《My summon to another world was even weirder than I expected》 Chapter 1: Beginnings Beep Beep Beep ¡­ From under the sheets in one of the rooms of a humble house in a small neighborhood, a trembling hand reached toward the rm clock next to the bed, with alternating intentions of either turning it off or breaking it. Finally, after much hesitation, the owner of the hand decided to turn off the rm, after which he grabbed the sses next to him, a bit more angrily as the anger built up in his heart. Perhaps next time, the result will be different. Slowly, the sheets slid to the floor, revealing what had been hidden beneath them. Zack slowly opened his eyes as he got up and, with unsteady steps, made his way to the bathroom. As he approached the mirror, he saw his reflection, which grewrger with every step. When he reached the sink, he began to get ready to leave the house. After all, there was school today. Zack was a typical 16-year-old boy; nothing had ever happened in his life to suggest that he was anything more special than a stone on the ground. Zack''s parents were prestigiouswyers, and as a result, they were extremely busy every day. Zack couldn¡¯t remember a time when his parents weren¡¯t working on "extremely important" cases that couldn¡¯t wait for them to do normal family things, so Zack had a lonely childhood. That didn¡¯t mean he hated his parents. Zack was grateful for the opportunities they worked to give him. However, their absence also forced Zack to mature faster. This, along with his parents'' desire for him to enter a good university, led Zack to move to the capital to study while his parents advanced their careers abroad.@@novelbin@@ Though Zack didn''t neglect his studies, due to hisck of interaction with people during his childhood, Zack had two ws: difficulty interacting with others and a passion for reading. Being from a well-off family, Zack¡¯s parents made sure to provide him with a strict education from a young age, which caused him to have little contact with children his age. In his free time, and to escape from his studies, Zack looked for ways to entertain himself. Unfortunately, Zack¡¯s parents used their house almost exclusively for sleeping, so there weren¡¯t many ways to entertain oneself. The only thing avable, aside from the basic needs of any family, were books. With nothing else to do, Zack began to read. Whether it was reality or fiction, Zack ended up reading every book in the house. The first gift he asked for his birthday was books. And that¡¯s how Zack became known to his ssmates: a solitary geek, always apanied by a book in his hand. After taking a shower and changing clothes, Zack checked the time and decided to head to school. Zack wouldn¡¯t be considered attractive, but people definitely wouldn¡¯t find his appearance unpleasant. He had soft features and ck hair that gave him a calm appearance, along with his sses, which gave him an intellectual look. His average height of 1.75 meters made Zack go unnoticed most of the time. Zack turned around before leaving his apartment to make sure he hadn¡¯t forgotten anything. After a final check, Zack nodded in satisfaction and headed to school like any other day. Only God knew that today would bepletely different from the rest. ¡­ In arge room with big windows showing beautiful views of the outside and walls depicting great feats performed by heroes of the past, apanied by beautiful decorations that gave the room an elegant touch, a group of people in embroidered robes were speaking words whose meaning was beyond what most could decipher as they formed a circle in the center of the room. Outside the circle, two people were speaking quietly, not wanting to distract the robed figures from the mission they had been entrusted with. "Is everything ready for the ceremony?" asked the figure on the right, a chubby man with a small mustache adorning his face, dressed in slightly tight official clothes that seemed about to burst at any moment, nervously watching what was happening before him. "Yes, Mr. Prime Minister. Everything is ready; we can begin in a moment," replied his counterpart, an elderly robed figure with much fewer adornments, watching the circle with impassive eyes. "Good. Remember, we cannot fail His Majesty. His patience is running out," said the Prime Minister lightly, but if one knew him well, they could detect the worry in his eyes. Clearly, the king they were referring to was not someonepassionate. The Kingdom of Parmece is a country located in the northern part of the central continent. Despite its incredible military power, its soldiers are in constant war with the demonic continent to the north, dealing with constant invasions to upy thends of the central continent. This situation has caused the Kingdom of Parmece to block the demons'' offensive, while the other countries around it enjoy the abundant resources of the continent and uninterrupted peace at the cost of Parmece''s soldiers'' lives. The king has been dissatisfied with this status quo for a long time, and despite repeated requests for help to bear the burden of the war from neighboring countries, the actual support that has reached the borders is almost nonexistent. Remembering the anger in the king''s eyes when messengers praised his efforts with arrogant looks, a shiver ran down the Prime Minister¡¯s spine. He was sure that if it weren¡¯t for the fear of being attacked from multiple fronts, the fate of those messengers would have been the deepest torture chambers in the pce. "Don¡¯t worry. We''ve checked everything multiple times. The ceremony will be a sess, and His Majesty will get the heroes he needs," replied the other figure with respect in his voice toward the royal family. Whether that respect was genuine or not, only he knew, although there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. The old mage knew very well the current king¡¯s character. Where others saw greatness, he only saw greed and a thirst for conquest¡ªa person who demanded nothing but total submission from those around him. Having someone like that as king was far from ideal for the nobles or the mages. Fortunately, it was these same thirsts for power that kept the king busy with foreign politics, allowing each noble to manage their territory with a degree of independence and maintain a bnce in the country. The kingdom''s current situation is as close to peace as it has been in centuries. Even though arge portion of the troops are stationed at the kingdom''s border,rge-scale confrontations rarely ur, and with the threat from the north, neighboring countries are too afraid to dere war for fear that troops would be diverted south, allowing the demons to attack them. Mages don¡¯t mind this situation; peace means time to research and develop their magic. No self-respecting mage would wish for a real war, as that would mean abandoning their studies to go to the battlefield where they could die. As for honor and glory, heh. They are mages; no one is more noble on the continent than they are. The old man sighed with regret at the ritual. The ritual being prepared before him had been used on previous asions when humanity was on the brink of extinction, as humanity''sst hope. Now it was nothing more than another tool of power for an arrogant, narrow-minded man with aspirations of grandeur. In fact, he was sure that if the army weren¡¯t limited by the demonic hordes, the central continent would be plunged into war¡ªa war caused by the current king. The Prime Minister was about to respond when suddenly the circle on the floor of the room began to glow, and a solemn atmosphere filled the room. The hearts of both men skipped a beat from the amount of mana in the room. Soon, the mana converged into the center. Green lights began to shine all over, creating hundreds ofplicated geometric shapes. The ritual had begun.
If you like the novel, you can read more chapters in my patreon ount: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 4: Pontiff The doors to the throne room opened in unison, allowing the group to enter. The interior was even more ostentatious than all the hallways they had passed through, which, had Zack not seen this ce, he would have thought was impossible. The room was enormous, with around thirty people standing along the sides, yet the space still felt strangely empty. Wherever you looked, there were incredibly eye-catching decorations¡ª the edges of the walls iid with gold, and all the upants of the room dressed in extravagant clothes that seemed ufortable. The upants, presumably nobles of the kingdom that had summoned them, looked at the group coldly, attempting to analyze thempletely. Some gazed with interest, others with mockery, and a few seemed indifferent. But if there was one thing they all had inmon, it was something Zack recognized¡ªthat air of superiority surrounding them. Thanks to the work and influence of his parents, Zack had met many important people in his life, which is why his parents had forced him to attend the prestigious institute where he had spent thest three years. Influence, connections, power. Most of the powerful people Zack had met always carried that same air of superiority that enveloped everyone in the room. It¡¯s hard to identify in adults, but it¡¯s easier in young people. If there¡¯s one thing Zack had learned over time, from attending parties, social gatherings, and even just observing his ssmates, it¡¯s how to identify people. What he was seeing now wasn¡¯t good. All the people in the room were watching them as though they were exotic animals. Theparison couldn¡¯t have been more urate. Normally, when you go to the zoo and see goris, you¡¯re impressed by their strength and appearance, but what would happen if a gori threw a banana peel at you? Obviously, you¡¯d get angry. After all, how dare a mere animal stain your clothes? Even if you feel awe toward them, you¡¯re still human, a superior species. And as a human, you feel superior to an animal that is at the mercy of others. These were the looks they were getting from the so-called nobles of the kingdom¡ª circus monkeys trained to entertain them and then be forgotten. Zack could guess that their stay here wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. They were just tools to these people. What happens if a tool no longer serves its purpose? As Zack started to hyperventte, imagining his future, the elderly mage approached the throne, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, I present to you the heroes from another world who have volunteered to help us against the enemies of the world, the demons." "They are the heroes?" "They don¡¯t look very strong." "Look at their clothes, what curious outfits." As soon as the Archmage finished speaking, the room erupted into whispers and murmurs among the nobles, who continued to observe them. "Mmm, good job." All the voices ceased when the king began to speak. Had the students been more observant, they might have seen fear on the faces of the younger members of the nobility. Only a few sharp observers noticed this¡ªZack included. "Thank you, Your Majesty," said the Archmage, after which he walked to an empty corner of the room and fell silent. Contrary to the image Zack and the others had of what the king would be like, his true appearance was quite shocking. The king had long hair that reached his shoulders and prating eyes that allowed no disrespect. Despite sitting, it was evident that he had a strong and tall body, withrge muscles visible beneath his clothing. "Oh, heroes, I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused you, and I beg for your help. Thousands of lives are lost every day. Please help us defeat the Demon Lord." Despite his emotional words, neither his tone nor his expression changed during his speech. It was as if the lives for which he was asking help meant nothing to him.@@novelbin@@ Without giving his audience time to react, the king continued with his speech. "Now we will begin the awakening ceremony¡ª" "Your Majesty, if you allow me, I will carry out the awakening ceremony. I am sure the gods would have wanted it this way." The nobles in the room tensed upon seeing that someone had interrupted the king, but when they saw who it was, they rxed. The king stared intently at the person who had stepped forward. The person in question was an elderly man in white and gold robes. In contrast to the colorful clothing of the others in the room, his attire seemed almost simple. After a while, King Terence II said: "Mmm, if that is what you wish, Pontiff." "Thank you very much, Your Majesty," replied the Pontiff, bowing slightly, just as the elderly mage had done earlier. One of the pce attendants approached the Pontiff and handed him a white sphere, then he looked at the heroes the way a grandfather might look at his grandchildren. "Please, heroes,e forward so we can perform the ceremony." None of them took a step forward. Seeing this, the Pontiff didn¡¯t seem angry. He stepped closer and said slowly: "Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen. We just want to observe what your ss is." Zack and a few others became rmed when they heard this. (sses? Like in the novels? But that¡¯s impossible. Though what has happened to us is also impossible.) While the students were reacting to the news, a figure slowly detached itself from the group. "Excuse me, but before any ceremony, I would like to ask you some questions," said Professor Kaede in a tone neither humble nor arrogant, yet one could see she was nervous. "Of course. It¡¯s normal to be confused," replied the Pontiff, still smiling. Seeing that the elderly man was willing to answer their questions, Miss Kaede seemed to calm down a bit. "I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s been some misunderstanding," she said before continuing, "We heard we were summoned to fight an army, but none of us are fighters. None of my students know enough to face an armed opponent, let alone an army." Upon hearing the teacher¡¯s concerns, the Pontiff looked at them with a sympathetic expression and said: "Don¡¯t worry about that. There has been no mistake. The gods have chosen you for this quest because you are qualified. I understand you¡¯re scared, and that¡¯s understandable, but you must not fear because the God of Light has blessed you and will give you the strength to save us." Upon hearing this, Zack¡¯s face sank. Just hearing the wordsing from the Pontiff¡¯s mouth, he knew what kind of person he was¡ªa religious fanatic. Zack had dealt with this kind of person before. On rare asions, he had to apany his parents to their office due to problematic clients whose cases took longer than expected because of the case''s circumstances or the client themselves. Once, his parents¡¯ client was a religious fanatic used of burning down a ce of worship from another religion, causing fatalities. The issue his parents had with this particr case was that the man wanted to dere what he had done as if he were going to be rewarded for it. Zack spent nearly four hours watching his parents try to change his testimony while the idiot yelled at them, calling them enemies of God. But the reason Zack remembered it so well was because of what happened next. After hours of arguing, his parents decided to take a break. At that moment, that scumbag attacked his father from behind with a chair and tried to attack his mother. Fortunately, the security at thew firm prevented anything worse from happening. Basically, they could tie you up and torture you in a room with cameras while half the world watches, and somehow, it would still be your fault. It¡¯s pointless to argue with these kinds of people; their arguments are based on the "will of God." If you don¡¯t do what they say, you¡¯re disobeying God¡¯s will, but if you do what "God" orders, you¡¯ll be rewarded¡­ in another life. People like him will never listen to arguments that harm them. Even if you take the time to show them how impossible and irrational their intentions are, all you¡¯ll do is be marked as a sphemer. They twist their action and make them righteous. No matter even if who their action go against. Even if another believer goes with their holy text and tells them that their actions were wrong, they would only tell you that they are special, the exception, they are right and you are wrong. No argument whatsoever. Everyone who does not share their views is against them. This is what a fanatic is. As for what happened to that individual, Zack¡¯s parents did something he hadn¡¯t expected. They apologized and agreed to do what that fool wanted, allowing him to proim his actions during the trial. He was sentenced to death. The teacher tried to ask more questions but was interrupted by the Pontiff. "Child. I understand you¡¯re confused, but I assure you that you have nothing to fear. Please, let¡¯s proceed with the awakening ceremony. I¡¯m sure it will clear up your doubts." Miss Kaede remained silent for a moment, then nodded her head. The elderly man in white and gold robes smiled and said: "Just ce your hand on the sphere I¡¯m holding." Kaede did as instructed. The moment her hand touched the sphere, light began to gently emanate from it, gradually increasing in brightness. Once the sphere stopped glowing, the Pontiff said: "Status."
