<h4>Chapter 561 - Progress And Growing Numbers</h4>


    A few days passed with the undead staying in their forest. They were quickly gaining numbers from everywhere, Eldrian was continuously monitoring this and even reported this to Pros. It seemed that the final push wasing soon.


    Their numbers by now had almost doubled. In all likelihood, they were going to try and overwhelm the city with sheer numbers.


    "What about the cannons?" Pros asked.


    "We''ve made lesser but improved versions. Their range will be around that of the magic towers and the explosion of their cannonballs around twenty meters of effective fire." Solvi replied, currently the leaders in each field of craft were meeting along with themanders of the army.


    The group was a total of ten people, including Eldrian and Pros.


    "And the number of cannonballs?" Pros asked, desperately trying to figure out if they would be able to survive an assault given the updated numbers. Though the true problem would not be the lesser undead.


    "Thanks to the simplified design, I was able to hand the production down to Tier 5 cksmiths apanied but Tier 5 runesmiths. However, it is still time-consuming. Yet, it is theck of materials that is slowing us down the most." Solvi answered.


    "Unfortunately, if we want to get more materials faster the only way would be to increase what we are willing to pay," Eldrian spoke up, "However, that might lead to the Chosen we are dealing with bing greedy."


    "We also need to ensure we can afford enough to make a difference." He added as a warning for them to be patient.


    Everyone nodded, the past few days had let them cool down and get some proper rest. Now, everyone was in a far clearer mindset.


    "What about that one?" Pros asked, confusing some in the room. However, he didn''t want to go into details on the secret project. While they had done the best they could to search for spies, the risk that there were still some was ever-present.


    The only people who knew about this project were Eldrian, Pros, Thesolis, and Solvi.


    "It ising along well," Thesolis replied, she was currently trying tobine everything into a formation for the highest degree of control and effect.


    Naturally, it would be better to keep it a secret from everyone entirely. However, they had decided to make themanders and other leaders in their respective craft know that there was some big secret.


    A trump card.


    The reason was simple, the first obviously to boost morale, the second to cause the undead to attack in haste before their numbers grew to toorge a number. If that wasn''t possible, then the hope was that it would dy them longer than would have been otherwise. Giving the city more time to prepare.


    The aim was thus hoping to make the undead wary and thus keep them from using the optimal time to strike. Having them either overthink the situation or rush in rashly. While giving everyone more hope in victory at all times.


    Whether this would work or not was unknown, but it was the small things that could change the entire flow of a battle.


    From there the conversation then went on to the food situation, which was improving constantly with most of the Phoenix guild constantly hauling food to and fro. It was a massive expense on the city currently, but it was essential.


    A total of twenty yers had also gone with Judith and Ilmadia to the capital of Taurus, where they were hoping to set up a teleportation point and then start using that instead of buying food from other yers.


    Elizabeth had also contacted Erik about this, and he had agreed to help where he could. He was after all quite well known in the city of Taurtania. It was 500 kilometers further than Taurbeleuo, both were 250km from Taur, the capital.


    The extra distance was believed to be worth the time spent traveling. Knowing someone who would be able to introduce them to connections would certainly make a big difference in the long run.


    Myropsis was actually also in this group, as a royal, even if she wasn''t all that close to the king she did have a few friends in high ces. Her first task was to help with getting the food supply going. Thereafter she was to try and get supplies for making more cannons and hopefully even start construction in the other cities.


    Unfortunately, Pros couldn''t exactlymand anyone outside of Kynigo. They were going to have to persuade them of the usefulness of the cannons. Hopefully, the nobles of Taurus would be open-minded and grab the opportunity as Pros had.


    After the meeting came to an end, Eldrian waited behind.


    "What''s on your mind?" Pros asked, offering Eldrian a seat in his office.


    "I want to ask if I can gain ess to all the books in the city."


    "What for?" Pros asked, it was an absurd ask but not something Pros minded giving. The problem instead was that there was no way anyone could go through so many books.


    "I''ve got this- Ability. It allows me to read extremely quickly if I store the books in my inventory. I am hoping I would be able to broaden my knowledge more. The more I learn, the more I find that things aren''t as simply ssified as I first thought."


    "That is quite the ability, and of course, you have my permission."


    "Does this extend to kingdom secrets?" Eldrian asked, and Pros frowned.


    "I can give permission of some, but not all. I''m afraid that if I do give permission for those books to be taken out of storage, it would be considered treason."


    Eldrian sighed, they both knew and understood that it was just in stupid that things like that would still be enforced. But that was how things were. Certainly, there would be self-destruction-type security measures for if the city did end up falling.


    "Thanks." With that Eldrian left and headed for the library. In preparation, he had emptied his inventory, and now he filled it again. Naturally, he had left the voidstone where it was and he made sure to keep a good breath of distance from it inside his inventory.


    As they headed back, Eldrian finally decided that it was time to look at that hidden ss quest.


    [Quest: Kosmos]


    [Rank: Undefined]


    [Reward: Hidden ss - Undefined]


    ''The hell, how is the ss still undefined?'' Eldrian wondered, and as he wondered he considered the fact that it was quite possible that even GAIA didn''t know, or that it had no name; yet.


    He felt that that might indeed be the case when he looked at the requirements.


    [Find an element of divinity]


    [Find an element of space]


    [Find an element of time]


    [Find an element of order]


    [Find an element of chaos]


    ''What does element mean?'' Eldrian pondered as he read through the list time and time again on his way back. That was all that there was to the quest, no other exnations nor descriptions.


    ''It certainly does feel like GAIA is sending me on a wild goose chase, but...''


    ''You think it too?''


    ''Yeah, the voidstone is one of these elements.'' Eldrian nodded, from the name he assumed it was the element of space. ''Wait, what about the death crystal?''


    AN: A big thank you to everyone who continues to read and support the story on WN.


    AN: Finally decided to add more privilege tiers, check them out if you want to read a bit more. Up to 8 chapters now in privilege.


    :)