Chapter 49: Need For Strength!

~Buzz~

A low hum suddenly filled the air as Mortimer Sable’s nine flying blades shifted.

Their razor-sharp tips all turned toward Desmond.

Although the blades were poised to strike, Mortimer didn’t make the first move. He merely stared at Desmond with undisguised malice.

His opponent had immediately unleashed his full strength and entered the Phantom Eagle Combat State.

If Mortimer attacked now, the confrontation would almost certainly turn into a fight to the death.

For the moment, intimidation was all he could do.

Neither side was willing to make the first move.

The situation had reached a tense stalemate, like two drawn blades pointed directly at each other’s throats.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze.

No one dared even breathe too loudly.

A moment later, the Bloodline Fighters who had already retreated to a safe distance began whispering excitedly among themselves.

"My God! The Nine Heavens Blade Bloodline! I never thought I’d get to see one in person. It’s a C-Rank Top Tier Bloodline, and it’s actually on the same level as Desmond’s Ashworth Raging Eagle!"

"Their auras are terrifying. If they really start fighting, half the buildings around here could be destroyed!"

"This is incredible! Hurry up and fight! Getting to watch two experts at this level battle from this close is worth the price of admission!"

"It’s been years since I’ve seen experts of this caliber fight. This is going to be a spectacle!"

...

Ryan’s expression turned grim as he watched the Nine Heavens Blade Bloodline.

Mortimer Sable was terrifyingly powerful.

If Ryan were forced to fight him with his current strength, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

"Kid, you should leave first."

The stalemate had formed, and neither side seemed willing to break it anytime soon.

Desmond’s expression remained stern as he spoke to Ryan without looking back.

"Understood."

Ryan nodded.

"Thank you for saving me today, Sir Desmond. I’ll repay this favor many times over in the future."

Desmond merely gave a slight nod.

Ryan didn’t waste another second.

He immediately turned and shot toward the exit of the Ashfall City Free Market.

He had narrowly escaped death.

Right now, getting as far away from this place as possible was his top priority.

Mortimer watched Ryan’s figure rapidly disappear into the distance.

He wanted nothing more than to chase after him, but he couldn’t make a move.

His fury instantly reached its boiling point.

Kid!

I may not have seen your face clearly, but I’ve memorized your voice and the unique aura of your Origin energy.

Don’t let me run into you again.

Because the next time I do, I’ll tear you apart!

Although murderous rage churned inside him, Mortimer remained firmly restrained by Desmond’s aura.

His opponent’s Mental Awareness was locked onto him.

Mortimer knew that even if he suddenly attacked, he would gain nothing.

At best, both sides would suffer injuries.

It was better to conserve his Origin Energy and avoid unnecessary damage.

The feeling of watching something he desperately wanted slip away right before his eyes was incredibly frustrating.

It was like having a bone stuck in his throat.

However, there was one thing Mortimer had gained from the encounter.

Earlier, when Ryan had desperately circulated his Origin energy in preparation to defend against the Earth Yellow Python’s attack, a trace of his Origin Energy had leaked beyond the protection of the Gray Light Shield.

That tiny fluctuation had been instantly detected by Mortimer’s powerful Mental Awareness.

As a result, Ryan’s unique Origin energy aura had been deeply imprinted into his memory.

As long as they encountered each other again, Mortimer would be able to recognize him immediately.

...

"Whoosh!"

Ryan had already teleported out of the market and returned to the urban district of Ashfall City.

He didn’t dare linger nearby.

He immediately changed direction and sped toward the northwest.

With the protection of the Gray Light Shield, Ryan believed that as long as he escaped Mortimer’s line of sight, he should be able to completely shake him off.

Even so, he was still shaken by what had happened.

Fortunately, Desmond had intervened at the critical moment.

Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

I’m still too weak.

Anyone stronger than me can push me around however they want.

Ryan’s expression darkened as he sped through the city.

He had thought that obtaining the C-Rank Top Tier Overlord Body Bloodline and reaching Origin Energy Level Five meant he had finally gained some real strength.

But after today’s encounter, that confidence had been shattered.

In front of those truly powerful Bloodline Fighters, he was still helpless.

They could casually attack him and try to seize his treasures simply because they wanted them.

To them, he was nothing more than an ant.

That feeling of powerlessness filled Ryan with rage.

Power.

I need power.

I need to become stronger—fast.

His fists tightened.

One day, I’ll make sure no one can ever treat me like this again.

After a long while, Ryan finally managed to calm himself.

He glanced up at the sun and estimated the time.

There should still be enough time.

