1239 The Grandmaster is a busy man

Liam ended up spending quite a few hours going over the skill books, studying and analyzing every little bit of knowledge that he gained from them. 

His mental energy had tremendously increased after the ordeal he had been through and he was able to grasp far more things that he would have previously looked over.

He was only finished with the last skill book just as the first rays of sun pierced through the curtains of his room.

Liam immediately stood up and prepared to leave. Every day in Nymphomania had 28 hours and he had plans for the next 28 hours, starting with paying a visit to the mysterious, famous pill house, Pikachu.

As Liam zipped through the alleys of the first island, the city was just rubbing its eyes awake. Stalls were throwing open their shutters, and the smell of fresh bread and exotic spices started to tickle the air, the kind of smell that wrapped around one like a warm blanket on a cold morning.

As he darted down one street and up another, Liam couldn't help but smirk. He was getting the hang of this new skill, a shadowy dance of sorts, making him as elusive as a whisper in the wind.

Finally, there it was, Pikachu Pill House, looking all mysterious and inviting with its ancient wooden sign swinging in the gentle morning breeze. Liam did not know what to think when he saw the cartoon name written with such profound strokes.

He shook his head helplessly as he walked into the shop. He did not bother going about this in a round about fashion as whoever it was had named the shop, clearly they wanted others to find it out.

Liam stepped in, looking around. The shop size was moderate but the interior was well organized to contain several wares. The walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of colorful vials, jars filled with swirling mists, and boxes that had multi-colored liquid bottles.

"First time at Pikachu, eh?" The shopkeeper, a wiry old man with a twinkle in his eye, peered at Liam from behind a counter cluttered with various books.

Liam was a little shocked as he did not expect someone old like this. "Greetings, sir. Are you perhaps the owner of this pill house?"

The old man laughed, like he had heard the question a thousand times and it still amused him every time. "Maye I am. Maybe I am not."

"And who might you be, young man, to come seeking the wonders of Pikachu so early in the morning?"

Liam stepped forward, extending a hand. "My name is Ash. I am honored to meet you. I have heard a lot about this place."

The shopkeeper shook his hand, his grip surprisingly firm. "Well, Ash, you've come to the right place if it's wonders you're after. This shop has potions and pills for just about anything you can imagine, and some things you probably can't."

"This here is a bottle of pill that can enhance your performance ten times." The old guy started pointing out some popular items on the shelves and began introducing them.

Liam listened patiently but he knew that the person he was looking for was probably not this guy. He did not even reveal a slight hint of recognition when he had used the fake name.

After a while, Liam probed again. "Senior, who named this establishment? It is very catchy." 

He played with a vial that had the same name written on it. Every item in the shop had the same shop name written on it. This person was clearly a hard core fan and it was not this old man.

"Oh ha ha. Indeed. Indeed. It's a bit of a story, that one. Our Grandmaster is quite the character, a bit of an eccentric. He loves that little rat of his and has named the shop after it."

Bingo! Liam eyes widened. 

This was good news. He did not know how or why but this Grandmaster was definitely someone from Earth or related to Earth and perhaps he would be able to use that connection to place a custom order or at least get some information from him.

"Is it possible for me to meet this Grandmaster, senior?"

The old man regarded Liam for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to read the young man's intentions. 

"Meet the Grandmaster, eh?" he murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "He's a busy man, travels a lot, collecting rare ingredients and studying ancient texts." 

"But," he paused, giving Liam a scrutinizing look, "if you have the right stuff, he could be persuaded for a meeting."

Liam understood what the guy was getting at. He quickly took out something he had prepared just for this purpose, one of the high-tiered soul healing pill that he had concocted. 

This was the same one he had used for healing Alex and from what he could gather, the pill should be worth quite a bit, especially considering the lack of soul healing materials.

Just as he suspected, the old man's eyes immediately widened upon seeing the pill. "How did you manage to get your hands on something like this?"

"I have my ways," Liam said with a hint of mystery. "This pill is just a sample of what I can bring to the table."

The old man leaned forward, his initial casual demeanor shifting to one of keen interest. "That's no ordinary concoction, young man. Such a pill is rare indeed. The Grandmaster himself would be intrigued by this."

Liam nodded. "I was hoping it might earn me a moment of his time."

The shopkeeper studied the pill for a moment longer, then looked up at Liam with a new respect. "I will send word to the Grandmaster. A pill of this caliber is a good conversation starter, to say the least."

He carefully took the pill from Liam, placing it into a small, secure box. "Wait here, I will send a word to Grandmaster Dante" he instructed before disappearing into the back of the shop.

Huh? Dante? Liam stood flabbergasted as this was the last name he had expected to hear.