The centralized marketplace buzzed with activity, a constant flow of voices bartering, discussing trades, and planning their next ventures. Stalls lined the area, offering weapons, armor, herbs, and rare materials scavenged from the wilderness or looted from dungeons. The scent of freshly cooked meat and roasted grains wafted through the air as makeshift food vendors catered to exhausted adventurers looking for a moment of respite.

  But even among the lively chatter and business dealings, one topic dominated every conversation—

  The Leaderboard.

  Excitement and awe filled the air as the names of the top-ranked participants spread throughout the community like wildfire. Some spoke of them with admiration, others with jealousy, and a few with quiet determination, eager to climb the ranks themselves.

  Many dedicated themselves to relentless training, honing their skills, sharpening their blades, and testing the limits of their Force Alignments.

  They sought fame, glory, power, and recognition.

  For most, their old lives were nothing more than distant memories. Some had been students, workers, or ordinary citizens. Now, they were forced to survive—thrust into a world beyond comprehension, where monsters lurked in every shadow, and power dictated one’s place in the new hierarchy.

  Among the thousands of participants, only twenty stood at the pinnacle.

  The Top 20 experienced a mix of admiration, awe, envy, and hostility.

  Some were revered as heroes.

  Others were resented.

  Not everyone was willing to accept their place at the bottom.

  Global Leaderboard – Top Ranked Participants

  1. Jin Saito

  2. Kaito Ren

  3. Mira & Lillian

  4. Reinhardt Vale

  5. Valeria Eris

  6. Darius Kain

  7. Asha Quinn

  8. Orin Graves

  9. Cassius Ward

  10. Reina Falken

  11. Ryker Voss

  12. Elena Cross

  13. Damian Holt

  14. Lucien Graves

  15. Freya Solis

  16. Noah Vance

  17. Zane Mercer

  18. Ivy Renfield

  19. Garrick Vale

  20. Seraphine Rho

  Kaito Ren, happily selling off his spoils went to a familiar stall. The stall owner lazily yawning, leaning and resting opened one of her closed eyes, adjusted the frame of her galsses and greeted the leader of The Lone Fang

  “Hiya, same request as before or something new this time”

  The stall was cluttered with odd trinkets, rare materials, and peculiar equipment—most of which were ignored by the general crowd. Unlike the well-established merchants dealing in weapons, armor, and potions, this particular stall attracted little attention. The owner, a girl with an air of perpetual disinterest, barely acknowledged those who passed by.

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  Kaito Ren, leader of the Lone Fang, made his way to her stall with a purpose. Unlike the others, he knew exactly what he was looking for—a rare trinket she had found deep within the forest, an item that would be invaluable to him.

  A small, unassuming crystalline pendant, faintly humming with residual energy.

  Most dismissed it as a useless curiosity, but to Kaito, it was a boon to his Lunar Edge force— Allows silent, precise combat with energy blades

  This trinket, if his instincts were correct, would decrease to noise of his attacks, making them sharper, faster, and deadlier.

  However, obtaining it came with a bizarre request.

  "You want what?" Kaito asked, one brow raised.

  "Plain clothes," the stall owner replied without opening her eyes, reclining lazily in her chair. "Oversized sweatshirt. Oversized sweatpants. Preferably baggy and comfortable."

  Kaito blinked.

  She was adamant about her request, not budging even for one of the strongest participants in the Expanse. She refused to even disclose what creature had dropped the trinket, brushing off all inquiries with the same casual disinterest she seemed to have for everything around her.

  For most, such a trade seemed utterly absurd—exchanging a potentially rare and valuable artifact for something as mundane as clothing. Yet, Kaito got the feeling she wasn’t expecting the actual clothes but rather the materials necessary to craft them.

  She yawned, watching the bustling life of the settlement unfold before her with complete detachment, her unassuming demeanor making it difficult to believe she had any place in combat, let alone surviving in a world as brutal as this one.

  Kaito sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Nothing for you yet. Maybe if I were stronger, I’d be able to fight tougher creatures and get you better materials."

  She barely reacted, her voice drifting lazily. "Maybe."

  A small smirk played on Kaito’s lips as he turned, waving a casual hand over his shoulder. "Maybe next time."

  And just like that, he was gone, leaving the mysterious merchant to her quiet existence, waiting for the right exchange.

  Jin casually strolled back into the settlement, his pace relaxed, his expression unreadable. He carried no urgency, despite the way every pair of eyes seemed to latch onto him the moment he arrived.

  His return was almost routine at this point—dumping off materials and equipment he had collected from dungeon runs, some of which he had no use for, others that would fetch a decent price or be useful to crafters.

  As expected, people flocked to him.

  Admiration, curiosity, the hope of learning something from him—it all blended together in the bustling voices that greeted him. Questions flooded in.

  “Jin, how do you fight against a Venomfang Wolf alone?”

  “Any advice on dealing with dungeon traps?”

  “What’s the best way to handle force-imbued creatures?”

  “Can you take me into a dungeon run next time?”

  And Jin, as always, answered every single one of them—calmly, patiently, without a hint of arrogance. He didn’t hoard knowledge, didn’t act untouchable like many of the stronger participants did. His presence was magnetic, not just because of his strength, but because of his willingness to help others grow.

  Even the guild leaders respected him—not just for his overwhelming combat ability, but for his demeanor.

  Reinhardt Vale, the leader of Iron Fang, one of the strongest combat guilds in the settlement, approached with a familiar grin.

  “Hey, Jin. We’re still good for that Grade E dungeon run, right? We could really use your help.”

  Jin returned a small nod. “Of course. That’s fine, just let me replenish my supplies and rest for a bit.”

  Similar conversations followed—requests to assist in dungeon runs, hunt specific creatures, or offer insight on combat strategies.

  Despite his preference for solitude, Jin never refused those who genuinely sought his help.

  And that, more than anything else, made him undisputedly popular.

  Jin's sharp eyes scanned the surrounding stalls, his gaze flickering over various items, assessing their worth in an instant. Unlike most participants, who sought raw power, stronger weapons, or Force-enhanced armor, his focus was entirely elsewhere.

  He was searching for anything—equipment, materials, elixirs—anything that could reinforce the mind.

  Specifically, gear that boosted mental attributes.

  Items that enhanced focus, strengthened willpower, or warded off status effects. Cursed afflictions, mind interference, hallucinations—he sought defenses against them all.

  It was an unusual obsession.

  At this stage of the trials, no one had encountered true mental warfare yet. The participants were still in the early phases of their adventure, barely grasping the deeper mysteries of the Expanse. And yet, Jin moved with urgency, as if he knew something they didn’t.

  No one understood why the ranked number one player was so fixated on such items.

  But what people did know was that he had a fortune in Aether Stones and valuable loot from the dungeons he had conquered.

  Because of this, merchants and traders rushed to sell him anything that even remotely boosted mental stats, hoping to catch his eye and earn spirit stones—a new cultivation resource that was steadily rising in value.

  Some sought his favor, hoping that pleasing Jin Saito would earn them future benefits.

  Others did it out of respect—because Jin had helped many participants without ever asking for anything in return.

  Regardless of their reasons, they all contributed to his growing collection.

  And yet, despite accumulating all these items—it was never enough.

  Jin moved from stall to stall, purchasing with mechanical efficiency, yet his expression never changed. His movements never hesitated.

  His need for mental fortification wasn’t just preparation.

  It was desperation.

  And though no one knew what he was truly searching for—

  They were willing to help him find it.