Sora and Kara exchanged a glance, a shared understanding passing between them before Sora broke the silence.

"Forget about the badge update," he said with a dismissive wave. "I can't be bothered to fight in front of the entire country for that. We don’t need it right now anyway; we’re just sightseeing."

With a nod to the clerk, Sora expressed his thanks and turned toward the exit of the Adventurer's Guild. As they stepped outside, Sora, almost out of habit, opened his friend list and attempted to add Rachel once more.

[Player Rachel Claude has blocked friend requests.]

Sora frowned. "That little... Does she really think this will stop me?" He turned to Kara with a sly smile. "Kara, can you add someone for me?"

"Rachel, right?" Kara sighed. "If I add her now, she’ll look me up and find out everything about me. Unlike you, Ralph, I wasn’t born a few months ago." She shook her head.

Sora cringed realizing his oversight. "Yeah, my bad. I need to find another way to track her down... but using my limited brain power is proving unsuccessful. Any ideas?"

Kara thought for a moment before replying, "I'm sure there are people specialized in this field. If she’s an active player with any reputation, someone must have heard of her."

Intrigued by the idea, Sora had an idea, and entering the guild again, he approached the girl who had been selling quest details earlier.

"Hello, it’s us again. Can we ask you a question? Here’s 20 gold for your time. If you can help us, we’ll pay you more."

The girl’s eyes lit up at the mention of payment. "Thank you, sir and madam! You’ve come to the right person! I know a lot of things about the South Korean Territory."

"We’re looking for someone we lost contact with a few months ago," Sora began, weaving a story. "We ran a few dungeons together, but we never got a chance to add each other as friends. Now, we can’t find them anywhere."

"Oh, what you’re looking for is an Assassination Guild or an Information Broker!" the girl said, flashing an almost mischievous smile. "Both can help, no matter your intentions. The first can do more than just find them, if you know what I mean." She gave them a knowing look, assuming their story wasn’t as innocent as it seemed.

Kara’s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "No, no, we’re just looking for a friend!"

"It doesn’t matter to me," the girl said with a shrug. "For 50 gold, I can give you the name of the best Information Broker in Seoul."

Sora chuckled, appreciating her efficiency, and handed her a pouch with 5,000 gold. "Here’s 50 gold for the information, and the rest is your tip. By the way, why are you working here? You seem quite young."

The girl hesitated, then accepted the pouch, still surprised by the amount. She explained her situation: she was only level 9, forbidden by her parents from playing the game just yet, but she worked at the Adventurer’s Guild to save enough money to start strong once she was allowed to play. She earned around 300 to 400 gold a day, which seemed insignificant compared to the millions of gold wealthier Sora and Kara had, but compared to newbies in Europe, she could be considered a tycoon. She was preparing such wealth to build a solid foundation for her future.

Sora and Kara listened empathetically, understanding her frustration. They knew many young players who faced similar restrictions by their parents in their country.

Before long, Sora added the Information Broker, Sin Soo-Yun, to his friend list, as the girl had recommended. The broker accepted instantly, and within seconds, Sora received a message.

"How did you get my contact?" read the blunt message.

Surprised by the abruptness, Sora replied, "Someone at the Adventurer's Guild said you’re the best at finding people."

"Oh, that little girl is always sending me another client... But she’s right, I am the best. Meet me at this address." The broker sent an address, and Sora opened it using the app they had downloaded earlier.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Thanking the girl once more, Sora and Kara left the guild, heading straight for the meeting point.

They left the core of Seoul, and headed towards the outskirts.

Once they arrived at the address, they found a dilapidated house that looked like it could crumble at any moment. The wooden exterior was weathered and rotting, with cracks running through the walls and a sagging roof barely held up by rusted supports. Weeds had overtaken the small yard, and the windows were covered in grime, blocking any view inside. It was hard to believe anyone lived here, let alone operated a business.

“Guess this is one way to keep a low profile...” Sora mumbled as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," a hoarse voice called from within.

