The very next day, Jacob has a meeting with Hallberg at breakfast, which he has been waiting for since the last day after he discovered the secret about the Art of Nature.
If he hadn't needed those materials of the Blood Insect Enslavement Ritual Array, then he would've evens stayed for a second longer in the Dark City.
The Blood Insect Enslavement Ritual Array could be said to be equally important as his awakening magic or carved his way towards it.
"Here, I guess, I got lucky and managed to find the missing materials from one of my suppliers." Said Hallberg smilingly.
He was clearly in a very good mood as he waved his sleeve over the table, and four white wooden boxes and one glass bottle filled with crimson liquid appeared in front of Jacob.
Jacob's eyes shimmered with elation as he looked at those packed materials, 'I finally collected everything!'
"Thank you. This is very helpful for me." Jacob really appreciated Hallberg's gesture as he stowed away those materials without even checking them.
If he started to examine them, it would be akin to slapping the other party's face who was giving him those rare and hard-to-find materials for free. Although he knew Hallberg was probably doing it to win over his trust, he still appreciated it nevertheless.
Hallberg waved his hand and chuckled, "There is no need. It's the least I can do if what happened the other day, and despite that, you still agree to lend me your aid. If anyone should be thanking someone, it should be me, thanking you."
Jacob merely nodded, "It's only natural for me not to turn down good business. Anyway, now that this is a done deal, tell me, how are you planning to leave? I mean the routes and our ride."
Despite already having the route map of the star ocean as well as his new ship, and all the preparation he had prepared for his departure, he won't reveal them to Hallberg.
Because as the Dark Earl of the Dark City, he had clearly prepared even more meticulously than Jacob, and he clearly got more time than Jacob as well.
So, Jacob was clearly inclined to go with Hallberg's preparation
Furthermore, he wanted to keep the fact about his initial plan of already leaving the Rare Plains a secret and as a backup plan just in case he needed one. The Star Ocean was filled with unknown, and one couldn't be more prepared. Especially when the journey was years long.
Hallberg also found this quite reasonable, but he only ambiguously smiled and replied, "You leave both things to me. One month from now, meet me above the canyon's waterfall right outside Dark City."
Jacob's eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he shook his head and said, "Alright, I'll leave the preparation to you then. However, one month is no longer enough. I need two months now to take care of my matters. I know it's uncouth, but I want you to trust me and let me do my job to keep us alive."
Hallberg frowned slightly as he clearly wasn't expecting this sudden change, but when he looked at Jacob's solemn expression, he knew Jacob wasn't joking and was serious.
In the end, he didn't inquire about why he needed one more month. Just as Jacob said, he hired him to protect him, so he let the man do his job and gave him more time.
"Alright, one month more is the same for me as one month. It'll pass, even if you need more time, I don't mind. But I want us to leave before the Dark Beings enter the core region of the magic beast forest." Hallberg impassively stated.
Jacob nodded without hesitation, "Don't worry, two months mean two months this time."
Then he suddenly said, "Before I go, I have over 500 Star Watches, and I want to sell them. Can you help me with them? For your inconvenience, you can keep 5% of all the profit."
Hallberg widened his eyes ever so slightly as he instantly guessed just how he got all those star watches and then chuckled, "Just leave them here, they'll sell just like that, barely an inconvenience, and I don't need anything. I'll transfer all the money to your Star ID."
Jacob looked at Hallberg's sincerer smile and nodded, "Then I'll leave this matter to you. Now, I'll better get going and take care of my matters before I come back again in two months. I'll be in contact."
Jacob then took out all the Star Watches he had collected from the dead that day on the table, creating a small pile while he kept five Advance Type-1 Star Watches as replacements for himself, just in case he ended up destroying his own.
Afterward, he stood up, intending to get going, he was even more eager to leave this place, and the one extra month was obviously to practice the Water Meditation.
Hallberg also didn't stop Jacob, as he knew the sooner he went, the sooner he'll return. As for Jacob running away from their deal, Hallberg didn't think Jacob was such a person. Even if on a blue moon chance that happened, Hallberg knew Jacob owed him nothing, and it's not like he didn't have another plan ready, just in case.
Still, he likes to believe things would go smoothly with Jacob, and in two months, they'll leave this barren place for good, or at least he will…
---
After leaving the Dark Castle, Jacob headed directly toward the station and embarked on a cable lift going into the inner circle of the Dark City. His first stop was naturally the Alchemy Guild.
There were three things he needed to do at the alchemy guild right now.
First, to successfully perform the Blood Insect Enslavement Ritual Array and make Brain Hunter fall into full submission.
Second, to forfeit his Guild Leader position as he had promised.
Third, he had many potions, pills, and magic weapons he had created during these two years while practicing and raising his ranks stashed in his private lab, and he also collected some high-quality weapons from that massacred as well. He wanted to sell them all through the guild channels as well.
He could've done the same thing with Star Watches, but he handed that matter to Hallberg because he could help him earn more profit. Those Star Watches all have different price tags, and some can even sell for extremely high prices.
So, he left them to Hallberg, who had all the Dark City Market under his thumb.
As for that stash in the guild, those things have fixed prices, and the guild was the perfect place for selling them.
Now that he was leaving, he wanted to earn as much money from those things he didn't need since the more ZC he had, the more option he had in the Epic Plains.
Furthermore, he still has those close space rings. He was going to initiate his plan for them as well.
Afterward, he'll leave the Dark City for good and start his journey toward the Plutonium, and only then will he start the Water Meditation practice without worrying about anything!