Chapter 1091 Runemaster Gilrut
As Michael contemplated his next steps, a soft voice resounded in his mind, reminding him of an important task. It was Ayag, his loyal and ever-watchful hydra.
"Ghost," Ayag's voice whispered, "it might be wise to use the emergency beacon now."
Understanding the urgency, Michael reached into his pocket and retrieved a small, unassuming cube. Gripping it tightly in his hand, he crushed it with a swift motion. In an instant, a brilliant beam of red light shot skyward, cutting through the stormy clouds above.
With the emergency signal sent, Michael sat down amidst the sea of white flowers, feeling their delicate petals beneath him. He turned his attention to Ayag, who seemed curious about his next move.
"I'll wait here until Barug comes to pick me up," Michael explained, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the approaching airship.
Ayag nodded in understanding. "What comes next, Ghost?"
Michael's gaze turned resolute as he replied, "Next, I need to befriend Gilrut and begin cultivating in this world. There's much to learn and accomplish,"
While he waited for Barug or any of the orcs to come and pick him up, Michael accessed the system to review his accumulated wealth from the heist at Rideon Funds. The system provided him with a detailed summary.
[The host has 20 million in gold coins. The rubies, diamonds, and other valuables should be traded to evaluate their value in gold coins] the system informed Michael.
From the pile of gleaming gold coins, Michael plucked one and exited the system momentarily.
"Take a look at this coin," Michael said, presenting the divine gold coin to the three hydra heads. It sparkled brilliantly under his grasp. Then, he retrieved a regular gold coin from the mortal realm.
"No wonder this world doesn't use these gold coins," Sarba remarked, eyeing the comparatively dull coin from the mortal realm.
In contrast to the divine gold coin, the mortal realm's currency seemed like a cheap metal. The divine gold coins were forged from pure gold, transcending the quality of any gold in the mortal realm.
"Twenty million gold coins, huh? It wouldn't be worth exchanging them for a mere eight hundred thousand badass points," Michael pondered to himself.
The system then offered another piece of information.
[The system has compiled a list of alchemy ingredients needed to reconstruct the host's body to enable cultivation in this realm. The host can spend two million badass points to buy the ingredients or choose to acquire them from the realm of gods to save the points] the system stated.
"I should start by looking for the ingredients in Durran. I'll purchase as many as I can here, and the rest I can buy from you system," Michael informed the AI system.
Exiting the system, Michael turned his attention to the approaching carriages in the distance.
"I hear the carriages approaching, Ghost," Sarba noted.
"Finally," Michael replied, waiting patiently for the carriages to reach his location.
The carriages finally came to a halt near the emergency light, their wooden wheels creaking as they stopped. Barug, a burly orc, emerged from one of the carriages and made his way over to where Michael was seated on the flower-covered ground.
With a feigned air of weakness, Michael allowed the other orcs to assist him back to his feet. He looked at Barug with concern in his eyes.
"Are the hostages all right?" Michael inquired, his voice filled with worry.
Barug was taken aback by the human's genuine concern for the hostages, especially when he himself was bleeding from his wound. It was a rare sight to see such compassion in the criminal underworld.
"They're fine," Barug replied gruffly, "We'll take you to the healer and patch you up."
Michael nodded appreciatively and, with Barug's assistance, made his way into one of the waiting carriages.
Barug settled into the carriage across from Michael, concern still etched on his rugged features. After a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "What about Elmer and his gang? Did they say anything that might help us locate their hideout?"
Michael, still maintaining his fa?ade of vulnerability, furrowed his brows as if deep in thought. He leaned in closer to Barug and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "They were talking about... killing someone." He paused for dramatic effect, watching Barug's eyes widen with surprise.
Inside, Michael couldn't help but snicker at his own manipulation. Barug had no idea that he and Elmer had planned to work together.
"Killing someone?" Barug echoed, clearly taken aback.
Michael nodded solemnly. "Yes, they mentioned it quite a few times,"
Barug nodded in understanding, his expression growing graver. "We need to bolster our defenses then. If they're planning something like that, we can't afford to be caught off guard."
Michael decided to play his final card. He looked Barug directly in the eyes, a note of earnestness in his voice.
"I would be forever in your debt if you could arrange a meeting with Gilrut," Michael said. "I risked my life to get into that building for a reason."
A small smile spread across Barug's face. "That can be arranged quite easily. In fact, Gilrut has been asking to see the human who risked his life to get into the building."
Michael was genuinely surprised by this news. "Really?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Barug nodded with a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Yes," he replied, "Gilrut has expressed a keen interest in meeting the human who risked his life to save the hostages. It's not every day we encounter someone with such bravery in these dark times."
