Monster Integration

"I have to say, young man, this artifact of yours really makes this old man jealous," Grandmaster Salvador said to Jim as we walked into his artifact.

It is not a simple artifact but special works artifact of alchemy; its grade seemed even higher than the winery artifact I have.

It is not my first time coming here; this place has become an unofficial place of the alchemical division of the project. Nearly all the alchemical products required by the project are crafted in one of many rooms of this artifact.

"Little Jim, it is really quite an impressive artifact," said the old woman walking beside Grandmaster Salvador with a glint in her eyes.

The woman is very old, so old that it looked like she might die any second, and she might, considering she is over four hundred years old.

"You old hoarder, don't even think about it. You should think about your own treasures; I am going to have them all once you are dead," said Grandmaster Salvador, but the very next moment, he shuddered as she looked at him sharply as he mentioned taking her treasures.

This old woman is Grandmaster Katarina, the oldest and most experienced alchemist. People called her old hoarder or shiny dragon.

She had a habit of hoarding things; it is said her storage contains the treasure comparable to the Grand Lords. Lord Hunt had to go to her for some very precious resources that the project required.

Soon, we reached the hall, which had nine huge vats and numerous alchemical instruments; all of them would be required for the thing we were going to craft.

As we appeared, the old women began to move the vats, checking each one of them; she even dipped her finger in the blood and tasted it; she even tasted the blood of Grand Lord class monster and did not even shudder while most of them might explode we do that.

The old woman might look feeble, but she could kill all of us; even Lord Hunt beside me would not be her match. She is quasi-Grand Lord, after all.

"Nine Blood Burning Essence; it is really a great thing you have found, young man; even this old woman feeling exciting at the thought of crafting it," she said while shuddering excitedly before her eyes became serious.

"Little Jim, little Sal, let's craft this wonderful thing," she said as she appeared center of the hall, her speed so fast that she wasn't even able to see it; I felt like she had teleported.

Hearing that Jim, Grandmaster Salvador, and twelve master alchemists behind them moved. They begin to layout formation and move the alchemical artifacts.

Nine Blood Burning Essence is an extremly complicated alchemical formula, and it became even harder when I replaced some ingredients, which made it even harder for Grandmaster Salvador has suggested that we ask the help of this old woman, and thank god, she found the recipe a challenge.

Grandmaster Katarina did not craft things unless it was a request from the council or Grand Lords. She usually spent her time teaching and scouring the marketplaces for things to enrich her collection.

When I had first found the formula, I had throught Jim, along with some help from me, would be more than enough to craft it, but I was so wrong. It is far more complicated than I thought and requires a skill that even Jim barely has.

It also requires a lot of people; there are several things one has to do during a crafting process, and one Grandmaster is far from enough.

"Begin!"

The old woman said an hour loudly later; it took them an hour to make the preparation and double and triple check them.

Tuck Tuck Tuck

As they begin, the vats open one another in a rhythmic fashion, and the heavy smell of blood clouded the hall. The nine vats of blood were from the nine Grandmasters monsters, while one was from the Grand Lord level monster.

It is a good thing the Master alchemist is under protection; otherwise, this blood would have killed them; even I begin to feel hot as the smell of Grand Lord level monster's blood filled my nostrils.

Nine types of blood flew out of the vats and began to fill various artifacts while some swirled around them. A few seconds later, the resources have also come out and begin to go through the different processes by the fifteen Grandmasters.

"This Nine Blood Burning Essence is something; the council is very much looking forward to it," said Lord Hunt with desire in his eyes as he looked at the process.

"If it worked as the recipe says, then I am sure the council would be the only one to benefit from it," I said with a smile and nodded with anticipation.

The project has not reached the height that its methods and resources of it would be useful to council members. Though, they have enjoyed some things like the wine I had crafted, the pure soul waters, and petals of stainless blood soul lotus.

This Nine Blood Burning Essence would also be extremly helpful, not only to them but to all the Grandmaster.

The council had already decided that they would send some to all Grandmasters and select a few Masters as a reward for their unceasing efforts in the war.

I think, with the number of resources we are using, we would not have a problem doing that.

I would also not require much of it, as I work with kings to Master Tyrants with a few Grandmasters, and all of them would require a diluted version of it. Even I don't know if I will be able to take it in its purest form, considering we are using the blood of Grand Lord class Monster.

Still, I am excited about it, as this resource is going to help the project tremendously. With its help, I might be able to make more masters practice art; till now, I had succeeded with only three, and that is when I count Leonard in them.