On the outskirts of Longsand, a car sped along the road heading west.
Reyn sat in the vehicle, gazing at the fields along the way.
It was late November, the weather growing ever colder, and most fields had already been harvested. There were few pedestrians on the road. Only occasionally, as the car passed through small towns and villages, did it draw the attention of locals.
They were heading to the Liancel family's demonic soul farm.
A few days earlier, Viola had been very surprised upon hearing Viscount Perry's request. But for Reyn's sake, and to help him obtain information on the Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard, she agreed to meet the viscount and scheduled it for the very next day.
Reyn hadn't been involved and hadn't asked how it went.
Yet the very next day, Viscount Perry joyfully delivered the gold notes right to his door. Clearly, he had achieved his goal.
From that sum, ten thousand gold shields were for Reyn. The fee for Viola's services was four or five times more.
How much he had secretly passed to Chief Carol was anyone's guess.
From Viola's hints, Reyn surmised it was no less than a hundred thousand gold shields!
He couldn't help but marvel at Viscount Perry's generosity. Tens of thousands of gold shields in cash! In Longsand, aside from the Silver Star Duchess, the people who could shell out that kind of sum could be counted on one hand.
It was said that Viscount Perry's entire fortune amounted to only five or six hundred thousand gold shields. For the position of Tax Bureau Chief, he truly spared no expense.
Of course, if Viscount Perry succeeded and became Tax Bureau Chief, he would likely recoup the spending quickly.
None of this had much to do with Reyn. Right now, all his thoughts were occupied by that Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard. According to Viscount Perry's information, the leopard had escaped from his farm. Details would be explained upon arrival.
The creatures on a demonic soul farm posed great danger to ordinary people, so such farms were usually built far from cities.
The Liancel family farm was over 150 li west of Longsand.
The car traveled along a dirt road, passing several towns and villages, and finally reached its destination.
"Lord Reyn, we've arrived," the driver said respectfully, stopping the car before the gates of a vast ranch.
The ranch stretched to the horizon. It lay at the foot of the mountains, covering perhaps more than ten square kilometers. The terrain was flat, and the entire area was enclosed by a log palisade twice the height of a man, to keep outsiders out.
Reyn had excellent eyesight. He could see numerous horses grazing on the ranch, along with several species of herbivorous demonic beasts.
The walls on either side of the ranch gates were even taller, like fortress walls. Watchtowers rose upon them, manned by rifle-wielding guards—Archers.
The gates swung inward, and the car entered the grounds.
Beyond the gates lay a large open space. Here stood a modest manor house and several workers' dwellings. Nearby were several very conspicuous large buildings, resembling either factory workshops or enormous stables. From within came the occasional roar of beasts.
The car stopped before the manor door, where several people already waited.
Stepping out, Reyn immediately spotted a familiar face.
It was none other than Viscount Perry's son, Dris. He looked well; his wounds seemed nearly healed. Dressed in a swordsman's suit with an enchanted longsword at his belt, he stood straight, but his face was grim and his gaze sullen.
Especially upon seeing Reyn emerge from the car. Dris pursed his lips with obvious reluctance.
Reyn greeted him first:
"Dris, long time no see."
Whether it was their rivalry over Viola or the personal duel, Reyn had come out on top, so he felt no particular animosity toward his defeated foe.
"Hmph."
Dris snorted softly, brimming with reluctance. He recalled his father's warning: if he didn't properly receive Reyn and mend relations, he could forget returning to Longsand. He'd been sent to the farm nearly two months ago, spending the time healing in this backwater and nearly going mad from boredom.
After a few seconds of silence, Dris suppressed his rising indignation and forced a nod:
"Welcome to our family farm."
Reyn grinned carefree and glanced at the two people standing beside Dris.
Soul Eye revealed that the middle-aged man on the left was a high-rank sorcerer—seventh professional level, quite powerful. The other was a woman, her exact age hard to pinpoint, appearing around thirty-five. Sturdy build, short man's haircut, two massive spirit rifles tucked in her belt. Fifth-level Archer.
Dris, curbing his impatience, briefly introduced them.
The seventh-level sorcerer was named Hardin. He was the farm manager, with vast experience in breeding demonic souls and a top-class Soul Appraiser.
The female Archer was the farm guard captain, named Madlen.
