After Elara and Arcanus left the shop, Shen Wu swiftly secured the demon core in a sturdy wooden box. He turned to Max and instructed, "I'm going to meet an old friend. Look after the shop." Max nodded attentively, understanding the importance of the task entrusted to him.

Tucking the wooden box securely inside his coat, Shen Wu quickened his pace. Soon, he arrived at a massive building adorned with a prominent plaque reading "Weapons Association" in bold letters.

The entrance was guarded by several imposing figures, all donning formidable Umbragear. Security around the Weapons Association was evidently tight, a testament to the valuable assets within.

As Shen Wu entered the building, one of the guards recognized him and greeted him warmly. Shen Wu reciprocated the greeting with a smile before swiftly making his way inside. Another observant guard, witnessing Shen Wu's entrance, couldn't help but inquire, "Captain, do you know that person?" The captain, recognizing Shen Wu, replied, "Yes, kind of... he is the owner of the Umbragear Shop. I've met him a couple of times while accompanying Grandmaster Xima. They are acquaintances."

Once inside, Shen Wu's gaze fell upon a group of attendants standing behind a large counter. One of them stepped forward and politely greeted him, saying, "Greetings, sir. How may we assist you today?" Shen Wu wasted no time and responded, "I am here to see Xima Peng. Is he available?"

The attendants exchanged puzzled glances before one of them finally spoke up, "Sir, do you mean Grandmaster Xima?"

Shen Wu nodded affirmatively, prompting the attendant to wear a forced smile, needing to maintain courtesy despite Shen Wu's audacity in addressing the Grandmaster by his full name. "Sir, you would need an appointment to meet him."

Furrowing his brows, Shen Wu insisted, "Just go and inform him that Shen Wu is here."

The attendant was about to object when the captain of the guards walked in, intervening with authority. "Go and inform Grandmaster Xima," he directed.

The attendant nodded obediently and ascended the stairs to the second floor. After a brief period, a thin middle-aged man with long, white hair tied in a bun descended the stairs, beads of sweat dotting his face.

"Shen Wu, what could be so urgent that I had to abandon the final process of forging a gold-ranked sword? It had better be good, or you will compensate me for my loss," the thin man exclaimed, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

The mention of forging a gold-ranked sword left everyone present astounded. They knew how challenging it was to create such a high-ranked weapon, and no smith wanted to be disturbed during the process.

Shen Wu greeted the man with a smile and replied, "Hello to you too, Xima. I have something extremely important to discuss with you. Can we find a more private setting?" Xima Peng immediately understood that Shen Wu had a valuable item to trade, so he quickly gestured for Shen Wu to follow him. They ascended to the fourth floor and entered a room marked 'Grandmaster Xima.'

As soon as they stepped inside and closed the door, Shen Wu wasted no time. He swiftly retrieved the wooden box from his coat, placing it on the table before Xima Peng. The Grandmaster's eyes widened in shock as he beheld the contents of the box. "This... this... is a demon core!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment. "Shen, how in the world did you come across a demon core?"

Brushing aside Xima Peng's question, Shen Wu chuckled and teasingly asked, "Do you want it, Xima?" Without hesitation, Xima replied, "Yes, yes, I want it! With this demon core, I can elevate the gold-ranked sword to a Mystic rank or even a half-War rank sword." Shen Wu's inward laughter confirmed that he had made the right decision in seeking out Xima Peng. Curiosity got the better of him as he inquired, "How much are you willing to offer, Xima?"

"F-four... no, no, five million gold coins," Xima blurted out hastily. Shen Wu erupted into laughter, his amusement echoing through the room. "I knew it! A profit of four and a half million," he exclaimed, thoroughly pleased with the outcome.

Witnessing Shen Wu's boisterous laughter, Xima Peng felt a flicker of anxiety, momentarily thinking he might have named an inadequate price. Gritting his teeth, he mustered the courage to say, "Shen, on account of our old friendship, I will also give you a credit of one million gold coins. You can use it to purchase anything from the Weapon Association. I hope you find this deal agreeable."

Shen, still chuckling, paused for a moment before bursting into laughter once more. "I accept! You are as generous as ever, Xima. It's always a pleasure to engage in business with you," he said, his mirth evident.

Xima felt relieved by Shen Wu's response. He closed the wooden box and securely stored it in a locker before retrieving five gold plates slightly larger than his hand, along with a card bearing the insignia of a sword and a spear crossed in front of a shield.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Handing them to Shen, Xima explained, "You can use this card for purchases within the association. It has a limit of one million gold. By the way, you still haven't told me where you obtained the core."

Shen Wu accepted the plates and the card, carefully stowing them away in his coat. "I acquired it from some hunters. Alright, now I must take my leave. Carry on with your work, old friend," he hurriedly declared, leaving the room before Xima Peng could pose any further inquiries. Xima shook his head in mild bewilderment, then resumed his examination of the core, marveling at its extraordinary properties.

