“If there are no more questions, let’s proceed,” Eden said. “Your first task, gentlemen, is to hit that tree.” He pointed to a tree about 40 meters away. The moonlight filtered through the leaves and branches, casting faint shadows on the forest floor. “You each have three shots: one from here, one from behind another tree, and the last while running.”

“How many hits do we need to pass?” North asked.

“Give a hundred percent in everything you do. We’ll decide the rest,” Eden replied. “Begin whenever you’re ready.”

Eden and Cole stepped aside, observing in silence. For Eden, a person’s character mattered more than their current abilities—skills could be honed, but character was harder to shape. However, he wasn't going to say that as the others weren't allowed to know. If they did, they could be tempted to manipulate Eden.

Mason shot first, his arrow embedding itself in the tree. He exhaled in relief.

Eden and Cole exchanged nods as North took his turn. He aimed, drew the bowstring, and released the arrow, but it whizzed past the tree and disappeared into the forest. A miss.

“Next shot,” Eden said, not allowing the moment to linger. “You’ll face away from the target, with a tree at your back. Quickly turn, aim, and shoot.”

Mason and North prepared, then took their shots one after the other.

Both missed.

Eden frowned. They're weaker than I expected. We'll have to put in a lot of work.

“I don’t think we need to test them any further,” Cole remarked quietly.

If they missed the stand still shot, what were the chances of them hitting the target. And even if they did, it wasn't because of their skill, but because of a lucky hand.

“Agreed,” Eden said before approaching Mason and North. “You’re weaker than I anticipated, I won’t lie. But given the stage of the game, it’s understandable. Let’s head back to Akem and discuss things over a meal.” He retrieved the arrow from the tree and handed it back to Mason.

North hesitated but ultimately followed in silence.

After finding an empty table in a tavern, Eden ordered four portions of Game Pie, Roasted Hog, and a bottle of wine.

Seeing the sullen expressions on North and Mason’s faces, Cole broke the silence. “Why the long faces?” he asked, but his question only triggered the pent-up emotions of the two.

“I came all this way for nothing,” North grumbled.

“We both did,” Mason added. “And we don’t even know if you two are who you claim to be.”

“And on top of that, you wasted time that could’ve been spent leveling up,” Eden added gas on the fire.

“Exactly,” Mason said, his sharp gaze locked on Eden.

“And knowing that, you still chose to take the risk,” Cole pointed out.

Both North and Mason fell silent.

“I don’t understand this sudden change in attitude. We never said you weren’t accepted,” Eden said calmly.

“Accepted where?” Mason asked, his frustration evident. “Who puts two beginners to shot on nighttime at the target so far away? It doesn't make any sense. And you’ve shown us nothing. Why did I even come here?”

Eden chuckled. “You’re right to question us. But why are you only doing it now, after traveling hours to meet us and following us into the forest? We could’ve killed you.”

“Because it was worth the risk, wasn’t it?” Cole interjected.

“I had nothing to lose,” Mason replied. “Worst case, I would’ve died once. I don’t have any items to drop anyway.”

“Thanks for the meal, but I’m logging out,” North said, standing up.

Eden’s voice cut through the noise of the tavern, stopping North in his tracks. “Your instincts led you here. You thought this might be your chance for a better future. You were right, North. You did well to trust your intuition. If you truly want to grow stronger and achieve your dreams, sit back down. You won’t regret it.”

North hesitated, then returned to his seat, waiting alongside Mason for Eden to continue.

“Since we met, everything you’ve done—every move, every word—has been part of the test. You may not be older than me, but you lack experience. Your bow skills are unremarkable. But what interests me more than your abilities is your character,” he said it. Had to. “You followed us without question. You didn’t complain, and you didn’t defend yourself when I called you weak. You only reacted when your patience ran out. Understand this: nothing I do is without purpose. And starting today, we’ll be working together.” Eden took out his [Character Card] and placed all the equipment he had for bow users on the table.

Cole followed suit.

“There are no free meals in this world. You’ll need to train and work hard to improve your abilities, and we’ll guide you. Because in the future, we will need you as well,” Cole said, standing up and extending his hand. “My real name is Cole Carey. I’m 20 years old.”

After a moment of contemplation, North stood up. “I guess we start over,” he said, shaking hands with Eden.

