Standing before the gate, Nova wondered how the process of getting back inside usually went. He half expected it to start opening as he approached it, but it remained silent.

"... Hey! Can I come back in?!"

The massive gate remained closed, showing no reaction.

'Are they even able to hear me from here? The gate is massive, so I wouldn't be surprised if it blocks sound… Well, they might want to keep it shut after hearing the noise from the outlands.'

After waiting another moment, he stepped up to the gate and knocked on its surface. The steel didn't budge at all, making his knock useless. It was like tapping on a massive slab of concrete, producing no sound at all.

"Hey! Mister guard! Please let me back in!"

[Lesser Life Detect activated.]

His eyes flashed a light blue, allowing him to see vague silhouettes on the other side of the gate. Judging by their movements, they seemed to be discussing something.

"Please! I got lost!"

The silhouettes responded to his shouts, showing they heard him loud and clear.

'Damn guards, not even letting a small child in… These are different guards than earlier, I'm pretty sure. Haah, time to act again…'

Putting a hint of vibration in his voice, Nova pleaded to the gate. "Mister, sir, please let me in! I just wanted to see how it looked outside the wall, but I couldn't find the same gate again! I'm hungry!"

One of the silhouettes pushed one of the others and moved near the gate, and then it started opening soon after.

'About damn time…'

He moved forward as soon as he could, squeezing through the small gap in the gate and reaching the other side. The steel felt cold on his hands as he pushed past it.

The guard that opened the gate moved over to him with a stern expression. "Kid, what the hell were you doing outside of the gate? We're on high alert after that thunderous noise from the outlands!"

"I'm sorry, sir! I just left through the gate close to my home to play with my bow, but then the sound made me investigate… And then I was lost, so I had to follow the wall here. It won't happen again, I promise!"

"Hmm, at least you understand. Do you know your way home?"

"Yes, sir! Can I go there?"

"Sure, head on home, kid."

Nova bowed, and then he started walking away with spirited steps.

'Staying outside would have been a bother, so I'm glad one of the guards had a heart. Although, it could have been a trap, if I'm being generous to the other guys. They were just doing their job.'

At this point, the evening had turned dark, and a chill had started setting in the air. Soon, only the burning candles in the streetlamps would keep the streets illuminated.

The northern gate was close to the upper district, with nice houses and wide streets. He wouldn't have to worry about running into kidnappers here, but even if he encountered them later, he had the soul of the troll to keep him safe—at least for a while.

'Well, Nihil did say they would stop the kidnappings. But I'm not confident he controls every rat in the city.'

The road to Quinn's shop from the northern part of the city was long, and in his current state, Nova couldn't do much to speed it up. Even running would take a lot of energy, and he wasn't in the best shape.

'I need to power up soon. The body cultivation might be a good option, at least as a short-term solution. I'm tempted to use the blood, though… Blood cultivation is frowned upon, but it all depends on the method in my opinion. And who knows what the blood of that titan could do?'

He decided to study the loot he had gained from the trip in more detail before bed, hoping the legendary blood would have satisfying bonuses.

'Maybe it will have regenerative properties? Or earth-related bonuses? Both would be great for equipment, but I really wouldn't mind having some regenerative abilities.'

A rumble from his stomach woke him from his pondering, asking for food. He hadn't had time to eat much that day, so it was no wonder. Nova sighed, looking around at the warmly lit homes surrounding him.

'I'm sure Quinn has some fish left over. Searing a filet won't take long. I just need to get there…'

When the night dominated the sky, and the moon started watching over the city, Nova finally saw the familiar shop. The windows were dimly lit, and a thin stream of smoke came from the pipe on its roof.

'Finally… Let's hope it's still open.'

Despite the darkness of the night, the city was still lively. Taverns were filled with life, drunkards were tumbling along the streets, and music could be heard from nearly every bar. But the shops had closed—or at least most of them.

Stolen novel; please report.

Nova tried the door, and it opened effortlessly, letting him into the shop. 'Did he expect me to return already?'

"Hey, Quinn! I'm back!" he yelled, expecting Quinn to be in his living room. But no one answered. A sense of foreboding spread through his body.

'... Is this… did someone figure out where I was staying?'

Nova's mind started racing with warnings. The open door, the quiet house, and the dim lights… Had someone come here with ill intent? And, more importantly, were they still here?

'The formation is still active! I just need to get closer to it, then I can see if there are others here.'

But before he could act on his plan, a weak voice came from the upper part of the house.

"... Nova?"

"Quinn? Are you okay?"

Quinn's voice sounded like he had recently woken up. "... Mostly. Uuh, can you come up here?"

"... Yeah, sure. One moment."

'He's not luring me into a trap, is he? I think I can trust him, but… let's make sure.'

[Lesser Life Detect activated.]

Nova peered through the wooden boards of the house, looking for hidden silhouettes. Only Quinn's could be seen, meaning he either was being honest, or that whoever was there was stronger than Nova.

'A chance worth taking, isn't it? I can activate the fragment in a split second, so it should be fine.'

Nova walked up the stairs to the second floor and opened the door to the living room, finding only Quinn sitting under a blanket on his couch. He held a bag of ice over his forehead, covering one of his eyes.