On the journey to the Hunters Dominion, Arcanus remained deep in thought, silently observing the changing world around him. His eyes flickered with a mix of emotions as he contemplated the rapid proliferation of hunters. "A hundred years... and everything has changed. Hunters are now everywhere," he mused softly, his voice tinged with both happiness and melancholy. The sight of countless individuals embracing the path of the hunter filled him with a sense of pride, yet it also served as a reminder of the evolving times.

Their anticipation grew as they approached the towering edifice that was the Hunter's Dominion. Elara's eyes gleamed with excitement, her lifelong aspiration on the verge of realization. The building teemed with activity as a constant stream of people entered and exited its grand doors. Arcanus, ever perceptive, quickly assessed the levels of the guards stationed around the premises. "Adept-Level Hunters working as patrol guards, and Masters stationed at the entrance," he observed, impressed by the hierarchy of protection.

Curiosity piqued, Arcanus sought to expand his knowledge of the renowned hunters within Silvercrest City. "Who is the strongest known hunter in Silvercrest City?" he inquired of Elara.

Pausing for a moment to reflect, Elara finally responded, "That would be Lord Cedric, the city lord. He has surpassed the Grandmaster level and is rumored to have attained the prestigious rank of WarLord." Arcanus absorbed the information, realizing the magnitude of Lord Cedric's power and influence within the city.

Upon entering the Hunters Dominion, Elara led Arcanus toward the registration counter. Behind it sat a man, idly twirling his pen. Elara confidently approached, stating her purpose, "Hello, I am here to register myself as a hunter."

The man's disinterested gaze briefly flickered over Arcanus before returning to Elara. His voice, devoid of emotion, he responded, "You need to undergo a test before we can register you as a hunter. Provide me with your details, and I will assign you a token. Wait until your number is called." Elara proceeded to provide her information, while the man seemingly ignored Arcanus. Eventually, he handed Elara a token bearing the number ten.

Directed to wait outside room T01, Elara, and Arcanus joined the growing crowd already assembled there. He saw a few Master Level people and two Grandmasters, standing at a distance from the room. Upon inquiry, they got to know that those people are representatives of famous guilds and are here to recruit hunters who have reached the Master Level. Amidst the chatter, Arcanus couldn't resist teasing Elara, jesting, "Seems like no one will take you." Elara playfully huffed, determined to prove her worth.

Time passed as numerous individuals entered and exited the room, some successfully joining guilds while others remained at the Adept or Novice Level. Eventually, a lady emerged from the room, calling out token number ten. Arcanus, noticing Elara lost in daydreams, gently roused her from her reverie. With renewed enthusiasm, she hurriedly entered the room, with Arcanus following closely behind.

Inside the room, a trio of individuals sat behind a table. Arcanus and Elara saw a machine kept in the middle of the room.

The man in the middle, sporting a mole on his face and a hint of stubble, addressed Elara directly, "Elara Riversong, you are here to register as a hunter, correct?" Elara nodded, her excitement palpable. As the man's gaze shifted to Arcanus, a flicker of suspicion crossed his face. Squinting, he attempted to discern Arcanus's true level, perplexed by his inability to perceive it.

Internally, the man wrestled with his thoughts. 'Strange, I am a Grandmaster and even I can't see through his level. Has he reached the WarLord level?' But he quickly discarded this thought. WarLord Level Hunters don't go around casually following little girls registering themselves as a hunter unless they are from powerful and influential families. Since he had never heard the name Riversong as being an elite family, he concluded that Arcanus must be using a special technique to hide his level from others.

Shifting his gaze back to Elara, he asks, "Do you know what you have to do here?"

Elara shook her head in response to the man's query, confessing, "No, I don't know what to do."

Observing the interaction, the lady beside the man interjected, her gaze fixated on Arcanus, "Go to that machine and strike it in the center with all your strength. Remember to infuse your punch with Zeal." Her attention seemed captivated by Arcanus's presence, mirroring the man's curiosity.

Approaching the machine, Elara noticed markings and a pointer. Taking a deep breath, she focused her Zeal and delivered a forceful punch. The pointer surged upward, halting halfway below the second marking, before radiating a vibrant light-blue hue.

The lady behind the table commended Elara, "Impressive! More powerful than an average Novice Hunter. You are already halfway to the Adept Level, and your affinity lies with the Ice Element."

Arcanus observed the process with intrigue, noting the significant advancements in the evaluation of hunters compared to his time. 'This is new, we had to kill silver-ranked monsters to know if we had reached the Adept Rank. Although it's impressive to see such advancements.'

Elara's joy overflowed as she discovered her affinity for the Ice Element, speculating that it could be attributed to the Breath of Fire and Ice technique imparted by Arcanus. Gratefulness swelled within her, further solidifying her admiration for her mentor.

The previously silent man stamped a paper and declared, "Elara Riversong, Novice Level Hunter." Handing her the paper, he instructed her to proceed to the Pavilion of Skills and select a battle skill that resonated with her.

Overwhelmed by a mixture of elation and disbelief, Elara found herself on the precipice of her long-held dream. The path her parents had trodden was now within her grasp. She envisioned herself as a valiant warrior, fighting alongside Arcanus against the encroaching forces of evil, ready to safeguard her fellow people.