Marlon walked through the door of the hunters' guild, asking Luna to stay with him this time. No more bulky sled to protect, and with the crowd starting to move outside, he preferred to avoid any misunderstanding about a tiger parking in front of a building in the guild district.

She purred, happy to be able to follow her master without having to stand guard outside, and promptly followed him as he dashed into the hall.

He saw again all the stuffed animal heads that were hanging on the walls, even spotting a deer wolf's head, those pesky critters that he had hunted for many weeks and that had almost killed him on his first night in the forest of Cronande.

The head was so well preserved that it looked like it was still alive, ready to jump on him and close its mouth on his throat. Ignoring the feeling of unease he felt, he walked over to the counter and was surprised to see the same man who had greeted him the first time.

The gash that gave him a barbaric look still ran across his face, from right to left, his eyes watching intently as the adventurer confidently approached him. He glanced furtively at Luna and seemed to relax slightly as Marlon stretched his arm over the counter, addressing him.

"Hello, I would like to check if I can increase my rank as a hunter..."

The young man did not spread out in explanations, keeping a memory of his very taciturn interlocutor. This last put a finger on the tattoo of Marlon and his eyes became glassy for a few seconds before returning to normal. A small whistle of admiration left his mouth and his features became lighter.

"Quite a hunt you did there, boy. So many creatures in such a short time, and hunted in so many different ways...it's been a long time since we've seen that here, for someone of your level, that is! My hat is off to you. You have far exceeded the requirements to become a Hunter Apprentice. Promotion accepted!"

His gaze became vague again and Marlon felt a slight pain, similar to a handful of needles being pushed under his skin at the site of the tattoo before the number One changed to a wave-like motion into the top number, a beautiful, stylized Two. The pain faded as the change was completed, and the scarred man removed his finger from the hunter's mark.

"Holy beast that follows you, tell me. You wouldn't by any chance sell it? No offense, huh, I'm asking just in case."

Marlon shook his head and explained to the hunt master that Luna was not for sale, ignoring the gleam of disappointment that filled his eyes for a brief moment.

"I would have tried! You know where the store is if you ever need it, and good luck with the next grade. It'll take a lot more work than passing Apprentice, but considering the variety you used on your hunt, it shouldn't be a huge hardship for you. Good luck and Happy Hunting."

As he said this, he brought his hand to his chest and closed his fist, and Marlon imitated him by thanking him, going immediately afterward to the sales counter.

The woman standing there straightened up when he reached her, greeting him with the same gesture as the scarred man. He imitated her, nodding to her and asking if he could take a look at the catalog of items available for someone of his rank.

The woman, with many scars on her arms, nodded and handed him the thick book, which he leafed through for several minutes before finally making his choice.

He finally decided to buy a new tent, bigger and more comfortable than the previous one which had been damaged since he had used it as protection on his improvised sled. He then decided to buy a new backpack, much more efficient and practical than the one he currently had. What's more, the one he had was beginning to have holes in it, some pockets being completely unusable because of the torn fabric and the numerous snags made by branches or rocks during his multiple and varied peregrinations.

His new acquisition was larger, and had many more side pockets than his old bag, almost doubling the young man's carrying capacity, which was very important when he was out hunting, if only to store ready-made spells or resources recovered from the creatures he was slaughtering.

He completed his purchases at the hunters' guild with a hunting knife that was more like a cutlass than a kitchen knife, the blade being almost a meter long and the wooden handle providing a solid grip for anyone using it.

Then he bought two books that he considered essential for the continuation of his progress. One was a complete bestiary on the different creatures and monsters present on this continent as well as their different habits and preferred biomes. It seemed to be very well supplied, considering the thickness of the book, and Marlon did not regret its price, which would have made more than one recoil from it.

The second book was specialized on the different types of traps that could be built and the advantages that could be gained depending on the type of monster or the location of the hunting area.

He had indeed understood that even if his knowledge about hunting was exponentially increased by the tattoo which created a kind of magical connection with the gathered knowledge of all hunters, it was far from bringing him everything.

