The Hunters Guild was always one of the busiest places in Novaridge City. Whether it was day or night, the hall bustled with activity—warriors boasting about their hunts, merchants negotiating over monster parts, and adventurers seeking their next challenge.
Dustin walked through the entrance, a wide-brimmed hat concealing his features. In a place like this, where many warriors covered their faces for various reasons—be it personal quirks, secrecy, or darker intentions—no one paid him any attention.
He scanned the hall and saw only a few familiar faces. Most hunters spent weeks, even months, in the wild, so it wasn't surprising that only a handful of them had returned since his last visit.
Ignoring the noisy chatter around him, he walked straight to the counter, where a young woman greeted him with a professional smile.
"Welcome, hunter. How can I assist you?"
The woman's name was Shannon, known as the number one beauty of the Hunters Guild. She had long auburn hair, bright eyes, and a poised demeanor that many admired.
"I need information about hunting grounds near Novaridge City suitable for a ninth-level Body Refinement warrior," Dustin said in a calm voice.
Shannon frowned slightly. Something about the voice beneath the hat felt oddly familiar—almost youthful, yet steady. But she quickly dismissed the thought and smiled politely.
"If you're looking for detailed hunting maps, they cost one thousand silver," she replied.
"Give me one."
Dustin retrieved a silver note from his sleeve and placed it on the counter without hesitation.
Shannon's expression remained neutral, but inwardly, she was surprised. A thousand coins of silver was no small sum, especially for a one-star hunter. Yet, this man acted as if it was nothing.
Little did she know that Dustin had already started making substantial earnings. A single first-rank monster could bring in tens of thousands of coins, and his strength was no longer what it used to be.
After finalizing the transaction, Shannon handed him a detailed hunting map. It covered Novaridge City's surrounding areas and marked the danger levels.
Yellow Zones: Suitable for those below the eighth level of Body Refinement—Shinwu Mountain was among them.
Red Zones: Home to stronger monsters. Only Energy Gathering Realm warriors dared to venture deep inside.
Black Zones: Forbidden territory. Even Innate Realm masters avoided these regions unless they had a death wish.
Dustin traced his fingers along the map until his gaze landed on a particular name.
Eighth Wonders Mountain—Red Zone. First-rank monsters, with second-rank ones lurking deeper in the territory.
This would be his next destination. The monsters there were strong enough to push him to his limits, but not so overwhelming that he couldn't retreat if necessary.
Just as he was about to leave, a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Shannon! Bring me six cups of shochu!"
Dustin turned slightly, his gaze falling upon a burly warrior clad in battle-worn black armor. He stood at nearly six feet tall, his voice deep and commanding.
Behind him, five others followed, their clothes and armor showing signs of wear and tear. Despite their fatigue, excitement gleamed in their eyes.
It was Tatum and his hunting team. Dustin had met them before—Becket and the Ji twin sisters were among them. Two unfamiliar faces had also joined their ranks, likely recruits.
Shannon handed them the drinks, her lips curving into a small smile.
"Tatum looks like you had a good hunt this time," she remarked.
"Hah! You bet!" Tatum laughed heartily and slapped a handful of low-grade vitality stones onto the counter. The gleam of the stones caught Dustin's eye.
More than the stones, however, he noticed something even more valuable—a silver wrist guard on Tatum's arm.
Dustin's eyes narrowed.
A second-rank array artifact—a storage wrist guard!
This type of storage device was far superior to ordinary bags or pouches. Even the cheapest ones cost at least five hundred low-grade vitality stones.
Tatum and his team had taken down a second-rank monster—the Unicorn White Rhino in eight wondersMountain. It was no easy feat. Even for a warrior at the Energy Gathering Realm, slaying such a beast required a well-coordinated team and great effort.
And the reward?
The materials from the Unicorn White Rhino could fetch up to four hundred low-grade vitality stones.
Dustin exhaled slowly.
In Novaridge City, true wealth was measured not in silver, but in vitality stones.
After confirming that the Hunters Guild offered fair prices for monster materials, Dustin left without further delay.
Eight Onders Mountain was much farther from Novaridge City than Shinwu Mountain. It would take over half a day on horseback.
His recent purchases had drained his silver reserves. The Spirit Gathering Array, vitality stones, and Energy Nourishing Pills had left him nearly broke. Still, he gritted his teeth and spent another one thousand taels on a sturdy yellow-maned horse.
"Spending money to make money," he muttered. "If I hesitate now, I'll never grow stronger."
With that, he rode out of Novaridge City, heading straight for Eight Wonders Mountain.
Nestled near the mountain was a hunter's stronghold, more akin to a small village than a mere camp.
Here, warriors stopped to restock supplies, sell materials, and trade treasures. Merchant caravans lined the roads, bartering with hunters over exotic goods.
Dustin tied his horse at a stable, paying ten taels of silver for its safekeeping. Just as he turned to leave, a familiar face caught his eye.
Lennox.
Dustin recognized him immediately—the same man he had encountered during the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon hunt in Shinwu Mountain.
However, Lennox's company had changed. Kao and Onyx were dead, and it seemed his previous hunting team had dissolved. He had now joined another group.
Dustin ignored him. But just then, a different figure in light armor, with a cold expression and an iron spear on his back, locked eyes with him.
A slow, dangerous smile spread across the man's lips. Dustin's brow furrowed beneath his hat.
Who was this?
At a nearby table, the light-armored man gathered his team and spoke in a low voice.
"That's our target. The Zhang family is offering five hundred low-grade vitality stones for his head."
Lennox hesitated. "Brother Koel, what's the background of this kid? Why would the Zhang family spend that much on him?"
Koel sneered. "Just some commoner brat. I heard he crippled one of the Zhang family's sons. But we don't ask questions. We kill, take the money, and move on."
Then his eyes darkened. "However, he's a Martial Hall student. If word gets out, we'll be hunted down. You understand the risk, don't you?" Lennox's face stiffened.
Martial Hall students were heavily protected.
Inside the city, killing one meant certain death. Outside the city, it was a gray area—but if the Martial Hall found out it was intentional murder, there would be no escape.
Still, Lennox knew he had no choice. He had already boarded Koel's ship, and there was no turning back now.
.....
Meanwhile, deep in Eight Wonders Mountain, Dustin moved through the dense jungle.
The air was thick with the scent of blood and wild beasts. He could hear the distant roars of monsters, and his keen senses detected more than twenty creatures in the area.
Just then, a strange feeling crept over him.
His sharp instincts tingled.
He had been too focused on hunting monsters—but now, he realized that several human auras had been tracking him for a while.
And they weren't just passing by.
They were moving in formation.
Dustin's expression darkened.
An ambush.