If you like the novel, you can read more chapters in my patreon ount: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 7: Worth The Prime Minister''s steps stopped, and he looked at the person who had stopped him. "Is something wrong?" the Minister asked, clearly confused. "What about those who haven''t received their ss yet?" asked Professor Kaede. "Eh?" The Prime Minister looked at the four remaining people who still hadn''t received a ss, including Zack. It seemed like he had really forgotten about them. "Don¡¯t worry about that. After the banquet, we''ll continue with the ceremony. Let''s go; we don''t want to bete," the Minister said as he tried to move toward the room where the banquet was to be held. However, he was stopped again when someone grabbed his arm. "The ceremony only takes a few seconds. I''m sure that by the time we get there, the banquet won''t have started yet," Kaede responded, feeling indignant at the Prime Minister''s attitude toward his students. Despite his age, Zack had experienced many things and understood how the world worked, so there were few things that could spark his anger. Apparently, being kidnapped against his will and sent to fight in a war he had nothing to do with, only to be forgotten when his captors got what they wanted, was one of those things. Who would have thought? "Eh? But wouldn''t it be good to make His Majesty wait?" the Prime Minister replied as he watched the crowd disperse. Professor Kaede was about to say something when she was interrupted by someone behind her. "If that''s the case, how about I continue with the ceremony? After all, with my old bones, it''s normal for me to bete to the celebration." The Minister turned around, and upon seeing the person speaking, said: "Are you sure, Archmage? I didn''t want to impose a burden on you." "Yes, I a¡ª" "Excellent. Please, apany me. It would be a shame to bete. I''ll leave everything in your hands, Archmage," the Prime Minister said, cutting off the mage before he could finish speaking. He left the room, apanied by Miss Kaede, who seemed intent on staying behind. After they left, the others fell silent. After all, it was hard to forget that this seemingly normal old man had electrocuted one of them just ten minutes ago. An awkward silence filled the room until the old wizard spoke impatiently: "Well, what are you waiting for?" The students reacted and hurried to find out what their ss was. There were only four students left who hadn''t received their ss. Miss Kaede was right; the process was very quick. Twenty secondster, one of the members had received their ss. Status Name: Suzumiya Airi Race: Human Age: 18 ss: Bard, Level 1 Skills: Universal Trantion "The Bard ss, a tier-2 ss, is quitemon and uses music to influence the behavior of people around them," the old man exined. Unlike the Pontiff, the old mage preferred to have more patience and exined the ss in detail. Although they might seem simple at first nce, no ss was entirely harmless. After hearing the old man''s exnation, the others seemed to have calmed down a bit. Another student approached the old man to find out his ss. This boy was the only foreigner in the ss, apart from Wendy and Ronald, who were American, and Zack, who was half-Japanese. Zack''s father was a Japanesewyer who met his mother during an international trial. It was a veryplicated case rted to maritime trade. Zack''s father lost the trial. Afterward, Zack''s parents kept in touch, gradually formed a rtionship, and the rest was history. The boy ced his hand on the crystal ball, and after it couldn''t shine brighter to reveal his status, it appeared before the eyes of those still in the room. Status Name: Austin Ram¨ªrez Race: Human Age: 18 ss: Fire Mage, Level 1 Skills: Universal Trantion "Oohhh, is this a tier-2 ss?" asked Austin, satisfied. Magic sses are extremely rare. Apart from Seto, who had the Sage ss, only two people had acquired a magic ss. One was a Magic Tailor, a tailor who used magic for their dresses, imbuing them with magical power and granting them special characteristics. The robes of mages were made by people with these sses. Still, it wasn''t a ss that made magic its primary element. The other person with a magic ss was a Shaman, someone who invoked the powers of nature spirits to aid them inbat. When the nobles saw that ss, they reacted as if they had seen a tier-3 ss. Clearly, magic sses are more powerful than others. "No, it''s a tier-1 ss," said the Archmage, breaking Austin''s dreams of power and grandeur, as many before him had experienced. "B-but shouldn''t the tier-1 ss be the Mage ss? How is it possible that my ss is tier-1?" the boy asked, hoping that his ss was tier-2. The treatment waspletely different. "Normally, yes, but there are exceptions where a few individuals have an extraordinary aptitude in a certain field that allows them to modify their ss," the Archmage exined. "An example would be the tier-1 Shield Warrior ss. This ss shows that the warrior has an unusual aptitude for using shields. People with such sses will have less difficulty advancing their ss to tier-2, acquiring defensive sses like Guardian or Pdin." Upon hearing that he could level up his ss, the boy asked hopefully, "So I can get the same treatment as the others?" Zack paid attention to what the Archmage would say next. After all, even if someone had a tier-1 ss, they could still reach higher levels. The Archmage snorted. "In your dreams. It''s not that easy. If a person with a tier-1 ss wants to reach tier-2, they not only have to reach level 100 but also have to have a sufficient understanding of the ss they want to achieve. The fastest person to increase their ss rank was a noble''s son who was obsessed with this." The Archmage paused and asked, "Do you know how long it took that noble to level up his ss with the resources from his territory?" "Eh? I don¡¯t know, three years?" "Five years. That¡¯s been the minimum time considered to level up a tier-1 ss to tier-2. This was because he had a mutated ss like yours; a normal person would take 10 years with the same resources. And with each tier, it bes harder. Having a tier-2 ss is already impressive across the continent." "F-five years?" Hearing the answer, the student deted. The thought of working for five years just to upgrade his ss to the same level as his colleagues filled him with envy. Zack''splexion turned pale. It took ten years and a multitude of resources to level up a ss. He and his ssmates had been called to fight in the war against the Demon King, but the Archmage had already said that having a tier-2 ss was extraordinary; having a tier-1 ss wasn''t. Would it really be possible for the kingdom to provide them with resources to level up their ss and not to their own soldiers?@@novelbin@@ It was more likely that people with tier-1 sses would be thrown into battle with barely any preparation, only to be cannon fodder. People with tier-1 sses were probably expendable. If you don¡¯t have a tier-2 ss, you can only expect to die. "It''s already great that you have such a ss. Be grateful for what you have," said the Archmage as he moved the crystal ball away from him. "Who''s next?" he asked. "Will it be me?" The ceremony was almost over, and there were almost no students left. Zack didn¡¯t feel the need to be thest, so he volunteered as calmly as possible, though still feeling a bit uneasy. He ced his hand on the crystal ball and said: "Status"
If you like the novel, you can read more chapters in my patreon ount: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 9: Idea When Zack and the others arrived at the banquet hall, the room was already alive with activity. Everyone present was seated, chatting, drinking wine, and enjoying the food. The banquet hall, like everything else in the castle, was extravagant. High-quality curtains and intricate decorations adorned the space, and a long table at its center was covered by an embroidered tablecloth. The seating arrangement reflected the attendees'' status. At the far end of the table sat the king, alongside Yamato and the kingdom¡¯s most influential figures, such as the prime minister, the pontiff, and several elderly nobles who had attended the ceremony. The archmage joined them, taking a seat among these dignitaries. Further down the table were other nobles, engaged in animated conversation with Tatsu, Seto, and Lorelei, the hero¡¯spanions. The noise and distance made it impossible for Zack to discern what they were discussing. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the table sat Zack¡¯s ssmates. Most were focused on the food¡ªexcept for a few, like Miss Kaede, who seemed intent on gathering more information about their situation.@@novelbin@@ Zack couldn¡¯t help but notice something peculiar: there were fewer people present than there should have been. Everyone here had at least a Tier 2 ss. Excluding the hero and hispanions, there were seventeen Tier 2 students and only two Tier 3 students among the twenty-eight who had been summoned. This meant fifteen of their ssmates¡ªnearly half¡ªwere missing. Zack suspected the Tier 1 students had been sent elsewhere, likely denied even the courtesy of a meal. Had the archmage not personally overseen the ceremony, neither Austin nor Zack would be here either. Zack and hispanions found seats among their ssmates and began eating. For someone ustomed to modern cuisine, the food was underwhelming and poorly bnced. Despite being served to nobles and the king, the dishescked finesse. The issue wasn¡¯t the quality of the ingredients or fire control, but the preparation itself. Each dish wasden with spices and strong aromas,pletely unrestrained: some were overly salty, others excessively spicy, and the desserts were cloyingly sweet, practically white with sugar. Only the wine and fruit stood out as truly edible. It seemed as though the food was made for people with little regard for subtlety in taste. Yet, not everything was bad. Due to consuming a dish prepared by a Master Chef: Str +1 At that moment, Zack understood why most of his ssmates¡ªexcept for one or two who had barely touched their tes¡ªwere devouring the food like pigs. He was speechless. This world was bing more and more like a video game. (If I¡¯m not mistaken, this unappetizing food must have been prepared by a Tier 3 ss holder.) Zack recalled the archmage¡¯s earlier words: ¡°Any high-ranking ss, no matter how seemingly useless, is extraordinary.¡± The nobles¡¯ conversations, on the other hand, offered little value. Most of their chatter consisted of mutual ttery or insincere praise for the heroes. The younger nobles busied themselves discussing beauty or recent events, none of which were particrly interesting. For Zack, it was tedious. Yet, as someone used to parties and social gatherings, he sat quietly, avoiding attention while attentively observing the discussions andmitting the faces of the attendees to memory. As the meal drew to a close, the king called for silence. The room fell into an immediate hush, a nket of silence enveloping the hall. ¡°Attention, please. I¡¯d like to propose a toast to Yamato and hispanions, who havee from far away to help us with the looming threat. Cheers!¡± the king dered, raising his wine-filled ss. ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°To the heroes!¡± ¡°You are the hope of the kingdom and the king!¡± The nobles echoed the king, raising their sses with enthusiasm and praise. The king stood, his presencemanding the room. ¡°At both sides of the hall, servants are waiting to escort you to the locations where your training willmence. The kingdom¡¯s finest instructors will guide you in bing stronger,¡± he announced. Turning to Yamato, he added, ¡°Hero Yamato, the hero ss is unique in its ability to learn all types of arts. Your training, as well as that of yourpanions, will be overseen by the grand archmage, our esteemed pontiff, and the captain of the castle guard. They are the finest professionals we can offer and will dedicate their utmost effort to your growth. Simply inform them of your ss type, and they will guide you ordingly.¡± With that, the king departed, followed by the prime minister and the nobles. Though the evening was still young, it seemed they had other matters to attend to. Hearing the king¡¯s words, Zack¡¯s mind began to race. It was evident that the education and resources allocated to Tier 2 sses far surpassed those given to Tier 1. (No one knows that Austin and I have Tier 1 sses. If we can infiltrate, we might be stronger,) Zack thought. The idea sounded risky, perhaps even insane, but it wasn¡¯t impossible. The only people who knew the truth about Austin and Zack¡¯s sses were the archmage, two ssmates, and a few guards from the throne room. Under normal circumstances, the archmage would report their sses to the king, but Zack doubted this had happened. Judging by the attitudes of the king and the nobles, only the hero¡¯s ss, hispanions¡¯, and the Tier 3 sses were seen as significant. The king didn¡¯t seem like someone who concerned himself with ¡°minor matters.¡± If the archmage had reported anything, he likely kept his description vague, merely stating that the ceremony had gone as expected. As for the guards, they had no authority to approach the king or report their observations to superiors, especially with the archmage present. Moreover, their duties were confined to guarding the throne room, making it unlikely they¡¯d be present during the training sessions. (If we¡¯re selected for training in ¡®magical arts,¡¯ they¡¯ll likely take us to the archmage. But given his attitude, it¡¯s probable he¡¯ll only train Seto. The rest of us will be assigned to someone else.) The main risky in the possibility that their instructor might report their progress to the archmage. However, the archmage had shown little interest in the heroes during the ceremony. If their instructor did report back, it would likely happen muchter¡ªperhaps after training had concluded. Even if the worst happened and they were caught, Zack figured he preferred prison over being thrown onto a battlefield unprepared. (It¡¯s a risk, but I¡¯m certain it¡¯s better than whatever is nned for Tier 1 sses. All that remains is to convince those two not to say anything.) Zack nced at hispanions, determination clear in his eyes.
If you like the novel, you can read more chapters in my patreon ount: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 11: Negotiations "¡®What do you mean you won¡¯t help us?!¡¯ Austin eximed, his voice agitated. Fortunately, they were standing in a corner away from the crowd, so no one paid much attention to them. ¡®I have no interest in helping you craft such a lie,¡¯ Ronald said firmly. ¡®You have it all nned out, but have you thought about what will happen when these people find out the truth? You can¡¯t hide it forever, and when ites out, I¡¯ll be implicated as well.¡¯ Austin tried to respond, but before he could, Zack interjected: ¡®Even if they were to discover us, it wouldn¡¯t be immediately. With a bit of time, you could say you don¡¯t remember what sses we had,¡¯ Zack said as he analyzed the situation. ¡®Besides, you have a crafting ss, so you¡¯ll be separate from us. No one will have any reason to ask you anything. All we¡¯re asking is that if you see or hear anything about us, just ignore it. You won¡¯t get in trouble for not remembering us.¡¯ Hearing this, Ronald¡¯s face remained unchanged, but Zack, having learned to read others¡¯ bodynguage, could tell his words were having an effect. ¡®Think about it. No one knows where the other students with tier 1 sses are. It¡¯s possible they¡¯ve been sent directly to where we¡¯re going. No one¡¯s told us what¡¯s happening with them. You can¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to us. No one can. All we¡¯re asking is that if you hear about us while we¡¯re training, just ignore it like any other news and don¡¯t tell anyone about us. In return, we¡¯ll owe you a favor. Simple, right?¡¯ Zack finished speaking, locking eyes with Ronald while ignoring Austin, who, standing beside him, looked like a mix of a steroid-filled bodybuilder and an abandoned puppy. Looking at Austin¡¯s expression, Zack felt like sighing. (If I could choose, I¡¯d have done this alone. However, Austin is in the same situation as me, which means if he goes down, I go down with him,) Zack thought. To be honest, Austin could be both the best and worst person to attempt this kind of infiltration with. This moment carried the highest risk of getting caught. Once they made it past today, the chances of Austin being the cause of their capture would significantly drop. (After all, the hardest way to detect a mistake in an infiltrator is when the infiltrator themselves forgets they shouldn¡¯t be there,) Zack thought as he waited for Ronald¡¯s response. Ronald seemed to consider it for a moment but eventually shook his head. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d rather not take any risks. My answer remains the same,¡¯ he said, turning around to head toward one of the guards to report the two people who shouldn¡¯t be there. Austin looked like he was about to panic. Both knew how crucial it was to secure more resources to improve their magic sses, especially given how their status seemed tied to them. Austin hurried after Ronald, intending to stop him from saying anything. ¡®So you¡¯re just going to let Yamato get away with it?!¡¯ Or at least, that¡¯s what would have happened if Zack hadn¡¯t ced a hand on his shoulder. The situation was extremely delicate, and Zack was certain that threatening Ronald wouldn¡¯t work. Even if they managed to stop him from saying anything now, he¡¯d likely tell the nearest guard as soon as they separated. No, this situation required a different perspective. If Ronald didn¡¯t want to help them, Zack had to make Ronald need their help. At Zack¡¯s words, Ronald stopped in his tracks and turned to him with a ferocity that hadn¡¯t been present before¡ªor perhaps it had been hidden, waiting to explode at the most unexpected moment. ¡®What are you going to do, Ronald? Leave it all behind?¡¯ Zack¡¯s words seemed to resonate with Ronald. He didn¡¯t even bother hiding it anymore. The facade of a vulnerable victim that Ronald maintained in ss, on the streets, and at home fell for a moment. In its ce, there was only one thing in Ronald¡¯s eyes: Hate. A hatred far too great for someone his age. If anyone saw Ronald now, they¡¯d wonder what had happened for someone to have such a look. And yet, Zack knew. All of Ronald¡¯s ssmates knew. It wasn¡¯t new information. Everyone with a certain level of insight had heard the rumors. And yet no one did anything. No one tried to uncover the truth, investigate the rumors, or even understand how the situation had unfolded. Everyone acted... as if nothing had happened. It was moments like these when Zack felt contempt for high society¡ªthe world his parents were part of, and the world he was a part of. The hatred in Ronald¡¯s eyessted only a moment before disappearing again¡ªor rather, hiding again. It was so quick that Austin didn¡¯t notice, and if Zack hadn¡¯t been paying attention, he wouldn¡¯t have seen it either. But Zack was paying attention, and he did see it. ¡®I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Now, please let go of me,¡¯ Ronald said, shaking off Zack¡¯s hand. Zack didn¡¯t insist and withdrew his hand willingly. ¡®You don¡¯t realize the situation you¡¯re in,¡¯ Zack said. Seeing that Zack was still speaking, Ronald¡¯s eyes began to fill with annoyance, especially since it seemed like Zack was threatening him. The next words out of Zack¡¯s mouth made that annoyance vanish. ¡®The people who would really be in trouble, if these people found out everything, aren¡¯t you and Airi¡ªit¡¯s us,¡¯ Zack said, despite the surprise in Austin¡¯s eyes. ¡®We¡¯re the ones who intentionally deceived this group of arrogant idiots right under their noses. Do you really think they¡¯d be interested in someone who doesn¡¯t remember what happened that day?¡¯ Zack paused for a moment to gauge Ronald¡¯s reaction before continuing. ¡®No, their anger will be focused on us, especially since you weren¡¯t the only one there, Ronald. The Archmage and more than half a dozen guards were also present. If anyone finds out, they¡¯ll focus on them, not you.¡¯ Amid Austin¡¯s confused expression, Ronald had already understood what Zack was doing. Zack was deliberately putting himself at a disadvantage, showing Ronald that he held control. The ones who had the most to lose in this situation were Zack and Austin. It was obvious that the tier 1 students had been separated from the rest, and judging by the banquet, their fate was worse than theirs. Simrly, if anyone discovered that two tier 1 students had fooled them, it probably wouldn¡¯t end with a light punishment. I am in control, Zack thought. When Ronald reached this conclusion, his eyes lit up slightly. Seeing this, Zack said: ¡®I¡¯ve said everything I had to say. The decision is yours. Austin, let¡¯s go.¡¯ Zack turned without another word and headed toward the servant assigned to escort the magic sses to their new residence. ¡®Wait, what?!¡¯ Austin said, startled, as he hurried to catch up, leaving Ronald behind. ¡®Are you crazy?! We haven¡¯t even gotten him to promise he won¡¯t say anything. What do we do if he tells someone?¡¯ Austin asked in a low voice as they approached the servant. Zack said nothing and kept walking. As he¡¯d already said, he had nothing more to say. There was no absolute way to guarantee Ronald wouldn¡¯t say anything, but anything else they said would only reduce their chances. Now, they could only gamble that Ronald had enough hatred to use them for revenge¡ªa depressing thought. When they reached the servant guiding them, she said nothing. She simply smiled, bowed slightly out of respect, and began leading them out of the dining hall. To be honest, Zack was exhausted. Too many senseless things had happened in a short time¡ªfrom being summoned to another world to fight in a war to having their future depend on an unstable seventeen-year-old. Zack needed time to organize his thoughts, but his parents had taught him that everything had its moment, and if he acted toote, he¡¯d lose potential opportunities. (My parents.) Zack suddenly thought of them. With everything that had happened in just a few hours, Zack had been ignoring the full scope of his situation. Would he ever return home? The king had said they¡¯d be sent back after the war, but who knew if it was true? Even if they made it back, no one knew how much time would have passed or if they¡¯d still be the same as when they left. The headache returned. All Zack wanted in that moment was to lie down and forget everything, but he couldn¡¯t afford that. Otherwise, many opportunities would slip away. Before he realized how much time had passed, the maid guiding them stopped. Seeing this, Zack also stopped and looked around. They were no longer in the dining hall, nor were they in the same part of the castle as before. Although the castle walls were still visible, they were now outside. In front of them was an equally imposing building, slightly separated from the rest. The Magic Tower."