“Here is the fine clothing for you, Sir Hunter. It’s made of the finest leather and wool, with a smooth texture and flexibility, along with some minor defensive properties. I hope you like it,” the shop owner said, smiling proudly as he presented the garments.
Aengus inspected the clothes carefully and gave a firm nod of approval. “How much is it?” he asked.
“Nothing much, just 499 silver, Sir hunter. I’m sure it’s worth the price,” the owner added with a sly grin.
Hank, standing nearby, couldn’t help but interject. “What nonsense!” he barked. “You’re obviously overpricing this brother. I’m sure it’s worth no more than 200 silver. Don’t take us for fools, old man!”
“No—I haven’t!” the store owner stammered, momentarily speechless. “I made this clothing myself, Sir Hunters, and I know it’s worth the price,” he retorted, trying to sound convincing.
“Alright, stop, you two,” Aengus interrupted, his tone casual yet firm, cutting off the brewing argument before it could escalate to something annoying.
Aengus tapped into his space bracelet, which immediately caught the attention of both Hank and the store owner. Their eyes widened in shock—space bracelets were rare, reserved only for powerful individuals.
“Whoa! Brother, you have a space bracelet! Well, considering who you are, it must be nothing short of astonishing,” Hank muttered, as the realization dawned on him.
Without paying him any mind, Aengus calmly took out a D-Grade Holy Sword, a flash of divine energy radiating from its blade. He didn’t have gold coins on hand, so he decided to exchange the sword instead. He had plenty of weapons and armor stored in his spatial bracelet.
“Here, take this. I don’t have money at hand, so let’s exchange it. You can give me the remaining balance,” Aengus said, extending the sword toward the shop owner.
“A Holy Sword for payment?”
Both Hank and the store owner were dumbfounded.
“Are Holy Swords just lying around like cabbages these days?” Hank exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Th-this…” The old man stuttered, completely stunned.
Hank quickly seized the opportunity, stepping forward. “Brother, forget him. Exchange it with me! I’ll give you 500 gold coins,” Hank said with a wide smile, eagerly taking the sword from Aengus’s hand.
Without a word, Aengus let go of the sword. He didn’t care, as long as his bottom line wasn’t crossed.
The store owner’s face flushed with frustration. “Hey, that was mine! You’re bullying this old man!”
“Hehehe… What are you going to do, old man? I’ll use it to kill demons, but it would’ve been better if it were a mace,” Hank teased, relishing his small victory.
“Sigh… Anyway, here’s your money, brother Zero,” Hank said, handing over a pouch filled with gold coins, counting them out one by one.
Aengus accepted the money, handing ten gold coins to the sulking store owner as a gesture of goodwill keeping the rest, before heading inside to change into his new clothes.
As Aengus disappeared, Hank was left standing, locked in a fierce stare-down with the fuming old shopkeeper..
Aengus emerged from the shop, now dressed in a casual leather T-shirt and pants. Despite the laid-back attire, his muscular build made it clear that he was not to be underestimated. His sheer physical strength alone could easily crush C and even B-Rank hunters.
“Nice look, brother. Now you really look like a true hunter,” Hank praised, though he silently gulped in fear, his eyes drawn to Aengus’s steely muscles.
Hank compared his own chubby physique to Aengus’ imposing build and smirked to himself. “Nah, My body is still the best,” he boasted inwardly.
He was a C-Rank hunter proficient with a mace, and Aengus had already looked at Hank’s Skills.
Aengus gestured for Hank to follow, and without hesitation, Hank smiled and tagged along, clearly hoping to gain some benefits from the association. Aengus noticed the faint greed flickering in Hank’s eyes but chose to remain silent.
Greed could be useful when controlled, but in excessive amount would lead to ruin.
“So, Hank, do you have any news about the secret realm?” Aengus asked, his tone calm but focused.
Hank eagerly nodded. “Ah, so brother Zero is also here for the secret realm? Now everything makes sense. My party and I are also trying to get in, but we don’t have any of their emblems either.”
Aengus’s brows furrowed. He had lost his own emblem as well. “So, they won’t let us through?”
Hank smirked knowingly.
“Well, they tried to keep it exclusive. But someone leaked the news, and now hunters from all over the world are gathering here—mostly younger ones. I guess they’ll have no choice but to let everyone through now,” he said confidently.
Aengus absorbed the information. “And when will it open?”
Hank scratched his head thoughtfully. “Most likely in two days—that’s what we’ve heard. But anything could change before then. Nothing is set in stone yet.”
Aengus nodded, thankful that he had arrived just in time. Two days would give him enough time to prepare.
Aengus needed to find a party to blend into and, if possible, secure an emblem in case things got dire.
“Hank, you mentioned you have a party, right?” Aengus asked, glancing beside him. “Mind if I join you guys temporarily?”
Hank raised an eyebrow. “You came here alone, brother Zero?”
Aengus nodded.
“I see…” Hank seemed to be contemplating. After a moment, he asked, “Forgive me for asking, but I can tell you’re of the high-human species. Why would you want to join us, brother Zero?”
“You know High Humans?” Aengus asked, a little surprised.
“Yes, I do. I have graduated from a Hunter Academy from Silverwood City,” Hank replied with a grin.
Ohh. Anyway, I just want to spend the next few days having fun. I’d be bored to death if I stayed alone. Besides, I’m sure you guys already know the capital city better.”
“Haha, that’s why! You’re welcome to join our party anytime, brother. I’m sure the others will like you too. With you, we’d become a formidable force to compete with the others.” Hank extended his chubby hand for a handshake.
Aengus forced a smile and shook his hand. “Thanks for the warm welcome, Hank.”
Hank tried to probe Aengus’s strength by gripping his hand tightly, but Aengus’s hand felt like an immovable mountain. Hank’s face turned red with exertion, but Aengus’s hand didn’t budge.
Hank quickly withdrew his hand, breaking into a cold sweat as he noticed the faint smile on Aengus’s face.
“Let’s go, brother Zero. I’ll introduce you to the team,” Hank said awkwardly, his face flushed with embarrassment.
