Chương 200: Interlude: Mercury, the rise of a merchant.

Gaia, private estate of the Riuslings clan. Mercury descended from the luxurious fiacre lent to him by his guild. A gust of wind made him stagger, and the elven coachman behind him had to prevent him from falling.

"Thanks. Without you, the fall would have been rough," Mercury smiled, avoiding looking behind him. He had a slight vertigo, and the floating island he had just landed on was situated several hundred kilometers above the capital.

"Not as rough as the fine. Without a license, you have no right to fly or fall into the VIP airspace," the coachman replied as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"A friend's widow had to sell their house after he committed suicide."

"... My condolences."

"Don't be sorry; she's sleeping in my bed now," the coachman laughed before whistling, urging the four pegasi to take off. Symbols of his guild, Olympus, the creatures soared, carrying the ca rriage. The enchantment to keep the taxi stable and the legendary beasts were costly, but it w as a sacrifice willingly made by his guild to maintain its status. Mercury doubted that the pegasi would impress his client of the day.

As his vehicle drifted into the air, he turned towards a monumental portal forged from black metal. Mercury had no idea about the alloy's nature, but its imperviousness to [Identification] demonstrated its value. Taking a deep breath, the merchant froze his face into a smiling mask and advanced. The heavy gates opened slowly, revealing a sea hidden behind the walls enclosing the island.

As he entered the property, Mercury didn't hear the slightest runic crackle, proof of the quality of the rituals protecting the vast domain. He stopped a few meters away, observing the path of fine sand that split the sea in two. The way was evident, but did he really have to walk kilometers alone? No one was waiting for him, except for a pair of menacing bronze and steel statues.

"Junior Merchant Mercury, I presume?" The voice belonged to the automaton that Mercury had mistook for a statue. Three meters tall, the metal golem left its pedestal and approached with preternatural grace.

"That's me." The automaton turned towards the sandy path and began to walk. Mercury raised an eyebrow before following suit. The reception was strange but not necessarily evidence of disdain. Each faction had its own rules and customs, and Mercury knew that draconic forces were particularly uninterested in all other species. If they didn't devour you alive, it was already a mark of respect. Three strides later, Mercury left the sandy path, leaving behind a vast sea.

The automaton must possess a space-manipulating enchantment. A thin smile appeared on the merchant's face. The wonders of this world never ceased to amaze him. Before him stood a mountain, transformed into a mansion. A single peak existed, at the crossroads between natural terrain and a castle. The structure seemed to have been carved from a single block of black marble with silver veins. Windows of various sizes, more or less hidden, were visible in the broken-angled rock.

Not a speck of dust desecrated the wonder, and time seemed to have no hold on the fortress. An enchantment bestowed a halo of black light on the stone, completing the creation of a fantastic atmosphere. Black light?! Seeing the laws of physics so easily ignored, Mercury understood that the builder had been a High Tier. Perhaps even one of the few Immortals of Sector Hope. The automaton moved towards an arch covered in vines. A crack appeared, revealing an imposing double door.

The entrance led to a hall carved from bright white marble. In the center, a smiling young human awaited.

"Young Master Aarthash is waiting for you in his office. Please, follow me." Mercury followed her, remaining vigilant. The maid emitted high-frequency spiritual disturbances, revealing a soul baptized by High Tribulations. However, to his knowledge, no human had yet reached Tier 1. The servant had taken the appearance of a human, but for what purpose? To win him over? Or to prove that they knew humans well? The Riuslings were one of the most powerful clans in the sector.

Recently, they had invested in many human businesses. On Gaia, the giant continent where Mercury had landed, over five million humans had appeared. A significant number were sponsored by major powers hoping to gain weight in the upcoming human Reunions. The servant stopped in front of a stone wall that disappeared, revealing a cave with golden reflections.

"I will wait outside," the maid smiled. Mercury entered and almost jumped when the doors closed behind him. A telepathic invitation touched his soul, and he advanced, taking care to keep his eyes on his feet. Many treasures lay on the floor, and the draconic bloodline of the Riuslings was pure enough to arouse paranoia. It was undoubtedly a rumor spread by the clan itself to flatter their heritage, but Mercury preferred not to take any risks.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. If Aarthash Riusling thought Mercury coveted his treasures, he would kill him.

"Welcome, Junior Merchant Mercury," a voice as powerful as it was majestic roared.

"Raise your head. Unlike thieves, merchants steal without hiding." Mercury complied, smiling politely at the host's jest. His smile lasted only a fraction of a second, eclipsed by the admiration inspired by the drake standing before him. Aarthash might not deserve the title of Dragon, but he was nonetheless the most majestic creature Mercury had ever seen. Four metallic wings covered a body adorned with precious scales.

