Chapter 1: The Merchant Guild Leader

The fierce battle for the royal capital had just ended, before Mels and the others could even catch their breath, when the news brought by Xiu Lante sent a jolt of excitement through them!

"The mysterious black-clad men who wiped out Blue Whirlwind are likely in the Fijinando United Kingdom!" With just that simple statement from Xiu Lante, Mels and the others felt their blood boil! Why had they joined the Knights? Why were they risking their lives for a foreign kingdom? The sole reason that had driven them this far was to uncover the true culprits behind Blue Whirlwind's destruction!

"Uncle Xiulan, is your information accurate? Are you certain?" Mels asked excitedly, grabbing Xiu Lante's arm.

"Although I don't know if they are the enemies you're looking for, I believe that once you learn what happened, you'll share my current thoughts.

For some unknown purpose, this group suddenly appeared in the capital of the Fijinando United Kingdom three days ago and, within a single day, wiped out the entire family of the kingdom's important foreign trade minister! Their operation was nearly flawless, but unexpectedly, they encountered patrolling capital guards during their retreat!

Given their prowess, they could have quickly eliminated the guards, but the soldiers managed to send out alarm signals in time! As a result, the royal capital dispatched close to fifty thousand guards to join the encirclement. The battle was ferocious beyond imagination! These black-clad figures were all highly skilled in martial arts and ruthless in their attacks. In just two hours of fighting, a force of roughly a thousand men wiped out nearly thirty thousand royal soldiers. After suffering heavy casualties themselves, they broke through the encirclement and fled southward in disarray!

In this battle, approximately eight hundred black-clad figures were killed. But what was most terrifying was that among those captured alive, not a single one remained! They were either killed by their own comrades or took poison hidden in their mouths to commit suicide! It seems these individuals are of no ordinary origin and are likely personal death warriors of some powerful figure on the continent! This incident has greatly angered the King of Fijinando, who has dispatched the elite 'Skyhawk Knight Order' to hunt them down relentlessly! You can now head toward the southern port cities of the Fijinando United Kingdom. If my prediction is correct, to avoid leaving any traceable clues, they will definitely set sail from the southern coast!" Xiu Lante carefully explained the intelligence he had obtained to Mels!

"Uncle, thank you. We'll set off immediately!" Mels said gratefully to Xiu Lante.

Just as Mels was about to lead his brothers on their way, Sol suddenly spoke up: "Boss, although Fijinando isn't very large, there are at least seven or eight port cities in the south. Which one should we head for?"

"No need to worry about that. For now, you just need to head toward the port closest to the kingdom's capital. I'll use my informants in Fijinando to gather information and send you messages via carrier pigeons along the way!" Xiu Lante said first.

"That's perfect! We mustn't delay. We'll set off right now!" Mels said to Xiu Lante.

Just as he was about to leave, Xiu Lante suddenly grabbed Mels and said earnestly, "Mels, remember my words. They are merciless killers. Although you all may not necessarily be defeated, their numbers are simply too great. Even if they are exhausted from their long flight, they are not opponents you can easily handle! Just follow them closely along the way. After I finish dealing with matters concerning the Commercial Cities Alliance, I'll immediately bring the knight order to meet up with you. We'll take action together then!"

"Okay, I'll remember!" Mels nodded to Xiu Lante.

After speaking, Mels suddenly remembered something and pulled Xiu Lante aside, saying, "Uncle, General Mark is not a bad person. That day at the Chancellor's estate, he let me go once. If you have the chance to see him, please spare his life, or at least ensure his family isn't harmed! Alright?"

"This..." Hearing Mels's request, Xiu Lante pondered briefly before replying seriously, "I'll do what I can in this matter. Although I cannot guarantee he will be spared from death, I promise you I will treat his family well!"

"Thank you. I believe you! Then we'll take our leave now. Take care of yourself, Uncle!" Seeing that Emma and Bagina had also arrived, Mels bid farewell to Xiu Lante, preparing to head for the southern port cities of Fijinando that Xiu Lante had mentioned.

