Chapter 25: The Ticket to the Game

Ian instantly understood—Liya must have heard about the fight that took place last night.

She was genuinely worried about his safety, not just treating him as a business partner.

That realization warmed Ian a bit. It wasn't a bad feeling at all.

Ian grinned and gave her a small wave.

On the tower's first floor, Liya had already composed herself by the time Ian met her.

"Were you worried about me?" Ian couldn't resist teasing her as he saw her calm demeanor.

Liya pursed her lips, glancing at Ian, who was clearly alive and well. Her face betrayed no emotion as she responded with a faint smile, half-serious and half-playful, "Of course I was. I told you, you're our most valuable partner."

"What happened here last night?" she asked, smoothly changing the subject.

Ian chuckled but didn't push further. "Follow me."

Relieved that he dropped the topic, Liya quietly exhaled and followed Ian up to the fifth floor.

Old Hans was there with two apprentices, clearing debris. Despite their efforts, the scene was still chaotic, with a lingering trace of turbulent spiritual energy in the air.

Ian sent the workers away, instructing them to continue later.

"Last night, a transcendent named Hastrom attacked me. We had a minor run-in at the Bounty Hunters' Guild earlier." Ian paused and flashed a mischievous smile. "But, you know, I don't lose one-on-one fights."

His confidence was palpable, and it seemed intentional. Showing strength often saved trouble.

Liya's eyes widened in disbelief. Ian was an alchemist, not a combat specialist—or so she thought. Had he been hiding his true power all along?

"What sequence was this Hastrom?" she asked.

"Stormlord, Sequence 7," Ian replied, grinning wider as he watched her reaction.

"And... he ran?" Liya's voice was filled with incredulity.

Ian shook his head slightly. "Oh no, he's dead. These are my spoils of war." He dangled a finely crafted coin pouch in front of her.

This was breaking all of Liya's assumptions about the transcendent world.

While it wasn't unheard of for someone of a lower sequence to defeat a higher one, such cases typically involved ambushes, teams, or rare forbidden artifacts.

But to single-handedly take down a Sequence 7 attacker and emerge unscathed? That was unheard of.

"Someone's coming," Ian interrupted her thoughts, his tone suddenly serious.

Liya glanced out the window and quickly identified the group approaching the tower.

"Don't worry. That's our team—our leader, Abigail, is here," she reassured him, hoping to defuse his tension.

Ian spotted Damil at the rear of the group, confirming her words. "Let's head downstairs," he said.

By the time Ian and Liya reached the first floor, Abigail and his entourage were waiting outside. The group hadn't entered but stood respectfully at the door.

Abigail was a stout man with a friendly smile. He hadn't brought his usual oversized pipe today, likely due to being called away from overseeing ship repairs at the dock.

As the leader of the Whaling Crew, Abigail preferred the sea over the land and was eager to return to the ocean once the upcoming auction and crew recruitment were done.

Abigail had always been aware of Ian's presence. He was the one who insisted on having Ian's alchemical weapon oil appraised before committing to any deals. The results had exceeded all expectations—the product's quality was top-notch, even rare among the Alchemists' Guild.

Despite his curiosity about Ian's background, Abigail had respected his privacy and strictly forbidden anyone from prying.

Now, with Damil's report of a Sequence 7 battle, Abigail had come prepared for the worst. But as he sensed Liya and Ian's spiritual presence from afar, he knew things had taken an unexpected turn—though not a bad one.

Liya stepped forward to introduce everyone. "This is our leader, Abigail," she began, then introduced the others: Damil, the leader of the marine battalion aboard Abigail's flagship, The Whaling, and three captains—Greg, Jill, and Uma.

Both sides exchanged polite greetings and gauged each other carefully. Abigail noted that Ian was far younger than he had imagined. For a profession like alchemy, which demanded years of experience, this was surprising.

"Mr. Trester, I'm relieved to see you're unharmed," Abigail said warmly, his hearty smile putting others at ease.

"Thank you, Captain Abigail," Ian replied sincerely. He truly appreciated Abigail's concern, especially since it meant risking a potential confrontation with a Sequence 7 transcendent.

Inviting everyone inside, Ian played the gracious host. While Abigail noticed the abundance of spiritual materials strewn around the room, he wisely chose not to comment.

The atmosphere grew lighter as the two sides exchanged pleasantries.

When Ian casually mentioned how he had defeated the Sequence 7 Stormlord, however, shock spread across the group.

Uma, with her braided hair and exuberant personality, leaped from her chair in disbelief, spouting slang Ian couldn't even begin to decipher. Liya gave him a knowing look, silently telling him to get used to her antics.

Ian didn't mind; Uma's vibrant energy was refreshingly genuine.

Later, he took the group to see the battlefield on the fifth floor. Abigail, sensing the residual storm energy embedded in the ground, couldn't hide his unease.

Even as a Sequence 6 Ocean Warrior, he found the remnants of the fight daunting. Abigail's gaze toward Ian shifted—there was newfound respect, tempered with caution.

Strength commanded respect everywhere. Ian had proven that once again.

After some brief conversation, Abigail and his group departed. Liya, sensing the probing curiosity of her team, decided it was better to leave with them than stay longer.

Ian returned to his room on the fourth floor, now holding a parchment in his hand.

It was a ticket, a parting gift from Abigail—a pass to the upcoming auction.

The Podria Royal Auction was held biannually, on June 1st and December 1st. Rumor had it that this year's event, spurred by excitement over the discovery of new continents, would be grander than ever.

Major powers such as the Seven Divine Churches, transcendent associations, and key nations like Podria, the Winter Kingdom, and the Bemar Duchy, alongside influential figures from the Eastern Continent, were all set to attend.

With attendance restricted and tickets hard to come by, Ian doubted he could have secured an invitation under his current alias without Abigail's help.

He glanced at the parchment, his mind already racing with plans. This auction wasn't just an opportunity; it was a stage waiting for players like him to step up.