Beyond the Apocalypse

Marshal Maximo could not contain his admiration for the runic formation’s power. Even though he was a man who had weathered countless battles and witnessed all manner of extraordinary feats, the effect of Vlad’s work still surpassed his every expectation. "Amazing—truly amazing!" he proclaimed, his voice reverberating throughout the large hall. The lingering echo underscored the respect everyone felt after seeing his grievous wound partially purged of its chaotic infection.

The Marshal turned his gaze upon Vlad. "Can you engrave another one? I’ll secure any materials you require," he continued. Although his natural healing ability was already eliminating the remaining traces of chaotic energy from his injury, the process would still take a few weeks to fully restore him. If Vlad could hasten that process, it would be worth almost any effort or expense.

Unfortunately, Vlad shook his head. "I’m sorry, but I can only perform one Darkness Devouring Runic Formation a day. That’s my limit."

A flash of disappointment passed over Maximo’s features as he heard this, but it quickly shifted into a measured nod. Regardless of how skilled Vlad might be, he was still only a Guardian-tier lifeform, which implied inherent limitations. Expecting more than one use of such a potent technique in a single day might have been unreasonable from the start.

"I would like to buy the diagram for that runic formation," Elder Damian’s voice broke the silence. His presence in the hall seemed to intensify as he voiced this request, and his words echoed with a certain weight. "I speak on behalf of the Golden Sky Fortress and the Imperial Family. It would help everyone here—and if it saves lives, then no price is too high. You may ask for as much wealth as you want."

A profound hush descended on the hall. Everyone present understood the implications behind Elder Damian’s statement. He was not requesting the runic design for his personal use; rather, he intended it for the fortress itself. The Golden Sky Fortress formed a bulwark against unimaginable threats in this Doomsday World, and any technique that could counter the chaos-energy infection wrought by The Darkness was sure to be invaluable on the battlefield.

At the same time, his words also hinted at a subtle pressure: he was effectively telling Vlad that the fortress would pay any price to obtain the formation, but it would do so by any means necessary. If Vlad refused or demanded too much, the empire might still find a way to acquire it, whether willingly or through more forceful methods. It was a delicate dance of necessity and potential coercion, all masked by polite language.