Morning Time

2 days later, 7:00 AM

Artis was officially discharged from the hospital and quietly exited the place. 

Since his clothes were torn out and battered when he arrived here, he was given new clothes and a small brown bag that included some healing items like bandages and low-level healing potions. 

While checking his reflection in a mirror, he saw his wrists covered in bandages, a loose white t-shirt with a purple guitar logo, black cargo pants, and white shoes. 

The amount that cost him to buy these clothes was 300 Grands. The currency for the Aurosian people. 

Different continents have different currency systems. In Inloen, the currency that was used there was called Sickle and in Aurosia, the value of the sickle was more as a single sickle was equal to 8 grands. 

Similarly, other continents like Prussia, Ausgin, and Sashila, which were in the east of Aurosia, had Rayon as their currency, in which 6 Sickle was equal to a single Rayon. Grands as a currency were used by Ingia and Aurosia, which just borders Aurosia, separated by the Bayern Sea to the north of Aurosia. 

Thinking about the total money used to buy these clothes and thanking Doctor Lana who was generous enough to buy them for him, he took out the piece of paper with the location of Ferrous Lab written there. 

"East Ferrous Laboratories, Palmer Street 49, North of Tranquill Haven Pier, Between Emerald and Caracon Apartments." 

Artis read that parchment a few more times, before putting it down and laughing hysterically. 

"Ha Ha Ha! Professor gave me the address to his lab...But he never gave me the damn directions! Where should I go from here? I'm new to this entire place you know!" 

He shouted, hoping for someone to hear him out, laughing to himself, but to no avail, because not a single person was present there near the hospital. 

"Sigh...how come I don't see a single soul outside this hospital? Do Aurosians barely get injured around here? I really don't remember any other patients other than me in that hospital!" 

Sighing deeply, acknowledging he couldn't do anything about his current situation, he decided to travel around and ask the people around here for directions. 

As he was walking, he could feel a cool breeze touch and feel his skin as sunlight permeated from the tall buildings blinding his sight as he looked up. 

The roads were empty, and the footpaths were filled with few people who were out jogging in the morning. 

Artis approached and stopped one of the people and asked, "Excuse me? Could you please give me the directions where East Ferrous Laboratories is?" 

The person stopped in his tracks and looked at Artis removing his hoodie. The person was wearing a black tracksuit and white sneakers, a headphone, and a recorder listening to music. 

The person was a male who seemed to be in his late teens, with a fair but pale handsome thin face having brown eyes, short messy black hair, having a lean body build as he wiped off his sweat with a towel. 

"Can I help you?" asked the person awkwardly. 

"Yeah. I want to know the directions to East Ferrous Lab. I only know the address, so can you help me find this place?" asked Artis as he handed over the parchment to the person. 

The person looked at the address and smiled slightly, "You are new to this place right? It seems you are not from this country only. Am I right?" 

"Ye-Yeah. I recently arrived here and have no idea where to head next. Can you help me?" 

"Sure! No problem. I was heading there for my business either way. I am Ray. Ray Hover," said the person, moving his right hand for a handshake. 

"Artis Janes." he accepted the handshake seeing no reason to refuse it. 

"By the way, just some personal advice from me," said Ray as he got closer to Artis's ear and whispered, "Don't try to act too polite or formal in these places. Some people here are just insane, ready to take advantage of any newcomer in these parts. Only strength matters in these parts. Be careful alright?" 

Artis was too stunned to respond as his smile was frozen on his face, "Yeah...Sure...I'll keep that in mind." 

'This guy is weird...Are every Aurosians like this?' 

"Sooo...You are also heading to the lab right?" asks Artis trying to distract himself from that awkward conversation earlier. 

"Yeah. I am. Right after I finish my jogging. Oh right, I gave you no directions. Sorry about that," laughed Ray as he quickly apologized joining his hands. 

"Don't worry about that. Hey, if you don't mind...Can I follow you since you know the directions? I'm pretty sure even if you tell me the directions, I'll end up somewhere else." asks Artis politely as he looks on ahead. 