Watching the figures of the youths gradually fade into the distance, Xiu Lante felt a pang of loss. In his eyes, Mels was like his own son. Knowing they were heading into danger while he couldn't help was a feeling hard for others to grasp. He knew he had his own duties—whether it was rebuilding the war-torn royal capital or defending against the Commercial Cities Alliance forces still at the border, all required his direct command! All he could do now was complete these tasks as quickly as possible, and then...

Rushing out of the royal capital at almost a sprint, Mels suddenly remembered he couldn't possibly reach Fijinando on foot. Fortunately, Bagina wasn't as frantic as to forget everything. Just as Mels and the others were about to return to the royal capital to buy horses, Emma and Bagina drove a carriage out of the city gates.

"Heh, Miss Bagina is as clever as ever!" Mels said awkwardly, scratching his head as he looked at Bagina.

"Hmph, if we were like you, even if we could run all the way to Fijinando, we'd starve to death halfway! Hurry up and get in the carriage!" Bagina said coldly.

Although Bagina's tone remained as icy as before, Mels could sense that she was no longer as indifferent to everything as she had been when they first met.

The thought that their father's killer was about to be revealed naturally spurred the youths to quicken their pace. Traveling south from the royal capital of the Relkes Empire, they reached the border city of Pakdo, where the Relkes Empire met the Commercial Cities Alliance, in less than five days.

Initially, Mels and the others thought that with the recent tensions between the Commercial Cities Alliance and the Relkes Empire, the atmosphere in the border city would be very tense. To their surprise, when they entered the city, the streets were still bustling with activity. Not only was there no sense of urgency before the outbreak of war, but even the patrols hadn't increased, which left Mels and the others quite astonished.

Perhaps the long journey had left them somewhat fatigued, or maybe Mels was worried about changes in the situation Xiu Lante faced against the Commercial Cities Alliance forces. Although eager to reach the Fijinando United Kingdom, Mels decided to stay in Pakdo for a day to observe how the diplomatic relations between Relkes and the Commercial Cities would develop.

Having fought desperately in the royal capital and then traveled continuously for days, the youths immediately sought out the city's largest restaurant upon entering, ready for a hearty meal. Before leaving Blue Whirlwind, Mels had been flush with money. After becoming knights of the Relkes Empire, they had also received bonuses from Xiu Lante on multiple occasions. They usually had no time or opportunity to spend this money, so now that they were in a bustling city, they naturally intended to splurge a little, living up to the motto of "carefree youths."

Although the four boys and two girls were travel-worn, their splendid attire and Bagina's noble demeanor immediately caught the attention of the restaurant's servers. With their experienced eyes, they quickly concluded that Mels and the others were either wealthy young masters or descendants of nobility. They understood that by serving these youths well, the tips alone would be enough to let them rest for months!

Thus, before Mels could even call out, three servers approached with broad smiles, ushering them into the restaurant. After seating them in an elegant private room on the third floor, Sol couldn't contain himself and said to the waiter, "Whatever delicious dishes you have here, bring them all up quickly!"

"Yes, yes! Please wait a moment, young ladies and gentlemen. I'll go arrange everything right away!" One of them, hearing Sol's order, immediately pulled another person out, leaving only the senior waiter, who appeared to be around thirty, to serve tea to Mels and the others.

A moment later, after completing his task, the waiter smiled and asked, "Is there anything else you require, honored guests?"

The waiter's intention was actually to receive a tip, but Mels, inexperienced in social customs, didn't understand. After a brief thought, Mels said to the waiter, "There is one thing I'd like to ask. We've come from the royal capital of the Relkes Empire. We heard that the Commercial Cities Alliance and the Relkes Empire are at war, so why is it so peaceful here?"

