Beyond the Apocalypse-Chapter 573: Appearances must be maintained

Three hours after Vlad left, Marshal Maximo sat in his throne room, his expression filled with nothing but irritation and annoyance as he gazed at the golden-haired man standing before him. The air in the chamber was tense, the weight of the conversation pressing heavily upon the gathered Legends, whose faces betrayed their silent displeasure.

"The price of Sage-tier weapons will rise by fifty percent, and the shipment will arrive two weeks later than anticipated. There has been an issue with some thieves attacking our supply routes. I hope the Marshal understands," Urion announced, his voice laced with insincere politeness. His golden robes, adorned with the insignia of the Zanis Association, shimmered under the dim light of the throne room.

The Legends exchanged looks of thinly veiled frustration. The Zanis Association had lost resources due to their own incompetence, yet they were shifting the burden onto the Golden Sky Fortress. Their shamelessness was astounding, though not surprising. It was common practice for the association—when things went well, they reaped enormous profits, but when misfortune struck, they ensured that others bore the loss.

Marshal Maximo did not bother to mask his displeasure, yet he remained silent. He simply nodded, signaling Urion to continue.

Urion’s smile widened, a deep sense of satisfaction filling him as he realized that even these imposing Legends could do nothing but nod in agreement despite the unreasonable nature of his demands. He was well aware that the fortress was desperate for supplies. Their reliance on the Zanis Association had made them vulnerable, and he intended to exploit that vulnerability to its fullest.

Of course, he did not stop there. He continued listing the prices of weapons and potions across all tiers, quoting values that made the Legends frown. The numbers were absurd, designed to maximize the association’s profit. Yet none of them spoke out because they all knew the real point of concern was yet to be revealed.

"Now, for the Sky Dew," Urion finally announced.

The atmosphere in the throne room immediately shifted. Marshal Maximo’s eyes narrowed, and the Legends straightened, their attention now fully on the conversation.

There were countless other associations and organizations that could supply weapons, armor, and potions of much better quality than the Zanis Association. However, none of them had the mighty and unique Sky Dew, which was the only reason Marshal Maximo tolerated the exorbitant prices of the association.

Urion relished their anticipation. He knew exactly how important Sky Dew was to the Golden Sky Fortress, and the feeling of being in control of such treasure was intoxicating. Still, the man did not hang on for long and carried on. "The price for Tier III and Tier II Sky Dew will increase by twenty-five percent, but the amount delivered will also rise."

Maximo’s frown deepened. The fortress already paid an enormous sum for Sky Dew, and a twenty-five percent increase was far from trivial. However, the increase in quantity meant that they would at least receive more of the crucial potion. It was a painful compromise but one they could accept—for now.

Urion let the silence linger, knowing it would heighten the tension before his final blow. Then, with a satisfied smirk, he continued.

"There is also a vial of Tier I Sky Dew available."

A collective breath was drawn across the room. Tier I Sky Dew was rare—far rarer than its lower-tier counterparts. The moment Urion mentioned it, the eyes of every Legend gleamed with interest.

Tier III Sky Dew was only effective against mild cases of chaotic energy corruption, such as those caused by Voroe Sages. Tier II was stronger, capable of countering Legendary-tier chaotic energy, but it could not cleanse deep infections from vital organs. Tier I Sky Dew, however, was vastly different—it could purge even the deepest corruption, no matter how severe.

Before Vlad’s Darkness-Devouring Runic Formation, it had been the only hope for warriors on the brink of death, those whose internal organs were on the verge of being devoured by The Darkness, such as Bloodroar. Even now, it remained a highly sought-after commodity, its value immeasurable.

Urion let the moment stretch before delivering his final demand.

"However, due to high demand and certain recent events, I’m afraid the price will be 200% higher than the standard market value."

The room fell into stunned silence. The Legends, who had been prepared for an increase, visibly stiffened. Tier I Sky Dew was already so expensive that it strained the fortress’s finances. Doubling the price was beyond outrageous—it was outright extortion.

Marshal Maximo’s expression darkened as he studied Urion. He knew exactly what the merchant was referring to with his mention of "recent events."

’Such a petty little man,’ Maximo thought. Urion was still bitter about the humiliation he had suffered at Vlad’s hands, and this was his way of retaliating. If this had happened a few weeks ago, the fortress would have been in deep trouble. Without Tier I Sky Dew, they would have had no means of saving their most critically wounded warriors.

But things had changed.

With Vlad’s Darkness-Devouring Runic Formation, they had an alternative. While the runic formation was not as instantaneous as Tier I Sky Dew, Vlad performed treatments every two days. Over time, the results were just as effective—perhaps even superior. The fortress was no longer entirely reliant on the Zanis Association’s monopoly.

Maximo opened his mouth to refuse, prepared to deliver a firm rejection. But before he could speak, someone else did.

"We are willing to pay the price. Now leave."

Maximo turned sharply, eyes widening as he recognized the voice. Elder Damian.

The Legends were just as shocked. The elderly man’s voice was calm, yet his words carried an unshakable finality.

Urion seemed momentarily surprised, but then his lips curled into a victorious smirk. He bowed mockingly, clearly pleased with himself, before striding out of the throne room without another word.

Only when the doors shut behind him did Elder Damian turn toward Maximo.

"Appearances must be maintained if we want to avoid suspicion," he said simply. freёweɓnovel_com

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