As the door opened, brilliant sunlight instantly flooded the somewhat dim hall of the Alchemy Workshop.
However, a silent figure stood within the blinding halo of light, completely out of place amidst the room’s brightness.
The newcomer was entirely shrouded in a loose, worn brown hooded robe. His figure was obscured beneath the folds, exuding an unapproachable aura of mystery.
The Shadow cast by the drooping hood completely concealed his face; only a small patch of pale skin on his jaw could be glimpsed through the gap.
Looking at the person’s eccentric appearance, Raine’s expression remained largely unchanged.
Mottled Town was a mixed bag. Adventurers unwilling to reveal their true faces were not uncommon. There were always a few lone wolves in the Guild hall who liked to hide their identities with hoods or masks, so this was nothing extraordinary.
"It’s you again."
Sarah seemed to recognize the newcomer, her tone sounding like she was greeting a regular customer.
"The thing I want... do you have it?"
A terse response came from beneath the brown robe.
The voice was unusually hoarse and low, sounding like sandpaper scraping across rotten wood.
Yet, beneath this deep timbre, there was a faint hint of awkwardness, forming a subtle contrast with his mysterious attire.
Raine continued to size him up impassively.
The newcomer only reached his shoulder, about the same height as Lian and not much taller than Sarah.
However, beneath the seemingly thin robe, an undeniable aura of formidable strength subtly radiated.
"Sorry, not yet."
Sarah shook her head, as if she had grown accustomed to his inquiries.
"Then I will come back next time."
The brown-robed figure’s reply remained brief, as though uttering even one extra word was a burden. After a slight nod of acknowledgment, he immediately turned and walked away briskly, almost as if he were fleeing.
The heavy wooden door gently closed behind him, once again shutting out the external light and taking away that faint, lingering sense of oppression.
Looking at the still-trembling door, Raine could not help but feel a bit curious.
The person seemed to be looking for a very special Alchemy Potion.
Sarah noticed Raine’s curiosity and casually said, "Lately, that guy has been coming in almost every day, asking for a partial Invisibility Potion. Don’t you think it’s weird? He seems determined to hide a specific part of his body, but I only have normal Invisibility Potions here, which can only hide the whole body.
"Though, maybe I really could brew up a partial Invisibility Potion!
"But I’m really not in the mood for it right now."
Her eyes had suddenly lit up mid-speech, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the tabletop, but that luster quickly dimmed before her final words could even settle. Raine knew she was clearly thinking of her grandmother again.
Before Raine could speak, Sarah lowered her voice. Leaning in closer as if sharing a secret, she whispered, "Speaking of which, even though that guy is weird, he’s actually quite strong.
"During the chaos in town the other night, right by the woodworking district, I saw him step up from the crowd with my own eyes. He took out an injured, frenzied Bear Goblin and saved several Adventurer Guards who had been scattered!
"That guy only used a single Colorful Ball! After a CRACKLE of flashes, the Bear Goblin went down! Clean and efficient!
"Actually, I saw how critical the situation was and was ready to make a move myself!"
Her fair face revealed a reminiscent expression as her hands gestured back and forth in the air. Finally, she crossed her arms indignantly with a light harrumph.
Looking at the eager expression on Sarah’s small face, Raine smiled helplessly.
It was fortunate that she hadn’t intervened. Given her "explosive" Casting Ability, it was highly likely that she would have created a brand new source of chaos amidst the already turbulent scene.
Raine gathered his thoughts, quickly matching this image with the information Jason had provided earlier. "But then again, it seems that he is the ’mysterious Caster who wishes to remain anonymous’," he noted.
Pulling back his wandering thoughts, he steered the conversation back to buying an Alchemy Potion. "Miss Sarah, do you sell Healing Potions here? Just the cheapest kind will do."
In the epic tales of the Sloppy Ranger—which always carried lessons learned through blood and tears—this miraculous Alchemy Potion had saved him and his teammates from desperate situations multiple times. He had praised it as the most indispensable and loyal companion on any adventuring journey.
That unkempt teacher had reminded Raine more than once in an unusually solemn tone:
"Listen up! Boy, you can forget to bring your whetstone, and you can lose your spare underwear, but whatever you do, never let yourself smell the stench of death only to find that your backpack lacks that life-saving splash of crimson."
Those words were etched into Raine’s memory like a brand.
Now that he had some savings, purchasing a Healing Potion naturally became his highest priority.
This wasn’t just buying an item; it was more like a ritual, signifying that his adventuring career was transitioning from a struggle for mere survival toward a steadier path.
When Raine bade Sarah farewell and stepped out of the Alchemy Workshop, an inner compartment of his waist pouch now held a faintly glowing Healing Potion.
This single bottle had cost him an entire Golden King, and that was even after the slight discount Sarah had given him.
Although this price was enough to deter many Bottom-level Adventurers, Raine felt no reluctance in his heart. Instead, a strong sense of reassurance welled up within him.
No amount of Golden Kings could undo a fatal wound, but this small bottle could buy him the chance to keep on living.
It was a trump card, a final insurance policy, and the confidence he needed to dare explore more dangerous regions.
Carrying this peace of mind and looking at the remaining one Golden King and thirty-something Silver Lions in his coin pouch, Raine’s next destination was very clear: Old Kent’s Blacksmith’s Shop.
He needed better Arrows.
The fierce battle with the Bear Goblins not long ago had drastically exposed the limitations of ordinary Iron-Tipped Arrows.
Facing those Armor-clad behemoths, if he had possessed Arrows with greater Penetration Power at the time, he might have been able to end the battle much faster.
Stepping once again into the roiling heat of the Flint Blacksmith’s Shop, Raine quickly found his target after Old Kent’s introduction.
It was a type of Arrow with a Fine Steel Arrowhead.
The shaft was no longer common white wax wood, but had been replaced with harder oak, and the fletching was no longer ordinary turkey feathers, but the much tougher Fierce Sparrow Tail Feathers.
He test-fired a few. Whether it was the Arrows’ Penetration Power, accuracy, stability, or range, all had seen a significant improvement!
Even though the price for a dozen of these Fine Steel Arrows reached 50 Silver Lions, Raine still bought them without hesitation. Furthermore, he managed to secure a discount from Kent on future repairs.
Leaving the Blacksmith’s Shop, Raine patted the Healing Potion at his waist and felt the heavy weight of the Fine Steel Arrows in his Quiver. Coupled with the custom-made Leather Armor he was wearing, an unprecedented surge of confidence swelled in his chest.
He might still be far from matching the formidable strength of a Professional, but he was moving forward step by step in his own way, making the most ample preparations to face this vast and dangerous world.
Amidst this sudden sense of security, a hint of deep contemplation flickered in Raine’s eyes.