SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

"To be precise..." Jack gently shook his head, the warm, measured smile on his face remaining unchanged. "I came specifically to visit the two of you today."

The moment those words were spoken, Leon did not immediately step aside.

He simply stood in the doorway, his gaze slowly shifting from the Ancient Tree emblem pinned to Jack’s chest to the gift boxes in the middle-aged man’s hands behind him before returning to Jack’s face. There was the instinctive caution any ordinary father would have when facing a complete stranger.

Especially on the day after his son had won the Chosen Tournament.

Since last night, many unfamiliar faces had already begun appearing near their home.

Some claimed to represent guilds. Others introduced themselves as representatives of merchant associations.

There had even been several reporters who tried climbing over the low wall behind the house just to take a few photographs of the champion’s parents.

Had the Player Association not temporarily stationed two staff members nearby to maintain order, this little house, which had remained peaceful for over a decade, would likely have been completely surrounded by now.

And now, the young man standing before him, who claimed to be from the Green Group, was clearly far more extraordinary than all the people who had come before.

After a moment of silence, Leon finally spoke.

"If you’re here to recruit Zich into the Green Group, then you should speak to him directly. He decides his own future. We won’t make that decision for him."

His tone was not particularly friendly, but neither was it hostile.

After listening, Jack showed no trace of displeasure. Instead, he simply nodded.

"That is exactly what I understood before coming here. The Green Group will never pressure him through the two of you, nor will we ever ask you to make decisions on his behalf."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"In fact, everything I’ve brought today has nothing to do with recruitment."

Leon frowned slightly.

"Then why are you here?"

"To make friends," Jack answered without hesitation.

The instant those three words were spoken, it was not only Leon. Even Lorraine, who had been standing inside the living room, turned to look at him.

Jack did not rush to explain what he meant by that. He simply stood quietly outside the doorway without urging them, nor did he display even the slightest sense of entitlement because of the organisation he represented.

After a long moment, Lorraine finally stood up from beside the sofa.

"It’s not proper to leave guests standing outside." She walked to the entrance, glanced at Jack, then gently patted Leon’s arm. "Let them come in first."

Leon looked at her. In the end, he stepped aside reluctantly.

"Come in."

"Thank you."

Jack inclined his head slightly. The middle-aged man behind him also lowered his head respectfully before carrying the gift boxes into the house.

Only after entering the modest living room did Jack truly begin to look around.

The house was old. Tiny cracks carved by time could still be seen in the corners of the walls.

The furniture had clearly been used for many years.

The wooden table beside the window was covered in scratches, and several drawers were noticeably different colours, making it obvious they had been repaired more than once.

Yet, the entire house was exceptionally clean and peaceful.

Several lush green plants sat beside the window.

A few family photographs, their colours faded by time, hung upon the walls.

Most eye-catching of all were the newspapers, photographs, and tournament posters related to Zich.

Jack’s eyes lingered briefly on one photograph showing a young Zich holding an iron shovel.

Then the smile on his face became noticeably more genuine.

"So he’d had white hair ever since he was little."

Hearing that, Lorraine’s previously tense expression relaxed somewhat.

"Since the day he was born. When he was little, people constantly thought he was sick. Some even suggested we take him to one of the city’s major hospitals for examinations."

Jack glanced down at the green emblem on his chest and chuckled.

"By the standards of the Green Group’s medical division, naturally white hair would indeed warrant a thorough examination."

Lorraine immediately became nervous again.

"So... there really is something wrong?"

"No." Jack quickly shook his head. "I was only joking. Judging from the physical data collected during the tournament, he’s healthier than the vast majority of people his age. Still, to have naturally white hair as a human is quite unique."

Ever since the descent of Ascension Mountain, so many strange things had been happening all over the world that, at this point, the two of them did not think too much about white hair, and even Jack himself did not pay it much attention either.

Leon looked at Jack thoughtfully. He suddenly realised that this young heir from a world-class corporation did not seem nearly as distant as he had imagined.

At the very least, since entering the house, Jack had never used obscure business terminology, nor had he deliberately emphasised his status.

Instead, he simply sat on the old wooden chair like any ordinary guest.

When he noticed one of its legs wobbling slightly, he even shifted his weight backwards to avoid putting pressure on the loosened support beam.

The middle-aged man placed the gift boxes upon the table.

There were five in total.

Lorraine looked towards them.

"What are these?"

Instead of letting the middle-aged man answer, Jack personally stood up and opened the top box.

Inside was an ordinary-looking yet obviously masterfully crafted set of kitchen knives.

Lorraine blinked in surprise.

Jack explained, "I heard that after the tournament, the thing Zich wanted most was to come home and have a meal."

"So I thought perhaps a gift like this would be more appropriate than things he has no immediate use for."

After speaking, he opened the second box.

Inside was an entire set of cemetery maintenance tools.

An iron shovel, engraving knives, cleaning brushes, and a metal hammer.

There were even several bottles of specialised solution used to repair cracks in gravestones.

The calm expression on Leon’s face finally changed.

He stepped forward and picked up one of the grey-black engraving knives, gently running his thumb across its edge.

This was no ordinary tool. Even though he wasn’t an Awakened, he could tell at a glance that its material was far tougher than ordinary steel sold on the market.

The handle had also been specially treated so it would not easily blister one’s hands even after prolonged use.

"This is Grey Pattern Steel," Jack said. "It was originally meant for forging low-tier equipment, but our workshop reforged it into ordinary tools instead."

"It won’t increase strength. It has no combat functions whatsoever. It’s simply extremely durable."

Leon stared silently at the engraving knife for a long time.

"It must be expensive."

"Not really," Jack answered honestly.

Leon raised his head.

"For us, it is."

The atmosphere in the living room quietened slightly.

Lorraine instinctively wanted to say something.

But Jack had already understood what Leon meant.

"You’re worried that accepting these gifts would mean owing the Green Group a favour."

"Wouldn’t it?" Leon asked.

Jack did not avoid the question.

"If I said I had absolutely no purpose, I would be lying to you."

He sat back down. The smile on his face also became noticeably more restrained.

"I do hope to establish a relationship with Zich. And I also hope we’ll have opportunities to work together in the future. But these gifts are not bargaining chips. Nor are they a contract. They are simply greeting gifts from a younger generation making his first visit."

Jack continued, "My parents used to say the best way to people’s hearts is through gifts."

Looking at the young man before him, who was only a little older than Zich, Leon asked a probing question that had been on his mind for a while.

"What do you want to do with him?"

Jack remained silent for several long seconds, his fist clenched, as he slowly raised his head and smiled instead.

"For now... nothing. At least until he returns home, finishes his treatment, and has truly rested, the Green Group will not send anyone to disturb him."

Lorraine looked at Jack and asked,

"Are you really only seventeen?"