Chapter 12: The Formless Seed (2)

"So where' ya going?" The bald headed man asked, caressing his beard as he spoke.

"The Valley," Rio answered, recovering from the dizziness of the sudden shifting through places.

"Oh, goodluck then." The bald headed man patted Rio's back as he returned to his position. He was a guard, stationed at the portal of Encantia.

Rio nodded wordlessly as he walked over the path towrads Encantia City. To go to the Valley, he needed to go to the city first and foremost. The reason for that was the Valley of Encantia was not a public domain.

It was a domain managed by a hegemony guild called, Physis. They sell out some entrance fee for people that want to either tour or travel to the Valley of Encantia.

That was reasonable, Rio thought. The Valley of Encantia is filled with magical beasts and has a some sections of the place not fully explored, what he meant by that was, people can make profits by hunting magical beasts or maybe hope they can find treasures that were hidden throughout land.

The latter was what Rio was going to do, find a treasure that was not found by anybody yet. Hopefully nothing would go wrong.

'Did I just jinx myself..?'

Rio thought as he shook his head. Absurd, he wasn't the type to believe such nonsene superstition. Putting aside his thoughts, he hurriedly walked over the path.

His eyes finally had caught on the walls of the city. The city was large, although not as large as the capital, that was understandable. This was merely a one of the thousand of so cities spreaded in the world.

—

Rio had just arrived at the City of Encantia. He carried his backpack as he walked around the streets inside the city. The city's atmosphere was nice and quiet. It didn't have the constant chattering around the streets like the royal capital had.

This type of silence was his favorite, no anxiousness, no pressure, just simply refreshing air breezing towards his body. If he ever wanted to settle down a house, he would consider settling down at this place.

However right now, settling down a house was least of his concerns. He was here for an entirely different reason, and he wasn't really keen on delaying his plans. He was impatient to get stronger quickly.

Looking at his watch, he looked at the place that was infront of him. This was the branch place of Physis, also the place where they manage their affairs and businness.

"This is the place." Rio muttered as he confirmed it with his stopwatch. The branch place was this tall building right infront of him.

Rio fixed his outfit, and prepared himself to enter the building. He wanted to appear presentable, at the very least. Without any time wasted, he entered the building.

—

The door made a sound as it opened, everyone inside the building was alerted by the door opening. Their eyes turned towards the entrance, they saw a well dressed young man standing infront of it.

A female clerk noticed that a person entered the building, she approached the well dressed young man.

"Welcome to Physis Guild Branch," The female clerk bowed her head as she welcomed Rio cordially, she continued, "May I help you?"

"I want an entrance fee to the Valley." Rio ordered, straight to the point. He wanted to get over this quick.

"I see, please follow me then." The female clerk nodded as she led the way to the counter.

"So, what other things do you offer here?" Rio asked, looking at the clerk. He noticed the white nametag in her chest, so her name was Zoe. A fine name.

"We offer many things, we can help you find some set of materials, or if you need any manpower we also offer that, and," Zoe said, she paused before continuing with a quiet tone, "Information, or secrets."

"Any information?" Rio asked, curious of the extent they can provide.

"You must be joking, of course there are restrictions," Zoe said as she chuckled.

Indeed, if they were ever caught of breaching privacy of nobels and certain figures, they wouldve been in deep trouble. If he had a guess to what information they provide, it's most likely news and secret treasure, Rio thought, as he aswell chuckled.

"However, if you needed information beyond that, then there's a place somewhere deeper." Zoe whispered, as she make her way in the counter.

Rio was suprised, he thought that was the end of it. However, he realized the implications of what she said. There was a place full of illegal activities, and full of risk.

The Underground, or The Black Market. A place full of risk and illegal activities, yet so filled with freedom and opportunity. Why didn't he realize that sooner?

That place was perfect for his plans. He needed obsecurity and freedom the most. He would definetely check out the market sometime.