Hardin and Madlen didn't hide their curiosity about Reyn. They'd both heard about him from Dris—of course, nothing good, as Dris constantly badmouthed him.
However, as Superhumans, they weren't about to believe Dris's one-sided tales.
Someone who defeated a fourth-level magic swordsman at first-level mage was no ordinary person.
The moment Reyn stepped out of the car, their eyes lit with interest.
Today, Reyn wore well-fitted light leather armor with a cotton lining for warmth, but it didn't make him bulky. A head taller than average, tall, lean, and strong, with a harmoniously built body. Add extraordinarily handsome features, expressive eyes, and a calm gaze—his entire presence radiated powerful confidence. Meeting him once, it was hard to forget; he left a deep impression.
At least, Dris couldn't compare outwardly.
Hardin noticed the magic sword at Reyn's belt, and the grayish-white belt itself was an enchanted item.
On the belt's other side hung a square leather pouch, faintly emanating magic.
"A mage indeed."
As a high-level spellcaster, Hardin was highly sensitive to magical fluctuations.
Madlen's gaze fell on Reyn's outer thigh, where a strangely shaped rifle rested in a holster—a model she'd never seen before. Curiosity piqued her greatly.
Reyn nodded to both, skipping pleasantries, and asked directly:
"Where did that Thunder Leopard escape from?"
"Please follow me," Hardin led the way.
The four left the manor, passed through a dividing wall, and entered an adjacent section of the ranch.
From here, most of the grounds were visible. Reyn scanned the surroundings: the ranch was divided into numerous sectors, each breeding different species.
He immediately spotted Basalt Rhinos—the primary spirit for Iron Guards, bearers of the "Stone Skin" element. There were Storm Horses with "Swift Run," suitable as secondary souls for many Superhumans. Other herbivorous demonic beast species grazed too—all those that could be free-range bred and grow elements in their souls.
Along the way, Reyn passed many ranch workers.
Most were ordinary Humans tending the demonic beasts. There were Superhumans too—mostly first- or second-level Iron Guards and Archers, over a dozen in total. All served as ranch guards.
The farm's overall strength was considerable.
"Called a farm, but it's really the Liancel family's private army," Reyn thought.
Soon they entered a massive enclosed structure the size of a stadium from his past life. Inside, it was divided into countless cages holding hundreds of demonic beasts.
These beasts were highly aggressive and couldn't be released freely—only kept confined.
Reyn walked the corridor, eyeing the creatures in cages on both sides: Nite Owls, Ice Wolves, Berserker Bears from Cordies Island, Long-armed Mandrills, Dire Wolves, Lava Flying Lizards, Shadow Demonic Spiders, Six-legged Crocodiles… Two or three dozen species in all. It felt like a zoo.
He noted not every creature had spawned an element in its soul.
Fewer than half did. Most hadn't reached maturity or were weak. Even when elements appeared, usually just one, rarely two.
Moreover, nearly all were common elements. Rares appeared one in a hundred.
Hardin explained the traits of various species en route. Dris set aside his thoughts and occasionally chimed in, easing the tension.
Reaching the farm's farthest section, they saw the leopards.
Hardin halted.
"Here are the leopards. We breed three types: Frost Leopards, Blade Leopards, and Swift Shadow Thunder Leopards."
"Demonic leopards are fairly rare predators. Once tamed, they're excellent mounts and ideal Ranger companions."
"So we rarely kill leopards for their demonic souls. Only if they have multiple elements and can fetch a higher price."
Reyn nodded slightly.
Clearly, his specimen had been killed precisely because it had three elements.
He peered into the iron cages. Each was spacious, fitted to one of the three leopard types: pond shore, forest, or high cliff.
Leopards typically lived solitary, pairing only briefly during mating season.
Sensing the scent of many strangers outside, the leopards in the entire section grew agitated. They paced restlessly in their cages, growling low at Reyn and his companions.
Of the three, Swift Shadow Thunder Leopards were the strongest.
Incredibly fast. When one dashed across its spacious cage, an ordinary person might not track it with the eye, seeing only a blur.
But Reyn's eyes saw it crystal clear.
The Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard was sizable: nearly four meters head to tail, shoulder height to an adult man's chest. Its blue-gray fur bore lightning-shaped stripes. Paws thick and powerful, with long claws. Upper fangs protruded sharply, curved downward like twin sabers, capable of easily ripping prey apart.
