After entering the principle fragment tower, Kailen moved to the place he was the last time he arrived here.

"Good to see you again." He stared at the dormant space principle fragment. The last time, he had almost comprehended all the profundities in the space principle fragment. However, because his time was up, he had to leave.

Kailen closed his eyes and activated the Principle of Space. He made a connection to the principle fragment and continued to comprehend the profundities of the principle of space in it. Very soon, a week passed, and the principle fragment withered away.

Kailen moved towards another principle fragment and made a connection with it. He started comprehending the insights of the space principle in the fragment.

Very soon, a year passed.

The space principle fragment had weathered away.

Kailen felt his space principle was more powerful than before. Since his time was up, he decided to head out of the principle fragment tower before he was sanctioned and his name was taken out of the premium ranking list.

The moment Kailen stepped out of the principle fragment tower, he saw that the lounge and mini restaurant was quite rowdy with chatter. Kailen was about to leave when someone stepped out of the mini restaurant and lounge.

It was the white-haired fellow, Julian Seir.

"Mr. Darkhaven."

This was the first time he had addressed Kailen. Kailen turned to look at Julian. Many were expecting some sort of confrontation or showdown to occur between the two, or that Julian would try to prove a point—that he’s still stronger than Kailen Darkhaven—by initiating some sort of challenge to express that the premium rankings were not an indication of who was the strongest guild member and all that.

However, Julian did nothing of that sort. He smiled. Genuinely.

Kailen himself was a bit taken aback, though it didn’t show on his face. He had expected some sort of cliché statement or for the fellow to request a duel against him to prove some sort of point. However, the fellow actually smiled.

Of course, Kailen knew that some smiles were mere masks that carried evil intentions behind them.

However, Kailen deemed Julian’s smile a pragmatic one.

Kailen had been naturally trying to glean Julian’s intentions with emotional resonance by studying his facial expressions.

"It seems he is quite the open-minded person and does not like to waste time antagonizing someone he can be on good terms with," Kailen thought as he gleaned Julian’s thoughts.

Kailen didn’t see the need to be hostile. Since Julian was not an arrogant young master who was looking for trouble, there was no need to give him the cold shoulder.

"Mr. Seir," Kailen replied warmly.

"Congratulations on making it to the first rank on the premium rankings," Julian said as he approached Kailen and extended his hand for a handshake. "I look forward to working with you in the upcoming competition."

Kailen shook Julian’s hand too with a nod. "Thank you. Likewise."

"Mmm," Julian replied. "I need to grind. See you at the competition."

"Sure," Kailen replied as Julian nodded and headed towards the principle fragment tower.

Kailen left the guild. Since the Mayor’s district had not yet called him, he decided to visit the southern mountain range again.

As for those in the lobby, they were taken aback by the interaction between Julian and Kailen. They had expected some sort of cliché showdown between the two—the stuff of novels. However, it seems the two had a different worldview of each other.

"Such squabbles would be a waste of their time," those in the lobby thought.

Why would Kailen and Julian waste time on unnecessary squabbles when they can grow stronger and work together in the upcoming competitions for better benefits?

Although the inter-district, inter-city, and intercontinental competitions would not have any planned rewards for the winners, Kailen and Julian would have serious benefits if they miraculously managed to get to the national level and managed to get in the top ten.

Of course, even if they were not able to get into the national level of the competition, they would catch the eye of several powerhouses who would try to rope them into their factions and offer them better benefits than the Dawnseer Guild, if they managed to merely get to the intercontinental competitions and decided to accept the benefits of these factions.

Naturally, the guild would not have a problem with them joining other factions. The guild was not a prison to control transcendents, after all. As a matter of fact, if Kailen and Julian became famous, it would affect the Dawnseer Guild too and boost the reputation of the guild.

Several in the lounge thought along these lines. As for the first and second place at the national level of the NGU competition, they were 100 percent unsure Kailen Darkhaven and Julian could get in because geniuses were as numerous as clouds in the empire. Even with the two getting in the top ten, they were only hopeful, not very certain.

****

On the highest floor of the Dawnseer Guild, Guild Leader Dawnseer nodded with a smile. She had just observed the interaction between the two strongest juniors of the guild.

"As I expected. Julian and Kailen would get along very well. Both of them do not like to waste time on nonsense, after all. No wonder they stand out from others. But this Kailen... his principle comprehension speed is too abnormal. He has really caught up to Julian who is at the rank 2 novice stage transcendant level. Although Julian will most likely break into the Rank 3 novice-stage transcendent level before the competition—it’s understandable since he has been a Rank 2 novice-stage transcendent for a while—" She smiled.

"But Kailen, with his speed, will definitely become a Rank 3 novice-stage transcendent soon, even though he only recently became a Rank 2 novice-stage transcendent."

Dawnseer sighed. "This fellow, I have a feeling he will shake the empire soon."

****

Southern Mountain Range.

The moment Kailen arrived in the forest of the mountain range, he saw several Rank 2 novice-stage transcendents had just killed several chaotic beasts. They were about to approach the principle fragments hovering on the dead bodies of the chaotic beasts and comprehend the profundities in them.

However, one of them, a skinny tall male from the Witch race with dreadlocks and tanned skin, turned towards Kailen’s direction.

"Friend, these fragments are ours. I hope you don’t have any vile ideas," the fellow spoke with caution. "The numbers are on our side."

One of his colleagues, a female mermaid, slapped the back of his head. "Idiot. That is The Reaper. Kailen Darkhaven."

The fellow alongside several others widened their eyes. "The one who exposed the Grimwood District LEA head and the vimodials she was harboring?"

"Yeah, that’s him."

"So what if he’s the Reaper? Since he’s here for what is ours, are we just supposed to let him take it?" the fellow with dreadlocks sneered.

He didn’t give a fuck about Kailen Darkhaven. This was the mountain range. Since Kailen Darkhaven wanted to bully them, were they supposed to take it lying down because he was some sort of celebrity in the city now, when they had worked hard for their principle fragments?

Naturally, Kailen merely shook his head. He could not be bothered with these people. He had just suddenly appeared here and these people had misunderstood the whole situation, thinking he wanted their principle fragments? Any time he wasted on them could be used killing a Rank 2 novice-stage chaotic beast for principle fragments.

He simply melded with the void and disappeared. When Kailen left, the fellow sneered. "Heh. See, he left once we showed him we are not pushovers."

The others in the group sighed and shook their heads.

"I don’t think he wanted our principle fragments. He may have simply appeared here. Also, he has the principle of space; why would he need principle fragments of fire, ice, and water?" the female mermaid sighed.

Another in the group, a centaur, chimed in. "Think with your head before you act, Eric. Not everyone is worth offending. You could have gotten us into trouble. Kailen Darkhaven is not simple."

Eric stood there, realization dawning on him. He had just drawn unnecessary conclusions. Kailen Darkhaven simply could not be bothered with him and had left. He felt as if Kailen Darkhaven had treated him like a nuisance. However, he had himself to blame. He had been in the wrong.