[Now---, disciple. As I was saying earlier, the reason for me beating you so much, lies within your own actions.]

[My actions?]

[Yes. Think about how you engaged me in the fight. Nealy every one of your moves was meant to defeat me by overpowering me. That is the most plausible and truest choice, after all ending the fight in a swift and overpowering move is always better than dragging it to an impasse.]

[---.]

[But here, you will meet an indefinite and impassable deadlock, because it is me who you are fighting against.]

[---?!]

[So---------, if you are combating me, and you can not overwhelm me, then, all you can do, is to prepare for a harsh thrashing. And this is with good reason since it is far more important to be able to receive a hit and stand on your feet, rather than having the delusion that your meagre power will be useful at all. And so, that is exactly what I have just taught you, by beating you up. You are welcome.]

[You bas---------?! So in all of this, your true goal was for me to learn how to get beat---, withstand a beating?]

It was not hard to ignore Urger's words, however, Levis's anger nearly erupted at the end of the long tirade, in which the happy Urger explained his reasoning for the gruesome trashing, although, his words smelled as though the rude and blunt Urger had its voice behind the remark.

Even so, it was becoming harder and harder to hold himself back, at the fact that the whole torture that he had to endure was for such a simple reason, yet he could not say that the nightmare that he had gone through was for nought, as he knew that with this, he had grasped the limit of his own body far better than if he had not. And still, the rage in him was taking a life of its own, as it wanted to take control of him and clash with Urger right at this moment.

[Yes! And I have to admit it disciple, you have exceeded my expectations.]

[However do not forget kid, as this is all due to the body that I have given you. Otherwise, you would have been long dead if let in the hands of the idiot.]

[---------.]

Ultimately, it was far too hard for Levis to endure and tolerate, to just accept and forget what had happened, as in truth, he was truly close, and about to manifest the rage and anger that he had kept growing in him for the hundreds of times that he had been constantly hit, for as such reason, his face darkened by the moment, while the pleased and self-contented tone that Urger was taking, was not what he wanted to hear, after everything he had gone through, in order to stand his kicks, punches and humiliating slaps.

"Sigh!"

In the end, as he was dashing ahead while passing the trees like a jumping wolf, he was forced to let a sigh in the wind behind him, as he knew that he had to wait and postpone the feelings in him until he could get back at them for this day.

[I know, you have no words. I can understand your bafflement, disciple.]

And to his dispelling of anger and rage, came Urger's voice, as he mal intended his action, for one of awe, instead of the simple sigh of reluctance and fatigue.

[---.]

However, in truth, Levis did not respond, as he had finally reached the opening, after quite the run. As he stood before the clearance of trees, the divide of the great forest to the west and the massive city in the east, two behemoths which appeared to battle against one another, as one was surrounding the other, yet losing ground to it non-the-less, although at a very slow pace.

Clear of people, it was. However, Levis's unrestraint dash came to be reduced to that of a normal run, not too fast yet not too slow, as he moved beyond the opened area and entered the outskirts of the outer city.

[Kid! Stop sulking, and just accept the fact that right now you are too weak, too feeble, and simply too stupid, to be thinking of overpowering anyone. That is why you must be ready to withstand some pain, before you can begin to offer any retaliation. And now take, the first street to the left.]

And so, Levis entered onto the first street, with buildings on his left and on his right, as he came to be between the construct of the human hand, although, at this point, Urger began to guide him, as he had done earlier when they had first come on this course.

[Stone for a head, you are jumping out again! Stop interrupting this Master and Disciple's moment.]

[---.]

[---.]

"Sigh---! I am tired, and where are we going?"

In front of all of his circumstances and to the fact that the bickering inside his mind had resumed, Levis let out a trim of a sigh beneath his breath, as only now, had he begun to be somewhat be aware of how out of power he honestly was. For he knew, that he was akin to a cup of water that had but a razor-sharp thin layer on its bottom, which was the whole of his reserve on which he was making his run at the moment. Although, said cup could be replenished by the moment, with each breath he was taking, nevertheless, he knew that the cup would not be filled any time soon, as his body was using all of his intake energy to heal itself, before beginning to store said energy.

However, to say that Levis was feeling lost would not be correct, because if he were to be alone, he could find his way through the city, as though a bird that knew the way, even after having had flown for a great distance, as in truth, he was that he was more afraid of the new path that he was being made to take, for he did not know where he was being directed towards, with the new indication and with how little of sunlight was left.

[To your right. Then once beyond the wide road, take the small alley to the left.]

[---.]

The roads, streets or paths could be said to be many indeed, crisscrossing all over, too many to remember them all, yet, Levis was trying to remember nonetheless, as he was giving a considerably larger attention than rush in the morning. Because the ambience he was sensing from the place and the back alley he was standing in, was not at all as the inner city or the close side of the outer city.

And it was indeed, a different sort of area in which he was in, as all the buildings that were surrounding him had been built using wood, rather than the more refined sturdy rock and of the gravel, which were the predominated materials used to build the majority of the city. It could be said, that the area in which Levis stood was more alike to a membrane or a hide, yet better said would be the scales of a snake that could moult and shed its skin, to grow once more in size, if the right conditions were to be met.

[Alright, stop here and take it out.]

[Take it out?]

And so, after following Urger's instructions, Levis was finding himself, in this thin wood-build periphery of the city, in the back alley of a large segment of these wooden houses that were surrounded by some large roads.

[The mushroom. I do not want to be embarrass---, ahem------, I mean---------, you do not want the ones inside this shop, to see where you keep your treasures right? And since no one is here, you are in the clear, to take it out.]

[ [We better do something, or he might one day get a weird nickname that will hurt us too.] ]

[ [The sooner he can get his hand on a folded space witholder the better.] ]

But before anything could happen, Levis was stopped in his tracks, looking left and then right, as he took the mushroom from the pouch hidden in his trousers as he was suggested by Urger, who appeared to be wanting to say something towards his weird conduct, but relented non the less.

[You are right! Mmmm---, I was indeed too careless about how I took the coins this morning, although I have been fast, it is indeed better if I do not make it too obvious from where I take the coins and the other things, out of the pouch.]

With the mushroom in his hand, and as he was tightening up his pants with a rope that was acting as a belt, Levis looked all around him, to see if there was anyone who might have been looking at him at the moment that he took the item, even as so, he knew that the was no one present in this back alley, as even the streets were rather deserted when compared with the most inner part of the outer city.

[Good that you understand. Now kid---, enter the shop and stay silent, as this is part of your training as well. Do and move as I tell you. And maybe listen as well, as you just might learn something.]

[Alright! But---, where is this shop?]

And it was without a doubt a real query that had come from a true confusion, as what stood to Levis's right and left were two tall walls done by large and tall trunks of trees that had been supplemented with cemented gravel of sorts, in filling any gaps that might arise from the use of large and roughly processed tree logs.

And to said walls, there were doors, several in fact, all rather mundane, not at all as what he had seen from any shop up till now, as they all seemed ready to lead into the home of someone that might be living in this alley.

It was a such, that Levis was having a difficult time fully understanding where this "shop" was, as there was no particularly colourful or showy sign or a glass showing from the outside, to indicate anything.

[The door ahead of you. Proceed and open it, like it is simply a normal matter and enter inside. Then listen well, to do and say at my words alright.]

[Al---, alright!] - "Sigh!"

Although not fully convinced by his words, Levis did as told nonetheless. Sighing his hesitation behind him, he moved to open the simple unadorned and simple door before him.

"Creak---------!"

The door was light and barely noticeable in weight, however, at the moment it moved inside the building, its hinges made a scratchy noise as though it was rather overused, or unlooked at for repair.

"Do not forget to put the medicine securely, the last time I had to make---? Welcome---------?!" - [A brat? Is he here for someone else's orders?!]

"Yes, yes, I kno---! Hmmm---, a customer! Welcome to the Pudgy Be------, bear---------?!!" - [A child? Is he lost?]

Two voices, of two individuals came to his ears, right as Levis opened the door, and just as he entered, he immediately saw the owners of those voices, who more or less appeared to be as he had imagined when he came to hear the tone of their ongoing discourse.

The first one had a rough heavy voice, that belonged to a rough and big plump middle man with an unkept beard on him, which made him look akin to a wasted drunkard who had just woken up from a long and heavy sleep.

The second one was that of a woman with shoulder hair, and she looked young indeed, as she might been in her late teen or early twenties, while her voice had a high pitch tone of a young girl. Unlike the man, the young woman kept her appearance clean and far more presentable.

"Is there anything that you little bo---?!"

"Go back."

"Hmmm---?" - [And here, I was helping you! Fine---, you cheap old bastard.]

As Levis entered, the woman put a smile on her face ready to greet him, however, she was stopped halfway through as the man put his hand before her and stopped her from talking.

"I will see to him." - [Now, now---, what do you have in your hand?]

After the man stopped the young woman, his mouth moved to send her away, as just from the first appearance of the silent brat before him, he did not have a good impression at all. Although his eyes moved pretty quickly from his hardened and impassive face to the mushroom he was carrying in his hands.

"Alright---, I will see to prepare the package." - [Is he here to sell that mushroom]

With one last look at the boy, the woman took her leave through a door opening blocked by nothing more than some heavy fabric, that had to be moved by hand, with a moderate amount of force.

