Chapter 1032: Feeding the Gauntlet

A few days later, Strax was sitting in the mansion’s office, examining the Gauntlet of Darkness.

The black chains wrapped around his forearm, moving slowly as he tried to understand the weapon’s structure. Since his training with Samira, he had repeated a few smaller tests, mainly to find out how long he could keep the force of an impact stored. He still hadn’t found a definitive answer.

The absorbed energy remained available for some time, but it began to dissipate when he stopped controlling it. That meant he couldn’t simply take thousands of blows, store all that force for weeks, and release it whenever he pleased.

At least, not with his current level of control.

Strax opened his right hand.

A small amount of black energy gathered above his palm, forming a sphere that disappeared as soon as he closed his fingers.

"I need more energy."

The gauntlet responded with a faint vibration.

Strax looked at it.

"I wasn’t talking to you."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, revealing Lithara.

She carried a thick leather folder, with several sheets held together by small red straps. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and there was dust on the lower part of her clothes, indicating that she had just returned from a trip.

Strax raised an eyebrow.

"You took your time."

Lithara entered and closed the door.

"Good morning to you too, darling."

"Good morning."

She placed the folder on the desk.

"I brought that thing you asked for."

Strax looked at the folder.

Then at her.

"Found them?"

"I did."

Lithara pulled out a chair and sat across from him.

"But before you start complaining, finding concentrations of magical beasts isn’t as simple as it sounds. Some regions are several days’ travel from Asgard, and much of the Guild’s information was outdated."

Strax pulled the folder closer.

"How many places?"

"Seventeen."

He stopped moving.

"Seventeen?"

"With confirmed concentrations. I have another nine that still need reconnaissance."

Strax smiled.

"You did a good job."

Lithara rested her chin on her hand.

"I know."

He opened the folder.

The first sheet contained a map with several red markings. There were numbers beside each mark, corresponding to the reports organized on the following pages. Some regions were relatively close to Asgard, while others lay far beyond the borders of the territories Strax knew.

He scanned the map.

"Did you personally visit all these places?"

"No. I visited six. Rogue obtained information about another five, and I sent demons to check the rest."

"Rogue helped?"

"Yes. The Guild receives extermination requests all the time. Most involve isolated creatures, but some regions have become too dangerous for ordinary groups of adventurers."

Lithara opened the folder to one of the pages.

"I started with these."

Strax examined the report.

[Region: Karven Mountains]

[Approximate Distance from Asgard: 340 kilometers]

[Identified Creatures: Black-Fanged Wolves]

[Estimated Number: 180 to 240]

[Threat Level: High for ordinary adventurers]

[Notes: Three packs occupy interconnected caves. Frequent attacks on caravans using the southern pass.]

Strax looked up.

"Two hundred wolves?"

"Approximately. I couldn’t count every single one."

"Naturally."

"But I found three main caves and several smaller groups scattered across the mountain. Most of the creatures possess magical energy, and the pack leaders are considerably stronger."

Strax looked back at the report.

"That’s a good start."

Lithara nodded.

"That’s what I thought. The Guild has already tried to clear that pass twice. They lost seven adventurers on the last attempt."

"Then there shouldn’t be a problem if I eliminate the packs."

"No. Rogue even asked whether you’d be willing to register the mission officially."

Strax raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because there’s a reward."

"How much?"

Lithara opened another sheet.

"It isn’t much for you."

"Money is still money."

She chuckled.

"Monica would be proud."

Strax ignored the comment and continued examining the documents.

The second region lay to the west, in an extensive forest near a mountain range. According to the report, a large group of magical boars had settled there, destroying crops and attacking small communities. There were more than three hundred creatures, although most were relatively weak.

Strax frowned.

"Boars?"

Lithara nodded.

"Boars."

"You want me to cross half the continent to kill pigs?"

"You asked for quantity."

"I also asked for strength."

"Then turn the page."

Strax obeyed.

The third report immediately caught his attention.

