Unable to contact Scarabeo, the only option Evan had left at that moment was to pay to enter a controlled zone. And for that, he knew he would need solid financial reserves.
After all, how was Evan supposed to make money in that world?
That was when a smile appeared on the boy's face.
"Well, let's think... who are the people that actually have money in this place?"
During his reading, Evan realized the structure of society wasn't all that different in Etherea. After all, the people who truly possessed wealth were, for the most part, at the top of society.
Like the major families of the continent, or even the royal family itself.
But there was a third group, and it was exactly that group Evan was aiming for.
The group that controlled the underworld. Not a single group specifically, but several of them, including the one Scarabeo was part of.
The underworld in Etherea moved amounts several times greater than what the empire itself collected.
Much of that happened due to the unrestrained production of weapons using something called artificial mana.
Artificial mana were circuits made from minerals that tended to simulate the properties of mana in its pure form, granting firepower to those who were not blessed with the gift of mana.
But Evan knew something that would only be discovered much later in the story.
There was a mineral called Litídio, which had far superior properties compared to the ones being used at the time. Litídio was only discovered by the Silver family when Erick stumbled upon it during a trip to the Ionare region.
Ionare was a mountainous region north of Platinum's capital. Not much was known about that place, only that the mana fluctuation in those mountains was much greater than in most places across Etherea.
Luckily for Evan, he knew exactly where he could find that mineral. By train, it should take around 40 minutes to reach the location.
There was still some time left before nightfall. Evan decided to head to Ionare immediately. At that point, he couldn't afford to waste any more time.
He was light-years behind when compared to the protagonist of the story.
If he truly wanted to survive in that world, he had to exploit his advantages to the fullest.
...
After boarding the train toward Ionare, all Evan could see were the immense mountains surrounding that place.
Ionare was also known for its extremely low temperatures, but unlike everyone else on the train, Evan was the only one who wasn't covered in thick coats.
'This is really strange... could it have something to do with that?'
Affinities: Primordial Fire (Elemental)
Ever since he formed a contract with the Fire elemental, Evan had stopped feeling the cold so intensely.
While thinking about his own body, a voice announced the train's arrival at its destination.
"Welcome to Ionare."
Stepping off at the station, Evan quickly headed east, where the Litídio was located.
After walking through the snowfall for a few minutes, Evan arrived at a small village.
'This is completely different from the capital...'
Cabins made from tree trunks were the most common sight in that place. The village depended entirely on a single factory for its energy supply. It looked quite rudimentary compared to what Evan was used to.
"The cave should be somewhere nearby."
From what Evan remembered, east of the village there should be a small entrance to a cave filled with Litídio.
After walking for a few more minutes, at one of the village's edges, there was a narrow road that led into a pine forest.
The pines were so tall Evan could barely see the sky. The fog and the trees completely consumed the place.
'Argh, don't tell me I got lost.'
But as he walked between the trees, a strange sensation ran through Evan's body.
"Why does the atmosphere here... feel denser?"
With every step he took, the feeling only grew worse, until, without realizing it, Evan tripped over a small rock and went tumbling down a small dirt slope.
"Ghahl!!"
"Damn! Looks like I'm going to need another uniform."
The only injury on Evan's body was a small bruise on his left knee. The academy uniforms were made of a material that minimized minor injuries.
At that moment, it seemed luck was on Evan's side. When the boy looked ahead, there was a small entrance.
The space was so tight that Evan had to squeeze through to pass the gap. The moment he managed to get inside, he was certain he had found what he was looking for.
"Hahahaha!"
"THAT'S IT, I DID IT!!"
That small crack was filled with Litídio inside. The mineral had a translucent color, yet it resonated with an incredibly powerful energy.
'Okay, I won't be able to take large quantities... a few should be enough.'
Evan searched for the most accessible pieces of ore, considering he hadn't brought a pickaxe or anything like that.
Opening the palms of his hands, a sudden heat began to run through his body, and a crimson flame formed in his hands.
'If I can heat up this soil, I think I can pull the Litídio out.'
After a few attempts, Evan managed to extract 7 stones of Litídio from the place.
'I think this should do.'
Lightly touching the crystal on his forearm.
{Storage Capacity – 07/2000}
Suddenly, a kind of scanner shot out from the crystal toward the Litídio ores Evan was carrying. Within seconds, the ores vanished from the spot.
{Storage Capacity – 14/2000}
A huge smile escaped Evan's face as he left the cave.
'Mission accomplished.'
...
{23:35 – Wednesday, January 21st, 2087}
'I think I came back a bit late this time.'
Walking through the academy after his Litídio search, Evan passed in front of one of the training zones.
There, he saw a solitary figure training, completely oblivious to everything around him.
"But who the hell is training at this hour?"
When Evan got closer to observe that figure, there was a boy with messy brown hair, and his emerald-colored eyes shining in that dim place.
That was when a slight smile formed on Evan's face.
"He really is the protagonist..."