'A day was required to dismantle the Noble Trader Association completely. Afterwards, I rested for two days to recover from my injury. Subsequently, I apprehended those who had collaborated with the evil organisation. It was a day well spent. Following that, I waited for two more days before accepting Kalina's invitation to come to the Blue Gem City. To summarise everything, it hadn't even been a week since I first appeared as the white-robed man.'

'And yet, in this short time span, someone had already stolen my identity.' Alex thought. 

Contrary to Kalina's expectations, a smile blossomed on Alex's face. He found it surprisingly enjoyable that someone tried to steal his name and honour. 

"Ha… Ha…" Unknowingly Alex laughed.

Kalina, witnessing Alex's reaction, was unsure how to respond. Shouldn't he feel a tinge of anger or sadness that his identity was being appropriated by someone else? Why was he calmly laughing from the sidelines? She thought while trying to gauge his emotion. 

"The same primal chaos tribe as me?" Those were the first words he uttered upon hearing Kalina's account of the past events. "Wasn't it a secluded tribe that intentionally dispersed its members to observe the entire continent? A super tribe with strength comparable to the nine great tribes, despite having significantly fewer members."

"Yes, that man hails from the same tribe as you."

"Doesn't that imply that it's natural for him to possess the same skill set as mine? There's no mystery behind it then. I simply hope he can carry on the fight against evil," Alex calmly remarked.

However, Kalina refused to believe a single word from Alex. Based on her experiences, she had come to understand his modus operandi. Despite his outward appearance of calmness, composure, and easygoing nature, he was, in fact, the embodiment of chaos and rebellion. His actions often contradicted his words when he was doing something which involved his emotions.

Kalina was indeed correct in her assessment. When faced with life-changing decisions, Alex consistently approached them from a rational standpoint. He carefully evaluated the risks and benefits before taking action. However, although rare, his emotions occasionally influenced his choices. During such instances, as a coping mechanism, Alex would find a seemingly unconventional justification, something he could rationalise as beneficial in the long run, to appease his rational mind. This was the primary reason why his words sometimes contradicted his actions.

His rational mind was not inclined towards granting favours or saving others. It was rather detached, selfish and solely focused on protecting him from all potential harm and ensuring his well-being.

So, to change it. He needs a good enough justification to take action according to his emotions.

Initially, Alex's sole objective was to lead a tranquil, comfortable, and affluent life in solitude. However, everything changed when he sensed the looming threat of the evil organisation. This compelled him to make drastic decisions at every turn.

Unbeknownst to him, Alex gradually developed a sense of care for the people around him. He was no longer alone; he had individuals who relied on him for protection. This realisation drove him to seek strength and power, forsaking his pursuit of peace.

It was an emotional decision.

Likewise, to maintain a secure and uncomplicated lifestyle, he recognised the necessity of wealth and power. Thus, he found ways to gain wealth. The interdimensional farm was nothing but a tool for that.

So, Kalina was right in not believing his words. Alex was certainly capable of lying. However, beyond all the lies, she could see the person who was struggling to gain control over his life. She could empathise with him.

Just like Kalina, Alex was unknowingly putting forth his best effort. They were like-minded individuals with similar aspirations and goals.

"After some thought, do you have any additional information about the white-robed man?" Alex inquired.

Kalina had the urge to ask whether he was referring to the real or fake white-robed man. However, she suppressed her impulse and responded.

"His name is Karthi. Currently, he resides in the palace of the Divine Butterfly tribe. He will be participating in the Champion's tournament. That's all I know," Kalina replied.

"Well, I appreciate the information. If that's all, I would like to take my leave."

"Yes, you may," Kalina agreed, feeling a slight sense of regret. Despite being convinced that Alex was the true white-robed man, she longed for him to disclose it to her. She couldn't explain why she wished for that, but all she could do was hope.

However, Alex departed without even glancing back.

—------------

"A man has stolen my identity as the white-robed man. It's difficult to fathom that this individual is from the primal chaos tribe. They possess enough strength to rival any of the nine great tribes, yet he resorted to stealing my identity!"

"I had envisioned the white-robed man to be an enigmatic figure, someone nameless and mysterious, working tirelessly against evil. Not just another person from a well-known tribe."

"The purpose of the white-robed man's concealed identity was to instil strength in the common people, to assure them that someone was willing to protect them. Ultimately, it was meant to empower them to rise and fight for themselves."

"However, the man named Karthi, who claims to be the white-robed man, has completely disrupted my plan. Could he be seeking personal honour by assuming this role?"

After careful analysis, Alex realised that the theft of his identity was no longer a significant concern to him. When he initially devised the plan to hide and undermine the evil organization, he was weak and uncertain. However, now he had discovered a clearer path forward.

With his newfound ability to create a core per minute through meditation, Alex could significantly enhance his mana capacity. This would undoubtedly elevate his strength to unprecedented levels. He no longer required his meticulously thought-out plan; he was self-sufficient.

He could now operate independently, executing his intended actions without fear for his life.

Therefore, while Karthi served as a distraction, Alex sought to unleash chaos and destruction. 

"Karthi is attempting to exploit me, so I shall use him in return," Alex firmly decided.

With his resolve in place, he swiftly returned to Thira and retrieved his captives. Ensuring they were sedated and securely confined, he arranged for a flying beast to transport them, along with all the evidence of their involvement with the evil organisation, to the palace of the ice Phoenix tribe.

Having completed this task, Alex set his sights on the city of flowers, Pushpam. Situated in the expansive central plains of the continent, Pushpam was under the control of one of the nine great tribes, the divine butterfly tribe. Renowned for its picturesque beauty, with moderate temperatures and lush green plains, the city held a captivating allure.

It was in Pushpam that the imposter white-robed man, Karthi, the successor of the primal chaos tribe, currently resided.

Alex had two objectives in mind for visiting this city. Firstly, he aimed to track down the members of the evil organisation mentioned in the ledgers. Secondly, he hoped to gather any information related to Karthi.

Alex no longer needed to rely on a flying beast or any external means of transportation as he had done in the past. With his remarkable progress, he now possessed 460 cores within his body after meditating for just two hours a day. This newfound power allowed him to teleport a staggering 460 kilometres in a single leap.

Pushpam, located 1000 kilometres away, was well within his reach if he could replenish his mana and teleport continuously for a few hours. However, instead of taking the direct route, Alex deliberately chose to take his time while travelling to Pushpam. He allowed himself approximately two days to reach the city, during which he purchased a house and established a teleportation point within it.

By doing so, he made accessing the city much more convenient and efficient for his future travels.

Now, his primary objective was to locate the criminals who had taken refuge in the city, individuals who had collaborated with the evil organisation. Additionally, he needed to devise a plan to establish contact with Karthi.

As Alex ventured deeper into the city, he couldn't help but notice the stark contrast in architectural design compared to the northern regions. Instead of the typical use of stone and granite, the entire city of Pushpam was constructed predominantly from wood. Even the expansive city walls, stretching hundreds of meters in each direction, were skillfully crafted from sturdy wood.

Despite the seemingly weaker material, the wooden structures exuded a sense of strength and durability. They appeared capable of withstanding attacks even from formidable Tier 4 beasts.

Alex quickly walked towards the market. His shop, the spice garden was waiting for him to visit. The information he required can easily be gained from them. 

In less than half an hour, Alex efficiently gathered basic information about the city and its power structure from the spice garden. He discovered that some of the individuals listed in the ledger had been eliminated by Karthi. Surprisingly, this particular incident seemed to have attributed the title of the white-robed man to Karthi.