Nova jumped back from the ground, shouting, "Everyone, be careful! It's a sneak attack!"
Beneath his feet, the snow-covered ground trembled. A massive horn burst through—but with Nova's quick reflexes, it missed him entirely.
The moment Eric heard his voice, he appeared beside the creature and struck it without hesitation, ignoring the horn's sharp edge.
Thick black smoke wrapped around his hands like gauntlets as he punched, shattering the horn effortlessly. With a swift motion, he grabbed the odd Wulpur and hurled it into the open.
He muttered coldly after finishing it, "Our luck's pretty good—to run into another mutant monster."
Without another word, he returned to his position, calmly waiting for the next opening.
'What the hell? Why did he help me?'
Nova's thoughts spun. So far, Eric had done nothing but target him for no clear reason. But with monsters still swarming, he pushed the thought aside and focused on the fight.
Thanks to their heightened awareness, the rest of the battle went smoothly. No other Wulpurs tried a sneak attack, something Nova watched for with laser focus.
As soon as the fight ended, Nova dashed toward the nearest corpse, eyes scanning eagerly for cores.
The Shark Team joined him in the hunt, though they didn't share his level of enthusiasm. Members of the Watson Aristocracy, on the other hand, remained aloof—watching from a distance like nobles observing peasants.
As they searched for a core, making it an indirect competition, Head suddenly yelled out, waving his arms. "Nova, look! I found a core!"
"Damn! You beat me to it. I thought I'd be first." Nova groaned, but quickly ran over to him.
He saw it—the head of the Wulpur that had ambushed him earlier. A brilliant core embedded in its skull blazed with blinding light, even in daylight.
"Whoa! Why is it so shiny in broad daylight?" Nova muttered, shielding his eyes.
"I've seen a lot of monster cores in my life," Head said softly, eyes wide with awe, "but this one's definitely unique."
"If it's worth a small fortune," Amelia chimed in with a hopeful smile, "maybe we can take a break for a few years."
Suddenly, Dave cut in, shattering their fantasies.
"Yeah, I hope so—but most folks in the outer city don't even know what this kind of core is worth."
He looked directly at them. "Also, don't assume it's yours just yet. You'll need the whole team's approval first."
That snapped Nova and the Shark Team back to reality.
'If it's really that valuable… there's no guarantee they'll let us keep it.'
Dave turned to his own squad. "Anyone interested in this mutant core? I know you've seen a few, but this might be your first real hunt. Anyone want it?"
Eric stepped forward for the group. "No. Let them have it. Looks like they've never seen one before. But if we run into another, that one's ours."
"Mm, I'm fine with that," Dave said, nodding. He looked to Nova and Head. "Are you two okay with this arrangement?"
Nova hesitated but eventually nodded. He needed money—this wasn't the time to complicate things.
Head, however, didn't respond right away. "I'm good with it... but I have one condition."
Dave grinned. "Oh? A condition? What a surprise. Let's hear it—just don't make it too ridiculous."
Head paused, then glanced toward Amelia before speaking. "Help us sell the core at market price—with no middleman fees or commissions."
Dave raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
Head nodded. "Yeah. That's all."
"Simple enough," Dave replied. "If you're okay with it, I'll buy it on behalf of the Watson Family. And don't worry—no scams. I'm trustworthy."
"No problem," Head said, handing him the core. Then he asked, "Sir, what's the going rate?"
Dave scratched his chin. "An elite-grade monster core usually goes for around 50,000 rubies. But this one's a mutant—and from the head, no less. I'd say maybe 100,000 to 150,000 rubies. Could be more, depending on the buyer."
"150,000 rubies—for a single core?!" Amelia blurted, eyes wide.
"Yeah, give or take." Dave nodded, unfazed by her shock. "Anyway, that's enough talk for now."
He clapped his hands, addressing everyone. "You guys did good today. Let's set up camp and call it a day. We'll have a dinner party tonight."
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