Jansen's eyes flickered—looked like he'd run into someone worth paying attention to.
Albert Wagner. That name was practically common knowledge around here.
Not only was he the highest authority in this territory, but also a powerhouse whose name carried weight far and wide—rumor had it he was already a Level 54 Paladin, just one step away from his third class advancement.
Baxter made no attempt to hide their background, clearly intending to lean on the Wagner family's reputation. After all, in Jianghai City, no one in their right mind would casually cross the family that lived in the tower above them all.
Jansen was a little surprised, but that was all.
With Nyx at his side, his future potential was boundless—a local noble house, no matter how influential, might not be able to compare to the might of a true dragon bloodline.
Baxter released his grip and got straight to the point.
"I'll be frank. We're the Wagner family's escort. This trip was originally to accompany the family's young lady in training on the Rocky Plains, to prepare for the Grand Exam.
But just now, we discovered a Hidden Realm—a place of opportunity. The minimum entry requirement is eight people, and we happen to be one short.
And now you've shown up. Maybe this is the will of the gods."
"So, we're willing to pay you one hundred thousand gold coins to join our party—just to fill the numbers and help us unlock the Hidden Realm. Once inside, you don't need to fight. We'll handle all the danger, and even the materials we gather along the way will be yours."
By any normal standard, paired with the Wagner family's name, such an offer would make any lone material hunter accept on the spot—it was not only easy money, but also a rare chance to curry favor with a noble house.
Yet Jansen only shook his head.
"Gold and materials don't mean much to me." His tone was calm, but there was a faint edge in it. "What I'm interested in… is the final reward of the Hidden Realm."
That made Zelda, standing off to the side, let out a sharp, derisive snort. Forcing down her irritation, she snapped,
"Don't push your luck! We're already offering generous terms just to have you make up the numbers, and now you're trying to open your lion's mouth?"
Baxter raised a hand, stopping her. Now was not the time to provoke the man before them—if he walked away, they'd lose their only ticket into the realm.
The until-now silent Fiona finally spoke, her voice carrying both the authority of a young lady of high birth and a cautious undertone.
"The final prize of the Hidden Realm isn't something we can just hand over to you. However, you may set other reasonable conditions, and we'll do our best to meet them. Just remember—don't get greedy."
Jansen rubbed the bridge of his nose and smiled.
"You've misunderstood me. I'm not asking for a bigger share of the rewards. I just don't want to be a placeholder. I want to fight alongside you—clear the Hidden Realm together."
"Cooperate?" Fiona was momentarily taken aback.
"Yes," Jansen nodded. "According to the widely recognized rules, once a Hidden Realm is cleared, the order of picking rewards is based on a combined ranking of total damage dealt and total healing done. Since I'm going in, I'll be earning my share with my own strength."
Fiona instinctively glanced at Baxter. He looked equally surprised, but after meeting her eyes, he gave a subtle nod—agreement.
Indeed, under that rule, their side still held the overwhelming advantage.
Baxter's level topped the party, Fiona herself was a hidden class capable of both offense and healing, and their combined performance would inevitably rank near the top.
They also had high-output professions like a mage and an archer on their team. Even if Jansen was strong, it would be extremely difficult for him to break into the top three.
And the final rewards of a Hidden Realm were usually just three or four items—most of which would still fall into their hands.
Baxter felt certain of it, thinking to himself—this kid probably thinks that just because he can hunt magical beasts alone on the Rocky Plains, he can hold his own. But once we're inside, the rankings will tell the real story.
"Very well," Baxter said in a deep voice. "In that case, we'll do it your way—cooperation."
Fiona, however, added with a faintly kind expression,
"Besides, the hundred thousand gold coins we promised earlier still stand."
Jansen smiled slightly, thinking to himself—
Looks like this trip into the Hidden Realm will be well worth it.