Making Mana Batteries was expensive and wasteful, but it was something Aegon had already considered long before starting. Others might find the idea problematic, but he was different.

He possessed the system, after all.

"I've already solved the material problem," Aegon said, smiling with confidence. "I can bring the same effect with other materials."

"It's extremely hard to find a combination containing the same rhythm," Amon said, glancing at him sharply. "Are you sure about that, boy?"

"One hundred percent sure!" Aegon grinned at that proudly.

A year ago, the Void Chamber had made the system behave strangely, so Aegon didn't push his luck and began using the system in other places instead.

That's how he obtained the [Eye of the Primordial Appraiser] during his sixteenth birthday. Through it, he read the properties of countless mystical materials, and with his other special eyes, [Mystic Eye: Eyes of Truth], he checked their rhythm, resonance, frequency, and hidden structures.

The combination of both eyes was terrific, almost unfair, giving him the materials he needed for the Mana Batteries.

He didn't think much about expenses at the start, since saving time and maximizing proficiency were crucial. But now, things were different.

"Good! But the main problem still stands," Grandpa Sam said, sighing in defeat for some reason. "You can't mass produce this no matter what fancy tricks you pull."

Aegon understood it clearly. Why would any RuneMaster waste their time making these Mana Batteries if they weren't paid a ridiculous amount?

And if he kept the prices high, then people simply wouldn't buy them, definitely not at the massive scale he wanted, at least.

Unless he made them cheaply available, his goals would remain nothing more than lofty dreams.

"I have no solution yet, but I have plans," Aegon said honestly, his eyes brimming with confidence. "I created this in a single year, so I dare say I'll find the solution sooner or later."

Amon smiled and said, "I like your confidence, so here's a tip from me. The Academy has discovered many Ancient things throughout the centuries. Maybe you can find something useful among them."

"And I'm sure there's a catch to that?" Aegon grew immediately vigilant. Nothing good ever came from trusting this nasty old man.

"Just the good old rules, really. It's the treasury of the Academy, so either you give an absurd amount of Merit Points, or..." He paused, smiling gleefully when he saw Aegon's irritated expression. "Win the Supremacy Games."

"Huh?" Aegon got confused for a moment.

"Remember its rewards, boy," Grandpa Sam said. "It includes one reward of choosing from the Grand Treasury of the Academy."

"Yes, I know that, but how am I supposed to win it?" Aegon sighed helplessly. "All students can participate in it."

"That's your problem." Amon shrugged casually. "You can participate this year or wait for the next one and get the rewards then. With your ridiculous talent, I doubt it'll take long."

"Don't remind me," Grandpa Sam groaned. "Heavens are too unfair."

Aegon ignored their chatter and thought about Amon's offer. It was great, very great to be honest, and also completely reasonable.

The Academy had a history spanning thousands of years. The relics, artefacts, information, ancient scrolls, manuals, and everything they collected were simply unfathomable.

If he somehow managed to get inside, he could use his eyes to extract all the information. With his perfect memory, he only needed to glance at everything once, and he would remember it forever.

But the Supremacy Games were one of the grandest events of the entire Human Domain. All the top geniuses would compete with each other in their prime. All attention, every year, was focused on the Supremacy Games.

It also meant that all students from First Year to Fourth Year and even the ones who graduated but stayed in the Academy to use resources and handle their Houses could participate.

In a way, those older students stayed because of the Supremacy Games. Their entire future essentially depended on it.

Aegon could demolish his colleagues easily, and even compete against second and third years, but the ones at the very top were on a completely different level.

He was just sixteen, with only a single year to prepare properly. They were in their twenties, peak physical years, with years of accumulated experience. The gap was enormous.

"I'll think about it," Aegon finally said after giving it careful thought. "I need some time to decide and talk to others."

Supremacy Games wasn't an individual-focused competition, it was a group one. So he needed to talk to his friends and see what they could do.

"Don't take too long," Amon said, smiling brightly as if he had achieved some secret goal. "The exams are over, so the Supremacy Games will start soon."

"I know."

Meanwhile, Grandpa Sam stared deeply at the Mana Battery and said, "I think I can solve your other problems. Instead of taking Essence from the atmosphere, which would affect it, why don't you take it from underground?"

Aegon's eyes lit up as he nodded. "Yes, I thought of that too. It would help in preservation of nature as well."

"How?" Amon asked, intrigued.

"To get Mana Stones, we mine deep underground, leaving everything hollow. Mana Stones only form under immense pressure, so once we mine an area dry, it becomes permanently useless. It's basically resource depletion."

"I understand that," Amon nodded, already guessing his plan. "Then are you going to directly extract it?"

"Exactly!" Aegon exclaimed. "It was impossible before, but with Mana Batteries, it becomes possible. We can continue changing extraction locations, letting old ones recover and become fertile again. A cycle that won't harm nature."

"That damned Arnold… what did he produce," Amon muttered, amazed at Aegon's insight. "Impressive plan. No… that's an understatement, because if you're successful, it'll change too much. Even mundane humans would get a better life, let alone others."

"His genes come from his mother," Grandpa Sam reminded him. "Both of them have the potential to carry the Empire on their back."

"Ah! Yes, how could I forget her?" Amon chuckled softly. "She practically brought the Empire to its current advantage against the demons."

Although he was curious about his mother, Aegon didn't want to learn about her from these two clowns, so he changed the topic.

"But there's a huge problem. I'm broke as hell. I can't buy huge amounts of fertile land, especially since I need money for materials too."

"Don't fret over small details," Grandpa Sam waved his hand nonchalantly. "Remember Count Wanderwalt?"

Aegon stretched his memory a little to remember that forgettable name before exclaiming lightly, "Ah, that guy who was doing slavery?"

"Yes, the one you reported and got executed," Grandpa Sam nodded proudly. "His County, Thornspire, has a large amount of ores, so you can take that. Use it however you like."

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