"Just go already." - [Now, let me see what we have here.] - "What can I do for you boy?"

With the woman having taken her leave, the man focused on the child before him, as he put a mild smiling face on him, so as to not frighten him.

"---."

However, there were no words that came from Levis as he stayed quiet and looked around him, not answering or looking at the man appropriately.

And as to why he was not looking at the man, it could be said that it was the place at fault, but not because the chamber was quite small, but because it was empty of any item whatsoever. Yet the missing item did not mean that the shop was truly without anything to show, as while everything was made out of wood as the floor, the ceiling, the walls and the front table behind ehre the young woman had been and where the man stood, something else was there to create the confusion to one's eyes, and that were the numerous squarish or rectangular plates or maybe they were more alike to painting canvases, where different item were sketched, alongside a long explanation of said items.

"---."

And in the following moment, Levis simply walked from where he stood and arrived at the man's front, or rather the front counter of the place he was in.

"I see. Then what do you want to---!"

"Tap!" - "Tap!!"

"Haaa?"

But upon his arrival, the man was rather stumped by his action, as it was rather puzzling and odd, although eerie at the same time, given that he had an unchanging face that did not make any response at all. However, as the child before him had a permanent countenance, a tense air formed around him, which he did not like one bit. And yet, as he examined his actions carefully, he saw him put the mushroom on the table, right before him, yet, in the following moment the boy came to tap on the table. Unblinking eyes, with a straightforward gaze on him, the man felt spooked and his nerves losing some of his overall mettle.

Nevertheless, the sight could be said to be rather unique, as in truth, due to the counter being taller than Levis himself, he was forced to raise his hand higher than his head, which left only his hand visible above the table, which in turn made the man to move and lean forward to glance at his face with his lips tight up as though not know what to say at the strangeness of the scene.

"I want to sell."

"Oh! Then let me appraised i---!" - [You finally come to speak?]

There were but four words, yet the man was forced to lock eye to-eye with the boy, as all in all, without knowing he reached to look into the glare of the little fellow before him, as though they were about to fight.

"Tap!!!" - "For silver!"

"Silver?" - [Silver? Not some energy shard? Did I hear right?]

And as the man was trying to take something from beneath the counter, a tap came to be made once again, making his hand quiver, as he looked again at the boy who uttered two additional words, that brought him some mental haze, as he had to look at him with a raised eye eyebrow, and ask if he had heard correctly.

"Silver."

And so, Levis came to call for silver one more time, at the questioning gaze that the middle-aged man had, and was throwing his way.

"If that is what you want, that is what you will receive." - [Alright, be it your way.] - "Alright, I will appraise it and see how much is this thing really worth."

With the doubt out of the way, the man proceeded to grasp a rectangular black plate onto which he carefully placed the mushroom.

There was no sound, but from where Levis stood he could see that the face of the middle-aged man had some additional light that was coming from the plate. And after some breaths of time, he could see the man throw another questioning gaze at him, yet he did not utter a single word, as he took the mushroom in his hand and began to observe it.

[Eh! What is goin---?!]

[Pipe it down kid, and keep your composure on yourself, do not break the act.]

It was a strange sight, that which happened before Levis, one that might make one doubt if before him was a rough and coarse drunkard or a woman appreciating jewellery, as the hands of the man had a smooth and almost surreal like movement as he was turning the mushroom to observe it wholly, it was as though his finger barely brushed the item, and for his eyes, it could be said that an unconcerned pig had become an eagle which was looking at his prey.

The sight before Levis did not last for long, as before he could understand what had happened, the man put the mushroom back on the black plate and looked at the boy, with the eyes of an unconcerned pig once more.

"If you do not want to exchange it for energy shards then---, then I will give you eight silvers for it."

With leisure and almost no concern in his movement, the middle-aged man spoke and looked at the boy before him, with no trepidation in his tone and eyes, as though the price that had been given out was to be expected.

[Eight! He is giving eight silvers, when that bastard this morning had offered only two. The damnded fellow was ripping me out of six silvers!]

[Kid, shut it! And now go with---------.]

"Twenty-five!"

However, from Levis, an almost instant reply came as well, for he was not shocked or moved by the offer, as he himself came with a price of his own.

[Twenty-five! Is that not a bit too much? Or is the mushroom worth that much?]

Nevertheless, his mind was a whole nother question, as he was rather shocked by the amount offered at the moment.

"Twenty-fiv---! No, nine silvers! The quality and size of this one are not all that good, so it is not as though you can get it, at a better pric---!" - [Damn brat, why do you not ask me for a gold coin.]

To Levis's immediate comeback, the man was taken aback for a moment, yet he himself came with another price of his own, although at the same time, he began to immediately indicate the negatives about the mushroom he had brought.

[Nine he went up by one coin! Is he going to---]

Nonetheless, Levis's mind was rather flustered as he saw the price rising.

[Kid! Shut your damn mind for now, and just focus on what I tell you to do and say, or else this little charade that we are playing is going to fall on your face. Now say "Twenty-four!", and do not lose your composure]

However, Levis came to be rebuked almost immediately by Urger, as his momentary fluster, had almost broken the monotone and dead-like countenance he had on him.

"Twenty-four!"

Yet, in spite of the mental fuss at the price made by the man, Levis maintained his ground, as on the outside of his face and body, he appeared neither moved nor surprised by the man's words, as he lowered his price by one coin at the increase made by the man.

"Twenty-four? Damn it, you brat, do you think you have brought me some kind of top-notch ingredient in perfect condition? With just one look I can see that it had been removed in haste and in a rough manner to that! So all in all, I can give you ten coins at best." - [You sure know how to bite, do you not, you damned dwarf mouth brat.]

To combat Levis's price, arrived the middle-aged man, who once again, brought his assertions behind the price he was putting, for he became resolute in his stance, as while with one hand opened and pushing towards the boy, the man was firm in his definitive decision, as though a soldier that had made his last standpoint in the battle before him.

"Ten."

"Twenty-three." - [----.]

"Ten."

"Twenty-two!" - [---.]

"Ten."

"Twenty-one." - [He does not want to budge?]

"Ten."

"Twenty." - [He really is not budging from ten!]

[Kid! I told you to shut it! Just continue to lower the price to "Nineteen!".]

"Ten."

"Nineteen."

"Ten."

"Eighteen."

"Ten."

"Seventeen."

"Ten."

"Sixteen."

"Ten."

"Fifteen."

"Ten."

And so, what ensued was a rather boring and miserable battle, where Levis continued to lower and lower his price over and over again, as the man did not waver in his stance even for a moment.

However, at the same time, Levis himself did not make any change or gesture onto his face or body, as he continued to look at the man who at some point just stood behind the counter with his hands crossed, looking at him with an irritated and obnoxious countenance, at his long and drawn out haggle.

"Tap!" - "Fifteen!"

Nonetheless, Levis's backtracking of the price had a breaking point, as after arriving at the numeral amount of "Fifteen!", he came to enunciate the number for the second time, while also lifting his right hand above the counter as he tapped strongly on it, while giving the man a harsh look.

"Te---, oh!" - [So this is your bottom line, you damned yapping shrimp!] - "You may want fifteen silver, but I am not offering you more than ten silvers."

Nevertheless, the man was not moved or afraid, as other than a simple exclamation to the tap and to the end of their little game, he mostly remained in the same crossed-hand stance, waiting for Levis to admit his defeat.

"---."

"---."

"---."

"---."

"---."

"---."

And as to play the same game, Levis as well, just looked at him, contesting his stance, by gazing at him unblinkingly even for a moment. and so, the man and the boy stood looking at one another, while saying and doing absolutely nothing.

----------------------------------------

[He will not budge from the ten silvers. Is this it---?!]

[Kid! Are you the devil that does exactly what he should not?]

[Eh!]

[Because after how many times I told you to just stay back, listen and do as I told you, you keep coming here, with your stupid half-baked opinions. Do I have to lock your consciousness and take control of your body, for you to stay in place?]

[Mmmm---, no.]

[Then shut it and focus on what I say, without going on a wild goose chase, because if it had been me instead of this boy, I would have already seen through your mediocre acting.]

[---.]

[Tsk! No wonder you and the idiot get along, since the both of you are made from the same annoying stuff. Now listen well, and do not waver, or else!]

----------------------------------------

"---."

"---."

"Oi! Stingy old Bear! I am don---, done! What are you two doing?" - [What is going on? Why is this boy still here? Eh---! What are you doing you old stingy bastard are you finally becoming senile.]

It was without any notice, that amidst the two's long stare, the young woman that had left some time ago, returned. Joined the front of the shop, by moving the heavy cloth with one hand to and sticking her head out and witnessed a portion of the silent confrontation between the two.

"Nothing! But if you are done wrapping the package then wake up and send the lazy bastard to deliver it, if he still wants to work for me. No wait, first find me the blue ledger as I need it later, but I do not remember where it slipped me, in that mess bellow."

With the presence of the young woman as well, the middle-aged man, turned his head reluctantly to face her, as he hurled some demands one after the the other.

"Ehh! You go find it, I do not want to go down."

