CHAPTER 243: REUNION

After reaching level 10, Logan didn’t dare remain in Whitebridge Town. Most people usually preferred to stay back and level up some more before heading for the capital.

He wanted to do the same, but couldn’t because of the Holy Church. He’d had a few scuffles with the knights and had nearly killed a couple of them.

The first thing he did was take an escort mission heading directly to the capital.

Though the offered amount of Valerian Dollars was very little—roughly 1,000—he didn’t care much. All he wanted was to get out of this shithole and go meet Sir Broken.

The merchant caravan truck sped through the wilderness. Occasionally, it came to a stop, and he would step down to take care of any nuisance before they proceeded again.

Some hours later, he finally saw the towering alloy walls of the capital, heavily guarded by archers, gunslingers, warriors, and mages.

After a quick questioning and ID check, the truck was allowed into the royal capital—Stellar City.

Logan’s mouth hung slightly open at the sight. What greeted him were towering buildings and neon billboards where famous and powerful adventurers advertised new magical treasures or recruited people to join their guilds.

The streets were crowded with both NPCs and players.

"Here we are," announced the driver as they arrived at the city square.

"And here’s your promised reward," the man said, handing 950 Valerian Dollars to Logan.

A frown crossed his face, and he couldn’t help but speak up. "I think you made a mistake."

The driver ignored him completely, whistling as he walked away, leaving Logan standing there, shooting daggers at his back. If looks could kill, the short, bald-headed man would’ve been smitten a dozen times over.

"This bastard didn’t even keep to his word... Even for such a little reward, he still had the guts to take out 50 dollars."

’Greedy bastard!’ He breathed in and out, visibly calming his nerves. Although it was just fifty, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He shifted his gaze to the rest of the city.

"This place is as big as NYC back on Earth." His lips pressed into a thin line. "He never told me where we’d meet and only said to come to the capital. How do I start looking for him now?"

Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps behind him.

’Huh?’ He turned around hastily, and a wide smile slowly spread across his face.

Right there, walking with calm, measured steps, was a tall figure wearing a cheap white mask with strands of red hair sticking out.

His movements were steady, and players and NPCs alike stumbled out of his path as if afraid to bump into him.

Logan felt his breath hitch, his chest tightening. Though the temperature in Stellar City was cold, sweat was visible on his forehead.

’It’s him... it’s really Broken Heaven,’ he thought inwardly, a mix of trepidation, anxiety, and excitement rushing through him.

Noticing how his body was trembling, one of the nearby players gave him a weird look.

"Haha, must be a newbie!"

"Bet he didn’t think the capital would look this beautiful and modern."

"Oi, close your mouth unless you want a fly to go in."

Finally, Gabriel stopped before him, and Logan swallowed noisily.

"Si–sir Br—"

"It’s best you don’t call my name here," Gabriel said calmly, his eyes sweeping around the crowded street filled with players.

"Right, my bad." Logan scratched his head nervously and gave the passersby a quick side glance.

The greedy part of him didn’t want any of them to realize that the legendary Sir Broken—the one with an unlimited stash of treasures—was standing right there, or they’d swarm him like a tide.

"I’m impressed by your growth," Gabriel commented. "You reached level 10 far quicker than I expected."

"T-thank you, sir," Logan replied with a slightly awkward smile. Then it struck him—if Sir Broken didn’t expect him to reach level 10 so soon, why was he waiting here? How did he even know his whereabouts?

"I see you have a lot of questions." Gabriel chuckled slightly, easily reading the boy’s thoughts. "For your first question—it was purely instinct."

’How sharp must one’s instincts be to make such an accurate guess?’ Logan wondered in amazement.

Of course, that was complete nonsense. Gabriel had been following the ranking board for a while, and with that information, he was able to put two and two together to predict when Logan would arrive in the capital.

"And as for how I found you," he continued, "this is the stop point for all trucks coming from Whitebridge."

"Right, that makes a lot of sense." Logan nodded, a gleam of realization shining in his eyes.

"Follow me," Gabriel said, then began to walk away.

Logan quickly followed, still dazed that he was walking behind Sir Broken. For some reason, a swell of pride filled his chest, and his anxiety began to fade away.

As they walked through the crowded streets, he could barely keep his eyes still. Every corner of the city was alive—vendors selling potions, players bargaining for weapons, mages showing off flashy skills, and guild recruiters yelling at the top of their lungs.

"Join the Crimson Star Guild! Free weapons for the first ten members!"

"White Flame Guild recruiting healers! Level 15 and above!"

Logan’s eyes sparkled. Everything felt unreal. Compared to Whitebridge, this was another world entirely.

Meanwhile, Gabriel moved calmly through the chaos. His pace was steady, his posture relaxed, yet his presence alone drew attention. Even without revealing his face, there was something about him that radiated power and authority.

’He’s walking like he owns the place,’ Logan thought, trying not to look like an overexcited fanboy.

Gabriel suddenly stopped before a tall building with multiple floors. A signboard hovered over it, glowing faintly with runic light—[Adventurer Association].

"We’re here," he said, looking up at the building with a serious expression.

’Let’s see if things will go just like they did in my last life,’ he thought quietly.