It was not just Monroe Bigwing who was searching for Bitter Rain.
Mega corporations like Awakeners’ Paradise and rising powers like Green Soul Corporation were all searching for him. To them, Bitter Rain was more than just a talented awakener.
He was a catalyst.
A catalyst capable of pushing their organizations to the next level.
Without anyone realizing it, countless spies had already begun moving through the shadows. Some followed rumors, others tracked arena records, while information brokers across the city experienced a sudden surge in customers desperately trying to uncover anything related to Bitter Rain.
Everyone wanted to know who he was.
Everyone wanted to find him first.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of Green Soul Corporation, Veronica Green Soul stood in front of a large whiteboard.
She wore a sports bra and tight-fitting leggings, her long hair tied loosely behind her head. Despite the casual attire, her expression was unusually serious as her eyes moved across the countless pieces of information covering the board.
Every clue she had managed to gather about Bitter Rain was displayed there.
Their first encounter in the unranked matches.
His strange fighting style.
His rapid rise in popularity.
And, most recently, the claims that Bitter Rain was nothing more than an overhyped awakener who had simply benefited from favorable circumstances.
Veronica had analyzed every piece of information countless times.
Yet no matter how carefully she examined the clues, she could not find anything that would help her locate the person she was searching for.
It was almost laughable.
If she knew that the person she was trying so desperately to find was currently staying inside one of Green Soul Corporation’s own establishments, she probably would not know whether to laugh or cry.
After staring at the board for another few seconds, Veronica finally turned her attention elsewhere.
She picked up her hunter license from the table and glanced at the message she had sent several hours ago.
Still no response.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
She had already offered him considerable benefits. Resources, protection, status, and opportunities that countless hunters would fight to obtain.
Yet Bitter Rain had not even bothered to reply.
For some reason, the thought suddenly made her want to enter another arena battle.
Perhaps she would encounter him again.
Just like the first time.
A faint smile appeared on Veronica’s face.
She had absolute confidence in her own abilities. If she encountered Bitter Rain again, she would definitely convince him to join Green Soul Corporation.
With that thought in mind, she entered an unranked match.
The familiar darkness enveloped her vision.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the dark expanse vanished.
A frozen tundra appeared before her.
Snow stretched endlessly across the battlefield, while frigid winds swept across the white landscape.
Veronica’s eyes widened.
Standing several dozen meters away was a figure who looked strangely familiar.
That familiar black cloak.
That familiar presence.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Eh! Bitter Rain?"
She had actually encountered him!
Joy surged through Veronica so suddenly that she almost jumped on the spot.
This was fate!
She hurriedly raised both hands and waved toward him, signaling for him to stop.
"Wait, don’t attack—"
Her words had barely left her mouth.
Darkness swallowed her vision.
The next instant, Veronica Green Soul was staring blankly into empty air in the real world.
She remained frozen for several seconds.
She had been killed.
Again.
And this time, she had not even managed to exchange a single blow.
Veronica’s expression slowly changed.
Since when had anyone treated her like this?
Born with exceptional looks and a diamond spoon in her mouth, Veronica had been the center of attention wherever she went.
The heirs of mega corporations would wait for hours just for the chance to catch a glimpse of her.
Talented awakeners whose gifts appeared only once in a decade would eagerly agree to almost anything she proposed.
She had never needed to chase anyone.
People came to her.
Yet Bitter Rain was different.
He did not care about her appearance.
He did not care about her wealth.
He did not even care enough to listen to her.
For the first time in her life, Veronica found herself completely at a loss.
She had absolutely no experience dealing with someone like this.
Still, she could not give up.
If anything, her determination only grew stronger.
She had a feeling that Bitter Rain was the catalyst capable of propelling Green Soul Corporation to an entirely new height.
Whatever it took...
She had to get her hands on this individual.
...
Completely unaware of Veronica Green Soul’s thoughts, Jackson returned to reality.
After logging out of the arena, his previously decent mood had been thoroughly ruined.
It would be a lie to say he was not annoyed by the countless people constantly trying to contact him through private messages.
