Chapter 3: Northern Market

Walking along the main road by Aaron's side, Rose couldn't help but admire his confident stride, clearly accustomed to leading a group of seasoned hunters. She tried her best not to stare at him, but as soon as he took off his hood, the temptation was too strong. His raven-black hair shone in the sun, and she reached out unconsciously, attempting to fix the mess at the back.

"You're like my mother," Aaron commented, glancing at her with a smile. "She also likes to play with my hair."

Rose paused, withdrawing her hand while her cheeks reddened once again. "I just like how soft it is. Have you thought about cutting it? It's already quite long and will soon get in your eyes. I can trim it for you later."

"Thank you in advance, then," Aaron expressed his gratitude while brushing his mop of hair back. "How have you been? It's been more than a month since we last saw each other."

"Was it a month already? I was busy passing all my exams in advance and preparing my gift for you. I always get something from you, but I never give anything in return. I thought I'd return the favor and make something practical for you to wear," Rose replied, realizing her life couldn't be more boring. "I'm sure your time was more interesting. Did you finally find the beast you were looking for?"

Aaron raised his eyebrows, surprised she remembered. "Not only did I find it, but I also killed it, all alone," he replied while pulling out a red crystal from his pocket. "I've slain Warlord beasts before, but I usually used Luna's assistance. This time I fought solo."

He tossed it to Rose casually, and she panicked, barely catching it with both her hands. She swiftly covered it to hide it from the public eye, but that short moment was enough to gather the attention of other pedestrians. They saw the rare brilliance in the air and suddenly everyone was staring at her, gossip filling the street.

"Why are you like this?" Rose lamented, feeling like hitting him on the arm. "What if I dropped it by accident?"

Aaron tilted his head, not understanding what the issue was. "Beast Cores are one of the hardest materials in nature. Even if you drop it a million times, it's not going to crack," he replied with a shrug. "Its ability is also quite bad, so it's not even worth that much. At most ten thousand Low Rank Soul Stones."

Rose almost tripped when she heard the Beast Core's value, the crystal suddenly weighing on her arms. She knew these cores were important to hunters, allowing them to unleash magical abilities, but she never expected their price would go up so high.

"And here I thought my allowance of a hundred Soul Stones per week was a lot. I wouldn't be able to afford this core even if I saved up all year," Rose commented while peeking inside her hands to get another glimpse of the shiny treasure. "No wonder so many people risk their lives to hunt beasts."

"I guess you'll be shocked when you hear the value of the rarest Red Beast Core abilities. Some of them can easily sell for ten times that,” Aaron informed, extending his palm to reclaim the crystal. “And that’s just the cores of the Warlord beasts. If you were to kill a King beast, even the lowest quality core would sell for a hundred Low Rank Soul Essences.”

The mere thought of the fortune hunters could amass gave Rose a headache. She carefully placed the Beast Core back into Aaron's palm and closed it, taking the opportunity to feel his warm hands. It was amazing how he maintained the softness of his skin despite training since he was little.

“Is Soul Essence an upgraded version of the Soul Stone?” Rose asked curiously, realizing she should study more if she wanted to become a hunter. “I know that Soul Stones are crystallized Souls of beasts, but what about the essence?”

Aaron smiled at the question, but he didn’t discourage her. He pocketed the Beast Core while checking how far they were from the Northern Market and patiently explained, “You've probably heard about the beast ranking, starting from Soldier, General, and Lord ranks. All three of them produce Soul Stones upon their death, but not every Soul Stone is the same.”

Aaron pulled out three cyan crystals from his pouch, each larger than the previous, and continued, “Low Rank Soul Stones are the most common variation, found in Soldier Rank beasts. The other two are Mid and High Rank Soul Stones, which you can find in General and Lord Rank beasts.”

He then swapped the three crystals for a much darker version, containing a bluish hue that made it look like a murky gem. “This is a Low Rank Soul Essence. They are similar to Soul Stones, but much denser, capable of storing more Soul Power within them. They also come in three rank qualities, found in Warlords, Kings, and Emperor beasts.”

Rose nodded firmly, understanding the concept based on her limited experience. Although she wasn’t a hunter, every human in the New Era absorbed Soul Power, either through Soul Stones or by simply breathing the air filled with this mysterious energy. It first appeared during the invasion of Demonic Races, and humanity evolved into what they were now. Not only did they possess a Soul, but they could also strengthen it, which in turn prolonged their lifespan.

“So, the Low Rank Soul Essence you're holding came from the Warlord beast you killed,” Rose deduced. “Are you going to consume it today?”

