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墨書 Inktalez
The rain had eased, and the autumn wind carried a biting chill.
On the playground, the children had not left. They gazed at the figure departing from the field, as if still immersed in the fervor of the moment. In the past, they had lived in indulgence, knowing only that training was for strengthening their bodies, for securing better jobs, for having the power to resist against bullies...
But no one had told them... it was for fighting.
It wasn't until Black Duncan announced the dissolution that the children began to head home one by one, especially Rody, who had just been "trampled." As he set down his wooden bow, he suddenly realized that he didn't seem to harbor any hatred toward the New Mentor; instead, he felt an inexplicable respect.
At that moment, Rody was suddenly stopped.
"Rody, don't be discouraged!" Dostodoro clenched his fists and said angrily, "He just wanted to scare us! Did you see how pathetic he looked earlier? Tomorrow I'll sneak my grandfather's medal; you can slip it into his pocket, and then..."
"That's enough!" Rody interrupted suddenly.
In Dostodoro's astonished gaze, Rody took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Dostodoro, he is our New Mentor."
"What? But he just..." Dostodoro's face was filled with disbelief.
"If you still plan to do something else, I have no objections," Rody pushed past Dostodoro and added, "But I'm out."
"You dare betray me? Stop right there! Rody! Rody!" Dostodoro shouted at Rody's retreating figure, but he could only watch helplessly as Rody walked away. Just as Dostodoro was stamping his feet in frustration, he suddenly spotted the chubby Lanya not far away.
However, when their eyes met, Lanya immediately showed panic and hurriedly quickened his pace to leave.
Meanwhile, the taller Layton was also making his escape with his backpack in tow, slipping away under the cover of other students.
Upon returning to the Rental Apartment, Garen immediately took a hot shower.
The steaming water flowed over his body, dispelling the chill brought by the cold rain. Garen slowly lowered his head, his gaze falling on the wound on his left side. Although the arrow had not penetrated deeply and had healed thanks to Garen's recovery abilities, there was still a slight pain.
Garen smiled to himself, feeling a sense of anticipation for tomorrow's class.
Five minutes later, Garen changed into a clean set of clothes, picked out two cans for lunch, and opened the book he had been reading, diving into it with focus.
"Many Monster Clans hibernate or migrate during winter... Hunting will be much more difficult then," Garen mused as he glanced at the windowsill.
The temperature difference caused by the autumn downpour had left a layer of white mist on the glass, signaling the impending harsh winter.
After swallowing the last bite of beef, Garen folded a small corner of the page as a makeshift bookmark before leaving the Rental Apartment and stepping out into the heavy rain with his umbrella.
Despite soon becoming a mentor at the academy, Garen couldn't afford to neglect his income. After reflecting over the past few days, he had developed a preliminary plan for constructing a Watchtower. With his current strength, he could earn about 50 gold coins each day, provided there were enough tasks available at the Bounty House.
At this rate, it would take him around four to five years to save enough gold coins to begin construction.
However, it was undeniable that this method was perhaps the most foolish, time-consuming, and tedious among all options. Garen did not intend to simply accumulate gold coins; instead, he planned to use them to purchase high-quality equipment or various items to enhance his Fighting Spirit, rapidly increasing his strength.
Only by boosting his power could Garen hunt higher-level and more valuable magical beasts, allowing him to earn gold coins more swiftly and even accomplish other goals.
In other words, it was an investment. However, unlike most shrewd businessmen, Garen's investment target was himself.
The sudden downpour filled the small town with a chill, yet the "treasure seekers" inside the Bounty House did not dwindle; in fact, there were even more than usual.
The six walls were plastered with numerous notes, many of which were freshly colored, clearly having been "refreshed" not long ago. Over a dozen young men and women moved among them, carefully reading the task details while also keeping an eye on their "competition."
In contrast, Garen found himself at ease, as few dared to take on the "Monster Resource Collection Quest" posted on the innermost wall.