Kara and Sora exchanged a look, both curious and a little wary. Stepping inside, they were immediately surprised. The interior was the exact opposite of the rundown exterior—it was clean, and modern.

Wooden floors shone under the lighting, and the walls were lined with bookshelves filled with perfectly arranged files and devices. A large desk with multiple monitors sat in one corner, where a faint hum of technology blended with the calm atmosphere. Minimalist furniture filled the space and there was even a cat sleeping on a couch.

Kara’s eyes widened. "Wow, this is... unexpected," she whispered, clearly impressed by the contrast. Sora nodded, equally surprised.

"So, how can I help you today?" The person sitting behind the desk was cloaked in a long robe that hid most of their figure and a hood on their head. Their face was concealed behind a sleek black mask, but oddly, a pair of round glasses poked out from the eyes. The contrast should have been funny, but neither Sora nor Kara felt amused. There was an underlying menace to their presence that made their muscles tense, instincts warning them that this was someone dangerous.

"I didn’t mean to scare you," the person added, noting their tense posture. "In this line of work, it’s necessary to protect my privacy. Don’t let the appearance bother you."

Sora and Kara forced themselves to relax. "We’re looking for someone, and we have no idea where to start," Sora said.

"Do you know this person’s name?" the cloaked figure asked.

"Yes, Rachel Claude," Sora answered.

"Write it down in your native language, so nothing gets lost in translation," the person handed Sora a piece of paper and a pen.

After scribbling down the name, Sora handed it back, watching as the person studied it for a few moments before speaking. "Hmmm. Quite unlucky, dear guests. From all the places she could be, she’s in one of the more difficult spots to find someone."

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, confused. "What place?"

Sora was surprised at this person's ability. They just sat there, tapped a few keys on a keyboard and already had an answer to a question that had been plaguing him for months now. This seemed surreal, but he could only accept it. 'They must have an incredible class or ability that allows such a feat, but I don't dare inspect such person...'

"She’s in another Realm. I can’t track players who are physically not on Earth," they explained. "But, I can provide you with some useful information—like the list of her friends and the guilds she’s been in. Interested?"

"That sounds good. Please, give us everything you can," Sora replied, disappointed but determined to find another lead.

The Information Broker clicked a few buttons on a button of a mouse, and soon, the sound of a printer filled the room. Sora raised an eyebrow, surprised by the old-fashioned equipment.

Before Sora could take the papers, they added, "Whenever you want to refresh the position of anyone on that list, just send me a message. I’ll provide the location and add the fee to your tab. And don’t even think of dodging payment—I’d find you. They leaned forward slightly and added. "That’ll be 750,000 gold. Do we have a deal?"

Sora didn’t hesitate. "Deal." He handed over the gold and received the stack of documents.

As he started reading through the papers, his expression shifted. Seeing the high number of deceased players linked to Rachel made him uneasy. 'Most of her allies are dead? Don’t tell me she’s been running around manipulating and backstabbing people… right?' A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

Shaking his head to clear it, Sora muttered to himself. If what he was reading was true, his brother and him weren't the only people killed by her.

"Thank you," Sora said to the figure, leading Kara outside. As they walked, he continued to browse the list, and soon, a look of realization crossed his face.

"What did you discover?" Kara asked, sensing something important.

Sora’s eyes narrowed. "The first guild she was in... it was a French guild from the South of France. This might be the same group she worked with when I was ambushed and killed months ago. This is huge. This list of players is a goldmine. I can follow her trail and learn more about what she’s been up to."

Sora felt a surge of excitement at the discovery, his mind racing with possibilities. The thought of finally tracking down the players who had ambushed him and his group stirred something deep within him. If those players were still alive, he would find them—and this time, he wouldn’t be the one caught off guard.

He turned to Kara, looking apologetic, "I'm sorry for cutting our time in Seoul short, but I need to follow this lead. If I don’t act on it now, I’m afraid I’ll miss a piece of the puzzle later."

Kara smiled warmly and shook her head. "Don't worry about me. You go ahead and do what you need to do. I’ll still be around but I'll stay out of your way and watch from the sidelines along with Hiyoko."