An overwhelmingly ferocious aura spread without restraint. Crimson eyes blazed with savagery, and wicked black bone protrusions added to its terrifying appearance.

  Like a monarch, a top predator of the sky and earth descended upon the island. Its wings, seemingly capable of obscuring the sun, spread wide. Impenetrable grey scales covered its body, inspiring fear.

  A twenty-meter-long behemoth dragon, with a brutal and domineering posture, crashed down upon the island like a meteorite, roaring to announce its arrival.

  "ROAR!"

  Instantly,

  Frightened birds took flight from the island. Wild beasts were terrified, scattering in panic. The candidates were equally startled by the fearsome roar.

  "What was that sound?"

  "A tiger?"

  The Adventurer's Guild hadn't anticipated this event. No one expected a dragon to descend during the exam.

  Dragons were apex predators. Their impenetrable scales and terrifying might gave them formidable combat power; even Willpower Awakeners rarely stood a chance against them.

  Worst of all,

  "A Tyrant Dragon!"

  Saches, observing the apex predator from the hillside, wore a grave expression. Tyrant Dragons were known as dragon slayers, incredibly ferocious creatures.

  They lacked dragon breath and couldn't breathe fire, but their scales and physique far surpassed those of ordinary dragons. They possessed the strength to tear apart dragons of equal size and weight.

  Their temperament was extremely vicious.

  A creature of this caliber possessed the destructive power to raze a city—a suitable Tier 2 threat according to Hyperdimensional Space's classification.

  Frankly, Saches had no confidence in directly confronting this beast, but if the Tyrant Dragon decided to hunt the candidates on the island, he could only close his eyes and accept it.

  "This is terrible luck!"

  Saches flicked his sleeve, preparing for battle and instructing the woman, "Notify the guild. Have them send a… a battleship, no, a fleet."

  A twenty-meter Tyrant Dragon wasn't exceptionally large, but standing upright, it would be six or seven stories tall. Dealing with it required a fleet; only the main cannons of battleships could pose a threat.

  Ordinary carbon-based lifeforms, even twenty meters tall, wouldn't withstand a battleship's main cannon, let alone machine gun fire; they'd be reduced to pulp.

  But this world was different.

  Humans could constantly push their limits, enhancing their physical strength. This was even truer for apex predators like dragons, whose physical strength was incredibly exaggerated.

  Only main cannon firepower could effectively threaten it.

  "Tyrant Dragon!!"

  Unlike Saches' grim expression, Blaise was unusually excited. The Tyrant Dragon's heart could extend lifespan.

  History recorded an individual who lived to two hundred years old after consuming a Tyrant Dragon's heart. Without a doubt, this was a golden opportunity.

  The opportunity was rare, but Blaise wasn't reckless. The Tyrant Dragon's true strength was still unknown; it was best to let others test the waters first.

  He wasn't worried about a lack of volunteers. He didn't believe the Tyrant Dragon was here for the vegetarian fare; if the candidates' lives were truly at risk, Saches wouldn't stand idly by.

  "The two of you!"

  In this critical moment, Saches didn't mince words, approaching Mei and Blaise. He considered them equally strong, capable of facing the Tyrant Dragon together.

  "If this Tyrant Dragon attacks the candidates, I hope you can intervene. The guild will pay you handsomely. What do you say?"

  Blaise readily agreed, smiling.

  "No problem."

  Mei sat on a rock, tossing an apple in her hand, neither refusing nor agreeing. Her response was ambiguous: "Let's see."

  As they spoke, Saches' expression suddenly changed, his body hairs bristling. He looked towards the distant mountain ridge, meeting a pair of malevolent dragon eyes.

  "!!!"

  The Tyrant Dragon had spotted them.

  "ROAR!"

  In a flash, the Tyrant Dragon swooped down from the ridge, its massive body crashing to the ground with a deafening boom.

  The candidates were safe.

  But they weren't.

  Amidst the swirling dust, an invisible force erupted, then detonated like an explosive, unleashing immense power.

  Boom!

  A swift figure tore through the air, slicing the dust cloud in two like a blade. Saches focused his Willpower into his fist.

  He struck the Tyrant Dragon with a powerful blow. The resulting shockwave became a raging wind, scattering the dust, restoring visibility.