However, she appeared to be reluctant about the directives made by the middle-aged man, as her face moderately slacked and drooped in unwillingness and mild distress, as though knowing what kind of future was waiting for her, if she was to proceed with his task.

"Shush it! And head down---, then go and drop a bucket of water to wake that bastard."

"Tsk!"

"You damn lass, do not "Tsk!" me! Tsk---, to your damed manners!"

Yet, the man appeared to have a short fuse towards the young woman, as he began to boost his voice and gesture towards her to move immediately.

However, the young woman, gave the man a gaze full of anger with a heavy clink of her tongue in indignation, as he proceeded to close the heavy fabric and to leave.

"Yes, yes, yes, going---, going now!"

And she left, in heavy stomps that was, as she made it all the more obvious by taking the time to make enough ruckus, that the sound and the vibrations of the stomps could reach their location, even as she appeared to be distancing herself beneath the level of where they were standing.

"This unruly thin---!

"Tap---------!"

"Oh good me! I almost forgot you were here." - [One snarky loud lass there and a small silently mad pup here.]

However, as the precedent between the man and the young woman had been rather vibrant and loud, Levis's existence had been overshadowed, which was the cause that made the middle-aged shopkeeper jerk in fright for the briefest of moments, at an unexpecting tap sound which came from the boy that still stood hidden for the most part by the tall counter.

"---."

"---!"

"---."

"Eh! What is that, is there something up---?!"

Nevertheless, in the second moment at the strong tapping action and sound emitted, Levis used the same index finger, to point upwards, while the rest of the hand was closed into a finger.

"One!"

"One?" - [One what?]

However, as the man appeared to be confused, Levis had to come and precise his action in words. Although, his clarification seemed to give only more doubt and more confusion to the man.

"One question, you have to answer honestly! After which we will finalize the deal"

"What? Wait really?! Ahem---------!!!" - [What are you playing on, you conniving pup?]

Nonetheless, Levis's clarification and near-concluded condition caught the man unprepared as he himself was rather muddled, albeit dubious of Levis's words.

"Are you afraid?"

"Go on, I will answer one of your questions without holding back anything, and I will show how much knowledge this Bear has accumulated in his life." - [Damnded brat! Me---, fear! Go on I will let you see what it means to---! To------? Wait---------!!! Wait a moment! Am I not beginning to dance in his pal---? Damn it, this is not good!]

Even so, the man's suspicion vanished in an instant of a mishap, as Levis's provocation caused the man to respond promptly to his instigation.

"Then, if you are so kind, tell me how much would I need to buy this type of mushroom in silvers that may be?! No need to think too much, just say a few words and numbers, and that will be all. With pure honesty, that may it be!"

[Ahhhhhhhhh------------! You damned little devil you have made me walk and fall on my own grave like a fool!] - "You damned little devil you have made me walk and fall on my own grave like a fool!"

And provoked he was, although by his own mishap, as after the man came to hear Levis's following words, he was almost ready to burn himself from the anger and embarrassment that had been brought down onto himself by his own mishap of impulsiveness and anger.

"I did nothing, but ask one small question, filled with the utmost truthfulness of your promised word, Uncle."

"Uncle your head!? You acursed brat!" - [The dog that does not bark bites hard, is not enough for you, as it should be added that the bite is as poisonous as that of a snake. You devious short thing.]

And he was furious, although not so much to forget about himself, not to forget that he had lost his way by the words of the brat before him. As in truth, he was more angry with his own mishap, rather than that of Levis trapping his honour in their confrontation.

"Sigh---!" - [I should have not played with him in the first place.]

As in the end, he simply sighed at his stupidity and prepared himself to speak. But as he scrutinised and recounted Levis's face, the man came to realize that there had been no smile or gloating or anything other than the uninterested and bored face that he had kept on himself, even since he had entered. A fact in which he recognised in that Levis had eighter an impressive mental state, or he was as dangerous as he was truly presenting himself to be.

"Alright, listen well as I will not tell you twice."

Resigning himself to his fate, the man had no choice but to leave even his sigh of distress as straitened himself and looked Levis directly into his eyes, with the same eagle-like gaze with which he had when dealing with the mushroom in his hands.

"---."

On the other hand, Levis simply gave a slight nod of understanding.

"Little devil, do you know what this is?"

"No."

With his mind at ease, the man pointed with his finger at the mushroom on the plate, however, he had to take it in his hand, as Levis could not see it, as he had his head, below the high point of the table.

"So you do not know, hmmm. Well, this thing is called "Transparent Red Phantom", it is neither a rare nor an abounded mushroom. It is what one might call a fluctuant item. As there are some times when there are too many or there are too few of them. For common folk and ranked cultivators, this is nothing more than a poisonous Red Cap, alongside many other Red Caps. However to cultivators that truly know their stuff is not just a normal mushroom, as this is---."

"Too many words! I just want to know the prices." - [Is he one of you as well?]

[What nonsense are you talking about kid? Or rather why are you losing focus again?]

"Damn Devilish thing, let me finish my telling and you might learn something!"

In his eagle-like state that he was, the man entered into a recounting temper, as he initiated a long narration which made Levis almost break his act, as internally he questioned himself if he had run into the third long-winded Urger by any chance.

"Tsk!"

And to reflect Levis's current feelings about the long explanation, was a strong clink of his tongue, in frustration at the man.

"You---------! I hear and see that, do you think I will not punch your head, just because you are a customer?!"

And as he was right under his gaze, while not hiding anything, the man was immediately incensed at his action, as he looked merely a step away from puffing hard enough to jump over the counter table and grasp at him.

"Now---, as I was saying this mushroom is a base ingredient for those alchemists and something, I do not understand that part all that well. But, I can tell you that other than that, for cultivators who are at the Immortal stage like myself and can stomach this thing without vomiting or shitthing themselves to death, this will either put you into a world of comfort and mad laughter or you will cower in fear into a corner until the effect will pass."

"What?" - [Going mad?]

[No, he means delusions.]

However, the man's eruption of anger did not occur, as he instead, came with an outflow of words that spewed out from his mouth faster than any sandfish could run away from Levis's grasp.

[He means that this mushroom amplifies your mind's subconscious and makes you delirious with the things that make you happy or fearful, while probably numbing the rest of your senses such as that of your skin.]

[Delllusion? Like Grampa when he was talking all alone? But he was talking---, when alone---------, wait does this thing make you hear voices? Because if that is the case, then that means I must have eaten one and that is how you two are here---, in my head---, mind. It all makes sense now!]

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

[You idiot! How the hell are you still doubting my existence? In the first place, if you were to have eaten this thing, you would have died of a worse diarrhoea, than the one you have given those three boys of your village with those berries back then. Now for the umpteenth time, focus and stay with your head on the act. You trully are worse than those pups that react to every stone and blade of grass on the road.]

[---. Alright!]

[Shut it!]

It was not much, but for a moment, right under the eyes of the middle-aged man, Levis's face paled by just the slightest of hues, time in which, Levis himself had a dissension or rather an association of his own suppositions, as his mind and self were still trying to rationalise Urger existence even after more than a month since their first meeting there.

"No need to concern yourself with that, as you are too young for that. Anyhow, it is high time I tell you the truth."

And it was impossible for the man to not catch the sight of Levis's unusual paling of his skin, at his own words, a fact which made him grin in the delight of having put the fear in the Devil before him for the first time. But regardless of his grin, the thought of talking about the value of the item in question when the seller had been ignorant, to begin with, was a big blow for him, not to mention that the same immature fellow had made him fall into a trap from which he had to pay this dearly, a matter on which his thieving honour was on the line. Yet regardless of such meagre entrapment, it was still enough to make him oh so despondent before answering in honesty.

"Listen well, as this "Transparent Red Phantom" that you have brought me, stays within the entry threshold of a rank 5, it is of the lowest of the rank, and given all of which I have said earlier, the mushroom which you have brought me will probably sell for roughly two rank 6 energy shar---, wait you want this in coins, and that is somewhere in the range of thirty-five to forty-five silvers, maybe fifty if I am good with my words. If this had been in perfect conditions, it could have been worth sixty to eighty silvers, maybe a gold coin even."

"That would mean, you stand to make twenty-five to maybe forty silver coins and you give me only ten at most?" - [This old uncl---, bastard, is clearly eating most of the thing, from my mushroom.]

Although still unwilling to offer clarification about the price, the man rolled his eyes and came out clean nonetheless, although, at his words, Levis's hardened face became furious at the man's rather large cut of the overall wealth that the item was worth.

[My mushroom! And yes, this is the situation in which we were a moment ago, because as of now---------.]

"Do not go all grumpy on me as I need to feed myself and several other mouths you know! First of all, it is your own fault for not knowing what you have in your hands. Second, the larger cut it is not unreasonable, since I am taking a large risk myself, by concluding this deal. After all, I do not know from where or from whom this thing comes from. Because if you had truly wanted a better price you could have gone to those fellows near the city wall, however, you have still come to me, and that alone tells me a lot about what could possibly be happening."

"---."

"Even then, I have to pay the City's and Kingdom's taxes once I will sell it, so my profit will decrease a lot. Because, even if I am a two small copper coins crim---, businessman, even I do not want to face the trouble from the damned blue armed fuckers, as I am not that big, so as to buy them like the wolfs and tigers of the city, much less be said for something as little as this. It is not like we are on a massive stampede of Maddened Beasts from the Mad Mountains, like forty years ago. Back then I remember getting my hand on six of them all rank 5, and sold each and every one of them for two gold coins and some silver to spare. Good time, those bad times."

