Night passed quietly, and after a full night's rest, Brian stepped out of his room. Along the corridors, guards and servants greeted him respectfully as he passed.
"Brian, you're up? Is your body feeling better?" his mother asked when she saw him heading toward the Marquis family's private training grounds.
"Yes, Mother, I'm fine now," Brian replied with a smile. After exchanging a few more words with her, he decided to head to the marketplace instead. He needed materials for forging—if he was going to craft the Guardian Beast Armor someday, he had to start training his smithing skills now.
At the market, he made his way to an ore dealer's shop. Activating the Basic Divine Eye he had purchased from the System Store for 5,000 System Coins, he examined the goods on display.
His gaze fell on a pile of black and grayish iron ore.
System:Magnetite Iron Ore — Iron content: approximately 70%–73%. One of the highest iron-content ores available.
Incredible… such high-quality ore! But why is it so cheap? Are the sellers here stupid? Brian thought, checking the price tag.
"Boss, I'll take all of this," Brian said to the shopkeeper.
The man blinked. "Are you serious, young master? Even though it's strong, this ore is notoriously difficult to work with. That's why no one uses it for weapons—it's not exactly rare either."
"I'm serious. I'll buy everything. One gold coin per ton. My guards will come by to pick it up," Brian replied, handing over the payment before turning to leave.
He was grinning to himself the whole way out. A ton of high-quality ore for just one gold coin? That was a bargain he couldn't pass up.
In this world, the currency system was simple:
1 Diamond Coin = 100 Gold Coins
1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins
After buying the ore, Brian also picked up a selection of medicinal herbs—perfect for advancing his alchemy skills in the future.
He wandered the market for a while longer but found nothing else that caught his interest. Deciding to stretch his legs, he made his way to the forest near Snow City, a territory under the Scoot family's rule.
Deeper inside, he came across a pack of black wolves. Activating his Basic Divine Eye, he scanned them.
System:Black Wolf, Level 5. A monster that lives in packs. At levels above 5, its meat becomes exceptionally delicious when cooked.
"Oh? So these ugly things are level 5—and apparently delicious, too," Brian said, already imagining how to prepare the meat. His mouth began to water.
Without further hesitation, he charged forward.
"Golden Thunder Punch!"
His fist connected with the nearest wolf's head—smashing it instantly.
System:You have killed a Level 5 Black Wolf (Basic). Gained 100 EXP.System:Congratulations! You have reached Level 8. You have received 1 Random Reward.
"Huh? Was that overkill? Maybe this is the effect of the Body Pill from yesterday…"
After consuming the Body Pill, his body had grown taller, his skin smoother—almost like a noblewoman's skin untouched by sunlight.
"Looks like I've reached Basic Level 8 already. Just a bit more and I'll hit Level 9. And I have a random reward waiting… let's see what it is."
A small gift bag icon appeared in his System inventory.
System:Would you like to open the Random Reward now?
"Yes!" Brian said eagerly.
System:Congratulations! You have obtained the Divine Cultivation Technique – Blue Lotus Body.System:Blue Lotus Body is a foundational body cultivation technique that transforms ordinary people into gifted cultivators.
"Wow… this really is divine! If I train myself and my future soldiers in this, we'll all be geniuses!"
Excited, he called up his status panel:
Name: Brian ScootLevel: 8 (Basic 8)EXP: 50/150Position: Firstborn of the Scoot FamilyRace: HumanMartial Arts: Golden Thunder, Blue Lotus BodyEquipment: Silk Robe (ordinary)
"Hmm… just 100 EXP more to reach Basic 9. I'll get to Spirit level before heading back."
He glanced at the wolf carcass. "But first… let's have some wolf barbecue, haha."
The aroma soon filled the air as fat dripped into the fire, the meat turning a mouthwatering golden-red. Brian's stomach growled again.
Just as he was about to take a bite, rustling came from the bushes behind him. He turned to see a man in ragged clothes—skinny, pale, and clearly worn down by hardship.
"Who are you?" Brian asked, keeping his guard up. He'd read enough novels to know that people who looked weak could sometimes be the most dangerous.
"I'm Key, young master. Could I… have some of that meat? My younger sister is starving—she's hiding in a cave just over there," the man said, pointing toward the brush.
Brian blinked. He hadn't noticed a cave behind the thicket. "Alright. Take half—for her, and for yourself."
"Thank you, young master!" Key quickly took the meat and disappeared into the cave. Moments later, he returned—this time with a girl about Brian's age. She was thin and disheveled, but even so, Brian could tell that beneath the dirt and hunger, she was truly beautiful.
"Young master, this is my younger sister," Key said, gesturing toward the girl.
"Oh? I'm Brian Scoot. And who might you be?" Brian asked, curious why the two of them were wandering the wilderness in such a state.
"Ah… right. I'm Key Chayton, and this is my sister, Lylia Chayton."
The moment the name left his lips, Key regretted it. Instead of keeping their identities hidden, he'd blurted them out.
Chayton…? Brian frowned, recalling the news he'd heard earlier that morning: three months ago, the Brave Kingdom had been destroyed by the Aaron Empire. Every member of its royal family had been executed.
Seeing him lost in thought, both Lylia and Key grew tense. They feared Brian recognized them and would hand them over to the Aaron Empire in exchange for a hefty bounty—after all, they were fugitives.
Brian caught the flicker of fear in their eyes. "Ah, so you're from the Brave royal family? Relax. I don't care whether you are or not. That's none of my business."
And he meant it. Right now, his focus was on reaching Spirit level and finding future members for his Guardian Beast force.
"…"
"What are you even doing out here, starving like that? Can't the Brave royal family fight? Even if you can't enter the city, you should be able to hunt monsters like I just did."
"We… we're not part of the Brave royal family," Key stammered, his nerves betraying him.
"Yeah, whatever you say. I don't care either way," Brian said with a dismissive shrug. Since they didn't want to be honest, he ignored them and bit into his roasted black wolf meat.
Wow… this is amazing. This meat is like premium A-grade beef from my old world. Ah, if I'd known it was this good, I wouldn't have given them any… His mind drifted. Actually… raising a pack of Level 5 or higher black wolves for meat could be a great idea.
While Brian entertained himself with that thought, the siblings whispered to each other.
"Young Master Scoot," Lylia spoke up this time, her voice melodic and soft on the ears. "We are from the Brave royal family. We've been on the run for almost three months. Earlier… we were afraid you might hand us over to the Aaron Empire."
"Then why tell me now if you're afraid?"
"Because at first we didn't trust you. But after watching you, I believe you meant it when you said you didn't care about us," Lylia replied.
Brian was momentarily at a loss for words.
"So… what's your plan from here on out?" he asked.
"We'll probably stay here for a while, then leave once we've recovered."
"Where will you go?" Brian pressed, curious if they were like characters in the novels he used to read—training in secret before returning for revenge.
The two hesitated.
"Sorry if that's too forward," Brian added quickly. Then, after a moment's thought, he asked the real question on his mind:
"So… are you going to train, get stronger, and then take revenge?"