"Ranch, should we go over there?" Sophia asked.
Despite the distance, the expression on the faces of the mercenaries hired to guard the caravan's goods and ward off monster attacks ahead was stern, almost as if the words "Keep Away" were written on their faces.
However, not going over would undoubtedly waste time.
Ranch disliked wasting time, so he rode his horse towards them, maintaining a leisurely pace.
As he approached, the mercenaries stepped forward to block his path.
The leading mercenary spoke up, "Please leave!"
His tone was blunt, his hand even resting on the hilt of his sword.
Ranch countered, "This road doesn't seem to be built by you, does it? Am I not allowed to pass?"
"The gentleman is of course free to go, but you'll have to wait until the caravan has passed," the head mercenary replied.
He wasn't a fool.
Anyone leisurely riding a horse in the wilderness with a female elf could either be a madman or someone very confident in their own strength.
The mercenary leader thought Ranch was the latter, and the elf maiden also seemed formidable.
Avoiding a conflict was obviously the best course of action.
Just then, the leader of the caravan approached on horseback, and upon seeing Ranch and Sophia, he quickly apologized, saying, "I'm terribly sorry, my cargo is a bit excessive, and it might take some time to get through."
As he spoke, he offered a few gold coins, adding, "This is for your troubles."
Ranch didn't accept the coins but instead inquired, "Are you heading to Mapleleaf?"
Hearing Ranch's question, the caravan leader nodded and introduced himself, "I'm a merchant from Mapleleaf; everyone calls me Pierre. These goods are en route to Mapleleaf, all items in high demand for daily use. If you wish, you're welcome to travel with us; we've got some fresh fruit in the caravan."
"Thank you, Mr. Pierre."
Ranch was keen on learning about the situation in Mapleleaf and agreed to join the caravan.
Along the way, he gathered the information he was seeking.
In the past few days, numerous spellbeasts appeared around Mapleleaf, seemingly having escaped from the Wolf Fang Mountains, attacking many of Mapleleaf's residents and destroying several farms, leading to rising prices in Mapleleaf.
Pierre was transporting goods to Mapleleaf, hoping to turn a significant profit.
However, after discovering that Ranch was also a merchant, he expressed his astonishment, saying, "Mr. Ranch, you don't quite seem like a merchant."
The next moment, Pierre became reticent.
Observing the storage ring on Ranch's hand and the several potions he produced, Pierre realized that Ranch was not in the same line of business.
Compared to his ordinary goods, the business of potions, which involved extraordinary powers, was obviously more profitable and sold more swiftly.
Unexpectedly, Ranch made an offer.
"Pierre, are you interested in becoming a potion distributor?"
Ranch's proposition stunned Pierre, who incredulously asked, "Mr. Ranch, are you suggesting I help sell potions?"
"Exactly."
Ranch nodded, uninterested in wasting time on these tedious tasks.
In the City of Crimson, he had delegated the sale of potions to Colin Rein, and proceeding to Mapleleaf, he intended to follow the same model.
Meeting Pierre en route was opportune—if Pierre agreed, Ranch wouldn't have to look for another distributor upon arriving.
Faced with this incredible opportunity, Pierre quickly accepted, fearful that Ranch might change his mind.
Compared to the City of Crimson, Mapleleaf, governed by Viscount Layne, not only housed a magus association and a knights' hall but also boasted organizations tied to extraordinary powers, like the Mercenary Guild and the Adventurers' Guild, as well as the Mapleleaf Auction House.
The city was teeming with magi and knights, ensuring a constant high demand for potions.
Moreover, those magi were all quite wealthy and generous.
Thinking this over, and knowing the effects of the Energy Reagent, Pierre suggested, "Mr. Ranch, the Energy Reagent can quickly restore stamina, something many adventurers desperately need. I think its price could easily be six hundred gold coins per bottle, or even seven hundred isn't impossible!"
Ranch was intrigued by Pierre's words.
However, he knew that Pierre was likely inflating the price to demonstrate his capability.
If they really priced the Energy Reagent that high, they'd sell fewer units, and the total profit might decrease.