Powerful muscles protruded under his skin, and esoteric Concepts seemed to manifest in his starry eyes.

"You look like an elf with no affinity for aether," Aarthash said, releasing Mercury from the grip of his charisma.

"Your civilization must exploit this resemblance."

"You are absolutely right, Young Master Aarthash," Mercury replied, focusing on his posture. Legend had it that dragons appreciated politeness, and those who possessed their bloodline liked to imitate the originals.

"It is thanks to this that I was accepted at Olympus." Mercury grimaced, realizing he had invoked the name of his guild. It could be seen as a feeble attempt to protect himself.

"No need to remind me of where you come from, Mercury. I didn't bring you here to eat you," reassured Aarthash, bursting into laughter. A weight lifted from the merchant's shoulders. When he was summoned by the young master of the Riuslings, he had tried to guess why. Only two explanations had appeared. Some young members of the aristocracy in Sector Hope were known to devour members of new species introduced by the System in search of a useful racial Talent.

It was more interesting to kill essential specimens of a race than thousands of weak ones. If Aarthash had no intention of tasting his flesh, there was only one possibility...

"Do you know that our clan sponsors tens of thousands of humans?" the drake continued.

"Some have brought us interesting information. Priam Azura, your Champion, has just become an Ace. Do you know him?" The question was rhetorical; Mercury wouldn't have been invited otherwise.

"I had the opportunity to do business with him," the merchant admitted.

"Tell me more," ordered the drake. His aura and charisma merged, gently pressing Mercury. His mouth opened, and he began to speak without hiding anything. In a few minutes, he summarized his interactions with Priam. Aarthash nodded thoughtfully.

"I believe I understand his character better... Too bad he's in Elysium; it makes him impossible to contact." Mercury remained silent. Both knew that contacting someone in Elysium was not difficult, but the consequences on the eve of a Universal War could be terrible. Aarthash turned towards him.

"Do you think he will resume facing the waves of the Colosseum before the next Reunion?" Mercury nodded.

"It's likely. He has the ability to return to the Moon, and the rewards from the first Reunion are too useful to ignore."

"Good. Let it be announced that if Priam Azura, Champion of Humanity, reaches wave eighty, I will buy and release all willing humans under contract in Gaia. If he reaches wave ninety-five, I will send them to join your Front." At these words, a light nova formed around Aarthash before exploding. His draconic bloodline was pure enough that he couldn't easily go back on his word. Mercury stood in stunned silence. Among the five million humans on Gaia, half had signed malicious contracts.

Most were barely more than slaves. Freeing them was expensive, but nothing that could dent a Prince's fortune like Aarthash's. Apparently, Priam's new Title made him interesting in the eyes of the powerful. The second promise was much more surprising. After the Tutorial, humanity had been dispersed across thousands of different worlds. Approximately one percent of humans, chosen from those who had passed a Tutorial other than easy, had ended up on a virgin, artificial planet: Proxima.

Or, as Aarthash called it, the Front. To spice things up, the System had grouped humanity with other newly imported civilizations. Thus, humanity was not alone on Proxima. One of these races would prevail at the end of the third Reunion. They would then have a stable headquarters, ensuring a safe place in this new universe. Earth could eventually become a second headquarters, but it was currently infested with monsters.

The reconquest of their world would begin during the second Reunion, but Mercury knew it would take time. The situation on Proxima was disadvantageous for humanity. According to his informants, Prometheus fought valiantly for the survival of their species, but the rival civilizations were terrifying. Three million new humans arriving with resources could change the game. But why help us so much? Sending so many humans to Proxima before the third Reunion was incredibly expensive.

For the same price, Aarthash could have bought three billion Tier 0s.

"It's very generous of you," Mercury thanked after regaining his composure.

"Rare are the relationships my money can buy," Aarthash replied simply. For the drake, it was obviously an investment.

"Humans won't forget your kindness."

"It has nothing to do with humans," Aarthash replied.

"Your species is interesting, but I especially want to forge a connection with a potential powerhouse. It's also a way to ensure he deserves his Title."

"Priam will make it," Mercury assured. Aarthash narrowed his starry eyes.

"We shall see. My Tier 0 record was wave ninety-four. A record that has stood for millennia in our sector." Mercury widened his eyes. Aarthash Riusling was known to be an Ace and a rising star in Sector Hope. His draconic bloodline was incredibly pure for such a remote corner of the Universe of the Seven.

"What is the boss of wave ninety-five?" Mercury asked. The stars in Aarthash's eyes shone as he answered.

"The phantom image of an ancient Phoenix Prince."