Chapter: 185

After leaving the central hall, Mark was so excited that he wanted to jump three meters high to celebrate the deal he had just completed with Odin.

As Odin had said, at first glance, anyone would think that Mark had suffered a great loss in this transaction. After all, what Mark had to do was related to the safety of Asgard and the Nine Realms. How could it be compared to the value of some Uru metal?

But when has Mark ever made a bad business deal? Although this transaction seemed like a loss on the surface, upon careful analysis, it would be discovered that Mark gained more than just the Uru metal he requested from Odin.

First and foremost, it concerned the safety of the Nine Realms. As Earth is the midgard of the Nine Realms, if the ambitions of the Dark Elves were realized, the universe would fall back into darkness.

In such a scenario, everything Mark had, including his loved ones, friends, employees, and all his possessions, would be in jeopardy.

Therefore, regardless of whether Odin agreed to Mark's proposed transaction or not, Mark would ultimately agree to Odin's request.

Secondly, the Uru metal was indeed very useful for Mark's further development and utilization of runic technology. The Uru metal was currently the only obstacle limiting his progress on this path. Mark needed a substantial amount of Uru metal as a foundation for his own power enhancement and the next stage of scientific research and development.

Moreover, as a rare metal capable of harnessing magic, Uru metal was only found in Nidavellir within the Nine Realms. Its extraction and purification costs were extremely high, making its value quite significant. It was not as negligible as Odin claimed.

Considering these two points of analysis, Mark's trade was already profitable. After all, Odin's request was something he had to agree to.

As for how much additional profit he could gain, it would depend on how much Mark could gain from his research on the Aether.

The key point of Mark's excitement lay here—the opportunity to study the Aether particles, also known as the Reality Stone, up close. Mark could not refuse this opportunity no matter what, and that in itself was already the greatest reward.

Accompanied by the guards dispatched by Odin, Mark arrived outside a heavily guarded room.

This room would be Mark's personal studio for studying the Aether in the coming period. The studio would be guarded around the clock, and even during shift changes, there had to be two teams present simultaneously to ensure a seamless transition and prevent any security loopholes.

Upon entering this studio, Mark looked around and noticed that besides the entrance he had come through, there were no windows or openings in any of the walls or ceiling. However, this did not result in inadequate lighting or a stuffy atmosphere.

Furthermore, the entire room, including the door, was enveloped in Uru metal from the outside and inscribed with special runic symbols.

For Mark, who was already proficient in runic script, it was easy to recognize the symbols representing [purification], [brightness], [strengthening] and [energy extraction] functions.

"What a great gift they've given me as soon as I walked in! With [energy extraction] rune, I won't need the Arc Reactor for energy conversion anymore. And I no longer have to worry about the nanobots' battery life.

[Strengthening] can significantly enhance the self-strength of the nanobots, surpassing the functional limitations imposed by their materials."

Although he hadn't thought of specific applications for the other two symbols yet, it was definitely a good idea to include them. With the collection of all four symbols complete, Mark decided not to further explore the room. Since the appetizers had been served, it was time to move on to the main course.

Mark looked at the palace guard who had led him here and said, "I'm ready to start my research at any time. Do you know where the Aether are now?"

"Lord Mark, please take a moment to rest. His Majesty Odin has already sent someone to retrieve the Aether from the palace treasury. I believe they will be delivered to your studio soon."

Mark nodded and didn't rush. Impatience is a major taboo in any research. Since it would take some time for the Aether to arrive, Mark closed his eyes, adjusted his mental state, and calmed his mind, preparing himself to focus on his work more quickly.

Soon, Mark heard a regiment of soldiers marching in a disciplined manner outside the studio door. They formed a standard square formation, stepping in perfect unison, with the Aether guarded in the center of the formation, making their way towards Mark's studio.

Upon reaching the door, the entire regiment swiftly changed formation. The soldiers who were originally on the outermost perimeter moved back and formed a human wall. The escort, who was originally in the center position, appeared in front of Mark.

He solemnly and carefully held the container sealing the Aether particles and said to Mark, "Mr. Mark, this is the item that His Majesty Odin instructed to be handed over to you. Please accept it."

Observing the other person's demeanor, Mark unconsciously stood up straight and gently took the container. "Okay, I have confirmed. Thank you."

"It's my honor!" The escort bowed to Mark and exclaimed loudly. Then, he jogged back to the formation, and the entire regiment marched away in perfect harmony, disappearing from Mark's sight.

"Lord Mark, the item has been delivered. Next, I will seal the entrance to the studio. The security and alert level of this space will be raised to the highest level. If you have any orders or requests, you can notify me through the communication magic stone. I will be at your service throughout the process.

If you have no further instructions at the moment, then I won't disturb your research and will take my leave," the guard said.

"Okay, you may go," Mark nodded.

After the guard left, the entire studio was completely sealed, and only Mark remained in the room. Mark looked at the container containing the sealed Aether, and his eyes shimmered with excitement.

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