  Saches' technique allowed for a powerful burst of Willpower, with destructive force comparable to artillery—a human-shaped bomb. Impressive.

  Unfortunately,

  His current strength wasn't enough to pierce the Tyrant Dragon's scales; he could only temporarily hinder its advance. The Tyrant Dragon staggered back a small step from the blow.

  "Blaise!"

  "Coming!"

  Two sharp surgical scalpels arrived with a whoosh, piercing the air. Seizing the moment of the Tyrant Dragon's momentary stiffness, they precisely struck its eyes.

  Clang!

  Surprisingly, the Tyrant Dragon's eyes were protected by a tough membrane; the scalpels snapped upon impact.

  "ROAR!"

  Recovering its balance as its tail lashed out, the Tyrant Dragon swung its sharp claws, flinging the two back with a fierce, aggressive attack.

  "This is troublesome."

  If even its eyes were impenetrable, how could they fight?

  Blaise landed lightly on a tree, shaping a Willpower scalpel in his hand. His technique excelled at externalizing Willpower to create various shapes.

  He'd been a black market surgeon, so he favored surgical scalpels.

  Having repelled the two with a single claw, the Tyrant Dragon seized the opportunity to attack. Instinctively switching between offense and defense, it leaped towards Saches, opening its gaping maw.

  Saches' pupils constricted.

  The breath of death was upon him.

  Boom!

  At that critical moment, he unleashed his full Willpower, exceeding his body's limits, employing a near-teleportation speed at the cost of severely strained muscles.

  Swish!

  Saches' body flickered, narrowly escaping being swallowed whole. The Tyrant Dragon missed its target, crashing to the ground.

  Boom!

  The massive body's impact shook the earth.

  A golden opportunity!

  Blaise seized the chance to strike again. His Willpower transformed into thin threads, swiftly and stealthily attempting to slip into the Tyrant Dragon's mouth to extract its heart.

  However, the Tyrant Dragon reacted instantly, sensing the attack. A sweeping tail narrowly missed Blaise, who was then unexpectedly struck by a claw.

  The Tyrant Dragon's movements were ferocious and lightning-fast, its explosive power incredible. In the blink of an eye, it lunged at Blaise, knocking him away.

  Bang!

  Blaise landed heavily on the ground before Mei. Fortunately, he was only knocked away by the force of the wind; a direct hit from the Tyrant Dragon's claw would have had far more severe consequences.

  Even so, Blaise was slightly injured. He wiped the blood from his lips, his face pale. The Tyrant Dragon's combat strength far exceeded expectations.

  "It seems my previous assumptions were naive."

  Blaise chuckled wryly.

  In just one confrontation, he'd almost met his end. Looking at Saches, whose leg muscles were torn, essentially incapacitating him, blood flowed freely.

  It was clear that this apex predator was beyond their capabilities. Surviving, let alone resisting, would be a victory.

  Bang!

  The Tyrant Dragon's claw struck the ground, pulverizing the hard rock. Only those who had engaged it knew the terrifying power contained within that massive body.

  "Aure."

  Blaise remained vigilant, staring at the Tyrant Dragon, fearing a sudden attack. He spoke to Mei, his voice strained, "Don't you intend to help?"

  Saches used Willpower to stanch the bleeding, ignoring the agonizing pain from his torn muscles. "We just need to hold out a little longer. The fleet will arrive soon."

  "..."

  Mei remained silent.

  She simply stared at the Tyrant Dragon, which, only now, noticed her presence. Its eyes shifted, locking onto Mei's.

  A moment passed.

  The Tyrant Dragon seemed to experience profound fear. Its pupils constricted, its face showing clear terror. Its massive body stiffened, even visibly trembling.

  The air seemed to freeze.

  The atmosphere was oddly eerie.

  Boom!

  The ground trembled.

  The Tyrant Dragon, terrified, tumbled away from them, fleeing in a desperate retreat, then hastily took flight, disappearing into the sky.

  Even a blind man could see the Tyrant Dragon was petrified with fear, despite having had a clear advantage in the fight.

  "..."

  "..."

  Without speaking,

  Blaise and Saches turned to Mei. They couldn't comprehend what they'd just witnessed; Mei must have done something. There was no other possibility.

  They had clearly noticed that the Tyrant Dragon fled after making eye contact with Mei, yet they hadn't sensed any Willpower emanating from her.

  Blaise was stunned.

