Infinite Evolution System Made Me Too OP!

Luckily for them, most of those who left for the Immortal Funnel never returned, so they never had to worry about being called cowards.

Those weaker than them could still sneer and make fun of them behind their backs, but what did that matter? They were stronger, and as such, the opinions of weak nobodies mattered not.

Azmodeus, on the other hand, cared not for any of that nonsense. The only thing on his mind was somehow making his way up to the fourth layer and through the large lineup of extravagant castles to the most massive one in the back.

"That\'s where the loot is most plentiful, no doubt," he said softly to himself as he guided the people huddled up in the caravan.

Most were too scared to speak after witnessing their savior utilize demonic arts. However, the more daring, or rather, the more stupid ones, like Aflon, the Merchant\'s son, were too much of an incessant chatterbox to ever consider learning when it was best to be quiet.

"So, as I was saying, good sir—" before Aflon could continue speaking, Azmodeus interrupted him, saying:

"Tell, me, Aflon. Why is it that you don\'t want to follow in your father\'s footsteps and become a Merchant?" He asked. "As I understand it, your father owns a very large business operation that even deals with a few prestigious customers in the fourth layer of the Azureflask Empire. He already made it clear that he plans to pass down the business to you, so why decline?"

Azmodeus had no real reason put behind asking this question. He was just curious, was all. Plus, they still had a few minutes until they arrived at the checking milestone of the Azureflask Empire\'s first layer, so it made for a good way to pass time.

Upon hearing the question that their savior asked of him, Aflon went quiet.

It wasn\'t like he couldn\'t understand where his father was coming from. But for the betterment of himself and his future, he couldn\'t subject himself to something that he just knew he would never be able to perform like his father expected him to perform.

"To tell the truth, good sir," Aflon said with a slightly hoarse voice. "I have never wanted to be a merchant."

"Ho?" Azmodeus raised his brows in interest.

"What are you talking about, Aflon!?" The Merchant shouted with a low voice. "How could you say such things after, just not long ago, you said that you aspired to be a merchant just like your father!?"

Aflon clenched his fists and turned his head down, unable to face his father. "I just said that to make you happy," he said with a sigh. "We both know that I never had what it took to be a good Merchant. An Adventurer is more suited to my incompetence."

"Aflon…"

Azmodeus heaved a sigh at the dynamic between the father-son pair. "It looks like you two have some things to figure out," he said as he saw a pair of armored guards approach their caravan. "Though, for now, why don\'t one of you figure out how to get me and my pile of dead bodies into the Azureflask Empire?"

"???" "???"

Both Aflon and his father looked at each other in confusion, but when they noticed the two shiny dots on the road outside the carriage, they left the previous matter for later and put on their A-game.

"State your business!" One of the guards shouted as he imposingly stood outside the head carriage.

The Merchant could immediately see the suspicion in the guard\'s eyes, but he was no novice when it came to dealing with security.

He wore a professional business smile and extended his hand outside of the carriage. In that hand was a small square silver card that had the name of his Business Association on it. "Here, this should clear things up," he said as he saw the guard take the card.

At first, the guard was indifferent to the schniesty-looking man handing over a business card. However, after taking a look at it, his expression changed with every further thing he read.

He wiped the perspiration forming on his forehead and once more looked at the smiling businessman. "Feel free to go through, esteemed sir," he said in a respectful tone as he gestured to the gates behind him. "Let them through," he commanded through a communication talisman attached to the right side of his chest.

Creak—

As the two large gates to one of the many entrances to the Empire slowly creaked open, the caravan resumed its advance.

Azmodeus flashed an amused smirk. "It seems like you are quite the bigshot around here," he said in a playful tone. "Never would I have assumed you to be a big dog."

The Merchant immediately stopped the cool and composed act as he took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Never would I dream of myself in such a way," he said. "In front of you, good sir, I am nothing more than a worm doing insignificant things."

Azmodeus patted him on the shoulder to loosen his nerves. "No need to be so uptight, mustache," he said with a friendly smile that had the opposite effect. "In comparison, you truly are far superior. After all, I am just your common 3rd Generation Knight Apprentice of the Omega Knights. That isn\'t anything when stacked up against someone at the top of a large conglomerate like yours."

\'Yeah, sure!\' The Merchant thought sarcastically. \'If you were merely an ordinary 3rd Generation Knight Apprentice, then my status would be slightly superior.\'

He wryly chuckled as he cursed the man before him inside his mind.

....