"Hehe, judging by your appearance, you must not travel much. Actually, the Commercial Cities wouldn't dare to wage war against the Relkes Empire? Even if they had the intention, they wouldn't have the strength to fight the continent's strongest empire! These merchants are just pursuing maximum profit, often putting on an act of preparing for battle, mobilizing troops as part of a grand performance.

Sometimes, for the sake of peace, the Empire gives them some incentives; other times, when they don't want to deal with them, they dispatch hundreds of thousands of troops as a deterrent! No matter what, the Commercial Cities always pull back and run, never truly engaging in war with the Empire!

Just like a few days ago, their hundreds of thousands of troops passed through here, claiming to occupy the area, but as soon as the Empire sent out forces, didn't they immediately retreat to the border? People here are already accustomed to such things. Even the garrison troops don't fight them; they simply retreat temporarily and, within a few days, retake the area without shedding blood! So, young ladies and gentlemen, you can rest assured. Even if you wish to enter the Commercial Cities to look around now, there won't be any problems!" The waiter casually revealed the truth.

"So that's how it is. No wonder there's no sign of continuous warfare here!" Mels nodded slightly. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now," the waiter reminded once more.

"Alright, thank you for your trouble!" Mels waved his hand dismissively. As soon as he spoke, the waiter's expression changed. Though unwilling, he had no choice but to sullenly prepare to leave the private room.

"Here are a few gold coins. Use them to speed up the service!" Just as the waiter was about to leave, Bagina suddenly took out five gold coins and handed them to him.

"Thank you for your generosity, miss! Please wait a moment. I'll go hurry them up right away!" The waiter immediately said with a beaming smile.

Watching the waiter leave, Mels suddenly turned to Bagina and asked, "Do we have to pay for the meal here in advance?" "You dummy!" Bagina rolled her eyes after hearing Mels's question. "Didn't you notice this is the largest restaurant in the city? Across the continent, in any somewhat upscale public establishment, you're expected to tip! Of course, you don't have to, but then the service will be slow and poor, making your meal unpleasant! What I just gave him was a tip!"

"So that's how it is!" Mels exclaimed in sudden realization!

Now they realized that although Bagina had grown up sheltered in the Magic Family's greenhouse, she was exceptionally knowledgeable about the lifestyles of the nobility across various regions. It seemed that in terms of worldly experience alone, Mels and the others couldn't compare to Bagina!

Sure enough, moments later, one exquisite dish after another began to appear before their eyes! This was the power of Bagina's five gold coins. After all, in a cheap region like Pakdo, five gold coins were enough for a family of five to live comfortably for a year. Having received such a generous tip, the servers naturally became doubly attentive, much to the delight of Mels and the others.

The meal lasted a full two hours. Led by the three bottomless pits—Mels, Akafir, and Sol—everyone ate and drank to their fill, unable to stand up! Even Emma, who rarely spoke, leaned back in her chair and exclaimed with satisfaction.

"Would you like any dessert or fruit after the meal, honored guests?" the waiter inquired again eagerly.

"No, no more!" Sol waved his hand, rubbing his nearly bursting stomach.

"Let me ask you, what's the fastest route from here to the southern ports of Fijinando?" Mels suddenly asked.

"Fijinando?" The waiter's expression changed slightly before he cautiously replied, "This isn't something a humble servant should say too much about, but seeing that you young ladies and gentlemen come from wealthy and noble backgrounds, you probably know little about the outside world. To reach Fijinando from here, you must pass through the central Chaotic Country. Not only are bandits rampant there, but there are also countless escaped convicts who kill and plunder. If you don't have urgent business, it's best to avoid the Chaotic Country altogether. Instead, head east from here, follow the coastline through the Commercial Cities, and enter southern Fijinando directly. That would be the wiser choice."

"It's fine. Although we aren't important figures, a few petty thieves don't concern us. Just tell us the truth," Mels said with a slight smile before pressing further.

