MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 444: Blank Check

At Anthony's words, Colonel Vazeryth and Zhyravel turned their gazes toward him.

"Hooo… And what exactly do you propose to offer in exchange for information regarding the Severed Crown of Echoes?"

Zhyravel inquired, a faint smile creeping back onto his face.

"In-depth knowledge on a rare demon species"

Anthony replied calmly. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"Their behavioral patterns, natural habitat, inherent weaknesses, abilities, and more"

When they had first arrived on this floor, Zhyravel had turned to Colonel Vazeryth with a seemingly offhand question, whether he had discovered a new demon species.

Anthony carried no demon corpse, yet he held something far rarer: a sign-in reward he had received at the age of fifteen, an encyclopedic knowledge of all known demons and beasts.

Though he possessed the capacity to offer information on more than a single species to Zhyravel, he would not.

Acquiring complete, verified knowledge of even one demon species was an arduous task, often demanding years of dedicated study and perilous fieldwork.

The knowledge may have served little practical purpose for Anthony himself, but that didn't mean he would give it away freely.

"A tempting offer"

Zhyravel mused, leaning back fully into his seat, his smile ever so present.

"But I've been consuming knowledge since I was one year old. I wonder, what could you possibly offer on a demon species that I have not already encountered?"

He paused briefly, then added.

"I'll examine the information first, of course. There's always the chance it's something I already know."

Anthony gave a silent nod in response.

"May I have a pen and paper?"

He asked evenly.

Zhyravel gestured toward a corner of the room.

"Over there"

Without another word, Anthony walked over, retrieved the materials, and began to write.

Colonel Vazeryth remained silent, offering no questions, neither about how Anthony had acquired such knowledge, nor about its authenticity.

Time passed in stillness, the only sound in the room being the soft, steady whisper of Anthony's pen gliding across paper.

Minutes slipped by.

After three uninterrupted minutes, Anthony rose to his feet and walked back, handing the completed stack of papers to Zhyravel.

He had even included a detailed sketch of the specimen.

Leaning forward, Zhyravel took the stack of papers from Anthony's hands.

Without delay, he began flipping through them, page after page.

Then his eyes widened.

"Where did you get this? Is this information accurate?"

He demanded, his voice laced with genuine shock.

Colonel Vazeryth turned to Anthony, his expression clouded with confusion, silently wondering what exactly had been written on those pages.

Anthony remained composed.

"That wasn't part of the agreement. I only need the information on the Severed Crown of Echoes"

Zhyravel slowly closed his eyes, a deep silence falling over him.

Anthony could tell, his mind was racing.

Then, without warning, Zhyravel's eyes snapped open.

"Now I understand how they did it"

He murmured, a glint of revelation flashing in his gaze.

"No wonder I found nothing, despite all my desperate searching... Things have just become far more interesting"

His smile twisted into a wide, unsettling grin.

For a brief moment, the veil of composure slipped, allowing a glimpse of the madness lurking beneath.

Then, just as quickly, the grin softened back into a smile.

Raising one hand, Zhyravel summoned a sheet of black paper into existence, hovering just above his palm.

A moment later, white ink began to scrawl itself across its surface, line by line, as though guided by an invisible hand.

Once the writing had completed, the paper folded in on itself with unnatural precision and floated gently toward Anthony, who caught it effortlessly and passed it to Colonel Vazeryth without a word.

"I must admit"

Zhyravel began, his gaze fixed on Anthony,

"What you've given me is worth far more than the information on the Crown. But no matter, a deal is a deal"

He leaned forward slightly, his expression calm but calculating.

"If you possess more"

He said, voice smooth and deliberate.

"I'm prepared to take it off your hands. Name your price"

It was an open offer, a blank check from a man who rarely gave anything freely.

'Seriously, what is with these two…?'

Colonel Vazeryth frowned inwardly, observing the strange rapport between Anthony and Zhyravel with a growing sense of unease.

Anthony met Zhyravel's gaze, steady and calm.

Even if he claimed that was all he knew, Zhyravel would never believe him, and there was no point in lying.

"Hm… I don't believe there's anything I lack at the moment"

He said evenly.

"But if the need arises, I'll be sure to drop by your office"

Zhyravel raised a brow, subtle, but telling.

It was the second time he'd been refused.

By the same person. Within minutes.

"You're quite an intriguing one"

He said with a quiet chuckle.

"I'll give you that. I wonder… could you possibly rival me in knowledge?"

In his mind, Zhyravel had already begun elevating Anthony's status.

"There are very few outside my clan with whom I can discuss matters of pure intellect"

He continued, his finger rhythmically tapping against his lap.

"But you… you're different. Just as your body radiates something unsettling, your mind is just as formidable. If you're free, I'd value your insights on a particular matter"

He smiled, though there was a glint of something deeper behind it.

Anthony gave a simple nod.

"No problem"

With nothing more to be said, Colonel Vazeryth turned on his heel and began walking toward the elevator.

Anthony followed behind, his steps calm and deliberate.

"This was fun, Vazeryth"

Zhyravel's voice called out from behind them, still tinged with amusement.

"Next time you visit, bring the kid"

He gave a casual wave, but neither Anthony nor the Colonel spared him a glance.

They stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut with a soft hiss.

A heavy silence settled between them, thick, unspoken, and deafening.

Colonel Vazeryth's mind raced, grappling with the countless absurdities he had witnessed in such a short span of time.

'How special is this kid?'

The question echoed in his thoughts, the implications growing more profound with each passing second.

The very fact that Zhyravel, that madman, had remarked on Anthony's vast array of secrets spoke volumes in itself.

Zhyravel had even offered a personally crafted cultivation manual in exchange for a single drop of blood, and the boy had turned it down.

That alone was enough to reveal something deeper.

Anthony was well aware of the value he held, and the secrets he guarded.

Then Vazeryth's mind shifted, focusing on the part where Anthony had withstood Zhyravel's aura while he himself had been left gasping for breath, bloodied and defeated.

And yet, despite the overwhelming odds, they had traded knowledge.

In all his years, Vazeryth had never seen anyone, much less a nineteen years old kid, dare to exchange knowledge with a being considered near divine in his expertise.

People offered Zhyravel rare artifacts in exchange for his wisdom.

No one, not a single soul, had ever dared to offer knowledge in return.

Zhyravel had acknowledged Anthony's intellect with utmost sincerity.

A simple glance at the boy now confirmed it — A literal monster in every sense of the word.

Vazeryth couldn't help but steal subtle glances at Anthony as the elevator descended.

He had been shaken enough for one day.