He immediately accelerated toward the garbage disposal site.

It was already afternoon, and the time he had agreed to meet Jake was approaching.

Jake should be leaving the junkyard soon.

Ryan needed to get there first.

...

"Whoosh!"

Not long afterward, Ryan arrived near the garbage disposal site.

However, he didn’t immediately head toward the large locust tree where he and Jake had agreed to meet.

Instead, he stopped some distance away and slipped behind a nearby stone house.

He waited quietly.

For some reason, the closer he got to the junkyard, the stronger the inexplicable sense of danger became.

Ryan’s vigilance immediately rose.

As his strength increased, his five senses had become far sharper than those of an ordinary person.

And right now, something felt wrong.

The area was far too quiet.

It was almost as though hostile auras were deliberately concealed somewhere nearby.

Ryan didn’t need to think for long to understand what was happening.

The Sterling Family.

They were probably still watching him from the shadows, waiting for him to show himself.

Ryan’s expression sank.

He remained hidden behind the stone house instead of approaching the meeting point directly.

Compared to the large locust tree, this location offered a much better vantage point.

From here, he could observe the surrounding area while remaining concealed.

Given the current circumstances, there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.

Once Jake appeared, Ryan would wait until he reached the locust tree before rushing over.

He would complete the transaction as quickly as possible and leave.

If he was fast enough, perhaps the Sterling Family wouldn’t have time to react.

Time passed slowly.

Then—

Ryan’s sharp eyes suddenly caught movement in the distance.

Someone was walking out of the garbage disposal site.

It was Jake.

His clothes were covered in dirt, and he looked exhausted after spending the day digging through the junkyard.

As expected, he headed straight toward the large locust tree where they had agreed to meet.

Ryan’s gaze sharpened.

He didn’t move immediately.

Instead, he carefully calculated the distance between them while estimating how quickly he could cross it.

When Jake was almost at the locust tree—

Ryan’s figure suddenly blurred.

WHOOSH!

He shot forward.

The next moment, just as Jake reached the tree, Ryan appeared beside him.

"Hey, Jake. How was the haul today?"

Ryan raised a hand in greeting.

"My God, Ryan!"

Jake nearly jumped out of his skin.

"When did you get here?! Are you trying to scare me to death?"

He immediately slapped a hand against his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.

"Can you at least approach like a normal person next time?!"

"Alright, alright. My bad."

Ryan rubbed his nose with an awkward chuckle.

He had momentarily forgotten just how much faster he had become after awakening his Bloodline.

Appearing out of nowhere beside an ordinary person really could give someone a heart attack.

Jake rolled his eyes at him.

Then he untied a bundle from his waist and casually tossed it over.

"I didn’t let you down. Here. This is everything you asked for."

He grinned.

"I spent a lot today and had to call several people over to help me."

"Thanks."

Ryan caught the bundle and immediately opened it.

His eyes widened.

Inside were forty-three waste pills and three damaged waste treasures.

Ryan was stunned.

The last time he had searched the garbage disposal site himself, he had spent hours digging through mountains of trash just to find a little over twenty intact waste pills.

Jake had managed to gather more than twice that amount in a single day.

There’s definitely strength in numbers.

"Jake, you’re incredible!"

Ryan’s face lit up.

"There’s so much!"

After putting the items into his spatial ring, Ryan took out a small bag filled with one hundred gold coins and handed it to Jake.

"Thanks for all the help. Here’s a hundred gold coins. Use the extra to buy drinks for the guys who helped you."

Jake’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Haha! Ryan, you’re a real one."

He happily accepted the bag.

"Thanks. I won’t stand on ceremony, then."

He casually tossed the bag in his hand to gauge its weight before slipping it into his pocket without counting the coins.

Jake trusted Ryan.

After all, Ryan was no longer the impoverished commoner he had once known.

He was now a powerful Bloodline Fighter.

There was no reason to suspect that Ryan would try to cheat him over a few gold coins.

"Haha, don’t worry about it."

Ryan laughed and patted Jake on the shoulder.

"It’s a pleasure doing business with you. From now on, I’ll come find you around this time every day."

Ryan was in an excellent mood.

If Jake could gather roughly the same amount every day—or even half as much—it would completely solve his problem of obtaining waste pills and waste treasures.

He could spend a relatively small amount of money acquiring discarded materials, then let the Boundless Creation Furnace transform them into valuable resources.

That meant a steady stream of cultivation resources at almost no cost.

It was practically free money.

"Hmph! Ryan!"

But before Jake could respond, a cold voice suddenly cut through the air.

"You trash-picking commoner! I finally found you!"