"...If that's what you want then sure," Ray agreed, "But, I'll run for like, 5 more miles. Can you keep up with me?" 

Artis, remembering the brutal training he had to go through at Captain Fervier's hands responded smiling slightly, "I may look like a weakling but don't underestimate me. I have gone through a lot." 

"Great! Follow me then!" responded Ray enthusiastically as he resumed his jogging, with Artis following right behind. 

"So? Where are you from? It doesn't seem like you are from around these parts...Are you from The Fione region?" 

"Fione region? What's that?" asks Artis confused. 

"Ah? You don't know? It's just east of the Flora region. Flora region begins from East Ferrous City and ends at Mosmin City. Aurosia as a continent is divided into 5 regions. The Flora region, The Fione region, Tropical Islands, Grand Dream City, and the Avia region...also called Badlands." 

"Well, I'm not from Aurosia...I am from Inloen, Terar Region, Paradise City. I just got to Aurosia...with some certain circumstances and the Professor invited me yesterday."

"The Professor invited you," asked Ray shocked, "Wow! You must be someone special then. He doesn't invite any random nobody out of nowhere even if we beg him to give us a job or train under him. I'm looking forward to seeing you in action!" 

'Someone special? Special circumstances should I say!' grumbled Artis internally. 

"Well, that happened with me...how about you? What do you do at Professor's lab?" 

"Me? Do you really want to know?" asked Ray in a smug tone which annoyed Artis for some reason, "Well, ahem ahem," he coughed a little and Artis could observe a little blush around Ray's cheeks. 

"I'm an adventurer!" He declared proudly, "Currently, I'm affiliated with Professor Javier and do odd jobs for him by gathering materials, fighting Spiritual beasts, exploring the lands and oceans where the Professor himself- Wait a minute..." Ray stops himself, "How did you know I work for the Professor? I never mentioned that!?" 

"Huh?" asks Artis taken aback by that sudden question, "I mean...You said it yourself right...seeing me in action...I just guessed it and it turned out to be correct! That's it!" said Artis quickly. 

"...Oh. I see." said Ray as they both continued jogging, "You know...You are a pretty good runner to be able to keep up with me. Not many people here can keep up with my speed!" 

"Hah? Well, I'm used to running. I ran in my city every morning and went through some gruesome training and fights myself," said Artis in a boasting tone, "...Hey, if you don't mind me asking? Where are we currently?" asked Artis as he looked around his surroundings observing people coming out from their house throwing their garbage, cleaning their surroundings and opening their stalls. 

"It's Birchin Street we are at currently. The business side of East Ferrous City and the area I would recommend you to avoid. Fights and Duels occur here regularly around here with adventurers taking their missions and challenging each other in rank battles. You remember what I said right? Only Strength and Power matter around here?" 

"Rank Battles? That bs happens here too?" asks Artis with a little disappointment visible in his voice. 

"Yeah. I mean...It would be weird if it didn't happen here. It's a common culture in Aurosia to challenge each other in Duels and ranking battles. You get benefits here if you are ranked higher, you know?" 

"...I see..." answered Artis not minding any attention as he continued to look around. 

He could see a lighthouse just a few kilometers away from him and a factory with smoke coming out of it. A group of people wearing a strange red bandana on top of their heads went inside the lighthouse as Artis continued to look around. 

They continued to jog for a few more minutes as they reached Palmer Street and Artis could observe more people on the streets roaming around going for their usual business the roads started to fill with chatter and cheerfulness as Artis and Ray appeared before a black concrete building towering 3 floors, a white dome on top of it as it was located between two black concrete apartments with green and orange bricks decorated on them respectively. 

"And here we are!" declared Ray, "East Ferrous Laboratories. If you go south from here, you will reach Tranquill Haven Pier which has a nice fishing spot by the way, and if you go west from here, that's the entrance to West Ferrum City." finished Ray with a hint of disappointment visible in his way. 

Slapping his cheeks, surprising Artis, he said, "Well...now that we are here, let's head inside shall we? It's already 7:35 now! Let's not keep the Professor waiting!" 

Artis nodded as he followed Ray behind entering the East Ferrous Laboratories.