The finance department of Forged Fire Fortress.

"Settling the tuition for the ’Art of Forging the Workshop Will.’"

Master Mercer hadn’t mentioned a word about money, but Allen knew it was something he had to take care of himself.

Numbers flickered on the light screen before finally settling.

[Account Balance: 332.98 Mid-Level Magic Stones]

Eighty Mid-Level Magic Stones, gone just like that.

That sum was enough for Allen to start another "New West" back at the academy.

Knowledge was the ultimate hard currency.

...

The guest rooms in Forged Fire Fortress were not comfortable.

In fact, comfort hadn’t even been a consideration here. Everything was designed for efficiency.

Allen sat cross-legged on the rock-hard metal bed, with no intention of sleeping.

After his promotion to a First-level Wizard, his body, constantly nourished by Magic Power, had long since surpassed mortal limitations.

Sleep had become a method of rest he could choose, rather than a physiological necessity.

His abundant energy allowed him to keep his mind operating at high speed for days on end.

He closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank into his Sea of Spirit.

’DSeek, begin analysis.’

[Task established: Analyzing ’Art of Forging the Workshop Will’... Model complexity: High...]

DSeek disassembled and analyzed the complex three-dimensional model.

Allen quickly grasped the key points. He took out a few Spiritual Power recovery potions and began to inscribe the Will Rune for the ’Art of Forging the Workshop Will,’ following the optimal path DSeek had analyzed.

He planned to find DSeek a new "home" the moment he set foot in his assigned zone.

The night passed uneventfully.

When the sky outside the window brightened again, Allen opened his eyes.

In his Sea of Spirit, a complex Rune Matrix emitting a faint glow had fully formed, tightly bound to his soul.

The ’Art of Forging the Workshop Will’ was successfully inscribed. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

His promotion to a First-level Wizard had granted him six new Permanent Sorcery Slots.

He had already inscribed two Intermediate Witchcrafts during his final days at the academy, leaving him with only three empty slots.

Allen knew his role perfectly. He was an Alchemy Sorcerer of the Macro-Construction and Command specialization; his power came from his Golem Legion.

If a situation ever forced him to personally use Witchcraft to blast his enemies, it would mean things had already deteriorated beyond salvation.

As the core of the entire system, ensuring his own survival was his top priority.

Therefore, he prioritized defense and mobility.

’High-level Magic Shield’ and ’Short-Range Blink’.

One to take the hits, and one to make a run for it.

Both were incredible life-saving skills that Allen could learn at his current level.

Allen didn’t plan on using the last slot right away.

Once he arrived at the Molten Iron Mountain Range, he would first identify the primary threats and then learn and inscribe a specific Witchcraft to counter them.

If the enemies in Zone 18 specialized in fire attacks, he would learn a Strong Frost Magic. If the area was rife with poison, an Advanced Purification Magic would be far more valuable than any offensive Witchcraft. That was, of course, assuming he could learn them, which seemed unlikely given his current circumstances.

Preparations complete.

Allen, the infrastructure fanatic, was about to come online.

...

Allen spent a good while looking for the logistics department, only to find a facility far larger than he had imagined.

"You the new guy? For Zone 18?" a Wizard asked.

"Yes."

"Here’s the initial resource package from your master. It’s enough material to build roughly twelve standard Level 2 Golems. The list is here. Make your choices. Once you’re done, let me know, and everything will be delivered directly to your workshop."

He pushed over a terminal panel.

Allen took it. The screen displayed a dense list of materials, featuring everything from basic Demonized Metal to rare Element Cores.

He immediately scrolled past the tempting high-grade materials, his fingers flying across the light screen as he made his selections.

"High-strength Magic Steel, 10 tons."

"Twelve Second-level Transformation Crystals."

"..."

Allen rattled off the list item by item. Nearly all the materials were for producing "Type II Spider Slayers" and a small number of PX-1 mass-production models.

"You clearly know what you need. Not like some of the new guys who waste their budget on a bunch of high-end junk they can’t use, then can’t even fight off the Magical Beasts on their doorstep." The Wizard grinned, revealing a set of metal teeth.

"Thank you." Allen nodded and returned the terminal panel.

"Now that that’s settled, head to Launch Pad B-7. Master Gordon will be waiting for you there."

Allen turned and left, walking towards the elevator.

The launch pad was a semi-enclosed platform, part of the fortress’s skyport.

As he stepped out of the elevator, a fierce wind, thick with the scorching scent of sulfur, immediately blasted him in the face, causing his Wizard Robe to whip and snap.

A small transport Floating Ship sat quietly on the platform. It was roughly the size of a heavy truck from his past life, boasting thick armor plating and external Magic Energy Turrets. It looked less like a transport vessel and more like a flying mobile fortress.

A burly figure stood before the Floating Ship’s hatch.

It was Mercer’s adjutant, Gordon. His height of over three meters cast a huge shadow over Allen.

"Allen Wesren, are you ready."

"I am ready, Master Gordon." Allen gave a slight bow.

"Depart."

Gordon was a man of few words.

The two of them boarded the ship, and the hatch slid shut behind them.

The next moment, the Anti-Gravity Runes on the ship’s underbelly lit up in sequence. A powerful lift hoisted the steel behemoth into the air, and it detached smoothly from the platform.

Immediately after, six combat Golems of about the same size took off from other launch pads in the skyport, silently following and forming an escort formation around the transport ship.

This show of force served as both an escort and a declaration of sovereignty to any prying eyes in these lands.

Inside the cabin, Gordon seemed to have no desire to talk. He handed Allen a Memory Crystal.

"A detailed map of Zone 18, along with the general distribution of the main magical beast populations nearby. The underground mineral deposits are unknown; you’ll have to survey for those yourself. Also,"

He paused. "If there’s a large-scale beast tide and you can’t hold it back, use the evacuation beacon. I don’t care if you die, but the Master’s investment would be a total loss."

Allen took the crystal, holding it in his hand.

"I will strive to ensure the Master’s investment yields an exceptional return, Adjutant Gordon. Are large-scale beast tides common?"

"The Master has cleared them out several times, so they aren’t very common anymore. Still, you can’t afford to be careless."

Gordon gave him a look but said nothing more. Once again, the cabin fell silent.

The transport ship slowly adjusted its direction and accelerated towards the crimson sky in the west.

Allen gazed out the viewport. The colossal fortress built at the foot of the volcanoes was rapidly shrinking in the distance.

He was now leaving the shelter of that behemoth to carve out his own territory. ’I wonder if I’ll be able to establish a foothold there.’

Allen pulled his gaze away, suppressed the stray emotions, and focused his Spiritual Power on the Memory Crystal in his hand.

A detailed map unfolded in his mind.

’DSeek, load the new map data. Cross-reference it with the zone intelligence provided by my master. Analyze the Anvil Hills region, calculate the optimal location for the workshop, and draft a preliminary layout for the first phase of defensive fortifications.’