While they were collecting the ember seeds Genesis explained [Listen carefully, Rudra. When I said these seeds were equal in value to a beast core, I did not mean a Fighter-level beast core.]

  Rudra stopped for a few seconds from collecting the seeds, then continued as if nothing had happened.

  [I meant cores from Sage, Super Sage, and Supreme Sage levels.]

  [Understand this clearly,] Genesis continued. [The Fighter Level you know is merely Level 1. Sage equals Level 10. Super Sage equals Level 11. Supreme Sage equals Level 12.]

  Rudra's eyes widened in shock. [Then… has anyone really reached those heights?]

  Genesis laughed softly not in mockery, but in pity.

  [Foolish child. These levels are weak. Even for this planet.]

  [This planet you stand on is a low-mana planet. That is why you think these heights are unreachable. Because a small pond cannot imagine the depth of an ocean.]

  [But to answer your question yes. Not one. Many people have reached those levels.]

  Rudra's breathing quickened.

  [But only a handful have reached Level 13,] Genesis continued, his voice turning heavier. [They are the ones who shattered this planet's gravity and walked into other worlds.]

  Then Genesis spoke words that cut deep into Rudra's soul.

  [Remember this, Rudra. The powerful are not kind. They don't protect the weak. They use them.]

  [If you are weak, your talent will be stolen. If you are strong, your power will be feared. Only when you become untouchable will the world finally bow.]

  Rudra swallowed hard, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him.

  [Now you understand how valuable these Ember Seeds truly are.]

  Rudra asked immediately, [Then why not just sell the seeds? Why risk making medicines at all?]

  Silence.

  Then Genesis exploded.

  [I expected at least a little intelligence from you! If you walk around saying you have Ember Seeds, people won't negotiate. They'll kill you.]

  [How many Supreme Sage beings do you think exist here? Enough to trade for 1.5 million seeds? No. They'll take them. And leave your dead body behind.]

  [And if you lie and say you only have five? They'll ask where the rest came from. They will torture you for the location. And then? You die.]

  Genesis's voice turned ice-cold.

  [Power without protection is a death sentence. Pack every seed before dawn. Or forget about ever fixing your veins.]

  Rudra panicked. [Okay! Okay! I'm doing it!]

  Nightfall

  The night grew darker. The sounds of insects filled the air sharp, rhythmic, and unsettling. Stars glimmered above, but their light was no longer enough to pierce the forest canopy.

  Aarav's voice broke the silence, sounding strained. "Rudra… I can't see the seeds properly anymore. It's too dark."

  Genesis roared inside Rudra's mind. [Idiot! Use the Glowroot!]

  Rudra shouted back aloud, "That's it!"

  Aarav jumped in surprise. "What?"

  "Glowroot!" Rudra said quickly, scrambling to his bag. "It emits light!"

  Understanding hit instantly. Both of them grabbed two Glowroots each from their earlier harvest. A soft, pulsating blue glow spread around them, illuminating the forest floor like magical lanterns.

  In that glowing circle, they bent down again, collecting Ember Seeds faster than before.

  They worked more carefully. More seriously.

  Because now Rudra understood these weren't just seeds. They were his chance. His weapon. His escape from weakness.

  And one day… his answer to this cruel world.

  Rudra slowed his movements for a moment. As he gathered the last of the Ember Seeds, a thought lingered in his mind heavy and uneasy. [Genesis,] he asked silently, [you said earlier that you sensed an extremely dangerous mana or presence inside this mountain. But honestly… it doesn't feel like something like that could exist here.] There was a brief pause. Then Genesis's voice answered, calm but no longer casual.

  [You're not wrong. For a moment, even I thought I might be mistaken.] Rudra frowned slightly.

  [But tell me,] Genesis continued, [did you notice what happened earlier during waterfall incident?]

  Rudra's memories immediately returned to the waterfall.

  [The snake,] Genesis said. [It intended to kill Aarav. But the moment Aarav ran deeper into the mountain, the snake stopped. It didn't hesitate. It didn't attack again. It turned around and fled.]

  Genesis's voice dropped an octave. [It fled as if it feared offending something. Like a servant afraid of angering its master.]

  A chill crept up Rudra's spine.

  [But what kind of beast could exist here?] Rudra asked silently. [You yourself said this place has very little mana. So how could something powerful survive here?]

  Genesis replied without hesitation.

  [You are thinking the wrong way, Rudra. Becoming powerful here is difficult, but that does not mean a powerful being cannot come here.] [In fact,] he continued, [why wouldn't it choose a place like this? A world with weak mana. No threats. No one capable of sensing it. A perfect hiding place.]

  Rudra swallowed.

