White Wolf Geralt

Kraun's consciousness withdrew from the mysterious space. After utilizing the Time Hourglass's ability, he had grasped a few of the item's specific traits.

The timekeeping function was a passive ability that remained constantly active; as the hourglass's power grew, it would be able to track the passage of time with even greater precision.

The time-stop ability was more demanding, requiring the consumption of Time Sand to manifest. There were two ways to obtain Time Sand: one was through the natural accumulation that occurred as time passed, and the other was through conversion.

Absorbing the spirituality of living beings could convert into Time Sand. In Kraun's understanding, this was the collective essence of a creature's vitality and spirit. Without this spirituality, animals would become walking corpses, and plants would wither and die.

Another form of conversion involved absorbing negative emotions such as pain, fear, and despair. The best subjects for this type of extraction were primates, especially humans, as their complex emotions allowed them to generate intense negative states.

The essence of the Time Hourglass's power was that of an evil spirit. Kraun did not know what side effects might arise from actively seeking to increase his Time Sand, so he decided against pursuing it for now, choosing to wait until he had a better grasp of the mysterious world before deciding whether to actively harvest it.

The time-stop ability had not been fully tested either. For instance, he didn't know the extent of its coverage, or if stopping a bullet would consume the same amount of energy as preventing a silver coin from falling.

These things required slow verification. Now that the hidden danger within his body had been resolved, Kraun was no longer in such a rush to conduct these tests.

He prepared to shift his focus toward herbalism and the crafting of the two types of Daoist talismans.

Herbalism was his trade for survival; only by earning money could he accept the priest's guidance and become a warrior of the Crusader Order.

The advancement of the Golden Light Incantation had given him some methods to combat evil spirits, but his physical fitness had not improved much—only his recovery speed had become remarkably strong. He still needed a reliable way to deal with monsters.

Werewolves and vampires were not merely legends; they were real.

It was said that the larger the city, the more numerous these evil creatures became.

The day he killed the goat-headed monster, Nick's display of overwhelming power had completely overturned his impression of priests.

Wielding a heavy shield and flail while maintaining a high-octane combat state for an extended period had convinced Kraun that the priests truly possessed methods to combat evil.

With these thoughts settled, Kraun decided to return to his previous routine. During the day, he would continue his Golden Light Incantation visualization, keep an eye out for talisman-making materials while purchasing herbs, and practice his marksmanship when trading with the livestock farm. At night, he would grind his herbalism proficiency.

The production of ordinary potions provided very little proficiency now, but since he had not yet entered the circle of the transcendent, he lacked the channels to acquire raw materials for the Blood-Boiling Potion or the means to sell it. He had no choice but to rely on these common potions to make a living.

Over the next few days, he planned to increase his production of ordinary potions. In a few days, the Frostfall Month would arrive, and the Faruk Kingdom would enter a long, frigid winter.

He needed to stockpile enough goods before the traveling merchants arrived.

The first week of every month was when the merchants passed through Zack Town; they would stay for two to three days to buy and sell.

Pink Potion for stimulation, Bupleurum Potion for treating colds and fevers, and Bruise Ointment for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis.

These three items had a wide range of applications and high demand, so he intended to pitch them to the merchants.

The Frostfall Month had arrived. Although the sky had not yet turned completely dark, the wind outside the window already carried a bone-chilling cold.

Kraun formed the Moonlight Seal with both hands, bathing in the bright, silvery halo as he practiced his visualization.

In his conscious space, the silver liquid to the right of the crystal ball accumulated at an imperceptible rate, shining brilliantly alongside the golden liquid on the left.

When his spiritual sense indicated that it was six-forty-five, he slowly ended his practice.

Exhaling a breath, he picked up the prepared wooden box, tucked his pistol into the inner pocket of his old overcoat, and headed toward the Goat Inn on Tavern Street.

At noon that day, he had gone out to buy grain and meat and learned that the merchants had already arrived in Zack Town.

Inside his medicine chest were several samples of his potions, along with a stalk of Black-Tail Grass.

He intended to ask the merchants if they recognized the herbs used by the mysterious ones. If they did, it would imply they had connections to transcendent beings, which might allow him to secure a supply of materials for the Blood-Boiling Potion.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of the Goat Inn.

The inn was bustling with noise at night; the quarry workers, having labored all day, always loved to come here for a drink.

He pulled aside the goat-skin curtain hanging at the door, and the warm, lively atmosphere within washed over him.

"Abel, two more large mugs of dark beer!"

"Bring the food! Why is it so slow? Jason, are your cooks slacking off?"

Kraun sniffed the incoming aroma and felt a sudden, involuntary hunger; the energy consumed by visualizing the Golden Light Incantation was significantly higher than when he was at the zero-rank.

Once I finish my business, I'll have a feast here and see how the cook's skills compare to mine!

He swallowed his saliva at the thought and walked straight to the counter. "Old Jason, where are those merchants?"

Old Jason, a man in his forties with a sturdy but not fat build and a slightly balding head, was someone Kraun had dealt with many times when delivering goods; the two were quite familiar with each other.

"The Gisai caravan?"

Old Jason didn't turn his head, but pointed toward the small door at the back of the building. "They've booked the entire backyard."

"Got it. I'm going to talk business with them. Help me prepare two roasted lamb legs; I'll come back to eat when I'm done."

With that, Kraun stepped toward the back.

"Hey!" Old Jason called him back, leaning in to lower his voice. "Can you still supply the Pink Potion?"

"Of course. My potion-making skills are far better than the old man's. Even if you ate them like meals, I could keep up with the supply—plenty of stock!"

Kraun patted his chest. "I'll bring you some tomorrow. Have the money ready."

"Get lost, you brat!"

Jason touched his smooth scalp with a hint of embarrassment and spat.

The little brat is quite generous. When your old man was alive, he only bought a roasted lamb leg during the New Year. You'll eat yourself to death.

"Yalu, have the kitchen roast two more lamb legs, and add plenty of chili," he shouted to the waiter who was scurrying about.

Kraun wove through the crowded aisle and headed toward the back door.

Just as his hand was about to touch the doorknob, an arm reached out in front of him.

"Friend, I'd like to discuss a business proposition with you," the man sitting at the nearby table said as he stood up, his tone gentle.

The man had long white hair tied loosely behind his head, his face weathered by the elements and etched with determination.

His amber eyes were exceptionally bright, and a hideous scar stretched from his forehead down to beneath his left eye.

Everything about him suggested a past filled with perilous encounters.

"My name is Geralt, Geralt the White Wolf."