Of course, he didn't need to worry about that.
"Mr. Pierre, if you're interested, I can sell them to you for five hundred gold coins each. As for how much you want to sell them for, that will be up to your own skills."
Upon hearing this, Pierre eagerly asked, "Mr. Ranch, how many reagents can you supply?"
"Two thousand bottles!"
Ranch stated a number he thought was reasonable, but it visibly shocked Pierre.
He had hoped to secure exclusive selling rights to all the Energy Reagents, but that now seemed impossible with two thousand bottles requiring a million gold coins.
Pierre's entire fortune amounted to just over five hundred thousand gold coins.
However, he had a plan in mind, thinking of several old friends who might be interested.
Thus, Pierre said, "Mr. Ranch, I'll give you an answer once we reach Mapleleaf. The quantity is overwhelming."
"No problem," Ranch responded, not dismissing Pierre's request.
Just then, the mercenary leading the way suddenly shouted, "Spellbeasts ahead, everyone be alert!"
Hearing this call, the caravan fell into disarray.
Sophia, who was riding a separate horse, drew closer to Ranch, her expression grave.
"The roadblock isn't just any spellbeasts; it's a 3-tier spellbeast."
"A 3-tier spellbeast?"
Ranch was not frightened but rather curious.
The spellbeasts in the Wolf Fang Mountains were not typically strong, with 3-tier spellbeasts almost exclusively found in the mountain's depths.
Moreover, the intelligence of a 3-tier spellbeast was almost equivalent to a human's.
They wouldn't usually leave their deep mountain habitats without a significant reason.
"Let's go have a look."
Saying this, Ranch rode his horse slowly to the front of the caravan, followed by Sophia and Pierre.
At the forefront, several mercenaries wielding broadswords showed terror on their faces, while the ground was littered with three or four mercenaries, their bodies gruesomely torn and gnawed on by spellbeasts.
The most despairing sight was the largest of the spellbeasts, a silver-furred beast, that spoke.
"Humans, all must die!"
Pierre's complexion changed drastically.
He knew only 3-tier or higher spellbeasts could speak.
Suppressing his fear, he stepped forward and said, "We have not wronged you, and advanced spellbeasts are not allowed to attack humans proactively. This is the covenant set by the empire and the spellbeast royal family. Do you intend to break it?"
"You violated the contract first!"
The silver-haired gorilla seemed enraged, letting out a fierce roar.
The following spellbeasts abandoned their feast on the slain mercenaries, lunging at the others with ferocious bites.
Pierre was in despair, but then he saw Ranch step down from his horse and move forward.
The onrushing spellbeasts let out ghastly screams, their skulls shattered by Ranch's devastating punches, dead beyond doubt.
After dispatching the spellbeasts, Ranch then turned his gaze to the lone 3-tier spellbeast.
"You wanted to kill, shouldn't you ask for my opinion first? And you mentioned a breach of contract, then seek out those who broke it, instead of slaughtering others."
The silver-haired gorilla's eyes burned with rage, utterly indifferent to Ranch's words.
This human dared to kill his minions right in front of him; it was unforgivable!
Thump!
Thump!
The 3-tier spellbeast, the silver-haired gorilla, pounded its enormous fists on the ground, causing a violent tremor.
It charged forward, its massive five-meter-tall frame leaping into the air and then crashing down towards where Ranch stood.
"Mr. Ranch!"
Pierre called out anxiously.
Sophia, on the other hand, remarked, "Ranch will be fine. But encountering a 3-tier spellbeast, the young master might want to have some fun for a while."
Have some fun?
Pierre struggled to grasp Sophia's words.
Was she implying Mr. Ranch saw the 3-tier spellbeast as a toy?
That seemed utterly illogical.
Yet, that was indeed the case.
The silver-haired gorilla's fierce descent did not harm Ranch, who even seemed in the mood to keep taunting.
The gorilla grew increasingly furious, its eyes turning blood-red, and a golden glow emanating from its body, emitting a terrifying aura that made the onlooking Pierre and the mercenaries gasp for air.
It roared, "Human, you are forcing my hand!"