Noels Transformation
The Cycle Continues…
As Ming rushed off, Noel folded his arms, waiting.
Soon, Ming dragged another trembling beggar forward.
Lan smirked. "Kneel!"
Without hesitation, the beggar dropped to his knees.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! A beggar has submitted to you.]
[CALCULATING REWARDS…]
[Status calculated… Power calculated… Wealth calculated…]
[The beggar has no power and no wealth.]
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! You gained 12 EXP. You need 164 more EXP to break through.]
[You received 80 silver coins.]
Noel smirked. "Next!"
Lan and Ming ran off again, bringing another one.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! A beggar has submitted to you.]
[CALCULATING REWARDS…]
[Status calculated… Power calculated… Wealth calculated…]
[The beggar has no power and no wealth.]
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! You gained 12 EXP. You need 152 more EXP to break through.]
[You received 70 silver coins.]
Noel chuckled. "Keep them coming!"
Ming, now panting, rushed off and brought another terrified beggar.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! A beggar has submitted to you.]
[CALCULATING REWARDS…]
[Status calculated… Power calculated… Wealth calculated…]
[The beggar has no power and no wealth.]
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! You gained 12 EXP. You need 140 more EXP to break through.]
[You received 60 silver coins.]
Noel leaned back, rubbing his chin.
"As I thought, the rewards keep dropping…"
Still, even if the silver coins decreased, the EXP remained the same.
That meant… as long as he had enough followers, he could level up endlessly!
A greedy grin spread across his face.
"This is just the beginning."
Ming rushed over, dragging yet another beggar.
Noel repeated the process, making the man submit and collecting his rewards.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! A beggar has submitted to you.]
[CALCULATING REWARDS…]
[Congratulations, Host! You gained 12 EXP. You need 128 more EXP to break through.]
[You received 50 silver coins.]
Noel grinned and handed the beggar 10 silver coins like the others.
But just as he was about to call for another—
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts, honed from his past life as an SSS-rank hunter, screamed at him.
Someone was watching.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a shadowy figure lurking behind a stack of crates.
Noel whipped around, his eyes sharp.
He dashed toward the spot—but when he got there… nothing.
Silence.
The alley was completely empty.
Noel narrowed his eyes. Was I just imagining things…?
Still, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the slums…
A ragged beggar ran through the narrow streets, panting heavily.
He burst into a dimly lit shack, falling to his knees.
"A-Alliance Head! Alliance Head!" he gasped.
Behind a wooden table, a tall man in dark robes sipped from a clay cup.
His piercing eyes locked onto the beggar. "What is it?"
The beggar swallowed hard. "I-I just saw that bastard Noel… h-he's forcing beggars to submit to him!"
The Alliance Head's eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
The beggar, still gasping for air, hurriedly recounted everything.
"He's making beggars kneel! And every time they do… h-he gives them 10 silver coins!"
The room fell silent.
Then—
Crack.
The clay cup in the Alliance Head's hand shattered.
His voice was dangerously calm.
"Interesting…"
His fingers tapped against the table.
"Why would a beggar suddenly have so much money to throw away…?"
The beggar trembled. "I-I don't know… but something is definitely wrong!"
The Alliance Head leaned forward, his eyes glinting with something dark.
"Find out everything about him."
The beggar nodded frantically before running out.
As silence filled the room again, the Alliance Head muttered to himself—
"Noel… just what are you up to?"
As soon as the beggar rushed out, the Alliance Head remained still for a moment.
Then, in a low voice, he called, "Come."
The air in the room shifted, and a figure appeared out of nowhere.
Dressed in black, their face hidden behind a mask, the person knelt before the Alliance Head.
The Alliance Head leaned forward, whispered something, and the figure nodded once—then vanished into thin air.
A smirk formed on the Alliance Head's lips as he watched the empty space where the figure once stood.
Noel's Side – Grinding Never Stops!
Meanwhile, Noel was completely focused on grinding.
Beggars kept kneeling before him, and with each submission, he earned more silver and EXP.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! A beggar has submitted to you.]