  He asked incredulously, "What did you do?"

  To scare a dragon into such a panic with just a glance... He couldn't understand how Mei had done it. It was a Tyrant Dragon!

  Mei ignored him.

  She didn't answer Blaise's question.

  Saches' assessment of Mei rose to a new level. In short, the crisis was successfully overcome. He let out a long, relieved sigh, breaking the silence.

  "Whew, thank you both for your help. The promised reward will be paid after the examination."

  "No problem."

  Receiving no response from Mei, and having missed out on the Tyrant Dragon's heart, Blaise, slightly disappointed, waved his hand, unconcerned about the reward.

  Still, it wasn't a fruitless experience. He'd broadened his horizons, witnessing the Tyrant Dragon's ferocity and power, and glimpsed Mei's mysterious abilities.

  "Saches."

  The woman appeared, helping Saches to receive treatment. She was perplexed by the events, asking, "What happened during that battle?"

  During treatment, Saches recounted the battle, especially the Tyrant Dragon's strange behavior at the end. He instructed, "Add this to Aure's files."

  "Understood."

  Not just Blaise, but Saches was now also curious about Mei's true identity and power; she was far too mysterious.

  Curiosity is human nature.

  The time came for the 143rd examination field's tenth day.

  【Repair Progress: 30/100,000】

  The Tyrant Dragon's attack hadn't reached the candidates; many were unaware of the dragon's presence, focused on their search for the numbered tiles.

  By the tenth day,

  All five cards had returned to Saches. Three ordinary candidates successfully passed the examination and received their adventurer certifications.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  The three were a sturdy, honest man; a tall, slender woman with braided hair; and Sullivan, on the verge of Willpower awakening.

  Seeing Mei had also passed, Sullivan, disregarding their previous unfamiliarity, excitedly chatted with her; they were both from Sea Town. He was quite friendly.

  "A? You passed too! Congratulations!"

  "You as well."

  "Haha, I got lucky this time."

  As they spoke, an airship slowly descended. Saches, now mobile, took the successful candidates aboard.

  This world's medical technology, combined with Willpower, was extremely effective. Within a few days, Saches' injuries had largely healed.

  He just couldn't engage in intense combat yet.

  "This airship will transport the successful candidates to Platinum City in the Tillia Kingdom, where you'll register your adventurer certifications at the branch office."

  "Mr. Saches!"

  Sullivan had a question.

  "Yes?"

  "Is food and lodging included?"

  "Haha, all food and accommodation on the journey will be covered by the guild."

  "Whew, that's good."

  Sullivan was relieved. He didn't have much money; the guild hadn't yet paid for the registered ruin, and travel expenses were no longer a worry.

  With his adventurer certification, he could ride non-private airships for free, saving a considerable amount of money.

  Whoosh—

  The roar of the propellers filled the air as the airship slowly ascended. Those who failed the examination could only watch enviously as it departed.

  They would leave the island by other means, responsible for their own travel expenses.

  "So cool."

  "I wish I were up there."

  "I'll come back next year. I won't fail again!"

  Some candidates grumbled angrily.

  Inside the airship's cabin,

  The twenty-odd successful candidates stood or sat. The examiners chatted amongst themselves. Careful observation revealed that these individuals were distinctly different from ordinary candidates.

  Their demeanor,

  Or their actions and speech,

  More than half possessed unusual skills or abilities. Those who had surpassed physical limits, and those who had awakened Willpower, were present. Yet, Blaise merely glanced at them with disdain.

  "A bunch of nobodies."

  The Willpower Awakeners were pathetically weak, let alone those who hadn't even awakened their Willpower. Blaise found it strange that he even noticed these people.

  Around 500 people took the examination at each test site, with a maximum of five passing; a 1% success rate. Further screening occurred aboard the airship,

  Reducing the success rate to approximately one in a thousand.

  Even with such stringent selection, few of these candidates had awakened Willpower, demonstrating its rarity.

  The vast majority didn't even know what Willpower was. Only within the special population of adventurers could a significant number of Willpower Awakeners be found.

  Adventurers had to contend with harsh environments and various monsters; strong combat ability was essential for exploring ruins and secret realms.

  Observing the candidates and examiners in the cabin, Sullivan frowned, falling into contemplation. He felt these individuals were somehow different from ordinary candidates.

