"What would you like, esteemed guest?"
As John approached, a voluptuous woman sitting comfortably inside the room chuckled softly and asked with a playful tone.
John replied calmly, "I'd like a map of the Macedonian Kingdom. The more detailed, the better."
The woman nodded, quickly retrieving a rolled-up parchment from a cabinet behind her. Handing it to John, she added,
"This, esteemed guest, is currently the most detailed map of the Macedonian Kingdom available. The scale reaches one to one thousand. It will cost you one silver coin."
It was a bit pricey.
John pondered briefly but ultimately produced a silver coin and made the purchase. After all, this was an essential item for him right now.
Seeing John pay so decisively, the woman's smile grew even warmer, and she asked eagerly,
"Would you like anything else, esteemed guest?"
John thought for a moment and said, "Do you have any available tasks or missions at the moment?"
"We certainly do. There are currently nine tasks open!"
The woman glanced at John again. Though he appeared quite young, there was a commanding aura about him, prompting her to inquire seriously,
"May I ask what your class and rank are, esteemed guest? We need this information to match you with suitable tasks."
John nodded, "Swordman, Silver Rank."
Upon hearing this, the woman was visibly startled, her gaze locking onto him in surprise.
John was clearly still very young, yet he had already reached the level of Silver Rank Swordman.
Appearances could indeed be deceiving — this was undoubtedly a rare genius in the path of the sword.
Behind such talent, there must be a deep and powerful background.
After all, even with exceptional natural gifts, reaching Silver Rank at such a young age was impossible without an abundance of resources poured in.
This was someone who deserved serious attention.
The woman quickly flipped through a stack of mission files, then selected three suitable ones and laid them before John.
"You are not yet a member of the Bathing Club, correct? Completing any one of these missions will automatically upgrade you to member status. That will grant you greater privileges, including access to missions with higher rewards."
John nodded. Celia had already mentioned all of this to him before.
He then turned his full attention to the missions laid out in front of him.
The first task was simple:
A rogue who had been harassing young ladies near the town outskirts needed to be dealt with.
His strength was somewhere between Bronze Rank and Silver Rank, and he was classified as a Martial Artist.
The card included his portrait and key identifying features.
Most importantly, the bounty was a generous 150 silver coins.
John then looked at the second mission:
Assassinate the Lord of Whitespire.
Bounty: 200 silver coins!
The third mission involved eliminating a humanoid monster lurking outside the town.
Its exact level was unknown, but it had already slain and devoured many travelers.
It was extremely vicious and dangerous.
The reward was also 200 silver coins.
Both the assassination and monster-hunt missions included detailed sketches and background information.
After reviewing them, John asked thoughtfully,
"If I eliminate the Lord of Whitespire, won't there be any... consequences?"
The woman shook her head with a confident smile,
"For those who complete our tasks, the Bathing Club ensures complete confidentiality. No information will leak."
John nodded again, then asked,
"And that humanoid magical beast killing people outside the town — the local government isn't dealing with it?"
The woman laughed lightly,
"Of course they are.
In fact, it was the local officials who issued this bounty."
John: "..."
"So," she smiled teasingly, "which task do you plan to take on?"
Among these tasks, the first was undoubtedly the easiest.
The second — assassinating a noble — was the most dangerous.
And the third — facing a feral magical beast — was no easy feat either. Magical beasts were naturally far more brutal and powerful than ordinary human Awakeners.
Seeing John hesitate, the woman added,
"Of course, you don't have to decide right away.
You're allowed to attempt all three missions.
Completing even one will suffice to earn you membership and the corresponding reward."
John asked another practical question,
"Once I complete a mission, how do I prove it?"
"Simple," the woman replied, smiling sweetly.
"Bring back their heads."
John nodded without further questions and turned to leave.
At the moment, he still had a little over a thousand silver coins remaining — theoretically enough to get him to the Imperial Capital.
However, to devastate the invading army and protect Winterhold, he had burned through his savings at an alarming rate.
He had spent almost all his money overnight, purchasing large quantities of rare materials, manufacturing gunpowder, and secretly burying it around Winterhold.
Without that preparation, the grand explosion that shattered ten thousand troops would have been impossible.
Thus, while he had achieved a tremendous victory, the cost had been severe.
Now, he was practically penniless.
Leaving the Bathing Club, John headed straight for the city gates.
To him, none of the three missions seemed particularly difficult.
They would not only help replenish his funds but also serve as excellent training opportunities — after all, his experience traveling the continent was sorely lacking.
As he exited the town, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate.
In the bushes alongside the dirt road, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly flickered open — like twin candles burning in the night — locking onto the approaching John.
"Such rich blood and vitality...
What a delicious meal this will be!
Steamed, roasted, even raw — it will taste exquisite..."
The hidden figure blinked its eerily human-like eyes, licked its lips greedily, and swallowed a thread of drool trickling from its mouth.
Silently, it began to stalk John.
This creature resembled a human but was, in fact, a mutated giant ape.
Its fur was blood-red, standing upright like steel needles, and it exuded an aura of savage ferocity.
Time slipped by quickly.
After walking for several more hours, John found an abandoned shack near the roadside and decided to rest there for the night.
He was already very close to Whitespire.
If all went well, he would reach it early the next morning.
Shortly after John lit a small fire inside the decrepit house, another figure arrived.
It was a short-statured young man.
Upon entering, he glanced around, but finding the place seemingly empty, his face showed a hint of disappointment.
He turned, ready to leave—
—but then suddenly stopped, his body tensing with alertness.
Another creature was entering: the red-furred ape.
The beast's presence was overwhelming, like standing before a blazing furnace.
Even just its proximity brought a suffocating pressure.
The red-furred ape, spotting only the short youth and not the robust young man it had been stalking, frowned in disappointment.
Had its prey escaped?
Impossible!
It had locked onto the strong young man's aura before he entered this house.
He couldn't have simply vanished...
Suspicion flickered in its bestial mind.
Could this pitiful dwarf be the strong youth in disguise?
But after a moment's contemplation, the creature dismissed the idea.
This frail little wretch was no prize — it wasn't even worth eating.
Snorting disdainfully, the red-furred ape turned away, preparing to continue its search elsewhere.
After it left, the short youth also hesitated briefly, then departed from the shack.
Inside the abandoned house, John watched everything unfold with utter clarity.
He had never moved.
He was still here.
The reason neither the beast nor the youth had noticed him was simple:
John had activated a powerful, concept-level skill—
Forgotten Outsider.
Forgotten Outsider — a skill that drastically lowered his presence.
As long as he did not actively reveal himself, he would be perceived by others as nonexistent — a shadow without a trace.