After concluding the discussions, the Nerakai's moved outside the cave, towards where their teleportation gate was.
Rhen was too mentally tired to "escort" them so he just watched them leave.
Upon confirming they were in a distance, Rhen focused on his second plan to go find Nina an antidote - search in Enma.
Rhen located his anchor in the otherworld, then swiftly created a Gate leading there.
The Gate opened, and along with Zena—his bond—they crossed it and landed in the bedroom of his home in Enma.
Rhen inhaled heavily before going to sit on the bed.
'The guilds here must work like the Adventurer Association back home. That means there's a high chance they test my prowess if I want to work with them.
'I believe I have enough strength with my enhanced body and my weapon skills were not bad before.'
"My core is poor right now though."
Recalling how his core's advancement to four rings would help him marginally, he decided to work on that.
He asked Zena what resources she thought would help him improve his cultivation rate, but she told him he didn't need all that.
He already had enough resources right now — his Leech skill and Enma's atmosphere which was saturated with mana.
Only then did Rhen realize that his Leech skill had been passively cultivating his core all along.
Back in Talia, the mana wasn't enough to activate it, but here, Leech was already absorbing mana and refining his core.
Knowing this wasn't enough, Rhen immediately began cultivating while Zena also cultivated her own core—but her core was unique as it only grew in quantity and not quality.
As silence enveloped the room, Rhen's body was drenched with sweat as he sat in a lotus position with his eyes closed.
After nearly two days, Rhen advanced to four rings.
In total, this took him 7 months which was impressive compared to the 2-3 years it takes for the average person without resources.
Well, Rhen did have external help like his skill, Enma's mana concentrated atmosphere, and the one he confirmed within this session, Zena's cultivation also increased his.
"We worked hard, didn't we, Zena?" Rhen said, forcing a smile that never reached his eyes.
"Yes," Zena said. "Your core size should be equivalent to 274. It's impressive."
"274?"
Zena nodded, then explained:
"Mhm. In my creato– father's time, they normally used numeric values to measure core sizes.
"It was done using devices, but some could also do it with pure senses. I seem able to, especially because I'm bonded to you.
"At 4 rings, a person is usually between 150-200."
"That sounds very helpful," he muttered, thinking it would be a good skill to pick up.
Feeling his improved mana control and perception, Rhen smiled with satisfaction.
Until he frowned.
"There are people observing this house," he stated.
Zena was fully corporeal, sitting expressionlessly on the bed.
She then turned to her incorporeal ball of light form, using her mana to extend how far she can go from Rhen.
After moving through all the rooms in the house within 30 seconds, she returned and said:
"There are four."
"The guild possibly?" Rhen guessed.
"Most likely."
"I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting. I also need something from them."
Rhen took a bath in his lavish bathroom, the luxury making him momentarily forget his worries.
He donned a black fitted shirt and black pants, leaving his armor within his inventory.
His inventory allowed armor sets to be worn instantly with a flicker of light, unlike separate pieces.
So, he instantly willed his armor to be worn and with a glitch of light, it appeared.
There was beige colored armor with green designs covering his shoulder, forearms, chest and thighs.
This left Rhen with only his new cloak in his inventory as he strapped his daggers to his belt.
Meanwhile, Zena remained in her ball-of-light form, floating near him.
With everything ready, he left his house, walked across the front lawn, and opened the small gate.
To his confusion there was a carriage he found familiar positioned in front of his home, a big rooster-like monster acting as the pulley.
"You seem to have gotten a change of beast," Rhen said to the carriage driver, recalling the man.
Lifting his straw hat, the driver was a man in his late twenties with green hair and brown eyes.
He identified Rhen and smiled.
"Boss! It was thanks to your mercy that I could afford such a thing!"
"My mercy?"
The driver laughed.
"Boss, it seems you don't know the value of the coins you gave."
Rhen hissed silently.
'I made a mistake comparing this to the silver coins back home… This can be detrimental to me.'
Zena said telepathically, "I am sorry. I assume the times have changed, it wasn't worth much then."
While Rhen remained silent, the driver smiled and said:
"Boss, you don't have a mount, right?"
[A mount is a form of contracted beast used for traveling.] Zena immediately explained.
"I don't," Rhen replied.
The eyes of the driver seemed to glow as he said:
"Let me be your driver and guide, until you no longer need one. Travelers like me know the world pretty well."
[If we rely on the guild for information too much, we will be too dependent on them, I say we follow him.]
Without Zena's advice, Rhen already calculated the advantages so he immediately agreed with the driver.
"May this partnership benefit us both. Call me Nick, by the way," the driver said, getting down from his seat and opening the carriage door.
With a nod of agreement, Rhen said "Blank. Call me Blank."
Rhen got in and spent the short journey talking with Nick, picking up various bits of knowledge.
What Rhen was most interested in was how Nick knew of him and his home, leaving the man to explain how word of a Traveller spread fast–especially in a Haven like this.
The ride to the guild was swift and smooth.
They soon got to the guild where Rhen saw the red-haired bulky man, Zamir, standing with two females dressed in work suits.
As Rhen took a second to scrutinize the man and the surrounding, Nick stepped down and opened the door for him like a personal assistant.
Something that would have made Rhen muse on a normal day.
Getting down, he just shot Nick a satisfied nod and walked forward to Zamir.
"I have been expecting you… sir," Zamir said.
Now with an aura more solid and tall, Rhen smiled – he now knew the true strength of this man.
'The person I know closest to him in strength should be August of the Nerakais.'
Locking gazes with Zamir, Rhen said, "Then I shall not waste any more time, sir."
Rhen and Zamir shook hands. For a brief moment, a faint vibration rippled through the floor, mana bleeding into the air like heat off stone.
Zamir remained silent for a moment… then he smiled slightly.
In response, Rhen smiled, as always – but only to hide the sting in his chest as Zamir's strength pressed against him.
"Let's go in. I have prepared for your arrival," Zamir said.
Rhen was led into the Guild building where a bunch of adventurers were.
He met their gazes calmly, aware that first impressions mattered.
Curiosity followed him through the hall; the stronger ones even smiled.
"He looks strong."
"That's natural for a Traveller."
"Will the guild allow hunting more regions now?"
'Because of this Haven being positioned around a volcanic region, it's one of the hardest to explore and it's the most isolated Haven… Is this related to why they are glad?
'More hands on deck?'
Shifting his pondering aside, Rhen paid attention to Zamir, who led him forward.
He made sure he exuded an aura of someone strong and calm—someone Zamir would see as an equal at least–so that his negotiations would proceed more smoothly.
Within the same period, he was using his father's teachings—using words to solve problems.