Chapter 169: Requirements (2)
Those workers did look different, their skin was blue and scales covered their cheeks. Also, their faces had the shapes of horses, and they all had bronze earrings on one of their ears.
The other group members were discussing something else in low voices while Asuna explained the basics to Angele. Suddenly, they heard a horse stomping from behind.
Angele and Asuna moved to the side immediately, seeing a black unicorn rushing past at full speed.
The rider was an old man wearing a white robe, his long beard flying in the air.
"A wizard," Asuna told Angele in a low voice.
Angele nodded, he could sense the force field around the old man; he was the first wizard Angele had met in Nola.
People all moved to the side to let the light wizard pass, and he disappeared from Angele’s sight after several seconds.
"Let’s keep moving. The next market is not far away. You can trade for materials there."
Asuna wiped some dust off her skirt.
Angele nodded.
"I’ll have to talk to my father first, but before that, I’ll take you to the market owned by the Six Ring High Tower, you can take a look there, and I’ll be right back," she added.
"Sure."
Angele was not in a hurry anyway.
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*PA*
A black pouch was put down on the table, full of magic stones.
Angele put his hands on the table as well and looked at the clerk behind the counter.
"Tree Killer Potion, do you have it here?"
The clerk was a tall and strong man, his body covered in a dirty gray robe which was a bit too small for his size.
"Tree Killer Potion? Are you kidding me, sir? You’re in a potion shop, but it doesn’t mean we sell potions from the tales." The clerk shrugged. "I’m sorry, but can you ask for something more common?"
"Really? You don’t have it?" Angele scrunched his eyebrows. "I’m in Nola, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. You can find everything in Nola they say, but there are things that can’t be purchased with just magic stones," the clerk explained, his lips pursed. "Our shop sells things that are attractive to apprentices, but the potion you asked for is from the tales, used by the legendary ancient wizards..."
"Well, do you know where I can find it?"
Angele had followed Asuna to the closest market and found a potion vendor, but the result was disappointing.
Asuna returned to her home after taking Angele to the vendor, but she had already exchanged a communication rune with Angele.
The market owned by Six Ring High Tower was in the same canyon as the public market, so it only took them several minutes to reach it. Silen and his group had gone to the other side to clean the materials.
"I’ll be honest with you, sir. The master wizards keep the rare materials, formulas, and potions for themselves. They won’t trade it with you. Also, you need to at least join one of the organizations here to get the permit to purchase relatively rare materials. I suggest you talk to Master Vice."
"Master Vice?"
Angele was about to ask for the details about Vice.
"Hey, you! How long do you need? I didn’t see you buying anything."
A strong man in a leather suit was losing his patience.
Angele turned his head around and stared the man down. The man’s expression changed and his face turned pale.
Angele looked at the clerk again. "So, where’s this master Vice?"
"Turn left and you’ll find him in the first stone house you see..." The clerk felt the tension in the air and he answered anxiously. "Sir, again, you need to at least join one of the local organizations, otherwise, he won’t sell any rare materials to you."
"I thought you were joking." Angele’s brow furrowed. "I have to join a local organization for that?"
"Yes. He’ll only sell you normal materials if you don’t."
The clerk nodded.
The potion vendor was inside a small stone house as well; Angele could still hear the waterfall brushing the rocks.
The five people behind Angele lowered their heads after seeing his eyes, deciding not to say anything.
The aura around Angele was horrifying. The man had stared down a strong mercenary like he was going to kill him the next second. They knew that the man was strong. Only wizards and apprentices that focused on damaging spells would have bloody auras like that.
"I hope you’re telling the truth."
Angele nodded, grabbed the pouch, and left the vendor.
‘I need to join a local organization before I can buy those things... Damn.’
Angele had a plan in mind. He took a glance at the people outside the vendor and decided not to hide his aura anymore.
The apprentices on the street noticed Angele’s presence and stopped chatting, staring at him.
"Hey, do you know how to join the Six Ring High Tower?" Angele suddenly shouted out.
The apprentices looked at each other, no one knowing how to answer Angele’s question.
He took out a mid-level magic stone and threw it into the air. The magic stone spun several times before dropping on his palm.
The people around looked over with excitement. They were scared by Angele’s aura and serious face when he walked out of the vendor, but no one could resist a mid-level magic stone.
"Me!" A short man with a cap raised his arm. "I can take you to Six Ring High Tower’s communication stand."
Angele nodded, about to throw the magic stone to the man.
Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in the crowd - it was Asuna. She had already changed to a tight leather suit, and she was breathing heavily.
"Don’t. Your local guide is here. Sorry, I’m late."
Asuna’s tight brown chest armor revealed her slim waist and large breasts. Although her face was just average, she still had one of the most balanced bodies among the girls Angele had ever met.
