"Well, that settles it then. What you want to know is whether you can use this magic normally outside, right?" Makarov smiled, jumped onto the desk, and tossed a perfectly intact fruit tart to Ezreal. The solemn and dignified atmosphere from moments ago vanished without a trace.
"Go ahead and use it. Not many people recognize Life Alchemy. Information about it is mostly from ancient texts and word-of-mouth. Besides, it's not dark magic, so even if it's discovered, there won't be any problems."
"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. I was really afraid of being captured as a dark Mage," Ezreal said with a laugh, stuffing the tart into his mouth.
The fruit tart tasted pretty good, not much different from modern cakes—a combination of bread, cream, and an unknown sweet and sour jam.
"You weren't scared when you were learning it, yet you've already mastered such profound magic. I thought you hadn't come to see me lately because you were focused on cultivating Amaterasu." Makarov rolled his eyes and continued, "Tell me, what's your second matter?"
"The legendary lost empire, Faramir," Ezreal said, sitting back on the sofa, picking up the parchment scroll from the table, and gently unrolling it flat.
"It was once famous for its mastery in crafting magic crystals and magical items."
"During its peak, it was known as the 'pinnacle of magic manufacturing artistry,' and the magic crystal purification process and magic inscription techniques it created are still widely circulated in the magic world today. Later, it was destroyed in a war."
"I found information about this empire in the library."
Makarov narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Ezreal with a hint of surprise in his voice: "Faramir Empire? I didn't expect you to be interested in it."
Makarov walked over and sat opposite Ezreal, looking down at the ancient, yellowed parchment on the table.
"This parchment records a noble from the Faramir Empire who was skilled in the art of magic-sealing stone creation," Ezreal said, pointing a finger at the parchment.
"Magic Nullifier Alfred."
"Magic-Sealing Knight Alfred?" Makarov paused, then continued, "Is that the person rumored to have no magical power whatsoever, who earned a noble title through personal martial arts?"
"Exactly," Ezreal nodded, continuing, "According to the parchment, Alfred seemed to have a natural resistance to magic; any magic would lose its effect near him."
"This made him particularly unique in the magic-prevalent Faramir Empire."
"Using his special talent, he continuously practiced martial arts, wore armor made of magic-sealing stone, and wielded a shield and sword crafted from magic-sealing stone. He shone brightly in wars and was the only person to be granted nobility in the Faramir Empire without mastering magic."
"After rising from commoner to noble, Alfred dedicated himself to researching magic-sealing stone manufacturing, making significant contributions to the empire."
Makarov looked thoughtful: "I see. I remember you have a stone monster that can split magic and has good resistance to general magic, right?"
"That's right," Ezreal exclaimed, marveling at the old man's wisdom, his gaze burning: "You've probably guessed it, haven't you?"
"You want to fuse magic-sealing stone with your stone monster through Life Alchemy to strengthen it, is that right?" Makarov stated with certainty.
"Yes, that's why I dug out this parchment scroll. Alfred had already passed away before Faramir was destroyed, so his family was less affected by the war. This scroll records the location of the Alfred Family."
Ezreal turned the parchment over to show Makarov. The content wasn't extensive; besides Alfred's personal life written in ancient script, it only contained an old map.
"Magic Beast Mountains Asgard!" Ezreal's finger pointed at a red-eyed tiger head icon on the map.
"It's too dangerous. That place has a primitive ecosystem, teeming with magic beasts. Even with your strength, exploring recklessly could put your life at risk." Makarov's tone became serious, and he paused before continuing, "The Guild's collection also has magic-sealing stones. While not many, they should be enough to strengthen your stone monster. I can authorize you to use all of them, and you can pay us back when you earn money later."
The old man's concern warmed Ezreal's heart.
But he had a reason to go to the Magic Beast Mountains that he couldn't ignore.
Ezreal gently shook his head, a hint of regret in his expression, and slowly said, "I went to look at the Guild's magic-sealing stones shortly after mastering Life Alchemy. I originally thought that since I had some money, if they were usable, I would write an application to buy some from you."
"But after seeing them, I realized they were roughly made and of poor quality. Even if I fused all of them, the Stone Beetle wouldn't improve to the extent I wanted."
"While high-quality magic-sealing stones are available on the market, they aren't widely circulated, and the quantity is far from enough. This ore has unique properties; ordinary people don't need it, and Mages are very averse to it, so few people mine or purify it."
"If I want to achieve the level of enhancement I desire, only the magic-sealing stones produced by the Alfred Family, who excelled in magic-sealing stone manufacturing, will likely be useful."
Ezreal looked at the old man's worried expression, smiled, and said very seriously, "You don't need to worry; I won't gamble with my life."
"Exploring the Asgard Mountains alone and finding Alfred's ruins in a place teeming with magic beasts is quite difficult, so I've decided to take on one commission and then post another."
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Makarov was puzzled.
"I found a capture mission in the Guild's B-rank commissions!" Ezreal's eyes lit up. He drew a circle with his finger, reopened the teleportation gate, pulled out a commission form, and excitedly handed it to Makarov.
Makarov took the commission form and read out the mission details: "Seeking one Titan Boa egg. Commission amount: 500,000. Commissioner: Viscount Chahar."
Ezreal crossed his arms, confidently saying, "Titan Boas are relatively ancient magic beasts, possessing both water and earth magic powers. They are amphibious, enormous in size, with adult Titan Boas reaching 20 meters in length, or even larger. They are ferocious, preying on Swamp Crocodiles, which are also ancient species."
"These ancient magic beasts are usually found only in relatively primitive rainforests or mountain ranges. And the Asgard Mountains, rarely trodden by humans, happen to have records of such magic beasts living there."
Ezreal's lips curved upwards: "I've read the detailed mission description. Viscount Chahar is looking for a suitable contracted beast for his young daughter. Adult Titan Boas have the combat power of a B-rank Mage. Their massive size and proficiency in both water and earth magic align perfectly with the Chahar Family's ancestral 'Pledge of the Knight' magic."