Adrian let Marcus down, keeping a safe distance as the rogue mage panted heavily. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by their labored breaths.

"What was your purpose here in Witheridge Village?" Adrian asked again, his voice unwavering.

Marcus took a deep breath, his eyes darting around the room. He knew that his situation was dire, and he needed to act quickly.

With a sudden movement, he pulled a hidden dagger from his robe and lunged at Adrian, attempting a desperate sneak attack.

Adrian, ever vigilant, was ready. In a blur of movement, he unsheathed his sword and swung it diagonally, its edge enveloped in his shadow energy.

The blade cut through the air, slicing across Marcus's midsection. The rogue mage's attack was halted in its tracks, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he felt the searing pain of Adrian's strike.

With a guttural groan, Marcus crumpled to the ground, clutching his wound as the dagger slipped from his fingers.

His breaths came in shallow gasps, and his once-confident demeanor had been replaced by a mask of agony.

Adrian stood over Marcus, his eyes cold and unyielding.

"Now, let's try this again," Adrian said, his voice firm. "What was your purpose here?"

Lying on the ground, a distressed look on his face, Marcus began to mutter, "...I took on a contract from the villagers. They said it was to deal with a Crimson Boar in the forest. I asked about the boar's strength before accepting, and they told me it was a Second Order monster. So, I accepted. But when I got there, it turned out to be a Third Order Ironjaw Boar. Worse, it was one that had a taste for human flesh and was far stronger than the average Third Order beast."

He continued, "I knew I had to kill it, or more people would die. It took three of my most precious runic artifacts, but I managed to kill it. When I returned, I asked the villagers to increase my reward because the monster was way tougher than the contract stated. They refused. I pushed further, so the Village Head had his guards restrain me. I used a few lightning bolts to warn them and gave them a week to pay up, but they never intended to."

Adrian listened, curiosity mixed with guilt. He asked, "If what you're saying is true, why would they set a contract on you for the mercenary guilds to deal with?"

Marcus let out a bitter chuckle.

"Don't you see, lad? The bounty for hunting me is only half of what they'd pay for hunting a Third Order Ironjaw Boar. It's a real challenge. If I hadn't used those runic artifacts with destructive spells, I would've been a goner. So, even after hiring you to take me out, they're still saving a bundle."

Adrian was hit with a wave of guilt upon hearing Marcus's side of the story. He hadn't considered that this might be the reality of the situation.

His face showed a mix of emotions, sympathy, and uncertainty.

Now he understood the villagers' motivations for setting a bounty on Marcus, who was unfairly labeled as a criminal.

This was all so that they could save money while ridding themselves of a perceived threat.

"I never knew this," Adrian muttered to himself, his sword arm lowering as the tension in the room seemed to deflate. "I didn't know what I was getting into."

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“Why didn’t you try to explain this to me earlier when I entered?” Adrian asked.

"Why didn't you tell me all this when I entered the tower?" Adrian asked, a mix of curiosity and frustration in his voice.

Marcus let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Arrogance, lad. Pure arrogance. As soon as you walked in, I realized you were just the first of many bounty hunters they'd send my way. My plan was to kill you, loot your stuff, and get out of here before more came looking for me."

He glanced around at the various arrays set up in the room. "All these arrays around the tower were just my usual defenses. I'm a cautious guy by nature. It's kept me alive this long."

Adrian's expression grew somber as he spoke, "I see.”

Adrian examined the blood loss that Marcus had suffered, and he knew it was severe. He couldn't help but say, "You won't survive this."

Marcus let out a faint, humorless laugh. "I guess I won’t. I brought this on myself with my selfishness. It's the price I pay."

With that, Marcus closed his eyes and appeared to have passed away.

Adrian sighed and turned his head away, reflecting on the grim encounter. He knew he had to be more cautious and astute in his dealings from now on.

Then, he proceeded to loot Marcus's belongings in the tower. There was no guilt or hesitation in his actions. After all, Marcus had intended to do the same – kill Adrian and loot his possessions.

Adrian began to sift through Marcus's belongings, discovering a small stash of coins that included 4 Gold Coins, 21 Silver Coins, and 33 Bronze Coins.