Lightning flashed in their eyes now and then. As they ran, crackling discharges sounded nearby, the air smelling of ozone.
"Indeed, a Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard! What speed!" Reyn marveled.
He scanned the cages. Every Thunder Leopard here had at least one element—"Agility." Often two: either "Swift Run" or "Lightning Reflexes." All agility-type.
Occasionally, one with lightning-system spells.
But no Lightning Affinity among them.
This disappointed Reyn slightly. Finding a Thunder Leopard with Lightning Affinity here would have spared him much trouble.
Hardin led them into one cage.
"Lord Reyn, that's where the Thunder Leopard escaped from."
The cage's rear mimicked a rock cave, originally barred by forearm-thick steel rods. Now, beneath one stone gaped a breach. Rods charred black, as if exposed to prolonged high heat, warped and bitten through.
Reyn touched a broken rod—melting marks evident.
"Did that Thunder Leopard do this?"
"Yes," Hardin replied. "Very clever. Daily, when no feeders or guards were near, it struck the bars with lightning, softening and deforming them. By day, it hid the spot with the stone. This went on at least two months before discovery, but it escaped."
Reyn checked the outer breach. There, the farm wall bore recent repair traces—clearly breached by that Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard.
Exiting the cage, they circled the wall outside.
Flat land stretched before them. Scores of meters away stood the farm fence, then mountains began three to four hundred meters farther.
Reyn eyed the mountain forest and steep slopes; his head ached again.
No need to say the Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard had fled into the mountains.
This was Gray Dragon Mountain, Longsand's largest local range. Not a true ridge—peaks only a few hundred meters high—but vast, over a thousand square kilometers per the map. No roads, no settlements—pure wilderness.
Rumors said gray dragons once dwelt here, hence the name.
On Ellunes, any forest or mountain hid peril.
Diverse predators, demonic beasts, and unknown horrors could easily kill an ordinary Human.
Even a Superhuman risked life venturing unprepared into woods.
Gray Dragon Mountain lay near Longsand, ruled by the Silver Star Duchess. Logically, no particularly horrific monsters lurked. Local Superhumans even mounted hunting trips for demonic souls.
But the area was too vast. Finding one leopard was like a needle in a haystack.
No guarantee the Thunder Leopard remained in the mountains either.
"That Thunder Leopard fled to Gray Dragon Mountain the year before last," Reyn said disappointedly. "Too much time passed; it could have gone elsewhere long ago."
"No, it's still here."
Madlen pointed afar.
"We saw it last month, on that rock."
Reyn looked at the rock and asked puzzled:
"Why hasn't it left?"
"Must be mating season," Hardin explained. "Swift Shadow Thunder Leopards aren't native to the Empire; imported from the New Continent. In the wild, partners are scarce, so during mating, they return to the farm hoping to breed."
"It's appeared several times these past two years," Dris added.
"Why haven't you caught it?" Reyn asked.
"We can't," Hardin shook his head helplessly. "It's reached the next growth stage. Incredibly fast, like true lightning. Mountains are its domain. Even a high-rank Shadow Warrior couldn't catch it, let alone our guards."
"We set traps several times, but it's cunning—never fell for them."
Hardin eyed Reyn.
"Lord Reyn, if you want its demonic soul, act fast. Lately, several Superhuman groups seem to have spotted its traces too. Likely someone else gets it first."
Reyn nodded, understanding.
A mid-rank demonic soul, high chance of Lightning Affinity, worth thousands of gold. Despite difficulties, Superhumans would hunt it relentlessly.
He pondered briefly. No pressing matters anyway; no news from Viola yet. Why not head to Gray Dragon Mountain and try his luck?
This Swift Shadow Thunder Leopard had speed and Lightning Affinity—perfect fit.
Reyn hesitated no more. Thanking them, he turned toward Gray Dragon Mountain.
All three froze momentarily. Dris stared at Reyn's back, gritted teeth, but called out:
"Reyn, Father ordered me to send help! Madlen will go with you; she knows Gray Dragon Mountain well. If you don't want to die, take her!"
"Thanks, no need."
Reyn waved without turning and climbed the fence.
He moved swiftly, entering the mountains and vanishing from sight minutes later.