Chapter 101: Spatial Paradise
Although the few magical items that Italo took out were all of uncommon quality, their values differed greatly among them.
However, Anse was not dazzled; he did not care about value, only which one would help him the most.
After selecting for a while, he picked two magical items that required no attunement: 【Protector’s Bracelet】 and 【Scepter of Sanctuary】.
【Magical Item: Protector’s Bracelet】
「Type」: Curio
「Rarity」: Uncommon
This is a bracelet made of rare magical alloy, with silver patterns flickering on the purple metal.
You can use a magical command to wear this metal bracelet on your own wrist or ankle or that of another willing creature; removing it also requires a magical command.
「Protective Barrier」: The bracelet emits a protective magic barrier with 120 life points.
When the creature wearing the bracelet takes damage, it can activate the bracelet with its own reaction, causing the barrier to take the damage instead. It will automatically trigger if the wearer loses consciousness.
Once the protective barrier’s life points drop to 0, its wearer will take all overflow damage.
The magic barrier’s life points cannot recover automatically and can only be restored using barrier spells, with the recovery amount equal to twice the spell level.
This thing is too practical; Anse just happened to lack a regular protective equipment.
The King Butterfly Cloak teleports away after injury, Shield is a bit weak and cannot yet undergo spell level increase, so it is no longer sufficient against strong enemies.
The Protector’s Bracelet’s properties are very similar to the arcane defense of the protection school wizard, but when a wizard casts protection school spells, the magic barrier automatically recovers life points, and the wizard can also consume spell slots or mana to recover the barrier’s life points; its agility and strength far exceed this bracelet.
Anse does not know a single barrier spell, but he has Death Ward, which should count.
Even if it cannot be charged, this thing is a must-have; life-saving equipment’s price has always been high.
The other magical item was even more interesting.
【Magical Item: Scepter of Sanctuary】
「Type」: Scepter
「Rarity」: Uncommon
「Spatial Paradise」: The Scepter of Sanctuary connects to an otherworldly space Spatial Paradise hidden by powerful divination magic; the holder can teleport themselves or other willing creatures inside.
Initial use requires binding to a personal soul or mana signature, which dissipates upon death or prolonged absence.
The paradise has an excellent natural environment and always provides sufficient food and water for visitors.
Each visitor carries a unique Paradise Seal, which the scepter holder can activate at any time to send the visitor to the scepter’s location.
Paradise Seal maximum quantity: 200.
“Isn’t this the legendary otherworldly farm?” Anse took a liking to it at first glance.
The Spatial Paradise can completely serve as an organization base and secret vault; it is very useful for business, living, and sheltering friends.
If truly in danger, one can hide inside; the downside is exiting from where one entered, making it easy to be caught.
Italo saw him choose the Scepter of Sanctuary and regretfully reminded him: “Anse, that magic paradise has been destroyed for many years…”
The original magic paradise could prevent creature aging and automatically restore visitors’ life status, providing delicious food and water nonstop, but now it no longer works, greatly reducing its value.
“I guessed as much; as long as the space is intact, it’s fine.” Anse did not change his mind.
If the magic paradise were intact, this thing could not have ended up here.
Italo guessed Anse’s purpose and simply stopped persuading him; he handed Anse a book-shaped pendant: “Anse, Candlekeep’s gates are always open to you.”
“I’ll go if I get the chance.” Anse hurriedly took it and solemnly put it away.
This thing’s value is no less than magical equipment; with this token, he can enter Candlekeep at any time, and formally joining might not be difficult.
Italo put away the large tome and transcription pen, stood up to take his leave: “Thanks to Sir Tim and Mr. Anse; I gained much today and need to go back to organize and digest it.”
“Alright, I’ll see you out.” Tim had wanted to keep him for dinner but did not insist on forcing him.
Anse also left together; he had no mind for eating now.
Tim was also a professional and fully understood his mood, so he smilingly saw them off together.
