Chapter 529 Final Preparations

“How was the situation outside?” Zion asked, his tone low but attentive as he looked toward Maxwell.

“The situation hasn’t settled yet,” Maxwell replied. “If anything, the territorial disputes between the monsters and wild animals are getting worse. They’re fighting more aggressively now, probably because the biochemical mist hasn’t dissipated.”

As he spoke, he lowered his pen and finished circling several locations on the map, marking them as areas to avoid for the time being.

“However,” he continued calmly, “the mist hasn’t spread either. There’s barely any wind in the region right now. Normally, that would slow down its dissipation, but in this case, it’s also working in our favor. Without strong winds, the mist isn’t being carried further into new territories.”

Around them, the other Alphas remained quiet, their attention focused on monitoring the map and the surrounding situation. None of them interrupted. They naturally left most of the discussion to Maxwell and Zion, whose authority and strategic judgment carried the most weight among them.

While the others oversaw the camp’s defenses and kept watch for any sudden changes, Maxwell and Zion handled the bulk of the analysis and decision-making, guiding the group’s movements and determining their next steps.

“That’s still good progress,” Zion said as his gaze remained fixed on the map spread across the table. “So far, we’ve already gathered about eighty percent of the materials we need. The remaining ones are just the harder-to-find materials.”

His finger traced along several areas on the map before tapping lightly near the edges of their current search range.

“We might have to expand our search radius,” he continued thoughtfully. “Either that, or we’ll have to enter some of the more dangerous zones.”

Those locations were already marked heavily with circles, areas Maxwell and Zion had labeled as no-go zones after observing monster activity. Looking at the map now, it was almost crowded with markings, leaving only a few narrow paths where they could still move safely.

Zion leaned back slightly, thinking aloud.

“It’s also possible that the materials we’re missing are being guarded. Monsters and wild animals often hoard things that hold energy or value. So if rare materials are nearby, chances are something has already claimed the area.”

In theory, the materials they needed weren’t considered extremely rare. That was why they had originally been confident they could gather everything within three days before returning to the Royal Capital. The western region was rich with resources, fertile lands where plants thrived, surrounded by long mountain ranges that housed countless natural materials.

Under normal circumstances, finding what they needed here should have been relatively easy.

But the current situation had complicated everything.

The monsters and wild animals had been driven out of their original territories by the spreading biochemical mist, forcing them to migrate unpredictably. Now they were scattered everywhere, aggressively claiming new lands, many of which were dangerously close to the temporary camp.

Because of that, their search had become far more difficult than expected.

They had hoped to gather the materials quickly while avoiding unnecessary battles, but it was becoming increasingly clear that some confrontations might be unavoidable. If they wanted to finish their mission soon, they might have to fight through monsters or territorial wild predatory animals guarding the areas they needed to enter.

“How about the two of us go together and search for the remaining materials?” Zion suggested after studying the map for a moment.

“If you both go, I’ll stay here and watch over the temporary camp with the rest of the Alphas,” Levi added, nodding in agreement with Zion’s proposal.

Now that he had finally released the tension that had been weighing on him for days, Levi looked noticeably more relaxed. There was even a faint glow of satisfaction in his demeanor, and the renewed confidence in him seemed to fuel his motivation to work harder.

Unfortunately for Zion, that very look only irritated him further.

Seeing Levi so obviously pleased made Zion’s jaw tighten. For a moment, he almost felt the urge to punch him. But he forced himself to remain silent, grinding his teeth and refusing to even glance in Levi’s direction.

When Zion had returned earlier and learned what Levi had done, he had nearly lost his temper on the spot. However, Levi had quickly turned the tables on him, bluntly pointing out that Zion himself had once secretly taken the opportunity to mate with Addison as well. In that sense, neither of them was innocent.

That remark had effectively shut Zion up.

Even so, the resentment still lingered. Zion had spent hours fighting through monsters while battling an unbearable restlessness inside him, his instincts raging to the point that it felt like his insides were being twisted. Meanwhile, Levi had been enjoying the very thing Zion had been forced to suppress.

But no matter how annoyed he felt, he couldn’t really refute Levi’s argument.

So now, Zion could only stew quietly in his own frustration.

Meanwhile, Maxwell had already informed them about the conversation he and Addison had after Levi woke from his nap and Zion returned.

Although Levi appeared energetic and satisfied on the surface, the truth was that his body still felt drained, as if most of his strength had been hollowed out. The only reason he seemed so lively was because his confidence had returned.

In his mind, he had finally secured his place in Addison’s heart, and that alone was enough to make him feel reinvigorated.

“Alright. Since everything’s settled, we should leave immediately,” Zion said with a low grunt as he folded the map on the table. “The sooner we move, the sooner we can get back before dark. Once we return, the mages can begin activating the teleportation portal.”

“I’ll send a few more mages with you for field support,” Archmage Elric finally spoke up from where he had been quietly observing. He slowly stroked his long white beard, his other hand resting firmly on the staff beside him. “If the situation outside becomes more hostile, they’ll be able to assist.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“I’ve also already begun preparing the teleportation portal. As soon as you bring back the remaining materials, I should be able to complete the portal within two hours. The mana stones I currently have should be enough to power a one-time teleportation.”

“That would be perfect,” Zion replied with a nod as he slipped the folded map into his magic pouch. “In that case, could you also inform the Royal Family and the relevant departments? Let them know our expected schedule and the coordinates where the portal will open so they can prepare to receive us.”

“Leave that to me,” Archmage Elric replied with a small shrug. “I’ve already sent a few of my disciples to begin handling the communication. I’ll just need to make another trip to personally notify the Royal Capital and the border authorities so they can prepare in advance, especially if we’re truly planning to activate the teleportation tonight.”

As he spoke, his sharp eyes briefly moved between Zion, Maxwell, and Levi. From the urgency in their demeanor, it was obvious they had no intention of delaying their return any longer than necessary. They looked as though they didn’t even want to waste a single extra minute staying here.