After glancing over the task notes, a vague outline formed in Garen's mind.
"The bounty is significantly higher than last time... They must be worried about the approaching winter and the decrease in monster numbers..."
Just as Garen was contemplating this, a strange restlessness swept through the quiet Bounty House.
Everyone withdrew their gazes from the task notes and turned their attention to the entrance. There stood a tall and handsome man, his two golden curls cascading down, accentuating his piercing eyes.
"Oh my god, could he be... Maple?" a short young man whispered in astonishment.
"Sosan, I felt the same embarrassing shock when I first saw Maple," his companion said, rubbing his nose and gazing at the blonde man at the door with admiration. "That's right, he is Maple, the captain of the Blazing Fire Squad!"
"My goodness... I must have stepped in something unlucky yesterday to actually see Maple!" Sosan gulped suddenly remembering something. "What about Simon? I heard he recently became a level 5 warrior! And he's only 36! I've admired him for so long!"
"Stop talking nonsense!" the other replied with a shake of his head. "According to past rules, only team captains are qualified to recruit new members. But it's strange... The Blazing Fire Squad is the best adventure team in town; why would they need to recruit newcomers?"
Not just in Blackstone Town, but in nearly every human settlement, there were many adventure teams. Since Adventurer Teams often ventured into the dangerous Beast Mountain Range and their members possessed relatively impressive skills, they were often idolized by ordinary cultivators.
Sosan chuckled lightly, "Dia, it seems your fan level isn't high enough! According to the latest news I've gathered, recently, the Blazing Fire Squad just completed an extremely dangerous hunting mission, and the rewards were said to be substantial. Unfortunately, two ordinary members sacrificed their lives, so..."
Garen, overhearing the conversation between the two young men, felt a flicker of interest and took a couple of steps closer.
At that moment, the blonde man, Maple, slowly spoke up, his magnetic voice filling the small room.
"I'm pleased to meet you, brave adventurers." Maple offered a polite smile. "In a recent incident, we lost two members of the Blazing Fire Squad. Therefore, in this winter's upcoming hunting operation, we need fresh blood to ensure better rewards!"
In the dimly lit room, everyone's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Though entering the Beast Mountain Range was a terrifying prospect, joining the Blazing Fire Squad meant a steady influx of gold coins and even the hope of advancing to Level 4 or 5 warriors.
As everyone awaited Maple's selection, a sharp voice rang out.
"I, Jossy, am willing to entrust my precious life to become a member of the Blazing Fire Squad!"
In the crowd, a slightly plump young man raised his hand and declared.
By sensing his aura, it was clear that Jossy was merely a Level 2 warrior. In the overall weaker Blackstone Town, he might be considered strong, but in this room full of cultivators, he seemed somewhat insignificant.
However, as everyone exchanged glances of indifference, Maple smiled with satisfaction.
"Very well. While strength is important, the Blazing Fire Squad needs brave warriors even more!" Maple made a gentle inviting gesture.
This scene clearly caught Jossy off guard as well; his face lit up with joy as he hurried to stand behind Maple, looking down at the stunned cultivators with an air of superiority.
"Mr. Maple! My name is Trangi, and I am skilled in controlling magical beasts with the art of the Shedding Blade. I believe I can help Blazing Fire go further!"
"Sir Maple, please allow me to join the Blazing Fire Squad. Just as you need, I have a brave heart. My great sword just told me it's eager for action!"
...
Watching the eager practitioners vying for attention, Maple helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose, his gaze instinctively drifting to the back.
"Hmm?" Maple's eyes lit up. "What is your name?"
Upon hearing this, the practitioners in the room became even more excited, each shouting their names at the top of their lungs, afraid that Maple wouldn't hear them.
"Silence!" Maple's expression darkened slightly.
The room fell instantly silent.
Maple resumed his gentle smile. "This calm gentleman, may I ask your name?"
From the shadows at the back, the man seemed a bit surprised.
He smiled politely.
"Garen."
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