With the truth in the room, the man took his time to shout his words as dramatically as he could, afraid that Levis might not hear him as halfway through he began to move his hand heavily around as though from serious frustration.

"I understand!"

"You do?" - [He bought in?]

To the man's surprise, Levis's words of understanding were more of a surprise, than anything else, as he stood shocked for a moment, looking at him in reflective stance, not understanding why his anger was all but gone, yet he was still giving the same hard look as he had the entire time.

"Good then, I knew you were a smart boy from the first moment I saw you enter, but as a good token of understanding I will throw you in one more coin, and I will give you a total of eleven silvers from the mushroom. What do you thin---------?!!"

"Tap!"

Although it was a surprise, the man took it as a good sign, as with a big smile he offered to add one more coin to the ten that he had previously not budged from. And yet, the smile and the happy moment were all but in crumbles at the sound that rang into his ear, as the table was being tapped again.

"I do not need that silver coin. Ten silvers are but enough for me. Instead, I need some items which you need to offer me, if you wish to have this, "Transparent Red Phantom"."

"Hoo---, is that so." - [A rather intense change from a brat who had yet to leave his mother.]

And it was as such, that not just the comfortable, yet strange atmosphere disappeared, but any kind of warmth that might exist between the two of them vanished as well. As both Levis and the middle-aged man's postures, appeared to change the very temperature of the room, which made the whole place feel as though the cold of the outside, was warmer than the air in which they stood.

"And why may that would be?"

"This is rather simple. Because you are mistaking some simple notions, by your simple assumptions and suppositions."

"Hmmm---? Then tell me, please." - [I liked you more when you hardly spoke, now you more and more just a child skin-wearing Devil.]

And as he was directed in the middle of all of this, the man could not be mistaken of what was happening, as other than stopping the entertaining act that he had enacted with Levis up till this point, he was certain of the fact, that he was unsure of understanding what truly stood before him, as by his long life honed instinct, he could not place the boy before him as a child, or rather even as an adult, for he had the vague impression that he stood before a murky and heavy forest, that he could not navigate throw out it in any way, since any time he was believing in finding a pattern or a road to move ahead, he was always finding himself lost and without the sun to brighten his path.

"Tap!" - "First, it is not that I am not willing or unable to sell this mushroom to a more proper and well-off store near the inner parts of the city, it is but the mere fact that ten or twenty additional coins mean nothing to me, when compare to the time that I might lose otherwise. I have come here for the mere convenience of a more briefer and less time-consuming trade."

"A lot of big, heavy and lengthy words for a small fellow like you!"

With a heavy tap of his finger on the table that he could not stand with his head above, Levis initiated his take over of the conversation, which changed the middle-aged man from an orator who commanded the conversation, to a listener who responded towards Levis's words.

"Tap---------! And second! I am merely doing a showing and in-person deconstruction of dispute and a poultry bickering of the hungered, and nothing more. And---, since you have been close by in my own path, I have made this simple denture, for my own interest."

"Ha---, so that is the case here, hmmm!? Then may I ask of you, what is that you may require if you are to decline my eleventh silver?"

"Simple---! To begin, I need a backpack!"

"That I do no---! Mmmm---, it is alright if it is rough on the edges? As I do have one used, that has been kept in optimal condition."

"Will do."

"Then I will see to it immediately."

There was no hesitation in Levis's phrases, as word after word came down with an already known purpose that was written and ordained long before the whole interaction of the two. In fact, the man was unsettled by the quickness with which the replies were coming back at him.

"Second, I need a raincoat with a very large head hoody, as well as arms not just a simple cover."

Yet saying that Levis had no hesitation, was not enough, for he had no respite as well, as right after the man finished his words, he began to utter his second requested item.

"I can---, I have one! I think?!"

"Must be of a dark or a heavy colour, the size must be enough to cover someone of your size and more on the legs."

"My size?" - [Where are you going with this?]

And to say that his request was not confusing the man, would be a falsehood, as he truly had no idea of what the small boy before him would do with such a large clothing item.

"I must say again, it must be a lengthy cloak, enough to cover your legs and feet. To the point that it needs to touch the ground."

"This seems rather strange, but I believe I have something like what you have described, though I must look for it first." - [What do you want with all of thi---.]

"Third, I need a see-through head cover, that must also cover part of the neck, chest and shoulders."

And he simply continued, faster and faster such that the man could not properly catch his own thoughts in his mind, as Levis's mouth continued to speak unperturbed of what the man was thinking.

"Wait---, wait just a moment! What did you say?! A see-through head cover? What are you going to---, are you trying to rob someone?"

Shocked, could be said to be the man, as Levis's third demand, came to catch him unprepared, at his more than just a bit of a detrimental item to trade.

"No. It must be your measure!"

"Am I going to rob someone?!"

And yet, it was due to the second time, in which his measure was used for the item, that made him question the boy almost on instinct as he did not have a good premonition from the entire deal.

"No, do not be ridiculous, if I ever want something, I will simply take it without anyone ever knowing that it had been me, why would I need your help? And if by any chance the opponents are strong, I will simply kill them, then I will take what I want, so it is not robbery."

"It is not robbery, if you go murdering the fellow in the first place, you twisted little evil spawn." - [Damn it! This little fellow is insa---!]

"Do you have it?"

"I---, I------, I---------! I am not sure if I can trust you, with this."

And so he was hesitant, to offer the item in question, as he knew that it would not bode well if it may lead back to him, given the alarmingly sinister nature of things before him.

"Then I will just take it back and I will leav---."

"Alright---! I have one that will do." - [Damn it! I can deal with it. I do not think this can get me into any kind of serious problems.]

However, in the end, as he saw Levis trying to reach for the mushroom and make his way out, the man relented

"Good, Then fourth I need an oval hand-deep pot. Wood, ceramic or metal vase of sorts it does not matter. And it must be large enough to cope in your two hands, it must fit inside the backpack, nothing larger.

"Are you going to cook now?"

[Are we cooking?]

[Kid! Now, you are but my voice, so keep your thoughts in and continue to talk for me. Now say, "That is not for---. ---.".]

[---.] - "That is not for you to know. And fifth, I need two glass vials with a good closure of some sort. They must be clean and pure."

"Oy---, oy--, oy-, oy! Hold your horses here, as these ones are quite something, fifty copper each, just the two vials add up to a silver coin in total, and if I put the backpack, the raincoat, the head cover and the---, pot---, vase thing that you want, it will add up to three or so silvers!" - [Damn it you devil! You are going over bored with your demands!]

The back and forward was odd, as the man could not make true heads or tails of what the point of all that the boy had requested. Yet one matter was certain in his head, and that was that the price of all that he had requested, was adding up to be a substantial and considerable major increase, more than the one coin he had originally offered. As such the man was forced to stop the soul-devouring monster, that might come close to requesting his own shop in this checklist of his.

"Make the deal or I will leave. As I am not interested in wasting any more time than what I have already squandered."

However, Levis could not care for the man's pain or otherwise, as he was adamant with his terms, ready to leave at any point at this time.

"Argh!!! You---! Sigh! Alright, I will make the transaction with you." - [No wonder you refuted my last silver, as you wished for more to gobble up, you damned thing!]

Irritated and frustrated, though gritted teeth and a face that was full of anger, the middle-aged man accepted Levis's request for the bizarre items to be added to the ten silver in exchange for the little mushroom that he had brought.

"Sigh---------!"

With a hard look at Levis, the man gave a deep and depressing lengthy sigh at the loss, that he had come to suffer at the hand of the fellow with whom he had followed around and got his hand burned instead.

"---."

"Thud---!" - "Thud------------!"

After looking at Levis's unchanging face for a moment, the man steeled himself and delivered two heavy stomps on the floor with his right leg.

There was not much in terms of sound that was being emitted from the robust impacts, however, Levis could clearly feel the vibrations that came from his position, as the whole room, or rather the wooden building was shaking at this moment, a shocking testament to the power of the middle-aged man before him, as he was not just a simple plum old uncle running a strange shop. Even so, Levis's himself knew that the man had a rather high cultivation that he was trying to keep hidden from anyone, although, to his senses, it was instead far too obvious, as he could feel, or rather know of the danger that his body was informing him, in regard with the deep cultivation that the man was trying to hide.

"---."

"---."

"---."

"---."

With the whole building having shaken, the man, appeared unperturbed at the motion of the wooden structure, as he simply moved to scower under the table for a moment, after which he came in hand with a rectangular white plate and a dark charcoal pen, on which he began write somting.

"What happened?!"

"Thump!" - "Thump!" - "Thump!" - "Thump!" - "Thump!" - "Thump!"

However, as he was writing on the plate, Levis could clearly hear a commotion happening underneath him, as the sound of steps began to reach him with the voice of the young woman who had left the room some time ago.

"Thump!" - "Thump!" - "Thump!"

"---."

So before the young woman's arrival, Levis turned his head to face the door which had no door, while the sounds of heavy steps became louder and louder to his ears. As for the door, it was but a heavy blanket or rug, for it was but a mere cover, that would make one question as to the reason why the shop owner had not just put a real door in its stead.