[Region: Valley of Ashes]

[Approximate Distance from Asgard: 1,120 kilometers]

[Identified Creatures: Red-Scaled Wyverns]

[Estimated Number: 43 to 58]

[Threat Level: Very High]

[Notes: Colony established in a volcanic region. Adults, juveniles, and at least four exceptionally large creatures are present.]

Strax stared at the page.

Lithara noticed his expression.

"Like this one?"

"I do."

"I figured."

She leaned across the desk and pointed to a mark on the map.

"The valley is surrounded by mountains. There are several caves along the slopes and an enormous opening near the center, where the Wyverns usually gather."

"Did you see them yourself?"

"I did."

"How many adults?"

"I counted twenty-six during reconnaissance. The others were inside the caves or flying over other parts of the valley."

Strax rubbed his chin.

The Wyvern he had previously absorbed had already demonstrated considerable offensive capabilities. Its wind blade could destroy trees and strike enemies from great distances. If he managed to obtain dozens of similar creatures, he would have an entire aerial force stored inside the gauntlet.

And if he could strengthen them...

"This place is interesting."

Lithara smiled.

"I knew you’d say that."

Strax continued reading.

"But there are hatchlings."

"Yes."

He looked up.

"I’m not killing hatchlings."

Lithara nodded.

"I didn’t think you would. That’s why I marked the caves where I found the youngest ones. You can focus your attacks on the adults that leave to hunt."

Strax examined the map again.

"Do these Wyverns attack people?"

"Some groups have attacked villages south of the valley. The larger adults are also fighting other creatures in the region over territory. There are records of missing caravans, but I couldn’t confirm whether the Wyverns attacked all of them."

"I see."

He made a small mark beside the report.

Lithara watched him.

"Are you putting them in order?"

"I’m separating the places I want to visit first."

"Then keep going. The next one is even more interesting."

Strax turned the page.

The fourth report described a swampy region occupied by demonic creatures resembling crocodiles, with enormous bodies, black scales, and jaws capable of crushing metal. According to Lithara, those beasts had appeared after an ancient magical formation broke deep within the swamp.

The concentration of demonic energy was so high that the surrounding vegetation had begun to die.

"How many?"

"Between eighty and a hundred and twenty."

"And they’re actual demonic beasts?"

"Yes. They aren’t intelligent demons. They’re creatures that have absorbed demonic energy over several generations."

Strax looked at the gauntlet.

"I want to test whether there’s any difference between absorbing magical beasts and demonic beasts."

Lithara nodded.

"That’s why I included this place."

She took another sheet from the folder.

"I also found a region occupied by giant spiders, a chain of caves filled with magical bats, and an ancient battlefield where scavenging creatures have begun multiplying."

Strax looked at her.

"You really searched for everything you could find."

"You asked for large concentrations."

"I’m starting to think you’re going to send me to exterminate every monster on the continent."

Lithara smiled.

"If the gauntlet keeps growing, you might need to."

Strax remained silent for a few seconds.

That possibility wasn’t entirely absurd.

He had absorbed only five birds and one Wyvern. Even so, the gauntlet had already demonstrated abilities it hadn’t possessed before, or at least abilities he hadn’t been able to access previously.

If he began absorbing hundreds of creatures, perhaps the weapon would undergo some kind of transformation.

Or perhaps nothing would happen.

That was precisely what he wanted to find out.

"Is there any region with creatures stronger than the Wyverns?"

Lithara opened the folder near the end.

"There is one."

Strax looked up.

She took out a sheet kept separate from the others.

"But I don’t recommend starting there."

"Why?"

"Because we don’t know exactly what’s in there."

Strax took the document.

[Region: Vharok Abyss]

[Approximate Distance from Asgard: 2,700 kilometers]

[Identified Creatures: Large demonic beasts]

[Estimated Number: Unknown]

[Threat Level: Undetermined]

[Notes: Mountainous region with a subterranean opening of unknown depth. Abnormal concentration of demonic energy. Creatures observed entering and leaving the abyss at night.]

Strax examined the sheet.

"Did you go there?"

"No."

"Who checked it?"

"Two demons I sent on reconnaissance."

