Transcendent Dawn

Posey Port, Coastal Cafe.

Through the glass windows, a pristine white beach and the azure sea can be seen clearly, a sight to soothe the soul.

This is one of the reasons why the cafe is a thriving enterprise.

Su Lu was sitting in a corner, quietly drinking coffee.

After a while, he suddenly looked up to see a white man entering.

He was about forty years old, around six feet tall, with a square face and blue eyes. There was a unique calmness about him. He was as steady as a rock standing in the sea, unaffected by any storm.

‘Kira Gales!’

Su Lu muttered to himself, matching the face with the intel he had gathered.

Given that the man could potentially be a Transcendent of the second or even third level, Su Lu didn’t dare use his supernatural perception. He simply observed him as any ordinary person would.

‘This well-known explorer, adventurer, and mysticist possesses [Spiritual

Medium] abilities. If I were to try and probe him, I could be detected!’

‘He’s known to have ties with Catherine’s teacher. He might belong to the same organization. What should I expect if I show him the Ouroboros Badge? No… If he’s always on high alert, it may not work and might even backfire…’

‘So… Should I steal from him or capture him for questioning? Interrogate him, alive or dead? This should be the last resort!’

Su Lu was a bit perplexed. He couldn’t just walk up and ask to become his student, could he?

Besides, Kira Gales had just finished an exploration and was taking a short break in the city. Any visit requiring a significant time commitment was out of the question.

So, Su Lu casually ate his breakfast, deliberately delaying himself while he observed the man, who finally left.

‘According to the addendum from the detective’s previous info, this Kira guy is a creature of habit. He visits this cafe every day for breakfast, enjoys Posey Port’s specialty dishes at noon, and spends his time on leisurely walks and listening to legendary tales. Sometimes he even volunteers at the insane asylum. Overall, he seems very gentle and friendly…’

‘But who can say… It could all be a charade.’

Since Su Lu suspected that he had ties to a group that worships demons, he was skeptical about his character.

‘According to the information I gathered, Kira is supposed to stay here approximately a month. I have a bit of time then..’

‘So, I’ve got some time to improve myself!’

After he became a [Spiritual Medium], most of his time was spent with Rod,

But now, in this unfamiliar city with unfamiliar people around, he could let loose.

At the very least, he could collect a considerable amount of experience points, which never hurt.

‘Maybe I should also go to the black market to buy some guns for self-defense… alas, unfortunately, they can’t be taken on steam trains. Such a hassle!’

Su Lu left the money for his meal on the table, and also left the café.

As a port city, the streets of Posey Port are an eclectic mix of architectural styles, giving a modern feel.

Moreover, it is even more crowded than Nia City, with blonde-haired, blue-eyed Romans – mostly immigrants from the ‘Old Continent’.

Aside from them, the population also includes islanders, mostly with blue hair, who call themselves ‘Children of the Ocean’ , and Gaosuo natives of the New Continent.

The White Eagle Federation is a nation of immigrants, located on the ‘New Continent’ discovered during the Age of Exploration. It was founded after the first holy war, its leader—Stephen Slay—was honored as a ‘Founding Father’. His likeness is proudly represented on the nation’s silver currency.

Therefore, in this country, you can see all sorts of residents.

Among them, the Gaosuo people possess unique and strange abilities, believed to have been passed down through generations in this land.

Once, they posed a bit of trouble to the Federation’s expansion, of course, in the end, all fell under the hooves of the ‘Conqueror’ William.

By now, Su Lu had realized that what the Gaosuo people possessed wasn’t some power transmitted through this land, but a unique or peculiar professional system.

After wandering around, he found Posey Port to be quite interesting. There were many novel items to purchase, as well as specialty items from all over the world.

Additionally, given its status as a port, the city had a thriving gambling scene and was abundant in special service industries. Also, there were bars everywhere – a favorite spot for sailors wishing to unwind.

Su Lu strolled around and chose a serene alley to investigate further.

In any city, there are always those who operate beneath the surface, privy to information others aren’t. They also control some valuable resources. Su Lu decided to engage in some transactions with them.

As for safety concerns, he wasn’t worried. Even without his supernatural abilities, his fighting skills alone would keep him safe.

He casually entered a bar named ‘Melancholic Blues’ and placed a beer order.

The clamor of music mixed with the seductive dances of women occasionally punctuated by crude comments from the patrons filled the air.

‘I can’t help but wonder… Do all of the city’s dredges come here?’

Su Lu shook his head. Just as he put down a silver eagle coin in an attempt to loosen the bartender’s tongues, he heard a loud crash.

Bang!

The noise was of an empty beer bottle smashed to pieces.

“Grab her!”

“Don’t let her get away!”

A bunch of burly men appeared to be in a bit of a frenzy. They rudely pushed past the crowd, chasing after a small figure who was making a run for it.

Their actions inevitably caused more chaos in the bar. Many customers even cursed their lineage.

Fights broke out everywhere. Not only was there was no sign of the commotion dying down, it seemed to be escalating.

Su Lu sighed as he saw the barkeeper grab a gun, realizing this was not the place for a business talk. He prepared to leave quietly.

“Huh? What’s that?”

Suddenly, his intuition piqued, and he realized the target being chased had skillfully used the chaos as cover to escape through the bar’s back door.

And oddly enough, it was someone he recognized.

“Oh well! It’s your lucky day running into me!”

With that, he followed them.

In the alley behind the bar, filled with trash and a foul smell:

Journalist Dora was panting heavily, nervously looking at the camera in her hand: “Finally lost them… If they had caught me, I’d have got a beating for sure, and the camera would definitely be gone. Even if I had to sell myself, I couldn’t afford to repay the newspaper for it!”

“Indeed, cameras are expensive!”

Su Lu nodded agreement.

Dora jumped in surprise, staring apprehensively at Su Lu: “You… You are Su

Lu? What are you doing here?”

“That’s my question!*” Su Lu retorted, pointing at the back door of the bar now flung open, and the burly men giving chase: “Either way… We should talk later!”