  Especially the examiners.

  He couldn't pinpoint the difference.

  Sullivan was on the verge of awakening. His physique and willpower were already strong enough, and he could awaken Willpower at any moment, but he hadn't yet broken through.

  His senses were sharp, but before truly understanding Willpower, he couldn't comprehend the differences between these individuals and ordinary people.

  Saches observed Sullivan, recognizing his potential. He trusted his judgment; this young man would soon awaken his Willpower and display his talents after joining the guild.

  Fame was only a matter of time.

  Mei showed no interest in socializing. She quietly sought clues to the fragments of truth and observed this world's situation through the ālaya-Vij?āna.

  One point must be mentioned.

  She could use the ālaya-Vij?āna to access everyone's perceptions and memories, but all information related to Hyperdimensional Space was blocked.

  Mei couldn't use this method to identify Void Wanderers. The faith marker marketplace could also filter its own information, let alone something like Hyperdimensional Space.

  Similarly,

  Transcendent Space was likely the same; Mei couldn't use the ālaya-Vij?āna to determine if Transcenders were present in this mission world.

  This wasn't an absolute inability to detect them; the ālaya-Vij?āna couldn't access the memories and perceptions of higher-tier beings. However, if someone mentioned relevant topics, Mei could sense them through star energy and void energy, thus confirming their identities.

  Current perceptions and memory intrusion—Mei used both methods.

  "1.6 million Nak!"

  "Corian Highness!"

  "A magical artifact appeared in the XX secret realm…"

  "The Third Generation Songyun Katana…"

  A large amount of information from various perspectives flashed through her mind. After a while, Mei withdrew her consciousness from the ālaya-Vij?āna, feeling invigorated as she enjoyed the scenery along the way.

  【Repair Progress: 33/100,000】

  On the third day,

  The airship safely arrived in Platinum City, Tillia Kingdom. This was the most developed and prosperous region among the neighboring kingdoms, a metropolis with a population of several million. The seamless integration of airships and rail lines provided the most advanced transportation system, far surpassing that of underdeveloped areas.

  To the amazement of Sullivan and the others,

  Without any lengthy process or ceremony, the next day at the Platinum City Adventurer's Guild branch office, after completing the registration, Saches handed Mei and the others a small, blue booklet.

  The blue cover clearly printed the words "Adventurer's Professional Certification." Saches then handed Mei and Blaise their payment—a bank card containing 300,000 Nak.

  In this era, a bun cost only 1 Nak, and an average person's monthly salary ranged from a few hundred to a thousand Nak. 300,000 Nak was a considerable sum.

  Saches smiled, "From today onwards, you are professional adventurers. You can access any national branch or headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild, enjoy the Guild's resources and intelligence, and freely choose exploration missions from the Guild to excavate treasures or explore ruins."

  It wasn't just exploration missions.

  Besides the Adventurer's Guild, many similar organizations existed—mercenary companies, security firms, hunter guilds, and so on.

  These organizations often collaborated, and the Adventurer's Guild, aside from its exploration missions, also offered joint missions with other organizations.

  These missions and commissions could be accepted by adventurer teams, and adventurers could also secretly accept commissions; the Guild wouldn't interfere in such matters.

  However,

  Private commissions without the Guild's guarantee were unreliable.

  Looking at the certification and bank card, Blaise promptly left the branch office. "That's quite a sum. If that's all, then goodbye."

  The moment she received her professional adventurer certification, Mei completed the first phase of the main mission. The interface displayed a message.

  【Main Mission · Phase One · Complete】

  【Points Acquired: 1000】

  【Main Mission · Phase Two: To prove your abilities, complete three Adventurer's Guild commission missions to further understand the state of this world.】

  【Mission Reward: 3000 points】

  Mei didn't rush to accept missions at the branch office. Instead, she leisurely strolled through Platinum City, enjoying the sights.

  Even amidst the towering skyscrapers, the Adventurer's Guild branch office building stood out, incredibly tall. On the rooftop, two figures observed the city below.

  Beside Saches stood a grey-haired old man, his spirit vibrant, his body remarkably robust, showing no signs of weakness.

  "Branch Chief, what do you think?"

  The Branch Chief's eyes were sharp, his interest piqued. "I sense no Willpower from her, yet her movements tell me she's exceptionally strong!"

  Old ginger is the spiciest.