@@novelbin@@ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you want to see more chapters, visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 13: Title鈥瞫 worth In an empty library, standing next to a wooden bookshelf, a young man was reading a book. His hands could feel the brown leather cover, a testament to its age and careful preservation. The rest of the library was engulfed in darkness, with books neatly aligned on their respective shelves and the room¡¯s chandeliers unlit. The pages of the book turned slowly in the young man¡¯s hands, illuminated only by a candle melting away bit by bit. Outside the castle walls, a storm raged, raindrops gently tapping against the library¡¯s grand windows, apanied by asional gusts of wind that interrupted the delicate rhythm. The young man seemed engrossed in his reading, his eyes fixed on the book before him, concentration etched onto his face. ¡°In the beginning, there was nothing. So, the gods created the world, a ce full of beauty and unexploredndscapes, where wondersy hidden behind every mountain and forest. When the gods beheld their creation, they were filled with pride. Yet, despite all this beauty, something was missing. The world was¡­ empty. Realizing this, the gods, in their infinite wisdom, decided to create life. Each god chose to create their own species, but not all of them were sessful. Goblins, orcs, trolls, and other such beings turned so wicked that they fell out of their creators¡¯ favor. The great god of light, Garian, leader of all gods, used his hands to mold from nothing a creature imbued with a spark of his own splendor: humans. Garian took the stars as inspiration to create a being of light, much like himself. He shaped the arms out of¡ª¡± Zack decided to skip this part about humans being the most perfect creatures in the universe while others were not. This was the third book Zack had read, and he already knew what it was going to say before reading it. The kingdom where Zack and hispanions found themselves was Parmece, a country with strong nationalism, primarily inhabited by humans. It was highly warlike and in constant conflict with its neighbors in the northern continent. The world was divided into five continents: the southern continent, home to elves; the eastern continent, inhabited by dwarves and humans; the central continent, shared by elves, dwarves, and humans; the northern continent, ruled by demons; and the western continent, which was uninhabitable. Every aspect of the kingdom¡ªsocial, literary, artistic, and military¡ªshowed a disdain for foreigners and an exaltation of the human race. Parmecey at the far north of the central continent, blocking the connection point between the two continents. Due to its constant wars with northern neighbors, the country had developed a strong sense of unity around its king, Terence II, alongside¡­ a hatred for other races. Zack flipped through the book¡¯s pages, trying to find what he had set out to learn in the first ce. This book wasn¡¯t even primarily about religion, yet it came up every three pages. (¡°h h h, elves were created in imitation of humans, h h h, dwarves were jealous of human magnificence, h h h. Ah, here it is!¡±) Humans and their allied races were cornered by the others, who had used their gifts for violence instead of harmony and cooperation. For this reason, the god of light, Garian, along with his loyal followers, decided to grant humans a unique power that would allow them to defeat the traitors and restore order to the world: the ss system. That¡¯s what Zack was looking for¡ªinformation about the key difference between his home and this world: sses. Not all beings in the world have sses. Based on the information from the books, it was hard to determine the criteria for which species have sses and which don¡¯t, but from what Zack had read, a certain level of awareness and self-perception seemed necessary for a species to gain sses. Apparently, when an individual surpasses a certain threshold of intelligence, they are granted the one and only tier-0 ss: Infant. No matter your race, this will always be your first ss. Once the system considers you mature enough, you are granted your tier-1 ss. Higher-tier sses are never granted directly, with one exception¡­ (Hero Summoning,) Zack thought as he continued reading. For humans, the Infant ss is acquired at one year of age, and your tier-1 ss at eight years old. Unlike the Infant ss, your tier-1 ss varies based on your actions during this period. While your early education can influence the direction your ss takes, there¡¯s no set of specific actions that guarantees a particr ss. If you¡¯re taught about minerals, you might end up with sses like Gatherer or Artisan, while focusing on books could lead to sses like Mage or Schr. The book listed arge variety of sses and their respective progressions. To advance a ss, you need to level up. There are two ways to do this, though both are essentially the same: doing what your ss is meant to do. The first way is straightforward: if you¡¯re a cksmith, forge weapons; if you¡¯re a bard, y music. Your level rises through practicing your craft. The second way involves learning what your ss can do. For instance, if you¡¯re a swordsman, mastering one or more sword-fighting styles will increase your level even if you don¡¯t actually fight anyone. Simrly, if you¡¯re a cksmith and learn how to make exotic weapons, your level will increase even if you only forge spears daily. For better or worse, this second way of leveling up has led to an unfortunate consequence: knowledge in this world is far more valuable than it ever was on Earth. For example, a recipe for a special kind of pastry could be a baker¡¯s family heirloom, or a sculptor¡¯s technique something they¡¯d take to the grave. What¡¯s worse is that, due to the difficulty of book production, most knowledge is passed down orally from generation to generation. If someone had an ident, centuries-old knowledge could be lost forever without anyone realizing it. Zack lifted his gaze from the book and looked around at the thousands of books resting on the shelves, waiting to be opened and to share their knowledge. On Earth, this would have been a normal sight in any library. But here, the presence of so many books was a testament to the royal family¡¯s power and wealth. With a sigh, Zack closed the book he was reading and put it back in its ce. He then left the library and headed to his room. Once there, he opened the door and copsed onto the bed. Zack closed his eyes, exhausted. The events of today were something he wouldn¡¯t have believed even in his wildest fantasies. Zack thought about Ronald for a moment before dismissing the thought. He had already done everything he could; if his gamble worked, everything would turn out fine. If not, Zack would most likely wake up in a prison cell. It wasn¡¯t worth dwelling on.@@novelbin@@ Zack rxed his body and prepared to sleep. Tomorrow, he would need all the energy he could muster to face his new reality. Suddenly, Zack¡¯s eyes snapped open as he remembered something incredible. He sat up for a moment, confused, and said: ¡°Did I just read three books in less than two hours?¡± /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 16: Advance Due to having studied constantly for a period of time: Int +1 In the end, Austin and the others did not return to the library, probably too overwhelmed by everything that had happened and trying to process what would happen in the future. Zack didn¡¯t have that luxury; every second was crucial, and anything that didn''t increase his chances of survival was something he couldn¡¯t afford right now. When Zack closed the book he was reading, the day had ended. The sun had set, and there was no one left in the library except for him and a solitary candle beside him. Despite this, Zack had to admit that he had benefited greatly from this reading. Zack hadn''t read one or two books¡ªhe had read almost two-thirds of the books on the list. That was something he never would have believed possible in his world. If it had happened to hispanions, he could understand, but Zack had seen the study pace of Austin and the others, and it was nowhere near as exaggerated. Noticing this, Zack couldn¡¯t help but remember the one thing that made him different from the others. Bookworm Title obtained by those who value knowledge and enjoy acquiring it It will be easier for you to read books It will be easier for you to understand the essence of the books you¡¯ve read You won¡¯t forget the books you¡¯ve read easily Seeing the title again, Zack was beginning to understand its true effect. If someone is ustomed to reading and is willing to challenge themselves, it is possible to read an entire book in a day, but not fifteen. And Zack hadn¡¯t just read nine books; their contents were engraved in his mind. At this moment, Zack felt as though he had learned the content of these books a long time ago. Zack hadn¡¯t just read those books¡ªhe had internalized their information. Zack smiled. For the first time since arriving in this world, he wanted tough,ugh with all his might. Zack suppressed his desire, left the book he had finished reading in its ce, and headed to his room. The night was still young, and there was much to do. When he arrived at the room that had been assigned to him, Zack sat on the bed and crossed his legs. The books Albert had ordered them to read covered the basics of everything a mage needs to know before casting their first spell. Magic users are those who can use mana and manipte it to alter the reality around them. The first step for this is for a mage to acquire the mana from their surroundings and make it their own. One of the books Albert included in the list is solely about how to acquire mana. This is thanks to one of the most basic abilities of magic users: meditation. Through meditation, mages absorb mana from the outside and draw it toward themselves, assimting it and making it their own. Thest book Zack read before leaving the library included a meditation technique through which someone with the Mage ss could acquire mana. Of course, Zack was sure that the meditation technique described in the book was one of the simplest and most basic. The technique described all the steps very simply, and there was no technical difficulty. Even if you failed to acquire or control the external mana, there would be no negative repercussions. After all, this technique was aimed at children as young as ten, so it wouldn''t make sense to teach them a technique tooplicated or dangerous. The only important feature of this technique was that once you sessfully acquired a thread of mana, this technique could substitute sleep. Zack followed the steps described in the book and closed his eyes, trying to feel the mana. Unlike yesterday, the night was clear, with no signs of rain, not even a gust of wind. Little by little, Zack sank deeper into his own world, when suddenly something appeared there. Zack opened his eyes momentarily, startled, and the sensation vanished. When he opened his eyes, Zack had no joy in them; his eyes were filled with incredible seriousness. Zack closed his eyes again and tried to feel the mana once more. This time, it was easier. There it was¡ªit was as if it hadn¡¯t moved all this time, as if it had always been there, waiting for Zack to notice it. Unconsciously, his back was sweating. Zack took a deep breath and tried to calm down. With full concentration, his awareness focused on that sensation and invited it toe toward him. At first, the mana seemed indifferent to his efforts, but little by little, the mana seemed more interested in Zack, as if he were an unrelenting suitor seeking the hand of hisdy.@@novelbin@@ Zack didn¡¯t know exactly how much time passed while he tried to get the mana to move. It was a wonderful sensation; all his problems seemed to have disappeared. Zack had never felt so calm. Minutes, hours, days¡ªtime seemed to lose meaning, as if in the universe there was only him and the mana. Suddenly, the mana moved. It was only for a moment, but Zack definitely felt the mana move. Zack refocused on the mana, trying to get it toe closer. Slowly, very slowly, the mana came toward Zack. After an agonizing amount of time, the mana was near, very near. If mana could be seen with the naked eye, Zack would have it right in front of him. With onest effort, Zack pulled the mana toward him. Suddenly, Zack felt something in his body. Without rushing, Zack guided the mana as described in the book throughout his body, molding it, adapting it to himself. After an unknown amount of time, the mana flowed through Zack¡¯s body steadily. Zack slowly guided the thread of mana toward his head. Once the mana settled there, it was as if something had been awakened within his body. He felt better, could think more clearly and quickly, and even the fatigue seemed to have disappeared. Zack opened his eyes and looked at himself. Everything seemed sharper, as if he had been seeing things on an old TV until now. Status Name: Zack Mayima Age: 18 Race: Human Title: Bookworm ss: Mage Level: 2 Stats: Strength: 9 Endurance: 8 Wisdom: 12 Luck: 10 Agility: 10 Intelligence: 15 Charm: 11 Mana: 1/1 Skills: Fast Reading Level 4 Memorization Level 2 Universal Trantion A new column had appeared in his status showing the mana he possessed. He had also leveled up, which was an unexpected surprise. Yet, Zack¡¯s face showed no joy, only concern. (What¡¯s happening? How did I get mana?) Zack wondered. In the book he had read, the meditation technique said that one could acquire mana through this exercise, but not in a single night. One of the pages mentioned that, on average, it took about three months of using the technique to feel the mana. Zack didn¡¯t think his situation was normal. Something was definitely wrong somewhere. As for Zack being a genius born once in a thousand years? Ha. Zack would want tough in the face of anyone who thought such nonsense was possible. Feeling the mana around you is the most crucial part of the technique. The minimum time to feel the mana using this technique is about a month. What had just happened made no sense. No. Something was wrong. Even with ten titles, Zack couldn¡¯t have acquired mana at this speed. Still, Zack didn¡¯t n to tell anyone. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that he was in hostile territory. Knock knock Zack jumped when he heard the door. He turned his gaze and said as calmly as he could, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Hero, please get up. I¡¯ve been ordered to guide you to the dining hall.¡± Unknowingly, Zack had been awake all night.
If you like this story, there are more chapters in my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 19: Destiny (This is terrible)thought Zack as he walked down the hallway with his fourpanions, having just finished attending ss. ¡°This is fantastic,¡± said Austin, cheerfully leading the group with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. Nadia noticed it, but if Zack¡¯s parents had been present, they would have known that Zack had just given Austin a decidedly unfriendly look. If Zack could, he would have punched that fool for not realizing the gravity of their situation. What was worse was that Shun and Miyu seemed to have bought into the nonsense Albert had been spouting. After all, what he said seemed to make sense. What¡¯s the use of knowingplex theories when facing someone intent on killing you? Maybe Austin and the others couldn¡¯t tell the difference between a regr mage and abat mage, but Zack could. While a regr mage and abat mage might have the same magical ss, their approaches were entirely different. The key difference was thatbat mages specialized in using magic on the battlefield. At first nce,bat mages seemed like an improvement. After all, they focused on practical applications of their magic instead of spending time locked away studyingplex magical theories¡ªor at least, that was the idea Austin and the others had gotten from listening to Albert. The truth was far from it. Essentially,bat mages were mages who had abandoned anything that wasn¡¯t useful on the battlefield. For example, a regr mage, when learning the fireball spell, not only learned how to cast it but also how to adjust its size, temperature, speed, and even the number of fireballs. Abat mage only learned how to cast it. Zack recalled one of the books from the central library that delved deeply into this type of mage. Combat mages had emerged as a response to a problem with the traditional positioning of mages on the battlefield. Traditionally, mages had always been positioned at the rear. Their role was to useplex magical forms to create super-spells by working in synergy with other mages, then unleash those spells on the enemy, causing massive devastation. The role of other sses was to serve as a human shield, ensuring the enemy couldn¡¯t get close to the mages¡¯ formation. That was the traditional setup. The problem arose during a war between two small neighboring countries a long time ago. The book Zack had read didn¡¯t specify when this war took ce, nor did it preserve the names of the countries involved. Apparently, the disparity in power between the two nations was considerable. When they met on the battlefield, the aggressor country had three times the soldiers and five times the mages as the defending country. Even if the defending mages focused all their efforts on forming a magical shield around their troops, the super-spell of the enemy mages would render it useless. At that moment, a general from the defending nation had an idea that would revolutionize warfare: turning mages into a mobile unit. The concept was that instead of mages staying at the rear preparing spells, they would advance with the rest of the army, solving problems the regr troops couldn¡¯t handle quickly. The n was for the army to advance fast enough to reach the enemy mages before they could unleash theirbined spell. The n seeded. Since then, this strategy has been adopted by other nations, leading to an unprecedented development of military arts over the next decade. There was just one small problem. Only one-tenth of the mages from the defending nation survived that battle. In the following years, while the strategy evolved dramatically, it also led to the deaths of an unprecedented number of mages. The situation became so dire that many mages began threatening to abandon their countries if they were sent to the battlefield. Considering that most mages came from noble families, this wasn¡¯t ideal. Training a mage was expensive, and only noble families could afford it. That¡¯s when the idea of training mages frommoner families arose, in exchange for a period of service in the army asbat mages. These were mages who survived daily on the battlefield, discarding anything that wouldn¡¯t help them survive in the short term. What¡¯s the use of learning that if you¡¯re dead?That is thebat mage¡¯s mentality. Somebat mages take this to such an extreme that they know fewer than ten spells. But the most important reason Zack nearly flipped the table when Albert exined that he was abat mage wasn¡¯t because they were being sent to the most dangerous position a mage could take on the battlefield. The reason was entirely different. Combat mages were trained to fight non-magicalbat sses quickly and effectively, but this also gave them a fatal w. A standard mage had to go through rigorous training before earning the title of mage;bat mages didn¡¯t have to endure such learning. Because of this, when the two types of mages faced off, the oue was always the same. Massacre. From a standard mage¡¯s perspective,bat mages¡¯ spells were iplete,cked variety, and couldn¡¯t adapt to their offenses. On the battlefield, this wasn¡¯t an issue. Standard mages stayed in the rear, and the only mage abat mage might face was another of their kind. But Zack and hispanions were in a different situation. Zack hadn¡¯t forgotten that the possibility of being eliminated the moment the kingdom was done with them wasn¡¯t low. If Zack and the others dared disobey orders or act against the kingdom¡¯s interests, they could be disposed of. Zack had been wondering what method they¡¯d use to control them and prevent escape. He wasn¡¯t naive enough to think people ustomed to being obeyed wouldn¡¯t have a way to enforce their orders. At first, he thought they¡¯d try to cultivate loyalty step by step, showering them with the best treatment as ¡°heroes.¡± Now, Zack realized he had been overthinking. Although Zack didn¡¯t know what methods they¡¯d use on hispanions, judging by the way the nobles had treated him, it was likely a simple and crude strategy exploiting theirck of knowledge while lowering their guard with ttery and empty words. The nobles of this kingdom valued honor, duty, and justice¡ªwhen it suited them. The moment Zack or hispanions rebelled, their masks would fall to the ground at lightning speed. Zack hadn¡¯t forgotten how all hispanions with tier 1 sses had been forcibly separated from the others by the guards while those bastardsughed. Even now, no one had told them what had be of them. Realizing his thoughts were growing darker, Zack shook his head and forced himself to think of something else.@@novelbin@@ (Now that I think about it, having abat mage as an instructor isn¡¯t so bad), Zack thought, trying to look on the bright side. Combat mages had significant gaps in their knowledge, which depended on the mage¡¯s mindset. Judging by Albert¡¯s attitude, it was easy to see that they wouldn¡¯t be learning any magical theory in the future. Still,bat mages could provide practical knowledge that a regr mage couldn¡¯t. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be enough to choose Albert over a traditional mage, but Zack was different. His title not only allowed him to read at an impossible speed but also helped him internalize that knowledge as if he¡¯d been taught by a master of the subject. As Zack walked with hispanions as though nothing had happened, he made a decision he¡¯d been pondering all week. Screw this kingdom. Once I¡¯ve learned everything I can, I¡¯m out of here. I won¡¯t spend a single second on the battlefield for these bastards. Zack¡¯s pace didn¡¯t change, but he walked with a newfound determination. