Just like he did in the last few days. Atlas woke up after a peaceful night.
He was ready to start another day of training, but suddenly, a voice caught him by surprise.
"Atlas... it's time for you to fulfill one of my requests..."
After almost two weeks of silence, Nihilir appeared again. His voice was weak, but each of his words was perfectly clear.
Atlas tried to express his surprise, but Nihilir spoke out before he could even open his mount.
"Not too far from where you live, there is a vast underground cave. That place extends for miles and hides secrets that I want you to uncover. You will find answers not only for me but also for you..."
He didn't give him much information, but indeed, such a mysterious place picked his interest.
"How far is it?" He asked after giving a brief thought over the matter.
"Thirty miles toward the west from your position, not even a day afar... I will show you the way..."
Without giving him even a bit of time to prepare, Nihilir fed the young man's mind a load of memories. Atlas looked at the empty sky for a while and then exhaled a long breath.
"Oh... What was that?"
Atlas didn't know what kind of mysterious technique Nihilir had used, but somehow, he clearly remembered the exact location and the path he should follow to reach the cavern.
"Nihilir..."
"Sooner or later, you will be able to do it too... don't worry."
Nihilir didn't explain anything about the strange technique, so Atlas wasted no more time and instead analyzed the path carefully.
The cavern wasn't so distant. Moreover, the lands toward the west were places where he could venture without much problem with his cultivation realm.
Indeed, it was a perfect training place where he could sharpen his skill against the ferocious beasts of the forest and step even further on his cultivation path.
There was only a little problem. Underground sites were way more dangerous than the external world and could hide perils that a young adventurer like him couldn't currently handle. So, he exposed his doubts to Nihilir: "Do you know what's waiting for me inside? Can I truly handle that place alone?"
He wasn't afraid, but he wasn't even one of those stupid fellows who would jump toward the unknown without a bit of preparation. After all, he had lived the past twenty years with the only scope of survival.
This time, there was a long minute of silence before he could get a proper answer.
"Well... it's manageable... you will find only a small bunch of inferior creatures with a low realm. Nothing that you can't handle alone."
Atlas had no reason to doubt his words. So, he tried to get more information about the journey: "Nihilir... can you tell me more about the request and the cave? What should I look for there?"
Atlas had many questions. After all, he needed them to collect the appropriate tools for the journey. Alas, he didn't receive an answer even after a couple of minutes.
Initially, he thought that Nihilir was somehow thinking about his question. Yet, when another five minutes passed without a reply, he came to the conclusion that, for some reason, Nihilir couldn't make contact with him.
He had no control over that matter, so instead of wasting time talking to the air, he packed some items for the journey and left the mountaintop.
After all, he could finally venture into the world and take on his first adventure.
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The backpack was ready...
He had enough Regenerating Potions, Flaming Apple, and Chaos Stones for a long journey...
The only thing left to do was to spend a bit of his savings to test the remarkable mystical properties of his faithful companion.
There were more than 120 Low-Grade Chaos Stones inside his pocket. It was a rather good amount for a dozen Mortal Artifacts, yet before using his money in such a way, the young man couldn't help but try his luck among the wayfarers' stalls.
Of course, most of the items were junk or fakes, hailed as antiques, but with his dumb luck and the Obsidian Eyes at his disposal, it was a shame to pass up the chance to get something unique.
Weapons, particularly those with Chaos Runes, were expensive and impossible to obtain in his current state. But in recent times, the number of itinerant travelers has increased disproportionately, bringing more varieties of items to that small village.
Clearly, not all the weapons were in perfect condition. Some were even destroyed or in fragments. But those were precisely the items Atlas was looking for because he wanted to test his faithful companion's abilities with as many items as possible.
"Perfect... there won't be problems with so many stalls..."
The young man closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, the stalls, the martial cultivators, and even some buildings along the streets lit up with various colors.
"I knew there was something strange back them... that bastard hid the precious object before giving me that so-called reward... Cheap Bastard."
