Beyond the Apocalypse

Elder Damian’s eyes immediately sharpened upon hearing Vlad’s words. He leaned forward slightly, fixing the young man with a penetrating gaze.

"What modifications exactly?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral, yet edged with subtle suspicion.

Vlad met the elder’s stare unflinchingly, responding in a voice that was calm yet carried a deliberate firmness. "Nothing substantial. The runes will function perfectly, enabling full use of the Demon Soul Master Strength System. However," he continued, his tone sharpening slightly, "should anyone attempt to reverse-engineer these diagrams, searching for the key components to forge Sage-Tier Demon Cages, they’ll encounter quite the unpleasant surprise."

A complex expression flashed across Elder Damian’s face at Vlad’s words. Damian couldn’t deny that he’d considered assigning skilled runemasters to study Vlad’s diagrams closely, seeking methods to produce more advanced formations independently.

Although such actions would not explicitly violate their current agreement, Damian recognized it as ethically ambiguous—a gray area in which he usually excelled. Unfortunately, it seemed he’d encountered a young genius familiar with the subtle tactics and maneuvers of negotiation.

Curiosity burned within the elder’s mind regarding what this ’unpleasant surprise’ might entail. Nevertheless, openly asking about it would directly reveal his underlying intentions, effectively branding him as someone scheming to exploit Vlad’s efforts.

Elder Damian realized he had no choice but to abandon that path for now, sighing softly as he offered Vlad a conceding nod.

"I understand," Damian finally acknowledged, his tone measured but respectful.

Seeing the elder’s acceptance, Vlad’s expression relaxed into a friendlier smile, aware he’d effectively secured his intellectual property.