  [And besides,] Genesis added quietly, [I didn't sense mana.] A pause.

  [Which means… whatever it is, it doesn't rely on mana at all.]

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  Inside Genesis's consciousness, a rare flicker of unease surfaced, unspoken to Rudra.

  'That kind of silence… A presence so absolute that the world itself falls quiet. No… They cannot be here. If one of them truly exists on this planet… then this world has already entered their sight.'

  Genesis's monologue was cut short. At that moment, Aarav's voice broke the tension.

  "Rudra!" Aarav called out. "We've collected all the seeds, right? Let's check once more. Make sure we didn't miss any."

  Rudra snapped back to reality. "Wait," he said. "You check that side. I'll look to the left."

  "Got it," Aarav replied, moving off.

  Before Rudra could take more than a few steps, Genesis's voice rang sharply in his mind.

  [Stop.]

  Rudra froze.

  [Where do you think you're going?] Genesis said sternly. [You've already collected the seeds. And now you're wandering alone, at night? Even low-level beasts would be enough to tear you apart. Enough. Go back. We return to the village.]

  Rudra hesitated, then nodded slightly. He turned toward Aarav.

  "Aarav," Rudra called out, "let's head back. It looks like we're done here. We'll reach Ashfall Orphanage by morning."

  Aarav jogged back toward him, his bag heavy. "You checked everything? No seeds left?"

  Rudra shook his head. "It's fine. There's nothing left. Let's go."

  Aarav shrugged lightly. "Alright. If you say so."

  They turned away from the mountain, their bags heavy with Ember Seeds.

  Behind them, the forest fell unnaturally silent. No insects. No wind. Only the mountain stood, unmoving as if it had watched them the entire time.

  Far away, beyond their awareness, the ancient being who knew the two had left remained still. Waiting.

  From deep within the mountain, a whisper echoed. Loud enough only for itself to hear.

  "I am waiting for you, my master," the presence murmured into the darkness. "You will return stronger the next time you came to forest."

  Drona Village

  By the time Rudra and Aarav reached Drona Village, the sky had begun to change. Night loosened its grip, and the first pale light of morning stretched across the horizon as if the sun was slowly waking from sleep.

  The village gates came into view. Their legs ached. Their bags were heavy. But they had made it back.

  The moment they stepped inside the village-

  "RUDRA! AARAV!"

  Both of them froze. They looked at each other at the same time, eyes wide.

  "That voice…" Aarav whispered nervously. "That's Aunty Naina."

  Rudra's face turned pale. "We're dead," he muttered. "How did she even find out we went outside the village?"

  He glanced at Aarav suspiciously. "You didn't tell her… right?"

  Aarav stared back at him like he'd lost his mind. "Are you stupid? If I'd told her, do you think we'd still be running through the forest this late at night?"

  Rudra sighed. "Yeah… fair point."

  Before they could move, Naina stormed toward them. Her eyes were red. And her expression… furious.

  "Rudra," she said sharply. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

  "And Aarav," she continued, turning to him. "You too? You went with him? He just recovered yesterday! And you thought it was a good idea to take him roaming outside the village?"

  Aarav opened his mouth. "Aunty, I-"

  "Quiet."

  Naina cut him off instantly. "Don't say a word."

  Her voice trembled now. "Do you know how worried I was? I've been searching for you both since last night. And not once did either of you think that you have an aunty who might be worried?"

  Rudra swallowed. "Aunty," he said softly, "I was just about to tell you today-"

  "Today?" Naina interrupted. "When? After I had a heart attack? Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

  Her voice broke. Tears finally spilled from her eyes.

  Rudra and Aarav stood there, helpless. They looked at each other then, without saying a word, both stepped forward and hugged her tightly.

  "Aunty…" Aarav said quietly. "Please don't say things like that."

  He took a breath. "You know Rudra… he's trying to become a Chemist."

  "And not just that," Aarav added quickly to save them, "he's really good at identifying herbs."

  Naina froze. She pulled back slightly and looked straight at him.

  "What?" she asked, stunned. "Chemist? Rudra… is that true?"

  She wiped her eyes. "Show me. What herbs did you collect? I want to see for myself what you were doing all night."

  Rudra smiled gently. "Aunty," he said calmly, "I'll show you everything. But first… please come eat with us."

  He looked at her tired face. "We haven't eaten anything since yesterday. And honestly, I don't think you've eaten either."

  Naina blinked. "You haven't eaten? Both of you?"

  Before either of them could answer, she grabbed both their ears. "Idiots!" she snapped through her tears. "Come with me."

  And just like that, she dragged them back toward Ashfall Orphanage scolding them the whole way, holding them loose enough not to hurt, but tight enough not to let go. She was angry, worried, and relieved all at once.

