"We just have to kidnap some bandits, killers, or any criminals," Asher said with a smirk.
Valeris raised her brow, unsure of what he meant.
"Hm, listen—so here's the plan..." Asher explained his idea, and as she listened, she nodded.
"Well, with your power, I suppose it's possible," she said, acknowledging his abilities.
Asher nodded. "Fortunately, no matter the world, sin exists everywhere—even in this city."
He stood by the window, watching the streets below. With his keen senses, he could see the auras of desperation, greed, and unrest surrounding certain individuals. The presence of crime was undeniable, and soon, he would find the perfect target.
"But why do we need more than one? If we only need two hearts, wouldn't that be enough?" Valeris asked.
Asher smirked. "The reason is simple. I want to gather as many as possible and then fuse them together, extracting only the highest quality Astral Hearts for ourselves," he explained.
Valeris nodded in understanding. "So you plan to refine and merge them, ensuring we get the best possible result?"
"Exactly," Asher confirmed. "The stronger the foundation, the more powerful our cultivation will be in this universe."
"I see, so how should we proceed with this?" she asked.
Using Appraisal, Asher had already gathered most of the information about this world. It had a higher limit than expected, though not by much. After the True Transcendent Realm, this world followed a different ranking system:
Saint King (the peak of this world)
These were the four additional realms limit to this world, with Saint King standing at the absolute peak.
Though from Appraisal, he also learned that his fighting power was at the Great Saint level, despite being only in the True Transcendent Stage—proof of how powerful he truly was.
"We will proceed by registering as mercenaries," he said.
Valeris looked at him with curiosity.
"Besides, this world is more interesting than I first thought," he added.
Through Appraisal, he had discovered something rare—this world also cultivated Soul Energy. Though it wasn't as common as Spirit Energy (the local term for mana), those who cultivated Soul Energy did so through a unique variant of the Astral Heart, known as the Soul Heart. Only those born with a Soul Heart could cultivate Soul Energy, making them exceptionally rare and powerful.
"Mercenaries?" Valeris asked.
"Yes," Asher nodded. "In this world, there is no concept of a unified Guild like in others. Instead, power is divided among mercenaries, clans, and sects. Those who cultivate independently, without allegiance to any faction, are called free cultivators or mercenaries."
"And there are Mercenary Companies here that distribute jobs and missions," he added.
Valeris nodded in understanding. "So, our best option is to register as mercenaries, blend in, and gather information while slowly acquiring the resources we need for cultivation?"
"Exactly," Asher confirmed. "This way, we can earn money, gain local knowledge, and scout for suitable individuals to extract Astral and Soul Hearts from."
Valeris smirked. "Sounds fun. When do we start?"
"As soon as possible," Asher replied. "Let's find the nearest Mercenary Company and get ourselves registered."
With that, the two left their inn and headed towards the heart of the city, where the biggest Mercenary Hall was located.
Asher and Valeris walked through the bustling streets of the port city, taking in the sights and sounds of their new world. The city was filled with a variety of people—warriors in armor, robed mages, and even strange beings with beast-like features. Unlike the world they had left, this one had no concept of magic but instead relied on Spirit Energy and Soul Energy for cultivation.
After a short walk, they arrived at a large, fortress-like building with a massive iron sign reading "Azure Fang Mercenary Company." The emblem beneath the name depicted a snarling wolf surrounded by blue flames.
"This looks promising," Valeris remarked as she glanced up at the imposing structure.
"Let's head inside," Asher said, leading the way.
Upon entering, they found themselves in a spacious hall filled with mercenaries of all kinds—some drinking, others reviewing job postings on a massive board, and a few engaged in heated discussions over missions. A long counter at the back was staffed by clerks managing registrations and payments.
Asher approached one of the clerks, a stern-looking woman with short silver hair and sharp blue eyes. "We're here to register as mercenaries," he said calmly.
The woman glanced at them, noting their unusual presence. "Names?" she asked, pulling out a thick ledger.
"Asher and Valeris," he answered.
She nodded. "Any combat experience?"
Asher smirked. "Plenty."
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Everyone says that. You'll need to take an evaluation test to determine your rank within our system. Are you ready?"
"Of course," Valeris said confidently.
"Good," the clerk responded, gesturing toward a nearby door. "Follow me to the evaluation grounds."
Asher and Valeris followed the clerk through a side door, entering a large, open-air training ground behind the mercenary guild. The area was surrounded by stone walls, with various training dummies, sparring rings, and weapon racks scattered throughout. Several mercenaries were engaged in duels, some using physical weapons while others manipulated Spirit Energy in different forms.
Standing in the middle of the field was a muscular man with a thick scar running down his left eye. He wore a sleeveless black combat uniform, revealing arms covered in battle scars. His presence alone exuded authority.
"This is Captain Ralvek," the clerk introduced. "He oversees all combat evaluations."
Ralvek sized them up with a glance, his gaze lingering on Valeris for a moment before shifting to Asher. "You two want to join the Azure Fang Mercenary Company?"
"That's right," Asher said with a smirk.
Ralvek cracked his neck. "We don't accept weaklings. You'll fight me. If you land a single clean hit, you pass."
Valeris chuckled. "Only one hit? That's all?"
Ralvek grinned. "Cocky, huh? Alright, let's see if you can back it up."
He took a step forward, and a powerful aura of Spirit Energy erupted around him, causing the ground beneath him to crack. Several nearby mercenaries turned to watch, intrigued by the newcomers.
"Who's going first?" Ralvek asked.
Asher stepped forward. "I will."
Ralvek nodded. "Draw your weapon."
Asher simply raised his hand. "That won't be necessary."
Ralvek's eyes narrowed. "Bold."
In an instant, he dashed forward, his speed leaving an afterimage as he swung his fist toward Asher's face. But just as his punch was about to connect— Follow current novels on Novel~Fire. (n)et
A shockwave exploded through the arena as Ralvek was sent flying backward, crashing into the stone wall behind him. Dust and debris filled the air as silence fell over the training grounds.
The mercenaries watching gasped in disbelief. Ralvek, a veteran at the Legendary Realm, had been sent flying with a single movement.