The moment Kael stepped into the bustling heart of his growing dominion, a stranger was waiting—short in stature but radiating unwavering confidence.
"Welcome to Blazing Sun City!" Kael said, extending his hand with the easy authority of a ruler greeting an honored envoy.
The gnome grasped it firmly. "An honor to serve, my Lord."
A flood of system prompts flashed before Kael's eyes:
[Subject: Ashburn Hall]Profession: Alchemy TechnicianTier: Black Iron – AdvancedSkills: Potion Crafting (Life, Energy), Mechanostrider EngineeringPotential: White Platinum – IntermediateLoyalty: Dead loyal
A slow, predatory smile tugged at Kael's lips. An alchemy technician — a rare gem indeed.
Behind Ashburn, a curious workshop gleamed, polished gears and arcane glass catching the light.
[Structure: Gnome Alchemy Workshop]Function 1: Sells potions, mechanostriders, and assorted alchemy goods.Function 2: While hunting Fogborn, rare alchemy items may drop.Upgrade: Originates from Lord Talent — ungradable.
So that was the source. The potions Kael had taken from the fallen Lord Potts weren't random spoils—they were crafted here. And that second function? Paired with Kael's Plunder King ability, it spelled one thing: endless loot potential.
Ashburn glanced toward the arid dunes stretching beyond the city's edges. "The desert complicates things. Raw materials like Blood Origin Flower and pure iron don't exactly grow on sand."
Kael waved the concern away. "List whatever you need. I'll get it. You just focus on creating."
Gratitude sparked in Ashburn's eyes. "Then, my Lord, would you care to see my finest invention?"
He led Kael inside. The workshop smelled of oil, herbs, and molten metal. Beneath a skylight stood a towering mechanical bird—three meters of gleaming silver-gray steel, the precision of gnomish engineering evident in every joint.
[Mechanostrider]Speed: 40 km/h (Normal) — 100 km/h (Overcharge, 10 min)Terrain Adaptability: Plains, forests, desertsFuel: Black Iron Mist Core (6 hours)
Kael's mind raced back to the grueling treks across the sands—half-hour journeys that felt like lifetimes. With these machines, his soldiers could cover ten times the ground.
"This," Kael said, circling the steel beast like a predator sizing up prey, "isn't just a mount. It's a weapon against the desert itself."
Ashburn chuckled. "If I had paint, I'd give it a proper royal sheen."
Kael smirked. "We'll worry about colors once I have an army of them."
By the time Kael left, he'd secured every potion in stock, the mechanostrider, and a promise from Ashburn to train three apprentices in alchemy.
The desert would no longer slow the Plunder King. It would become his hunting ground.