Although it was not impossible for Mages to absorb beast cores and obtain a tiny bit of energy, it could still cause some complications due to the existence of mana within their bodies.
Furthermore, their efficacy would be incredibly low… Perhaps, only 5% of the Beast Cores' energy could be retained by Magicians. They would have to waste mountains of Beast Cores just to see some progress.
"Not really… I'm just curious how it's being done." Rayven replied as he waved his hands.
"I didn't know it was that complicated to absorb these cores. But why did you say that the second method was crude?" He added.
"It's because only 30 to 40 percent is being absorbed through meditation… Potion is the best." Tristan replied.
Dennis also nodded. "Right… I'll stick to the potions. No need to risk blowing up my insides with meditation."
The group chuckled lightly, but Rayven was silent. He was deep in thought.
He didn't have mana like other mages, only that strange "gold coin" system…
But if beast cores truly contained energy that could strengthen the body in ways potions or meditation could unlock… could this become a second path for him? A way to bridge the gap between his limitations and the expectations of others?
'If I could use both… the system's magic and the energy from beast cores… maybe I wouldn't be so far behind real mages.'
He wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but he decided to take note of it.
For now, however, he had to focus on his immediate task, to obtain gold coins as quickly as possible.
The group walked on as the topic of beast cores continued.
"Well, since Rayven can't use beast cores… How about we just convert his share into coin? No point giving him something useless." Dennis suggested.
"That's fair," Luke agreed. "How about three silver coins and the twenty-four copper coins for Rayven. The rest of us can split the beast cores and use them ourselves."
"I'm fine with that…" Rayven replied.
Just like that, they each gave up 1 silver and 8 copper.
The half-fingernail-sized core was about 6 silver coins and 1 silver coin for each grain-sized beast core. So, they could earn 14 silver coins if they sell the cores.
However, the quality of each core could still lessen the price, especially if it was damaged. But looking at the cores, they were all in good condition, so it shouldn't be a huge deal.
Rayven then pocketed the coins he just earned.
Truthfully, he preferred it this way. Silver was more useful to him than something he couldn't risk using.
Their small trade settled, and the group continued to walk for almost an hour…
By the time they were getting close to the city, they spotted a group of travelers ahead on the road.
Judging by their clothes and the way they carried themselves, they weren't merchants or common folk. Several of them carried swords and spears… Their aura also showed that they weren't ordinary adventurers.
As the two groups drew closer, a tall young man with a green cloak glanced in their direction and raised his hand.
"Luke? Luke from Brenner Village? Is that you?" He shouted.
Luke stiffened as he heard the name of his village. He just didn't expect to hear that in this place.
The others turned to look at him curiously.
The young man jogged over with a smile, followed by three companions of similar age. They didn't know Luke, but since their leader seemed to have found a friend, they followed closely behind.
"It is you! We haven't seen each other in years. What are you doing here, heading to Hesa?"
Rayven noticed some discomfort on Luke's face, though he quickly masked it with a smile. "Just… adventuring, I got registered today. I didn't expect that you've already formed a team, Harvey…"
"Hah, that explains it. Well, you picked the right time to come back!" Harvey said excitedly. "We're heading to Hesa for the Young Dragon and Phoenix Competition. Surely you've heard of it?"
Rayven was aware of this event because Miki and Nara would also be participating. He even planned to watch it to broaden his horizon.
Because of that, he listened closely, not interrupting their conversation.
At this time, Efren, the gold-ranked adventurer and their proctor for their Probationary Quest, was just walking ahead of them, not caring about their conversation.
"That's the annual competition, isn't it? Are you going to participate?" Luke asked.
"I heard it's only held once every three years," Tristan corrected. "Every young warrior in the region wants to test themselves there."
Harvey puffed his chest after hearing this.
"Exactly. Only those between fourteen and twenty-nine can enter. The rewards alone are enough to draw attention, but the prestige? If you stand out in the tournament, noble families and powerful organizations might recruit you on the spot. Some even get scouted by the royal guard."
Rayven nodded as he already thought as much.
It was that kind of event…
"Didn't think we'd bump into Luke here. You used to be called the best shot in the village, right? Are you going to join too?"
Luke's jaw tightened, though he forced a polite chuckle. "No. Not this time."
Rayven caught it…There was hesitation or perhaps a faint trace of regret behind Luke's words.
"Really?" the green-cloaked youth pressed. "With your bow skills, you'd at least pass the early rounds. The competition isn't just swordplay, you know. They test martial ability, agility, and endurance. Archers, spear wielders, even brawlers can enter."
"Still not interested," Luke said firmly this time…
Harvey and his group exchanged glances but didn't push further.
Instead, Harvey and his companions let their gazes wander over Rayven, Dennis, and Tristan. Their eyes lingered just a little too long on their weapons, their worn boots, and the dust and blood clinging to their clothes.
A smirk tugged at the corner of their lips.
"So this is the party you're with now, Luke? Fresh recruits from the guild, huh…" Harvey's tone wasn't mocking outright, but the disdain was obvious enough…