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want more chapter visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 21: Magic Hand Mana control level up +1 Zack closed the book he had in his hands and returned it to its original ce. It had been a week since Zack and the others had seen Albert¡¯s demonstration. A few things have happened since then. Status Name: Zack Mayima@@novelbin@@ Age: 18 Race: Human Title: Bookworm ss: Mage Level: 8 Stats: Strength: 9 Endurance: 9 Wisdom: 17 Luck: 10 Agility: 10 Intelligence: 22 Charm: 11 Mana: 20/20 Skills: Fast Reading Level 4 Memory Level 2 Mana Control Level 3 Universal Trantion Zack¡¯s reading was going well. Although he was still reading Tier 1 magic books and there was no sign that he would be advancing any time soon, his progress was remarkable. While Zack was looking for another book of his level to read, his mind couldn¡¯t help but wander back to the demonstration Albert had given them. ... "Are you ready?!" Albert said as he stood in the middle of the room. In front of him, about 20 meters away, there was a training dummy and several randomly scattered aiming targets. At that moment, Zack and the others were focused on Albert¡¯s movements, trying to capture each detail. For a few moments, the room was silent as the students waited for their instructor to begin. Then Albert moved. That was it. There was nothing else¡ªno bright lights, no magical words. Albert simply raised his hand and¡­ BOOM. The dummy exploded. No, not just the dummy. The targets on the wall¡ªall of them¡ªexploded. At that moment, Austin and the others realized just how little they knew about magic. ... Since then, Austin, Shun, and Miyu had developed a renewed interest in magic, meditating every night. Austin, in particr, had been deeply impacted, cutting down on his time in the library to practice meditation in the morning as well. Over the week, Zack had realized several important things. First of all, although his Intelligence and Wisdom had increased during the week, the increase had been less than the previous week. This aligned with several books he had read, which stated that the difficulty of increasing stats grew as those stats became higher. No one knew for sure what the limits of an attribute were, but the cap would likely increase as one advanced in tiers. It was theorized that the cap for Tier 1 sses was 100 points for each attribute. For Tier 2 sses, the cap was 200, and for Tier 3 sses, it was 250. This showed that the higher the tier of your ss, the harder it became to increase your stats. The cap for Tier 4 sses was thought to be 300 points, but so few Tier 4 mages existed in history, and none had willingly revealed their stats, so there wasn''t enough data to confirm that. The second thing Zack noticed was that his Endurance had increased. He hadn''t done anything special, and most of the time he was just reading, so nothing could exin the increase. After careful consideration, Zack concluded that the mana in his body was passively strengthening him. The reason his Endurance increased while the others did not was that Endurance was his lowest attribute, and as such, it increased the fastest. As time passed, Zack believed that his other physical attributes would increase as well. Yesterday, Albert had taught them the mana control method. For the others, this lesson was the first step toward bing true mages. But for Zack, it held even greater value. Zack had already learned mana control shortly after Albert¡¯s demonstration and had been practicing all week. Unlike mana absorption, the conditions for practicing mana control were much more rxed, allowing Zack to practice even when he wasn''t fully focused on it. For Zack, this lesson helped him appreciate the difference between traditional mages andbat mages. Whilebat mages may have deficiencies in other areas, their mana control was clearly superior. Albert¡¯s technique was fast and efficient, and he took advantage of every drop of mana in the best possible way, minimizing any waste. In contrast, the mana control described in the books was not as refined. Aside from the basic techniques, traditional mages passively improve their mana control through the continual use of spells throughout their lives. After all, even if a mage runs out of mana, they can simply meditate and wait for it to regenerate. For abat mage, every drop of mana can mean life or death. The second thing Zack noticed was that his Mana Control skill had leveled up by three levels in just a week. In theory, this was impossible. Skills¡ªany skill¡ªtake a long time to master. At the rate Zack was learning, it was as if a first-year medical student had somehow be a teacher with over ten years of experience in just six months. That wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. So far, the most skilled mage Zack had seen was his teacher, Albert, who was only Level 7 in Mana Control. For a moment, Zack stopped what he was doing and began to think about Miss Kaede. Although Zack felt that his time in the magic tower had been well spent, he couldn¡¯t help but think of his teacher and the rest of his ssmates. He hadn¡¯t received any news about what was happening to them, nor what was happening in the outside world. All the information they received was controlled, except for the kingdom¡¯s recent victories against demons, which Zack overheard from other library patrons. But beyond that, he knew nothing. Trying to distract himself from sinking into negative thoughts, Zack focused on the task at hand. Despite the many spells hidden within the library, Zack had refrained from learning them so far. His mana and control weren¡¯t yet sufficient for casting anythingplex. Spells were categorized by tiers. Tier 1 mages could only cast Tier 1 spells, Tier 2 mages could cast Tier 2 spells, and so on. Due to theirplexity and the time required to perform them, a simplified version of each spell had been created, with lower mana costs, for the most useful spells ording to the magicmunity. What Zack was about to try was not technically considered a spell by some. A few authors considered a lower tier than Tier 1, calling it Tier 0. Others simply saw them as practical applications of mana. In fact, several books in the library were justpendiums of Tier 0 spells. Finding them wasn¡¯t hard. The wizards who created these versions had done so to make learning, or simply everyday life, easier for other mages. Wizards who wished to hide their knowledge didn¡¯t consider these versions important enough to keep secret. Zack was going to cast a Tier 0 spell. The spell Zack wanted to learn was called Magic Hand. It created an invisible hand using magic to help carry things. Zack had already memorized the structure of the spell. In this world, spells were made up of nodes, and the greater the number of nodes, the harder the spell. The nodes were connected by channels of mana in a specific order. To cast a spell, a mage only needed to guide their mana to the nodes in the correct order. Zack left the library and went to his room. His ssmates had started spending less time in the library, so he was alone. After entering his room and ensuring no one would disturb him, he sat down in a chair and ced a pen on his table. The maximum weight this spell could carry was around 2 kg, meaning it couldn¡¯t lift anything heavier than a book. It was a simple, useful spell¡ªideal for beginners. Zack closed his eyes and focused on directing his mana to form the spell¡¯s structure. The pattern of the spell formed in his mind. Eight solitary nodes were floating in the void, separated from each other. One by one, they began to glow. The first node illuminated, and a white line connected it to the next node, gradually lighting each one. Crack. Just as Zack was focusing on lighting up the seventh node, one of them exploded. Zack opened his eyes, confused, his head pounding from the bacsh. Something had gone wrong. When a mage fails to cast a spell correctly, the mana deviates from its path, and the mage suffers from the bacsh. Fortunately, Tier 0 spells didn¡¯t result in serious consequences. In the worst cases, such failures could be fatal. Zack reviewed his attempt and realized that the problem was that he hadn¡¯t controlled the mana properly. He failed to keep the mana evenly distributed, and as soon as there wasn¡¯t enough to maintain the nodes, one of them burst. After a few minutes, the pain subsided, and Zack tried again. Crack. (This will take longer than I thought), Zack thought to himself, gritting his teeth against the pain once more. ------------------------------------------ -------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------- - - - - If you want more chapter visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 24: Search P Parma, the capital of the kingdom of Parmece, seemed to be always busy. No matter where one looked, its inhabitants were always rushing from one ce to another under the watchful eye of the soldiers who patrolled the streets. The city is a bustling hub of activity, where the sights, sounds, and smells blend into a chaotic yet exotic reality. Narrow stone streets lined with imposing military-style buildings fill the streets of the city. These buildings are made of all kinds of materials, wood, stone, bricks, and even ss, which change the further you go into it. Many buildings had ttened roofs that gave the city a new look on both a sunny and rainy day. Houses, mansions, churches, and shops decorate the city, turning it into a canvas of colors for those lucky enough to see it from the highest. As one walks through its streets one can see people from all walks of life going about their business. Craftsmen are busy in their workshops, shaping metal or carving different sculptures, while merchants shouted from their shops, seeking to attract anyone wishing to explore their exotic wares. The streets are upied by people, carts, and animals, dodging other pedestrians, and looking for space to move forward. But if we had to say which is the ce that makes the greatest impression on its inhabitants, they would undoubtedly say the walls of the city. High fortified walls and rowers surround Parma, with the sole exception of a few huge gates that in an emergency would be closed to prevent enemies from entering or leaving. The walls protect the city from a siege, but they also control the people and goods that want to enter it. If you want to enter the city, you will have to go through the gate, guarded by countless guards who scrutinize those who pass through it. Within the walls, the city is divided into sections based on social ss. The higher your status and wealth, the closer you will be to the center of the city, where you will reside in imposing mansions filled with servants, with clean and spacious streets, parks, gardens, fountains, and impregnable security. Conversely, the poorest residents live closer to the city walls, where their shadow renders less favored houses unable to receive even a ray of light.@@novelbin@@ In the poorest and least secure areas, the lifestyle of its inhabitants varies somewhat from its more fortunate neighbors. The sun was setting and night had begun to take over. From the horizon, a timid moon began to be glimpsed while the inhabitants of Parma headed toward their homes. The poor conditions in the area led to the creation of slums where disreputable people conducted even more disreputable businesses to survive, so it wasn''t very smart to stay out at night. Today is a very special day for the people of the slums, an event that happens very rarely, something that some consider rare while others have never seen in their lives. Even so, neither celebrates this event, knowing full well that once it is over their situation will likely get worse instead of better. The city guards were patrolling the streets. No, it looked more like they were looking for something, and they didn''t seem to care how much damage it took to find it. crash "AAAHHHHHHH!" The screams of a woman resounded outside as she saw how one of the guards broke down the door of her house while she hugged her children. After looking at the woman for a moment, the guards ignored her and began searching the entire house, leaving some broken furniture behind her. "What are you doing? stop!¡± "Dad!" "''Stay away!" Scenes like this were repeated throughout the area. Guards search house by house without the slightest delicacy. All those who tried to resist inspection were mercilessly attacked, and those who did not end up dead were arrested and taken away from their families. Armored guards ran through the streets of the slum inspecting every street and nook. Two guards in more luxurious armor than the rest met while they were searching, and they began to talk. "Have you found her?" an armed guard asked his partner. "Not yet" ¡°Where could she have gotten herself? If we don''t find it, we''ll get in trouble." ¡°We are already in trouble! Or do you think that if we find her, everything will be solved?" his colleague reminded him as he set out to continue searching. The guard clenched his teeth in frustration: "Shit! How could she have passed? It should be impossible!! How can someone with a tier 1 ss kill someone with a tier 2 ss? The only time I''ve heard something simr was in the¡­¡± ¡°Hero Stories?¡± I finish his partner for him. The two guards fell silent. In the first ce, they have nothing to do with this matter. How could a couple of tier 3 sses even dare to get involved in something like this? All this trouble was caused by the same reason that most of your troubles ur: the stupidity of the nobles. If any of them had been allowed to express his opinion, they would have been adamantly opposed. Unfortunately, no one asks a pair of guards their opinion, no matter how powerful they are. ¡°We can''t do anything about it. The young master is dead and if we find her, the duke will take care that we will be next¡± said one of the guards with total seriousness. The other guard''s face also hardened, proving that his partner''s words might not be crazy. The duke has never been known to bepassionate after all. ¡­ In another corner of the slums, a hidden figure walked through its narrow back streets making as little noise as possible. Suddenly, the figure stopped in front of a corner and came up to the stop. Shortly after hiding, footsteps began to sound in the direction he was heading. The footsteps stopped, and the figure strained his ears to hear the words the guards were saying in the distance. "Any luck?" "No, I haven''t seen anyone" "This is terrible. Why do we have to do this job? We are city guards, not a noble''s private army¡± one of the guards protested as he leaned his back against the wall. ¡°Stopining like a newbie. They are orders from above. We both know how things work here. I don''t like it either,¡± the other person said, sighing thest part under her breath. "By the way. Do you know why we are looking for that girl?¡± asked the third guard. "No, I have no idea" "I do know" "Oh really? And how can you know? Have you been promotedtely by any chance?¡± asked one of them skeptically. They were mere guards without any power, all they do is obey orders. No wonder he was surprised by what his friend said. "Ahem. It is possible that I heard something when I was resting my eyes in the stables during my shift¡± the guard answered awkwardly. "Again? What if the captain find out?" You will be in big trouble" the other twoughed at his expression when they mentioned the captain. "Please don''t tell him" he begged to the other two. "Forget that. Why have we been sent this time?¡± asked one of them. "Apparently one of a noble''s ves escaped while her son was ying with her" Seeing an opportunity to divert the content of the conversation, the guard said it quickly. ¡°Is that all? a ve? They really don''t care about us at all" While the guards were chatting among themselves, the hiding figure was growing impatient. It was only a matter of time before other guards passed through here and discovered her. Just when she was thinking about whether another path was worth it, a scream was heard from ahead. YOU!!! CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING?!!!¡± a figure appeared in front of the three and began to yell at them. "Captain! We were just¡­¡± "I DON''T CARE!!! GET BACK TO WORK!!!¡± "Yes sir!" The three guards saluted and went out onto another main street to search the rest of the houses, followed by their captain, who looked at them without blinking. After a few seconds without hearing anything, the figure came out of its hiding ce and continued on its way through another of the narrow streets, now clear of people. The figure directed its gaze to the ground with each step it took forward. Just when he was beginning to think that he was in the wrong ce, he saw something in the distance. With hurried steps, the figure reached its destination and found what it was looking for. He ducked to the ground and grabbed what was on the ground. Delicate hands with traces of dirt and blood gripped the manhole cover and pulled with all their might. The lid moved little by little until there was a space big enough for a person to pass through. The figure went into the sewers without hesitation and closed the entrance after getting in. The strong smell invaded the nostrils of the person who was walking through the sewers, empty of guards, without stopping. The girl clenched her fists tightly as she hurried without hesitating about which way to go. "You will pay. You will all pay. The king, the nobles, the guards. You will not escape any. Neither are you¡­ Tatsu¡± Her voice was only heard by the walls that surrounded her as she constantly moved away from that ce.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 27: Dreamless Night Knock knock Like every morning she knocked on the door of Zack''s room to call him for breakfast. Katerine, the maid assigned to serve Zack, was already used to her routine, so after calling a couple of times she took a couple of steps back and waited for the answer from inside. In the pce, it ismon for certain influential individuals to use designated servants to serve them for certain services of dubious nature. Even if these people deliberately hurt the servants, most often it is the servants who are punished for it. It can¡ät be helped, a noble¡äs word versus amoner¡äs, one would know how things end up. When she found out that she had been assigned to serve one of the heroes, a feeling of unease filled her heart, wondering what kind of person he was. However, after a few days of serving him, not only her, but all the servants assigned to the heroes breathed a sigh of relief. Contrary to the stories mentioned by some of the more experienced maids, none of the maids assigned to attend to the heroes had anyints about their treatment. Most seem more concerned with training than anything else. The status of the servants of the magic tower may be higher than the rest of theirpanions, but the main disadvantage is that this ce is isted from the rest of the castle so only rarely can the servants of the magic tower chat and exchange rumors with the rest. Katerine has heard from her fellow servants the routine of the other heroes. All the heroes practice diligently every day, but some of them have taken a special interest in interacting with the castle dwellers in their spare time, while others have found things to do to rx. That lets her know how abnormal Katerine''s assigned hero is. Like most of the wizarding tower''s residents, Zack prefers the study of magic to make connections with the other wizards, but Zack''s dedication is something few can match. Katerine has seen his routine firsthand and knows that few can match it. Not even the other heroes with magical ssespare with him in the time spent studying. Zack''s bedroom door opened suddenly, just as she was about to signal him to follow her, Katerine froze for a moment. Zack''s appearance was fine, the problem was those huge circles under his eyes that gave him a dead look, indicating that he had not been able to sleep all night.@@novelbin@@ Fortunately for Katerine, as a pce servant, one has to undergo very strict training to work here, otherwise her screams might be heard throughout the pce. Katerine quickly turned around so that the hero wouldn¡ät notice her expression, and led Zack along with the rest of the heroes. If Zack had been more attentive, he would have noticed that the maid''s steps were a tiny bit faster than usual. ¡­ Zack, Austin, Shun, and Miyu were having breakfast in the small dining room assigned to them like every morning. The only thing different is that they were eating in silence. Albert''s announcement yesterday about exploring the dungeon was too sudden. The mere fact that they will have to face monsters that will try to kill them was enough to make them unable to sleep all night. Evidence of that is the deep circles in his eyes. A tense atmosphere filled the room as the four of them ate slowly to gather strength. Zack picked up a muffin and forced himself to eat despite hisck of appetite. Like the rest, he couldn''t sleep all night either, but unlike the others, he didn''t even try. Zack knew full well that any attempt to rest would end in failure, so he stayed up all night learning a spell for today''s dungeon. Looking at his status screen and seeing histest addition to his spell column, a small smile spread over Zack''s face. Still, thinking about what might happen in the dungeon was enough to make his smile fade. They''d only been here a month, they weren''t ready, and while the danger they face is likely to be minor, it''s not something that should happen so soon. Zack tried to erase those thoughts. It wouldn''t help to worry, the important thing now was to try to calm his nerves. When they had finished eating, one of the servants opened the dining room door, and two guards armed with swords entered and approached Zack and the others: ¡°Heroes, we are the ones in charge of escorting you. Please follow us¡± said one of the two guards as he turned and started walking. (Why doesn''t anyone in this castle wait for us to finish what we were doing before leading us?) Zack wondered as he got up with the rest of hispanions and went after the guard. Zack thought that they would go to the central building to meet with the rest of his ssmates, but they didn''t. Once out of the magic tower the guards headed in the direction of the castle walls. While going to their destination, like always, all the people they came across, no matter if they were the magicians, the maids, or the rest of the guards stared at them as if they were an attraction. Zack and the others tried to ignore them as best they could, they were used to it after all. Fortunately, the further they advanced, these encounters became less and less frequent. At one moment, the path in front of them was bing narrower, and the nts seemed less beautiful and moremon. ¡°Ugh, what is that smell?" Miyu asked as she did what she could to cover her nose. The others were also trying their best not to smell him. "We''re here" announced one of the guards as he stopped. In front of Zack and the others was a building from which all kinds of sounds could be heard, and it emitted a somewhat particr smell. "Please, wait here a moment" said the other guard continued walking towards the stable. ¡°Hey, do you think we''re going to ride a horse? Austin asked, starting to get excited. "Do you even know how to ride?" Shun asked with slight disdain. None of the four knew how to ride