[You gained 12 EXP. You need 116 more EXP to break through.]
[You received 40 silver coins.]
Noel chuckled. Even though the rewards keep getting lower, it's still free money and EXP.
Right now, his group had grown significantly.
Noel's Followers So Far:
Ming Han – His first follower, a beggar who's now acting as his assistant.
Lan – Used to bully Noel's body's original owner, but now follows him.
Zhao – The beggar Lan forced to kneel earlier.
Shen – Another random beggar who submitted out of fear.
Wu – A weak beggar who trembles a lot.
Bao – A slightly smarter beggar who seems suspicious of Noel.
Chen – A beggar who's just following because of the silver coins.
That made seven people under Noel now.
Noel looked at his new 'followers' and smirked.
"This is just the start. If I keep going, I might just take over the entire beggar alliance myself!"
He handed 10 silver coins to each of them, maintaining the act.
Meanwhile, far away, hidden in the shadows, the masked figure watched everything… silently waiting.
Noel's Thoughts – The Foolish Loyalty
Noel glanced at the beggars kneeling before him, their faces filled with gratitude as they received their 10 silver coins.
Inside his mind, he couldn't help but sneer.
"How foolish they are... They think I'm generous, rewarding them so much. They believe they are loyal to me because of this…"
He discreetly checked his wealth.
[Total Wealth: 680 Silver Coins]
"Meanwhile, I have nearly 700 silver coins sitting comfortably in my pocket. I could buy an entire street of beggars if I wanted!"
His smirk widened as he watched his so-called followers bow their heads in submission.
"Let's see how long their 'loyalty' lasts when the real game begins…"
After handing out the last of the "rewards," Noel stretched lazily and smirked.
"That's enough for today. Go enjoy your silver, my dear, loyal followers."
The beggars cheered, thanking him like he was their savior. But Noel just waved them off, already thinking about his next
Noel casually walked into a clothing store, his presence alone making the shopkeeper frown.
"A beggar in my shop? What a joke."
But when Noel flashed his silver coins, the shopkeeper's expression completely changed.
"Sir! Please, take a look at our finest robes!"
Noel smirked and picked the most luxurious outfit he could find—deep blue robes embroidered with golden patterns. A noble's attire.
He then bought an expensive perfume, a jade hairpin, and even silk shoes—all for just 10 silver coins.
"Who knew dressing like a rich young master would be so cheap?" Noel chuckled.
With his new belongings, he made his way to a bathhouse.
The moment he stepped into the hot water, he sighed.
"Ahh… I've been a beggar for way too long."
After his bath, he dressed up and checked himself in the mirror.
The dirty, ragged beggar was no more.
Now, standing in front of the mirror was a refined, striking young man.
His long black hair, now tied neatly with the jade hairpin, gave him an air of nobility.
His sharp, phoenix-like eyes glowed with confidence, making him look both charming and dangerous.
His flawless skin, previously covered in dirt, now shone under the light.
With the golden-embroidered robe, silk shoes, and the scent of expensive perfume, he looked like a young master from a prestigious family.
Noel grinned at his reflection.
"It's time to take this game to the next level."
Meanwhile… At the Alliance Head's Room
In a dimly lit chamber, a masked figure knelt before the Alliance Head.
The Alliance Head, his face partially hidden in shadows, tapped his fingers on the armrest.
"Report."
The masked figure lowered his head.
"Lord, Noel has done nothing suspicious the entire day. He simply…"
Gathered more beggars under him.
Gave them silver rewards.
Bought luxurious clothes and perfume.
Went to a bathhouse and changed his entire appearance.
The Alliance Head's eyes narrowed.
"I see…"
The masked figure hesitated before adding, "I think he has discovered something secret."
CRACK!
The entire table shattered into pieces as the Alliance Head slammed his fist down in rage.
"That brat dares to hide something from me?!"
The room fell into a tense silence.
The masked figure cautiously asked, "What should we do, Lord?"
The Alliance Head leaned forward, his voice dangerously low.
"You know what to do."
SWOOSH!
The masked figure disappeared, leaving nothing but a faint shadow behind.