Somewhere else, a middle-aged man cloaked in dark robes moved through the streets, his face concealed as if he wished to remain unrecognized. His strong aura alone was enough to deter anyone from approaching or questioning him. In this world, strength granted one the power to do almost anything, but everyone knew that no one was truly invincible—there was always someone stronger, and exceeding a certain limit of arrogance could invite disaster.

As the masked man approached a large shop, the guards instinctively moved to inspect him, but upon sensing his overwhelming aura, they hesitated and quickly stepped aside, allowing him to enter unchallenged. He had done nothing to force his way in—his presence alone was enough to command respect and fear.

Once inside, the man scanned the bustling shop filled with cultivators of varying strengths, but not a single one posed a threat to him. Sneering at their weakness, he strode directly toward the main counter. His attire drew curious glances, but no one dared to engage him. It was common knowledge that those who hid their identities rarely welcomed unnecessary attention.

Reaching the counter, he motioned to an attendant, took out a folded note, and slid it across the surface.

"Find someone who matches these traits," he instructed.

The attendant unfolded the note and read its contents carefully:

Trait 1: Fire element user.

Trait 2: Height between 5'2" and 5'4".

Trait 3: Approximately 10 years old.

Trait 4: Strong physical build.

Upon reading the details, the attendant immediately recognized who the man was searching for. He was the same person who had recently provided Arya with information. What the masked man didn't know was that this branch of the Commerce of Merchants had already taken an interest in the boy.

Unfazed, the attendant slid the note back across the counter without a word.

"You mean to tell me you have no information on this person?" the masked man asked, his voice carrying an edge of displeasure. "My sources confirm he was seen here. Is the mighty Commerce of Merchants incapable of tracking down a single individual?"

The attendant remained calm. "It's not that we lack information, but everything here has a price, and the cost is determined by the value of the information."

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The masked man narrowed his eyes. "So you're saying this individual is important?"

"Not exactly," the attendant replied, "but the elder in charge of this branch has taken an interest in him. That alone raises the price of his whereabouts significantly."

The masked man's expression darkened. If the branch leader of the Commerce of Merchants was involved, things were more complicated than he had anticipated. Even though he was a strong cultivator at Level 46 with a decent background, the branch leader was rumored to be at Level 50 or higher, on par with the headmaster of Finlet Academy.

"So, is he under the branch leader's protection?" the masked man asked, his tone heavier now.

"Not quite," the attendant replied. "But since the elder has taken interest in him, whatever business you have with this boy will cost you 15 pink coins to proceed."

The masked man clenched his jaw. "Fifteen pink coins?!" he repeated, clearly displeased. "I want this person at all costs, but I don't have that much on hand right now."

"This shop isn't going anywhere," the attendant said indifferently. "Come back when you have the money."

Without another word, the masked man retrieved his note and turned to leave, walking the same path he had entered from.

Meanwhile, in Dreadfall Forest…

Arya had found his second target, carefully monitoring its movements from behind the bushes. But what caught his attention wasn't just the beast—it was the small creature beside him, mimicking his every move.

This strange little beast had been following him ever since their first encounter. Although it couldn't speak human language, it clearly understood him, responding to his words with gestures. While some were difficult to interpret, Arya had learned to communicate with it to some extent.

When he asked why it was following him, the creature pointed at his two Seed Rings, each containing a different elemental seedstone. It seemed interested in his dual elements, but Arya doubted that was the only reason. When he asked why it looked so sad, the air around him suddenly grew hotter, as if responding to the creature's emotions. That was enough for Arya to drop the subject.

Now, as he observed his next prey, he noticed the small beast doing the same. Their eyes met, and the little creature gave him a thumbs-up, then pointed toward the two beasts lying together in the distance. It licked its lips and rubbed its stomach, making its intentions clear.

Arya sighed. "You're hungry too, huh?"

Though he had made a kill earlier, he hadn't cooked anything yet, and with nightfall approaching, this hunt needed to be quick.

His target was a pair of deer-like beasts, distinguished by their diamond-like eyes—a clear indication of mutation. Through careful observation, Arya deduced that their main attack power likely came from their eyes, though he had yet to witness their abilities firsthand.

As he steadied himself for the hunt, he glanced at his unexpected companion. The little beast was still mimicking his stance, eyes locked on their prey.

Arya smirked.

"Let's see what you've got, then."