The only candle flickered with a soft, yellow glow, casting shifting shadows across the walls of the room. Caine positioned himself in the most convenient spot for a swift escape, and surveyed the room—there he saw the elderly gentleman with deep lines of wisdom etched across his cheeks, the "Master of Wisdom," and the plump-faced "Apothecary." Hmm. After a second comparison, though he wore a metallic mask that covered half his face, he could still fairly confirm that he was indeed the rather awkward man Caine had encountered in the small theater of the Lese circus. Caine turned his gaze away, waiting for the gathering to officially begin—there, the lady with the "Craftsman" behind her had concealed herself so well that, like most of the others, he could not verify her presence before she spoke. A few minutes passed, and the "Master of Wisdom" raised his eyes to the mechanical clock on the wall, chuckling warmly, "The attendance today is quite complete." "Let us begin." "Before he had finished speaking, the plump pharmacist had already interjected, "I need a transcendent creature for experimentation—ideally a beast, preferably one already tamed and not particularly dangerous." A transcendent beast? Caine found himself slightly moved. He recalled the pharmacist's words from the circus theater, the way he seemed capable of reading the minds of animals. A mere "pharmacist"—someone with such a unique ability—and now actively seeking tamed, non-threatening beast creatures. After I sold him the marrow crystals from the Elven Spring, he should have already gathered the necessary materials and advanced in rank... So perhaps the rank following "pharmacist" is indeed linked to the control of beasts? Caine made this inference based on the information he had. At that moment, someone else chuckled and responded to the pharmacist, "Who would keep a transcendent creature at their side?" "Both dangerous and easily noticed—wouldn't it be simpler and more discreet to simply kill them and preserve the exceptional materials?" "The pharmacist never wavered in language. He merely exhaled sharply, "A foolish notion!" "You can't guarantee that the extraordinary materials on that transcendent being will precisely match what you need—or that they'll sell at all. Why not tame it, harness it, make it your ally, and thereby double your own strength?" As he spoke, his voice softened, as though he'd inadvertently revealed some vital secret. Dogshit! Why can't I keep my mouth shut? The pharmacist mentally slapped himself hard. Indeed... Klein nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly. The pharmacist's needs were unquestionably unmet. Most of the participants here held only modest sequences, neither prominent nor well-connected in Beckland. They lived with constant vigilance, barely managing to sustain themselves—how could they afford to maintain a transcendent being in any luxury?" Moreover, even more importantly, wild, extraordinary beings often harbor deep hostility toward humans—when they encounter you, it's either you die or they do. To capture them alive, you'll need either a sufficiently strong team or a decisive advantage in strength. Of course, it's also possible that certain sequence-level individuals possess special abilities perfectly suited to such circumstances. "Of course, all that depends on you having sufficient financial means and being able to handle the unruly, subpar items." The pharmacist listened, stunned, before finally saying, "It's truly extravagant." "Just saving up money for myself and securing the necessary extraordinary materials is already a struggle. Moreover, animals reacting unpredictably to magical potions is a near certainty—without several such occurrences, success is hard to achieve." "Someone who can do this must either own a mine or have established a bank." The 'Justice' lady from our Tarot Circle is known to have a truly extraordinary creature. Suddenly, Caine felt a pang of sympathy for the pharmacist. Truly, if one were to fully commit to amassing wealth without reservation, the pharmacist would be among the most successful in the lower sequence—yet this very success also makes them vulnerable to official scrutiny by the extraordinary authorities. After several transactions, either completed or faltered, Caine heard a deliberately softened voice: "This time, I've brought only one extraordinary weapon." "It's fifty rounds of bullets with different effects: twenty of them bear the emblems and symbols of the Sun Domain, forming a complete incantation that effectively purifies spectral monsters, dealing significant damage to stronger vengeful spirits and shadows—thus, they are called 'Purification Bullets.' Twenty more are designed specifically against corrupted, fallen beings—known as 'Demon-Hunting Bullets.' The remaining ten are particularly effective against strange, aberrant monsters—referred to as 'Exorcism Bullets.' All these effects remain stable for at least eighteen months, and sometimes even longer." "Fifty rounds for 500 pounds, or the 'Barbarian' magic potion formula, plus a specially crafted revolver of suitable caliber." Indeed, it followed my previous suggestion, though it seems more complex than typical extraordinary weapons—remarkably slow to produce a full set. Klein didn't leave anyone room to speak; he simply opened his mouth: "I have the 'Barbarian' magic potion formula." At that moment, a tall man also made an offer: "550 pounds." "In today's age, this is an extraordinary weapon—convenient to carry and use! The lady's voice, usually so reserved, carried an unmistakable joy as she said, 'Mr. This gentleman, I'm sorry, I'd prefer the 'Barbarian' formula.' 