Chris and the group wondered about the thoroughfare, searching for the place to cash in the cores they had. Chris scanned her surroundings, looking for the signboard. “It should be around here,” she mumbled. She was holding the map of the tribe. The guard was generous enough to give her the map of the place. Chris was aware of the strange stares people were throwing at them. Those stares weren’t unfounded. They were wondering about the streets looking like a vagabond, after all. They looked worse than a street urchin with their unwashed bodies covered in dirt, grime, and dried blood, and their foul stench did not help either. The wounds, tattered clothes, and disheveled hair equally covered in smudges of blood and dirt played a part in those stares, too. Chris saw the signboard she was looking for. “There,” she pointed and dragged the two of her friends along with her. They climbed the marbled stairs and entered the room, labeled “Core Exchange.” Selling a core of ordinary level wa

Sigmund did not know why, but he was very pleased with himself, watching the bewildered expression on Edwin’s and Chris’s faces. For some reason, Jimmy looked unimpressed. His house was a three-story stone structure with a flat roof. Long lines of nursery surrounded the house, which was used to grow herbs. “We weren’t as rich as the elders of the tribe and the merchants, but we were still rich. Father was one of the best alchemists in the tribe, after all.” “I don’t understand,” Chris said. “If you have this much land and property, why were you struggling for a few coins?” “I needed it to buy food. I have land, but no food. I could harvest them by myself, but they never sell me anything with seed or something that I can harvest. They cannot punish my father. So they satisfy themselves by tormenting me.” “But they still sell you food.” Sigmund nodded. “I just have to pay them more than the food is worth.” Sigmund led them into the house. His house was depressingly empty. “I had t

Christopher David Vancorg, the patriarch of the Vancorg tribe, stood tall behind a massive arched window—watching the thoroughfare that led to and from his Palace. He watched the hubbub of men, waggons, and sedan chairs. “Do you know how much I had had to sacrifice to maintain my position as the Patriarch of the tribe? Messenger boy?”“This servant will never know the depths of your sacrifice, my Lord. We can only appreciate it, never knowing.”‘At least he knows how to talk.’ Christopher thought.Christopher looked at his own reflection in the window. He had black eyes, short black hair and a brown complexion. Nothing impressive aside from his muscular build. Thankfully, his body had no visible scars. All of them were hidden beneath his clothes.Christopher turned. He stared at the scrawny boy, who was probably no older than sixteen summers. “What message have you, boy?”“Our troops sent to the four tribes have the same message, My Lord.”Christopher cracked an eye. “Which is?”“Your

Armin moved around the command tents, noting the position of the six elders he had to assassinate today. He counted each of the six elders, studying the number of personnel they had around them, and—of course, their exact location in each of the camp. It was difficult to sneak about the camp to study the elders undetected. However, his powers allowed him to do just that rather easily.These six elders he was planning to kill today were plotting a rebellion against the Patriarch Christopher’s rule. Armin would have helped the rebellion if he could, just to kill that fanatic. However, his core binding oath to the man prevented him from doing anything rash. Even having a traitorous thought against Christopher gave him a splitting headache.Armin liked his family alive. Otherwise, he would have broken this oath a long time ago. Christopher would definitely wipe out his family if he dared to cross the man. Someday, somewhere, someone would kill Christopher and free him from his misery. Tha

Christopher did not stop laughing for a few more minutes. Why would he? He had worked so hard. He had sacrificed so much. And finally, all his sacrifices were giving him fruit. Today, he would reach the body transition realm. A realm thought mere myth by most of his people. Well, it was his own fault for them not knowing. He had suppressed anything to do with that realm and above to stop the rumours from spreading. He did not want his people to leave in search of more power. Christopher needed them as his own pawns.His reaching the body transition realm was only the beginning. He had much, much more to do. Now that he would reach the body transition realm, his life span would extend by about fifty years, and he could finally see his ambition coming to fruition. He looked at the distant stars in the sky.‘I will never. Let anyone come my way? I will reach the stars.’Shaking his head, Christopher came out of his thoughts. His wounds were almost completely healed by now. All thanks to