The merchant paused for a moment, then started patting himself down:
"Alright, though it hurts a bit, the rules can't be changed."
"Hunter, you saved my life. How much do you want as payment?"
But Ed interrupted him before he could pull out any money:
"I don't want money as a reward. I want to ask you for some information."
"Information?"
Upon hearing that Ed didn't want money, the merchant immediately brightened up and said:
"As a traveling merchant, I've been everywhere, through all corners of the world. Information is something I know well!"
"Hunter, feel free to ask whatever you need!"
"You mentioned earlier that you were once a Hunter?" Ed asked.
The merchant nodded. "Yes, but I retired after getting injured."
Ed was confused. "If you were once a Hunter, even if you retired, your skills should still be intact. How is it that you couldn't handle a pack of wild wolves?"
The merchant replied, "Sir, don't you know how dangerous moonlight can be? If you're exposed to it for too long, your abilities will naturally degrade."
"We Hunters rely on sunlight for our training," the merchant said, looking somewhat surprised.
It seemed he was taken aback that this Hunter, appearing so powerful, didn't know something so basic.
He continued:
"That's right, our meditation practice as Hunters cannot do without sunlight."
"Since this world has such short daylight hours, our progress is slow!"
"Speaking of which, Hunter, you look so young yet so powerful. You must be a prodigy!"
Ed didn't respond immediately. After hearing this, he finally understood what he had been trying to figure out.
It turned out that Hunters in this world trained through sunlight!
And based on what the merchant said, being exposed to moonlight for too long would cause their power to degrade.
Also, from what Ed had seen, anyone other than himself who was exposed to the moonlight seemed to feel uncomfortable...
It seemed that both sunlight and moonlight in this world had a special power!
This made Ed realize that the Moonlight Meditation Technique he had received from the system was incredibly valuable!
While talking with Ed, the merchant also finished organizing his goods:
"I've suffered quite a loss, but at least I'm still alive, thanks to you, Hunter."
"Are you heading somewhere?" the merchant asked, glancing at Ed and Viktor curiously.
Ed didn't hide anything. "We're going to Dorey City."
The merchant immediately said upon hearing this, "Dorey City? With how strong you two are, are you planning to participate in the Hunter Competition?"
"Hunter Competition? What's that?" Ed asked, his curiosity piqued.
At that moment, Viktor spoke up, his face full of awe.
"The Hunter Competition, I've heard of it! I heard it's held rarely, only once in a long while, and it gathers many powerful Hunters to compete. The winner gets a big reward!"
"Every year, it also draws a lot of spectators. I've wanted to see it since I was a kid!"
The merchant nodded. "The Hunter Competition is actually organized by the government. Several Hunter associations usually participate."
"The strongest Hunter in each competition receives extremely generous rewards."
"Extremely generous rewards?" Ed's interest was immediately sparked.
First, through this competition, he could quickly gauge the general strength of the Hunters around him.
Second, his trip to Dorey City wasn't just about watching the competition—he was also searching for his classmate Kate and seeking revenge on that female team leader!
Since so many Hunter associations participated, there was a chance he might even run into her!
The merchant continued, "Hunter, I happen to be heading to Dorey City as well. How about we travel together?"
"With the competition coming up, I'm sure I can make a great profit selling Hunter-exclusive goods there."
Viktor leaned in and asked, "What kind of Hunter-exclusive goods do you have?"
The merchant immediately perked up. "Oh, a lot! Armor, weapons, runes, potions, scrolls—anything you need!"
"Many of these are made from materials that you can't find in Dorey City. They're rare, high-quality items! Would you like to take a look?"
Viktor glanced at Ed, who gave him a confirming nod.
"Then show us your goods. Let's start with the armor and knives."
The merchant, eager to make a sale, quickly took several pieces of armor from his cart along with steel and silver knives.
"Thorn Armor! Made of finely crafted steel, it's not only highly defensive but also lightweight. The dual sword scabbards are very flexible, allowing you to draw your sword in any movement or situation!"
"Earth Armor—true to its name, it's as sturdy as the earth itself! Unbreakable!"
"Snow Dragon's Blade… Snow Fox Silver Sword…"
The merchant kept recommending various items. After listening, Viktor nodded.
"I'll take this armor and these two knives. How much?"
The merchant grinned, revealing his black teeth. "The price is fair, no tricks here—ten gold coins!"
Viktor, the spoiled son of a landowner, twitched at the price.
"Come on! That's too expensive!"
"This Hunter here saved your life. Can you give us a discount?"
The merchant thought for a moment, then agreed.
"Alright, since this Hunter saved my life, I'll give you a discount."
"Eight gold coins, then!"
Viktor happily paid and, after purchasing, handed the armor and knives to Ed.
They were for him, after all.
Given that the two of them only had one set of armor and weapons, if they were both going to be Hunters, it made sense to get another set.
Of course, Viktor wasn't a Hunter yet, so he told Ed to choose between the new gear or his old set.
Ed graciously accepted the new equipment, his mind focused entirely on the upcoming Hunter competition.
After the merchant closed the deal, his attitude became even more enthusiastic:
"Come with me to Dorey City!" he said.
"I have a carriage, and we can arrive tonight. I also have an inn in the city where we can rest."
Ed didn't object.
The merchant then took out a vial of potion and applied it to the injured and frightened horse. Instantly, the horse calmed down!
After that, the three of them climbed into the carriage and made their way to Dorey City at full speed.
By the time it was almost dark, Ed and Viktor arrived.
Ed glanced at the city. Before entering the city gate, he could see the thick and tall outer walls!
Fully armed soldiers were tightly guarding it, clearly to defend against monsters entering the city.
Once they passed through the gate, Ed observed the surrounding buildings and noticed that the city seemed very primitive, almost like something out of the medieval era.
For someone like him, who had seen modern metropolises, it was hard to be interested in such a place.
"Wow!"
However, Viktor, who was entering the city for the first time, was wide-eyed, constantly looking around with a face full of wonder!
The merchant led them to his inn. "Gentlemen, rest here for the night!"
Finally, they didn't have to sleep outdoors or eat dry rations. After a hearty meal, Ed and Viktor went straight to bed.
Ed chose a room by the window, and that night, he continued his Moonlight Meditation Technique by the window!
The next day, after Ed and Viktor woke up, the merchant informed them:
"The Hunter competition won't start until three days from now. You two can wander around the city for the next couple of days and prepare."
"You can stay here for free at my inn!"
The merchant was very generous, and Ed couldn't help but ask, "Thank you, may I ask your name?"
The merchant gave a hearty smile. "Just call me Uncle Du!"
After Uncle Du left, Viktor, like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, eagerly set off to explore the sights.
Ed, on the other hand, wandered alone through the city, looking for anything related to the Hunter Association.
Just as Ed was walking down the street, a boy selling newspapers passed by, shouting, "Big news! Big news!"
"In three days, the Hunter competition will be held in the city center. Several Hunter teams have already announced their participation!"
"Among them, the well-known Moon Eclipse Demon Hunter team has also declared they will join this competition!"
"The team leader, Arya, specifically mentioned that she will be bringing her newly accepted direct disciples to showcase their skills!"
At first, Ed didn't pay much attention to the boy's news. But when he heard that familiar name, his expression suddenly changed.
"What? Arya?"
It was her!
Could her direct disciple be Kate, the class leader?
Ed immediately bought a newspaper and began reading.
As he read, he became even more certain. The newspaper confirmed what the boy had said, and it also mentioned that the Moon Eclipse Demon Hunter Association had an event in the city today!