The new Beggar Spot cost a thousand Alm Points. With the System's 10% interest, Apollo would need to pay back 1,100 Alm Points in total.

A clean, simple ten percent.

Fortunately, the interest wouldn't grow even if he missed a few payments over the months—unlike the bloodsucking loan sharks from his past life.

But this favor came with a price.

Every time his disciples earned Alm Points, the System would automatically deduct from the total until the debt was paid in full.

Apollo knew it was going to be a pain in the *ss.

But there was nothing he could do about it.

Leaving Belthias without planting a second Beggar Spot? That wasn't an option. His Alm Point income would dry up too fast.

This new spot would ensure a steady stream of points to sustain him while traveling. After all, Alm Points didn't just feed the System—they equaled strength. With enough of them, Apollo could buy items, weapons, and tools that could shift the balance of any battle.

Apollo sighed.

In his vision, the small patch of land the mayor granted him glowed faintly for a second before dimming back to normal. No one else noticed—not even Rachel, who stood silently behind him, her gaze blank with confusion.

Right now, I won't be able to use any of my Alm Points… he thought bitterly. I can't even buy another Automatic Alm Points Producer—not until the loan is cleared.

It stung. He hated it.

But in business, this kind of move was normal. Strategic. Logical.

Not that Apollo ever needed loans in his past life. His talent made every business he started bloom instantly. But this wasn't the past. This wasn't a world where he could do it all on his own.

He needed the second Beggar Spot. That was the truth.

"From now on, this place is yours," Apollo said as he turned to Rachel. "You'll manage this Beggar Spot. And I want you to decide who takes over the first one."

"This… corner is mine?" Rachel asked, pointing to the space nestled between the two buildings—just wide enough for two, maybe three food stalls.

"Yes," Apollo smiled. "What do you think? You're officially a beggar now. Is the spot good enough?"

It sounded odd, calling his disciple a beggar. But strangely enough, it felt… right.

They had chosen this path—the Beggar's Path. And he, as their Master, would guide them in it. No tricks, no shortcuts. Just cultivation through begging, through humility and growth.

Thankfully, none of them resisted their new title.

"It looks decent, Master," Rachel said with a small smile.

But Apollo noticed it—her smile was forced.

Still unsure? he wondered. No, she already accepted her identity… maybe there's something else.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

Rachel stiffened at the question. After a slow breath, she spoke.

"Master… it's just… I still don't understand. The Way of the Beggar, the Beggar Spot… I don't really get how it works yet."

Apollo paused, hand under his chin as he chuckled softly. The sight was oddly comedic—two children staring at a narrow alley, discussing how it would become a sacred place for beggars.

"I see," Apollo said. "The Way of the Beggar? It's exactly what it sounds like. Be a beggar. That's it."

Rachel blinked.

"As long as you behave, fulfill your role, train using the Essence of Fighting, and eat your weekly Chili of Intelligence, you'll get stronger. Simple as that. Isn't that what you all wanted? To gain strength?"

"Yes," Rachel nodded. This time, with genuine understanding flickering in her eyes.

"So… what about the Beggar Spot?" she asked.

Apollo had already explained it briefly back at the Training Ground. But judging from her confusion, his explanation wasn't enough.

"I'm going to rephrase what I said earlier," Apollo sighed. "The Beggar Spot… it's not just your post. It's our home. Our sacred ground for Cultivation. Just like how Sects have towering halls or grand schools, our sanctuary is the Beggar Spot. It represents us. It unites us. And as long as even one of them stands, the Beggar Sect will live on."

He made that explanation up on the spot—but damn, it sounded good.

Of course, he couldn't exactly say that it was all for the sake of gaining more Alm Points and becoming stronger. That was his own little secret.

Still, he wasn't the only one benefiting from this. Everyone grew stronger from this path—his disciples included.

With a snap of his fingers, his space ring flashed. A white rectangular device appeared in a puff of smoke, warm air rising from its top.

"Here," Apollo said, placing it into Rachel's hands. "Put this in the center of the Beggar Spot."

Rachel nodded and walked forward, stepping into the little clearing nestled between the buildings. She crouched and gently set the device down in the middle.

The moment it touched the earth, the air around them shifted. A low hum resonated through the space, and Qi began to churn. Within seconds, the device inhaled the surrounding Qi—and then exhaled it in a far more refined, potent form.

Rachel's eyes widened in awe.

"This… It feels so refreshing!" she gasped. "I can feel all my pores opening. The Qi—it's flowing into me so easily!"

After learning the Simple Breathing Technique, they could instinctively cultivate like it was second nature. But this Qi… it wasn't like the air outside.

It was the difference between breathing in a smoggy street and inhaling mountain air.

"That device is called a Qidifier," Apollo explained, grinning. "It purifies the Qi around it. As long as you're inside the Beggar Spot, you'll benefit from its effects."

Rachel nodded eagerly, her excitement contagious.

"I want five of you here and five managing the first Beggar Spot," Apollo continued. "Split the group evenly."

"Yes, Master!" Rachel saluted. "We'll make sure to rotate properly—one will stay behind to beg and cultivate, the others will go out and ask for alms in the city. And don't worry—we'll never skip our weekly Chili of Intelligence!"

Apollo laughed, genuinely amused.

"That's the spirit." He reached out to pat Rachel on the head—but had to rise on his toes a bit to reach. "Take care of the others for me."

Rachel's smile trembled as her eyes welled up. "I will, Master!"

As he turned to leave, he let out a sharp whistle.

From high above, a blue falcon dove from the clouds. The wind howled as Bluetooth, his Water-attributed beast companion, landed with a mighty flap. Don was already on its back, pale-faced and clutching his stomach like his soul was trying to escape.

Apollo blinked at the sight before shaking his head.

"Let's go," he said, leaping onto Bluetooth's back.

With a screech, the falcon took to the skies. Belthias shrank below, its sprawling streets and glistening rooftops slowly becoming dots in the distance.

Apollo watched it all grow smaller with each wingbeat, a tightness creeping into his chest. A heaviness he didn't expect.

Was this your heart Original… or mine? he wondered, his bitter smile reflecting off the clouds.

Then it hit him.

Something felt off.

The wind blew.

The silence stretched.

And that's when his eyes shot wide.

He turned to Don, face grim.

"Where's Bubba?"

Don stiffened, his mouth twitching as he swallowed down the bile threatening to rise.

"I… I couldn't find him, Master…"

"Blerg—"