"Hey, Nova." Quinn attempted a smile. "Was it a nice trip?"

"What happened?" Nova's words came out sharp.

"Ah, well..." Quinn shifted the ice pack. "Some guys from the church came by, asking for a soul stone. I figured you'd taken it, but I kept quiet."

"The church?" Nova's voice rose. "They go around beating people?"

"Well, only their warriors do the rough stuff." Quinn's attempt at a light tone fell flat. "There's a reason people don't mess with the church."

Nova's fingers curled into fists. "... I'm sorry, Quinn. I had no idea they could track it here. And I already sold it, so I can't give it back easily either. But I did get lucky during my trip, so we'll be able to pay them back."

"Oh, really?" Quinn perked up, then winced at the movement. "I was worried when I heard that noise coming from the outlands. But you didn't get that far, I guess?"

"... I did. Traveling can be done quite quickly, you see."

"Oh. But you didn't have anything to do with that sound?"

"Well..." Nova looked away, not wanting to worry him more than necessary. "It's probably better if you don't know."

"Hah, I believe you." Quinn's uninjured eye showed no judgment. "You hungry?"

"Yes, actually. Do you have any leftovers?"

"I'll make you something, just—"

"No, Quinn, just point me to the food. You rest, and I'll take care of the church tomorrow."

"... Take care of, as in, pay them back, right?"

"Of course," Nova replied, trying to sound convincing. He wasn't planning to make trouble, but it would depend on the church's response. "Straight to the soul trader, I'll hand them more than enough to pay them back."

"Fine." Quinn relaxed slightly. "There's fresh fish in the cellar, in the bucket by the entrance. It's probably half frozen, so you'll need to heat it slowly."

"Thanks. Are you fine with me making some barriers around your house?"

"Uhm, sure. As long as the customers can still enter."

"Good. Then I'll have it up before tomorrow." Nova turned to head down the stairs, but he paused in the doorway. "You want me to check on your injuries?"

"Nah." Quinn waved him off. "Nothing serious. I'll be fine in the morning once the swelling has gone down."

"Yeah, probably. You should go to bed, though. I'll lock the door for you."

"Thanks."

"I'm the one who should thank you, Quinn. Don't worry about it."

Quinn only responded with a sound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Then he leaned back on the couch, deciding to rest a bit more before going to bed.

Nova walked down to the shop and then on to the small door leading to the cellar. A light odor of half-frozen fish permeated the room, and it was nearly too dark to see anything.

'Now I think I know what type of guy Quinn is… He has lost his spirit, only making the days go by as best he can. He doesn't value his life much, which makes it easy to give it to something he believes in. It's understandable, but I feel a bit burdened by it… Still, he's a good man.'

He grabbed the bucket of fish and ice, took a decent-sized trout-looking thing by the gills, and headed for the kitchen.

'Some food, then rest… After checking the loot. Need to check the loot. And a final round of increasing my Soul Power, of course. But then rest.'

With a belly full of tender and salted fish, Nova sat in his bed, studying his catch. His soul hadn't improved much, but it was well on its way.

[Nova's Soul Status] [Core Stats] [Soul Power: 280] [Soul Purity: Bright] [Held Souls: 4]

[Essence] [51/958]

[Aspects] [Physical Force: 109] [Physical Control: 126] [Physical Resilience: 117 + 20] [Mental Force: 96] [Mental Control: 134] [Essence Generation: 100] [Essence Capacity: 113]

[Soul Traits] [Legacy of Nine Lives] [UNIQUE] [Void Touched Mind] [MYTHIC] [Presence Of The Don] [RARE] [Blessed Physique] [RARE]

'Yeah, a decent increase. I had expected to be stronger once I returned, but plans don't always pan out. But what does it matter? I've already reached the goal for the month, and a few months more even. Now, let's look at loot.'

[Outland Troll Bone (Uncommon) {Grade 4}]

[Extremely sturdy bone, capable of carrying the weight of many tons of troll. Weak to heat.]

'Makes sense. I could probably infuse it into a weapon once I get my next fragment, so it won't break as easily.'

[Outland Troll Skull (Rare) {Grade 5}]

[The thickest part of the troll skeleton. As a solid piece, it can withstand blows of tens of tons without cracking.]

'Well suited for armor. Or maybe a buckler?'

[Outland Troll Flesh (Uncommon) {Grade 5}]

[Tough and strong, the flesh of an Outland Troll has evolved to withstand mighty blows and freezing cold. The taste is described as terrible.]

'I have no idea what to do with this…'

[Blood of the Mountain King (Legendary) {Grade 5}]

[The blood of the progenitor of all trolls, carrying power beyond mortal men. Very little is known about this substance.]

'There we go! Very little is known… Is it because the Mountain King was born before the system? I doubt he has bled much, and Gragh might be the first of his sons to die. I will need to run some tests before using it for anything stupid.'

Nova dismissed all the windows and leaned back in bed, feeling the comfort embrace him tightly. It had been a long day for such a young body.

'Now I just hope the Soul Trader will cooperate. I should ask Quinn what a legendary trait might be worth, though I doubt he will know… Then I need to visit the kids right after. I wonder what Millie has learned so far…'

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