"And what did they find?"

Lithara grew a little more serious.

"One of them managed to observe the entrance for a few hours. He saw three creatures resembling giant serpents, two quadrupedal beasts covered in bony plates, and something he described as a bat with four wings."

Strax raised an eyebrow.

"And the other one?"

"He entered the abyss."

"Did he come back?"

"He did."

Lithara crossed her arms.

"But he lost an arm and couldn’t explain exactly what attacked him. He only said he felt a very powerful presence in the depths."

Strax stared at the report.

"Is he alive?"

"Yes. He’s already received treatment."

"Good."

He placed the sheet on the desk.

"We’ll leave this one for later."

Lithara looked satisfied.

"At least you aren’t going to run straight into an unknown hole."

"I didn’t say I wouldn’t go in."

"Strax."

"I said we’d leave it for later."

She sighed.

"You’re impossible."

Strax began to laugh.

After examining all the reports, Strax spread the map across the desk and began organizing the regions according to their distance and the number of creatures.

Lithara had found far more than he had expected.

Across the seventeen confirmed locations, there were thousands of magical and demonic beasts. Some were relatively weak, but others possessed enough energy to pose a considerable threat to groups of experienced adventurers.

Strax didn’t need to visit every place immediately.

In fact, he wanted to start with a region where he could conduct his first tests without facing excessively powerful creatures. He needed to find out how the gauntlet would react to absorbing dozens of shadows in a short period, whether it could store them without difficulty, and how long it would take to restore creatures destroyed during combat.

He pointed to the Karven Mountains.

"Let’s start here."

Lithara looked at the map.

"The wolves?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"They’re relatively close, they attack caravans, and there are more than two hundred of them. It’s a good place to find out whether the gauntlet has any limit on quantity."

Lithara nodded.

"And after that?"

Strax pointed to the Valley of Ashes.

"Wyverns."

"I figured."

"I want to absorb some adults and test whether I can strengthen their shadows the same way I did with the birds."

"You intend to create an army of Wyverns?"

"If it works."

Lithara grew thoughtful.

"That would be quite useful."

"Especially because I can store them inside the gauntlet and summon them whenever I need them."

Strax examined the weapon.

"But there’s still one thing bothering me."

"What?"

"I don’t know what happens when a shadow is completely destroyed."

Lithara frowned.

"The Wyvern returned to the gauntlet after Samira cut it down."

"Yes. But it needed time to recover."

Strax opened his right hand.

"If I keep forcing a shadow that hasn’t recovered yet, I might end up destroying it permanently. I don’t want to lose a powerful creature just because I was stupid enough to try using it before it was ready."

Lithara nodded slowly.

"Then we need to find out how long recovery takes."

"Exactly."

She looked at the map again.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Strax smiled.

"You just got back."

"So?"

"Get some rest."

Lithara raised an eyebrow.

"Worried about me?"

"I’m worried you’ll find another Wyvern and decide to bring it home."

She began to laugh.

"You liked the last one."

"I did."

"Then you should thank me."

"Thank you."

Lithara blinked.

Then she smiled.

"You’re welcome."

Strax gathered the reports and closed the folder.

"I’ll talk to Monica before I leave. If the Guild really offers rewards for some of these creatures, we can take care of two problems at once."

Lithara nodded.

"Rogue left the mission records with me. They’re at the end of the folder."

Strax opened it again.

"You thought of everything."

"Naturally."

He stood.

Lithara stood as well.

Before she could leave, Strax pulled her close by the waist and kissed her.

Lithara smiled.

"Was that for the work?"

"It was."

"Then perhaps I should look for more monsters."

"First, let’s find out whether the gauntlet can absorb the ones you’ve already found."

Strax raised his right hand.

The black chains moved slowly, as though responding to his intention.

He watched the weapon for a few seconds.

"Let’s see how much you can eat."

Lithara looked at the gauntlet.

"I hope it has a limit."

Strax smiled.

"I hope it doesn’t."

And with the list of magical and demonic beast nests finally in hand, he began preparing for his first expedition.