But those messages were not what bothered him the most.
What truly irritated him was that, with every passing day, those offers were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Just before entering the match, he had noticed a message from one of the major corporations.
The offer was absurd.
Twenty million mana stones as a signing bonus.
Twenty million.
Jackson could barely comprehend a number that large.
With twenty million mana stones, he could buy a house and still have nineteen million left over.
He could live comfortably for the rest of his life without working another day.
If this had been his previous world, Jackson probably would have accepted without a second thought.
Unfortunately, this world was not normal.
It was a world where strength determined everything and the laws of the jungle still ruled beneath the civilized surface.
Money alone could not guarantee his family’s safety.
All it took was one arrogant individual drunk on their own power.
One person who decided to cause trouble simply because they could.
And the peaceful life he had worked so hard to build could disappear overnight.
"No matter what, I will never allow such a thing to happen..."
Jackson muttered quietly.
His expression gradually hardened as his resolve settled deeper into his heart.
Money was important.
But strength was more important.
Only by possessing enough strength to protect himself and his family could he truly guarantee their future.
Lost in his thoughts, Jackson failed to notice how quickly time had passed.
Before he realized it, dinner had already arrived.
"Oii! Jackson, come out. It’s time for dinner!"
Mother Rose’s warm voice came from outside.
Hearing that familiar voice, a smile naturally appeared on Jackson’s face.
He pushed his worries aside for the moment and headed downstairs.
The atmosphere in the dining area was warm and familiar.
Jackson picked up his fork and took another bite of the nutrient-enhanced omelet.
But after chewing for a moment, he glanced toward the person sitting directly opposite him.
His smile gradually faded.
"Little Aella, are you okay?"
Aella looked pale.
Not simply tired, but unnaturally pale, as though someone had drained the vitality from her small body.
Jackson’s brows immediately knitted together.
Usually, Aella would spend dinner revising her notes or chattering endlessly about whatever useless thought happened to cross her mind.
But for the past few days, the little girl had barely spoken.
She looked exhausted.
Even sitting at the dinner table seemed to require considerable effort.
When Aella did not respond to his question, Jackson turned toward Mother Rose.
His questioning gaze immediately caught her attention.
Mother Rose’s expression darkened.
She had known this question would eventually come.
She had simply hoped Jackson would not notice.
She did not want to burden him with another expense.
But seeing the seriousness in her son’s eyes, she knew there was no point hiding it anymore.
"What happened?" Jackson asked.
Mother Rose hesitated.
Under Jackson’s firm insistence, she finally let out a suppressed sigh.
"A few days ago, little Aella started practicing the body-strengthening technique under the dojo’s guidance."
She paused before continuing.
"The exercise is quite demanding, especially when it comes to nutrition..."
The moment Jackson heard that, everything clicked into place.
Aella was training too hard.
Her body was consuming more energy and nutrients than before, but she was not receiving enough nutrition to properly recover.
That was why she had become so weak.
Jackson’s expression turned solemn.
He looked at Mother Rose calmly.
"Mother, you could have told me this earlier. I would have bought a basic nutritional liquid solution for her."
"We just didn’t want to burden you further..."
Before Mother Rose could finish, Jackson raised his hand.
"Not another word."
His voice was not loud.
Yet there was an unmistakable firmness behind it.
"No matter what, my family’s basic necessities could never become a burden for me."
Mother Rose fell silent.
There were countless things she had wanted to say.
She wanted to tell him that they could endure a little longer.
That he did not need to spend money on them.
That he was already working hard enough.
But when she heard the conviction in his voice, all those words disappeared.
She could only stare at her son.
Those black, obsidian-like eyes were no longer the eyes of the child she remembered.
They were calm.
Steady.
Filled with a quiet confidence that Mother Rose had never seen in him before.
For a moment, she simply looked at him.
Then she realized something.
Her son had grown up.
He was no longer the infant who needed her protection.
No longer the child who occasionally needed her support.
He had become someone who could now stand on his own feet.
Someone who could provide for the family.
Someone who had quietly taken responsibility for the people he loved.
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