  The Branch Chief's judgment was far superior to Saches'.

  Saches still found his island experience unbelievable: "I've never seen anyone scare away a tyrant dragon with just a glance. She didn't even display Willpower or any kind of aura. It completely surpasses my understanding."

  The Branch Chief chuckled.

  "Haha, there are many strong individuals in this world. Some possess strange powers far beyond your understanding and imagination. Young man, the world is vast!"

  Before, Saches wouldn't have understood the Branch Chief's words, but now he did. There were powerful beings whose abilities defied analysis.

  He saw.

  That the Branch Chief himself was an extraordinary being.

  Saches curiously asked, "Branch Chief, is he stronger than you?"

  "Um…"

  The Branch Chief pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I can't say for sure. This person is unassuming. Only a direct confrontation will reveal the outcome."

  Then, the Branch Chief remembered something.

  "Right, the third-generation Songyun Katana transport mission has been troublesome, hasn't it? I think you should talk to her. If she accepts the mission, perhaps all our problems will be solved."

  Hearing this,

  Saches' eyes lit up.

  "I'll go talk to her in two days. She seems to be enjoying herself right now; I won't interrupt her."

  ...

  【Repair Progress: 35/100,000】

  Unexpected joy arrived on Mei's third day in Platinum City. Due to the causal influence, the first fragment of truth finally appeared.

  A subtle fluctuation manifested in the void, then vanished completely. Mei activated Truth Manifestation; a treasure map appeared in her hand.

  The treasure map depicted Platinum City, but unlike before, a bright red mark highlighted a specific location on the map.

  Location: Platinum Bank.

  Platinum Bank was the largest bank in Platinum City. Besides its financial services, it offered safe deposit box rentals, boasting cutting-edge security systems.

  Many wealthy or secretive individuals stored valuable items in Platinum Bank's vaults; its security was akin to a massive fortress.

  Platinum Bank's vault was located 50 meters underground, its metal walls an astounding 3 meters thick. The various security measures were practically impenetrable.

  But only to ordinary people.

  In an instant,

  Mei bypassed all significant obstacles and distances, appearing in the dimly lit vault. All security measures proved ineffective.

  The mechanical and code locks of the dual-security safe automatically opened, a pitch-black stone slowly floating out and falling into Mei's hand.

  Crack!

  The Book of Truth faintly glowed. Mei crushed the stone in her hand; a bright light flickered, then seamlessly integrated into the Book of Truth.

  Hum—

  Void energy surged; the Book of Truth's aura flickered and vanished, quickly returning to calm before disappearing once more into the void.

  Simultaneously,

  The repair progress data suddenly jumped significantly.

  【Repair Progress: 14,035/100,000】

  The progress bar surged by fourteen thousand, reaching 14%. Mei had completed the first upgrade task. The Book of Truth reappeared, a beam of light merging into her body.

  【Upgrade Task 1·Complete】

  【Receiving one random reward】

  【Star Spirit ·LV32?】

  The power within her body surged; Mei's Star Spirit lifeform instantly jumped from LV30 to LV32, a two-level increase.

  The range of perception and control expanded to 20 million light-years; the energy level increased eightfold!

  The immense aura caused the void energy to surge violently; the surrounding space warped and distorted. Mei suppressed the surge of power, then everything returned to normal.

  A smile appeared on her face.

  This random reward was amazing!

  She eagerly awaited the next random reward. If every reward was this astonishing, Mei would be close to entering Tier 7.

  At that moment,

  A noise came from the shadows. A look of surprise appeared on Mei's face. Two figures emerged from the darkness beneath the floor, entering the vault.

  They didn't notice anyone else present; even with Mei standing directly in front of them, they simply began their work.

  One was a young man in his twenties, the other a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy. The two retrieved bundles of explosives from their bags and began placing them around the vault.

  The younger boy looked at the safes, swallowed, and stared intently: "Big bro, it's a waste to blow everything up. Why don't we just take what we can? There's gotta be a lot of valuable stuff here!"

  "We can't steal."

  The older young man continued placing explosives, smugly declaring: "We're righteous heroes; we have principles. We said we'd blow up the bank, so we're blowing up the bank. Stealing is for thieves."

  "Makes sense!"

  The younger boy was convinced, nodding vigorously.

  "..."

  Mei found these two to be rather unusual.