a horse, nor has anyone in the castle taught them how to do so, so it is evident that they are going to ride a carriage. "Can''t I dream?" Austin asked sharply. "Hmm. If you don''t like riding a carriage, you can walk¡± Shun replied in the same tone. Luckily, before Austin and Shun could start fighting, the guard from before was back, guiding a carriage drawn by four brown horses. Once he got in front of Zack and the others, he dismounted and said: ¡°Please get on the carriage. The ce where we are going is not very far, so we will arrive in a few hours¡± "A few hou- Ugh" Austin was going to protest, only to be hit by Shun¡äs elbow before he could say anything more. Zack and hispanions got into the carriage one by one. Once they were inside, the other guard closed the door and joined his partner. Momentster, the guards urged the horses, and the carriage started. Once Zack and the others got on the carriage, what they saw left them disappointed. Despite the elegant exterior of the carriage, the interior of the carriage left a lot to be desired. The exterior adornments were not present inside, and the seats were quite hard and somewhat ufortable. Still, that wasn''t the worst of it. ¡°Ouch. What are you doing?!" "I''m sorry" "Oh! You''re sticking your head into me!" "Where are you touching?!" The interior was cramped. Evidently, this carriage had been designed to be ridden by two people. With four people inside, it was obvious that there were going to beplications. Despite all the difort, they all knew they would have to put up with it, otherwise, they might not even make it the next day. After a while, the four of them had found a position in which they were rtivelyfortable. Just when Zack was thinking about what to do during the trip, Austin''s voice sounded. ¡°Hey! Look out the window!" Zack turned subconsciously at the sound of Austin''s voice, and his eyes widened as he took a look at the scenery in front of them. At some point, the carriage had left the castle and entered the city. On both sides of the carriage could be seen a sight out of pure fantasy. Beautiful mansions stood on both sides of the street, where their residents enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Guards armed with spears and dressed in armor patrolled the streets with rigor and coordination rarely seen, while the inhabitants of the ce strolled calmly, dressed in elegant suits, talking andughing. In front of each mansion, there were lush gardens, each one more magical than thest, with nts of all kinds of colors that showed their excellent condition. It was andscape taken from a painting. As the carriage progressed, the mansions grew smaller, and their inhabitants seemed busier. After going through some wide doors that divided that ce from the rest of the world, Zack and hispanions experienced a strong contrast. If the previous area was a haven of tranquility, there being nothing that could disturb it, then what they saw now was the opposite. The area was busy, very busy. People were moving from here to there, talking, shouting,ughing. Merchants allowed their customers to look at their wares while they chatted with them, boys ran around carrying out their assigned tasks, and women walked in groups talking to each other about thetest gossip. Although the previous area was very beautiful, Zack preferred what he was seeing right now, it was a scene of prosperity. The further they advanced towards the outskirts of the city, the scenery gradually changed. The further they went there were more people, and where before there had only been merchants, businesses of all kinds appeared on both sides; food, swords, clothing, herbs, and concoctions. All manner of items flooded the shelves of the stalls. Finally, Zack''s carriage and hispanions arrived at the city walls, where people wanted toe and go at all times under the watchful eye of dozens of guards present. The inspection didn''tst long, and by the time Zack and the others wanted to figure it out, they were out of town, where the buildings had been reced by a spacious vista, with grasses that eluded Zack''s knowledge growing on both sides of the road, and a clean sky that let the sunshine. At first, Zack and his ssmates were surprised by thendscape that was seen through the window, but little by little the monotony of the scenery made the beautifulndscape less magical. As the fields passed before his eyes, Zack''s eyelids grew heavier, until they fellpletely and Zack fell into a deep sleep. While Zack and the others were asleep, the dungeon was getting closer.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 30: The dungeon (Part 2) Despite being a rank D dungeon, that does not mean it was small. All the dungeons are divided into floors, and each floor has an entrance and an exit. The interior and the size of the floors depend on the type and ss of the dungeon. The maximum number of floors a dungeon can have depended on its rank. D-rank dungeons have a maximum of 20 floors, C-ss dungeons have a maximum of 40 floors, and so on. There are only three discovered dungeons in the world that are over 100 floors, and only one is in the central continent. The dungeon they are currently in has reached its peak of growth, making it 20 floors. The further your party advances, the higher the concentration of chaotic mana, and the stronger the monsters they encounter. Every twenty floors, a guardian blocks the passage to the lower levels, and only by defeating it can you continue advancing. Also, guardians are usually equipped with powerful weapons to make them more intimidating than other monsters, so whoever defeats them can get them as rewards. When Zack read this, he couldn''t help but think about the dungeons in video games where, for defeating a slime, you can receive experience, money, and equipment. In video games, you don''t question where these thingse from, but this is real life. Where is the guardian supposed to get the equipment from it? Does he have a factory at the back of the dungeon? Also, in some dungeons, the enemies are armed. Where they g-? "Zack, wake up!" Zack was interrupted from his thoughts, rmed to hear his name. Kenzo and Ryu were facing two mutated foxes. Ryu was holding up well, but Kendo was having trouble. At his feet was a third fox, dead. Although his first fight with the monsters in the dungeon went well, not all of them were like this. After the first intersection, the road forked several times, forcing them to choose which direction to take. After facing several more rodents, Zack noticed that they were getting bigger, the deeper they were in the dungeon, the stronger they were. Still, they aren''t something that posed an actual problem. Zack finished the spell he was preparing, and a small me appeared in the fur of the fox facing Ryu. Taking advantage of the surprise element, Ryu attacked the fox and impaled it on his sword. Once the animal was found dead, Zack and Ryu helped Kenzo finish their fight. Ryu and Kenzo were panting strongly, while Zack''s forehead was also dripping with sweat. After a moment of rest, Ryu approached Zack angrily: "What''s wrong with you?! For a while, you have beenpletely distracted. Do you think this is a game?" "It wasn''t Zack''s fault, I was the one who was paralyzed and didn''t know how to get rid of that fox on my own" Kendo intervened quickly before the argument got worse. "Shut up! I wasn''t talking to you. I don''t know what Zack was thinking, but getting distracted while we''re fighting for our lives is uneptable!!!¡± Zack remained silent. It was true. Zack had his head elsewhere. On multiple asions, he tried to focus, but his thoughts wandered again. Maybe it was nerves. Zack didn''t know for sure, but he did know that a situation like that must not happen again. Ryu is right this is not a game. Before the argument could escte further, Zack stepped forward. "I¡äm sorry. You''re right. I was distracted. It won''t happen again" Ryu and Kendo fell silent and looked at Zack, looking almost... surprised. As if they didn''t think it was possible for Zack to apologize. ¡°Tch. Don¡ät let it happen again. Let''s get going. We don''t have all day."@@novelbin@@ Before Zack could ask why they were looking at him that way, Ryu finished speaking and started walking toward the depths of the dungeon. Zack and Kenzo followed quickly so as not to get separated. Thest thing they needed is for one of them to get lost in this maze. ¡­ While Zack and hispanions were exploring the dungeon, the rest of the groups were doing the same. Ironically, the group that Zack refused to join did progress the most. After all, the three of them were friends before they were summoned, and they had been training together for weeks, so they knew each other''s abilities and limits. The other groups had to adapt to the presence of a new member with whom they had not formed a team until now, so it is normal for there to be friction. Of course, exceptions exist. In the central tunnel, thergest and with the highest concentration of chaotic mana, the voices of people who entered it can be heard. ¡°HAHAHA! This is so easy!¡± Tatsu said as he sliced a monster in two with his sword. The monster looked like some kind of were-deer. Mortally wounded, the deer fell to the ground, where there were already several others sharing its fate. ¡°Stop ying, and let''s hurry up. I want to get out of this ce as soon as possible¡± Seto replied as heunched a fireball at one of the few monsters left standing. "Be quiet! You can''t even imagine what that jerk of an instructor forces me to do every day¡± Tatsu said, not caring that the guard¡äs captain was behind them, watching their battles. Lorelei let out a smallugh upon hearing Tatsu''sint. "Do you have another opinion?" Tatsumaki asked in a threatening tone. Even so, Lorelei wasn''t intimidated at all. "Ha. As if you were actually training. I have seen your training. Half the time, you spend it trying to get out of it. Even the soldiers training on the other side of the castle can hear your instructor''s shouts¡± Lorelei said, not caring about the anger on Tatsu''s face. "You guys have it easy" Seto replied, interrupting what Tatsu was going to say. ¡°At least you guys train for real¡± Seto said as heunched another fireball ¡°I spend every day locked in a room with a handful of dusty books. And as if that weren''t enough, I''m constantly being watched by that old wizard¡± Seto made a disgusted face when he spoke about this. ¡°Ugh. It''s like being in school again." "Ha. That''s nothing. That priest makes me get up every day before sunrise to pray. The worst thing is that I am always surrounded by¡­¡± Hearing the words of the heroes, the leader of the guards frowned. At his age, almost nothing can provoke him, but the contempt the heroes are showing toward their respective instructors is enough to make him want to beat them for real. The royal guard¡äs captain, the most powerful magician in the kingdom, and the pontiff of a religion. Each of the heroes is being trained by one of the strongest and most influential people in the kingdom. Many would kill for that luck. And these brats can''t stop whining like kids about a little hard work. If he could learn under any of them, he would quit his job and worship them as a teacher at the first opportunity. "Enough. We''re not done yet,¡± said Yamato, who had been quiet throughout the entire conversation. Hearing Yamato''s words, the others fell silent. Even Tatsu remained silent, though he didn''t seem very convinced. If there''s one thing they''ve learned from their stay here, it''s that they''re not the same. From the moment they got their sses, their position in the group changed irretrievably. Nobody wants to go against that. Wendy is the best example. The guard leader''s gaze changed upon hearing Yamato''s words. Unlike hispanions, the hero''s attitude has been extremely exceptional. All his teachers are satisfied with his progress and his behavior is excellent. From his point of view, even without his ss, Yamato meets all the requirements of a hero. While everyone was getting rid of the remaining monsters, none of them noticed how a shadow was sliding down the walls, heading to the ce where they were advancing little by little.
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If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 33: The dungeon (Part 5) Zack and the others finished eating and set off again. Although they wasted some time chatting with each other, this was especially helpful for them in getting to know each other better. Not only Zack but also Ryu and Kenzo seemed more rxed and calm. Still, Zack wasn''t going to let his guard down. That mistake could have cost them dearly in thest battle Enemies on the next few floors could prove to be just as deadly if neglected. Also, there''s one thing that''s starting to bother Zack. Kenzo and Ryo should have noticed too. (Why our watchman seems to be getting more and more nervous?) Zack and the others continued their trip as if nothing happened. ¡­ In the depths of the dungeon, there was a chamber illuminated only by the dim light that emanated from the stone walls. The room was full of thick roots, without a doubt,ing from the huge tree above the dungeon. The ce seemed part of ancient ruins with forgotten stories from centuries ago, giving the surroundings a magical atmosphere. The only point of ess was a beautiful stone gate about 3 meters high. The doors had inscriptions whose meaning no one has been able to decipher. It reached the point that some think that the reliefs are merely decorative and do not hold any special message. Suddenly, a shadow slipped under the door without making a sound. Once the shadow was inside, a figure silently stepped out of it. The person in question was covered in a ck cape and her face could not be seen. The mysterious intruder examined the room carefully until his eyes fell on the center of the room. In the middle of the room, a round stone rested on a pedestal that prevented it from moving. There didn''t seem to be anything special about it, but those who had a modicum of dungeon knowledge knew what it was, the core of the dungeon. Step by step the figure approached the core of the dungeon. Once the core was within arm''s reach of him, he pulled out a container covered with runes from a bag at his waist. The moment the stranger took out the container, the container began to shake in his hand, and the core of the dungeon began to flicker strongly, like two long-lost lovers wishing to meet again. The figure said nothing, just opened the container and its contents poured out. A purple substance poured out of the vessel inrge quantities and swarmed the core. When the core touched the substance, it started to absorb it greedily. After absorbing all the contents of the container, the core of the dungeon began to glow more brightly every second. The culprit of this quickly took out a scroll from his bag, and without wasting any more time opened it. In the next instant, the figure had disappeared, and the room began to shake. ¡­ Outside the dungeon dozens of guards guarded the dungeon, making sure that no one could enter or leave without their consent. In the middle of a makeshift camp, a military tent had been set up to amodate officers. Inside the tent, two figures were chatting quietly, from their clothes one of them was probably themander of the soldiers, while the other was wearing an exquisite blue robe made from very expensive materials. "Hey?" "What''s going on?" Suddenly, the robed man stood up from his chair and looked in the dungeon¡äs direction, prompting themander to reach for his weapon and put himself on guard. "I just felt a trace of space magic" "What?! Are you sure?" asked rmed themander. Upon hearing themander''s words, the magician looked at him in a bad way for doubting his words. Even so, the magician answered his question: "Yeah. I do not have doubts. Someone just used space magic." "But that''s impossible! None of my men know anything about magic, and the heroes are incapable of performing such high-level spell¡± said themander, trying to exin his previous words seeing that they had offended the sorcerer. The wizard paused for a moment to think about exactly what he had felt. ¡°It wasn''t a spell. It was too fast, no one casts spells leaving only a trace of them. Most likely it was a scroll with a spatial spell inscribed on it. ¡°That¡äs expensive. Who do you think could have done it? None of my men earn enough to have a scroll like that" VRRMMM VRRRMMMMMMMM VRRRRRRRRRMMMMMMMMMM The magician was going to answer when suddenly the ground began to shake. At first, it was a slight tremor, but secondster both men could barely keep their bnce on their feet. The mage quickly left the tent that was threatening to copse on them, followed by themander. Bam "What are you doing?" asked themander who had rushed out of the shop and bumped into the magician, who stopped in front of the exit. The magician ignored his question, and even the startled soldiers. His gaze waspletely focused on the dungeon that Zack and hispanions had entered. "The- The-" The mage was trying to say something to themander but he couldn''t seem to exin it clearly. "What''s happening?" demanded themander as he tried to urge calm among his soldiers. Swish "The dungeon is-" Those were the wizard''sst words as he fell to the ground. In his chest was arge arrow that pulsed with magical energy. It was evidently not a normal arrow. "SHIT. ENEMY ATTACK, EVERYONE TO YOUR POSTS!!!" themander shouted when he saw the direction in which the arrow came from. On the horizon, several dozen unidentified men mounted on horseback were heading toward their camp with hostile intentions. The enemy outnumbered them, and their equipment far exceeded that of the guards. ¡°CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS!!!¡± After saying this, themander ran for his horse. If they want to take him and his men down, he wants to say several words on the matter. ¡­ Meanwhile, away from the dungeon. In the capital, people had not yet received the news of the attack. In one of the castle''s rooms, Prime Minister O was reading reports and writing paperwork. One would think that the life of the prime minister of a kingdom would be luxurious and pleasant, and it is... most of the time. As much as O would like to go to his house and let someone else do his work, the end result would be that he would have to answer to the King if there had been any mistake. A chill ran down the prime minister''s back just imagining the consequences. No, it is better to stay and supervise everything personally to avoid all kinds of problems. O reached for the next document and read it carefully. O frowned after finishing reading it. The moment his eyesnded on it, the prime minister knew there was something unusual. (Duke Richard''s soldiers have increased their presence in the capital. Why? It doesn''t make sense) In the entire kingdom, there were only a total of three dukes. Duke Bonad, whose territory connects to the kingdom''s southern border, was mainly busy trying to trade with neighboring kingdoms. Duchess Margaya, whose territory lies on the eastern edge of the kingdom, facing the ocean, possesses a considerable marine force, specializing in repelling demonic sea infiltrations, as well as maritime trade. And finally, Duke Richard, whose territory lies in the western part of the kingdom, where a mineral-rich mountain range limits development possibilities by sea, is a loyal subject of the king all his life and mainly resides in the capital. The minister ignores the part that said the motives for the duke''s actions were unknown. Nothing new, most of the time he had to work with iplete information. (The duke is very old, I don''t think he would try to do anything that harms his majesty. If he was nning that, even the useless intelligence service would have noticed something) Furthermore, Duke Richard''s territory was cut off from the rest of the dukes, so if he tried to rebel against his majesty, he would not only not receive any support but would be crushed by the royal forces. Anything simr to treason would be suicide. Even so, O decided not to underestimate the old duke. After all, you don''t be one of the five people with tier 3 prestige sses in the entire kingdom by being simple. Just as O was about to give instructions to investigate this matter further, one of the guards rushed into the room. Under normal circumstances, such an action would have been enough to end your career and be sent to the border to fight. And that is precisely the reason why the prime minister did not say anything. If a guard dares to do something like that despite knowing the consequences, it''s because the motive is important enough. He let the guard approach him and whisper something in his ear. Hearing the guard''s words, the prime minister''s face changed from indifference to concern, and finally panic. ¡°What are you doing standing there?!! Call the captain of the royal guard! Have a regiment set out at once to repel the intruders, and ensure the safety of the heroes. Also, call the archmage, we are going to need his assistance¡± said the prime minister as he left the documents on his table and began to prepare to report to the king. "Now!!!" O yelled at the guard who was still standing on the spot. The guard reacted and left the room to transmit the orders. The prime minister thought about what to say to the king while he hurriedly walked in search of him. Nothing that was happening made sense. These kinds of things just don''t happen. At least they don''t happen so suddenly. This matter is not something he can deal with, at least not alone, especially considering that the attackers were so close, only a few hours'' drive from here. In order not to receive news of the movements of an armed group of people who could threaten more than fifty of the kingdom''s best soldiers, it had to be the work of someone powerful. And they still had another problem on their hands. When the minister arrived at the ce where the king was, he ignored the guards at the door and went directly inside. Before he could say anything, the minister conveyed the bad news. ¡°Your majesty, we have a problem. The dungeon is evolving"
