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Chapter 526.5: Catachan-Subplane
Annie's sharp gaze narrowed as she carefully examined this dwarven weapon, which she didn't particularly like.
The range was impressive.
A 300-meter reach was sufficient for defensive purposes.
The damage was formidable.
Even dwarven armor had been pierced, meaning it would be effective against the Cole Elven Kingdom's warriors.
The only downside was the slower firing rate.
Even with John's practiced hands, it still took three seconds to fire again.
However, Annie quickly noticed another advantage.
The weapon required very little physical exertion, resulting in almost no fatigue.
This meant that soldiers could sustain combat for much longer periods.
Ralph smiled and revealed the dwarven firearm's most crucial benefit as Annie summarized her observations:
"Even an ordinary person, equipped with a dwarven firearm, can pose a lethal threat to a mid-tier professional 300 meters away!"
Annie's pupils contracted slightly as she felt the firearm's weight. Ralph's point was clear.
The weapon was easy to handle.
Even ordinary people could use it with training.
The damage output was consistent and reliable.
As long as the firearm remained intact, it could continuously fire and inflict damage.
It was long-lasting.
Unlike swords or spears, which had limited durability, the firearm could be maintained and reused with a simple "repair spell."
From a warfare perspective, this weapon perfectly suited Annie's needs and the Ail Elves' current situation.
Biting her lip, Annie studied Ralph's calm, smiling face. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
It was as if Bay Territory was intimately familiar with her circumstances.
The prepared supplies and weapons seemed tailored precisely to the Ail Elves' needs.
Yet Annie found herself unable to refuse. She couldn't help but try a few shots, discovering yet another advantage.
The firearm could target not only ground forces but also airborne enemies.
If they acquired enough of these firearms and focused their firepower on high-threat foes, the results could be unexpectedly effective.
"These dwarven firearms combine the crafting techniques of both dwarves and gray dwarves, and they're made from excellent quality steel. As such, they're a bit more expensiveā¦"
Meeting Annie's steady gaze, Ralph admired her composure and revealed the price:
"Twenty gold per dwarven firearm, one silver coin per bullet, one silver coin per powder pack."
The price was reasonable and affordable.
"Prepare 10,000 units for us to see how effective they areā¦"
As Matthew turned his attention away from Annie and Ralph, he smiled at Yaya, who looked a bit troubled:
"Don't think about slacking off. You must finish the homework your teacher assigned!"
Thinking about the various complex spell formulas, Yaya frowned and scribbled reluctantly, her eyes darting around as she clearly pondered ways to "slack off."
Compared to the tedious spell formulas, she was more eager to experiment. She was especially curious about trying her hand at the fifth surgical modification procedure.
After more than an hour of effort, Yaya finally finished her homework. She took a bite of crystal pork knuckle to console her "wounded" spirit.
While Yaya was inspecting the captured dragon-blooded creatures, her gaze fell on the wind dragon curled up in its cage. She curiously asked:
"What will happen to them? Will they stay in the Underdark forever?"
Matthew shook his head, considering the situation in the Underdark. Looking at the growing number of dragon-blooded creatures, he hesitated briefly before replying:
"This is only a temporary measure. Once the influence of the 'Dragon Frenzy Curse' subsides, we can release them."
"But before that, we must tame all of themā¦"
Yaya's eyes lit up as she looked eagerly at the "naughty" dragon-blooded creatures. With a grin, she nodded:
"No problem! Leave it to me!"
While Matthew and Bay Territory were preparing for the "Dragon Frenzy Catastrophe," an unexpected piece of news disrupted Matthew's plans.
"What? Adventurers have found a demi-plane entrance in the underground ruins?"
Setting down his elven spellbook, Matthew scrutinized the intelligence report in disbelief.
A sharp, detailed magical projection appeared before him.
In the dark corridor, a black rift consumed all light emitted by the bright lamp.
The adventurers who discovered it threw a few stones inside, but the rift showed no reaction.
Matthew didn't watch further. Instead, he began to ponder in silence.
This sudden spatial rift indeed signified the presence of a demi-plane.
For skilled spatial mages, these rifts could be used to pinpoint the exact location of a demi-plane on the other side.
Once the exact spatial coordinates of the demi-plane were obtained, it would be possible to explore the demi-plane world via a teleportation array.
Demi-plane worlds were extremely dangerous, but they also held immense opportunities.
