Chapter 129: Urgent call From Alchemist Dawn

Jackson had no idea that his rapid rise in power had attracted the attention of a certain young miss from the Hunter Association. Even if he had known, he probably wouldn’t have cared. After all, he had more important things to worry about.

The same, however, couldn’t be said about the ruins.

After obtaining his upgraded Hunter License, Jackson continued investigating the matter that had occupied his thoughts recently. With his immediate concerns taken care of, he finally had some time to dig deeper into the information surrounding sealed talents.

As he browsed through the restricted sections of the Virtual Network, a new piece of information caught his attention.

It was part of a secret report allegedly leaked by a high-ranking hunter. According to the document, a certain corporation in the First Sector had once been involved in developing a method to seal the talents of Awakened individuals.

The research had received support from several other major corporations. After all, such a method would have enormous practical value. If the talent of an unruly Awakened could be sealed, even the most troublesome individuals could be brought under control without necessarily having to kill them.

For those corporations, it would have been an extremely useful means of maintaining authority over powerful Awakened.

However, the research had eventually come to an abrupt end.

The report revealed that the corporation’s claims about developing a talent-sealing method were nothing more than a deception. It had never created such a technique. Instead, it had secretly relied on a high-ranking hunter whose innate talent allowed him to seal the talents of others.

The discovery had exposed the entire operation, and the research project had subsequently fallen apart.

Jackson read through the report several times, absorbing every available detail. His eyes moved steadily across the lines as he pieced together the scattered information. Gradually, the uncertainty that had clouded his thoughts began to give way to a clearer picture.

So it really is possible…

He didn’t have much reason to doubt the report’s authenticity. Information of this nature was highly restricted, and the document had apparently originated from someone with considerable authority within the Hunter Association. There was a good chance that its contents were genuine.

More importantly, the explanation made sense.

There really was someone in existence whose talent allowed him to seal the talents of other Awakened.

Of course, such an ability likely came with considerable limitations. Otherwise, the entire balance of power among humanity’s strongest Awakened would have been turned upside down long ago.

Still, the mere existence of such a talent was enough to change everything.

Jackson’s thoughts immediately drifted toward his mother.

Could Mother Rose’s talent have been sealed by someone else?

The possibility sent a faint chill through him.

If her talent had indeed been sealed, then there had to be a reason behind it. But who would go to such lengths? And why would anyone target an ordinary woman like his mother?

His thoughts gradually turned toward a particular name.

The Goldenshade Family?

The very family responsible for his father’s disappearance, leaving behind a wife and a one-year-old daughter.

Jackson’s expression darkened slightly.

There were too many unanswered questions surrounding his family. His father’s death, Rose’s sealed talent, and the strange circumstances surrounding Aella’s awakening. The more he investigated, the more he felt that these matters might be connected to something far greater than he had initially imagined.

Yet, no matter how much he examined the available information, he couldn’t find a definite answer.

In the end, Jackson leaned back and let out a quiet breath. He closed the report, forcing himself to put those thoughts aside for the moment.

“I must head to the First Sector and investigate this personally. If there really is someone capable of sealing another person’s talent…”

His voice gradually trailed off.

There was more than one reason he wanted to find such a person.

Revenge was certainly among them. But there was something far more important.

If a talent could be sealed, then perhaps there was also a way to remove that seal.

And if such a method existed…

A faint warmth spread through Jackson’s chest.

For the first time in a long while, the possibility of a different future seemed within reach. A future in which his mother wouldn’t have to live with her talent suppressed, hiding whatever secrets she had carried for so many years.

He could still remember the warmth of her smile, the way she worried over the smallest things, and how she continued to treat him like a child despite everything he had been through.

Jackson lowered his gaze, a quiet determination settling in his eyes.

He wanted to see his mother live a healthy life. And if uncovering the secrets of her sealed talent was what it took, he would eventually find his way to the First Sector.

Two days later, Jackson’s week-long break from the academy was slowly drawing to a close.

Over the past few days, he had spent almost all his time with his family, leaving the house only when he needed to meditate or cultivate. He had practically taken over every household chore, from cooking meals and cleaning the rooms to tending to Mother Rose’s little garden.

The garden had always been one of Rose’s favorite places. Jackson had noticed that she spent a considerable amount of time there, carefully watering the flowers and trimming their leaves. Now that she was recovering, he had taken it upon himself to maintain it, making sure not a single plant was neglected.

For once, his days had been relatively peaceful.

That afternoon, after finishing his morning chores, Jackson was sitting comfortably in the living room, enjoying a cup of tea. The delicate aroma of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air as he leaned back against his chair, enjoying the rare opportunity to relax.

Just as he lifted the cup to his lips, a notification appeared on his communication device.