  After working for a while, the two finished placing the explosives. The older young man crouched in a corner, reaching for a cloth bag at his hip. He was out of detonators.

  With a mischievous grin, Mei handed him a bundle of explosives, casually checking the timer; there wasn't much time left.

  "There's another one here."

  "Thanks."

  The older young man casually accepted the explosives, thinking it was his younger partner. Two seconds later, he realized something was wrong. That voice… it wasn't right!

  He turned around and saw Mei. He nearly jumped out of his skin; he hadn't realized anyone else was there.

  "!!!"

  After recovering, the older young man yelled and bolted: "Xiao, run!"

  As soon as he spoke,

  The older young man dove into the shadows and disappeared. Xiao, terrified, instinctively followed suit. Mei glanced at the timer on the explosives.

  The time was up.

  Boom!

  The stable matter undergoing a chemical reaction released a massive amount of energy. An intense flash filled the entire vault in less than a second.

  The expanding air, under tremendous pressure, created a shockwave that instantly destroyed the vault. However, the vault's construction was surprisingly sturdy.

  The explosion didn't actually breach the vault. Those above ground only felt a strong tremor under their feet, then a brief swaying sensation, nothing more.

  "What was that?"

  "An earthquake?"

  Only the Platinum Bank staff looked pale.

  "The vault!"

  "Quick, go check!"

  "Big bro…"

  Among the crowd outside the bank, the younger boy trembled: "That guy down there… isn't he dead? Did we kill someone?"

  The older young man pondered for a moment, then concluded,

  "Probably not. He's probably much stronger than us. Let's go. This job was too big; we need to lie low for a while."

  "Big bro knows best."

  The younger boy always listened to his older brother.

  Mei's figure appeared in a narrow alley. As she was about to leave, she bumped into several thugs. One of them grinned menacingly, pulling out a dagger.

  "Kid…"

  Three seconds later,

  "Huh? Aure!"

  A figure appeared at the alley entrance. Sullivan stared, astonished, at the scene before him. Several thugs lay on the ground, their condition unclear. Mei's expression was unchanged.

  Sullivan sensed a powerful killing intent. He'd vaguely felt a different aura emanating from Mei, unlike Blaise or Saches; now that feeling was even stronger.

  He suddenly understood.

  While Blaise and Saches emanated a ferocious beastly aura, Mei was like a battleship anchored on the shore.

  He didn't sense any wildness from her, only cold steel. Wild beasts wouldn't consider her a peer; they couldn't detect her aura.

  However,

  When she revealed her power, she could bring down even a dragon.

  Sullivan dismissed his confused thoughts and said, "Aure, Mr. Saches is still at the branch office. He seems to have something to discuss with you."

  "I know."

  Mei nodded.

  ...

  Saches held a position within the Adventurer's Guild. When the guild encountered difficult cases, he was responsible for finding solutions.

  Of course, he was also an adventurer himself, occasionally undertaking missions assigned by the guild.

  Recently, the Shipping Guild had contracted the Adventurer's Guild for an escort mission: transporting a historically significant and precious katana.

  A third-generation Songyun Katana!

  The shipping company had its own security, but their combat capabilities were lacking, unable to provide sufficient protection for this transport.

  When it came to combat prowess, the adventurers were the go-to experts.

  Therefore, the Shipping Guild had contracted the Adventurer's Guild, hoping to find reliable adventurers to act as security for this transport.

  The compensation was generous.

  Due to the client's significant status, the pressure was immense. After layers of pressure, it landed on Saches.

  He found it quite troublesome.

  So,

  He not only invited Mei, but also Blaise, who hadn't left his side. Saches was uncertain about Mei's willingness but confident Blaise would accept.

  As expected,

  Blaise only asked one question.

  "Is it dangerous?"

  "Extremely dangerous."

  Saches explained, "This katana is priceless. There are countless buyers on the black market, and swordsmen are eager to acquire it. We have no way of knowing how many powerful individuals will try to steal it."

  "Then I accept."

  Blaise grinned, a smile that was unsettling, like a sadist eager to get started, sending a chill down one's spine.

  "A third-generation Songyun Katana?"

  Sullivan, unaware, asked, "Is it really that valuable?"

  "Far beyond your imagination."

  Saches replied.

