The Extra's Rise

Chapter 584 - 584: Ebony Tower (4)

The elevator carried us higher through the Ebony Tower, past levels I hadn't seen during our initial journey to Paul's office. As we approached the 210th floor, the ambient magical energy grew noticeably denser, pressing against my consciousness like a physical weight.

"Fair warning," Paul said as the elevator slowed to a stop, "the archive can be overwhelming on first viewing. We have materials here that most necromancers consider mythical."

The doors opened to reveal a corridor that immediately felt different from the rest of the tower. The walls here weren't just black stone—they were lined with containment fields that hummed with barely restrained power. Protective wards layered upon protective wards created a sensation of walking through concentrated magic.

At the end of the corridor stood Master Valdris, the archive curator. He was an elderly man whose appearance immediately commanded respect—tall and lean with silver hair that seemed to hold traces of ethereal light. His robes were simpler than Paul's, but the magical aura surrounding him marked him as someone of extraordinary capability.

"Deputy Tower Master," Valdris greeted Paul with a formal nod before offering a deeper bow to Jin. "Your Highness, it's an honor to have you grace our archives. Mr. Nightingale." His tone shifted to one of careful respect when addressing me, clearly recognizing the political dynamics at play.

"Master Valdris," Jin acknowledged with the casual authority of someone accustomed to such deference. "I trust the Tower's collection remains... adequate for our purposes?"

There was something in Jin's tone that suggested this wasn't his first time seeing such materials. Valdris's expression tightened slightly at the word 'adequate,' but he maintained his professional demeanor.

"Arthur here has contributed a revolutionary paper on necromantic theory," Paul explained. "Given the importance of his final summon project, I've authorized full archive access for material evaluation."

Valdris's eyebrows rose slightly. "Full access? That's... unprecedented for a non-Tower member."

"The circumstances are exceptional," Paul replied firmly.

The curator studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Very well. Follow me, and please—touch nothing without permission. Some of these materials have... unfortunate effects on the unprepared."

'This feels like walking into a vault of divine artifacts,' Luna observed as we followed Valdris deeper into the archive. 'The magical density here is extraordinary. Even I'm impressed.'

The main archive chamber was vast beyond my expectations. The ceiling disappeared into shadow above us, and row upon row of storage units stretched into the distance like a crystalline forest. Each container glowed with its own protective enchantments, creating a constellation of colored lights that pulsed gently in the semi-darkness.

"We organize by beast classification and rarity," Valdris explained as we walked between the towering shelves. "One-star beast materials at the lower levels, progressing upward. The organization system has been refined over eight centuries of collection."

He led us to the first section, where containers held what appeared to be fairly standard necromantic components. "One and two-star beast materials—your basic undead creation supplies. Bone fragments from common magical creatures, crystallized essence from forest spirits, standard soul crystals from minor undead."

Even these "basic" materials were of higher quality than anything I'd expected to see. The bone fragments had a lustrous quality that spoke of careful preservation and enhancement. The soul crystals pulsed with steady energy that felt pure and concentrated.

"Three and four-star beast materials," Valdris continued, guiding us to the next section. "Here we have components from more dangerous creatures. Shadowbeast essences, dire wolf cores, materials from magical predators that require specialized hunting expeditions."

I recognized some of the components from my re

The tour continued through sections containing historic artifacts—weapons and tools created by legendary necromancers throughout history. Ancient-grade artifacts that had shaped the development of the discipline itself. Items so significant they were displayed more like museum pieces than crafting materials.

"The Shadowblade Koren," Valdris indicated a dagger that seemed to exist partially outside normal space. "Ancient-grade artifact."

"The Bone Crown Nythara," he continued, showing us a circlet that radiated cold authority. "Ancient-grade artifact that could theoretically serve as a control matrix for multiple high-level summons."

By the time we completed the tour, my understanding of the magical material hierarchy had been completely revolutionized. Vakrt's ability to provide eight-star materials suddenly seemed far more impressive—they were operating at a level that put them among the premier suppliers in the world.

"Impressive collection," I said finally, though it felt like a massive understatement.

Paul nodded. "This is what I can offer for your final summon project, Arthur. Not just good materials, but access to components that could create something truly legendary. Even nine-star materials if your design warrants it."

I looked around the archive one final time, my mind racing through possibilities I'd never previously considered. The fact that Vakrt had already provided me with eight-star materials for Erebus spoke well of Rose's organization, but seeing the nine-star materials here opened up entirely new categories of possibility.

"I understand now why you wanted me to see this," I said to Paul. "The decision about my summon isn't just about design—it's about understanding what level of achievement is actually possible."

"Exactly," Paul smiled. "Take your time to consider. With access to materials like these, your final summon could become something that changes the field of necromancy itself."

As we prepared to leave the archive, I felt the weight of possibility settling around me like a new responsibility. Whatever I chose to create would need to be worthy of the extraordinary resources being offered.

The Ebony Tower had just shown me the true pinnacle of magical materials.