Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 505: Transaction

A few days later, beneath the clear skies of Maple Hill County, a black dot appeared, accompanied by a low humming sound that grew louder as it approached.

It was a Floating Airship, about the same size as the Black Sail.

The hull bore a prominent emblem, a phantom of a Night Owl against a backdrop of a pyramid-like creature’s cage. This was the symbol of the commerce association primarily dealing in slave creature trade, called Night Owl.

The Floating Airship did not land directly within Fengqiu City but instead hovered over a huge open space, cleared in advance and temporarily reinforced with simple Magic Arrays, outside the city.

This site had almost become a temporary port where Duke and his people also launched and landed their Floating Airships.

Sturdy anchor cables descended from the airship, securing the hull in place.

Subsequently, a side hatch slowly opened, extending a wide metal gangway.

A dozen or so wizards disembarked from the airship, led by a man with a bushy beard - this was Loki, a steward of the Night Owl Commerce Association and also a Level 2 Mage.

Loki scanned the spacious ground sharply before locking his gaze on Duke, who was waiting there.

He strode forward with no unnecessary small talk, his manner efficient and direct.

"Sir Duke," Loki’s voice was deep and powerful, "I’ve come under the association’s orders to deliver a standard battle regiment to you, totaling fifty thousand and three hundred slave creatures. All units have been marked with Slave Marks and are stable."

As he spoke, an assistant wizard beside him immediately stepped forward, holding a metal casket inscribed with mysterious runes in both hands.

Loki lightly tapped a few nodes on the casket’s surface, and the lid silently slid open, revealing its contents: a scroll of golden parchment and a metallic Control Talisman.

The parchment detailed the complete roster of the battle regiment, including the quantity, level, and main characteristics of each type of slave creature.

The Control Talisman was the most crucial tool for controlling the entire regiment, enabling control over all the slave creatures’ Slave Marks, dictating their lives and deaths.

The Control Talisman itself was a rather elaborate piece of Alchemy Creation. After Duke connected it with his Spiritual Power, he quickly sensed the presence and state of all the slave creatures.

Only through this method could one simultaneously control large numbers of slave creatures.

Otherwise, the Spiritual Power of an ordinary wizard would be insufficient to handle so many slave creatures.

Duke then took out a Space Ring and handed it to Loki, containing thirty million Magic Stones prepared in advance.

After spending this sum, his balance would only be over ten million.

Next was the delivery; once the cargo hatch of the Floating Airship opened, a dense mass of slave creatures emerged.

The whole process was orderly; these were pre-arranged, well-disciplined regiments, with basic discipline established.

The gigantic cargo hatch of the Floating Airship resembled the maw of a prehistoric behemoth, and inside, instead of a dim cargo hold, was a space teeming with mysterious auras.

The first to step onto the ground were the steady and rhythmical footsteps, like the beating of war drums.

They were a type of slave creature called Rock Armor Heavy Army, their bodies made of active rock, with gray-brown surfaces covered in natural defensive patterns, and towering, two-and-a-half-meter frames that moved with an aura of crushing power.

They were silent, only the dull grinding of their rock joints and the scraping of gigantic stone shields and hammers across the ground could be heard.

They were the mainstay of the regiment, numbering ten thousand.

What followed was a series of dense, crystal-like friction sounds as thousands of Crystal-backed Ray Lizards walked out with steady steps. The large, natural crystal cluster-like structure on their backs refracted dazzling rays in the sunlight.

Energy flowed between them, issuing subtle crackling sounds, as if ready to unleash deadly beams at any moment.

On the flanks, a haze of shadows quietly dispersed.

These were Shadow Hunting Dogs, landing noiselessly, their jet-black fur seemingly absorbing the light, with only their cold, eerily glowing green eyes faintly visible in the shadows.

They moved like phantoms, swiftly merging into the shadows at the edge of the ground, as if they had never appeared.

There were many such types of slave creatures, all carefully selected and possessing their strategic roles.

Most important were those five Level 2 Slave Creatures.

Three Great Jaw Tyrant Dragons stepped out with earth-shaking steps, their sturdy tails leaving deep furrows in the ground, and their massive, tooth-filled jaws opening and closing with thunderous roars, an aura of pure violence emanating from them.

A winged serpent exuding a malevolent aura slithered into the sky, its long serpentine body dancing beneath the clouds, creating swirling air currents.

Its blue-green body was covered with strange runes, said to belong to a highly venomous species.

The heaviest footsteps belonged to the Rock Trampler, this Armored Giant Beast moved like a mobile fortress, each step causing the earth to tremble, its massive horns seemingly capable of easily piercing mountains.

In short time, more than fifty thousand creatures of various forms, exuding fierce auras, aligned like precision instruments, forming a fully functional and layered war beast.

They stood silently on the open ground, no commotion, no roars, only countless cold, non-human eyes focused on Duke, awaiting the sole command.

Duke gazed at the dark mass of the regiment before him, rather satisfied.

However, maintaining these slave creatures would end up costing quite a sum, just feeding them would be a considerable expense.

Fortunately, wizards had already researched feeds suitable for different slave creatures, very low-cost yet sufficient to sustain their daily combat needs.

Normally, the basic cost of maintaining fifty thousand slave creatures for a year would be five to six million.

For Duke, this remained within a bearable range.

After all, his shares in both the Giant Rock Commerce Association and the Black Sail would soon be paid out, providing a hefty sum, enough to cover the expenses of this regiment.

As for sourcing these supplies, the Night Owl Commerce Association could address those issues as well.

Since they dealt in slave trade, they naturally engaged in these related businesses as well.

"Then, should you have any subsequent issues, Sir Duke, feel free to contact me anytime," Loki said with a smile.

Having just closed a deal, he was in high spirits, even if this particular transaction involved discounts, there were still substantial profits to be made.

Loki had also learned something of Duke’s background and the purpose for these slave creatures, recognizing him as a client with great potential, and anticipating further collaborations in the future.