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"Sir, are we getting close?

" One of the mercenaries asked.

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"I don't know. We can be just a step away from the place I'm looking for, and we might be still weeks away.

" Layn shrugged his arms in response.

nIt was the fourth day since they first encountered the strange, monster-producing facility. Ever since that time, the changes started appearing all around them.

nAt first, the monsters turned far more intense. From their aggressiveness, through their power all the way to their density, all of those statistics jumped up, forcing Layn to withdraw all his forces and move as a single unit.

nBut that was only the beginning.

nAfter passing the first facility, Layn thought that it was just one of the few that sprawled all over the desert. Yet, barely a few kilometers deeper into the sands, another magically active mound of earth appeared, striking through the surface of the sand.

nBut what was worse, the amount and quality of magic within the second monster-producing facility (or how Layn decided on naming those strange places), was on a whole different level when compared to the first one Layn's group encountered.

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"Just what is this place?!

" Irea protested at some point, already tired of constantly fighting the monsters.

nSurely, every monster that fell to her hand would end up boosting her cultivation by a huge bit. But there was a limit to how much energy Irea could absorb like that. In fact, it wasn't any different for Layn. As such, throwing the devastating flares around turned from occasional flick aimed at cleansing the excessive energy from one's system, into and later hourly occurrence.

nSo deep in the desert, Layn's mercenaries couldn't handle the monsters on their own. Especially, given how their original number of twenty mercenaries, already shrunk to barely seven people.

nYet, Layn never had a single casualty. As long as people followed his orders and accepted his leadership, he would protect them from the monsters, even though it meant reversing the role of the employer and the employee in the contract they all signed.

nBut when fifteen out of the initial twenty-two mercenaries just up and left, Layn didn't even bother to see them off.

nThankfully, two days after the massive act of desertion, Layn finally noticed the changes he was on the lookout for.

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"Hey, Irea,

" the archmage called out to his girl.

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"Hey!

" Not receiving any feedback, Layn sold the girl a small yet strong nudge into the side, forcing her awake.

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"Huh? What?

" Irea had some trouble waking up from her daze, yet she ultimately managed to succeed at it.

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"Look around. Can you see something strange?

" Layn asked while sweeping his arm around as if he wanted to show the beauty of the world around them to the girl.

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"It's desert, some sand, some more sandstone, and sand to top it all off,

" Irea replied with a tired voice, before raising her exhausted eyes at Layn's face.

"What else could there be on the desert?

"

nHer words were formed into a question, but her tone turned it into a sarcastic remark.

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"Look again.

" Tom didn't pick up the glove Irea threw at his face, opting to calmly ask her again.

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"Okay, okay, I'm loo…

" Irea stopped mid-word.

"Where did this grass came from?!

"

nHer sudden shout instantly attracted the attention of the remaining mercenaries. In a moment, Pavrien, Antion, and five more of the men gathered around, alternating their eyes between the impossible sight and the face of their leader.

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"Sir? What is the meaning of this?

"

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"My lord? Any clues?

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nEven though the group was much smaller than before, people in it were far more active. Maybe it was due to their growing sense of pride and attachment to Layn that they somehow managed to act more open towards him, maybe it was just the sheer shock of seeing the grass in what was supposed to be an endless desert.

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"I think we are slowly nearing the place,

" Layn said in a calm tone while allowing only a small, mysterious smile on his face.

n'The truth is, I will know we are here only when I actually find a suitable location to build!' The archmage lamented in his thoughts. 'But just how am I supposed to tell them this?'

nFor a moment, Layn was troubled with the situation, before finally shaking his head free of his doubts. 'It doesn't matter. Seeing the grass, it seems my earlier guess was correct,' he thought, sending yet another glance at the sparse blades of the grass.

nIn the end, Layn's objective didn't change all that much. Just like when he first stepped into the desert, he wanted to find a place to establish his academy and later turn it into a sect. Doing so on the crossroads between worlds wasn't something risky, but something so basic that Layn couldn't really understand how no one else could figure it out before him.

