Chapter 31: First Alliance

Leon couldn't hide his excitement over his new ability. His mind raced with ideas on how to utilize it for the benefit of his settlement.

Possible Uses of Transmutation with Extraction:

1. Refining and Upgrading Materials – Leon could extract raw resources like iron or copper and then transmute them into purer or more useful forms, potentially creating high-quality steel or even magical alloys.

2. Converting Excess Materials – If the settlement ever had an excess of one resource but lacked another, he could convert materials they had in abundance into something more valuable, reducing waste.

3. Enhancing Equipment – By breaking down unwanted weapons or armor into base materials, then reforging them into stronger, customized gear, he could ensure his forces were always well-equipped.

As Leon stood amidst the battlefield remnants, deep in thought about the possibilities, Edric approached him. His face was still lined with exhaustion from the battle, but his eyes held admiration.

"You never mentioned your ability was this powerful," Edric said, glancing at the stockpile of weapons, armor, and summoning scrolls that Leon had extracted.

Leon smirked. "Well, like you said, every Lord has their own strengths and weaknesses."

"Strengths? That's an understatement," Edric scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't think you realize just how insane this is. It takes me nearly two months to gather the same number of summoning scrolls you've obtained in just a few hours! And that's not even mentioning the sheer amount of materials and weapons you pulled from these corpses."

Leon chuckled but didn't deny it. His ability truly was unique, and now with transmutation, its potential had grown even further. "We're allies now, so my strength is yours too. Like I said before, I'll share twenty scrolls with you and half of the other loot."

Edric raised a brow. "I'll take the resources, but you should keep all the scrolls. You need all the manpower you can get right now."

Leon was a little surprised by the gesture. It was rare for someone in this cutthroat world to turn down such a valuable resource. But he also understood Edric's reasoning—Leon's settlement was still in its infancy and needed strong warriors to grow.

Even so, Leon insisted. "No, take them. You fought hard for your people. This is my way of showing goodwill."

Edric stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine. But in exchange, I'll send twenty of my best troops to escort you back and help carry the resources."

Leon agreed, shaking Edric's hand firmly. This alliance was becoming something solid—an actual foundation for cooperation. If they could support each other and grow together, their chances of survival in this brutal land would increase dramatically.

With their deal sealed, Edric spoke again, his tone turning serious. "I want to formally propose something. A trade agreement and a mutual defense pact. If either of us is attacked, we send aid whenever possible."

Leon didn't hesitate. "Agreed."

The two men shook hands again, this time sealing something greater than just a temporary exchange—this was the start of a long-term alliance.

It was already past noon. Leon had taken longer than expected to extract everything, and if they left now, they would be traveling through the night—a risky endeavor given the dangers lurking in the dark. So, he decided to stay for the day.

This also gave his men time to rest and familiarize themselves with Edric's settlement. They could learn more about the surrounding area, possible threats, and trade routes. Leon himself took the opportunity to have deeper discussions with Edric, particularly about his world.

Over a meal, Leon leaned forward, curiosity burning in his eyes. "You said you're from a different planet, right? Tell me about it."

Edric nodded, chewing on a piece of roasted mutton. "Yeah, my world is somewhat similar to Earth, but there are some key differences. For one, we have elves."

Leon nearly choked on his drink. "Elves? Seriously?"

Edric laughed. "Yeah, though they're not the tree-hugging, bow-wielding types you see in fantasy stories. They're more like... scholars. Masters of magic and long lifespans. I met a few back home."

Leon found that fascinating. He had assumed every Lord came from Earth, but if Edric was from a different world entirely, then that meant Lords were being pulled from multiple planets. Just how many worlds did the system connect to?

"There's also something else that sets my world apart," Edric continued. "We developed both technology and magic side by side. But because we tried to advance both at the same time, neither reached the full heights they could have. Instead, we created something in-between: Magi-Tech."

Leon raised a brow. "Magi-Tech?"

"It's a fusion of technology and magic. Less advanced than pure science but more sustainable. Energy-efficient, adaptable." Edric leaned back with a sigh. "It has its advantages, but in the end, it also made us stagnant in certain ways."

Leon nodded. He wasn't a tech expert, but from what Edric described, it sounded like his world had found a balance between science and magic, but at the cost of raw progress in either field.

Edric smirked. "I was actually a professor back in my world, you know. A researcher in Magi-Tech applications."

Leon blinked. "Wait, so you're saying that given the right resources, you could potentially recreate some of your world's technology here?"

Edric rubbed his chin. "It would be difficult, but not impossible. Right now, we're barely surviving, so research and innovation aren't exactly priorities. But if we ever reach a point where we can afford to experiment, then who knows?"

Leon's mind raced. This was huge. If Edric could bring even a fraction of his world's Magi-Tech knowledge into this world, it could give them an immense advantage.

But for now, that was still far off. Survival was the priority.

As dawn broke, Leon and his men prepared for their departure. The twenty soldiers Edric had promised were ready, along with carts filled with the resources they had collected.

Edric walked up to Leon before they left. "Be careful out there. The Covenant won't take this loss lightly."

Leon smirked. "Let them come. We'll be ready."

With that, they set off, traveling back toward Leon's settlement. They arrived just before sunset, bringing with them not just resources and soldiers, but something even more valuable—an alliance that could shape the future.