At the same time, Alex gathered a substantial amount of alchemy materials, over 200 pounds of Agripa Alloy, a pound of Refined Mithril, three pounds of Ulim Steel, and more than 40 pounds of raw Mithril. He took these forcibly from the core hub and the surrounding magical pipelines.
Additionally, he managed to collect three massive stone conductors for giant magic circles. These were originally just tall granite pillars rising from the core hub to its peak, but after extensive alchemical treatment and the infusion of magical materials, intricate magic circles were inscribed on their surfaces.
This process transformed them into conduits capable of transmitting magical energy over great distances, similar to the conductors found in the British Ministry of Magic's alchemy room.
Though these stone conductors might seem less valuable than the raw materials, their worth is often underestimated. They don't require as many magical materials to produce, but crafting them is incredibly labor-intensive.
Finding intact stone pillars of such size is rare, and the time and effort needed to finish them are immense. Because of this, these finished conductors are extremely scarce on the market and can only be ordered from places like Egypt, nowhere else in the wizarding world.
They're like the huge wooden beams needed for building an old house: not as fancy as fine mahogany furniture, but absolutely essential to make the structure strong and stable. The same goes for these giant transmitters.
While the technical challenge of making these conductors might not match the complexity of the jammers Alex is familiar with, trying to make one yourself is practically impossible. The reason Alex hasn't succeeded with large-scale alchemy circles so far is that he lacks this kind of equipment.
In fact, these conductors aren't just tools, they're fundamental components of any large-scale magic circle. With enough materials and the right blueprints, you can create a magic array with a wide range, but you need these conductors to spread the magic effectively.
After securing the giant conductors, Alex carefully preserved the magical lines inscribed on them instead of destroying them. He then stored them safely. As for other materials needed to build the magic spire, he simply selected some well-cut stone slabs and set them aside for future use.
The quality of the building materials was excellent, and since Alex wasn't a construction foreman, as long as he had enough supplies, he could manage. After digging three feet into the ground across the entire place, he didn't forget to cast a simple shielding spell to cover the whole area.
This shield would last for a few days, keeping the site hidden from the outside world even after the magic faded. Once all the hard work was done, Alex sat down on the steps in front of the magic spire, feeling exhausted from the recent big projects. Thankfully, his efforts had paid off, so the time spent wasn't wasted.
Just then, the little Thunderbird named Sol, who had been munching on honey with Fang and Shalltear, noticed Alex was finally free. Sol happily waddled over and poured honey into Alex's mouth, gently rubbing his beak against Alex's cheek.
Seeing this, Alex couldn't help but laugh. Although this was their first formal meeting, they already shared a strong bond, almost like close family. Sol acted very affectionate toward him, like a relative reunited after a long time apart.
Originally, Alex planned for Sol to return to his place with Newt and another Thunderbird, who was like a sister to Sol since they came from the same branch. But after meeting Alex, the little Thunderbird became completely attached and didn't want to leave his side.
Alex didn't mind; he guessed Sol had been away from its group for so long that it deeply depended on him, so he let the bird stay close.
Watching Sol act like a playful baby with Alex, Shalltear, who had transformed into a tiny bat, peeked out from the honey pot nearby and glared at the little Thunderbird with a touch of jealousy.
"Sol! How can you forget the old friend when there's someone new? Didn't you remember I was the first one you met?
We've been together for so many days, but now you just leave me when someone else shows up. You're really heartless!" Shalltear complained with mock anger.
After all the time she'd spent hiding out in the breeding place, she had grown quite attached to Sol herself.
"Hic," Fang hiccupped as he sucked on honey, then teasingly said to Shalltear, "That just shows Sol has sharp eyes, maybe it's because he's been messing with you. It took me a long time to see your true colors."
After teasing Shalltear, Fang called out to Sol twice. Since he could speak animal language and communicate with most highly intelligent magical creatures, it wasn't surprising when
Sol turned his head and honked twice in response. "See? Even though we just met, Sol clearly prefers me," Fang said proudly to Shalltear, showing off.
When Shalltear saw Thor getting close to Alex and Fang, she immediately dropped her guard, shouted, and dashed out of the honey pot straight at Fang. Soon, the dog and the bat were fighting fiercely, splattering honey all over the floor.
Watching this, Alex wasn't angry at all, he knew these two were just messing around, something they often did. Still, he couldn't help but smirk when he saw Shalltear covered in sticky honey. They really were wild and reckless, no matter how much they had, they just wouldn't waste it.
"That's enough, you two. Take a break and pack up quickly, we're leaving soon," Alex said, scratching Sol's chin affectionately before turning his serious gaze back to the pair making a mess.
Shalltear was still perched on Fang's neck, pinching his ear mercilessly.
"Oh, Master, Shalltear's gone crazy. I bet she's been cooped up in place too long.
Why don't you take off her equipment and let her wake up in the sunlight?" Fang complained in pain, then tried to bite Shalltear. But she, now a bat, dodged his big mouth with ease.
"You fool! Do you have any idea how much I suffered in that place? Mock me again, and I'll show you just how powerful I am!" Shalltear declared, throwing herself at Fang's face and scratching wildly.
Alex snorted, stepping forward and giving both of them a quick but painful reprimand. Once back in their human forms, Shalltear and Fang squatted on the ground, rubbing their sore spots obediently. Alex frowned, then looked helplessly at them, there was no one tougher than him around.
"Master, what should we do after taking down these breeding places? It doesn't seem right to leave so many commoner wizards unchecked," Shalltear said, setting aside her playful mood to ask the question on everyone's mind.
"Do you still have to worry about that kind of thing?" Alex responded, hinting that there were bigger issues at hand.
"Master has been prepared for a long time. Let's take this chance to use these wizards against the Silver Wands," Fang said with a sneer directed at Shalltear.