"What? What?! What happened? Is there anyone attacking us?"

And in the following moment, a hand slit through, after which it was her head, as she appeared not wanting to fully enter the room, as though trying to hide her body for some reason.

"Here! Do these and then return to the previous task."

With the young woman present, the middle-aged man finished whatever he was writing, and made his way towards her as he handed her the white thin plate.

"Eh! More work? Eh---! What is this? Are you sure? As I know this will not make h---!"

Nonetheless, she was not pleased to see that she was handed more assignments, yet upon seeing what he had written down, she came to make a strange and doubtful face, as though being sceptical of the truth in his request.

"Just do it! As it obviously belongs to me, and I will deal with any grumble that might come."

"If you say so then alright."

Though to his bewildered countenance, the man simply affirmed his will, after which she retreated backwards beyond the textile-made entrance.

"And you kid, behave and wait, as I will return in a few moments."

Albeit, after the young woman, the man entered as well, but not before giving another glance at Levis, and so he entered and walked beyond the door, leaving Levis to stand alone in the empty-looking store, which was hard to clearly defy as a shop.

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"------------."

"Re---, re-, repleni--, sh- shing, replenishing elix-, xir, elixir. Replenishing elixir!" - [Now what?]

[---.]

Without the middle-aged man, there was really nothing else for Levis to do, other than to look and observe the shop in more detail. As he turned left and right, ahead and back to gaze upon the squarish and rectangular plates with drawings of plants and other objects.

And with no one other than him in sight, he begin to read in a muffled and low underbreath tone that only he could hear, the big written words of one of the many plates that were swarming all over the walls of the place.

However, if the middle-aged man were to be present, and hear the boy that he was sure was a Devil, struggle to read two simple words, he would doubt that he was the same boy to whom he had been played, deceived and almost fritened.

"---." - [Do I just wait?]

[Yes, you wait. And if you want to read, do it in your head, do not let that boy hear you struggle to read or else all the pressure and ambiguity we have impressed on him will vanish.]

[Alrigh---.]

[Actually---! It would be better if you would tell me what have you understood from my doing and if you have comprehended the core point of all of this charade.]

[Mmmm---! Well, you were constantly insisting and nagging him? So the point is to make him relent to you?]

[Wrong, yet not so off. The whole point of all that we have done, is to use this entire act in weighing that boy's boundaries. To see how much of an honest or a liar he truly is. So as in the end, you can go, with more than just the very minimum price that he wants to give, but somewhere in the middle. That, if you have no idea of the price of this thing, because if you were to have known how much the mushroom was worthed, then you could have directly asked for a much higher and more solid price, with no reason for this whole charade.]

[Mmmm---, so I need to be insistent and intemedating, to take the most satisfactory price when selling my thin---.]

[Wrong. What you need, is to be aware of what you want, and how to determine the more correct value of something that you do not know. Not that it will really matter to you, as in a few years, it will not be worth your time to pick up this mushroom. As you will just empty its energy just by being near it.]

[Mmmm---------. I---, I do not understand?!]

[No need to. As for the moment, we need to take the things and make our way back to the guards lodging directly. As there is barely any light from the sun at this moment.]

[Oh! It is almost night outside? Shit, we need to hurry!]

"You Devil---! I have gotten your things, take a look."

"---?"

If anyone were to observe Levis, since the time that the shopkeeper had left, one would be stranged out by the fact that the majority of that time, he had been staring at the post sign with the "Replenishing elixer" information on it. Motionless and with wide-open eyes, he stood still without moving as though having become a statue. For if one knew not of his and Urger's mental interaction, his behaviour would defiantly spook any who might see him, the shopkeeper included.

However, upon the sound of footsteps and the voice of the middle-aged man, Levis turned his head to look at the man and at the young woman who came in toe with the things which he had ordered.

"Take a look! A backpack as you asked. Although it might be rough on the edges I can guarantee the quality. A long robe, dark green, with hands and a hoody, know that this thing is quite good as it is water resistant and repellent, moreover, it is not hard in its structure, for it feels more akin to some soft linen."

[This backpack---?] --- "Acceptable."

With the backpack in hand, the man begin to offer a simple presentation, though from his confidence one might be led to believe that the thing might be made out of metal, an item that might last a lifetime. However, from a simple gaze and a whiff of air, Levis could see that the item had been used already, moreover, although it appeared to have been cleaned, he could sense from it the smell of grass, soil, plants and something else, and overall impression of the forest.

As for the robe, Levis could not say much other than the fact that it was big and tall, far too oversized for him to wear. And although the middle-aged shopkeeper had used the word green to describe its colour, it was a heavy black-green, one that might make one have a hard time seeing the green about it and mistake it for a murky dark.

"Then---, your head cover thing. Listen carefully, do not make yourself found with this, as although it is not anything illegal, if anyone finds it on you and comes here, I will not know you, nor have we had any transaction done. Understood.

"---."

With the robe that acted as a raincoat and the backpack out of the middle man's hand and on the counter, the man followed, by taking the mask from the hand of the young woman and presented it to Levis who gave a simple nod in return.

Although, as the young woman stood witnessing the presentation and transaction done by her frugal boss, she made a rather wry smile, as she had no words to put at the strange view she was seeing. Because in her mind, she had the vague impression that the man was selling the items to a wanna-be little criminal, who from the look of it, he was about to do something and then run off into the forest.

"And this is your bowl thing, nothing much a wood carving utensil carved by a fellow that I know, so I can guarantee the quality of this thing, Is it good for you?"

"Will do."

"Alright, then come the two vials, again, this is from an acquaintance of mine. The inside of these ones are filled with a sterilizing solution that can last two years, and since these ones have been made four months ago, you still have a good year and a half before you need to neuter them. Although I do not know why you need them, here you go."

"Alright. Now place them all, inside the backpack for me."

With the small vase and the two vials that were filled with a kind of a clear water-like fluid, all the items were present on the table, yet from where he stood, Levis could not see or reach them properly, so he was forced to have them do it for him, while hiding the embarrassment that was behind his eyes, at the fact that he simple could not reach the items well enough.

"Do it."

"I will do it in just a moment, little boy."

However, from the man's perspective, he caught the hidden intention of his words, although he did not react in any grand manner, as he simply gestured at the young woman who stood to his right to prepare the backpack for him.

"Little---!"

[Kid! Do not flare up!]

Although, as she began, a simple mentioning of the word "little", was enough to make Levis shift his eyes in a snappy manner over her, for at that moment he stood close to destroying the hard and cold face that he had to keep since the moment he had entered, were it not for Urger snappy intervention.

"Little devil, here! Your silvers." - [So there is something that ticks you off---, eh!?]

"---."

Nevertheless, if was not possible for the middle-aged man to not observe the strange shift of Levis's eyes, as he looked at the young woman. For in the following moment, his mind and mouth moved, and have him reacted in the same manner, which made him realise that the thing before him was not without cracks and faults.

"By the way what is your name?"

"Levis."

With the young woman packing the items into the backpack, the man shoved his hand under the counter and he took ten silver coins in his hand. And as he was leaning forward, to hand the coins, a question came out of his mouth, an inquiry which Levis answered without thinking.

"Levis?! Hmmm---, you are probabl---."

"Levis, the strongest man to be."

However, his words of presentation did not end, for as he was accepting the ten silvers and as the middle-aged man was trying to speak of something in regard to his name, Levis himself, came to add a tad more, to the simple introduction of his name.

[Kid! What are you doing?!]

"Phu--, phuu--, ha-, phu!"

"Eh---! Aha---, aha--, ha-, aha!"

And as expected, a reaction came to be had from all of them, from Urger as well as from the middle-aged man and the young woman. Albeit, all three of them had varied ways in how they reacted towards his inflamed words which were filled with a clear and stone-like arrogance since he was still daunting the facade that Urger himself had made him wear.

Urger himself came out to have an almost hysterical shrill to his words as though he was in the middle of having his blood pressure reach an unreached record.

Although, contrary to Urger's anger, were to two who stood before Levis himself, as from his left side, the young woman tried to keep her laughter in check with the greats of her force, however, said action ended up resulting in a subtle but forced whistle of air out of her lips, after trying to contain herself from bursting into giggles.

Yet on the other side, the middle-aged man, could not care if he was heard, as after a simple momentary loss, he let out a series of chuckles for all to hear.

----------------------------------------

[Kid, what the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten what I have told yo---?!]

[I did not. And I still understand that I have to hide.]

[Then why?]

But while on the outside world, the middle-aged man and the young woman were laughing in different forms, inside Levis's mind, he was contesting against Urger, who was close to have a fit of anger by the tone and sound of the words that reached him.

[Because it is the truth. I will become the strongest man. Otherwise, there is no point in you being here.]

And to confront Urger he was, as his words appeared to have a great push against the man, even as he did not seem to be in total rebellion against the simple principle that Urger was bashing him with all the time.

[You---.]

[Good disciple! You are right, if you can not become the strongest being on this little created thingy, then there is no point. If you want to change your fate, make your challenge as big as you can.]