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If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL@@novelbin@@ Chapter 34: The dungeon (Part 6) In the same way that things were happening outside, the inside of the dungeon was also not peaceful. Zack didn''t know what was happening either, the only thing that differentiated him from the others was that he could feel a strong increase in the amount of mana around him. If before it was like walking through a thick fog, now it was like walking underwater. ¡°ZACK, GET DOWN!!!¡± Zack didn''t know who had yelled, but still, he obeyed the voice and ducked quickly. The next thing he felt was a breeze passing over his head. swish "Ugh" When he raised his head again, Zack saw Ryu flying through the air until he hit the wall, and the guard who had been following them had his sword drawn. It was obvious what had happened, the guard had attacked him. If it wasn''t for Ryu, Zack would probably already be dead, or at least, with a sword in his hand. The guard said nothing, there was no big speech, no exnation of reasons. Seeing that Zack was still alive he rushed towards him. His footsteps were firm and without an iota of hesitation, as if the earthquake around him didn''t affect him. He wasn''t even in a hurry, he was approaching him slowly as if he knew they had no way to escape from here, which they probably didn''t. Seeing Zack being attacked, Kenzo took his weapon and prepared to face the guard. Kenzo didn''t expect to win, all he wanted was to buy time for Ryu to recover and they could attack together. Zack knew that this strategy was doomed to fail. Although none of them had seen their nanny inbat, if he was strong enough to deal with situations that the three of them together couldn''t solve, there would be no point in him being here. The earthquake began to stop. Zack was finally able to regain his bnce and examine the situation. Eh? When Zack looked at hispanions, Kenzo was looking ahead with a determined expression, and the guard who was going to attack had also stopped, looking at them without doing anything, but that wasn''t the strangest thing. (Why is Ryu floating?) Ryu was leaning against the wall, but his feet weren''t touching the ground. Suddenly, Zack understood everything. It was not that the others were standing still, and the earthquake was over. It''s Zack who has a problem. Zack''s thoughts raced, and the world around him began to move in slow motion. Zack knew what was going on. In a high-stress situation, where life is likely to be lost, a mage can subconsciously inject mana into his brain, giving him more time to try to fix the problem. This phenomenon is called ''Magic Stop''. Zack didn''t learn this from one of the library books but from one of Albert''s sses. The only moment of the day where he thought he was wasting his time turns out to be the one that could save his life. (It seems that I did learn something useful after all) Zack thought wryly. What doesn''t make sense is why this is happening to him. Although some magicians have experienced this situation in extremely dangerous situations, each and every one of them was abat veteran, stronger, more powerful, and more experienced than Zack. How is it possible that someone whocks the instincts, the strength, and the experience necessary to achieve something like this, could have done it? For a moment, the words ''plot armor'' popped into Zack''s head, but he quickly dismissed that thought. As much as his life has experienced things that resemble anime, this is still real life. Also, if this was an anime, he wouldn''t be the lead. Yamato would be the protagonist. He would be one of the extras behind, cheering while Yamato and hispanions defeat the enemies, or maybe the cannon fodder that would die in the first episode- No, this is real life, and there has to be a real exnation. (The dungeon!!) Zack eximed. For some strange reason, the dungeon''s mana concentration has increased exponentially from one moment to the next. Other people would only feel a slight choking sensation for a second, but for a magician like Zack, such a quick transition can have unpredictable effects. When Zack was attacked, Zack''s body experienced another round of stress that unconsciously guided the dungeon''s chaotic mana towards him, and caused something Zack couldn''t have aplished on his own. A chance to get out alive. Although it seems like a long time has passed since the magical stop began, it has actually been less than a second. Zack took a look around him to try to formte a n. If he wants to get out of here alive, he''s going to need to use all the resources he has at his disposal. ¡­ The interior of the dungeon was constantly shifting, and the walls, and roof were beginning to crack on all sides. All the floors were changing, altering the very structure of the dungeon. "What''s going on?" "Earthquake!" "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" All the people who were in the dungeon were suffering from the effects of its evolution. The walls became unstable, and debris began to fall from the ceiling. In some groups, figures dressed in ck began to emerge from the shadows and attack the students. "Ahhhh!!!" "Airi!" ¡°Back off! A magician should stay in the rear." Sadly for the raiders, the guards assigned to protect the students should not be underestimated. "Ugh" The knight assigned to Miyu''s group quickly disposed of the two intruders and brought Airi to her friends. After depositing her in a safe ce, he began to examine the surroundings in case more enemies were waiting to ambush them. "Ari, are you all right?" Miyu asked when she saw the wound that went through his entire arm. Airi tried to smile to ease her worries, but she didn''t seem to convince anyone. "Move away" Saki, the only person out of all the summoned people with the priestess ss, roughly pushed Miyu aside as she approached Airi. Her hands began to glow with warm white light, and Airi''s pained expression gradually disappeared. As Miyu watched as the wound healed itself and couldn''t help butment her own helplessness. Until a moment ago everything was going well. The monsters were tough, but nothing they couldn''t face together. When has everything be like this? If she had known that the dungeon would change like this, Miyu would have studied more. Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret, and Miyu can only watch as her friends get hurt. ¡­@@novelbin@@ When has everything be like this? While Miyu was deep in herself, the guard in charge of protecting Austin''s group was starting to make ns to change careers once it was all over. ¡°Stay together!!¡± Unlike Miyu''s group, the guard protecting them was not as skilled, having a hard time taking on two enemies at once. The only thing he could do was hope that the ''heroes'' could distract them enough to show some opening, and he could counterattack. The sounds of battle echoed through the halls, and nearby beasts rushed toward them, hoping for easy prey. When the first monster got close enough for him to identify it, the guard''s face couldn''t help but darken. The dungeon is evolving, which means the monsters in it are evolving too. With each passing minute, each creature with chaotic mana in its body is bing more aggressive, and stronger, and its mutation moreplete. Neither he nor his adversaries would have problems with beasts like that. The heroes, however, are another story. The only thing he can do now is keep the assassins busy, and hope the heroes can deal with the monsters and lend him a hand. (Yes. I should definitely change careers) the guard thought as he defended himself from one of the attackers. ¡­ After not exactly sure how much time, the effect of the magic stop was fading, and people started moving again in Zack¡äs eyes. Although he would like to say that he had made the perfect n, and he would crush anything that crossed his way, that would be a lie. Yes. He made a n. An untested, hopeful n full of holes. It could be even called a bet. If he wins, all good, if not¡­ Not-so-good. Still, Zack doesn¡ät have any other options. All he can do is start moving and hope his predictions are right. Zack used thest moments of the magic stop to calm down. Zack started to feel the earthquake again, and everyone started moving as well. ----------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ---------------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 35: The dungeon (Part 7) Under normal circumstances, Zack would have no hope of winning. The difference in tiers is not something that can be ovee with numbers. Also, the distance between them isn''t that much, and it''s obvious that the guard has a closebat ss so they are at a clear disadvantage. Especially considering that the guard didn''t attack head-on, but instead ambushed them. Despite everything, Zack has a few things going for him. When Kenzo was halfway away from his enemy, Zack had already spread the dust from his bag into the guard''s eyes and nose with his spell. The first thing is that the guard only knows the abilities we''ve used so far, which means that each of the spells that Zack knows, but the guard doesn¡ät, is a potential advantage that could put the fight in his favor. As Zack expected. The guard, aware of Zack''s spell, closed his eyes. Not that that stopped him from getting rid of them. Under normal circumstances, killing all three with his eyes closed wouldn''t be a problem. But these were not normal circumstances. The guard parried Kenzo''s sword with his own, knocking him back. ''Trip'' At that moment, the ground under the guard shifted, revealing a small hole that wasn''t there before. It''s one of several spells Zack learned in his short month in the tower, a tier 0 earth elemental spell. Trip. The power of the spell was minuscule. Earth magic is known for changing the terrain in a lethal way for enemies. Obviously, this spell is of no use other than to introduce young wizards to this branch of magic. Unless the spell urs right where you were going to put your foot. Zack calcted the exact ce and moments in which his attacker was going to advance to get close enough to Kenzo to finish him off. "What the¡­?" eximed his adversary. The guard was so surprised to step on the spot where Zack cast his magic that he had to open his eyes to reposition himself. In other circumstances, this would not have been necessary but the surprise, coupled with the fact that they are fighting while an earthquake urs, was enough to throw him off bnce. "Ugh!" Zack took advantage of that moment to introduce the dust that he kept around the guard in his eyes and mouth. Kenzo was surprised to see how the situation had changed in an instant. That didn''t stop him from taking advantage of the situation,shing out with his sword at the now-blinded guard. Zack knew it couldn''t be that easy, if that was enough to take down a pce guard, the kingdom would have been destroyed long ago. nk! As Zack expected, the guard used his sword to defend himself and was even able to counterattack despite not being able to see anything. The sound of swords colliding echoed through the dungeon as both warriors fought without stopping. Fortunately, they had already killed all the monsters on this floor. If they hadn''t, with the noise they were making, they would have already been attacked by monsters if there were any breathing. The fight between Kenzo and the guard was clearly unbnced. In each sh of swords, one could tell the difference in strength and experience. The match hadn¡¯t ended yet because Zack was constantly casting spells, away from thebatants. One spell, in particr, was extremely effective, as Zack managed to conjure sparks, right into his assant''s mouth, nearly causing him to scream, and causing the guard to look at him in a way that, if looks could kill, Zack would be dead ten times already. Even so, Zack did not have the slightest joy on his face. He knows perfectly well that the longer the confrontationsted, the more difficult it would be to get out of there alive. The guard was already starting to get used to Kenzo¡äs movements, and he even got to predict where Zack would cast some of his spells. Luckily, they weren''t alone. After finishing one of the attacks, a figure suddenly appeared next to the guard, weapon in hand. sh The attack took the guard by surprise, who had no time to defend himself and had to step back. There was only one person who had been waiting for this to happen. A mound of earth suddenly appeared, in the ce where the guard was going to step, which unbnced him again. Ryu and Kenzo took advantage of the opening to pounce on the guard, pressing him to continue. In the rear, Zack could see how a wound had appeared along the guard''s right arm. It was a superficial wound at best, but that revitalized Kenzo''s energies, who attacked again with renewed force. As Ryu and Kenzo continued to attack, Zack carefully examined the terrain. The tremors in the dungeon had not diminished but increased instead. And little by little, the area they were in was bing unrecognizable. Despite all the efforts of Zack and hispanions, the situation was getting worse by the minute. Ryu''s addition to the battle helped temporarily improve the situation, but that doesn''t mean they can defeat his aggressor. By the time he ambushed them, the guard had a calm expression on his face, almost bored, as if he was the one taking out the trash, not killing them. Now that expression has disappeared and in its ce is an expression of total concentration. He had evidently begun to take them seriously. While the battle continued, Zack kept inspecting his surroundings. Zack was perfectly aware that it was only a matter of time before they were defeated. They need something that will give them a definite advantage, something that the guy can''t recover from. Suddenly, Zack''s eyes fell on a crack that was expanding, with no sign of stopping. That was what they needed to turn the fight around.@@novelbin@@ In the interval between spells, Zack threw a small rock at Ryu to get his attention. Fortunately, the guard still had his eyes closed, and the noise of the walls and walls cracking from the tremor made him unable to detect the sound of him. Ryu looked somewhat annoyed in the direction of Zack, who pointed his eyes in the direction of the crack. At first, Ryu seemed confused, but soon after he understood what Zack meant and nodded his head. Gradually, Ryu''sbat pattern changed, inadvertently leading his opponent in the desired direction. ¡­ Roy was having a bad day. In theory, his job was supposed to be easy. Get rid of some kids who had barely contacted the system for a month. Roy did not doubt, he could do it. Like anyone with his experience, he hasplete confidence in his abilities. Then why? Why haven''t I been able to kill them yet? Roy admits he wasn''t taking things seriously at first, but still, this match should have been over a long time ago. Roy advanced to take advantage of an opening from the big guy, having to quickly back off when he noticed that the ground was shifting under his feet. If he had continued advancing, he would most likely have received another injury. Roy''s right arm itched as he remembered his wound. It was a superficial wound, but a real wound. (That damn magician!) thought Roy, furious. He regretted a little for having refused the help of hispanions to get rid of these three. If he hadn''t been so proud, he wouldn''t have found himself in this trouble. Although maybe it''s better this way. If any of his teammates found out that some fledglings had managed to hurt him, they would be theughingstock of his team. Just thinking that these brats had managed to hurt him, an unprecedented fury flooded him. What frustrated him the most is that due to being inside the dungeon, he couldn''t use most of his skills. His skills were made for fighting on the battlefield, in the open field, not in a narrow cave. The fact that the terrain is constantly changing doesn''t help either. Roy shook his head to put those thoughts out of his head. What he needed now was a calm mind. Getting angry now would only make things worse. Roy moved to the left to avoid the swords of the brats. It''s not the first time he has had trouble with an enemy, and it certainly won''t be thest. Little by little, Roy began to calm down, and easily read the movements of his enemies. Despite having his eyes closed and irritated by the dust, that doesn''t stop him from showing his years of experience fighting in more difficult situations than this. Roy was waiting, waiting for them to make a mistake. At that point, he would show them who''s boss. (Now!) sh Roy moved his arm to the left and felt how his sword had plunged into one of the `heroes¡ä. (Jackpot!) Ryu''s mind was filled with joy atnding the blow. Although it was only a blow to his arm, it was a deep wound. That will allow him to get rid of him, then the other guy, and finally that damn wizard. When Ryu tried to withdraw the sword, he felt that something was preventing him from pulling it out from the wound. (Do you really think that''s enough to take my sword?) Roy thought. The difference in strength between them was much more than they thought. Roy used more force to pull on the sword, but it still didn''t move. That makes no sense. The only way they could stop him from swinging the sword would be if two of them held the sword together, but that would prevent them from attacking him, making grabbing his sword pointless. (Why would they do something like that?) Just as Roy was searching for the reason, a strong source of light and heat appeared very close to them. "FIREBALL!" shouted the magician. Roy''s stress levels skyrocketed. If that were to impact it would be enough that he couldn''t be at full capacity. It''s likely that he still would get rid of the brats, but there are dozens of guards fighting at the entrance of the dungeon right now. As soon as they see him without the heroes, it will be enough for them to consider him an enemy. His orders were clear, defend them at the cost of his life, and in the army, it is not considered a good idea for a soldier to not follow orders. Roy stepped quickly to the side, not caring about his sword. At that moment, the ground before him opened up, and Roy fell to the floor. Roy reluctantly opened his eyes to prevent himself from falling to the ground, but what he saw left him speechless. There was no ground, there was a crack. A crack had opened up below him, big enough for a person to walk through, and he was hurtling toward it. It wasn¡ät a spell; it was a trap. Roy turned quickly to grab something not to fall, but something caught his attention in the corner of his eye. (That''s not a fireball) Those were thest thoughts before falling into the darkness. In front of him, a ball of light floated calmly between the two brutes holding his sword, smiling. ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 36: The dungeon (Part 8) A minute passed since the guard fell into one of the many cracks that opened up around him. The fight was over, they had won. Even so, none of the three moved. As if they couldn''t believe what had happened. Puff Suddenly, Kenzo fell to the ground, exhausted from the fight. Even though the actual time they''ve been fighting doesn''t exceed ten minutes, the intensity of the match made them feel like they''ve been fighting for ten hours. Puff And, as if the magic had worn off, Ryu copsed soon after ¡°Ha¡­haha¡­hahahahaHAHAHAHAHA¡± As if he was possessed, he startedughing non-stop shortly after Ryu hit the ground. Seeing Ryu, Kenzo, and Zack startedughing soon after. The crumbling floor was filled with the sound of theughter of the three of them. Right now, they didn''t care that they were in the middle of a constantly shaking dungeon. Still, it''s not like only one particr area of the dungeon was shaking, and they were too deep in the dungeon to try to reach the exit.@@novelbin@@ No matter where they go, the risk is more or less the same. The important thing is that they are alive. Zack was amazed. They had fought an enemy beyond their league, and they had survived. All the books Zack had read about sses had one thing inmon: The difference in tiers is absolute. It doesn''t matter what kind of ss a person has. If that person is tier 2, and you''re not, don''t provoke him. More than once some arrogant warrior has been beaten by a tier 2 cksmith for trying to leave his shop without paying. In fact, Zack knows that the main reason they were able to survive was pure luck. His opponent thought that he knew all of Zack''s spells, and precisely because of this, every time Zack cast a new spell, the element of surprise gave Zack the opportunity to act. Also, for some strange reason, the guard barely used skills. Zack isn''t naive enough to think that he didn''t have the abilities that could have knocked them out instantly, but he didn''t use them for some reason. If Kenzo and Ryu have abilities rtive to their ss, it''s impossible for the guard not to have them. But without a doubt, the most important reason why they are still breathing is because they were severely underestimated. And not only at the beginning of the fight. Except for a moment mid-fight when they inflicted a wound on the guard''s arm, the guard didn''t fight as hard as he could to get rid of them but tried to get rid of them with as few injuries as possible. It is precisely for this reason that hisst trick worked. If he had wanted to, Zack is convinced that his opponent could have survived a real fireball if he had faced them head-on. Instead, he decided to dodge it, convinced that there was nothing they could do to defeat him. His enemy was confident in his victory from start to finish, and that is why they are still alive. It is not known exactly how much time has passed since they wereid to rest. Just when Zack thought they should start moving, the dungeon began to stop shaking. Zack''s attention was diverted elsewhere. As the tremors subsided, Zack felt small explosions of mana in various areas of the floor where they were. ¡°We have to go¡± Zack said, his face turning pale by the minute. (If that''s what I think it is, then they could be in danger before long) "What? Why?" Ryu asked confused. They had just fought and were tired, the best thing they could do now is to find a ce to rest and try to get out of the dungeon once they have recovered their energy. "NOW!" Zack said as he turned around and started running in the direction of the stairs to the second floor. "It is urgent?" Kenzo asked seriously as they approached. Zack nodded his head while continuing to run. ¡°If I am correct, we probably have a major problem on our hands¡± Seeing Zack''s response, Ryu and Kenzo didn''t say anything else. "Uah" Zack eximed surprised to see Kenzo picking him up. Once Kenzo had a good hold on him, Ryu and Kenzo bolted for the exit. It must be said that the speed of a magician, at least running, can never bepared to that of a warrior. While Zack felt the wind on his face, his thoughts were upied with something else more important. (I hope we get out in time) ¡­ In another part of the dungeon, the hero Yamato and hispanions were also rushing towards the exit. "Why do we have to leave? We were halfway through! If you expect me to do it again, you are dreaming!" Tatsu''sints echoed throughout the dungeon as he and his group fell back. In response to Tatsu''s voice, clearly, non-human voices began to be heard from the way they hade. "Be quiet!" Lorelei yelled. Although she also didn''t know why they were heading for the exit, She is sure that Tatsu''s voice isn''t helping them right now. "What did you say?!" replied Tatsu aggressively. "Tatsu is right. Going back now doesn''t make much sense¡± Seto responded to Tatsu''s question. The only ones not participating in the discussion were Yamato and the captain of the guards, who seemed to be processing this situation. "Captain, why are we retreating?" Yamato asked quietly, ignoring the bickering of his ssmates. The captain of the guard continued directing them to the exit, despite their protests. ¡°The situation has changed. I can''t contact the other groups or the outside. Whatever is going on, especially after those men in ck attack, is too dangerous. What we should do now is regroup with the others, and analyze the situation" "Do you have any idea what''s going on?" Yamato continued. Despite his strict family upbringing, obeying orders without knowing the reasons for them was never his strong point. The leader of the guards looked at Yamato for a moment, continuing to move towards the exit. No one else could see his face due to walking in front of the group. ¡°Perhaps¡± replied the captain ¡°I have never experienced anything simr, but one of my subordinates once told me a simr story. If the situation is what I think it is, we should get out of here as soon as possible" "What is that situation?" Tatsu asked, impatient that the guard wasn''t more clear. Upon hearing the guard''s words, Tatsu, Seto, and Lorelei stopped arguing to listen to what he had to say. The captain sighed internally, he wished they would stop asking questions and focus on getting out of there, but apparently, it was too much to ask. ¡°As I said, I''m not entirely sure. After all, the situation is simr, not the same¡± he looked at his map for a moment to see if they were heading in the right direction. It''s really hard to find your way around when the terrain around you is constantly changing. "Sage" "Yeah?" Seto responded to the captain''s call. "Since the tremors started, have you noticed anything strange?" Tatsu seemed to want to protest not answering his question, but a look from Yamato was enough to silence him. Seto thought for a moment. Nothing about this situation was normal. Even so, if I had to say the strangest thing that I have noticed, it would be¡­ "The mana density" "What do you mean?" Tatsu asked irritably. Solving puzzles was never his forte. "Since the tremors started, the mana density has increased steadily" "And what is that supposed to mean?!" Tatsu was about to explode. Does someone want to tell me right away what''s going on?!