He could not see it, and for the first time since coming to this world, he was unable to read someone’s level. That alone was enough to make his guard rise completely, and his breathing slowed slightly as his focus sharpened even more.

The old man stopped a few steps away from him, and his eyes were calm yet deep, as if they could see through everything without any effort.

The crowd stayed silent behind him, and no one dared to interrupt. A faint tension hung in the air, and even the rustling of leaves seemed to quiet down.

Reigns did not speak, and his body remained still while his mind raced rapidly, trying to understand the situation in front of him. His fingers twitched slightly at his side, but his face stayed steady.

The old man looked up, observing Reigns carefully, and then spoke in a calm and steady tone, "Pardon this old man for disturbing your peace, young warrior."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "I am Hisen Ulf Silverware, the City Lord of this humble place. I came here after hearing about these things that you have grown." As he spoke, he slowly lifted his hand and pointed toward the Splash Shooters.

In the past four days, from those Splash Shooters, nine buds were produced, and they had already grown into nine more Splash Shooters. They stood in neat rows, swaying slightly in the wind, giving off a faint sense of life.

"I want to talk about it, but it seems we need a private space."

Reigns felt apprehensive about it, and his shoulders stiffened slightly. Hisen noticed his reaction and let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head lightly.

"That’s a good reaction from a youngster. I am taking you in front of everyone, so I am not an idiot to harm you."

He then added while folding his hands behind his back, "Also, don’t forget, the village is restricted by laws. We can fight but can’t kill."

’But that doesn’t mean you can’t torture!’ Reigns muttered inwardly, his eyes narrowing for a brief moment.

"Also, I have a good deal for you."

Reigns hesitated for a second, but then gave a short nod. "Okay."

....

Reigns was led inside the mansion. It was not grand or luxurious, but compared to other places, it was spacious, neat, and it carried a warm and gentle feeling, almost like a home.The wooden floors were clean, and the soft light from the windows made the place feel calm.

He was taken into a private chamber and was made to sit. A simple wooden table stood between them, and two chairs faced each other.

Hisen took his seat across from him and observed Reigns quietly for a moment, his gaze sharp but not hostile.

"I won’t beat around the bush. The creatures you grow have caught my attention. I am interested in the type of class you have awakened, but that would be rude."

He leaned slightly forward, resting his arm on the table.

"But that doesn’t mean I can’t ask for a trade."

"Trade?" Reigns’ grimaced.

"Yes, trade. Those plant monsters, I want to know about their features and, if possible, I want to buy them."

Reigns leaned back slightly in his chair and thought for a moment before speaking.

"I wonder what use you have for them. Do you want to use them for hunting and fighting? If you are thinking that, then it’s futile. You can take them, but they won’t share any experience with you."

As he spoke, his tone stayed calm, but his eyes remained fixed on Hisen.

Along with that, he shared a few pieces of information.

After awakening, he gained knowledge about a few aspects of his summoning, which he found out after farming and experimenting.

First, he could let others tame the summons. However, once they kill others, experience points would not be distributed to others.

To verify this, he gave one to Lira and another to Mira. They fought for a few days, and although the Splash Shooters leveled up, they did not gain any lifespan or experience.

And second, though the plants listened to their commands, Reigns could still control them. But he hid this detail and did not mention it.

After listening to all this, Hisen thought for a moment, gently tapping his finger on the table, and then spoke, "I got the gist of it."

"So do you understand now? Except for being guards, they are useless."

Hisen gave a small nod and replied without hesitation, "Then that is perfect. I need them for that very reason. I want them to guard the territory."

"Huh?" Reigns blinked his eyes in confusion, his brows knitting together.

"Why do you need to guard this region when it’s unattackable?"

Hearing this, Hisen showed a dubious smile, and his eyes carried a faint seriousness behind it.

"Being an otherworlder, you don’t know much, but listen to my advice. Always expect the unexpected. Even invincible Gods can be defeated, and laws that last for eons might be broken."

Reigns’ eyes narrowed as he leaned forward slightly. "You mean!"

Hisen raised his hand slightly, stopping him.

"Sorry kid, I can’t reveal so much. But what you might be thinking isn’t wrong. We didn’t come here because we wanted to, rather we were forced. Still, living is an opportunity, and we need to make the most of it."

He paused and then added in a calmer tone, "So always have a backup plan."

Reigns sucked in a cold breath and slowly nodded. His thoughts became heavier, but he did not speak further.

"Now about the trade. How much do you want?"

Reigns straightened his back and spoke resolutely, "2000 days tradable lifespan!"

He himself did not know the real value, and it was just a random number he threw out.

Hisen’s eyes turned a bit colder, and his expression tightened slightly.

"Kid, you are being too much. It’s just LV1!"

Reigns did not back down and replied firmly, "That’s what you are mistaking. It’s LV1, but it can level up. In fact, if I were not afraid of getting beaten and kicked out, I would have asked for 10000!"

Hisen paused and looked at Reigns silently for a few seconds. His gaze lingered as if measuring him. Then he slowly gave a small nod.

"Then it’s a good bargain."

"Good. Then how many do you want?" Reigns asked, his voice steady but alert.

"How many can you give?" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"It needs time to grow, and I need to keep some for defense," Reigns answered honestly.

Hisen nodded slightly. "Then give me 10 for now and tell me about the production rate."

"The production is random, but I can produce one a day until it hits the limit."

"That’s good. Then I will send my guard to fetch one every day."

With that, they sealed the trade, and Reigns received the advance payment.