It was a modest amount of wealth that could come in handy on his journey. But the true treasures lay in the magical scrolls and potions he found.

Among the scrolls, there were two containing low-level Lightning Elemental Spells. The first was called "Static Bolt," which allowed the caster to send a bolt of lightning at their opponent.

The second was "Chain Lightning," a spell that targeted multiple foes, delivering arcing bolts of lightning to strike them.

Adrian also found a scroll for a mid-level Lightning Spell called "Storm Surge."

This powerful spell created a localized thunderstorm, launching deadly bolts of lightning at multiple targets in the area.

“That final attack he used by utilizing the arrays must have been inspired by this spell,” Adrian whispered to himself.

In addition to the scrolls, he uncovered a variety of potions.

Among them were seven low-level health recovery potions, two mid-level heart recovery potions, and four low-level mana recovery potions.

Adrian wasted no time in consuming two of the low-level health recovery potions.

The effects were immediate as his injuries began healing rapidly, thanks to the restorative power of the potions.

With these newfound assets, Adrian felt better equipped for the challenges that lay ahead in his quest for revenge.

Adrian glanced back at Marcus's lifeless form, contemplating how he should handle his burial. It was a matter of respect, an unspoken rule to give the deceased a proper resting place, even if they were adversaries.

But as he approached the corpse, a startling sight awaited him. Three faint, shadowy wisps hovered above Marcus's remains. The area beneath these whisps had disintegrated, revealing bones underneath. Adrian found himself taken aback by the unsettling sight.

His thoughts raced, 'Is that... my Shadow Energy?' A newfound curiosity gripped him.

Testing his theory, he willed the three wisps to return to him. To his amazement, they obediently followed his mental command, merging seamlessly with the Shadow Energy in his body. It was as though they had been a part of him all along.

And it was at this moment that Adrian felt a shift within him. He sensed a faint but undeniable increase in his shadow energy.

Adrian's heart raced as a revelation washed over him. Could it be that the key to empowering his long-elusive Shadow Energy was to feed it the remnants of the deceased? His mind was filled with more questions and newfound determination.

He spoke softly to himself, "So, this is the secret to strengthening my Shadow Energy...I must explore this further.”

Adrian then carried Marcus’s corpse outside the tower, buried him underneath a large tree nearby.

He then stood beside the freshly dug grave beneath the towering tree, gazing down at the makeshift tomb he had prepared for Marcus. His thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions and newfound knowledge.

"Thank you, Marcus," he murmured softly, almost as if the rogue mage could hear him. "You may not have realized it, but you've given me a path to unlocking my true potential."

With a heavy heart, Adrian placed the stone marker over the burial site. He carefully etched the words, "Marcus, The Lightning Mage," onto the stone's surface. It was a simple tribute to a man he had fought and ultimately laid to rest.

Soon, Adrian returned to the village head's office, Marcus's staff in tow, as proof of the rogue mage's demise.

Mayor Barlow, the village head, greeted him with formal politeness and respect.

"Adrian, I must express our gratitude for your heroic deed," Mayor Barlow began, his words dripping with a veneer of respect and gratitude. "You've dealt with Marcus, who posed a grave threat to our village, and for that, we are deeply thankful."

Adrian nodded, his expression neutral, as Mayor Barlow's tone shifted. An undercurrent of grimness crept into his voice as he continued, "However, I regret to inform you that our village has been grappling with a series of hardships. The harvest this year suffered due to unfavorable weather conditions, and some of our livestock succumbed to diseases. As much as I would like to honor our initial agreement, our financial situation is far from ideal. I'm afraid we can't provide the full amount we promised."

Adrian took note of the similarities between Mayor Barlow's explanation and Marcus's account of the village's reluctance to pay the full amount for his services.

Adrian, maintaining his calm demeanor, inquired, "So, how much can you pay me?"

Mayor Barlow sighed, his expression apologetic, as he responded, " I regret to inform you that we can provide only two Gold Coins."

Internally, Adrian couldn't help but feel a sense of dissatisfaction.

‘This is less than half of the amount written on the contract.’

Despite this, he maintained his composure and gave a nod, indicating his acceptance.

Mayor Barlow's smirk went unnoticed by Adrian as he handed over the two Gold Coins, and with that, Adrian was on his way.