"Thank you," Rio lightly nodded as he sincerely thanked the female clerk. That information was useful, it would help his future plans be considerably more well arranged.

"No problem," Zoe replied as she handled the ticket for his entrance to the Valley, she continued as she handed over the newly created ticket, "Here, an entrance ticket for Valley of Encantia. It's 50,000 Credits."

Rio sighed, how expensive. However, he needed this so he couldn't just hesitate now. He opened his stopwatch and sent the 50,000 Credits to them.

"Thank you, come again~" Zoe nodded as she smiled cutely.

Rio grabbed the ticket, and left the building quickly.

—

The linear pool of water that flows beneath the mountains and hills. The trees so fresh and green. And mountains and hills, so tall that it blocked the sky from below. Breezy and fresh wind that caresses the skin of visitors

This was Valley of Encantia. A valley so beautiful and resplendent.

Rio was savoring the scenery to all it's glory. The novel description didn't lie to it"s beauty, It was indeed an amazing place. He was ontop of the hill, overlooking the uncountable trees below.

Now, here was the problem. His face that was previously relaxed turned into worry and tense in the instant. He didn't know the exact place nor location. He only knew the description.

And the exact description was only very few, it was as it follows:

'The man, Jacob, found the seed which has miraclous, and limitless uses in the Valley of Encantia.

He got lost in the woods, he followed the linear sea and ended up arriving to the seed.

It felt like the seed called onto him, he said.'

The man that originally held the seed was called Jacob. Jacob was a minor Rank D Miracle Invoker, the utmost average of the average. However his life turned around when he found the seed. He became famous and known throughout community of Miracle Invokers.

Now Rio was going to take that opportunity inplace of Jacob. He found it odd that he don't feel any guilt nor remorse to what he will do. Maybe it was the fact, that Jacob, the one that found the seed died after the moment he got famous for finding the seed.

A fool, if Rio would say so. His fame invited the greed of those fangs in the dark. He had no need to feel guilty for such a fool, this act of him would just save his life instead.

"…Indeed." Rio muttered as his cold eyes overlooked the scenere below. The wind blew the coat he was wearing, snapping him out of his daze.

"What just happened?" Rio muttered in confusion, he felt like he just talked. But he didn't know what, nor how. Well no matter, it probably was just his imagination.

"Right, well I should just follow the pool of water." Rio muttered as he sighed. He's leaving his hopes to luck, hopefully the seed will also call into him like what happened to that Jacob guy.

Regarding that person, Rio felt he was pitiful. But stupid aswell. Well, not like that mattered to him. He carried his backpack as he gone down from the hill.

—

Rio was currently struggling to cross over the dense forest of trees. There were a lot of trees. He was careful while walking so none of the twigs scattered around the trees would harm him. Well, it's not like he could be harmed with simple trees. He still wanted to avoid pain and wounds, at the very least.

"Haa.." Rio sighed, this was certainly hard. He had not explored a dense of trees at all, even during his past life. His life circumstances were not favorable, if he was going to simplify it.

He had to preserve and just hurry to the bottom. All he needed to do is just go straight downwards. While he was walking, he noticed something.

In the trees there was mark. Not just any mark, a beasts mark. How could he not understand what this means? It meant that there was a beast occupying this territory.

Rio was sweating in nervousness. This was his first ever encounter to danger. Not just any normal danger, if that beast mark held any significance is that, most beasts that mark territories are either Rank D or Rank C.

He hoped it was Rank D at the very least, he was not yet ready to fight a beasts that was more or less equal to him. He just need to calm down for a second.

Rio slapped his face, snapping him out of nervousness. No one survives in danger if they were panicking, just calm down. He had a choice, either to avoid this and continue on another direction that would take longer, or he would continue down this path and eventually encounter the beasts.

The first was definetely the safest, yet it took longer. This was definetely the most rational choice. The second was the most dangerous, but the quickest. Not only that, it will help him hone his battle experience. The second, while irrational had the most benefits.

Now at the matter at hand, what choice should he pick?