Chapter 160: Chapter 157: A Plot of Land to Start, All Resources Won Through Battle

Mercer swiped a finger through the air, and the massive holographic sand table in front of him instantly lit up.

A scorching, rich world unfolded before their eyes.

Rolling mountain ranges stood like a frozen, raging sea. Dark red Molten Rivers flowed slowly through the valleys, emitting heat waves visible to the naked eye.

"This is the Molten Iron Mountain Range."

Mercer’s voice echoed throughout the hall.

"A material plane with high Magic Power activity. The environment is harsh, the energies are violent—a mortal wouldn’t last a day here. But for those of us in the Alchemy School, this place is paradise."

On the sand table, an area was dyed blue to represent safety, and at its center was Forged Fire Fortress, the very fortress beneath their feet.

Outside the fortress, however, more than two-thirds of the region was marked in a glaring red.

"I have operated here for forty-seven years and currently control about thirty percent of the area."

Mercer’s tone held no trace of complacency. "The remaining places are occupied by various Magical Beast clans, Elemental Creatures, and even a few outposts secretly established by Black Wizards."

He looked at Allen.

"I have over fifty Official Wizards under my command, from various schools. Including you, there are eighteen Alchemy Wizards, but that’s far from enough."

A thought struck Allen.

’Alchemy Wizards make up more than a third of his forces, yet he still says it’s not enough. What does my mentor mean by that?’

"There are plenty of combat-oriented Wizards, but they can only clear out enemies, not occupy territory."

Mercer cut straight to the point. "Only Alchemy Wizards, with our workshops, can drive into this land like nails, truly sinking our roots in and turning enemy territory into our mines and resource fields."

He reached out and traced a large area on the sand table. At the edge of the blue territory, seventeen smaller zones lit up.

"The other seventeen Alchemy Wizards are each responsible for a zone, just like these."

Allen looked at the flickering zones. They were like tentacles extending from the blue territory, sinking deep into the red, unknown expanse. They bordered one another, forming a loose defensive line.

"Now, it’s your turn."

Mercer gently tapped the western edge of the sand table. An area completely covered in red was isolated and magnified, appearing before Allen.

"Zone 18. This is the territory you will fight for. It has a total area of about eighty thousand square kilometers."

Eighty thousand square kilometers.

’In his past life, that was roughly the size of a small province.’

’Did my mentor really just hand that over to me so casually?’

’This is an enormous undertaking. Can I really handle it?’

"Don’t be intimidated by the size. Ninety percent of it is worthless wasteland. Its resources can only be extracted through mining."

"You just graduated from the academy and have no significant combat strength to speak of. The zone I’ve assigned you is relatively safer than the others. There are no large populations of Magical Beasts settled there." Mercer, seeming to read his mind, began to describe the area in detail.

His finger pointed to a series of rolling hills bordering the western edge of Mercer’s own territory.

"Anvil Hills. A good starting point. See that platform at the base of the cliff? Backed by a three-hundred-meter sheer cliff, it’s easy to defend and difficult to assault."

"Beyond the hills lies a great plain. The intersection of three canyons on this plain is called Three-way Canyon, and it’s a natural corridor for Magical Beast migrations. Control that spot, and you control all ground traffic in the zone."

Allen’s gaze followed Mercer’s finger.

On the sand table, the canyon area was covered with a dense cluster of red dots, all of them constantly in motion.

"But that network of intersecting canyons is home to a small nest of Crystal Shell Giant Scorpions. They’re an annoying, social type of Magical Beast with tough carapaces and venomous stingers. They breed quickly and will be your first challenge to establishing a foothold. Of course, their shells are considered valuable materials."

Next, Mercer’s finger moved to the southern part of the zone. Below a chain of volcanoes lay a lake of churning, dark-red liquid.

"The Boiling Lava Lake. Fire Elemental Creatures live in the lake, its shores are occupied by Molten Core Lizards, and there are flying Magical Beasts near the craters. It’s extremely dangerous. I wouldn’t advise going near it until you have a proper army. But its yields are bountiful. High-purity Fire Attribute Magic Crystals and minerals, both of which are of extremely high value."

His finger moved again, sweeping toward a strange forest in the northwest corner that shimmered with a metallic luster.

"The Crystalized Forest. The trees here have absorbed excessive amounts of metal and Magic Power, becoming what’s known as Iron Crystal Wood. This is the territory of the Dream-Weaving Demon Spider—an eight-legged monster over four meters tall. It can move silently through the woods, specializes in Mind Attacks, and spins incredibly strong silk. It generally doesn’t leave its territory, however."

Finally, Mercer’s finger circled the most expansive gobi in the western part of the zone.

"The Black Stone Gobi. Rock Armor Earth Dragons roam this area. When fully grown, they’re on par with a Second-level Wizard. They can burrow underground to launch surprise attacks. This area is easy to assault but difficult to defend."

With the introduction complete, Mercer withdrew his hand. The three-dimensional map of Zone 18 hovered before Allen, a miniature world waiting to be conquered.

"Your mission is simple." Allen’s figure was reflected in Mercer’s blue, crystalline eyes. "Within twenty years, turn this red zone blue. Clear it out, exploit its resources, build it up. Turn it into an industrial zone that can provide a stable supply of resources for my fortress."

He paused, then reiterated the core terms of the agreement.

"For these twenty years, eighty percent of everything this land produces is yours. The remaining twenty percent is your tuition fee."

"If you succeed, you’ll leave with your assets in twenty years, wealthier than the vast majority of Second-level Wizards. If you fail..."

Mercer’s tone remained unchanged, but a chill ran down Allen’s spine.

"You’ll either be killed in your workshop, besieged by Magical Beasts, or you’ll hide like a gopher for twenty years before scurrying away in disgrace, taking nothing with you but the knowledge I’ve taught you."

Allen wasn’t intimidated by the immense pressure. Instead, he felt his blood begin to pump faster.

’Isn’t this the exact stage I’ve been dreaming of?’

’A real-life RTS game. A world where he could unleash his inner infrastructure fanatic.’

"Mentor," Allen began, his voice steady, "aside from this workshop, what other initial support will I receive?"

"Good question." Mercer’s face remained impassive. "I may be your mentor, but more importantly, I’m an investor."

"The logistics department will provide you with a one-time resource package and enough living supplies to last several years. You’ll be free to choose your materials—enough to assemble a small squad of around twelve Level 2 Golems. In the future, if you need materials to create more Golems, you can either purchase them directly from me or trade the ores you’ve mined for them."

"And this."

Mercer took out a palm-sized Metal Cube and tossed it to Allen.

Allen caught it. It felt cold and heavy in his hand.

"An emergency extraction beacon. When you feel your workshop is about to be overrun and you’re ready to abandon everything and flee, activate it. I’ll send a rapid-response unit to pull you out."

Allen tightened his grip on the Metal Cube in his hand.

’A safety net. A "get out of death free" card.’

But he knew very well that if he used it, he wouldn’t just be losing the zone; he would be losing the heart of a true powerhouse.

"I’ll have men escort you there tomorrow. But before that, I will teach you the first Core Witchcraft of the Wizard level."