Ascension: Strongest Fateless Mage

Zevien successfully returned to the city and finally met up with everyone at the orphanage.

He also asked Tarto for the magic item he had promised him, but Tarto told Zevied to wait for a few days and disappeared.

The next day…

"You haven't attended the academy for a long time. Everyone was wondering where you disappeared so suddenly," Dan said as he and Zevien entered the class.

Zevien entered the class with a grin and announced, "Hey, kiddos. Daddy's home!"

*silence…*

Everyone looked at him silently for a second before bursting out laughing.

"Welcome back, daddy!" Sophia laughed.

"Lord Father, how was your journey?" Warmos said with a somber expression.

"Yeah, I heard you went on some thrilling adventure?"

"Nah, it was a business trip. Apparently, Godfather has a high profile underworld business."

Everyone laughed and joked before Touma-sir arrived and started the class.

"As you know, the magic labyrinths have changed, and you all will be entering your respective magic labyrinths after a few days," Touma spoke with a severe expression, "we have collected data about everything that has changed, and I will tell you about it so that you can be prepared when you go inside."

The students were eager to know about those changes and listened with rapt attention.

But Touma didn't speak and instead activated the whiteboard and listed the data on it.

"This is it. Read and remember it so that you won't get confused when you encounter these things," Touma said as he sat down on the chair.

=###=

1. Each magic labyrinth has become a complete world. Native people, new species, governing structures, and such things exist in each labyrinth now. But it remains a dog-eat-dog world.

2. Magic Quest: We can now initiate a magic quest by interacting with objects and people inside the magic labyrinth. Completing a magic quest gives a random chain.

3. Chains: Chains appear on one's wrist. We can activate a chain by our will, which will lead us to a thrilling adventure where we get a chance to receive random rewards. Only one chain can be activated at a time. So far, the best and never before seen unique reward people seem to get is something known as Relic.

4. Relic: A relic is a unique incomplete magical item. One can complete a relic by fulfilling its requirement. So far, we don't have much data on a completed relic. But completing a relic gives one a Trial Crystal.

5. Trial Crystal: A new item that was not inside magic labyrinths before. Trial Crystals can be used by infusing mana in it, which will open a portal. The portal leads to a short trial where people can increase their magic power depending on the performance inside the trial.

=###=

...

Afterward, the students attended the rest of the classes. Zevien also stayed in the academy until the end of the academic day.

After the academy was over, they went to Zenith Corp and started working.

Zevien first went to visit all of his projects and checked their progression before returning to the main office to complete the cards with Vernisia.

"Boss, we will probably complete the game after ten days. But once it is completed, we will need to set up a production line to mass-produce these cards. I have already designed the structure and calculated the estimated cost of production," Yowen said as he looked at Zevien with a somber expression.

"How much?" Zevien put the carving tool down and asked.

Vernisia gulped as she knew the number would be very big.

"Six hundred million Lopax credits for the machines," Yowen said before pausing for a second and continuing after taking a sharp breath, "every month, we will need five hundred thousand Lopax Credits to roll out the number of cards we have decided. On top of that, the advertising and marketing cost will be a hundred million to a billion depending on the scale."

Zevien plainly nodded before activating his Digi-watch and sending a message to Raven.

[I need one billion Lopax credits. But before that, I want you and the others that are interested in the business to come here and look at Zenith Corp. It's time that I show you the second flagship product of my company.]

After sending the message, Zevien turned to Yowen, "th-"

*Tink…*

Zevien was interrupted by his Digi-watch, but he smiled broadly when he saw the bank notification's content and the message.

He looked at Yowen and said with a laugh, "start preparing for the production now. We got one billion Lopax credit, and I will deposit all of it in our company's account in a minute."

"What?!"

Vernisia and Yowen were shocked to the core.

"Who gave you a billion credits so easily?" Yowen asked with doubt.

"Miss Raven," Zevien grinned.

Vernisia raised her eyebrows, "it seems she is confident in this company."

"And in Zevien," Yowen laughed, "also, Miss Raven has already seen the Spell Gauntlet, so even though she doesn't know about this product, she knows that Zevien can pay her back quickly after launching the spell gauntlet."

"Indeed. Anyway, let's continue with the work. Yowen, you can start preparing for the production. Contact who you need to contact and pay them so they can start right away."

"On it!"

…

After working until 5 in the afternoon, Zevien and Vernisia met up with Dan and Erica at the dojo to train. They trained until 7 pm before leaving the dojo and holding a party at the orphanage for the kids because Zevien was out for a long time, and the kids had missed him.

They brought a barbecue stall and ingredients before setting them up in the orphanage's garden.

Vernisia and Zevien cooked barbecues while Dan and Erica prepared ingredients.

Kids were eating with big smiles on their faces as Zevien, and the others occasionally teased them.

"I hope we are not imposing on you on this seemingly joyous occasion."

Suddenly, Zevien and others saw two people flying over the orphanage's gates and entering inside.

"Uncle Lucas. Aunt Hilary….," Vernisia stood up as some nervousness appeared in her eyes, but she remained composed and asked, "I wonder what brings you here today? Did you find Galen's murderer yet?"