He was given access to the general knowledge, the trivialities in fact, that everyone was supposed to know at a certain level. But mastery required much more work and data, things provided by experience and the various books offered for sale.

Perhaps even his experience hunting in Cronande would have parts that would be infused into this common pool of knowledge, who knows?

Once he had all this in his possession, Marlon left the building, not without greeting the woman who had been almost enticing to him once he had spent a tidy sum in the store. But she was not at all to his liking, so he remained friendly without following up her advances.

His next destination was the cook's guild. He was enchanted by the smell of food that reached his nostrils as soon as he entered the main hall, resisting the various food stalls set up against the walls of the structure to focus on his immediate goal.

After showing his tattoo to the chef who was standing behind the counter with a cheerful look on her face and offering him, as on his first visit, a sandwich that looked appetizing, he was not surprised to learn that he had not accumulated enough experience to be able to move on to the next profession.

He had done some grilling of wolf steak, and a few soups of plants and mushrooms, but his culinary experimentation stopped there, and although he was only at the Beginner's stage, he suspected that he needed more content in his attempts to grow. So, after graciously accepting the sandwich from the matron in her cooking clothes, he headed for the store, enjoying every bite of the food she had offered him.

Ding

You have eaten the Matron's Sandwich (meat version)

+4 strength for 6 hours

+ 2 endurance for 6 hours

He swallowed the last bite while looking at the guild catalog, knowing roughly what he needed to successfully level up.

Marlon bought a frying pan that would allow him to vary his cooking, as well as a small special pot for steaming, something he had not yet experienced. In addition to these purchases, he also bought a book on the art of cooking in the wilderness with ingredients provided only by nature.

Perfect for what he wanted, not wanting to bother carrying a whole canteen of ingredients on his various missions or trips across the land.

He let tempted only by some seasoning bags that he stuffed in a pocket of his new bag and that would allow him to give taste to his culinary creations, before heading towards the exit.

A person dressed as a cook asked him before he reached the door if he was selling Luna, for culinary purposes. He saw his chimera come in with its tail between its legs and throw a worried glance towards its master, which almost made him laugh. He refused of course and went without waiting towards his next step.

"I think you're going to be able to avoid the fishermen's guild, right?"

The young man nodded, aware that it would be a waste of time. He had the basic equipment necessary for fishing, and he had not practiced this profession at all in the forest of Cronande. Moreover, the compact crowd and the carts passing in number in the main street oppressed him, after such a long time spent in total solitude, if it were not for Loki's voice, Luna's presence, and the growing madness that occupied him.

So he hurried and entered the alchemists' guild a few minutes later. He was unable to advance his professional rank, his practice being again insufficient, even if the woman with the impeccable suit and the scholastic attitude encouraged him by telling him that he was not so far from the next stage, his incomplete experiments have helped in any case.

He bought equipment that would allow him to advance, knowing that this profession was extremely important for his future, and would make his life easier in many ways.

First of all a travel still, essential for distilling potions and herbal essences. Very practical, it could be folded and become a very compact metal case that could be stored in his backpack without any difficulty. And one of the advantages was its more than negligible weight.

He also took a mortar and pestle, made of a metal alloy he was not familiar with, looking very much like granite but weighing about the same as aluminum. The texture of the original mortars without the obvious disadvantage of the weight that it could represent.

He added a few vials, several of those he owned had broken during his fights against the creatures of Cronande, as well as two books, further increasing his collection of books and weighing down his pack a little more.

The first one was on basic potions and poisons, their ingredients and the various ways to prepare them, which would prove to be very useful to Marlon and perhaps make his next hunts easier.

The second was more general, and spoke of the combinatorial theories of plants and other alchemical ingredients. How the potency of plants could be magnified, what were the mechanisms that regulated alchemy as a whole, as well as all the theoretical possibilities and contradictions that existed in this field.

