Chapter 416

Chapter 416: Mososbury City

With the three potions handed out, all issues were naturally resolved.

The old mage leading the group had always been on good terms with Galantis. To him, the Black Dragon Priestess didn’t just receive a costly Dragon Breath Potion but also Midi’s clear stance, which left him deeply satisfied.

As for Zaknavan and Mason, now in possession of the potions, they focused silently on cultivation throughout the journey, eager to achieve breakthroughs.

With the leaders keeping quiet, the other dark elves naturally had “no objections” either.

Thus, the Wolf Spider merchant caravan traveled peacefully and arrived at Mososbury City after days of hastened travel.

This underground city sprawled across interconnected caverns filled with stone pillars and structures. At its heart stood a colossal glowing stalactite radiating multicolored light.

The shifting hues of this stalactite marked the passage of time. Together with the luminous stone pillars in each cavern, it cast a sprawling web of light, bathing the entire city in extravagant illumination.

Rumors claimed this costly setup existed because many dark elves in Mososbury needed light for reading.

After all, their infrared vision couldn’t distinguish between cold paper and ink in darkness.

Light, it seemed, remained a symbol of a civilization’s advancement.

Walking through the city’s streets, Midi felt as though he wandered a twilight path in a bustling Belmar Kingdom town.

Galantis and her companions, however, had no time for reflection. The Wolf Spider tribe dark elves swiftly guided Midi through alleys until they reached a shop.

This modest storefront was the tribe’s most valuable asset in Mososbury City.

Its caretakers were clever, trusted tribe members stationed long-term to gather rumors and trade goods.

Given the Shaded Realm’s limited prosperity, even Mososbury couldn’t absorb a tribe caravan’s entire cargo in mere days.

Key figures like the old mage, Black Dragon Priestess, and Tribe Warriors couldn’t linger to guard goods either.

Thus, the tribe relied on dedicated caretakers for sales.

This time was no different.

After unloading and cataloging the cargo, Galantis immediately dragged Midi and the others to Mososbury’s central broad path, abandoning the shop to its caretakers.

This made sense—shopping thrilled far more than selling.

Even buying for others still counted as buying.

As a woman, Galantis naturally seized the chance to spend the tribe’s funds rather than delegate it.

“First, let’s hunt for rare materials!” The priestess glanced at her list and strode ahead with such ease she might’ve been a local.

“I could handle that,” Sherlock offered.

Most materials were for his Alchemy Workshop, and splitting up would boost efficiency.

The old alchemist believed this logical.

But the dark elves who often accompanied Galantis shot Sherlock pitying looks.

A frosty glare from the priestess followed. “Sherlock, you’ve visited Mososbury too seldom to grasp its customs. I’ll handle purchases—you just verify the materials’ authenticity.”

As Galantis marched off without turning, Midi and the others exchanged wry glances.

Just how much did this woman adore shopping?

At least shopping enthusiasts usually bargained well.

Even the alchemy shops in Mososbury City couldn’t stand against Galantis’s sharp bargaining, eventually giving in. After calculations, her haggling secured roughly a ten percent discount on materials overall—a substantial sum.

“Material prices are easier to estimate, so bargaining’s simpler. Slave market deals are child’s play compared to this,” the Black Dragon Priestess stated matter-of-factly, then grew serious. “But this time, we’re not after slaves. Equipment is the real battleground.”

Once materials were bought, she dismissed Sherlock and headed to the equipment zone.

Within thousands of kilometers, only Mososbury City—the regional power—boasted proper alchemical factories. Nearby tribes might craft excellent potions, but weapons from these factories outclassed handmade ones. The factory’s pressed sword blanks surpassed a month’s work by skilled blacksmiths in both quality and speed. Tribal forging stood no chance.

Thus, Mososbury City monopolized equipment production, ensuring military dominance while making Galantis’s haggling daunting. Yet for the enthusiastic priestess, the struggle itself mattered more than the outcome.

She marched straight to the city’s largest equipment shop: *Dragon Spear*. In the Shaded Realm, names bearing “dragon” signaled prestige. Galantis claimed the shop was backed by the Death Scorpion family, Mososbury’s most powerful clan. Most weapons here came from alchemical factories, guaranteed in quality—even offering maintenance services.

Dark elves from the Wolfspider tribe gaped at the shop’s arsenal: swords, bows, alchemical guns, rare Spinning Blades, and Fist Blades, each labeled with materials, forging methods, and magical effects. The service rivaled Belmar Kingdom’s seasoned merchants.

Zaknavan and Mason, city-born, showed no surprise. Midi ignored the displays, focused solely on weapons. He’d come to modify his gear for direct combat—ditching agile dual swords for heavier arms like hammers, two-handed axes, or greatswords.

Hammers were too clumsy, effective only against armored foes but useless against swift blood-sucking bats. Two-handed axes packed power but had limited reach, vulnerable in group fights. Midi settled on the two-handed greatsword—versatile for mounted or group combat, balancing weight and speed.

True, a greatsword couldn’t match an axe’s raw force or a hammer’s crushing power. Clash a greatsword against a hammer of equal material, and the sword would break. But Midi, a Demon Swordman reborn with twenty years’ experience, trusted his skill to compensate. He’d wielded greatswords across Belmar’s battlefields, knowing their strengths and flaws.

“The two-handed greatsword,” he decided. After nodding to Galantis—still fiercely bargaining—he approached the greatsword section.

Dragon Spear’s selection didn’t disappoint: six distinct greatswords, varying in grip length, blade curvature, and enchantments. For Midi, the choice was simple.

“Bring me the heaviest one,” he ordered.