Floating Island - Triple S Talent

The first item he produced was a black chest with shimmering purple lines at each corner. A large gemstone on the top of the chest glittered luxuriously, radiating an aura of exclusivity.

Lein examined the description of the item.

(Level 150 Equipment Chest)

Contains a set of level 150 gear forged at the epic grade. Perfectly suited for a swordmaster.

Lein's current equipment was capped at level 50 at best. He had advanced rapidly using the divine promotion potion but had overlooked upgrading the gear he was using.

A faint smile crossed his lips as he murmured softly, "Perfect for me." Internally, he admitted that Hanes had been quite smart in choosing an item that matched his needs. His gaze then shifted to a small black pouch that Hanes had also presented. Slowly, he began to read its description carefully.

(Land of 100 Realms)

Contains a vast empty land platform spanning 100 realms.

Note: 1 realm = 100,000,000,000,000 km² = 1 trillion km².

Lein's eyes widened. "That much?" he exclaimed, half in disbelief. Such an enormous size was almost beyond comprehension. His heart raced as he imagined a boundless expanse capable of accommodating entire civilizations. The sheer magnitude now lay before him.

He turned his gaze toward Hanes, who stood with a hopeful expression. Hanes' broad smile revealed his confidence that the offer would be irresistible. However, Lein merely glanced at him briefly, ignoring the overconfidence, and then shifted his attention to the next item.

In Lein's hand was a piece of paper with neatly written details that he began to read:

- (Elf slaves)

: 10 billion

- (Dragon slaves)

: 10 billion

- (Orc slaves)

: 1k billion

- (Goblin slaves)

: 1k billion

- (Troll slaves)

: 1k billion

- (Vampire slaves)

: 500 billion

"Insane?" Lein thought. His expression tensed. How could someone offer such an absurd number of slaves? Unease churned within him. He glanced at Hanes, who still wore that foolishly confident smile. Lein tried to discern the hidden intent behind it.

"Slaves? How?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. All he held was a sheet of paper—no sign of the billions of slaves it listed.

Hanes bowed slightly, attempting to explain. "Indeed, My Lord. I can provide slaves of various races. However, I will need time to deliver them here."

"How?" Lein pressed, not hiding the skepticism in his voice.

"I would need to return to my realm to gather them," Hanes continued, his tone calm but resolute. "We would use transport ships and teleportation to bring them to your domain."

Lein nodded faintly, though his eyes remained watchful. "How can I trust you?" he asked bluntly, cutting through any pretense. The aura around him shifted slightly, pressing down on Hanes and Lyra.

Hanes fell silent, visibly deep in thought. He knew that a newly ascended guardian like Lein would not easily trust others, especially strangers. After a moment, Lyra, his wife, spoke up. Her voice was soft yet brimming with confidence.

"We can wait for you to finish your matters here, My Lord. Afterward, you can follow us to our realm to see the slaves for yourself," Lyra suggested.

Lein considered briefly, then nodded. "Very well," he replied curtly. His gaze shifted back to the next items—several identical pouches.

Lein picked up one of the black pouches and read its description:

- (Resource Pouch)

contains 100 million units of metal resources.

- (Resource Pouch)

contains 100 million units of seed resources.

- (Resource Pouch)

contains 100 million units of building materials.

- (Resource Pouch)

contains 100 million units of potion resources.

…

There were ten similar pouches, each holding a massive quantity of basic resources.

Lein examined the pouches one by one. While their quality wasn't extraordinary, the sheer quantity offered was overwhelming, even for someone as powerful as he was. These items were ideal for establishing the foundation of an empire, especially given his current circumstances.

Lein finally finished inspecting the last pouch. He looked at Hanes and Lyra with a barely visible smile. "Alright," he said casually. "You've shown sincerity. I will forgive you."

Hanes and Lyra let out a sigh of relief. Their faces lit up with hope, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off their shoulders. Lein, on the other hand, maintained his faint smile. In his mind, he was already forming grand plans to make full use of these resources.

Shortly after Lein finished speaking, a soft voice reached his ears.

"My Lord, we also wish to apologize… please accept our compensation."

The source of the voice was Aurora and an elderly man, who was also a guardian. They stood within a transparent barrier created by Lein—a glowing shield that had kept them safe from the fierce battle between Hanes and Kaelath earlier.

Aurora, looking full of remorse, bowed her head, while the elderly man beside her held several items in his hands. They had prepared gifts to present to Lein as a gesture of their regret.

Lein, maintaining a calm demeanor, manipulated the protective barrier. Aurora and the elderly man moved closer smoothly, as if drawn by an invisible force. With an evaluative gaze, Lein began inspecting the items they brought.

Similar to what Hanes had offered, these items consisted of basic resources that Lein greatly needed, such as weapons, construction materials, and other essential supplies. Each item carried undeniable strategic value, even though their quality was relatively average.

After assessing the items, Lein finally gave a faint smile and said in a firm tone, "Very well, I accept your apology. Wait for me to deal with these assassins first."

His smile reflected the wisdom and authority befitting a new guardian. Lein understood that while he needed to be firm, showing mercy was also essential to cultivating respect.

With that matter resolved, Lein turned his gaze to the remaining guardians. Kaelath stood beside Aurelius, glaring at him with undisguised hostility. That glare burned like a blazing fire, reflecting the seething anger within him. On the other hand, Zkeron, his aura shrouded in dense black energy, appeared far more cautious.