Chapter 49: Chapter49-A New Residence
By this point, John had completely understood.
Shyron wanted him to represent Axis City in battle.
On the surface, this competition was merely a sparring match between young geniuses.
In reality, however, it would decide the ownership of a high-quality EXP Stone vein.
To Axis City, this was a struggle over strategic resources.
And to John, it was also an excellent opportunity.
He had just obtained the All-Class Magus class and urgently needed a large amount of experience and actual combat to familiarize himself with his class core.
If he could come into contact with an EXP Stone vein, then whether it was through quest rewards, mining shares, or future purchasing privileges, it would absolutely be worth the trip.
"What are the rules?" John asked.
Shyron explained, "Participants must belong to the new generation. Older powerhouses are not allowed to enter the field.
"Adventurers may also participate, but each main city can send at most three people."
At this point, he glanced at John.
"On Axis City’s side, I had originally prepared my candidates. But now, I think you are more suitable."
John did not agree immediately.
He leaned back in his chair and remained silent for a few seconds.
Shyron did not urge him either. He simply lifted his tea again and slowly took another sip.
A moment later, John asked, "What do I get?"
The smile on Shyron’s face deepened, as though he had been waiting for John to ask that exact question.
"First, the sword and the sword art from earlier are yours."
"Second, regardless of victory or defeat, I will give you a batch of Origin Stones as payment.
"These three hundred Origin Stones will serve as my deposit."
As he spoke, he took out a storage pouch from his robes and casually tossed it in front of John.
"Third, if you help Axis City obtain the mining rights, I can give you priority purchasing rights for the first batch of ore produced by the vein."
"Fourth, from now on, your authority within Shyron Manor of Axis City will be raised by one level."
After hearing this, John barely hesitated.
"I accept."
Shyron seemed to have expected this answer long ago, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Good."
"However, I must remind you that this competition is not an ordinary contest between players.
"The people sent by the other main cities will all be hidden monsters of their respective new generations.
"Some of them may not be particularly high in level, but their inheritances, equipment, bloodlines, and classes are anything but simple."
"If you underestimate them, you will suffer greatly."
John stood up, put away the longsword and the Sword Art Crystal, then picked up the storage pouch on the table, weighed it briefly in his hand, and stored it in his inventory.
He looked up at Shyron and said calmly, "That suits me just fine."
After saying this, he turned and walked outside.
The instant he stepped through the door of the inner hall, his figure flickered.
Space distorted slightly, and he vanished.
Shyron stood in the hall, watching the direction where John had disappeared. He remained silent for a moment.
"Young people these days really are more arrogant than the last."
...
After leaving the City Lord’s Mansion, John did not immediately use the experience accumulated in his experience pool.
He was still stuck at Lv.10, and the experience stored in his pool was already enough for him to level up many times in succession.
But he was in no hurry.
Levels could be raised at any time.
However, the relationships between the forces inside the main city had to be handled as early as possible.
After the confrontation between the City Lord’s Mansion and the Witch Council in the Northern Exclusion Zone, John was already very clear about one thing.
It was no longer possible for him to develop quietly like an ordinary player.
The City Lord’s Mansion wanted to recruit him.
The Witch Council would not give up on him either.
On top of that, the phenomenon caused by All-Class Magus and Path to Divinity meant that the other forces within Axis City would sooner or later set their sights on him as well.
Under such circumstances, he needed a base that was secure enough, hidden enough, and difficult to disturb.
In the real world, he already had the high-security hotel, which was sufficient for the time being.
But in the game world, he also needed a place that belonged to him.
With that thought, John did not return to the player district, nor did he go to the Adventurer’s Association.
Instead, he headed directly for the Witch Council.
...
Witch Council Headquarters.
After obtaining the qualification for the Trial of the First Seat, his authority inside the Witch Council had clearly become different.
The guards at the entrance did not stop him.
When the members of the Witch Council in the hall saw him, their gazes were no longer the same as when they looked at a new player before. Instead, they carried obvious wariness and curiosity.
John ignored those looks.
He proceeded without obstruction and went directly to the hall where the Witches’ Round Table was located.
At this moment, there were no other witches inside the round table hall.
Twelve high-backed chairs stood empty around the round table.
The twelve candles on the candelabrum burned quietly.
Only the Crowned Witch sat silently in her seat, as though she had long known that he would come.
After John entered the hall, the Crowned Witch raised her eyes and glanced at him.
With just that one glance, her gaze paused slightly.
John’s level had not changed much, and his appearance had not undergone any obvious transformation.
But his aura was completely different.
It was not the simple confidence of someone who had cleared a dungeon.
It was a kind of calm that seemed to have settled only after experiencing the passage of long years.
It was as if something had sunk deep into his body, wrapping his sharpness beneath an invisible layer.
The Crowned Witch did not point it out.
She merely said calmly, "It seems you truly cleared the Trial of the First Seat."
John did not deny it.
He walked to the round table and stopped opposite the Crowned Witch.
"The changes in you are even greater than I imagined." The Crowned Witch’s gaze slowly swept across his face.
John said calmly, "So you were waiting for me?"
"Yes." The Crowned Witch’s tone was as calm as ever. "The Witch Council needs to know where you intend to stand next."
Her words were very direct.
John also understood what she meant.
He was no longer an ordinary trial challenger.
An adventurer who had cleared the Trial of the First Seat, obtained a server-wide unique hidden class, and triggered a divinity phenomenon during his class change—
Whether he was willing or not, he already possessed enough value for the major forces to recruit him.
And the Witch Council did not want to wait any longer.
They wanted a clear answer.
The Crowned Witch did not beat around the bush.
"The Witch Council hopes that you will become one of us."
John did not agree immediately.
He waited for the Crowned Witch to finish speaking.
The Crowned Witch continued, "You will not be required to obey the orders of the Round Table, nor will you be required to participate in the Witch Council’s daily affairs.
"You may retain complete freedom.
"The Witch Council will not interfere with what you do, nor will we force you to reveal your identity."
She paused, and her tone softened slightly.
"We only need one promise.
"When the Witch Council encounters a true crisis, we hope you will help within the limits of your ability."
John looked at her.
"And in return?"
The Crowned Witch seemed to have expected this question long ago. She answered almost without pause.
"In return, the Witch Council will open its resource channels to you.
"Intelligence, materials, skill books, special quests, magical laboratories, teleportation channels, identity cover.
"As long as the Witch Council can provide it, we will do our best to satisfy your needs."
After hearing this, John already had his judgment.
In his memories from his previous life, the Witch Council was indeed one of the most open-minded NPC forces in Axis City.
They were not like the City Lord’s Mansion, which represented official order and had all kinds of public rules and interest considerations.
Nor were they like the temples, where rules were strict and people were suppressed in the name of faith at the slightest provocation.
The Witch Council valued worth, contracts, and secrets more.
As long as both sides’ interests aligned, and as long as one did not touch their bottom line, they were actually the most suitable faction to cooperate with.
More importantly, he had already cleared the Trial of the First Seat.
The Witch Council’s attitude toward him was naturally different from that of other forces.
The key to the Trial of the First Seat had been granted by the Witches’ Round Table, and in a sense, he was a trial challenger who had walked out from the Witch Council.
A moment later, John spoke.
"Very well."