¡± If Tatsu could look at the guard captain''s face right now, he would meet with eyes full of disappointment. Like a teacher who sees his student protest because he doesn''t understand something that he already exined 5 times. "If I''m right right now there''s going to be a¡­" ¡­ ¡°¡­Dungeon `Promotion?¡± Ryu repeated what Zack was exining to them, while they tried to get to the second floor as soon as possible. ¡°That''s right¡± Zack replied, still in Kenzo''s arms. Any other time, he would ask Kenzo to put him down, but there is no time for that. ¡°As you may know, dungeons are divided into ranks, based on the number of floors they have. Every twenty floors the dungeon increases one rank. Starting from D rank, which has a maximum of twenty floors, up to S rank, which has one hundred floors. Up to here do you have any doubts?¡± They both shook their heads. Their instructor had already exined the essentials of the dungeons. Seeing this, Zack continued. Seeing this, Zack continued. ¡°Under normal circumstances, once a dungeon has reached the maximum number of floors, the dungeon has exhausted its potential. These types of dungeons are especially popr because it means that you will stop making changes. Dungeons that have not yet formed all their possible floors can change theyout of traps, the number of monsters, etc... Complete dungeons cannot do that, so adventurers don''t have to worry about surprises that don''t show up on their maps¡± ¡°However, on rare asions, it is possible for the dungeon to spawn an extra floor, and thus rank up. That''s dungeon¡äs promotion¡± Zack exined as they got closer to the exit. ¡°Hmm. So, what does it matter if a dungeon has one floor?¡± Ryu asked confused. It''s not like a floor is too important either. A nce at Kenzo''s face showed that he thought the same way. Zack raised his hands to his head. Exasperated that they still don''t get it ¡°Of course it''s important. If it wasn''t, dungeons wouldn''t be divided into ranks" ¡°Though you haven''t noticed, the mana in the dungeon has increased exponentially. The higher the mana, the more powerful the monsters inside will be¡± Zack pointed around. "Ooh" Kenzo said. It seems that his doubts had finally been resolved. ¡°But then why are we running? I mean, we''re on the third floor. Even though the monsters are stronger, I don''t see why you don''t want us to face them¡± Kenzo''s words made a certain sense, they are still very close to the surface. And, what does it matter if the monsters get a little stronger, that won''t be enough to stop them. Right? The stairs appeared in the distance. Zack could hardly pay attention to what hispanions were saying. Behind him, he could feel explosions of mana surging throughout the floor. That could only mean that monsters were constantly being summoned, using the leftover mana from the evolution. ¡°Let me exin it to you in another way¡± Zack said as fast as he could. ¡°Imagine that you are ying a video game. There are no tiers or anything like that. The lowest level is level 1, and the highest is level one hundred" Ryu and Kenzo nodded. ¡°The dungeons in the game are divided into D, C, B, A, and S, every 20 levels¡± Zack continued. Ryu and Kenzo nodded again. Until now the exnation was fairly simple. ¡°What level do you think the first monster you encounter in a C-rank dungeon will be?¡± "Of course, it would be level twent..." The words Ryu was going to utter got stuck in his mouth, and his entire body began to sweat. Kenzo said nothing, but theplexion on his face was getting paler with each step. Just as they entered the stairs. Zack felt a strong mana explosion behind him.------------------------------------ ----------------------------- --------------------------- -------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 37: The dungeon (Part 9) Not just Zack. Ryu and Kenzo also felt themotion behind them. Turning around they couldn''t help but get scared. ¡°KENZO, ZACK, GET OUT OF THERE!!¡± Ryo yelled with all his might. Just a few meters away, a two-meter-tall humanoid creature had appeared out of nowhere and pounced on them. Everything happened too fast, without giving them time to react. All Kenzo could only watch as the monster approached at high speed towards them with nefarious intentions. Before the creature could reach them, Kenzo instinctively closed his eyes, perhaps to avoid watching his own body get squashed like a pancake. There''s no way he could survive a surprise attack from a monster like that. This was all could think in hisst moments. (Guys, I''m sorry) ¡­ .. . Hmm? The expected blow did not seem to arrive. As the seconds ticked by, Kenzo wondered if he''d already been hit, and he felt nothing from the shock. "You can open your eyes" Zack''s voice, who was still on his back, sounded somewhat amused. He slowly opened his eyes to see what had happened. "Ahhhhh!" Kenzo couldn''t help but scream when he saw what his eyes were witnessing. A huge, wed-end hand was only inches from his head. The owner of the said hand was looking at them with hungry eyes that promised violence and destruction. "W-What''s going on?" asked Ryu, who was just as surprised to see the monster frozen in midair. Seeing the expression of hispanions, Zack couldn''t help but want tough a little. At the same time, he was deeply relieved that they had arrived on time.@@novelbin@@ "It''s dungeon magic" Zack replied. "Magic?" "Do any of you know how a dungeon works?" Zack took advantage of this moment to dismount from Kenzo''s back and put his feet on the ground. Ryu and Kenzo shook their heads at the same time. "Each dungeon is basically a huge magical array with the goal of retaining the chaotic mana in the area, preventing it from spreading to the surroundings" Zack began to exin the nature of the formation. Learning from past situations, Zack tried to exin it to him in the simplest way possible. In short, the dungeon is a formation made up of ovepping spells that vary in intensity as you get closer to the core of the formation. Each of those spells only has one function, contains chaotic mana, and each spell has a maximum amount of chaotic mana it can contain. The closer you are to the lower floors, the more powerful the spells ced there. Once that limit has been exceeded, the remaining mana flows to the floor above that, where another spell of the same type prevents that mana from dispersing to the surface until it reaches its limit, and so on. "Wait" Ryu interrupted mid-exnation. "If eachyer of the formation can only hold mana up to a limit, then the dungeon formation should have been broken by the time it evolved" Kenzo nodded with him. This will be a secret to take to the grave, but Zack was mildly impressed that Ryu could ask an intelligent question like that. He responded to the question by shaking his head. "The promotion of the dungeon is not only a quantitative change but also a qualitative one" Zack felt that the universe return to its ce when they looked at him again as if he had grown a second head. Without the slightest idea of what he was saying. ¡°What makes the formation work is the core of the dungeon, which uses chaotic mana for energy. When a dungeon ascends rank, the chaotic mana transforms qualitatively, and the mana the core receives to function also increases qualitatively, so the formation bes stronger with the dungeon¡± "Yes Yes. That''s all very well, but how do you exin that ¡±Ryu interrupted the exnation again, apparently his patience had run out, and he began to point at the floating monstrosity next to him. ¡°You don''t like my exnation? Then find out for yourself ¡±Zack said jokingly only to receive a punch on the shoulder from him. ¡°Ouch. That hurts!" "You should have thought better of it before being a smartass" Ryu said smiling. Kenzo who was next to him had a neutral expression on his face, but the trembling of his shoulders indicated that he was trying not tough. At some point in the conversation, Zack was also smiling as he rubbed his shoulder with his hand. It''s strange, Zack had never experienced anything like this. It is obvious that they are in an extremely dangerous situation, and are at risk of losing their lives. Despite everything, Zack still has the strength to joke with his teammates. This feeling was not bad. "Ahem" Zack cleared his throat and continued the exnation. "The reason why that monster is paralyzed is that the formation prevents it from entering here" Kenzo and Ryu also acquired expressions of concentration as they listened to Zack. "What do you mean?" ¡°The function of the dungeon is to retain the chaotic mana. The monsters in the dungeon possess a huge concentration of chaotic mana in their bodies, enough to materialize into a solid form,¡± Zack said as he pointed at the monster. ¡°That is why, the moment the dungeon creatures try to leave their floor, the spell on that floor will prevent them from leaving. The stairs act as a connection point between the multiple spells in the formation but are not part of any of said spells. That is why we can go from one floor to another but the monsters cannot¡± Zack concluded his exnation. There are many more aspects of the dungeon that Zack hasn''t exined. Forget the true form of the spell, even the chaotic mana distribution theory he relies on is enough to give many schrs a headache. The first dungeon was created a long time ago, so long ago that the name of the creator was forgotten. Multiple kingdoms and races im to be rted to this figure, but nothing has been proven. One thing is for sure, the mage who designed the formation of the dungeons is the first documented tier 4 mage to date. Although Zack doesn''t know how strong a true tier 4 mage is, that doesn''t stop him from having some respect for someone who has gotten to such a point through his efforts. During the short time that Zack has been studying magic, every day he learns something new, and secrets that he had never imagined before were slowly unfolding before him. Zack is unaware at exactly what point magic became more than just a means to survive. It may not be much now but someday... "And what do we do now?" a voice sounded, waking Zack from his ideas about the future. ¡°If what you say is true, monsters stronger than we can deal with are now on the way back. How are we going to get back?" Kenzo asked as he and Ryu looked at Zack, hoping he had a solution. During their time here, they are starting to consider Zack as the team¡äs leader. Zack has proven to be the most prepared of the three. Not only in the fight against the wolves but also when their guard tried to kill them. If it hadn''t been for Zack, it''s easily predictable what would have happened to them. Seeing the looks of hispanions, Zack approached them slowly. "It''s true. In these circumstances, it is very difficult to return to the surface. Although we did have some strength, and we were able to get rid of the monsters on the upper floors, that was before the promotion of the dungeon. If we go now, as we are, the chances are that we won''t be able to cross a single floor. Don''t worry, I have a n" Noticing the attention of hispanions, Zack looked into their eyes and said: "We wait" "Eh?" ---------------- -------------------------- ---------------------------- ---------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, heres my discord server: Chapter 38: The dungeon (Part 10) ¡­ .. . After a minute of waiting in silence for Zack to continue talking about his n, Ryu and Kenzo looked into each other''s eyes for a moment and asked: ¡°Hmm, what''s the rest of the n?" "That''s all!" Zack replied. ¡°THAT IS NOT A PLAN AND IT IS NOTHING!!¡± Veins popped in Ryu''s head upon hearing the stupid thing Zack had said: ¡°We can''t stay here forever! We don''t have enough provisions to stay here for several days. What''s worse is that if a guard dares to attack us, the rest are most likely in cahoots with him, and our friends in danger. We need a n" "If we stay here, it''s likely that whoeveres looking for us won¡ät have the best intentions¡± Ryu concluded huffing, as if a weight had been lifted from him. Obviously, this situation had put him under a lot of stress. Zack calmly listened to Ryu''sints without saying anything. Once he finished, Zack raised his hand and pointed at the monster. "Ryu, do you know what kind of monster that is?" "Hmm. I don''t know, he hasn''t taught us anything about monsters¡± he replied, perplexed by the question. "It''s a goblin" Zack replied with a neutral expression on his face. "A goblin?" Zack nodded. "It doesn''t look like a goblin. Are there really goblins in this world?" Ryu asked as he took a fresh look at the two-meter muscled monster standing a few feet away. "Not really. The reason why people call them goblins, or rather the reason why we call them goblins, is because of the skill we acquired aftering to this world.¡± Hispanions knew what skill he was referring to. The only skill all summoned heroes share is Universal Trantion. ¡°I have been observing how this ability works and I have discovered a couple of details¡± The Universal Trantion skill allows you to speak to the people here as if people were speaking to you in your nativenguage. Thanks to this ability, Zack has been able to roam the library without problems during his stay in the pce. It is impossible that he did not have the slightest curiosity about it. ¡°And how does it work?¡± Kenzo asked, waiting for Zack to exin. However, Zack''s response surprised them. "Not important" "What you have to know is that this ability helps us to understandnguages of this world" Zack said as he tried to redirect the conversation towards his initial goal. Although he had been exining a few things to them, that doesn''t mean he''s a dictionary. If they want to know more, they can go to the central library. Nobody will stop them from entering. Right now, there are more important things to worry about. "However, this skill is not perfect" ¡°As you know, goblins are fictional creatures from our world. They don''t exist, not here, not anywhere" Kenzo and Ryu nodded. ¡°The Universal Trantor skill uses the most urate word in our vocabry to be used as a trantion. However dueck of urate words to describe this monster, and to certain ovepping characteristics between these creatures, the skill uses an approximate word to describe it. In this case, the word goblin¡± ¡°What I mean is that, although the word that describes this creature in front of us is not a goblin. It has enough characteristics for us to understand it as a goblin¡± Zack said when he saw the confused expressions of hispanions. ¡°And what are those characteristics?¡± ¡°Weak, numerous, with high reproductive capacity, violent, ¡­¡± Ryu and Kenzo''s faces grew paler with each word that came out of their mouths. Weak? They looked at the ''goblin'' Even having been stuck in the air for a while unable to move, the ferocity in his eyes hadn''t diminished at all, it could be said to have increased every second he looked at them. A trail of drool had fallen to the floor from his mouth, forming a mini puddle. Perhaps in its eyes, they are an inessible delicious delicacy. Sharp ws that could split rocks, muscles bigger than melons, fangs that could easily pierce them. It''s as if Neanderthals on steroids had offspring with dinosaurs, and once they were grown, this one would have eaten the rest. What part of this abomination is weak?! Ryu swallowed for a moment and asked: "Zack, when you say numerous, how many are you referring to?" ¡°It depends, but considering that this is the third floor of a C-rank dungeon, around fifty. Fifty?! Numerous? That is not numerous. That''s a regiment! ¡°Doesn''t that mean that the monsters on the second floor will be weaker? Maybe there''s another kind of monster there¡± Kenzo said with a shaky voice. Zack looked at them without changing his expression. Goblins are one of the weakest creatures with aplete mutation of chaotic mana, and therefore one of the most frequent that one can find in a dungeon starting at rank C. Unless the environment is uninhabitable, or better for the survival of certain monsters, most dungeons have goblins on their first floors. "If you think so, then go check it out" Ryu and Kenzo locked eyes, unwilling to be the one to check the type of monster. After a while, they decided to go together, while Zack watched in silence as they climbed the stairs awkwardly. It wasn''t long before they were back. Their faces were paler than ever. "On second thought, Zack''s n is excellent" Ryu replied without a change in his voice, which would have been convincing if not for the trembling in his legs. Kenzo nodded furiously. ¡­ Outside the dungeon, things were unfolding rapidly. The men in ck made a surprise attack on the soldiers. Although thetter were able to organize their defenses quickly, they were quickly being cornered. "AAAhhhhh!" Themander retrieved his sword from the body of one of his attackers and looked around to survey the situation. Things were not going well.@@novelbin@@ "When are those reinforcementsing?" the captain asked one of the soldiers who was trying to get the wizard''s equipment to work. ¡°We have already sent the signalmander. We are not sure when we will receive an answer¡± answered one of the soldiers who was looking at a strange cube covered in runes. Not only did that surprise attack provide them with multiple casualties, but they also had finished off their only mage, making it difficult to contact the capital. ¡°Tsk. Drop that thing and start fighting!¡± ordered themander. The signal had already been sent, even if they received instructions from the capital, it would be impossible for them to fulfill them under the current conditions. "Yes, Commander!" they answered as they left the team and prepared to support their teammates. "Any signal from inside the dungeon?!" ¡°Negative, Commander. The dungeon activity is interfering with our signals¡± one of his soldiers replied as he fought off the enemies. "What''s going on in there?" themander wondered. The situation was getting worse by the minute, and his men were falling fast. The situation had to change. "You and you! Come with me! Vice Commander, you are in charge!¡± themander yelled at the soldiers who had abandoned themunications equipment. "Yes, Commander!" Themander led his men away from the battlefield, heading into the woods, as a voice answered in the distance. Themander''s actions were observed by several of the assants, who went after him. ¡°As soon as we reach the forest, get into a camouge position. Understood?" "Yes, Commander" replied his men. The four of them soon reached the forest and entered its depths. Soon after, his pursuers entered as well. When thetter entered the forest, they had already lost track of the soldiers. The five pursuers looked at each other and quickly decided on a n of action. Three of them separated in different directions, always in view of the remaining two, who will be able to react quickly in case of attack. The enemies moved slowly, carefully scanning their surroundings to avoid being ambushed. Soon, one of them entered a seemingly peaceful clearing. At that moment, I hear something moving in the tall grass on the other side of the clearing. He approached slowly, carefully observing that ce. Suddenly, something came out of the tall grass. Acting on instinct, his sword had alreadye out of the scabbard and headed toward the moving object. "Kyuuu!" The cry of an animal echoed through the clearing, now wounded and bleeding profusely. One of hispanions signaled to him in the distance, asking if he was okay. After confirming his safety, he set out to continue the search. Bam Without giving him time to react, something came out from behind the bushes and hit him square in the chest, knocking the air out of him. ¡°GROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!¡± A bear nearly three meters tall pounced on the fallen man. His eyes showed uncontroble anger when it saw the small animal bleeding on the ground. The animal he attacked earlier turned out to be the hatchling of this monster. Hispanions quickly ran to his aid to get rid of the beast. Meanwhile, near the exit of the forest, themander of the ambushed squad and his soldiers were meeting after having disposed of their pursuers. In other circumstances, they stayed to fight, but with every second their men are dying in the face of their attackers. It''s not the moment. ¡°Come on, we don''t have much time¡± said themander to his soldiers. Several of his men looked toward the woods with some resentment. They obviously did not want to leave their enemies alive. (Maybe next time) thought one of the soldiers as they followed themander.
