Embrace of the void

The next day, Michael and Nyxar made their way to the Awakened Guild, anticipation buzzing in the air.

As they entered, Lucian, the guild president, looked up from his desk, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "You're back again! Here for more training, I presume?"

 "Yes, but before that, I have some matters I'd like to discuss," Michael replied, pulling a crumpled paper from his inventory.

Lucian raised an eyebrow as Michael handed over the list of monsters he was interested in summoning. "This is interesting. Are these the creatures you've chosen?"

 "Yes," Michael confirmed, excitement evident in his voice.

Lucian scanned the list. "Ah, the Crimson Wolf. A fierce monster indeed, capable of awakening its consciousness at rank S. It's a solid choice, but you'll need to obtain a cub. Catching one at rank D is quite the challenge unless it's a newborn."

Michael nodded, taking mental notes.

 "As for the Tempest Falcon," Lucian continued, "acquiring it might be even easier. You can find its egg at one of the monster shops. Just wait for it to hatch, After that, you can eliminate it and apply your skill."

Nyxar chimed in, "Or, If luck is on our side, we may get a body for sale at an auction house The same applies to the Crimson Wolf."

Lucian's expression turned serious. "The other monsters on your list present more significant challenges. Acquiring their bodies will be difficult unless you engage them yourself, which is no small feat, as they are not weak creatures. These three monsters are intelligent, possessing societal structures akin to humans, with their own communities and villages. Each can awaken their own class."

He paused for a moment before adding, "The Minathor, however, is a different story. They are notoriously hostile, and many skirmishes have occurred between them and humans. This hostility has resulted in casualties on both sides."

Michael absorbed this information, understanding the complexities involved. "What should I do next?"

"I will search for these monsters on the list you provided," Lucian replied. "In the meantime, I recommend you explore the shops and auction halls in the city to see what you can find."

"Okay, I'll do that," Michael acknowledged. "I'll return later for training."

"Very well. I'll prepare the training hall for you," Lucian said, his voice steady.

With that, Michael and Nyxar departed from the Awakened Guild, setting off to search the city's shops in pursuit of their goals.

---

Michael and Nyxar navigated the bustling streets of the city, their senses heightened as they searched for monster corpses in the various markets. The vibrant atmosphere around them was a stark contrast to their grim mission.

They approached their first destination, a shop that resembled a butcher's establishment. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, a testament to the nature of the goods sold within.

As they stepped inside, Michael called out, "Hello? Is anyone here?"

A short human emerged from behind the counter, donning a blood-stained apron. "How can I help you?" he replied, his voice gruff yet welcoming.

Michael cleared his throat. "Could you tell me what types of D-rank monster corpses you have available?"

The store owner paused, pondering for a moment before responding. "We have forest wolves, white snakes, poisonous snakes, some chickens, and stone bulls."

 "Do you have any rare monster corpses?" Michael inquired, hope flickering in his eyes.

 "Unfortunately, I only deal with low-level, edible monster corpses. For rare finds, you'll need to check the shops near the auction house or hunt them yourself."

Disappointed but undeterred, Michael nodded. "Thank you for your help." He and Nixar exited the shop, continuing their search through the market stalls.

After several fruitless attempts at various shops, Michael sighed. "It looks like we'll need to visit the auction house or one of the nearby specialty shops."

Nyxar furrowed his brow. "But we should disguise ourselves to avoid attracting unwanted attention. We don't want to deal with any nobles."

 "Good point. Let's find a way to blend in," Michael agreed.

They stopped at a nearby vendor, where Michael purchased a wig, colored contact lenses, and a skin tone-changing cream for both himself and Nyxar. After a quick transformation, they stepped out, feeling more inconspicuous.

Their first stop near the auction house was a shop named **Fang & Flesh Farm**. The establishment specialized in selling monster corpses and was bustling with customers.

As they entered, a cheerful receptionist greeted them. "Welcome! How can I assist you today?"

Nyxar wasted no time. "Do you have a Tempest Falcon or a Crimson Wolf corpse?"