  Mei remained silent, using Truth Manifestation to investigate the katana's history. As Saches had said, it was incredibly precious.

  Its origins could be traced back to an immeasurable past. Legend had it that before the world's destruction, a legendary katana had existed:

  The Songyun Katana.

  That was the first-generation Songyun Katana.

  After the first-generation Songyun Katana disappeared, ancient smiths forged second-generation replicas, but those two katanas were lost in antiquity.

  They likely vanished into the void with the destruction of the old world.

  The third-generation Songyun Katana was the closest to the present era, crafted by a certain swordsmith who claimed to have discovered Songyun Katana forging techniques in a ruin.

  Thus, he recreated this ancient legendary katana.

  If this world hadn't been destroyed, Truth Manifestation might have revealed more information. As it was incomplete, Mei could only access the information remaining within the ruin.

  Sullivan seemed to have more questions about the katana. Mei answered his inquiries: "Do you know why it's called the Songyun Katana?"

  Sullivan shook his head.

  "I don't know."

  "Because legend says it possesses the power to cleave the heavens."

  Hearing this,

  Sullivan was speechless.

  "Is that true?!"

  To Sullivan, this was a mythical power existing only in legends; his worldview hadn't yet escaped the realm of the extraordinary.

  Saches inquired about Mei's thoughts.

  "So, your answer is...?"

  "Yes."

  Mei accepted the commission; it would advance the Tier 2 segment of the main mission. She was unconcerned about the mission's difficulty.

  Saches' face lit up.

  "Thank you so much!"

  With Mei joining the arguably strongest security team, Saches turned to Sullivan: "Would you like to assist as well?"

  Sullivan was stunned.

  "Me? Is that possible?"

  "Of course."

  A proper team needed individuals with diverse skills and abilities. Saches himself was professional and experienced, Blaise a black market medic, and Mei the ultimate security guarantee.

  Sullivan, outwardly unremarkable, could effectively blend into the background, proving invaluable in many situations.

  Furthermore,

  Saches intended to give Sullivan some real-world experience. This wasn't solely his decision; higher-ups in the branch office valued Sullivan, prompting Saches to provide additional support.

  "Great!"

  Sullivan was ecstatic.

  Blaise revealed a bloodthirsty grin: "When do we start?"

  Saches was decisive.

  "Now."

  Many people coveted the Songyun Katana, even within the guild. He wanted to catch them off guard. His choice of individuals like Blaise was because they were discreet.

  Dong!

  A resounding bell tolled from the tall bell tower. A middle-aged man stood within, holding a telescope, constantly monitoring the branch office.

  After a while,

  Saches and his group entered his sight.

  "Hey, the target has appeared. Looks like they're about to transport the Songyun Katana."

  Someone nearby asked, "Who's with them?"

  "Uh… besides the target, three unfamiliar faces. They seem to be newly certified adventurers. One is supposedly Blaise from the Erke Kingdom; I've met him before."

  "The other two?"

  "I can't sense any Willpower from them. Don't worry about them."

  The observer had a unique talent; he could sense others' Willpower from a great distance, making him an exceptional sensory adept.

  Simultaneously,

  Moving through the crowds, Mei and her group headed towards the station. Blaise casually reminded Saches, "We're being watched."

  Sullivan was startled, but his expression remained unchanged.

  "So soon?"

  "Don't worry about them."

  "Too bad."

  Blaise suppressed his urge to dismember those watching them. Mei, however, seemed unconcerned, strangely reassuring to Sullivan.

  No one cared where the katana was; following Saches was sufficient. In reality, besides Saches, no one in the group actually cared about the Songyun Katana.

  Mei remained eternally calm and collected; no one could guess her thoughts. Blaise was here for the thrill of the chase, Sullivan for the experience; he would fully assist Saches. The katana was secondary.

  Simultaneously,

  Elsewhere in the world,

  As a familiar fluctuation silently enveloped the world, a terrifying figure, radiating an aura of impending doom, instantly revealed a furious expression.

  An unparalleled sense of oppression carried with it an ancient aura.

  Rumble!

  For a moment, it seemed like the end of the world. Thunder roared in the sky, the earth trembled, and intense rage, like a volcano, gathered unimaginable power.

  "Truth!"

  He recognized the aura of Truth instantly. He thought he would never feel this tremor again, yet after countless years, that inescapable nightmare had returned.