgrug trust Alex more.

”I have already thought about it,” Azgrug said calmly. ”Even if something happens to me, a successor is already prepared to lead the tribe. Yes, the tribe will weaken if I fall... but that outcome will not be much different from what awaits us if we fail to deal with that nest.”

He clenched his fist.

”Besides, as a man—no, as a person—if I do not kill the beast leading that nest... if I do not take vengeance for those we lost, I will never be able to forgive myself. And if I cannot forgive myself, the door to Combat Saint will forever remain closed to me.”

”I see...” Alex sighed softly.

”Well then, if you still choose to proceed despite my warnings, I will do as you wish,” he said. ”But I will be frank. From this point onward, I bear no responsibility for whatever happens.”

He fixed Azgrug with a steady gaze.

”Is that clear?”

Azgrug nodded without hesitation.

He turned to the Shaman.

”Let it be known to the tribe that this was my decision,” Azgrug ordered. ”The humans warned me, but I chose not to listen. This is the path I have chosen, and I alone will bear the consequences.”

”As you command, my tribal chief,” the Shaman replied solemnly.

”Then let us begin,” Alex said. ”The sigil will be branded directly onto your skin. It will not be painless.”

”No pain can be greater than a parent burying a child,” Azgrug replied evenly. ”Nor a master burying his disciple. Nor a brother burying a brother.”

He lifted his chin.

”I am ready, sorcerer.”

”Understood.”

Azgrug removed his armour and coverings, revealing a broad, muscular torso layered with dense muscle and scar tissue.

Without a doubt, the so-called Sigil Tattoo was, in truth, a Rune Tattoo.

When Azgrug had asked for a method to increase his strength, Alex had immediately thought of the earlier Rune Tattoo iterations stored within Sanctuary Space—prototypes created back at the DragonHold Enclave.

They had been deemed failures, discarded versions, or transitional steps toward his current Rune-Tech products.

Now, one of those discarded paths was about to be tested... on a tribal chief standing at the edge of sainthood—or ruin.

***