'Six hundred pounds,' the man raised his offer once again. 'No, it's not a matter of money,' said the lady with the title of 'Craftsman,' turning slightly to look at Cline. 'Deal! But first, please deliver the formula to the esteemed elder of 'The Eye of Wisdom' for his evaluation.' "Phew, thank goodness I secured the 'Black Emperor' card. Otherwise, with someone raising their prices so aggressively, I'd definitely be bleeding today..." Caine rolled up his robe and pulled out the pre-written 'Barbarian' recipe from the inner pocket, unfolding it to glance at it: "Sequence 8 – 'Barbarian'. Primary ingredients: one stalk of frenzied grass, a solid, single-horned crystal from a terrestrial rhinoceros. Secondary ingredients: one deep-waisted walnut, one stalk of honey-sage, 10 milliliters of distilled dew from birch bark, and 100 milliliters of strong liquor." After confirming everything was accurate, Caine folded the paper neatly and handed it to the waiter. As before, the elderly gentleman known as the 'Eye of Wisdom' removed the ring adorned with numerous small diamonds clustering around a vibrant green eye-like stone, simulating the extraordinary ability of a notary to authenticate the recipe's authenticity. Upon hearing the elder declare the recipe valid, the woman who had been standing behind the 'Craftsman' visibly exhaled in relief, and produced a square iron box about the size of a palm. With the waiter's delivery, she duly received the recipe and, eager to make use of it immediately, unrolled it and studied it several times, as though aiming to memorize it directly. Meanwhile, Cline held the iron box, snapped it open, and examined his acquisition. Inside, the bullets were divided into three groups: one portion shimmered with a pale golden hue, as though just removed from hot water; another group was uniformly silver, intricately patterned, cool yet sacred; and the smallest portion, in its bronze tone, glowed with golden accents, revealing faintly engraved marks and symbols within. Indeed, Cline's discernment in the esoteric field was genuine—he snapped the lid shut and placed the item into his coat pocket. As for the left-hand revolver presented to him, the design was unremarkable, with a deeper bronze body and a walnut handle. Having lost the gun satchel during the previous police inspection, Cline had to secure the revolver at his waist, concealing it with his clothing. After completing this planned transaction, he surveyed the living room, deliberately raising his voice: "I need strong purification items such as the 'Sun Holy Water' and the 'Sun Holy Emblem.' I can pay in pounds, or I can offer a recipe in exchange—such as the subsequent Sequence 7 'The Diplomat' of 'The Barbarian.' Of course, if there are questions regarding the mysterious domains or the extraordinary realms, I’d be willing to try, though I can't guarantee answers." The pharmacist, sitting across from him, widened his eyes—he clearly sensed this was the very 'lucky young man.' Yet, how could someone who had only recently become an extraordinary being secure so many valuable items? The more he thought about it, the more he grew frustrated, convinced that his own initial choice had been a mistake. Luck was truly the most important factor! The lady who had purchased the 'Barbarian' recipe nearly lost control of her voice, almost speaking in her original tone: "I don’t have what you need, but I can pay in pounds—800 pounds!" Klein swallowed the word "agreed," then smiled lightly. "For now, I'll only accept barter." "I'll be back at my next gathering—feel free to gather similar items in advance." For now... the lady chewed on the word slowly, nodding deliberately. "Alright." Then, no one else spoke. Klein's request remained unmet, as in Bekland and in the Kingdom of Roon, followers of the "Eternal Sunny Flame" could be treated as heretics—so such items circulated only sparingly. Klein felt a touch of disappointment, but not overly concerned—he had backup plans. He remembered clearly that Miss Hoo had once sought out a remarkable follower of the "Eternal Sunny Flame" for purification! Moreover, the lady eager for the "Bribe-Seeker" formula would surely keep looking. Klein said nothing, simply listening to the subsequent transactions and conversations. As the gathering drew to a close, a participant of average build and unremarkable features pressed gently on the iron mask covering his face, speaking in a deep, resonant baritone: "I need the silk gland of the mature widow spider." The silk gland of the mature widow spider? That sounds familiar—I think I've heard of it before... Klein furrowed his brow, without resorting to divination to recall it. Suddenly, he remembered the source of that familiarity: it was one of the primary ingredients in the "Joyful Witch" potion!