Marlon was puzzled to learn that the mission would be a collaboration between their planet and another one known as the Vereenas, who hailed from the planet Vereen.

According to the explanation given by the two powerhouses, both planets were facing the same situation.

The Vereenas had experienced their first cataclysm fifty years before Arden. In other words, they were already nearing a century after their own cataclysm.

Their planet had managed to survive for that long, but they feared they would not be able to continue any longer. As a result, they had come to strike a deal with the humans.

They would join in the exploration mission, and once it was completed, both races would live together on the new planet, which, according to the two, was several times larger than Arden.

Marlon learned plenty of other things as well.

He also learned about the deal involving the Aurax and the lingering fear of the Planet Eater.

Axel Storm said he had important business to take care of, and after sharing all the information he intended to share with the two of them, he left.

Norian also departed soon after, claiming that he had to go see his son.

Only Marlon remained in the penthouse, quietly digesting all the information he had just received.

Everything he had learned was completely unexpected. Even though most of it aligned with what he had already suspected, he was still very surprised to learn that all of it was real.

"I need to take getting stronger even more seriously."

He swore silently to himself.

"Big brother Marlon, do you want to spar?"

As he was still lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly called out to him.

He turned around and saw Stormis standing there, wearing the cutest expression he could possibly muster. He had even dripped water into his eyes to fake tears.

It took a great deal of willpower for Marlon to resist letting out a chuckle.

He suppressed his amusement, steadied himself, and proceeded to reply.

"I am sorry, Stormis, but I have something very import—"

Sensing the rejection before it could fully come out, Stormis's expression instantly turned firm as he interrupted him.

"Spar with me, and I will give you some of my Prime-grade aether crystals."

Marlon stared at him in silence.

"Prime-grade aether crystals?"

This was genuinely the first time he had ever heard of such a thing. The highest grade of aether crystals available, even within the entire Hunter Association, was high-rank, and it still required considerable connections to obtain even one.

Because of that, his curiosity was completely sincere. He even suspected that the kid might be playing a joke on him.

Stormis nodded firmly.

As if sensing Marlon's doubt, he reached into his inventory and brought out an item.

It was a fist-sized crystal with a bright purple hue, one that seemed to absorb the morning sunlight itself.

Marlon's eyes furrowed. He had never seen anything like it before.

He gestured for Stormis to come closer and hand it over, and the boy did so without hesitation.

The moment Marlon held the purple crystal in his hand, its description appeared before his eyes.

[ Aether Crystal (Prime-Grade): Once absorbed, user's aether reserve increases by 5,000 units ]

"W-What?!"

Marlon stood up abruptly and exclaimed, his gaze still locked onto the text floating in front of his retina.

A staggering five-thousand-point increase in aether.

It was simply unbelievable.

A high-grade crystal only increased one's aether reserve by five hundred units, yet this one, something he had never even heard of before offered a tenfold increase.

Slowly, Marlon's initial shock faded.

With a stoic expression, he turned toward Stormis, whose face was already glowing with the satisfied smile of a merchant who had successfully charmed a customer.

"How many do you have?" Marlon asked shamelessly.

"Enough," Stormis replied calmly.

Marlon nodded. "Where and when do you want to spar?"

"Over there." Stormis pointed toward a normal-looking door built into the fence surrounding the house.

Marlon had noticed the door earlier, but he had not paid it much attention at the time.

He was about to ask Stormis about it, but the young boy was already grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the beautiful garden, straight toward the door.

When they arrived, Marlon heard Stormis muttering strange words under his breath before twisting the doorknob.

What happened next completely caught him off guard.

The door opened, but instead of revealing a room, a blinding beam of light burst forth. After a few seconds, the light subsided, and what appeared before him was an entirely new world.

His mouth opened slightly as Stormis dragged him inside.

Marlon continued to observe his surroundings in stunned silence.

The scenery was breathtaking, almost like a living painting.

Towering mountains rose in the distance, their peaks threatening to pierce the bright clouds above. The ground was covered in lush lawn grass, giving the entire place an ominously calm atmosphere.

The sounds of insects chirping and birds singing filled the air, while the gentle flow of water added a soothing rhythm to the environment.

"This is one of my pocket worlds," Stormis explained enthusiastically, continuing without pause.

"I come here to train and study."

Marlon finished taking in the scenery before slowly turning toward him.

"How many do you have?"

He asked the question while trying to suppress the shock on his face, though a small hint still slipped through.

That small reaction was enough to push Stormis into full narration mode.

According to him, there were three other pocket worlds.

One was called the Ugly Sand World, which he described as a vast desert filled with hideous worms. Judging by his tone and obvious disgust, he clearly hated that place.

Another was known as the Demon World. As the name suggested, it was inhabited by all kinds of demons. According to Stormis, certain regions were still restricted to him, and he hoped to reach the next rank soon so he could face the powerful demon residing there.

The last one was called the Ice Palace.

As Stormis spoke excitedly, Marlon gradually shifted into a mode where he simply nodded in response.

Only now did he fully understand why Stormis was as strong as he was.

"He could even be at a higher level than me if he decides to grind,"

Marlon muttered quietly to himself.

He could not help but imagine what kind of terrifying monster Stormis would become once he came of age and officially registered as a hunter.

"We should head over to the mountainside to spar."

Thrilled, Stormis grabbed Marlon's hand and immediately broke into a full sprint.

He moved so fast that if Marlon had been any weaker or even slightly slower, he would have died on the spot.

In less than thirty minutes, they arrived at the center of the towering mountains.

The area was neat and smooth, and the sound of flowing water was much louder now that they were closer to its source.

Stormis urged Marlon to prepare while he began putting on his battle gear.

The outfit was blue in color, and at its center, his name had been carefully sewn into it, clearly the handiwork of his mother.

Marlon did not bother changing or equipping any items.

This was merely a casual spar against a kid. It would be strange if he went all out and geared up.

"Are you ready?" Stormis asked as he settled into a combat stance.

Marlon nodded casually.

Stormis grinned.

Then, without the slightest hesitation, he blasted toward him.

Purple lightning crackled around his lower half as he closed the distance in an instant.

His upper body was divided among three different elements, a sight that was incredibly strange considering his age. Even the strongest Guardian had never achieved dual activation of different elemental skills at the same time, let alone three.

An upper-body armor forged from black earth formed a solid shield around his torso. However, the middle section was deliberately cut out, stylishly revealing the name "STORMIS" that his mother had sewn into his battle suit.

Thick blue flames wrapped tightly around his right hand. Simply looking at it, one could tell that its heat existed on an entirely different level.

On his left hand, ice rapidly formed into a flashy gauntlet, cold air spilling outward as it took shape.

Marlon's eyes shone with interest.

He had decided earlier to hold back, given Stormis's age and current level.

But after seeing the level of power Stormis was wielding, he realized that holding back any further would only earn him an embarrassing result.

"Let me see what you're made of."

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