Against all, Urger was still, at a loss as his anger was becoming more apparent, however, before anything could happen, the happy individuality, that had trained Levis interjected with great force, supporting Levis's doing. Be it for Levis's sake or an act of vengeance on his other self, it was problematic to say with certainty.

[Bloody idiot do not encourage him. Kid, I understand your motive, but this is still too much of a stupid mov---.]

[Stupid! Do you think I do not know what I am doing? Because in truth, I do. I know that this does not, appear to be close to your sense of hiding, but it does to me. First, it is the truth, and second, it is because no one will take me seriously. I have seen how everyone looked at me back then when I met, Rowen's friends, and Sir Baron, even Captain Mustache, they laugh and think of me as some kind of a fool or an arrogant idiot, but I know that I can use this to my own advantage, so shut up as I know what I am doing! I will let them laugh, because a great man is not moved or pushed by the ignorance and ridicule of some small people, on this, I am the big one!]

Loud, it was the only way to describe Levis's words, yet it was incomplete as there was heaviness as well, for as Urger was listening, he could feel that the words had his feelings behind, sadness and loneliness, but most of it was rage and fury which were the more predominant amongst all of his sentiments, albeit, arrogance was everywhere.

[---.]

And to his words, Urger simply stood silent and let him vent through his own words.

----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------

[ [What do you think?] ]

[ [He is stressed and resentful for the beating. Nothing more than a rebellious act against us.] ]

[ [Well this disciple is still young, so he has yet to take a good beating.] ]

[ [We will just observe, as his idea is not entirely a tragedy to his progress anyway. If he can survive his own stupidity, then he will have a more resilient and strong sense of himself.]

----------------------------------------

"Now this is truly something else."

The conversation with Urger was fast, in fact, it was so fast, that just two breaths of time passed, barely enough for the two to compose themselves from laughing and giggling at the boy who stood unaffected at the middle-aged man and young woman's action.

"You are the tenth Levis that I met up till now. Bastards and thieves most of them, some even tried to kill me, but you are the first one to name yourself the strongest to be. Ha---, aha---, I guess you are still a child after all!"

"Here you go!"

With the ten silvers in hand, Levis stood unfazed at the two's words and prior antics, as from one end, the man expressed a simple smile on his face, at the fiding of humanity at the scary thing before him, while on the other hand, the young woman had folded and packet the backpack with all the other items, and proceeded to hand him the old rucksack.

"Thank you." - [This is nothing like the one that Grandpa had passed to me back then---.]

With a simple reply of gratitude, Levis took the backpack from the young woman. It had a rugged and hard feeling to itself, and the smell of the forest was even stronger when so up close to his face.

"Little boy! Are you sure that---, you can walk with this on you?" - [He can actually stand with it.]

"It sure looks big on you." - [His footwork and poise are a mess, but the power---.]

However, the greatest problem came from the weight of it all, as the backpack and the other items came to add to a considerable amount, of which a boy of his size would have problems holding, yet despite the young woman's worrying, Levis came to wear the thing on his back, which to the eyes of the middle age man, looked quite strange, to say the least, as the whole rucksack, was bigger than his entire back, or rather, he was more of a backpack that he was Levis, give the overall proportions.

"It is alright."

"Good to know."

"---."

"---."

"I will leave now, older sister and old uncle."

The words were few and the pause was rather long, as after wearing the backpack, Levis gave the middle-aged man and the young woman a prolonged gaze, before parting, as he turned around and moved towards the door.

"Creak---!"

"Oy---!"

"What?"

And the door creaked, once Levis opened it, as per the first time, but amidst the creaking sound, the voice of the man reached his ear before he could walk out of his shop.

Levis halted in his step but did not turn around, as he merely asked the man of why had he been reached for.

"If you want to work for me, then just come and find me, and I will make out of you, a great cutthroat salesman. But do not come here with problems on your back, as I do not think I can handle your problems."

The man answered, or rather questioned Levis, of his own interest, towards the aptitude that he had displayed, but his voice was rather strange, as he was neither hard nor soft as he had been during the transaction, but rather calm and composed, without any wavering in his tone.

"I will not. As I have a big problem to take care of, and---, in truth I still do not know anything of this selling thing. Which is why we might never see each other again. So---, goodbye."

And equally calm was Levis, replying with an equaly fast answer, which held no trace of the fabricated form of speech that he kept until the moment before turning his face around.

"Well if that is so, then go already, but remember that the Pudgy Bear is a man of his word. And just so you know I am not that old, as I am only eighty-seven years old!"

"---."

"Creak---------!"

There were no additional words of goodbye towards the last phrase of words uttered by the man, as only the creaking of the door sounded, once it was fully opened and then thoroughly closed, as Levis's figure could no longer be seen by the two who remained inside.

"What was that all about? Do you want to recruit him?"

"I just like his scrupulousness, that is all. But if he has something else, there is nothing to be done in this case. Now return downstairs and find that thing.

With Levis gone, the young woman begin to question the middle-aged man, about his intention. However, the man's answer was rather short and with no grand explanation to himself, as he gave her the instruction to return to her original chore.

"Ahhh---! Again------?! And were you not ninty-three last weak? When did you lose six years on you?"

Although to his reminding, the young woman appeared relucted to return, as she took a counter, towards the man's earlier words.

"Do not question me and change the subject girl, and go find that damned thing, no wait, wake the bastard first."

To her question, the man took a mildly aggressive stance of defence, as though not wanting to express his true age, and so he pushed her to proceed toward her task while adding the one that he had been postponing for some time.

"Sigh---------! I will go now---!"

The young woman, was reluctant, yet with a sigh, she prepared herself to descend once more into the undercellars of the building.

"Ahh---------!!"

"What bastard---? Sigh---------, and what is with all of this ruckus, as I can not get a moment of good sleep!? Careful there!"

And as she proceeded toward the doorless opening, about to move the fabric and move to her assignment, she was caught unprepared as she came to bump into the chest of someone who came from the opposite side, since the voice came only a moment before the collision of the two of them.

It was not a formidable impact, yet the young woman was thrown off her balance and moved backwards, ready to fall on the counter of the shop. However, before such a future could happen, a hand came behind her waist, stopping her fall and establishing her balance.

If one could not see, one could understand from his voice that it was a man, and from the sound of his sigh and tone ensued, one could infer that this man had just awakened from a heavy sleep.

"You can let go of me, you know?"

"Sorry!"

And a man it was.

"No need to be, just do not walk as a damn stone wall, as this might hurt me more than me falling on my back."

"I understand, but then you need to slow down when entering behind the shop, did no one tell you that opening doors can be dangerous."

His stature was taller than the woman, and of the middle-aged man, a hard muscular build, as right now he was sporting a sleeveless tunic and some long pants, while appearing half asleep while looking at the young woman.

"What door, can you see that this cheap bear is not willing to buy one anymore after he broke a few of them?!"

"If you want a door, then buy one, but if that were to be the case then the face of one of you two will have to collide with the door. And you wastrell how long do you have to sleep?"

"You buy the door! Hamph---! And maybe do one of those that slides then! Hamph---------!"

"Do no push---, I can move away. And any of you two have seen my backpack?"

With a small bickering of back and forth between the young girl and the middle-aged man, the man stood half-confused and unprepared to deal with their quarrel. Although, his unpreparedness made him an obstacle to the young woman who pushed him to the side, as she puffed at the middle-aged man while leaving in anger, as the man came to ask a simple query directed at both of them.

"Tsk! Girl now that the fool has come on his own, go and find me that blue ledger!"

Irritated by the small dispute, the middle-aged man clinked his tongue and shouted at the young woman to proceed with her postponed assignment.

"Ha---! If you want to know where your backpack is then ask the cheap old Bear, as I did only what he told me to do."

However, as the young woman was making her way downwards, her voice, came to the ears of the man, as she directed him towards the middle-aged man for clarification.

"What does she mean by the?"

"Nothing of great importance, as I just sold that thing, but more importantly I have to decide what do I do with this. Do I sell it or do I use it myself?"

"What! Why did you sell it?"

With confusion on his face, the man turned to the middle-aged shopkeeper, who gave him a simple and undeterred answer which woke the man in shock at the abrupt information he came to receive.

"I needed it to buy this---."

"What? What is that---------?!"

"A Transparent Red Phantom, what---, do------, you---------, think?! What happened to you?"

The man was shaken, but not enough to be fully awakened from his still drowsy state in which he still was. However, as he looked at the middle-aged man, and followed where his gaze was, the man came to be jolted awake with his eyes widening at the sight of the mushroom that stood on the plate and above the counter.

His act was immediately noticed by the middle-aged man who felt the almost piercing gaze that the man was giving the item, as though he wanted it to be destroyed in this moment.

"Where did you get that mushroom?"

"From a little Devil that came not so long ago and made me go crazy from how he haggled and whittled me down."

"Little Devil?"

The man's eyes remained on the mushroom for a long time, yet upon hearing of the name "Little Devil", he moved his face to meet the middle-aged man's gaze, as he questioned him with an almost excessive intent, behind his action.

"Yes. What abo---?!"

"Was it a boy, about this tall, dark hair, relatively scrawny dressed rather light and with a gaze that gave you the feeling that you might get stabbed?"

"Yes! That is the little bastard. What about hi---."

"------------------------------."