A much less digestible book to read, to be sure, but when Marlon had asked the store clerk for the best method to improve himself, he had pointed him to this copy, insisting that understanding such a vast and complex theory would facilitate all his future attempts at alchemy.

So he had followed her advice before slipping away from the alchemists' guild.

There was only one more place he could visit to improve his craft skills, and he went there immediately.

Stepping through the flowery doorway, he closed his eyes as the soft, subtle scents of a perfect blend of flowers invaded his nostrils and relaxed his mind, which was beginning to feel the effects of the crowd outside and the weakening of his Mind Care spell. His perception had not changed, so he knew he would be safe for a few more hours before a crisis struck.

After soaking up the intoxicating scent of the herbalist's guild, Marlon made his way to the counter and was delighted to see that Ivy was still there, looking as beautiful as the first time he had seen her.

Dressed in a green blouse with a plunging neckline and a skirt stopping above the knee, her ebony beauty subjugated the adventurer and made him tremble with desire as he greeted her warmly.

"Hello, young man! I thought you would never come back to see me!"

Her smile was captivating, even bewitching, and her ember eyes seemed to promise wonders to those who were lost in them.

"I've had quite a few setbacks, but don't worry, I couldn't stay without seeing you for very long, haha."

He held out his arm to Ivy and she gently grabbed it, sliding her index finger sensuously along his herbalist tattoo, her gaze fixed in Marlon's eyes, who couldn't help but look away from his after a few seconds.

"Ahem, I...I would like to know if I can increase my rank as an herbalist."

The buxom woman's gaze became vague, as did the scarred hunters' guild and those who had followed behind, one eyebrow rising in astonishment as she came to.

"You have not been idle! To be able to recover so many plants in such a short time is admirable! You can progress to the next stage without any worries, but I must warn you that the next one will be less easy to reach and will require even more effort!"

As she finished her sentence, the same ephemeral pain invaded Marlon's tattoo and the number was replaced in the same manner as his hunter's mark, the pain disappearing as Ivy withdrew her finger, stroking the young man's skin.

Before heading to the guild store, he couldn't help but look her in the eye again and she took the opportunity to ask:

"Would you like to...have dinner with me? I know it's presumptuous to ask you this, but I'd rather take my chances than live with regret."

Surprised, Marlon did not know what to answer. He clearly didn't have the spirit for these games of seduction, he felt only vaguely interested. But he did not want to hurt this woman who had been sympathetic with him since the beginning and who seemed to have fun with this small game, also he nodded by confirming his assent aloud.

"Let's say in three days, at the Orchid? It's a very famous establishment near the public baths. Don't hesitate to ask the guards for directions if you get lost. Twenty o'clock...and don't be late, I hate it!"

Marlon nodded with a smile, and after greeting her he headed for the guild store.

He found special storage pouches for fragile plants and took a dozen of them, knowing that they could be useful for particular and rare herbs, selling at a high price or allowing him to create elixirs that were highly prized by the merchants. He bought another book on the different plants of the continent, more complete and with more details than the one he already had.

He finally crossed the threshold of the guildhall, but not without taking one last look at Ivy, who did not seem to have taken her eyes off him. Nodding to her, he found himself in the heat of the street, surrounded by hundreds of people strolling down the avenue and dozens of carts taking the alleys and unloading their goods to the stores or vice versa.

"Well, what do you think we should do now, Loki?"

"So many things I don't know where to start. Well done on this gorgeous young lady by the way..."

The AI gave itself a few seconds to think and finally gave Marlon an answer.

"Visit a store that specializes in pets. I think that, along with the runist mage, these are the two most urgent things. Understanding how Luna's growth works, who was still a little kitten three months ago, would be very helpful, and I confess that I would be very interested in more information about my status as a pet as well. Knowledge is a weapon, and we both know that given your situation and your...condition, we can't refuse any advantage."

Marlon agreed with this reasoning, so he asked for directions to a store that specialized in pets, and three-quarters of the people living in Delia all recommended the same place: the shop of Kelnos, a prodigy when it came to pets, according to them.

