The Author's POV

'You will be the next heir of the Han clan.'

'You must work hard to support your clan in the future.'

'You are the hope of the Han clan. Make sure to always think of the clan ahead of anything else. Even yourself.'

Ever since he was little, all Han Yufei heard were those words. He had become so used to them, that he had now started to firmly believe in those values.

However, just as much as he believed in them, there were times when he really wanted to give up.

Expectations, expectations, expectations, and even more expectations.

Being the sole heir of the Han clan, one of the four major clans in [Xin Shijie], the Chinese main city in the human domain, he shouldered the heavy expectations of his clan.

The Han clan was a powerful clan that was equivalent in power to any diamond-graded guild. Perhaps not as strong as the Demon hunter guild during its peak years, but if all four clans joined hands, such comparisons wouldn't be unwarranted.

Despite the fact that they were often compared to famous guilds, they were also not the same.

They operated differently than guilds, but their influence and power were nothing to scoff at. Unlike guilds that mainly hired individuals from anywhere, clans only took in individuals who were of the same blood.

That aside, not all things were peaceful for the Chinese clans.

With the land they were covering being quite small, all the top clans were in conflict, in hopes of trying to gain more land and becoming to biggest power in the Chinese region of the human domain.

Some of the clans worked together, but at the end of the day, the alliances formed were only alliances on paper.

The end goal of every Chinese clan was to become the sole remaining clan.

Of course, Han Yufei, being the heir of one of the four main clans in the conflict, was no stranger to these types of conflicts as he had seen them throughout his whole life.

And because he was familiar with these kinds of stuff that he was also familiar with negotiations.

He had witnessed many negotiations happening in the past with his father and clan elders.

As such, he knew when he was seeing a good and a bad deal.

"Yeah. I will give you a five-star manual in exchange for your family art. That simple."

"In short, for five years, you will join my mercenary group. I made it this way since what I'm offering is actually of higher value than what you are offering."

'Ridiculous'

That was the only word that Han Yufei could think of as he looked through the contract proposed to him.

Yes, the value of the goods that he was offering was indeed higher. A five-star manual in exchange for a four-star one...but, the five-year contract? That was what alarmed Han Yufei.

It said that he was going to join a mercenary group.

But what about it? Setting aside the fact that he first needed to gain permission from the elders of the clan, Cassia? What in the world was that?

He had never heard of such a group before. From the looks of it, they were either a hidden group or a new group that he had no clue about.

He also seemed to be of the belief that by joining him, he was going to see massive boosts in strength.

Was he really just telling him that an unknown clan can teach him better than his own clan?

Arrogant, Han Yufei thought.

The more Han Yufei thought over the matter the more apprehensive he became.

Lifting his head and staring at the figure opposite him, Han Yufei finally opened his mouth.

"I reject your offer."

There was firmness in his voice as he said those words.

was tempting, but Han Yufei saw too many things that were wrong

silence descended on the room as the two

to be noted that, Caeruleum, the figure who had proposed the deal to him, seemed

already

still look so confident despite the

strange sense of confidence revolving around

thinking, leaning back on his

you reject

Instead, he

yet, I still know nothing about you. Do you think I will accept the offer of someone

Caeruleum.

he called himself back at the

Just who was he?

much Han Yufei tried to find information about him, he had nothing on him. This

strong and so young, yet he, and almost everyone else, knew nothing about him? Something was definitely suspicious about him, and Han Yufei wasn't stupid enough

proposed signing the contract using a mana contract, but that was not nearly

How rude

of the problem, Caeruleum smiled and uncrossed his

Leaning forward, he apologized.

to wearing this by now that I

over his face, he slowly pulled away at his face. A subtle smacking sound resounded throughout the room as he

hair gently falling by the side of his shoulders, the features of a pale youth with jet black hair and deep blue

his hand forward, Caeruleum

you. My name

"Ren Dover."

***

"Shit."

as he stared at the hooded figures that had suddenly appeared from out

them completely, the

"Stay behind me."

side, he instinctively pushed Emma behind him as

anything and merely stared at the hooded

"Hmmm."

each and everyone one of the figures before her sight finally paused on a

ran down her spine as her eyes landed on the hooded figures. She felt this indescribable suffocating feeling coming from

she was able to

she pointed in

looks like

Kevin had already spotted

also locked onto the figure

"...You're right."

the side, Emma turned her attention back at the hooded figure in the distance, trying to peek through the shadow cast over his face, in

much she tried to peek, she was unable to identify the

'Bummer.'

thought as her shoulders

"...Who are you?"

to speak was

his hands, thin threads of dark mana revolved around his daggers, creating a rather imposing sight. However, his radiance

from the hooded figure, the mana threads revolving around Jin's daggers jumped up wildly and Jin's face paled

"khhh..."

spat on the ground.

in Kevin's direction, Jin darkly

strong. At