Aaron shook his head with a wry smile and hid it. “My body is quite tired after a month of hunting, so I'll rest for a few days first. You should always be in perfect condition whenever you attempt to temper your Soul.” He glanced ahead at the caravan and added, “I can only answer one more question for now since we're getting close to the market.”

Rose didn't ponder for too long as she already had one question ready. "You mentioned how the ability in that Red Beast Core is bad. How does that happen? Can't you pick what ability you want?"

"It would be amazing if we could choose, as there would be no need to hunt the same beast repeatedly to get the ability you desire. Unfortunately, nature is all random," Aaron replied with dreamy eyes. "You know how beasts possess a set of abilities based on their rank, right? Soldier beasts have one, Generals have two, all the way to Kings and Emperors which have five and six. When you kill them, their Beast Core will only record one of their abilities which you can later activate with your Soul Power. They also come in different colors which represents their rank, starting from white for Soldiers and then yellow, orange, red, green and blue."

"Mhmm, I understand," Rose acknowledged, before glancing down at his forearm. "I always wondered though, why don't you have a bracelet to store your Beast Cores? I never saw you wear or use one."

Rose swept her eyes across the hunters of Aaron's group and noticed all of them carried their own bracelet, all its six sockets filled with colorful Beast Cores. Only he didn't have one which was confusing. It was common knowledge that one needed to hold the Beast Core to activate its ability, and bracelets allowed the usage of six cores at the same time.

Their gazes met once again, and Aaron chuckled, "What can I say? I'm the legendary Aaron Morgan."

Rose rolled her eyes at his answer, but their caravan stopped before she could complain. They had finally reached their destination, but the busy crowd prevented them from advancing.

The Northern Market was an expansive area packed with various stalls and shops, offering everything from equipment and weapons to food and clothing. The air was heavy with the aroma of spices and grilled meats, while the noise of merchants shouting their wares and customers haggling for better prices filled the space. The market bustled with people from all walks of life, from seasoned hunters and merchants to families shopping for their daily needs.

It was Rose's first time visiting the market at this hour, and the sight reminded her why she disliked large crowds. She couldn't even hear what Aaron was saying to her, which slightly annoyed her. Those feelings quickly transformed into happiness as she suddenly felt the familiar warmth of Aaron holding her hand.

Unable to communicate normally, Aaron gave up and simply dragged Rose with him, directing his team with a couple of hand gestures. He led them further down the main street and then stopped in front of a guarded back alley. The path seemed to be closed to regular pedestrians, but the two guards stepped aside as soon as they saw Aaron's face.

"Welcome back to the city, Mr. Morgan. Hope your hunting was successful."

"It was indeed," Aaron nodded, taking out two Mid Rank Soul Stones which he flicked into the guards' hands. "Is Big John busy with any clients?"

The guards pocketed the bribe and informed, "Yes, there are three other clients in the queue with one of them being Lord Hamilton's son, but I will inform the boss about your arrival, and you will be serviced right away."

Rose suddenly tensed, her fingers tightening around Aaron's hand. That man's son was someone she had met in the past, and she didn't have a single positive memory of him. In fact, it was the exact opposite, with her stomach turning every time she heard of him.

Aaron noticed the change in her behavior and gave her an assuring squeeze while acknowledging the guard with a pat on their shoulder, "Thank you for the help, I appreciate it."

He then led his group through a narrow alley that stretched alongside the whole market before probing for answers. "Is everything okay?" he asked, lifting Rose's chin to look at him. "You can tell me if something bothers you."

Rose met Aaron's gaze with a complicated expression, her mind involuntarily recalling a disturbing scene from her past. "I'm fine. I just felt sick when I heard who else was waiting. That man is a disgusting human being, and I don't want anything to do with him," she explained, sparing him the details.

"You're talking about Malcolm, the vice-leader of the city guards?" Aaron questioned, his eyes narrowing. "What did he do?"

"I'd rather not say. I want to erase that moment from my mind, and talking about it would only make it harder," Rose replied, resting her cheek against his palm. "Just know that he is a pig, and you shouldn't associate yourself with him."

"Don't worry, I don't necessarily like him either," Aaron assured, understanding Rose's feelings and deciding not to pry for more information.

Nevertheless, that didn't mean he would let this issue go unresolved. He made a mental note to find out what happened behind Rose's back and, if necessary, take matters into his own hands. It wouldn't be the first time he had to handle his problems secretly.