 "Give me a moment to check," she replied, taking out a small information crystal and scanning it.

After a brief pause, she looked back at them. "I'm afraid we don't have a Crimson Wolf corpse, but we do have a Tempest Falcon at rank B."

Michael's face fell. "I need something that doesn't exceed rank D."

 "Unfortunately, we only carry high-rank corpses. If you're looking for lower ranks, you might want to check the shops that sell beginner alchemy supplies."

Michael sighed in frustration. "What rare D-rank monsters do you have?"

The receptionist handed him a list. "We have the following: 

- Shadow Wolf 

- Devouring Serpent 

- Flaming Lion 

- Iron Boar"

After considering his options, Michael pointed at the list. "I'll take the corpse of the Devouring Serpent."

 "Excellent choice. That will be 150 gold," she replied.

Michael retrieved the coins from his pouch and handed them over. The receptionist gave him a small card. "Take this to the basement. The supervisor will assist you."

 "Thank you!" Michael said, heading down the stairs to the basement.

The air grew colder as he entered, revealing a spacious area filled with containers holding various monster corpses. It was evident that these containers operated like storage rings, capable of preserving numerous bodies while appearing relatively large.

Michael presented his card to the supervisor, who examined it carefully before retrieving a three-meter-long corpse from one of the containers. The Devouring Serpent's scales shimmered black, absorbing light and exuding an aura of dark energy.

With the corpse in hand, he and Nyxar resumed their search.

 "Why did you choose the snake?" Nyxar asked, curiosity piquing.

 "Because it's a solid choice," Michael replied. "Even at rank E, the Devouring Serpent has an affinity for poison and darkness, along with its innate ability to create black holes that can devour attacks. Plus, it has potential for illusion affinity at higher ranks."

Nyxar nodded, impressed. "Fair enough."

They continued their journey, eventually arriving at another store that boasted a variety of goods, including information. A sign above the door read **The Enchanted Exchange**.

 "Welcome! How can I help you today?" the clerk greeted them with a warm smile.

 "We're looking for the corpses of a Tempest Falcon or a Crimson Wolf, ideally at rank D or lower," Michael stated.

The clerk's expression shifted to one of concentration. "We have the corpse of the Tempest Falcon, but I'm afraid we don't have a Crimson Wolf."

Excitement surged through Michael. "Do you have any leads on where we can find a Crimson Wolf corpse?"

The clerk thought for a moment. "There's a body for sale at the auction, but it's ranked B+. It won't be easy to acquire. You'd likely need to hunt one yourself.

However, I've heard that one of the duke's sons recently acquired a rare mutant Crimson Wolf cub. Unfortunately, it was gravely injured in a dungeon due to the duke's son's foolishness."

Michael exchanged glances with Nyxar, a grin spreading across their faces. "Thank you for the information! How much for the Tempest Falcon's body?"

 "180 coins," the clerk replied.

Michael handed over the coins and received the Tempest Falcon's corpse. With their haul in hand, they exited the shop, eager to regroup and strategize.

As they walked, Michael summoned Raven, a small crow that perched on his shoulder. "Raven, I need you to keep an eye on the duke's sons and their friends. Listen to everything they say, but don't get too close. We can't afford to be spotted."

 "Understood," Raven replied before flapping its wings and soaring into the sky.

Nyxar chuckled. "It seems like we're about to get some much-deserved revenge on those idiots."

Michael shook his head. "Not revenge, exactly. We'll just retrieve the monster's body if it dies, or we'll kidnap it if it's still alive."

 "Do you still have any affinity crystals?", Nyxar inquired.

 "I have two for S-grade lightning, one for S-grade darkness, and one for S-grade wind from the old man," Michael replied.

Nyxar furrowed his brow. "So, we still need one for blood and one for poison."

 "Unfortunately, there's no way we can acquire them right now," Michael lamented.

 "Then let's deal with these bodies and train with Lucian," Nyxar suggested, "and we can think about the rest later."

With a renewed sense of purpose, the duo made their way back to the Awakened Guild, eager to discuss their findings with Lucian and prepare for the challenges ahead.