In the Netheril Empire, the majority of earls had either explored or controlled some demi-planes.
Through demi-planes, they could extract resources and wealth, which they would then use to develop their territories.
For most noble lords, a demi-plane represented a golden opportunity for their family and territory to rise.
Regardless of the cost, they would spare no effort to develop and gain control of a demi-plane.
After all, possessing a demi-plane was akin to owning all the resources of a miniature world.
This was far more cost-effective than spending immense resources to develop their own territory and cultivate their citizens.
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Matthew pondered the specifics of the swamp ruins.
"As expected, Pfizer Merchant Guild wouldn't spend so much effort just for the underground ruins and Sky-Splitting Lizards."
"If their ultimate goal is a demi-plane or the resources hidden within it, then it all makes sense."
"It appears they were aware of the spatial rift's emergence and prepared for it well in advance."
Matthew carefully recalled memories from his previous life, methodically piecing together the timeline.
Had Bay Territory's expansion not been so rapid, the Pfizer Merchant Guild and Viscount Larry would have controlled these ruins.
Given their style, they would have hidden whatever they found inside the ruins.
Pfizer would have taken what they wanted, leaving the rest to Viscount Larry.
By the time the players arrived, all that would remain would be the mostly-cleared ruins and the Sky-Splitting Lizards.
"In this light, the other factions are far more complex than the game ever hinted atā¦"
Regarding the current spatial rift, Matthew had no intention of passing it up.
However, the capabilities of Matthew and Bay Territory might not be sufficient to fully manage a demi-plane.
Considering the impending "Dragon Frenzy Catastrophe," Matthew hesitated for a long while and ultimately decided to act with caution.
Seeing Elio's hesitant gaze, Matthew smiled and shook his head, sending a communication spell with a calm directive:
"Seal off that area for now. No one is to approach, but let the information leak."
Leak information?
Unable to grasp the full intent, Elioāno longer hesitant as she had been upon arrivalāasked decisively:
"Is this to lure out those spies?"
Recalling the "red names" he'd noticed during his previous inspection of the territory, Matthew smiled and replied:
"It's a good opportunity to follow the trail and catch a group of those they've been in contact with."
If no unforeseen circumstances occurred, Matthew was content to wait and observe. Eliminating these informants prematurely would only lead to a new batch replacing them.
At the same time, Matthew wanted to see how these individuals operated so he could prepare countermeasures in advance.
This time, however, was different.
The information about the demi-plane was too valuable.
If this truly turned out to be a resource-rich large-scale demi-plane,
Bay Territory would gain a massive influx of resources and wealth, accelerating its already rapid development.
Moreover, if it turned out that the demi-plane had been Pfizer Merchant Guild's intended target all along,
then using someone else's resources to fuel one's growth would be a particularly satisfying outcome.
Following Matthew's orders, Elio promptly began arranging the necessary operations.
After she left, Matthew sent another communication spell to Archmage Cronorman.
Who could guarantee that Bay Territory would claim this prize unchallenged?
Naturally, they'd need the "real" heavyweights!
Five minutes later,
the delighted Archmage Cronorman appeared with Matthew and Yaya at the spatial rift in the ruins.
With a wave of his hand, Cronorman effortlessly cast a few spells.
"Silent Spell," "Quickened Spell," "Twin Spell"āseveral metamagic-enhanced incantations played out before Matthew's eyes.
Observing how all noise from the outside was cut off, Matthew silently marveled.
Even among pinnacle legendary individuals, there were varying degrees of strength.
Based on the power displayed by Cronorman, he was undoubtedly one of the most formidable legendary units Matthew had ever encountered.
Even a legendary true dragon might not be enough to withstand Cronorman's strength.
As Cronorman analyzed the spatial rift's data, his eyes lit up with excitement. He turned to Matthew, whose expression remained calm, and asked:
"What are your plans? Are you thinking of developing this demi-plane in secret?"
Shaking his head, Matthew responded, drawing a surprised look from Cronorman:
"If the conditions are suitable, I'll invite everyone from Bay Territory to participate, especially the adventurers."
"Before they embark on any adventures, I need to confirm the demi-plane's level of dangerā¦"
"Of course, regardless of the development approach, if you're willing to construct a large-scale teleportation array, you'll receive 10% of all demi-plane yields."
Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Cronorman was taken aback by Matthew's generosity.
Before Cronorman could respond, Matthew continued, providing his own rationale:
"Master, please don't decline just yet. If the demi-plane contains legendary-level entities, we'll need your expertise."