Mason silently accepted Cole’s handshake.

“Welcome aboard,” Cole said with a smile.

“Let’s distribute the equipment and plan our schedule for tomorrow,” Eden said, motioning for North and Mason to sit down.

. . .

After finishing the work, Eden returned to Earth. It was still Saturday. He checked his phone— the only missed calls and messages were from his mother, and one from Layla, but nothing from Mia. He heard nothing from her since that incident.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Eden noticed his body was slowly adjusting to the inter-world travel, feeling slightly less fatigued than before. But he still needed sleep. After two hours of rest, Eden got out of bed, changed clothes, checked his bank account—now 43 million credits richer after another Trading Course was sold—and left his apartment.

As night approached, he arrived at a beautiful, modern white mansion with a bolt. The open gates giving access to the large and refreshing yard measured above two meters in height, made with an intricate metal pattern. Taking a deep breath, Eden cracked his neck and stepped forward toward the door. He rang the doorbell twice and stepped back, waiting patiently. A maid opened the thick, mahogany door moments later.

“Welcome, sir. How can I assist you?” she asked politely.

“Hello, my name is Eden. I’m a colleague of Mia from the academy. She was absent yesterday, which is unusual for her, so I came to check if she’s alright,” Eden said in a friendly tone. He knew from the class group chat that Mia, the class rep, had missed a day of school.

“I’ll inform her of your presence, sir. Please wait here for a moment,” the maid said before closing the door and heading upstairs to notify Mia.

Beautiful house, Eden thought, glancing around. He had been here once in his previous life, during Mia's graduation party. Back then, the house and front yard were filled with people, leaving him little time to appreciate the architecture.

The door opened, revealing a slender girl with her hair tied tightly in a ponytail, wearing an oversized t-shirt and fluffy, pink house slippers. Her casual appearance made Eden involuntarily raise an eyebrow.

“What do you want?” Mia asked, her tone blunt.

“Are you alright?” Eden’s eyes quickly scanned her, lingering briefly on her long, toned legs before meeting her gaze.

“I’m fine,” Mia replied, staring directly into Eden’s eyes, searching for the real reason behind his sudden visit.

Seeing the clarity in her eyes, Eden nodded. “Good. Then have a nice evening,” he said, turning to leave.

Mia stood there, stunned. “Is this a joke?” she shouted after him.

Eden paused, turning around. “I brought you a bottle of herbal supplements for stress relief.” He pulled a bottle from his pocket and waved it slightly. “Does this look like a joke?” he asked, his tone serious.

Mia hesitated for a moment. “How do you know where I live?”

“I put in some effort asking around.”

Mia pursed her lips, trying to find out if Eden was telling the truth. “Come inside for a tea. I can’t let you leave like this after you’ve come to check on me so sincerely,” she said with a trace of sarcasm, pushing the door wide open.

“Forgive my rudeness, but I can see you’re perfectly fine. My reason for visiting has been fulfilled, so I won’t stay any longer,” Eden said with a polite bow. His tone and demeanor were entirely serious, leaving no room for doubt. Without waiting for a response, he pulled out his phone to call for a ride and walked out through the gates.

Bastard, Mia thought, watching him leave. She swung the door close and ran back to her room, enraged.

**What was that?** she texted Eden.

**A short visit from a friend,** Eden replied after a few seconds.

**Then why insult a friend?**

**Insult?**

**??? You know refusing a girl’s invitation is an insult, right?**

**You're the only one who saw it that way. I didn’t insult you; I politely declined your invitation.**

**That's what you say, but by refusing me, you insulted me and my family. It’s not polite to reject someone’s hospitality, especially if that someone is a girl.**

**With any other occasion, if i wasn't in a hurry, i would've been more then happy to have a tea with you. But now i can't, i have to be somewhere else. And please don't try to manipulate me by playing the victim. Even as a girl, you can’t always have your way. You need to understand that.**

**Oh, i understand, at this hour you should get ready for clubbing and drinking with your friend. I was in the way. I am glad though as you decided to stop by and check on me, this shows that you still have a trace of humanity in your being and you're not a total jerk. Just 99.99%. But then you say that i am playing the victim? I tried to be polite to you, Eden. But as always you're acting without consideration for anyone other then you.**

**Hm. So that's what you think of me.**

"Stop the car," Eden voiced to his bolt driver.

