Chapter 9: Choosing the Right TargetLucas, Elena, and Lisa sat around a crackling fire with a group of mercenaries, sharing a simple meal as the conversation flowed. The mercenaries were a diverse mix of men and women, ranging from their twenties to their forties, each bearing scars that spoke of years of battle experience.

  “So, you’re looking for suitable beasts to train against?” asked the leader of the group, a grizzled man with a short gray beard and a scar running across his cheek.

  Elena nodded with a practiced smile. “Exactly. We’re trying to improve our combat skills, so we want to know which creatures are appropriate for our level.”

  They couldn’t reveal their true intentions. Lucas’s ability was a secret that had to remain between the three of them.

  One of the younger mercenaries, a blond-haired man with a messy look, pulled out a leather parchment and began reading from it. “We have a list of some Iron-ranked beasts. Their strength is roughly equal to a three-star cultivator. You can choose which one suits you best.”

  He pced the parchment on the table and started listing the options:

  Night Spider – A creature that secretes strong silk threads and paralyzing venom.Fme Wolf – Fast and capable of mid-range fire attacks.Frost Serpent – Agile and venomous, with an icy aura that slows its prey.Shadow Crawler – A stealthy creature that blends into shadows and moves silently.Steel Eagle – A heavily armored flying beast with incredible speed.Lisa’s eyes lit up as she whispered, “The Shadow Crawler… Isn’t that exactly what we need?”

  But Elena raised an important concern. “We need to make sure the abilities we acquire are compatible with human physiology. Take the Steel Eagle, for example. It’s a flying beast, but if Lucas were to gain its ability, he’d likely grow wings. That would be a huge problem.”

  Lucas nodded, understanding the implication. “Right. We can’t risk getting an ability that makes us stand out too much. If people see me using flight and then ter discover I have another ability, like healing, they’ll think I’m some kind of prodigy—no, a treasure to be controlled. Some will try to ensve me, while others might seek to eliminate me out of jealousy.”

  Lisa sighed. “So, we have to avoid abilities that alter the body too drastically.”

  The blond mercenary rearranged the list and said, “If you want my advice, every beast has its strengths, but the Shadow Crawler is the trickiest. If you’re smart fighters, you’ll get the most out of it.”

  After a bit more discussion, the mercenaries finished their meal and prepared to leave. Their leader cpped Lucas on the shoulder and said, “If you’re serious about getting stronger, join our guild. Mercenaries live and die by their strength, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow.”

  Lucas, Elena, and Lisa thanked them for the information and watched as they disappeared into the night. Once they were gone, the trio sat together, deep in thought.

  Elena finally broke the silence. “So, we’re all in agreement about the Shadow Crawler?”

  Lucas nodded. “Yeah. Its stealth ability will be incredibly useful for me. It fits our strategy without altering my body in an obvious way.”

  Lisa added, “But we can’t forget that we need a solid pn to take it down. We don’t know how difficult it’ll be to fight.”

  Lucas exhaled and tightened his grip on his sword. “We’ll study it first, then come up with a pn. Failure isn’t an option—we have to get stronger, no matter what.”

  Elena and Lisa exchanged serious looks before nodding in agreement. This was the real beginning of their journey toward power.