The Rising Star

The adventurer association main hall was currently filled with loud gasps and whispers. None daring to believe what was in front of them.

"Impossible!" shouted Malcolm in denial as never in his wildest dream did he imagine someone like Kahn being able to kill 6 giant minotaurs. Even a group of 30 won't be able to take them out together in a fight.

"Do we have a deal?" asked Kahn as if he was in a hurry.

"Wait.. I don't think we have enough. I'll have to talk with the president. Stay here!" said Malcolm and ran upstairs hurriedly.

Kahn already expected this type of reaction from the middle-aged receptionist because as per his knowledge, Minotaurs were one of the most sought-after monsters in any place because of various uses and rarity of the materials one could salvage from the dead bodies.

Their blood was actually a very important ingredient in high-grade health recovery potions and various alchemy recipes. Their hide and fur were used in making light, highly durable armors and clothing, which were especially fancied by the truly rich people. Their horns could be used to make rare quality weapons such as sabers and daggers, while the bone marrow was used in high-quality medicines used to cure impotence or reinvigorate someone's little friend. Furthermore, the allure of boasting about the slaying of a mighty minotaur and subjecting its head as a decoration was irresistible to many rich people. 

Each body was no different than a small fortune. But because Minotaurs always traveled in groups and appeared on high-level dungeon floors, not many actually tried to hunt them. Mainly, if they were desperate for money or had a death wish.

Even a Grandmaster Rank fighter wouldn't casually pick a bone with them.

Hence they were extremely hard to come by and demand was high no matter where one tried to buy them. But to get six bodies at once... Even something as big as the Adventurer Association which had nearly a couple of thousand people doing transactions on daily basis had to take notice because the profits will be huge if they sold it to the right people from the Noble class or an enterprise.

After half an hour, Malcolm finally returned seeing that Kahn was joyfully talking with other adventurers who were curious about how he managed to kill these minotaurs by himself. But unlike some stuck-up and ignorant guy, he was telling them strategies on how to lure out the enemies and how to set up traps and use magic scrolls to create a silence barrier and whatnot.

"Here... We want all of them." said Malcolm and continued... "The Vice-president says he's happy with your swordsmanship advancements."

"How much is it?" asked Kahn curiously.

Malcolm came close to Kahn and whispered.

"It's 25 thousand gold coins. That's the best we can offer you. Because it'll be us who will have to spend a lot of time butchering and harvesting the bodies properly." replied Malcolm as he passed a low-grade space ring, that held the money inside; similar to the one Kahn bought in the beginning.

"Well, pleasure doing business with you." said Kahn and left the Association building without looking back. He knew no one would dare to follow him or try to rob him because of the display he put in the hall with his War Dominance aura.

Rather than going back to the merchant enterprise, he went to visit the rundown bar again to meet the assassin. He still had to deliver some of the heads of the people in his contract and receive his pay.

But unlike what he was expecting... As soon as he entered the bar... The 3 men inside quickly walked outside, not bothering to ask him the code, and closed off the door from the exit.

"What the.." before he could continue, Kahn sensed a malicious killing intent directed at him, and his Survival Instinct alerted him of an incoming attack.

Kahn quickly used Side Hopper and barely dodged a knife to his throat. He took out his daggers from the black trenchcoat he was wearing and tried to stab at his right. Since his level was higher than the last time he came to this place, his reflexes and speed were already exceeding his attacker.

CLANG!

A sharp noise of metal clanging filled the room and a dark hooded figure started appearing from the point of impact.

"Well.. Nice to see you again." spoke Kahn and gave a light smirk to the one who attacked him.

"What the fuck kid!! I thought you wanted to use that list to practice your skills. But what the fuck is up with all that Azrael bullshit?! Do you have any idea how much deep shit we're in?" spoke the assassin.

It was none other than the Snakekin who was his mediator and also the one who taught him assassination skills along with providing him intel on the criminals he was killing as Azrael.

"Well, care for another job then?" asked Kahn nonchalantly.

"Fuck you! Just deliver your contract targets and get the hell out of here!" bellowed the snakekin.

"Don't be so quick to refuse. Just hear me out." said Kahn as he put his dagger in.

"It's nothing dangerous and won't cause you any harm. I'll even pay double the price so what do you say?" declared Kahn.

The snakekin reluctantly put his knife away.

Kahn took a space ring from his finger and threw it to the assassin...

"There are 25 thousand gold coins. And here's what I need you to do.."

Kahn left the bar after he explained the task.

Kahn had decided that it was about time he stopped freeloading on Nikola's kindness and searched the city for a reputed housing company and through them, he rented a small bungalow near the hillside of the city for living after paying 2000 gold coins as monthly rent.

The reason why he did this was that he no longer wanted any eyes on him and could not afford to have the father & son duo being attached to his name. Because it could bring them unnecessary harm instead.

After having dinner in his new house, made by the chef that was hired to provide his service here; He put Ronin on the guard duty of this place as the Rogue subordinate could hide perfectly and guard his master most efficiently.

Kahn finally embraced the goodnight sleep in his new and extremely comfortable king-size bed.

The next day, he didn't leave his new house and spent most of his time eating the cores he received from the Snakekin yesterday night and merging a few new skills.

Because even though he wasn't at Grandmaster Rank yet, many of his skills and combat technique he had met the conditions to rise in rank and were now available to merge with other skills and abilities.

Kahn always gave priority to the most useful skills that he'd use in a majority of the scenarios so he spent quite some time thinking carefully and how they'd help him in an actual battle.

By the evening, he was practicing his combat skills and techniques in the huge garden that came as part of this new property. He was currently covered in sweat and the top of his body was completely exposed. Revealing his ripped-build and pulsating muscles along with his abs.

One of the servants, Jerome, came to Kahn and asked him in a hesitant voice...

"Sir... Are you the Kahn... The one everyone is talking about?" asked Jerome with uncertainty in his eyes.

Kahn simply smirked and questioned back,

"What do you think?" he carried on with his training without looking back at the servant.

After he had his evening snack, Kahn decided to mingle in the city again. He was currently donning a black cloak and hid his face under the hood.

"So, do you believe what they're saying about the guy who hunted those minotaurs by himself?" Kahn heard one of the people sitting on a bench.

"Yeah.. My cousin is also an adventurer. He said he saw the guy pull out those giant minotaurs from his high-grade space ring in front of hundreds of people. I heard not long ago that all those monsters were killed by attacks from a sword." replied the young man sitting on the other end.

"I heard it as well. This guy seems to be close to becoming a Grandmaster Swordsman. Just imagine how strong he must be. There are only 3 Grandmaster Swordsmen in the entire city for the past 2 decades. Another one means a big shift in the power balance." replied the first guy.

Kahn strolled across the city for miles and heard thousands of people talking about him. Some rumors even said that Kahn killed all the minotaurs with a single swing of his sword. And some were extremely exaggerated to the point that they completely changed his origins to a prodigy from one of the most influential noble houses from the capital who came to gain experience in Flavot city by fighting and hunting inside dungeons.

"I guess my money was well spent." he spoke to himself as this was exactly what he paid the Snakekin for.

No matter how outstanding his performance was in the association hall... It won't reach too many people outside of their profession even with hundreds of witnesses. So Kahn had decided to use the highly reputed Assassin and his information network that was spread around the entire city to spread rumors about him and his deeds about killing so many minotaurs alone.

Why work hard and prove yourself if you want to gain fame?

Who said you can't become popular overnight?

Now it was time for Kahn to sit amongst the truly powerful.