Anse returned to the standalone villa; the things at the door had been moved away.
In the living room, Brat was teaching Giant Tail Faerun Common Tongue, but Giant Tail’s language talent was average, learning slowly, with a long road ahead.
As soon as Anse entered, he put the Protector’s Bracelet on his left hand; the purple bracelet automatically shrank a size, fitting perfectly.
He took out the Scepter of Sanctuary and infused his own mana into it.
The three-foot-long black scepter shook, and the milky white gem embedded in its head suddenly lit up.
At the same time, a blurry mental projection image appeared in Anse’s mind and gradually clarified.
It was an island, overall circular, surrounded by seawater, with thick fog beyond, unclear how large.
The island was lush and verdant, with dense woods, a river running through, and a tall black mage tower rising in the center, like a distinctively angular twelve-sided metal rod, dull in color.
“This is… the paradise space?” A realization dawned in Anse’s mind.
It looked really good; he had previously worried it might be a desert, which would cost too much to renovate.
“Come on, come out with me.” He beckoned to them, leading the way out and mounting Nolnos’s back.
“Where to?” Brat and the other two grabbed their weapons and chased after.
“The future organization base!” Anse smiled mysteriously. “Don’t resist; I’ll grant you permission.”
He guided mana into the scepter, and glowing magic seals flew out one by one, imprinting successively on them.
Brat pulled open his collar and saw a fist-sized hexagram pattern on his chest, with a black tower-shaped building in the center.
“Get ready.” After Anse spoke, he immediately activated the Scepter of Sanctuary.
Before they could react, the magic seals suddenly lit up, and a pulling force acted on them.
“Don’t resist.” Anse hurriedly reminded them.
Their minds relaxed, and the scene before them shifted with flashing lights, seeing nothing, then their bodies felt weightless with dizziness, like being thrown into a tornado, very uncomfortable.
Unknown how much time passed—perhaps seconds, perhaps minutes—perception returned, and they staggered a few steps before steadying and breathing heavily.
Anse was the same, but he knew the teleport process was not long enough to cause oxygen deprivation; it was just an illusion.
“The air is fairly fresh.” He sniffed and looked up to observe the surroundings.
The four people and one horse appeared under the mage tower in the island’s center, on a large stone plaza underfoot, dilapidated and littered with debris, dry wood, broken stones…
And countless skeletons and shattered bones.
Anse was stunned; the projection image had not been clear enough, and now he saw the situation was not as ideal as he had imagined.
“Is this an ancient battlefield?” Brat drew his weapon with a sharp sound, alert.
“This is an otherworldly space hidden by divination magic; I plan to use it as a base…”
Before he finished speaking, a huge roar sounded, low and rumbling, making hearts uncomfortable, like unable to breathe.
“Thud thud thud—”
They turned to look; a massive “ancient tree” was striding toward them, overall twisted humanoid, with stout legs, withered treetop, and a scaly bark-covered trunk bearing an abstract old man’s face.
“Treant!”
The treant swung a hand, sending a boulder hurtling through the air with a terrifying whistle that made scalps tingle.
“Dodge!”
Everyone scattered to escape.
“Boom—”
The boulder smashed into the stone plaza, blasting a pit, with debris flying and whistling nonstop, power astonishing.
Anse finally knew how the surrounding pits had formed; turns out the paradise space had a demolition team.
“Wait, treants are good alignment; why attack on sight? Did I pick up a hot potato? Why didn’t Italo tell me?” His mind was full of question marks.
Dice spun rapidly and soon popped out the treant’s information:
【Cursed Treant, Huge Plant, Challenge Rating 9】
“Don’t fight, go go go—”
Anse raised the Scepter of Sanctuary, activated the magic seals, and with a flash of light, they were teleported out one after another.
The treant paused, smashed a few stones in frustration, then ran back to the mage tower entrance and crouched on the ground, like a dead ancient tree.
