Monster Integration

“Thank you for coming, Lady Atkins,” I said as I opened the door; “How can I reject your invitation, Grandmaster,” she replied and came inside.

“Once again, congratulations on your breakthrough; with your, the chances of us willing the war would be much greater,” I said as I sat across her.

“What’s the use of this power when I couldn’t even use it to fight the war,” she said, looking down at her hands. “It is a matter of few days, Lady Atkins. I am sure there will be an exit in the next challenge,” I said with the confidence that I was not feeling in my heart.

“I hope so,” she replied and sighed.

She had leveled up to the Grand Lord; it came in quite a surprise; it should not have been considering what her bloodline is. She is powerful enough that her organization had marked their candidate for the Pyramid council during the last war; she would have had a seat the moment she gained the level of High-Grandmaster.

She would have had if not for the Grimm attacking her and forcing her to sleep in the hall of sleep.

In the short period since she had woken up, she had already proved herself with merit; she is very powerful; those of the same level would have a very hard time beating her, and when the battle is around the water, they could forget that.

She is the most powerful elemental manipulator we have; she is unbeatable in water.

“Have you come across the Grimm Grand Lords, Lady Atkins?” I asked; I know she had; I had read the memories. “Yes, I have come across both of the bastards; they are very tricky to deal with, dangerous,” she said, giving me a warning.

“I am sure they wouldn’t have been able to escape; if the battle had been near the water,” I said, too, and she smiled.

“I was wondering if you could provide me with data about the Grimm; I would be really grateful if you do,” I asked, to which she once again gave me a look before opening her mouth.

“You are a powerful Grandmaster; with that shield of yours, you might even be able to take a few weak moves them, but make no mistake, they have the power to kill you easily,” she warned; to that, I smiled.

“I have first-hand experience with how powerful they are; I barely survived Aege,” I said, and it couldn’t surprise her.

“Now, that would be a story I would like to hear someday,” she said, and I just smiled at that.

“I have made detailed notes of the battle against both of the Grimm’s Grand Lords; I hope it will help you beat those bastards when you level up to Grand Lord class,” she said and handed me the two crystals, which I immediately sent to my core to study.

There is a very high chance I will come against one of two Grimms, and before that happens, I want to be completely prepared.

While it is frustrating that I could not join the war after accomplishing everything. I still could help, if I am able to kill any Grand Lord, it will be a tremendous help, and I will do just that.

We made small talk when finally, the second door clicked open, and Jill walked outside, looking fully rested and refreshed.

“I am hope you had made something good to eat, Michael, because I am ravenou” Jill stopped mid-way when she finally noticed Lady Atkins.

“Lady Atkins,” she greeted immediately as she saw her; “Princess Jillian,” replied Lady Atkins; using the archaic title that Hawthorn Sea used for their heir. Though not all heir received this title, only the truly exceptions ones; in three and half millennia of hawthorn sea, only five people have received the title.

The others who received it had all gone to become Grand Lord, and Jill, too, would not have any problem reaching that stage; it is already a surprise that she did not take that step.

“The dinner is ready; I finished it a minute before Lady Atkins have arrived,” I said and invited them to the dining table.

I removed the energy cover covering the table, revealing the sumptuous feast. “It had been a while since I ate what you made, and it seemed like your culinary skills have improved tremendously,” she said, looking at the dishes in front of her.

“Of course,” I said as I removed the wine bottle from the storage.

The moment she saw the bottles, Jill’s eyes flared.

“You said you have no bottle left,” she said accusingly. “Yes, I have only brewed around hundred bottles; I had given you three, but you wanted more; I did not have more for anyone to give,” I replied.

“Aside for yourself,” she accused; to that, I smiled and poured the wine into her glass.

This is the latest wine I have brewed; usually, I brew in large quantities, at least a thousand bottles at the brew, but I could not for this one: the recipe demands resources that are too rare, some including the elemental divine crystals.

So, I was only able to brew only hundred twenty-three bottles after giving some to Jim, who helped me brew, and council members and Grand Lords, who provided some resources; I was left with less than twenty-five bottles; I have been using this wine very economically.

I had even sealed ten and buried in my core; I will take them out when they aged at least a decade, which in my core would take about three and a half years; nearly a year had passed.

I only need to wait for two and a half years before I take them out; I just hope I survive for that long.

Chink!

“Let us cheer for our survival in these challenges,” I said, and we clinked the glasses before taking a sip, which immediately forced the three of us to close our eyes.

“This wine is really something, Grandmaster,” said Lady Atkins with a clear shock in her eyes. This is a wine for Grand Lords; all the resources I had used were Grand Lord class. If not for that, I wouldn’t have brewed just a hundred and twenty-three bottles of it.

After taking a sip, we started on the dinner, which again surprised Lady Atkins; Jill, too, had been surprised, but she was quickly able to control her emotions, as she already knew what to expect.

We continued with dinner while talking about different things; I got too many things, one that put a huge smile on my face. It had turned out that another member of the council had become a Grand Lord; they left a few minutes before the top seven challenges began.

The news made me extremely happy, especially after they told me about the number of Grimm Grand Lords they have come across and counting all the Grand Lords.

It is five, a huge number; these are the ones we have come across. There might be some who leveled up stealthily, who left or hid their power.

It will be good if we can deal with them in this place.