As they slowly approached the backyard of one of the largest auction houses, the atmosphere changed. The air grew thick with the scent of exotic goods, and the murmur of hushed conversations filled their ears. The ground beneath them was worn smooth from years of use, and a faint breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees.

Three people were already waiting there, their impatience evident in the tapping of their feet and the anxious glances they cast around. Aaron's gaze sharpened when he spotted Malcolm, Lord Hamilton's son, among them. The young man's clothes were finely tailored, and a self-important air clung to him like a cloud.

Rose's words seemed even more convincing when Malcolm caught sight of them together. His eyes widened for a moment before he quickly looked away, trying not to stand out. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket as he pretended to be engrossed in the scenery.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Sensing Rose's discomfort, Aaron acted without hesitation and hurried his team, "Everyone, let's start unloading the goods. Gareth, bring the appraisers over, so we can calculate the price quicker. We don't need to be here more than necessary."

"Roger, Boss!"

Rose figured it was time to let go of Aaron to avoid disturbing him, but he swiftly stopped her by pulling her into his arms. Her eyes widened as he hugged her in front of everyone, but she didn't complain, letting the warmth of his embrace envelop her. She felt a clear sense of safety and reassurance, momentarily forgetting the disturbing scenes troubling her mind.

As they stood there, Big John soon emerged from the auction house, his large frame casting a shadow over the waiting clients. He greeted Aaron with a warm smile, but then his eyes flicked over to Malcolm who stepped forward to claim his turn. The auctioneer was well-aware of the various power dynamics and relationships within the city, and he picked up on the tension between Aaron and Malcolm.

"Aaron, welcome back! It's a pleasure to see you again," Big John said excitedly, his gaze sizing up all the goods being counted. "Let's get down to real business as my men handle the rest, shall we? I've set aside a private room for our negotiations."

Aaron nodded and, without sparing Malcolm a glance, he grabbed a backpack filled to the brim with Beast Cores before leading Rose inside. As they disappeared into the auction house, they heard the other clients' protests, clearly unhappy with the preferential treatment Aaron was receiving.

"Hey, what's the deal?" one of them exclaimed. "We've been waiting for thirty minutes already!"

"Yeah, why does he get to go first?" another chimed in, his face red with frustration.

Big John raised his hands, trying to placate the agitated clients. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but Mr. Morgan is a valued customer who brings in high-value items. I assure you that we will attend to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, please cooperate with my appraisers to estimate the value of your goods."

Despite Big John's attempts to calm them down, the clients continued to grumble, but seeing how Malcolm didn't raise his complaints, they eventually accepted the situation and settled down to wait their turn. The auction house was known for its high-quality items and exceptional service, so they were forced to tolerate some inconvenience for the chance to do business there.

Upon entering Big John's office, Rose admired the impressive space that reflected the owner's wealth and status. The walls were adorned with numerous hunting gear, from swords and axes to armors and helmets. All of them contained shiny Beast Cores embedded in them, providing the hunter with an additional ability.

A plush carpet beneath their feet muffled their footsteps as they walked up to a large, ornately carved wooden table standing at the middle of the room. It had multiple assortments of rare and valuable items displayed behind glass cabinets, ready to catch the client's eye. A few comfortable-looking chairs were arranged in front of a semicircular desk near the window, which offered a panoramic view of the bustling market below.

Big John gestured for Aaron and Rose to take a seat as he settled down behind his desk. "Now, let's discuss the details of your recent hunt and the treasures you've brought back," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

As Aaron began to unpack the various Beast Cores, Big John turned his attention to Rose, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you before, miss. May I ask for your name?"

Rose hesitated for a moment before responding, "My name is Rose, and I'm a friend of Aaron's. I'm not a hunter myself, but I'm here to learn more about the trade."

Big John nodded, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Ah, I see. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Rose. I'm sure you will learn a lot since Aaron is an excellent mentor. He is one of the best clients I have ever had."

Rose smiled back wholeheartedly and glanced down, her smile slowly fading. As she was distracted by Big John, Aaron continued pulling out colorful Beast Cores, filling the surface of the desk. When he was done, she couldn’t even see the desk anymore as the treasures covered it completely.

"Whoa, you sure didn’t slack this month," Big John commented in approval, his eyes glowing as he scanned the crystals. "It’s not everything, though, right? All I see are Yellow and Orange Beast Cores. I'm sure you have something better for me."

"Here you have two hundred and sixty Yellow and fifty-five Orange Beast Cores, all rare in quality for their abilities. There are many more common and uncommon cores at the back, but they weren't worth bringing up here," Aaron informed while pursing his lips. "Give me a good price for them, and I will show you what you want."