  Behind them, the village slowly woke up to a new day.

  Ashfall Orphanage

  The small room inside the orphanage was quiet, but the air was thick with tension. A simple wooden table stood in the center, and around it sat Aunty Naina, Rudra, and Aarav, facing one another like a tribunal.

  Naina broke the silence, her voice firm and demanding. "Rudra. Now show me. Show me exactly which herbs you collected."

  Rudra felt a bead of sweat trickle down his back. He nodded slowly. "Yes, aunty. Just a moment."

  He opened his bag carefully, his hand brushing against the warm, pulsating energy of the Ember Seeds at the bottom.

  'I can't show her the seeds,' he thought quickly. 'If she sees them, she'll panic. Or worse, she'll stop me from ever going out again.'

  One by one, he began taking out the other herbs and placing them on the table, deliberately leaving the Ember Seeds hidden deep inside the bag. Within moments, a small pile of vibrant greenery formed before them.

  Rudra began naming them softly, pointing to each one.

  "Blueleaf Grass." "Glowroot." "Mistflower." "Soft Mana Moss." "Clearwater Leaf."

  Naina leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she examined the herbs closely. She picked up a stalk of Blueleaf Grass, inspecting the roots and the texture of the leaves.

  Her eyes slowly widened. "…Such high quality?" she murmured, almost to herself. "And preserved perfectly."

  Aarav looked at her, surprised. "Aunty, can you recognize herbs too?"

  Naina smiled faintly, a look of nostalgia crossing her face. "Yes, Aarav. I can. Long before I became a nurse here… I was once a student of a famous Herbist."

  Rudra stared at her in shock. "Aunty… is collecting herbs really a profession?"

  Naina let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "You really don't know much yet, Rudra. Herb collection is a proper skill. Those who specialize in it are called Herbists. Some collect herbs from dangerous forests, others grow them in their own spiritual gardens."

  "And when herbs fully evolve," she added, her eyes gleaming, "they sell for extremely high prices."

  Rudra looked down at the pile on the table again. "So aunty," he asked carefully, "the quality of the herbs I collected…?"

  Naina answered without hesitation. "Good?"

  She shook her head. "Don't be foolish. These are exceptionally high-quality herbs. The mana preservation in them is nearly perfect."

  Then her expression turned serious. She looked at him with a mix of suspicion and wonder. "But tell me one thing. Where did you learn this? Finding herbs is hard enough, but harvesting them properly without damaging their roots is considered one of the most difficult tasks."

  She paused, studying him. "And on top of that… you said you want to become a Chemist too? Is that really true?"

  Rudra met her gaze directly. "Yes, aunty. I truly want to become a Chemist."

  Then, hesitating slightly, he added, "Aunty… does a Chemist not have respect in this world? I've never left Drona Village before. I don't know much about the outside world. You're the only one who can explain these things to me."

  Naina fell silent for a moment. Then she smiled gently.

  "Who told you Chemists aren't respected?"

  "Listen carefully, Rudra," she said, her voice filled with conviction. "A Chemist is a highly respected profession. Chemists use herbs to create medicines that ordinary people and powerful warriors can safely use."

  She gestured to the hospital walls around them. "In Drona Village, medicines are extremely expensive. We pay huge amounts just to stock the basics in this hospital. Only wealthy people can afford to buy them regularly."

  Rudra listened intently, absorbing every word.

  "But," Naina went on, leaning closer, "if you truly want to become a famous Chemist, or sell your medicines quickly and safely then you must join a Guild."

  Rudra frowned. "Guilds? What are those, aunty?"

  Naina sat back and began explaining patiently.

  "This world functions on many different skills," she said. "To organize them, we have Guilds. For example: Apothecary Guild, Healers' Guild, Adventurer Guilds, and many more."

  "And not only that," she added, "Guilds also have levels."

  She held up one finger. "From One-Star to Five-Stars."

  Rudra and Aarav listened without blinking.

  "One-Star Guilds," Naina explained, "are basic guilds, like the ones here in Drona Village. You can register, take small jobs, and earn money."

  "Two-Star Guilds are found in larger towns. Each Two-Star guild usually oversees around thirty One-Star guilds."

  "Three-Star Guilds exist in major cities, and each one oversees thirty Two-Star guilds."

  "Four-Star Guilds operate at the state level, each controlling forty Three-Star guilds."

  "Five-Star Guilds," she said, her voice growing heavier with reverence, "exist at the country level."

  "There is only one per country, and it governs forty Four-Star guilds."

  Rudra and Aarav were barely breathing now. The scale of the world had just expanded right in front of them, making their small village feel like a tiny speck in a vast universe.