The man was constantly oozing a heavy solemnity, for the whole time. Nonetheless, his seriousness, transformed into aggression, as after the middle-aged man's confirmation of the individual from whom the mushroom had come, the man's whole aura changed, into that of a threatening animal ready to attack the prey in sight.

"What the hell is going on with you, what did this mushroom do to you?"

Although said prey was a mushroom that could not run or negotiate, as such, the middle-aged man placed the hand ahead of the thing, afraid that the man might attack it for some unknown grudge he might have with the red caps.

"I know the mushroom."

"You know the mushroom? Well, it is a poisonous red cap, so everyone knows it."

The man's gaze did not move from the mushroom and the middle-aged man did not stop to protect it, since he did not know why the man had such a great outburst at its sight, moreover, he came to be confused as to his words that did not make much sense.

"I know this specific mushroom!"

"You know this mushroom? What are you talking about? Did you have some unspoked relationship with the mushroom or did you raise it?"

The man appeared almost obsessed, as he did not move his gaze or the aggression that he was oozing from his body as though fire that wanted to burn the thing.

Even so, it was the middle-aged man who was in the biggest dilemma as he had no idea of what was happening, for he could not make heads of what the man was saying.

"And I know that---, lying and conniving brat!!!"

However, his anger turned into fury which came out of his mouth aking to blooks of ice that wanted the person in question to be frozen to death.

"Hooo---, so you know Levis then? But how did you two meet?"

"Levis?"

The middle-aged man was still with his guard up and ready to bash the man if he were to actually attack the mushroom, yet, after hearing that the man knew Levis, his guards lowered, even as he could feel the threatening intent and will behind his words.

However, on the other side, the man became confused and slightly incensed at the mention of the name which he did not know.

And it was a such, that if the man were to wear heavier clothes, a short sword to his waist, the backpack that had been sold and a cap to wrap around his head, Levis would recognize the man as the one that had eyed the mushroom during the morning hours when he had first entered the outskirts of the forest.

"His name. Wait you do not know his name, and from the look of it, you two?!"

"---."

"And what about him? What happened between you two?"

"Sigh------------------------------!"

The mentioning and the confirmation of the "Little Devil's" name was the only thing which made the man to decrease his overflowing intent, as after a long exhale to vent the overwhelming feelings that had taken over him, he moved his gaze from the mushroom and back to the middle-aged man.

"On my way here, not that far from here actually. I met him and saw this mushroom."

"Oh! So that is how he came in with this thing. Then what happened with the two of you?"

"I tried to take it from him---, but---------."

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"------------."

"---------------."

"------------------."

"Phu---------, ha------, aha---, aha, ha!"

And the middle-aged man laughed, for as the man told his tale of how he had encountered Levis, the shopkeeper was finding it ridiculous that after turning around to such a simple lie, he, the man had loosed both the mushroom and the boy in the span of two or three breaths.

"Still---, so that is what had happened and why this thing is in the conditions that it is! No wonder, no wonder. Yet I have to say the little Devil is more frightening than expected. From the looks of it, he had been played with the both of us." - [This is a bit scary. How much cultivation and what kind of body does that Devil really have?]

The shopkeeper turned to observe the mushroom in surprise, as he was finally able to understand the reason for the shabby appearance of the little thing before him, as originally, he had assumed that it was due to the inexperience of the boy, yet now, he was shocked, as even him would have a hard time do what Levis had done, since before the man that he himself had trained, escaping in such way with the plucking of the mushroom, would require all of his cultivation.

"Do you think this is funny?"

The man was unamused at the laughter that the middle-aged man had gotten out of his story, yet, it would be hard for him to say that the brat had been anything other than a sliding bastard, as he had sold the thing right under his slumbering nouse.

"No---, I do not. And it is precisely why I must tell you to forget about this and stop going to intimidate others, as I can not storm you if you are to one day poke a real nest of hornets." - [This---! How the hell did he---------!!!]

"All I did was to scare him a little."

The middle-aged man's voice was normal, as he spoke to the man, who at this moment, was standing to his right and frowning at his words.

Nonetheless, as the man was frowning and giving his excuse, the hand of the shopkeep extended to the front edge of the table where Levis had kept tapping, and as he moved his fingers over it, he came to be surprised at the hollow recess which the table had suffered at his finger. Because he knew that the table was not made from delicate wood, as the wood that had been made of was as hard as any rock the one might pick on the street, yet after the numerous taps, the smooth surface had been pushed downwards. It was not by much, and one might not see or know, if one would not look at it or feel it with one's fingers, but it was still a fact that shooked the man, as he could not reason how he could do it with that tiny body of his, which could be blown away by the weakest of breeze currents.

"It was not as though I was going to harm him. Other than a good thrashing for scheming against me."

"Sigh---, you truly and un unsavable bastard. Have you not seen his clothes?"

The shopkeeper gave a sigh, for as he looked at the man, he could tell that the man had the face of someone ready to deliver an act of definitive revenge, over the smallest and pettiest of matters, even if he was the one in wrong in the first place.

"Those skimpy things?"

"That is why you need to train your damned eyes in other areas, as those "skimpy things" are at the very least, worth dozens of silvers each. Do you think that the little Devil bought them for himself or someone else? Someone that could put you and me as the foundations of a new house. As I get the strange feeling that the little bastard, might be the descend of one of the old monsters of the inner city, so forget about it. As the mere fact that he ended up here to sell the mushroom and take your backpack, is more than enough of an erie matter to my old self. So drop anything though about his and cloth yourself, as you have to make a delivery." --- [Damn it, I hope that Devil is just a brat and not someone from the old families of the city. Wait---, if he had a protector he might have heard the whole conversation----, fuck!!! No, the simple formation on the building, no if he would then he would have destroyed them and it is still working. But what if he is a real monster with a high cultivation, then he could simply bypass this and I would not even know---------, damn it, this bastard is already creating problems and he had just arrived. No, maybe I am overthinking ---, or maybe not. Well, I did not treat that little god so badly so nothing bad should happen.]

The middle age man stood adamant in his speech, while giving the man a harsh gaze, for he knew that the fellow before him, would not understand anything if not by force. Yet behind his strong stance, his mind began to race with wild and frantic thoughts, for even if he already knew that he was analysing everything too deeply, anything could happen when he stood as nothing more than a little fish that was swimming in a lake full of man-eating monsters.

"Alright---, but what about my backpa---."

"Use your hand and then go buy a new one, or do you want me to buy it for you?"

"Alright---, alright!"

Yet the man could not care less about the shopkeeper's words, as he gave a weak reply while scratching the back of its head and mandating about his sold backpack, to which the middle-aged man gave a simple look at him and gave a few sarcastic words, towards the man, who moved back with his attitude and accepted the fact that he had to find a new one for himself.

"So where is the packag---!?"

"I got it!"

Yet in the following instance, as the man accepted his sentence, and was about to ask about the item he was supposed to transport, the shrill voice of the young woman broke his stance as she emerged from the doorless entrance, with a small blue handbook in her hand.

"Oh! you finally find this damn thing, always slipping off my hand."

With the man giving way from her, she moved to have the handbook to the middle-aged man who opened it and began to flutter its pages and read the content in it attentively.

"There it is---, twenty dry wolf tails and two white yellows. Girl, give this moron the package and prepare this one as well, then go on and deliver it."

"Ehh!"

"Do not begin you weep and move it already. After all, how are you going to understand this job if you do not communicate with the bastar---, clients that we are dealing with?

"But---!"

"Do not worry, as this moron will come to you after he is done on his part. Now move." - [Ahhh---, no one came after the little Devil, I guess there are no more profits to be made for this day.]

----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------

"Haaa---! I am finally here."

A long time had passed, since Levis had left the little hidden shop, the one, that it could not be found, if one were to not know from prior knowledge or directions, its true location. However, at this moment, Levis was very far from its premises, for he stood close to the wall that separated the Guard branch from the rest of the inner city, as he was making his way for the entrance of the massive complex that was housing the thousands of guards in charge with the day to day safety of the massive city.

Although he was carrying the massive backpack with him, the journey back had taken an equal amount of time as per his going, and that was due to the line in which he had to wait to enter the inner city at the west gate. For if he had not waited for so long in the queue for the identification checking, he would have arrived long ago, and with some sunlight to spare. As at this moment, the weak illumination from many glowing stones embedded all over the place were commencing to take their turn, while the sun was ultimately setting beyond the horizon line in the west.

[Are you going to tell me what am I to do with all of this?]

[No wait for tomorrow as this is a bit of a surprise. For the moment just focus on resting, as I can feel and see your fatigue, through your voice and movement that is rather sluggish.]

Silent on the outside yet boisterous on his mind, Levis made his way forward following the wall to arrive at the main gate of the branch. And although he did not appear to be tired, his situation was otherwise, as he could not freely replenish himself as he wanted in order to not draw attention on himself, as this was why even after a long time he had yet to fully recover.

[Not my fault if I can not breathe all the energy in my surroundings. As of now, I am still three-tenths of the way to my fullest. If I could pop the energy shards that senior Wan had given m---, no those are at rank 6 and will do nothing. Can I drink the elixir?]