Seeing Mels's determination, the waiter no longer insisted. He sighed softly and said, "If you truly must go, you can enter Commercial Cities territory directly from here, then head southeast to the southern fortress of Cannas in the Commercial Cities. There, you'll find many bounty hunters and mercenary groups. As long as you can afford the price, they can escort you through the Chaotic Country and directly into the southern port cities of Fijinando.

Another method is to wait in Cannas for merchant caravans preparing to depart. For a small fee, you can travel with them. Generally, large merchant caravans have hundreds of mercenary guards, and small bandit groups dare not attack them. Traveling with them would be much safer for you!"

"Thank you. We understand!" Mels said, waving his hand and taking out ten gold coins to cover the meal and tip.

After the waiter left, Mels beckoned Sol and the others closer and whispered, "Although we're in a hurry to reach Fijinando, we still don't know if those guys are really the ones who killed our adoptive father and the others.

Also, Uncle Xiu Lante hasn't sent us any new messages yet, so we still don't know which port city to head for. So, I think instead of wearing ourselves out rushing to the wrong port, it's better to travel slowly, save our strength, and wait for further news from Uncle Xiu Lante! What do you think?"

"Boss, do you mean that once we reach Cannas, we should join a merchant caravan, hide our identities while traveling, and wait for news from Uncle Xiu Lante?" Sol, quick to react, immediately guessed what Mels was thinking.

"Exactly. That's what I mean. Do any of you have other suggestions?" Mels turned his gaze toward Bagina. In truth, he knew the other youths wouldn't oppose his idea; the only one who might disagree was Bagina.

Bagina, of course, understood Mels's meaning. After careful consideration, she finally nodded and said, "Actually, that's not a bad idea. At least it won't be so exhausting! Moreover, I can use the Magic Family's connections within Fijinando to help you investigate where those mysterious black-clad figures are currently located!"

Seeing that Bagina had no objections and was even willing to use the Magic Family's influence, Mels felt a wave of relief. By now, he had learned from the waiter that large-scale war between the Relkes Empire and the Commercial Cities was unlikely and that the insurgent forces within the Empire had been dismantled. Thus, he had no reason to linger in this small border city.

After packing their belongings and buying some provisions and fruit, the group boarded the carriage again, crossed the Relkes Empire border, and headed toward the Commercial Cities.

Along the way, it was indeed as peaceful as the waiter had described. Neither the border guards of the two nations nor the merchants showed any signs of hostility. After paying a small border-crossing fee, they entered the territory of the Commercial Cities Alliance from the Relkes Empire.

On the vast grasslands, Emma found everything exceptionally novel. Watching this mysterious girl who had lost her memory, Mels suddenly felt a similarity between them. Although her memories were less than that of a child, Mels also knew nothing about his own parents. Thinking of this, Mels couldn't help but feel for this beautiful girl even more.

"Sister Bagina, I just thought of something. What exactly are the mercenaries and bounty hunters you mentioned earlier? Why can they protect us? Are they all as powerful as Brother Mels?" Emma asked, lying in Bagina's arms.

"Haha... It's just a job title, not someone all that amazing!" Mels, who was driving the carriage, suddenly laughed heartily before explaining, "The bounty hunter profession only developed in the last three hundred years. People also like to call them 'black assassins.' Long ago, their predecessors were famous assassins across the continent. As long as you paid enough, they were even willing to assassinate a nation's leader!

However, later, some of these killers grew weary of the work. They preferred to use their martial arts to protect others, so they banded together to form the Bounty Hunters Guild. From then on, whenever monstrous creatures appeared somewhere and the locals were willing to pay these bounty hunters to eliminate them, the bounty hunters would show up!

Their way of working mainly involves accepting a mission, taking down the target, and then returning with proof they completed the job to claim the bounty. That's why people habitually call them bounty hunters! These days, some bounty hunters still focus on killing, but they mostly go after ruthless outlaws, unlike assassins who would kill anyone!