"Great, I thought it would take you awhile." Angele stopped releasing his mentality waves and the aura around him disappeared. "Let’s go."
Asuna nodded and they left together.
The short man shrugged, looking disappointed.
The potion vendor’s shop was built on a cliff with a huge square. Countless stones covered the square, their sizes varied. The mountain ended here, but it was connected to another humongous cliff with a bridge.
Asuna led Angele to the other side of the square, walking downhill on another path. It was a smaller one and not many people were here.
There were many apprentices on the square checking different stores, but it seemed most of them ignored this path.
"Those vendors are for the normal apprentices, the better ones are down here, but only wizards or high-rank apprentices need those rare materials..." Asuna explained in a polite tone. "Green, are you a rank 3 apprentice?"
Angele shook his head. "No, I’m a wizard."
There was no point to hide anymore, he had already entered a safe area. He thought disguising himself as an apprentice would only bring him trouble later.
"Wait, what? A formal wizard?!"
Asuna’s eyes went wide open, surprise evident in her expression. She stopped walking and just stared at Angele.
Two of the apprentices walking down heard Asuna’s word and took a glance at Angele.
Angele scanned them using the chip and learned that the two were rank 3 apprentices. The light wizard on the unicorn was still the only wizard he had met here.
"Move. We still have things to do," he said in a low voice.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. I’ll take you to the vendors reserved for wizards." Asuna realized she still needed to guide Angele. "Only wizards are allowed in that area. I’m sorry I didn’t know you were a wizard on the way here. I’ll return the magic stones to you now."
She put her hand into the pouch and tried to take out the magic stones.
"It’s fine. You deserve those. So, there’s an area for wizards? I should’ve told you earlier."
Angele had wondered why the largest residential area for wizards was full of apprentices.
"Hey, sorry for interrupting. Are you going to the wizard area as well?" a young man’s voice came from the side.
A handsome man with short white hair smiled at Angele from the side. "I’m going there as well, why don’t you join me?" His voice was gentle and deep.
Angele had a glance at the man and nodded. "Yeah, I’m looking for some materials."
The man was wearing a white robe, and there was a bronze circlet on his head. Many complicated patterns were engraved onto that circlet, and the man’s body was surrounded by a dense force field.
"Is this your first time here?" the young man asked, not interested in Asuna at all.
Asuna stood beside Angele. She lowered her head and did not say anything, the magic stones she just took out from the pouch were still in her hands.
Angele nodded. "Yeah, it’s my first time in Nola."
"There should be someone by the black pillar welcoming wizards, did he miss you?" The man scrunched his eyebrows a bit. "Actually, let’s chat on our way to the wizard area. You can call me Ainphent."
"My name is Green. No one talked to me at the black pillar."
Angele’s eyebrows furrowed. There was only one possibility, his mentality wave must have reduced after he had compressed his mentality. He could control the energy particles and mentality usage much better than before, and it seemed like the black pillar had not detected his true mentality level at all. It could be a good thing for him.
"Maybe the black pillar needs maintenance?" Ainphent rubbed his chin. "Well, I’m not sure what happened. I’ll take you to the wizard area first," he said and pointed at Asuna. "But not this woman, unless she’s your servant. I don’t want to offend you, but why do you take her with you? She’s not even cute..."
"Is that so?"
Angele pursed his lips, he did not like Ainphent’s attitude toward Asuna. He would not disrespect apprentices just because he was a wizard. However, it seemed like Asuna was not angry at all, she just stood there and did not say a word.
"Hey, Ain, long time no see."
A small black carriage came by.
A chubby woman stuck her head out of the window and greeted Ainphent, her voice intentionally made to sound cute.
The woman had a triple chin and cheeks so fat like nothing Angele had seen before.
"Hey, Med, you’re still adorable. Long time no see, I heard you just came back from Northland Alliance. How’s the war with underground races?" Ainphent greeted the chubby woman with a smile on his face. It seemed like they had known each other for a long time.
Angele heard Ainphent say the word ‘adorable’ before seeing the woman and then he felt a bit uncomfortable.
"Ain, I purchased several strong ones from Northland Alliance this time. I can give you one if you want. You’re my best friend, haha. And actually, I didn’t gather any intel on the war." The woman turned her head to Angele and said, "Hey, be careful. Wizard Ain is especially interested in muscular men like you."
Ainphent’s expression changed. Angele looked at him and slowly took a step back.
The carriage slowly left, but Angele could still hear Med giggling.
Ainphent had a bitter smile on his face. "Well, I did find you charming and I hope you don’t mind... Nevermind, let’s just get moving..."
Angele was speechless—the second and third wizards he had met had some unique personalities. He was not sure if it was a good thing or not.
Asuna finally raised her head and Angele saw a weird expression on her face.