Barug's curiosity seemed to grow as he leaned forward slightly. "By the way, what's your name?" he asked.
Michael didn't hesitate. He'd been using the name John with Elmer, so he decided to stick with it. "John," he replied.
"John, you've got balls, I'll give you that," Barug said. "Risking yourself like that, it's not something many would do."
Michael feigned embarrassment, lowering his gaze.
"I did nothing special, really," he said modestly. "Just ended up being another hostage."
Eventually, the carriage returned to the Kingdom of Durran, and Michael observed the Rideon Funds building passing by. The building was now surrounded by even more orcs. After a few more minutes, the carriage came to a halt.
"Once we patch you up, I'll take you to meet Lord Gilrut," Barug said.
Barug led Michael into an emerald-green building where they encountered a kindly, silver-haired woman. She inquired about what had transpired and listened attentively to Barug's account. Her face registered surprise as she processed the details.
After a brief discussion, the woman provided Michael with a few potions and carefully applied a bandage to his chest. Once he was feeling a bit better, Barug led him to a grand establishment known as the Orc Tree Inn.
The inn was an imposing structure, adorned with intricate wooden carvings and lush greenery. It exuded an air of rustic charm and grandeur.
"Lord Gilrut will be waiting for you in room 46," Barug informed Michael. "You can go directly to meet him; our staff has been informed."
"Thank you," Michael replied sincerely, appreciating Barug's assistance.
As Barug patted him on the back, he added, "And John, don't leave the kingdom without informing me. I might need to take your witness statement again for more information. After all, you were one of the witnesses."
"Of course, Lord Barug," Michael said, showing his willingness to cooperate.
With that, Barug bid him farewell. As he left, he couldn't help but sigh and say, "Once the Rideon Funds guys finish sweeping the empty vault, they're going to come bringing their whole wrath down on my head."
Michael entered the Orc Tree Inn, crossing the threshold into an elegant establishment. The interior exuded an air of refinement, with wooden beams crisscrossing the ceiling, casting intricate patterns of shadows on the polished wooden floor. Soft, ambient lighting emanated from ornate lanterns hanging from the walls, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
As he stepped further into the inn, a young orc woman, dressed in flowing green robes, approached him with a welcoming smile. Her demeanor was courteous and professional.
"Lord Gilrut has been expecting you in room 46," Michael informed the orc woman.
She quickly realized his intent and nodded. "Follow me," she said to Michael, gesturing for him to accompany her.
Together, they ascended a grand staircase that led to the upper levels of the inn. Arriving at the top floor, they reached a grand and imposing door. The number "46" was finely engraved on a polished brass plate, marking the room.
With a polite nod, the young orc woman said, "You can go inside and meet Lord Gilrut."
Michael acknowledged her guidance with a nod of his own and gently pushed open the door to room 46.
When Michael pushed the door open, he stepped into an elegant and spacious penthouse. Lord Gilrut was engrossed in conversation with several armored orcs. As Michael entered, Gilrut gracefully concluded his meeting, dismissing the orcs to give his full attention to their guest.
Approaching Michael with a slight, courteous smile, Gilrut greeted him, "You must be the one Office Barug was talking about. I wish we had met under different circumstances."
Michael nodded in agreement, replying, "Me too, Lord Gilrut. But I am glad no one got hurt."
Gilrut's gaze fell on the bandage adorning Michael's chest, and his expression shifted to one of sympathy. "The same can't be said for you. I heard what those vile beasts did. I am very sorry."
Michael shook his head modestly. "You don't have to, Lord Gilrut. We should be glad they didn't take any lives."
Lord Gilrut invited Michael to take a seat on a plush green sofa. As Michael settled onto the comfortable upholstery, Vedora rested beside him. Gilrut chose to sit opposite him.
"Lord Gilrut, I must confess something. I was sent by someone to meet you," Michael began, catching Gilrut off guard.
"Who sent you?" Gilrut inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Veena... Veena sent me," Michael replied, using Pink's name within this world.
Gilrut's eyes widened at the mention of her name. A range of emotions flickered across his features. For a few moments, he was rendered speechless.
"Veena? How... how is she?" Gilrut asked, disbelief lacing his words.
"She told me everything about you and what happened. She told me you owe her one. So, it's time for her to cash in that favor," Michael explained.
"Hahahaha, she still remembers, huh? What do you need?" Gilrut inquired, his demeanor more relaxed.
In response, Michael retrieved the tree-shaped medallion hanging from his neck and pointed to it.
"I want your help in forging a medallion just like this one," Michael stated.
Gilrut leaned in closer and donned a pair of half-moon glasses. As he examined the intricate, glowing runes etched into the medallion, his body trembled.
"It's... are you... a god..." Gilrut muttered in complete shock.
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