As for mercenaries, they're more like powerful organizations. Although individual mercenaries aren't as strong in combat as bounty hunters, they usually appear in large numbers! Unlike bounty hunters, mercenaries are mainly for protection. As long as bandits don't attack the employer who hired them for protection, mercenaries won't actively attack! You can think of bounty hunters as tigers prowling the land for prey, while mercenaries are like wolf packs operating within a certain range!"

"Oh, I see! If they're not that powerful, why do we need to hire them for protection? Even though I can't compare to Brother Mels, my fighting ability is about the same as Sister Bagina's! I could even protect Brother Sol!" Emma said innocently.

"Hmph, you silly girl, I'm way better than that 'driver'! Talk about me like that again, and I'll ignore you!" Upon hearing Emma's words, Bagina immediately understood that in Emma's mind, she wasn't as capable as Mels. Although she knew this was true, she refused to admit it and quickly retorted.

"Ah, I forgot you told me not to say you think being with Brother Mels makes you feel secure! Okay, okay, I won't talk about what you told me in front of Brother Mels anymore!" Emma said sweetly.

After hearing Emma's words, Bagina's face turned bright red. She was caught between anger and laughter, utterly exasperated by the girl. Meanwhile, Akafir and the others couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. It wasn't until Bagina shot them a glare that the boys stifled their laughter, turning away to muffle their snickers.

But Sol was still hung up on it. He suddenly said with a wounded expression, "What is this? Emma said her skills, while not as good as Brother Mels, are about the same as Miss Bagina's, and she can even 'protect' me? So I'm the weakest link..."

Upon hearing his words, everyone could no longer hold back, and a roar of laughter burst from the carriage. Even Bagina was amused by Sol's remark and couldn't help but laugh heartily!

Along the way, although the carriage was bumpy, laughter never ceased. Since Bagina wasn't acting as stern as usual, Mels and the others were in much better spirits. Seven days later, the six of them finally crossed half of the Commercial Cities Alliance and arrived at the border city of Cannas, located in the south-central part of the commercial cities and connected to the Chaotic Lands!

In the commercial cities, almost every city is an economic center, but Cannas is different! This is the commercial cities' bulwark against the bandits of the Chaotic Lands, and it's one of the few fortress cities in the commercial cities! Although many merchant caravans can still be seen here, they are only waiting to hire mercenaries. Goods are piled mountain-high, but trading scenes are rare. The merchants who come here risk their lives to transport special products from the north to the south, to Fijinando, seeking huge profits.

Although they could also choose to enter Fijinando directly from cities further east, that would require passing through more cities and paying high transit fees. Venturing through the Chaotic Lands, however, allows them to enter southern Fijinando directly. For profit-driven merchants, the massive profits make the risk worth it!

Upon entering Cannas, Mels and his group quickly followed the hotel clerk's tip and found a merchant caravan bound for a city in southern Fijinando. Fortunately, this medium-sized caravan was heading to Dak, the southern port city of Fijinando closest to Cannas. This made Mels and the others even more determined to join the caravan.

After selecting their target and cooking up a bunch of outlandish excuses, the boys began searching for the caravan leader. They soon learned that the leader of this caravan was named Makas Retiam.

Perhaps because the allure of money is irresistible, the caravan members were initially unwilling to reveal where Makas was or disclose any information about him. However, when Mels dangled ten gold coins as bait, they practically told the boys everything about Makas. Thanks to this, Mels learned that Makas was forty-two years old, still single, and had no hobbies besides drinking. He had been trading along this route for ten years! Some caravan members even told Mels that if he wanted to find Makas, he just needed to go to the city's taverns—he was sure to be there!

After learning about the caravan leader's whereabouts, Mels and the others split into two groups. Bagina took Emma and Rek to the market to buy provisions and equipment needed for joining the caravan, while Mels took Sol and Akafir to Cannas's largest tavern to find Makas. Although Mels didn't know exactly where Makas was, he figured that since Makas was a heavy drinker, he'd likely prefer good liquor. And in Cannas, there was only one place to buy good liquor!

