The hesitation was no more.
“I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to join the Camp with me. You don’t have to be a jerk about it!” he grumbled under his breath, but I heard him. Every. Single. Word.
“What?” My heart skipped a beat, but I squashed the delusional thoughts surfacing in my mind mercilessly. “How am I supposed to prepare for the exam? I have no time to study, let alone the financial means to be tutored. I have no good techniques, bad equipment, and my education was lackluster compared to the prodigies. And… did I already mention that only prodigies, spoon-fed the best Soulkin, techniques, meals, and serums by their families, participate in the exams?”
Daniel’s lips parted for a response, but I wasn’t done yet.
“Oh, of course, I shouldn’t forget the hidden prodigies with large Worlds that were picked up by nobles, the Beast Temple, and sponsored by academies. Or the painfully obvious fact that I’m a late bloomer. In five months, I will turn sixteen, yet my World is smaller than the average World of a fucking newborn.” I could feel the anger rising within me, and I didn’t bother suppressing it. “Please don’t say something like that casually. I know you mean well, and I am, and always will be, eternally grateful for everything you have done to help me, but we both know that I don’t have what it takes to join the Camp. I am weak, my World is small, and I do not have the money to change any of that.”
It took me several deep breaths to calm down.
Was that a mistake? Maybe.
Did I do too much? Yeah.
But was I exaggerating? Definitely not.
Daniel meant well, but it had already been painful to know that we weren’t from the same world. It was a struggle when we were small, and it didn’t get better when my condition worsened—all while I had to listen to Daniel complaining about his daily struggles in a ridiculously wealthy and influential family. I nearly lost it when Daniel whined for days after his parents prepared a special decree for him to join the Camp, but I didn’t snap at him and distanced myself for a few days, hoping the distance would solve everything.
It didn’t. Although it helped me understand that our standing wasn’t the same, and that I should never try to become like Daniel. After all, I didn’t have what it took. He was a dear friend, but we would never be the same.
“Weak?” Daniel murmured, looking me straight in the eyes. Torrents of raging waves sloshed fiercely in those ocean-blue eyes. “I think you’re severely mistaken about that.”
He sighed deeply, the frustration in his eyes making space for understanding—or what I interpreted as an attempt at understanding.
“How about this? I will send this to my parents.” Daniel stepped closer and tapped on his bracelet, manifesting a holographic screen that showed… my fights with the four Wagur and both the juvenile and mature Bloodbath Deer.
Why would he want to show his parents something like that? Even I knew that my fighting style—if one could call it that in the first place—was lackluster, for lack of a better word.
“Don’t look at me like that and listen,” Daniel grumbled irritatingly. “I will show them these clips alongside a string of facts. I will tell them nothing but the truth, and we will see what they have to say.”
“And what’s that supposed to do? It won’t change anything about my—” I stopped mid-sentence and sighed when Daniel stared holes at me again.
I didn’t like depending on Daniel, let alone his parents, but it’s not like the video clips and some facts about me would change anything.
“Do as you please.”
Joining the Camp was a tremendous opportunity, and I knew I wanted to join them too. Catching up to Daniel and fighting alongside him sounded even better. Maybe if by some miracle I were to join the Camp, I could study to become a Beaster as well.
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Stop daydreaming. Nothing will change.
Daniel’s face lit up, and he approached me in a hurry to slap my shoulders excitedly. He didn’t bother restraining his strength by much and nearly broke several bones.
“You won’t regret it! I promise!” he exclaimed excitedly.
“Promises mean a lot to some people. You shouldn’t–... No, forget it.” I exhaled deeply, trying to ignore the pain in my shoulders. “Anyway, are we going back now? I want to sell the beast carcasses before my legs give in a second time.”
I had no idea where to find a shop with the license to purchase and sell beast parts. Sure, there were official trading posts spread across the Bastion, but even I knew that the government paid less for beast carcasses than licensed merchants. The only goods sold to the government for a premium were those from beasts of no value. Even then, it was only profitable if the species’ population threatened to disrupt the ecosystem.
“Don’t bother,” Daniel waved dismissively. “I’ll buy the bodies. For a fair price slightly above the market value since they’re freshly killed and perfectly preserved.”
I rolled my eyes as he winked at me, but there was no reason to reject his offer. Daniel stored and preserved the carcasses, but I killed them. Selling something to a friend was still acceptable—as long as he didn’t pay way too much.
Daniel seemed satisfied with the acceptance on my face and smiled.
“For the record, I do not know how much your parents earn, but I think you will be in for a shock. Wagur meat is not the most delicious or nutritious, but it’s ether-infused and a lot more nutritious than meat from regular livestock. As for the juvenile Bloodbath Deer, it is almost as valuable as the four Wagur. The mature…”
It wasn’t the first time I tuned out Daniel’s happy chittering. I highly doubted there was a worse chatterbox than Daniel in any of the thirteen Bastions, and it only got worse when he was happy. Nonetheless, he made it a mission to sound cryptic and avoided talking about numbers until we reached the outpost.
Being so close to the barrier that protected humanity from constant attacks was still weird, and so was walking through it. However, the weirdest thing was still the change in the scenery. The untamed wilderness outside the dome—a land governed by survival, with death lurking everywhere—was replaced by peace.
I didn’t even realize how tense I had been until we phased through the dome and my body relaxed. So much that my wobbly legs caved in and I fell to the ground face-first. Or would have, if I hadn’t been caught in time.
“You will get used to this,” Daniel’s chattering reached me again as he helped me to my feet. “Either way, check your profile. Your account as a Blessed should have been verified and connected to your ID.”
Following his guide, I retrieved my phone and opened the newest notification. It led me straight to my profile, which had already been updated and expanded.
Name: Adam Savier
Blessed: Novice
Soulkins: 1
Affiliations: None
Finances: 850 Credits
The profile also contained information like age, height, eye color, where I lived, and a lot more before, but none of that seemed important anymore. All that mattered—everything that defined my status—was being a Blessed, my rank, and my affiliation. And, as always, my wealth. Or the lack thereof. At least, it was supposed to be that way.
“What in the Rulers’ names?!” I cursed aloud, drawing the attention of several Blessed walking to and from the dome.
“200 Credits for the Wagur, 150 for the juvenile Bloodbath Deer, mostly due to how small its antlers are, and 500 Credits for the adult Bloodbath Deer,” Daniel said matter-of-factly, though his facial expression was that of a fool—one with a grin that reached from one ear to the other. “Did you not listen to me when I explained the value of your kills? Should I… explain it to you again—in detail?”
My lips parted and snapped closed after a moment.
“That’s what I thought.” Daniel snickered.
“But on a serious note, you should not expect every hunt to earn that much. Wagur are more valuable than the average 1-Star Wild. Forget about the Bloodbath Deer carcasses.”
Even though I’d known Blessed could earn a fortune outside, this was far from what I’d expected. The beasts were a lot more valuable than I could have anticipated.
Did I just earn more than Mom earns in two months? In… a single day?
It was no wonder Blessed were filthy rich. That was definitely worth risking my life.
One hundred percent.