He went straight there, as the shop was located not far from the guilds' district. Navigating through the crowds challenged his mind, and he had to stop in an alley after a few minutes to reuse a Mind Care spell, calming his restless psyche as the Arbol bark burned away.

Ten minutes later he was in front of Kelnos' store, and the building was impeccably white, reflecting the sunlight like a polished crystal. Two guards as strong as the soldiers guarding the entrances to the city stood in front of the door and when Marlon approached, they interposed and asked him the reason for his visit.

"I'm here to see Kelnos, I was told he could tell me about the familiars and I need them badly," the young man explained, gesturing to Luna who was feigning a serious tone at the attitude of the two muggles.

They looked at the chimera who was beginning to make an impression with her looks and nodded to the young man before stepping aside, opening the door for him and wishing him a good visit.

When he entered the store, he was surprised by the whiteness of the walls, as immaculate as the outside but a little more decorated. Jewels of all sizes were framed on the walls of the main room, of all colors, and a gigantic desk sat in the middle of the room.

Behind this desk stood a grizzled man, a protruding belly visible from where Marlon stood, countless jewels adorning both hands, so much so that he could have been mistaken for a living jewelry box.

Beside him were two other bruisers dressed in black tunics and a turban that covered most of their faces, their muscles visible through the cloth and a razor-sharp sword hanging from their belts.

The man raised his head, a ponytail holding back his long hair in a clean set and a beard of the same color trimmed to the millimeter adorning his face.

Before Marlon could say anything, his eyes widened and focused on Luna. His mouth opened and he rushed at the chimera who froze in astonishment at this behavior. The two bodyguards tightened visibly, as surprised as Luna by the sudden excitement of their boss.

"My gods! It's a chimeric-type pet, and from a Mantis at that! Unbelievable...Hello, young man, nice to meet you...An acceptable level but I don't know his age..."

He continued to mumble about Luna's condition for several more minutes, Marlon not daring to interrupt him as he saw the joy he felt in examining his chimera. Even one of the guards shrugged his shoulders at the young man as if to apologize for his somewhat enlightened behavior.

When he finally calmed down, sweat was beading on his forehead and his eyes were shining with palpable joy.

"What happiness to see a chimera! It's been a while since I've seen such a beautiful specimen! What can I do for you, my friend? My name is Kelnos, Master of Familiars of the capital, at your service.

Marlon shook the outstretched hand and nodded in greeting to the goofy old man, but not as goofy as Drevos had been.

"Nice to meet you, Master Kelnos, my name is Revenge, and I've come to see you because you can surely help me. I don't know anything about pets, but I need information about their possible evolutions, how they grow, and everything associated with them."

Kelnos looked up questioningly and picked up a sort of telescopic monocle from his desk and placed it over his left eye, beginning to examine Luna more thoroughly.

"With pleasure, sir, with pleasure! When you say 'their evolutions', does that mean you own more than one familiar?"

"Well...yes, indeed. But how do you say...the second one seems embedded in my mind, and I don't know if that's normal."

The man swept Marlon's words aside with one hand, refocusing on the young man with his monocle.

"Nothing more normal, it's a Spirit type pet, rare but not untraceable on these lands. Let's see, what are its qualities... "

For a few seconds, he watched Marlon carefully as he began to mutter to himself.

"Yes, yes, I can see that, a spiritual familiar, a very low level...mmhhh, amazing. What are his qualities? Haha, God and Transcendental..."

A smile was fixed on the man's face, but the last sentence seemed to be stuck in his mind, as he repeated it over and over again.

"God, and transcendental...haha, of course, of course..."

He looked up at Marlon and was about to speak directly to him when he seemed to realize what he was saying, stopping his relentless repetition. His complexion paled, the blood seemed to leave his upper body, and as his mouth formed an 'O', he fell backward, barely caught by one of the guards.

Kelnos had just passed out when he discovered Loki, Level 1 Familiar, God, and Transcendental.