Chapter 207: Chapter 207 Outing.

Several days had passed since the announcement that the traveling club had spread to all of its members, and Soma welcomed a new morning with his routine, currently donning his casual attire. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Soma stands in front of the mirror in the closet, where he is preparing to go out to prepare for his necessities, searching for something valuable in the market. He has some business in the awakeners' palace.

He is wearing a long-sleeved black T-shirt with a V-neck and dark blue jeans that are a bit loose. Underneath his, he wears a pair of white sneakers, making his final check.

"Good to go!".

The door clicked softly shut behind him. Soma paused for a moment, storing the key inside his relic. The hallway was quiet. Many students chose to spend their holiday reading or deepening their knowledge for the lesson from the school or even reading some fiction to ease their boredom.

As he walked down the corridor, the sound of his footsteps echoed lightly, a steady rhythm that matched the calmness of his thoughts. Soma passed by other closed doors, each concealing its own world, until he reached the entrance building.

"Good morning!".

"Good morning, sir".

As usual, he was being greeted by the supervisor of the male dormitory. Then, he lightly stepped his foot outside while the warm and blinding light from the sun greeted him to start his day.

Soma took out his phone and saw the list he had already written of his schedule for the day.

"Okay, first thing is I need some money".

***

The first place Soma wants to visit is the Awakeners building, where he needs some money for his expenses to bring his necessities for traveling. Currently, he doesn't have that much money, as he spent it at the auction that day. Well, actually, he did have money when he found it inside the second trial Gate, but Soma decided it was three people's money.

So, he decided that for his own necessities, he wanted to sell the mana core in his possession to get some gold.

On the not-too-crowded street, where the air was pretty much humid, the glare from the sun that stung his skin made his pores open up. Soma thought that this kind of heat was still bearable and the temperature was not too scorching as he knew from his previous world.

Even though the weather had almost entered its mid-summer, the air was only slightly hot. It was because there is no such thing as global warming on this alternate earth. Because of the monster's appearance, it brings not only disaster but also prosperity.

Every fuel or energy, whether it is electricity, fire, oil, or whatever, was replaced by the new energy that contained inside the monster, which is Mana core. One of the Mana Core advantages is that there is no carbon dioxide emission that spreads throughout the atmosphere, making the layer of gas that protects the planet from UV thinning.

Instead, the emission from the Mana Core is mana, which enriches the atmosphere with its properties. Because of that, the temperature was not too hot, even in summer.

"Finally, arrived".

In front of Soma stood a towering building of the central city of Ark, its reinforced glass glittering in blinding light, reflecting the rays from the sun that hung above the sky. The building's sleek, modern design mixed with the historic architecture of neighboring structures, creating a dynamic skyline that spoke to the city's evolution.

"It is indeed an amazing building, but…".

Soma, who saw its entrance that opened like a huge maw, welcomed every other person and squinted his eyes because of the deserted place. It is to be expected, though, because in the past century since the Ark was built. No incidents involved the birth of the dungeon nor the appearance of the gate. So, the Awakeners building acted like a bank, a place to exchange currency for gold.

That is also one of the factors for the lack of security on the land. However, that will be fixed soon as the story progresses.

Gradually, Soma ascended the stairs that lay before him and entered the building. The lobby was a blend of luxury and efficiency, with marble floors, high ceilings, and professionals moving with purpose. There is also a rectangle receptionist with four desks in the middle of the room.

"Um, excuse me?".

"Yes, How can I help you, sir?".

One of the female receptionists welcomed Soma's appearance with her soft tone and trained expression on her face like some programmed robot.

"I plan to sell some of Mana core in my possession. Is it possible?".

The female receptionist paused her dialogue before she gestured to Soma.

"May I see your Awakaneres License, please".

"Okay, here".

As soon as the female saw the platinum card Soma was holding. Her eyes widened briefly, then she switched her mind into working mode and raised her right hand to point at another counter on the right side of the lobby.

"For sales, you could go over there and let the professional appraise your items".

"Okay, thank you".

"You're welcome".

Soma approached the counter upon which the female receptionist had mentioned.

"Welcome, How can I help you?".

"Ah, yes, I heard from the front that this place is the place to sell Mana core".

"Yes, that is indeed true. May I see your ID Card or Awakaner license, please?".

"Here it is".

Soma handed his Platinum card to the female receptionist, who seemed surprised but soon shifted her demeanor and dealt with Soma calmly.

"Certainly, you are recognized as certified Awakeners. So, what kind of mana core will you sell?".

***

"Thank you for believing in our service".

After finishing the deal, Soma parted ways with the female receptionist and went outside the building. The current gold he possessed in his hands reached more than a million gold, for he sold all the mana core in his reservoir plus the mana core from the Rank-A monster he fought inside the trial gate.

The appraiser was shocked to see all of his Mana cores contained a high purity of concentrated Mana inside, which made the price slightly higher.

Soma took out his phone and searched for the second place he would visit for the day, the Market, where he searched for something he needed to improve his skills.

After walking for about thirty minutes, Soma finally arrived at the market. The market buzzed with life, a lively place filled with sounds, colors, and aromas. On each side of the street, the stall owners shouted their wares, their voices rising above the hum of the crowd, attracting the customer who was a passerby.

The scent of freshly baked bread, sizzling meats, and exotic spices mingled in the air, creating an irresistible blend of aromas that teased the senses. Soma, who still hadn't had anything to fill his stomach since morning, almost got swept up by the atmosphere. But, he shook his head and shifted his mind, for Soma must finish what he needs first.

Soma scanned his surroundings and finally found a tall shop building with its wall displayed in red bricks mixed with white lining, which creates a good contrast. He ascended the stairs and pushed away the door with a chime of a bell that alarmed the person inside.

The interior of the building was pretty narrow because of the shelves lined up on each side, which were made from reinforced glass and enhanced with spells, preventing it from thievery. Inside those transparent shelves, there are many scrolls and a book or grimoire to be precisely and neatly organized.

On the innermost part of the room, a dark wooden desk stood with a single female wearing a black robe covering her body, standing up upon seeing Soma's entrance.

"Welcome, customer. How can I help you?".

Soma, who answered her with a slight smile, approached the desk and said.

"Is there any skill that is related to detection?".