"And if other families attempt to seize the demi-plane through underhanded means, we'll need your supportā¦"
Seeing Matthew's earnest expression, Cronorman, ever the straightforward archmage, gave a hearty nod and said:
"Since you've made up your mind, I won't refuse."
"In addition to a large-scale teleportation array, I'll also prepare two smaller, private teleportation arrays for you."
As Cronorman and Matthew exchanged friendly banter, the demi-plane's coordinates were secured.
Just when Matthew thought the matter was settled,
Cronorman pointed a finger at the dark, distorted spatial rift.
Eighth-circle spellāSpatial Repair!
The warped, black rift was slowly compressed and smoothed by an invisible force.
Once the spell took full effect, the eerie spatial rift vanished completely.
Except for a patch of fractured stone, there was no longer any trace of the spatial rift.
Taking extra precautions, Matthew also cleaned up any remaining evidence of the rift.
In fact, Matthew's decision was entirely correct.
Even with Bay Territory heavily guarding the site, certain individuals still found their way into the swamp ruins.
Unfortunately, they were far from capable of understanding Cronorman's handiwork.
After two days of study,
using various spells to investigate the demi-plane, Cronorman came to Matthew with a peculiar expression and described its conditions.
"A mostly dense rainforest environment?"
"Inhabited by numerous giant insects and beasts, including some extraordinary and even legendary-level entities?"
"Also home to hundreds of thousands of humans?"
"How have they survived against attacks from legendary monsters?"
"Their combat methods are relatively primitive? And what does that matter?"
Outwardly, Matthew appeared to be confirming the demi-plane's specifics with Cronorman.
Internally, however, he was filled with uncontainable excitement.
Upon seeing a few magical virtual models and details of certain unique creatures,
Matthew was almost certain this was the demi-plane he remembered: the extremely dangerous yet immensely intriguing "Catachan Demi-Plane."
In Matthew's recollection, this perilous realm, teeming with terrifying creatures, intrigued players for several reasons.
The Catachan Plane was home to a vast array of monster species, some of them extraordinarily dangerous.
For daredevil players, there was no better place for adventure.
But the moment they entered the Catachan Demi-Plane, players quickly realized its horrifying malice.
Even venomous insects falling from leaves and treetops could easily claim their lives.
Despite meticulous preparation, the countless menacing creatures employed a wide variety of methods to eliminate the reckless intruders.
Beyond these deadly insects and beasts, the most impressive inhabitants were undoubtedly the Catachan natives.
Nearly every adult Catachan male could casually "stroll" through the rainforest where players faced deadly threats.
Their combat skills were exceptional.
Even the rainforest's most terrifying extraordinary creatures were no more than prey for these individuals' coming-of-age ceremonies.
It was their remarkable prowess that prevented Pfizer Merchant Guild from ever fully conquering the Catachan Demi-Plane.
That was, until one catastrophic mishap left the guild severely weakened.
Matthew reflected on the various advantages of the Catachan Demi-Plane and suddenly realized something intriguing.
Though most of the demi-plane was dense, perilous rainforest, there were still significant portions of open plains.
Bay Territory could build a city there.
Then rapidly develop the Catachan Plane.
But how?
By breeding the creatures, of course!
The growing number of dragon-blooded beasts in Bay Territory, if maintained solely by the territory, would be a massive financial burden.
However, if these beasts were released into the Catachan Demi-Plane, the situation would change.
With their formidable strength, even if they couldn't dominate the Catachan Plane, they could carve out territories for themselves.
Given the infectious and aggressive nature of dragon-blood contamination, the already diverse and perilous Catachan Demi-Plane would become even more dangerous.
Bay Territory would have a sustainable way to maintain these dragon-blooded creatures' vitality and combat readiness.
From gaining advanced feat information from them,
to collecting valuable magical materials from their remains, it would be a profitable venture.
More importantly, these "tamed" dragon-blooded beasts, upon entering the Catachan Demi-Plane, would continuously provide Matthew with destiny power.
Truly a case of "working tirelessly unto death,"
fully contributing from start to finishā¦
As news of the demi-plane discovery spread through the Eastern Province and the Carl Plains,
Matthew quietly watched the situation unfold while preparing his army of dragon-blooded subordinates.
"Come on, let's see if the Catachan Demi-Plane is as dangerous now as it will be in a decade."