nBut now, after witnessing the wonders of the monster-producing facilities, Layn's checklist to decide on the place grew a bit.

nFirst off, it had to be rich in natural resources. From trees to build some primitive buildings, through fertile land and water to take care of the most basic needs of his followers, Layn's desired location was already quite hard to find even in the outside world.

nBut then, two more terms appeared.

nFirst off, it had to be near a place where the monsters would be produced. Initially, it would allow Layn, Irea, and their disciples to obtain a huge amount of energy necessary to push for the greater strength, be it from cultivation or from magic arts. Yet, the usability of those strange places didn't end there.

n'I wonder if I could demolish such place and steal the source of its power?' This single question was stuck in Layn's mind, making him unable to focus on the day-to-day matters. Because the opportunities bound to possessing such a powerful source of energy were limitless.

nObviously, there was still one more requirement for any place to satisfy Layn's wishes.

nIt couldn't be anywhere close to the barrier that separated the other world from the access to the desert.

nJust like it would be insanely inconvenient for other humans to discover his whereabouts right after entering the desert, it would be just as troubling if some other race, possibly hostile to humans, were to instantly draw to the lands he would put a claim for.

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"Hey, sir, come and have a look!

" It was only a few hours later when Pavrien suddenly rushed to Layn with excitement all over his face.

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"Calm down, boy,

" Layn shrugged in surprise, taking a step back when faced with the charge of the young mercenary.

"What happened?

"

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"Sir, we found a paradise!

" Pavrien exclaimed, even daring to go as far as to grab Layn's hand and pull him in the direction where he came from.

nIntrigued by the sudden situation, Layn put his guard up just in case, before beckoning at Irea and following after the man. And soon, he could see with his very own eyes what place Pavrien was so fond off to call it a paradise.

nIt was an oasis. While their group left the sands of the desert a few hours ago already, they simply switched from the sea of sand to the sea of grass. And in a sense, surviving in a grand steppe like the one they were traveling through, wasn't any less challenging than doing so on the desert.

nBut with the place that Pavrien found out, Layn could only stand still and attempt to regain his breath.

nThat's how perfect it was.

nA huge, apparently sweet-watered lake spread all the way into the nothingness of the horizon, indicating just how enormous it has to be. But what was even more important, was the fact that once one reached the shore, he or she would be able to see the traces of a forest on the shore just within the range of their eyes!

nBut that wasn't even the most important factor. It was something that Layn doubted that his mercenaries noticed… But this entire lake was no different from a monster-producing facility!

nIt had the same aura, the same stench of condensed and automatically operated magic, the same fluctuation of energy whenever a new monster would come out of the automated production line…

nAnd most important of all, there were no signs of anyone ever attending this place before!

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"Pavrien…

" For a moment, Layn was at loss for words. Seeing him like that, the young mercenary cuddled in himself, most likely expecting a scolding.

"This is exactly the place I was looking for!

"

nLayn suddenly shouted, before reaching to his bags and pulling out a huge sack filled with mana stones.

nOver the course of their journey to the desert, Layn managed to gather more than enough stones to recreate every single piece of equipment he had right now. While he stopped keeping the count somewhere halfway through their trip, there were at least two hundred grade one stones hidden in the pouch.

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"Here, catch.

" Layn threw the bag at Pavrien without any regard for the value of the stones within.

"Distribute it evenly amongst everyone in the group and gather them here,

" Layn ordered. Even though they were traveling as a single unit, it didn't mean they were sticking shoulder to shoulder.

nGiven the vastness of the desert and later the steppe, as long as they kept each other within sights, it was as good as traveling in a single, condensed unit.

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"Everyone's here,

" a few moments later, Pavrien uttered through his tightened lips while his forehead overflowed with sweat.

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"Good,

" Layn praised the man before turning to what remained out of his initial group..

"You did well to accompany me here, and now you are due your reward. But before you will turn around and attempt to make your way back, how about hearing the true proposition of mine, the true reason why I made you follow me through those unpleasant lands?

"

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