In the Market
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After recovering his strength, Leo collected the spoils of his battle—horned rabbit meat and horns. His backpack was filled to the brim, leaving no space for anything else.
"System, I want to go outside."
[Ding! Acknowledged.]
A white light enveloped him, and the next moment, he found himself standing outside the Tower's massive entrance gate.
A guard approached him.
"Sir, please show me your ID card."
Leo handed it over. "Here."
The guard examined it and then gestured toward a metallic scanner embedded beside the door.
"Please insert your ID into the slot and walk through the gate. This scan confirms that you're human—a standard procedure."
Leo complied, walking through the scanner without issue.
"Thank you for your cooperation, sir," the guard said, stepping aside.
Leo nodded and walked away—but not towards his home.
He had another destination in mind.
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Awakener Market – A hub for trade
Instead of heading home, Leo made his way toward the Awakener Market—a bustling place where Awakeners set up stalls to sell loot from their adventures. Even famous shops and auction houses had branches here, dealing in rare items, weapons, potions, and materials.
Leo was heading to "Green's Gold House", one of the wealthiest and most reputable shops in the city.
The Green Family, despite lacking combat strength, was filthy rich, owning business chains, merchant guilds, and auction houses worldwide.
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Inside Green's Gold House
As Leo entered, he was immediately hit with an aura of pure luxury—as if the entire shop was screaming wealth.
White marble floors, golden-accented walls, antique paintings, and glass cases displaying rare Awakener artifacts gave the place an opulent grandeur.
A young female attendant approached him.
She frowned at Leo's tattered clothes—battle-worn, torn, and covered in dirt. Not to mention, he hadn't showered in two days.
He looked like a beggar.
Still, her professionalism prevailed, and she masked her disdain with a polite smile.
"How may I assist you, sir?" she asked.
Leo, unfazed by her reaction, simply said, "I want to sell some horned rabbit meat."
The girl nodded. "Please wait here, sir. I'll call our appraisal expert to inspect the quality."
She walked away, returning a few minutes later with an elderly man in his sixties.
The old man had white hair, a long beard, and a sharp, calculating gaze.
"Show me what you've got, kid," he said.
Leo nodded and laid out all the horned rabbit meat.
"So, how much will I get?"
The old man inspected the meat carefully before responding, "700 per pound."
Leo frowned. "Old man, I could get a much better price if I sold this to a Chef-class Awakener. Can't you go higher?"
The old man chuckled. "Kid, there aren't many Chef-class Awakeners in this city. Before you even find one, your meat will start spoiling without proper preservation."
Leo clicked his tongue. "What a stingy old man."
Then, he smirked. "How about this—I'll sell you something rare. But only if you give me a better price."
With a flick of his wrist, Leo took out the carcass of an Alpha Horned Rabbit and placed it on the counter.
The old man's eyes widened, but only for a moment before he regained his composure.
"Brat, your luck isn't ordinary."
The meat of an Alpha Horned Rabbit—when prepared by a high-rank Chef-class Awakener—could be transformed into a heavenly dish that not only tasted exquisite but also permanently increased agility stats.
The old man stroked his beard.
"How about this—you sell me everything for 100 million credits. That's already a high price, considering there's no high-rank Chef in this city. I'd have to transport it elsewhere to sell."
Leo's heart nearly stopped.
One hundred million?!
He had expected to make a decent profit, but not this much!
This was insane!
But he didn't let his excitement show.
"Deal," Leo said instantly, before the old man could change his mind.
They quickly completed the transaction, and as soon as Leo received his money, he bolted out of the shop—fearing the old man might regret the price and try to renegotiate.
As he ran toward home, he couldn't wipe the grin off his face.
"I'm rich! This calls for a party!"
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Inside Green's Gold House
After Leo left, the old man chuckled at his antics.
A young woman, the same attendant from earlier, walked up to him.
"Uncle," she asked, "who was that boy? Why were you willing to take a losing business deal with him?"
The old man's smile faded.
"That's the problem, girl."
He sighed.
"I couldn't see anything special about him."
The girl's eyes widened in shock.
The legendary appraiser, known as the 'Eye of God'—unable to read a mere boy?
She glanced toward the shop's entrance, where Leo had exited.
"What a mysterious boy..." she thought.
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