Michael was sure that the Vanderbilts and the Goldstones won’t attack them outright. However, on the very small chance that they did, he always had his Shadow Orcs positioned somewhere around the perimeter so that they could inform them if an invasion happened.

Thankfully, they kept their weapons in their own camps. No signs of aggression from both sides. Yet.

Of course, Michael didn’t give them any excuse to try and attack them. He made sure to keep his army contained in their own garrison. Thankfully, they were fully self-sufficient, having their own supply lines leading back to the Nation of Reborn seamlessly.

Also, he had many defensive measures in place if an attack did happen. There were his Drones, his Unity Clones, and if worse comes to worst, he could mass teleport his army away from here in a heartbeat.

Anyway, it seemed like they were safe for as long as they didn’t step away out of line.

The Rebornian Swordsman Division was extremely talented. They were able to pick up the Lionhearts’ teachings easily.

Now, they were an organized group with discipline and order reigning over their every movement. Their movements became somewhat unified, allowing for easier instruction in the case of a war.

Of course, their cooperation still wasn’t perfect. They were still working on it as of the moment.

And in truth, Michael would have liked to have Caliburn or the other Lionhearts helping them at this moment.

However, it seemed that they were on a different quest than he was at the moment.

According to Caliburn, the Eternal Flame Sword Style required more than just fancy sword swings and talent. It required an actual flame in order to sharpen the swordsmen’s attacks into the next level.

And right now, the Lionhearts were on a quest to find that ’flame’. Whatever that was.

Caliburn assured him that acquiring this crucial ingredient would be a tremendous help in increasing his army’s overall power up to par with the Conglomerates and the Upper Echelons. Much more than a few days of practice, at least.

Anyways, the first few days after their settlement into the Chasm were a bit lackluster. No one disturbed them. No one talked to them. The other companies were probably told by their respective Conglomerate leaders to keep their wits about them to prevent them from falling into any traps.

Because of that, Reborn was able to finish their preparations in order to fully integrate themselves into this place.

Defenses were installed. Spies were spread around. Information networks were established. The works.

That last one was important. Right now, they basically knew nothing about the Chasm. It would be suicide for them to surge through to the underground without doing their due diligence.

So, they had no other choice but to keep it slow while the Shadow Orcs did their job.

And during the fifth day, something did happen.

On the Northern Horizon, a new group of caravans had arrived at the chasm.

Many thought it would be another case similar to Reborn. However, the bright blue banners waving in the distance quickly disproved that.

Scouts from both sides began scooting further forwards, hoping to make contact with this new entity of caravans faster than their counterpart.

Unfortunately for them, Michael was first. High above, his Mini Drones were able to spot them coming a day earlier than others.

And once he switched his perspective, he was able to see the mystical, starlight-infused banners installed atop the pumpkin caravans approaching the Chasm.

Twinkling stars, with mystical swirls of magic. That was the emblem of the Guild of Arcana.

Even from afar, he could see the wizards and mages wearing their signature hoods and wands at their sides.

The Guild of Arcana... I’ve been wondering about them...

Ever since the disappearance of magic, the entire foundation of the Guild of the Mystic Arts was completely upended and destroyed.

Now, if this was any other organization, this would have already led to their dissolution. But the Guild was different. They were a pillar of the world along with the likes of the Order of the Heavenly Knights and the Conglomerates.

How are they able to keep their power and influence despite losing magic?

This was a question that had been at the back of his mind ever since. And it looked like he’ll have a chance to answer that soon.

At the very center of the caravan, a pumpkin carriage the size of a bungalow house floated forwards, ushered by no horse nor magical beast. It simply floated, as if it was made by magic.

Curious, Michael used his Supreme Talent to peer through this carriage.

Was it made out of magic? Of mana? Was he not the only person in the world who could still sense and use them?

And the answer to that question was stranger than fiction.

The pumpkin carriage was floating because of... waves.

Magic wasn’t used to form reality, meaning no one had used mana in order to magically levitate this vehicle weighing more than a metric ton.

It also wasn’t Aubility Power. No threads were weaved through reality to change its physical properties.

Instead, the mana particles in the carriage itself were being moved. Like a boat bobbing up from a wave.

If magic was molding a ball of water into a cube. Then this was like touching the water and making the waves create the cube! How that was possible, Michael didn’t know.

[Presence of a Mystic Master detected,] ChatJK6 reported.

He’d been so mesmerized with the pumpkin carriage that he completely neglected to notice the tremendously powerful magical source coming from inside it!

There was a literal star inside the carriage. Such power. The presence of this individual was so tremendous that he was commanding the mana in the air to converge around him naturally.

"A 9-star wizard..."

It had been a long time since he’d made contact with a powerful Mystic Master. In another world, he could have been someone like this guy. Instead, he had neglected his own magical talent in order to pursue Aubility Power.