Grey woke early.

  He didn't tell Lyra, but he planned to move alone that morning.

  He left before sunrise.

  Emotional Insight active.

  Valmere felt different at dawn.

  Less noise.

  More clarity.

  He walked straight toward the adventurer's quarter.

  Argent Veil would recruit from strength.

  And strength gathered there.

  He entered a tavern known for mid-tier contracts.

  Appraisal flickered quietly across patrons.

  Level 7. Level 12. Level 15.

  Then—

  Level 19.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Man in dark green coat. Drinking alone.

  Emotion: Calculating.

  Grey sat two tables away.

  Ordered water.

  Activated Micro-Analysis.

  The man's gaze drifted toward the bounty board nailed inside the tavern wall.

  Interest spiked when two storm-affiliated travelers were mentioned in passing by another table.

  Grey stood casually and approached the board.

  Pretended to read it closely.

  The Level 19 man's emotional state sharpened.

  Hooked.

  Grey left the tavern slowly.

  Didn't rush.

  Didn't look back.

  Storm Sense flickered.

  Footsteps behind him.

  Measured.

  Following.

  Grey turned down a narrower street.

  Then another.

  Then stepped into an alley.

  He didn't hide.

  He waited.

  The Level 19 man stepped in seconds later.

  "You fit the description," the man said calmly.

  Grey tilted his head.

  "And you fit 'motivated by 30 gold.'"

  The man smirked.

  "Walk quietly."

  Grey activated Pulse Control.

  Lightning hummed faintly under his skin.

  "Or?"

  The man drew a curved blade.

  Level 19 was not Level 28.

  But still dangerous.

  Grey let the man move first.

  The blade slashed—

  Grey pivoted—

  Released a controlled pulse directly into the wet cobblestone.

  The current traveled under the man's boots.

  He spasmed violently.

  Grey stepped in and struck once across the temple.

  Clean.

  Precise.

  The man dropped.

  Not dead.

  Just unconscious.

  Grey crouched.

  Appraised again.

  Under affiliation:

  Argent Veil – Contract Associate.

  Good.

  He searched quickly.

  Inside the coat pocket—

  A silver communication shard.

  Grey smiled.

  "Thank you."

  He left the man there.

  Alive.

  Message sent.

  By noon, rumors would spread.

  Storm-affiliated target neutralizes bounty hunters.

  The hunt was no longer one-sided.