Nicholas took a seat and spoke to Sam. His expression changed as if he remembered something serious and said in a solemn tone.
"Sam, because of you, my father almost became a slave. How dare you? I challenge to a battle right now."
Sam rolled his eyes and said.
"Philip is wrong. You did change. Your acting skills went from bad to worse."
Nicholas's face became red with embarrassment.
"If you want a battle, you could just ask, why would you embarrass yourselves like that? Philip said from the side."
Nicholas turned to Sam and asked.
"How about a Spa.."
"Nope." Sam immediately rejected it as soon even before Nicholas could finish the word Spar.
Nicholas turned to Philip and said.
"That's the reason." He then turned to Sam and said again.
"Anyway, thanks for releasing my father. I owe you one for that."
"You don't owe me anything. Even though I didn't mean to do that, it was indeed because of me your father ended up in such a state. It would have been better if I had contacted me before the way though." Sam replied.
"I don't think so. If you had contacted him, from his character he wouldn't have chosen your side in fear of losing his status in case the empire wins. And if he did that, you wouldn't have let him go like that.
In my opinion, it is better this way."
Sam didn't reply to that, but he agreed with what he said. He definitely wouldn't have let the Duke go as the rejection would have made him his enemy. At least in the present situation, he is a bystander.
After some small talk, Nicholas asked.
"Are you guys joining the resource competition?"
"Only I am going?"
"What? Why? Phillip and Jack have a shot at the position. Why are they not going?"
"Well, unlike you we are not real members of the temple. We don't want to involve in the affairs of the temple much." Sam explained their situation vaguely without giving many details.
Nicholas also didn't ask for more information and said.
"You guys would miss some great battles. We can observe the battles of the seniors. Even though, you don't want to be in the main team, how about a reserve team? You can at least get to spectate the battle."
"There is a reserve team?" Philip asked in surprise.
"Of course, there is. The first five rankers on the list will be the main team and the next five will be the reserve team. If any of the candidates die in the battle, the reserve members will join the main team."
"Sounds good. I will join the reserve team. What about you?" Philip asked Jack. Jack also nodded.
Sam didn't object and agreed.
Nicholas left after some time and just as the trio was about to go out and start the duels for rankings, another guest arrived.
This time it is Arman.
"Hello, I hope I am not intruding." He greeted with a smile.
Philip and Jack are not acquainted with him, so they didn't recognize, at most his face is a bit familiar, but that is it.
But from Sam's expression, it seemed that they knew each other.
"How are you?" Arman asked.
"I am fine, thank you. How are you?" Sam replied in a polite tone, but he was expressionless. He knew that Arman's identity is special. Just like how he is not the real Sam of this world, Arman is also not the real Arman of this world.
That is why he felt that there is a need for him to stay vigilant of this guy.
He doesn't know the reason, but he does know they are forced to be in this world for a purpose. Until he knew the exact purpose, Sam doesn't want to be close to any other people who came just like him into this world.
Arman was not affected by his perfunctory reply, he ignored it completely and said.
"I heard; you made a deal with Arthur. If you wanted to you should have made that deal with me, after all, we are old-time business partners. Aren't we?"
"Seems like you are not that experienced in the business. There is no use in having the capability of making a deal if you are not in the right place, right time, and the right thing to sell.
I needed that deal with the thunder god temple. With your capability I have no doubt you could arrange that, but that you are not available to me at that moment. If you are in Arthur's position at that time, you could have gotten that deal. Hard luck, what can we do?"
"So, now that I am here, how about I take an opportunity?"
Sam raised an eyebrow as he looked at him.
"Thunder Prison. How abou…"
"No deal."
Sam didn't even let him speak completely. He doesn't even care about what the deal might be, because, he is not going to give the thunder prison away. He had obtained it and even gave up the chance to get some other treasures, just to know how it works.
And after he knew how it works, he just knew that this is one of the most suitable tools for him. No matter what, he cannot recreate a more versatile tool than the thunder prison, at least not for now. So, there is no way he will be giving that up.
"You could at least listen to me first, before rejecting."
"There is no need of wasting your time since I am selling it."
"Really? It is not that useful in your hands, it can be used to its full potential only in my hands. You can ask me whatever you want. I will definitely find a way for you to get it if it is within the thunder god temple."
"Not interested."
"I can give you millions of spirit stones worth of resources, that cannot be sold by normal sellers. You know, some of the things cannot be obtained by just money. You have to have proper channels."
Sam smiled and said.
"I don't need them for now, but if push comes to shove. I can create my own channels. I might not be able to buy what I want for its original worth, even if it is just a hundred spirit stones.
But what happens, if add another zero and make it thousand, and another zero and make it ten thousand and another zero to make it a hundred thousand? It is just a matter of time before the channel opens by itself. [1]
You don't have to worry about that."
Sam said in a casual tone.
"Judging from the determination to not to sell that for me. It seems that you know somethings which you are not supposed to know. How did you even know that?" Arman asked suspiciously.
"Oh? There are somethings that I am not supposed to know? What are you even talking about?"
Sam asked with feigned confusion.
Arman stayed silent for a second and said.
"Why are you so stubborn about the thunder prison?"
"It is definitely a treasure and even I am not able to use it now, that doesn't mean I wouldn't be able to in the future. I am an artisan and I am confident that I would figure that out given appropriate amount of time."
Arman almost sighed in relief when he heard these words.
"I hope you will change your mind."
Arman said and left the place. He didn't ask a thing about the shadow sword or the thunder meteorite sand.
Philip and Jack looked at Arman, they were extremely curious as to what Arman is talking about, but they didn't ask as Sam would have said it if it is necessary for them to know.
After Arman left the place, he entered his residence and activated the formations provided to his residence. He took out a saber from his storage.
The Sabre has an electric blue blade and a silver handle. This is the lightning saber which he got from the palace of inheritances.
"Did you get the thunder prison boy?" A voice came out of the saber. It is the weapon spirit.
"No. He is stubborn."
"I think you should get that thunder prison. Although this saber is useful in the short term and can increase your combat prowess, ultimately it is still a fake which is created with my copying my original. Even me you are talking to is not the full consciousness. I am just a small fraction of the original spirit in the original saber.
This saber will prove to be less and less useful to you, the more you advance in your strength.
The thunder prison is a different thing. That is an original weapon and created by one of the greatest artisans of the heavens. Master didn't even use it before sending it to you. You missed it."
Arman is not happy with those words, he rebutted.
"How can it be called sending it to me. I am not the only one there."
"What do you know? Even after the power boost, you got after master's blessing, you still lost to another guy and he even got two items, it is your disgrace. Don't you dare point fingers at master's decisions."
Arman stayed put as he thought of ways to get the thunder prison from Sam.