Carefree Haven—that was the name of Cannas's largest tavern. Just like what it represented, people who loved alcohol often had things they wanted to forget but could never erase from their hearts.

When Mels entered the tavern, he was immediately assaulted by the smell. The air, mixed with the aroma of alcohol and various human odors, was filled with people drinking passionately. To the tune of slightly cheerful music, people raised their glasses, clinking and talking loudly.

In this noisy environment, a lonely figure in a dark corner of the tavern caught Mels's attention. That must be Makas, Mels guessed silently as he quietly approached his target. Although Mels had never seen Makas before, he was convinced from the man's back and robust physique that this was the Makas described by the caravan members!

"Hello, are you the leader of the 'Spirit Eagle Caravan,' Mr. Makas?" Mels approached the man and asked politely. However, his question didn't seem to attract the other's attention at all—not even a glance in return.

"Hello, are you the leader of the Spirit Eagle Caravan, Mr. Makas?" Mels raised his voice and emphasized his tone as he asked the man again. Yet, the man's reaction remained the same; he just kept drinking the strong rum in his hand.

"Boss, let me handle this!" Seeing that the other person was completely ignoring Mels, Sol stepped forward without waiting for Mels's response. He slammed his hands heavily on the table, making the bottles clatter, and then glared fiercely at the man, shouting, "Hey! My boss is asking you, are you Makas or not?" This time, the man seemed to react.

At the slowest pace, he slowly raised his head and glanced at Sol with bleary, drunken eyes. Then, with lightning speed, he swiftly grabbed Sol's hands and, using an over-the-shoulder throw, hurled Sol heavily away! Before Sol could even let out a cry of surprise, he was sent flying through the air in a graceful arc, heading straight for the wall.

The man's movements were so fast that even Mels couldn't react in time to stop him, and he could only watch as Sol was thrown. However, with Mels and Akafir there, Sol naturally didn't end up "kissing" the wall. The two of them rushed forward, catching Sol before he hit the ground, and then all three glared angrily at the man, seemingly ready to retaliate at any moment.

For a moment, the once-noisy tavern fell silent. The people gathered here were all rough, unruly men who loved chaos. When they saw the three unfamiliar youths about to clash with the man, a few warmongers immediately shouted, "Makas, take down these three brats!"

Hearing these shouts, Mels immediately realized that the man who had thrown Sol was indeed the Makas he was looking for. Mels first restrained the furious Sol, then raised his voice and roared at Makas, "I don't know how we offended you. Even if Sol was disrespectful earlier, it was because you ignored us! I can apologize for Sol's words and actions, but you must also apologize to Sol for what you just did!"

Hearing Mels's words infused with Qi energy, the tavern fell silent again. In this land full of danger, most people knew martial arts. When they realized that these three seemingly under-twenty youths could emit such profound Qi energy, everyone gradually began to believe that Mels and the other two were not as simple as they appeared!

Makas, however, remained unimpressed. He picked up the bottle again, pouring the fiery rum into his mouth in large gulps, and said, "Am I your father? Or your servant? Why should I answer you just because you're talking to me? Get lost before I lose my temper, or else, no matter how young you are, I'll make you understand that this world still has rules!"

These highly provocative words immediately ignited the anger of Mels and the others! Sol, in a rage, shook off Mels's hand and pulled out the magic staff from his back, ready for a fight! Mels knew that if Sol really attacked, not just this tavern, but perhaps several nearby streets would be destroyed by Sol's powerful magic.

Therefore, before Sol could act, Mels restrained his hands again. However, this time, Mels didn't back down either. He turned to Akafir and said softly, "Akafir, teach this arrogant old man a lesson!"

Originally, Mels didn't necessarily need to join a caravan to enter Fijinando. Now, seeing Sol and himself insulted, having grown up among thieves where fists represented justice, he naturally wouldn't hold back anymore. Akafir had long been unable to tolerate it, and upon hearing Mels's command, he had no reservations. In a flash of sword light, he leaped into action!