Clearly, he had noticed that strangeness back then, yet he wasn't so stupid to lament with that crazy fellow who had already put him in a precarious situation.
Some of the tables, covered with magical items and potions, had blue, purple, gold, silver, and many more glow of various colors.
With his forging knowledge and skill, he rapidly recognized the value of many of those radiant gleams, and there was no way for him to get them unless he went back home and brought his grandparent's money here.
Undoubtedly, he could have done it, but he was so weak and frail. He wasn't so stupid to get something that he couldn't even protect.
Atlas had learned that simple but crude reality in the past and swore to never do that again.
He couldn't dream of getting the most powerful. Still, he couldn't stop his curiosity when he noticed the gold glow.
Among the long line of exotic goods, two stalls had that bright golden color.
Looking from afar at the object, Atlas commented: "Those are undoubtedly objects more powerful than my cloak..."
Fascinated by the shining glow and the intoxicating scent of the treasures, Atlas quickly approached the nearest stall. Still, when he saw the price of the object emitting that intense bright light, all his enthusiasm vanished.
'Damn!... 10000 Low-Grade Chaos Stones... that's the price for a Ruler Artifact... and of peak quality furthermore.'
With tears in his eyes, the young man stared at the prized short sword placed inside the glass case and shook his head in despair.
There were even two Chaos Runes on the blade, yet he lingered no further in front of the juicy sword and instead approached the other one with an exceedingly slow pace, for the stark reality had dulled his enthusiasm entirely.
After all, with 120 or so Chaos Stones, he could get a maximum of a single peak Martial Chaos Artifact.
The owner of the second stall was a young boy who had probably become a mercenary a few years ago, but the goods in his possession were of various types and of incredible value.
Artifacts, potions, and precious gems were neatly arranged above the table, but surprisingly, the golden glow did not come from there but from a small basket placed beside it.
Atlas immediately noticed that that container was full of junk and fragments of weapons, such as other weapons or blades, and his heart began to beat frantically.
'Surely, he did not realize the true value of those items. I absolutely must buy that basket before that old fellow arrives.'
Before talking to the owner, Atlas walked over to the stall and began to observe the goods on top of the table.
Only after a few seconds did he begin to speak: "Young adventurer, the goods in your possession are amazing and very interesting. It seems you are fearless and love to explore the dreaded Sites abandoned by the ancients..."
Of course, Atlas had concealed his identity, thanks to his new mask, and disguised his voice, taking advantage of his particular skill.
The young man immediately tried to ingratiate himself with the itinerant cultivator. He thus continued to praise him: "...Surely a grand and intelligent person like you would not leave a single object inside those dusty places. After all, even if of doubtful value, every artifact can yield a small profit for a young man like you."
Finally, his words had attracted the young cultivator egregiously, so Atlas continued his speech.
"...Brave Adventurer, I noticed that basket filled with junk in the corner...what is the value of the items there?"
Atlas had praised the young cultivator highly, hoping to get an excellent price for some of the items in the basket, but the answer he got displaced him.
"Hehe... In fact, those places have become like a second home for me... and I'm actually very meticulous. I never let anything go. On my last trip, I collected many fragments of weapons, and that one there... is the last one left. If you wish... I can sell it to you for 60 Low-Grade Chaos Stones... But better than that, I can't get off!"
'60...' Atlas stared dumbfounded at the cultivator for a moment and then left the sum on the table, muttering a bit disgruntled: "The price is a bit high, but... I'll make an exception."
His words expressed some regret, but his actions were decisive. Indeed, Atlas grabbed the basket by the straps and vanished from the scene in the blink of an eye.
Swoosh!
He ran as far away as he could from the long line of stalls and, by chance, passed along a street where a strange creature was passing at that moment. That fellow was similar to a human but with a much shorter stature and a much more muscular build.
Seeing that figure, Atlas quickly put the basket away inside his space artifact, hiding the precious materials, and then headed toward a side street, increasing the distance between them.