"Tsk, you're always trying to rob me," Big John snickered, pulling out his trusty notebook with all the recent prices. "As you know, times are quite peaceful, so older hunters venture outside more often while the younger generation prefers to stay at home. No one buys Yellow Beast Cores anymore, so the price has tanked lately. Since we are friends, I can give you the price of sixty each for the Yellows and eight hundred for the Oranges. The demand for the latter is great right now, so the price is even better than last month."

Aaron's expression fell, and he sighed as he stood up, casually putting the cores into his backpack. "And here I thought you really wanted to see the five Red Beast Cores I brought you today. I guess I will have to find someone else to—"

"Sixty-five," Big John cut him off, knowing all of Aaron's tricks. "I will pay you sixty-five Low Rank Soul Stones each. That’s the best I can do."

"You realize the range for rare Yellow Beast Cores is fifty to a hundred? You're not even giving me the average price for them," Aaron replied as he paused packing. "Since I like you, I will accept seventy and, in return, give you a discount on the Red Beast Cores. What do you think?"

"Aaron, we both know you're not giving me any discounts," Big John pointed out while rolling his eyes. "Let's do it like this. I will agree to your price, but the twenty-six hundred will be given as store credit. You can spend it when you plan another hunting session or just give it to your men as a bonus."

Aaron sat down, finally satisfied with the trade. "You really know how to do business. I will tell your wife to cook you a nice dinner tonight."

"Oh, stop it. Do I look like I need to eat more?" Big John questioned sarcastically as he patted his belly, before adding, "You can tell her to make that pie I like instead. It's been a while since I had it."

"You got it," Aaron nodded with a giggle, explaining the situation to the clueless Rose. "Big John’s wife happens to be working at the Hunter Academy. I used to be her favorite student, and she sometimes cooked for me whenever my mom was away. She's sort of like my auntie."

"I see. No wonder you receive such good deals," Rose commented, finding their interactions amusing. "There should be a family discount then."

"I would give him one, but he refuses to call me uncle," Big John complained, shaking his head. He then clasped his hands together. "Okay, no more stalling. Show them to me."

Aaron finally reached into the inner pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out five Red Beast Cores, whose radiance filled the room. Big John's eyes widened at the sight, and he held them gently as he inspected them.

"Did you test what abilities they have?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, two common, two uncommon, and one rare. I want to get at least twenty Low Rank Soul Essence for all of them," Aaron suggested, causing Big John to almost drop the cores on the ground.

"Cough, are you trying to kill me? I thought we were family?"

"Why? It's a fair price considering I risked my life to get them."

"No, no, no," Big John shook his head repeatedly while placing the Beast Cores on his desk. "I like you, but I can't pay you in Soul Essence. Even though the known conversion rate is one Low Rank Soul Essence to ten thousand Low Rank Soul Stones, the demand for Soul Essence is too high. You'd be lucky to find any on the market at all, as everyone uses them for themselves."

"You didn't even check the rare ability," Aaron countered as he grabbed the core with the deepest color. "I got it after killing a swarm of Fanged Hornets, and its one-of-a-kind ability produces the best arrows, perfect for young archers. I even know who you can sell it to, so I'm also providing you with a new client. You should be happy instead of complaining."

Rose raised her eyebrows, knowing exactly who he was talking about, but she stayed silent, afraid to ruin Aaron's trade.

"Even if you came up with a hundred other clients, I would still be losing money. Everything combined on this table is worth at most two hundred thousand Low Rank Soul Stones. If you add all the other goods you brought, it will total to around three hundred thousand, and that's still nowhere near twenty Soul Essence," Big John replied with a sigh. "Why do you even need so many?"

"I'm trying to break through to the King Rank, and I need twenty-five Soul Essence. I already have five from this month's hunting, so I'm twenty short," Aaron explained honestly. "How many can you give me then?"

"Heavens, a King Rank at the age of sixteen... Even Principal Morgan only succeeded at twenty-five years old, and she was already considered a prodigy," Big John muttered in amazement. "Look, the price of Low Rank Soul Essence reached fifty thousand already and it's steadily climbing. That's the lowest I can go, so unless you come up with another seven hundred thousand, I can't do anything."

Aaron paused, looking through the window while calculating his options. Warlords were quite rare in their area, so even if he went out to hunt for more, it would take him at least three months to gather the funds. He couldn't afford to waste so much time without advancing, which left him no choice but to take more risks.