Makas never expected that Akafir would attack so suddenly, without even a hint of warning. All he saw was Akafir's figure flicker, and a gleaming sword had already pierced the rum bottle in his hand!

In truth, Akafir could have immediately gone for the kill, as he often did in the past. But he hadn't received Mels's order to kill, so he couldn't take a life casually.

Over the years, Mels knew that Akafir was usually gentle but exceptionally fierce once he started fighting. So, he had given Akafir three commands: "Teach a lesson" meant to intimidate the opponent, trying not to harm them; "Take down" meant to incapacitate the opponent without taking their life; and "Kill" meant to act without restraint, eliminating or disabling the opponent as quickly as possible! The command Akafir received now was only "Teach a lesson," so he could only deliver a corresponding level of attack!

Perhaps due to years of living on the edge, Makas, though shocked by Akafir's combat speed, still didn't lose his will to fight back. Unfortunately, under the influence of heavy alcohol, even if he forced himself to counterattack, his trembling hands couldn't keep up with Akafir's high-speed movements!

In what was almost an asymmetrical fight, after just two exchanges, the bottle in Makas's hand had been split in two by Akafir, and a sword was now pressed firmly against his throat!

Looking at the cold, gleaming steel sword at his throat, Makas trembled all over. The once-noisy tavern fell dead silent as everyone waited for Makas's next move. However, no one expected what happened next: instead of the bloodshed they anticipated, Makas burst into hearty laughter.

"Haha... You kids, I really underestimated you!" Makas said to Mels with a laugh.

"Can we sit down and talk now?" Mels smiled slightly, seemingly not intending to push Makas too far.

"Come on, since I'm no match for you, of course we can talk! However, if you want me to do something immoral, I, Makas, would rather die than agree!" Makas completely ignored the sword at his throat, walked over to the already messy table, righted a chair, and smiled at Mels.

Seeing that Makas meant no harm, Mels signaled Akafir to sheathe his sword, then walked confidently toward Makas, who had just been his adversary!

"Kid, with your skills, what exactly do you want from me?" Makas stared intently at Mels as he spoke. Now, his eyes no longer held the drunken haze from before; instead, they were sharp and shrewd!

"Leader Makas, we came to you because we want to join your caravan! We need to go to the southern port city of Fijinando. We searched all the caravans here, and yours is the only one leaving soon, so..." Before Mels could finish, Makas cut him off.

"Wait a minute. As a caravan, accepting travelers is normal, but I don't understand why someone with your skills would want to join a medium-sized caravan like mine. If it's for protection, forgive my bluntness, but the few dozen mercenaries in my caravan aren't as strong as you few! If I'm not mistaken, the kid I threw earlier is definitely a talented and powerful black mage! And the kid who attacked me has extraordinary swordsmanship skills. If they both follow you, then... heh, merchants just want to do business peacefully and avoid getting involved in strange affairs, so..." Makas clearly intended to reject Mels's proposal.

However, Mels wasn't about to give up on this opportunity. Although it was true, as Makas said, that they didn't need protection, he also knew that the enemies they would face in Fijinando were no ordinary foes. If they couldn't appear in their strongest fighting form, and instead exhausted their energy and stamina defending against enemies during the long journey, it would be a very dangerous and foolish decision. Therefore, he was determined to join Makas's caravan!

"Leader Makas, I can assure you that we are not fugitives or people on the run. Although I can't tell you the purpose of our trip to Fijinando, I believe that once you see this, you will trust what I'm saying!" With that, Mels took out a small badge from his inner pocket and quietly placed it in front of Makas.

At first, Makas was curious, but when his eyes truly met the badge, surprise took over his expression! Gently touching it, and after confirming its authenticity, Makas suddenly stood up and said to Mels, "My caravan welcomes you to join. Whenever you need, I can order the caravan to depart at any time!"