"Sir?" the driver asked, not understanding the situation.

"Stop the fucking car!" Eden commanded enraged, and the car slowed down next to the walkway.

Without saying anything, Eden got down, placing a hand on a nearby pillar for support. His heart raced like crazy, threatening to come out of his chest. He breathed chaotically, taking in short, rapid breaths, eyes narrowed but serious as he kept his mental faculties.

You have no idea how considerate i am for you, girl, Eden thought, trying to calm his condition, his fingers clawing at the metal pillar.

On the other side, “Look who's playing the victim!” Mia shouted after reading the message, tossing her phone onto the bed before lying down, staring at the ceiling. “You’re always understanding only what you want, Eden. I don’t think anyone will ever accept this behavior of pampered girl of yours. And refusing a girl is an insult, no matter how you do it. If you're stupid enough to keep it your way even after i try to speak with you, then i feel sorry for you, you don't know how to behave.”

“Sis, are you alright?” Sofia, Mia’s older sister, appeared at the slightly open door, having heard her sister talking by herself.

Mia covered her forehead with her hand. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Sofia peeked her head inside. “Then why have you started speaking alone?”

“I was angry,” Mia admitted.

“The guy who visited? I should reward him for making you mad,” Sofia teased.

“Get out!” Mia snapped.

. . .

“Yes, Nali. Thank you for your work; I’ve sent your payment,” Eden said, ending the call with the person who made the video for his website. Everything was ready. Three people had already purchased his Trading Plan, and he hoped for more as he targeted trading businesses worldwide.

Ahartohaim was open not just in Asia or America, but globally, so the possibilities were vast. Eden didn’t mind whether the money came from Russians, Chinese, or Americans. At the end of the day, everyone used the same currency.

“Forgive me, Mr. Grivier,” Eden said to the building's seller.

“There’s no need to apologize, Mr. Ivera. So, about this building…”

“You don’t need to say more; I like it. How much are you asking for it?” Eden inquired.

“1.7 million. It’s in a good area and perfect for a store, health center, or even—”

“My offer is 1.5,” Eden interrupted, glancing around the first floor, already imagining the layout of the training facility.

“Mr. Ivera, that’s a bit—”

“An associate of mine had a few calls with Sima. You know him, I believe. My associate was offered a similar building in the neighbor district for 1.4 million, though it was a bit smaller. After speaking with you, Mr. Grivier, i judged you to be a trustworthy person, so against my associate opinion, i decided to buy from you. Please, don’t take me for a fool now and try to sell me carrots at the price of the apples.”

“Mr. Ivera, I never intended to take one of my potential clients as a fool. However, 1.5 million can't do. This building is situated in a highly populated area and the people living around here are anything but poor. You have to understand.”

“Mr. Grivier, i am young, not stupid. I know the prices around here as well as the competition, i made my homework. My offer remains the same, 1.5 million, more then enough, i say. But since you are in for another two hundred thousand, i wont let you suffer a loss. Here’s a proposal,” Eden said, an idea emerging to light. “I’ll buy this building for 1.5 million and give you the chance to earn the other two hundred thousand.” He paused for effect. “A little bird told me that the family compound, or private estate- depending how you like to call it, up the hill is for sale. I don’t have time to negotiate with the owner, so I’ll let the money do the talking. My offer is 10.5 million. If you can secure it for me, Mr. Grivier, I’ll give you the two hundred thousand. If not, i'll take my business to Sima."

Grivier blinked in surprise, he knew the owner of the compound, but he had no idea how Eden knew that he knew. Or perhaps Eden did not know, and this was just a coincidence. However, the owner of the compound said nothing about the thought of selling his residence yet. And how in the heaven's paradise did Eden reached to that bastard named Sima?

"Do we have a deal?" Eden asked.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Grivier extended his hand, a bright smile on his face. “I'll see what i can do.”

Maybe i can negotiate a better price and make more then two hundred thousand from this deal, Grivier already start thinking about the owner of the compound.

“Perfect,” Eden said, shaking hands. “Now, let’s finalize this transaction.”

Once everything was settled, Eden sent Cole a message: **Done.**

He received an immediate reply: **Same.**