Jackson glanced at the screen, initially intending to ignore it. He had received plenty of messages recently, most of which weren’t particularly important.

However, the moment he noticed the sender’s name, his hand paused.

Alchemist Dawn…

What does this fellow want?

After their last cooperation, Jackson had barely interacted with the Rank Two Alchemist. In fact, with everything that had happened recently, he had almost forgotten about the man’s existence.

One thing had followed another, leaving him with hardly any time to spare for his other affairs.

Feeling a little guilty about neglecting the contact, Jackson accepted the call.

The connection was established almost immediately.

“Bitter Rain…!? Thank God you’re safe!”

A familiar voice burst through the communication device, carrying such obvious relief that Jackson couldn’t help but frown.

Safe?

He placed his teacup back on the table and straightened slightly.

“What happened?”

His straightforward question seemed to catch Alchemist Dawn off guard.

“What? You don’t know?” The man’s voice grew louder. “Leon and the others have completely disappeared. I’m afraid they’ve most likely been killed by that Silver-Rank hunter.”

Jackson’s expression changed.

“I tried contacting you several times to warn you, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get through.”

For a moment, Jackson remained silent.

The names Leon and the others stirred memories in his mind. He could still recall the young men he had worked alongside, the conversations they had shared, and the brief moments of camaraderie during their previous missions.

Leon and his team are dead…

His fingers slowly tightened around the communication device.

It seemed that before launching the attack on his family, the Desolate Troop Leader had already gone after Leon’s group.

The realization struck him harder than he had expected.

A heavy feeling of regret settled in his chest. If he had been more careful, perhaps he could have anticipated the danger. If he had contacted Leon earlier, or warned the others about the possibility of retaliation, things might have turned out differently.

But none of that had happened.

They were dead, and he was still alive.

Jackson lowered his eyes, staring silently at the untouched cup of tea on the table.

Alchemist Dawn seemed to sense the change in his mood. After a brief pause, he hurriedly spoke again, his voice noticeably softer.

“There’s no need to blame yourself. This is simply how life is for us hunters. No one knows when their next mission might become their last. We’ve all made our choices, and sometimes, there’s nothing we can do about the outcome.”

He let out a faint sigh before continuing.

“For now, you need to stay alert. Given your age, you should still be attending the academy. Don’t go wandering outside. Stay on campus as much as possible. That way, even if the Silver-Rank hunter is still searching for you, he won’t be able to reach you easily.”

Before he could finish, Jackson interrupted him.

“Calm down. Don’t worry about the Silver-Rank hunter. He will never be able to reach me.”

Rather than reassuring Alchemist Dawn, those words seemed to have the opposite effect.

“What are you talking about? Don’t take him lightly!” His voice immediately became more urgent. “You might already be a Bronze-Rank hunter, but the difference between a Bronze-Rank and a Silver-Rank hunter is unimaginable. Even if you’ve made some progress recently, you shouldn’t assume you can deal with someone at that level!”

Jackson rubbed his forehead.

He hadn’t expected the man to become even more worried after hearing his reassurance.

It seemed he had no choice but to explain things properly.

“Alchemist Dawn, listen to me…”

Jackson paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.

“The Desolate Troop Leader, that Silver-Rank hunter, will never be able to reach me.”

There was a slight pause before he continued.

“Because he’s already dead. I killed him with my own hands.”

“…”

Silence.

For several seconds, not a single word came from the other end of the communication device.

The only sound Jackson could hear was the faint, uneven breathing of the man on the other side. It was almost as though Alchemist Dawn had forgotten how to speak, struggling to process the information he had just received.

Jackson waited patiently.

After what felt like an eternity, the man’s voice finally returned.

“Then… could it be that you’re already a Silver-Rank hunter?”

Jackson had already classified Alchemist Dawn as someone he could trust. There was little reason to hide his current strength from him.

“That’s right.”

“Oh, my heavens…”

Alchemist Dawn’s voice suddenly changed. The worry that had filled it moments ago was replaced by an excitement that Jackson couldn’t quite understand.

“Then I have a chance!”

Before Jackson could ask what he meant, Alchemist Dawn continued hurriedly.

“Bitter Rain, if you’re free, come and meet me outside. I’ll send you the coordinates.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow.

The sudden change in the man’s attitude left him somewhat puzzled. A moment ago, Alchemist Dawn had been warning him to hide from a Silver-Rank hunter. Now, after learning that Jackson had reached the same rank, he sounded as though he had just discovered a treasure.

What exactly was this fellow planning?

Nevertheless, Jackson had nothing particularly urgent to attend to at the moment. His break was almost over, and he was free for the afternoon.

After a brief pause, he agreed to the meeting.

He might as well find out what Alchemist Dawn wanted.