[Those little things are useless, as for the elixir, that can help you, but you will need time to break down the condensed energy. But no, you will not, just continue to breathe normally and absorb what you can. As of right now, your body is healing the last of minor injuries, and is taking some of the energy to that purpose. Once it is done, you will restore yourself to your full capacity quickly.]

[So that is where part of the energy I absorb moves. That explains how I feel better and better by the moment. Mmmm---?!]

It was a strange sensation, and it had been far more prominent during the training and at the end of it, but Levis knew that every injury he had sustained, had been flooded with a small part of the energy reserves on its own, as the cells on any of so damaged part of his form had begun to be active on their own, with an increase of temperature that was alike to the sensation of his body being near a flame that could burn him at any moment. However, the high heat that his body was experiencing from time to time on different spots of his physique, was always disappearing very quickly and left him with a refreshed and almost cool sensation.

[What is he doing here? Does he come back at this time as well?] - "Hubert?!"

Levis's walk alongside the wall came near the end of the line, as in the near distance, he could see the bustling activity of men and women coming in and out of the branch, being guards of normal citizens of the city.

However, as he was walking, from his right, from the minor street, a rather tired and down felling Huber came to be within his sight line. And so he gave a low shout at him, as the distance between the two of them was not that significant.

"Ahhh---------! Levis is that you? Did you come out of your seclusion? But what are you doing---, here!!!" - [What is this!]

His tone was low and his face was long as though having lost something important, for at Levis's call, he did not react with any kind of major energy, and was merely a tad bit surprised to see him there. And so he made his way following him, however, upon the moment that the distance between the two of them shortened, his eyes flared, and his downcast face resurged with life, as he gave an incredulous look at Levis for a moment.

"What---, are---, you-, doing?" - [What is he doing?]

"---."

"---."

"Me nothing. But the more important question is what are you doing? And what is up with the thing on your back?!" - [You got to be fucking with me! This is not possible, or am I too tired?]

"I said, what are you doing?" - [What?!]

It was a short moment in which Hubert did not say or do anything, but after said moment, his face and his demeanour transformed into the one that Levis knew far too well, however, after Hubert appeared to come to his normal self, he began to ruffle Levis's hair with his left hand, an action which left Levis quite at a loss, but more than that, he did not like it for a moment, being treated that way.

"Nothing, I just thought that since you came out of your seclusion we should celebrate. And I know a secret place where we could go and I could teach you some really nice games." - [This is fucking real and I did not go crazy, so what the hell is going on???] - "So what do you say?"

"No. I need to meet with Adrian and then I am going to sleep as I am tired from my walk. And stop it already." - [Annoying.]

Hubert's action continued, but at the same time Levis's anger grew and he waved his hand away with his own, while refuting his celebratory invitation due to the weak feeling that he still had as he was not fully replenished.

"Maybe another time then." - [Hmmm---!!!]

"That is it! We are going to fight, do you think you can pick on me!" - [What the hell is wrong with him, is he drunk or what?]

However, after being shooed off, Huber began to ruffle his hair again with both of his hands catching Levis off guard, and in consequence, said action only made Levis more angry, but with a quick moment, he waved him off one more and positioned himself face to face with him, ready to punch or kick him, were him to continue ruffling his hair.

"Aha---, aha--, aha-, aha! Nothing, nothing I was just happy to see you, nothing more." - [Good---, now it is time to return and see if I can get anything back.] - "Anyhow, what do you have in this thing on your back?"

"Nothing muc---, do not pull me, let me down!" - [Damn it! I am going to pummel him!]

[Kid! If you are angry just do it. Stop clamouring about it for no reason.]

After having waved off Hubert, due to his strange act, Levis could only curse, as the man changed his attention to the backpack on his back, which was way too large for him. However, as Hubert took interest in the object, he moved his hand and grasped at it, and with a simple movement, he raised it up in the air, and with the item, came Levis as well, who was holding on to the shoulder straps, so as to not lose it. However, it could be said that Levis had lost the patience with Hubert's strange behaviour, as he was squinting his eyes at the man, since at any moment, he was prepared to punch his face.

"Hmmm---!"

"You---! Stop it!"

"Not that heavy, and there seems to not be any bottles inside."

With the backpack and Levis in the air, which Huber lifted up easily, he paused for a moment to think, after which he began to shake and sway rapidly from left to right, so as to get a better indication of what could be hiding in it

"Hmmm---, wow--, wow-, wow! Do not get angry, I am not here to bully you, just checking you are not caring any alcohol that I might confiscate. Here, you are free to go." - [I got a tad bit too enthusiastic, better back off from this lucky rabbit.]

But as Hubert was weighing the possibilities of what could the backpack hide, he was forced to move his waist backwards and get some distance from Levis, as a rapid kick came near his abdomen. All of said actions, prompted the man to put Levis on the ground and back off from him as the boy appeared ready to fight him at any moment now.

"Hmph! You were close to getting beaten for good."

"No need to get angry you big man."

Yet from Levis, only a clod snort came, as he was eyeing Hubert, who continued to excuse himself.

"Let us just go and see if Adrian has arrived. What do you say?"

"Alright---, you can follow me." - [Hmmm---, better if I have his with me this way I can divert any of Adrian's anger towards him. A good idea, right?]

[If you can think it will work, go for it.]

Yet the peace was immediately established, as Levis put away his thought of beating Hubert, as they began to walk towards the main entrance of the guard complex and enter inside of it, making their way to where Rowen's private quarters as a Captain was located.

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Adrian! Are you here!"

"Hubert!"

It was a short walk from the entrance of the place to Rowen's assigned habitation, as both Hubertn and Levis arrived rather quickly and with no obstacles on their course.

However, from the first moment that Hubert opened the door to the residence, his voice immediately filled the whole place, making everyone know that he had arrived.

"Oh! Square, what are you doing? Has Adrian arrived?"

Although, upon his entry, to greet him was not Adrian, but Square who was preparing the plates and the food on the table, for the dinner that was to be expected given the dark hour. And as he was not the one he was looking for, he came to ask him about Adrian's whereabouts."

"Ye---, yes!"

The man answered, or rather he tried, but upon seeing Levis enter after him, he stuttered in his reply, as he almost froze.

"Good, then where is he? I will see him for a moment and then I will leav---." - [Fater, I need to see if I can do anything with what I got now.]

"What are you yelling you damned fuc---!"

Upon the reply he was given, Huber decided to take the matter into his hands and find Adrian as fast as he could, but as he was about to make his way to the room where he knew that Adrian had been allocated, another one opened.

However, from said door, it was not Adrian who came, but Zuger who had an irritated face as he glared at Hubert. However, just as Square, once he came to properly see Levis, his words were cut short or rather, he felt mentally constricted and oppressed at his sight.

"Bastard!"

"Who are you calling "bastard", you damned fuc---!"

"What is with this ruckus!"

With Zuger having thrown a half curse at him, Hubert retorted with one of his own. Although, all of this, resulted in Zuger getting more irritated and on the line of completing the prior curse, but alas, he came to be cut with his words, as from the side, Adrian's loud voice crashed over all of them, as he made his was towards them.

"Nothing much, just came here to bring you this lost stove away."

"Hmmm---!? Levis!"

In casual attires, and with his mood that did not had any great changes, Adrian made his way towards them, only to be surprised by Levis's presence, while standing behind Hubert."

"Long time no see?!" - [He does not seem angry.]

With a cheapish tone, Levis greeted Adrian who was momentarily stunned at his sight.

"Where have you been till now?!"

However, Adrian's stagger did not last long, because, after a few moments, his face darkened while he looked at him with a hard frown, while inquiring of his previous whereabouts.

"Aha---, that---, you see, this is an interesting story, you know?!" - [He is angry! Urger help?]

"---."

With Adrian's angry glare on him, Levis felt himself backed into a corner, as he knew he had an urgent need of a quick explanation to offer, given the things he had on him.

"Well, for all that I would enjoy to hear about your adventure. See you fellas tomorrow." - [Time to abandon this ship and board another one.]

"Hubert---!"

But while Levis appeared to be in a precarious situation, Hubert did not appear all that interested in the future explanation or rather sorry excuse that Levis was to come up, for he turned around and gave an overall farewell, although as he made his way out, he proceeded to ruffle Levis's hair one more time with his right hand.

Although in a tad of a strange situation, Levis's anger rose up in an instant at Hubert's action, as his eyes and smile began to twitch in vexation and irritation at the belittling action he had been subjected to.

"I still need to be somewhere else." - [Time to test this luck.] - "Aha---! Wish me a good look!"

Without stopping, Hubert ruffled Levis's hair in a quick motion, and pushed to open the door of the habitation, knowing that Levis had turned around to glare at him at this moment. But with a swift action, he was out and gone of the place, with just a few steps.

"Hubert---!?!?!!"

"---!!!"

"---?!"

"---."

And so, he was out of the residence just as quickly as he had entered, leaving behind an angry Levis, a bewildered Adrian, an irritated Zuger and Square, who did not have a grand reaction to his rushed and strange behaviour.

"---."

"Now---. Can you tell me where have you been all day, and why a guard from the west gate of the wall had called and told me that you have left the inner city and walked into the outer city to look for your "guardian"? And what is that thing on your back?"

"Well---, this is a funny story you see. It all happened this morning, when I did not find you and Hubert, so I------------------------------."