"Alright, how about this. We complete this trade as normal, and you give me the twenty Soul Essence on top of that as advance payment for one of those missions you have posted in the lobby," Aaron suggested as he recalled the multiple posters that had hung there for years. "I will find that Black Mamba Flower with the reward of a million Low Rank Soul Stones. That should be enough to cover your losses."

"Really?!" Big John stood up abruptly, eyes shining with excitement, before pausing as he realized the implications of Aaron's decision. "Are you sure you want to go after the Black Mamba Flower? I know you're a talented hunter, but wouldn't that be too dangerous even for you? There are plenty of other missions that are less risky."

Aaron, however, remained adamant. "It's not a big problem. I'll just sneak in, grab the flower, and escape. I've done riskier things before."

Rose, who had been observing their conversation, furrowed her brow, concern evident in her eyes. "What's the issue? Why is this mission so dangerous?"

Big John sighed and looked at Rose. "The Black Mamba Flower is located in the heart of the Venomous Serpent Forest, a place teeming with deadly creatures and poisonous plants. Many experienced hunters have ventured in, only to never return. On top of that, the flower is guarded by the Black Mamba Serpent, a King beast known for its lethal venom and exceptional speed. Even if Aaron manages to grab the flower, escaping the serpent's wrath would be nearly impossible."

Rose's face paled as she realized the gravity of the situation. She turned to Aaron, her voice laced with worry. “Do you really need to risk your life? What about asking Principal Morgan for help? Maybe she can provide you with the Soul Essence you need."

Aaron shook his head, his expression firm. "No, I can't do that. She's already helped me enough. My mother has been providing me with Soul Essences my whole life, even risking her life to secure what I need. I'm old enough to train myself, and I shouldn't rely on her hard work any longer."

Rose could understand Aaron's reluctance to burden Principal Morgan further, but she was still worried about the dangers of the mission he had chosen. She knew, however, that Aaron was even more stubborn than her and was unlikely to change his mind. She could only worry silently and hope nothing happens to him.

“So, do we have a deal?” Aaron concluded, standing up while extending his hand. “I’m sure I will be doing you a favor by completing this mission.”

Big John hesitated for a moment before meeting Aaron for a handshake. “You are right. This client has been pestering me for a long time and I’m tired of hearing his complaints. If you can find me that damn flower, I will do my best to get you an even better price for it.”

“I will count on you then,” Aaron nodded with a smile.

He was about to finalize the amount when they heard a knock on the door, and one of the managers stepped in with a note in his hand. “Boss, we calculated the total value for the brought goods to be sixty thousand, but since there is mostly meat that must be processed, we suggested the buy price be lowered to fifty.”

“Like I said, it would be around three hundred thousand for everything,” Big John confirmed with the sneaky smile of a merchant. “We can safely deliver three thousand High Rank Soul Stones to your home since I don’t expect you to carry them all.”

It was clear their goods would sell for more than that, but Aaron didn’t complain as he came up with a counteroffer, “It’s okay, you don’t need to trouble yourself. How about you add another five Soul Essence for me and then distribute fifty High Rank Soul Stones to each of my men. I’m still yet to pay them for their work, so that would be perfect."

Big John’s eye twitched, but he didn’t reject him this time, snapping his fingers at the manager. “You heard him. Go to the treasury and get fifty each for the gentlemen outside. I will handle the issue of Soul Essence.”

The manager was taken aback, glancing at Aaron and Rose in surprise, but he still acknowledged the order and left. Big John then walked up to one of the paintings hanging on the wall and opened it wide, revealing a large safe behind it. He decoded it for a good minute before taking out a small leather bag from inside and passed it to Aaron. “There are twenty Soul Essences inside; you can count.”

“No need, I trust you,” Aaron replied happily, wearing the bag under his cloak. “Business with you is always a pleasure.”

Big John rolled his eyes. “Okay, now tell me about that client you were talking about earlier. I need to sell those cores to recover some of the money I gave you.”

“I just happen to know that my swordsmanship teacher’s son is good at archery, and he joins the Hunter Academy from tomorrow,” Aaron revealed, causing Big John to redden.

“You're talking about Baron? That doesn’t count! He's my best friend, and I already know that!”

Aaron only shrugged. “Hey, I said I'd give you a client and I gave you one. Who said it can't be someone you know?”

Big John smacked his forehead and gestured at the door with an eyeroll. “Alright, get lost before I start to regret giving you all this money. I swear, if you die on this mission, I will hunt you down in the afterlife. I’m already sad you're going to leave soon, and now I have another thing to worry about.”

Rose froze at this comment, her expression sinking as she stared at Aaron. "You're leaving…?”