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Chapter 39: The dungeon (Part 11) In the camp besides the dungeon the situation continued to lean towards the attackers. For every man killed by the defenders, two kingdom soldiers fell. While both sides were focused on the fight, themander and his men approached the battlefield again. However, themander had no intention of going back there. If he were to do that, all the effort would have been for nothing. Despite the unfavorable situation they are currently in, themander saw the real reason they are at a disadvantage, and it is not because of the enemy''s numerical superiority. Can anyone really believe elite soldiers can be defeated so easily? That would only be possible if they were made of tofu! The advantage remained with the enemy from the first moment they were attacked for one reason only. Themander led his men to a small mound near the battlefield. At first, everything seemed normal, just a quiet ce full of green, but he knew they must be here. This is the only ce they can hide. Ordering his subordinates not to make any noise, they silently climbed to the top. With each step closer to the ce, his men became more and more nervous, as if they knew something was there. Themander knew very well what he was going to find. The image of the tier 2 Squad Mage being pierced by an arrow was still fresh in his memory. Even though Mages are inferior in physique to other sses, that doesn''t mean they can be killed that easily. In fact, it is precisely because of this weakness that most magicians take a lot of measures to make that impossible. You would think that the most resistant sses would be the Pdins or the Guardians, but it is not so. The magic branch sses are the hardest to kill because they know which way the enemy will attack them. Surprise, fast and effective attacks are the day-to-day of any self-respectingbat magician. And yet, their mage fell to an arrow, just as his whole squad is doing right now. When themander and his soldiers were a few moments from the top, they hid and approached stealthily. At the top of the mountain stood a line of archers dressed like raiders, shooting arrows towards the battlefield. Among the archers, one of them stood out especially, not because of his clothing, but because of his bow. That bow was bigger and heavier than the others, yet he handled it with the same finesse as hispanions. Although themander is unsure if he can repel the invaders, he knows that if he doesn''t get rid of those archers, all his men will die. When all his men were in position, themander gave the signal and they attacked. The effect was immediate, most archers weren''t prepared for this at all. Even if the ambush was sessful, that doesn''t mean the enemies were eliminated. Although the Archer ss specializes in using the bow as a long-range weapon, they also possess abilities to quickly create distance to avoid being surrounded. Some archers learn skills outside of their ss to surprise potential raiders, even if those skills take a long time to rise to an eptable level. His men were only able to take down three of the seven archers, and seriously wound another before they withdrew. And that was thanks to themander stopping their leader before he could get close to his men. If themander had dropped his guard, it''s likely that one of his men would be dead. While themander tried to prevent the leader from fleeing, one of his soldiers finished off the wounded archer, and the rest chased after the others. ck nk The weapons of the two shed incessantly as they fought. Themander struck hard, avoiding giving his opponent a chance to escape, while the leader of the archers searched for possible escape routes. Obviously, themander was not going to let him, by the time he escapes, a rain of arrows will fall on him without him being able to do anything. It is not known how long they were fighting when themander heard a noise near some bushes. That was all the chance his enemy needed to run. A blinding glow appeared on the legs of themander''s opponent, and the next second he was already ten meters away and continuing fleeing. When themander turned around and saw what had caused that noise, his heart filled with anger. Out of the bushes, one of his men emerged without a scratch, an awkward smile on his face. When they get back to the castle, he''ll personally see that this jerk doesn''t patrol anything other than the walls of his town again, but for now, they were still in danger. When he was going to order him to take cover, he saw something that pleasantly surprised him. Just as the leader of the archers was about to disappear from themander''s sight, ropes appeared at his feet, causing him to stumble, and preventing his escape. At that moment, the other two men he had brought with him appeared from the trees and charged towards the enemy. Although the leader of the archers was clearly superior to his men, the difference was not too great, physically speaking. His men are the elite of the elite of this kingdom and each has a standard tier 2 ss for all the soldiers in the castle, the Knight ss. The reason why themander is stronger than his men is because he has a variant of the Knight ss: The Knight Commander ss. Although the enemy leader likely has a tier 2 variant of the Archer ss, the difference between them wasn''t as big as the difference between a tier 1 ss and a tier 2 ss. Focusing on long-rangebat, it''s no wonder his men can subdue the enemy with a surprise attack. As he expected, his men were quick to incapacitate their enemy. Themander inspected the terrain to see if the other archers were nearby but he could find no trace. His men approached him with the prisoner still alive. Unfortunately, themander knew that fighting was going on elsewhere, and they couldn''t afford to take prisoners, so he took up his sword and shed his enemy''s throat cleanly. Just when themander was going to congratte his men, he saw the arrogant smile of his subordinates and the idea disappeared from his head. Bam "Gha!" "Why?!" the soldiers asked after their direct superior hit them on the head. ¡°Hmm. How dare you use me as a lure?" said themander without the slightest concern that he had hit them. The soldiers smiled awkwardly as they saw that hismander realized their n. The n was not veryplicated either. After they lost track of the archers they were chasing, they decided to turn back out of fear that they would go back to the top and that their superior officer would face them alone. Once they got there, they saw how hismander was locked inbat with the leader of the archers and devised a n to get rid of him. One of them would create an opportunity for the enemy to escape, and the other two would ambush him when he was focused on escaping. The most difficult part of the n was knowing which escape route the archer would choose in case of escape, which was not very problematic. The two archers who escaped fled in the same direction. It was obvious that they had a rendezvous point already determined in case they were scattered. The only thing they had to calcte was the moment when theirmander was distracted because of them so that an opening appear in that direction. The rest was easy. After joking around for a bit, the four returned to their previous attitudes and returned to the battlefield. It was highly unlikely that the archers would return here after noticing that their leader had fallen. The four of them rushed to the battlefield to support theirrades. When they arrived things were not looking good. Themander wasted no time in supporting his men. Although he and his men had gotten rid of the greatest threat from the enemy, the damage that had urred until now so far was too great. The remaining forces were less than 60%. Despite doing everything possible, the end seemed predestined.@@novelbin@@ The situation is likely to reach a tragic oue unless something happened quickly that could change the situation. Suddenly, a magic circle appeared in the distance, light flooding the surroundings, including the camp they were fighting in. Themander rxed at the sight of the magic circle, and his men cheered despite being in the middle ofbat. They all knew what was happening. From the magic circle, soldiers bearing the emblem of the kingdom appeared one after another, rushing in the direction of the battlefield with their swords drawn at themand of their superiors. Mages appeared in the rear while casting spells that they had already prepared beforehand. The reinforcements had arrived. ¡­ In the kingdom''s capital, dozens of soldiers were making their way to the magic circle on the ground, only to mysteriously disappear and be quickly reced, and disappear again. As thest soldier entered the circle, the archmage and a group of mages dressed in luxurious robes entered the magic circle, and disappeared, making it lose its shine. A man watching the actions of the reinforcements said in a low voice: ¡°Reinforcements have left the capital. Start the n" -------------------- --------------------------- ------------------- ------------------------ If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 41: Half year later Zack and hispanions'' first real conflict ended traumatically for most of them. Those still deep in their fantasies, trying to escape from reality were forced to wake up. They realized that their lives here were real, and if they didn''t do something, they might lose it next time. No matter what world you are in, time passes inexorably, whether you want it to or not. The only thing you can do is decide what you do with that time. And so six months passed. ¡­ knock knock knock The sound of the door woke Zack from his meditation like every morning. After telling the maid that he would be leaving soon, he began to prepare for a new day. Six months passed since the incident. After doing a body count, the kingdom estimated that they had lost a total of 27 soldiers, and Zack''s ss lost two of their own. Of the sixteen students who entered the dungeon, only fourteen were able to return. One of those who was able toe back was Airi, who Zack and Austin made a deal with to keep their sses a secret. Apparently, she was attacked for being in the area farthest from the rear. By the time the rest noticed the attack, it was already toote. Fortunately, the only student in the priest ss was in her group, so she was able to save her life. Others were not so lucky. Strangely, the two students who died were part of the group that Zack rejected being part of. Unlike the other groups, they only had melee sses. When they saw their guard being outnumbered, they tried to help in the only way they could, and¡­ ¡­let''s just say things didn''t go well. Two of them ended up dead, and the third seriously injured, but he wasn''t the only one who ended up like this. Zack finished getting ready and got ready to leave the room, but not before doing something he did every day. "Status" Name: Zack Mayima Age: 19 Race: Human Title: Bookworm, Survivor ss: Mage Level: 84 Stats: Strength: 35 Endurance: 43 Wisdom: 91 Luck: 11 Agility: 38 Intelligence: 82 Charm: 12 Mana: 154/154 Skills: Fast Reading Level 7 Memorization Level 5 Mana Control Level 9@@novelbin@@ Danger Sense Level 1 Multitasking Level 3 Herb Identification Level 2 Universal Trantion Spells: ? Tier 0: Magic Hand Level (MAX) Light Level (MAX) Trip Level (MAX) Spark Level (MAX) Deafen Level (MAX) Night Vision Level (MAX) Summon Water Level (MAX) Cleanse Level (MAX) ¡­ ? Tier 1: Magic Missile Level (MAX) Fireball Level (MAX) Shield Level (MAX) Levitation Level (MAX) Detection Level (MAX) Body Enhancement Level (MAX) Silence Level (MAX) ¡­ Every time Zack looked at his status screen his eyes held a trace of pride. Every word that appears in front of him is the result of his hard work. Observing the reward of his efforts in a tangible way makes him feel motivated to continue improving daily. Compared to the first time he saw it over half a year ago, his status is almost unrecognizable. During this time Zack hasn''t been idling. Every day he was busy trying to learn as much as possible. Zack has learned so many spells that he has to mentally scroll down the status screen to see them all. Despite that, Zack hasn''t even learned half of the spells found in the library. Learning a spell takes time, and despite the advantages he haspared to the wizards of this world, his time is limited. That doesn''t mean he hasn''t read them all. During his stay here, Zack was able to read all the books he was allowed ess to, both in the Magic Tower library and in the central library. That included tier 2 magic books. It wasn''t even hard to get ess. One day we were practicing tier 1 spell casting when Austin started to ramble. ... "What are you doing?!" Albert asked angrily when he saw Austin distracted. They were in a training room practicing the magic missile, one of the most basic tier 1 spells. Miyu had been transferred a few days ago to another section of the castle to learn more about her ss. Because her Magic Tailor ss doesn''t have magic as its main element, Albert decided that she had learned everything she needed to and ended her training with him. Shun was depressed for a while because of that. Zack and Shun were also continuously casting spells at the targets, but Austin''s speed and aim left a lot to be desiredpared to the others. ¡°Do you think this is a game?! If you don''t take it seriously you could die one day!¡± hearing Albert¡äs words, Austin shifted ufortably on the spot with a distracted look on his face. Seeing this, Austin''s face contorted even more. ¡°What are you thinking that is so important that you dare to ignore me?!¡± Austin seemed to have been trying to hold back, but upon hearing this he couldn''t take it anymore. ¡°What is the use of learning this?¡± "Mm, what did you say?" "What''s the use of learning this?!" Austin said, this time in a higher tone. ¡°We have been several days in a row without doing anything other than using the same spell. This is the only tier 1 spell you have taught us. We are tier 2 sses! What is the use of practicing the same thing over and over again? It would be better if we learn more advanced spells¡± When Austin finishedining, Zack and Shun had stopped casting spells, and the ce was quiet. Contrary to what they were expecting, Albert did not yell at them or threaten them in any way. ¡°Tsk. Do you think it''s easy to learn tier 2 spells? Even if you could learn them, it wouldn''t do you any good if you''re dead before the end of the spell" Albert pushed Austin aside and looked at the others. Zack was able to keep his gaze, but Shun turned it to the side. Evidently, he and Austin were thinking the same thing. Seeing this, Albert began to think about what to do for a moment. Obviously, they couldn''t continue training. Once he finished thinking, a small smile graced his face. "Do you know what? If that''s what you think, that''s fine¡± he replied, to the surprise of all of them. ¡°I will give all of you permission to read the books on the second floor of the library. If you really think it would be more productive to learn higher-rank spells, I won''t stop you." "Oh really?" Austin asked. This had not gone as expected. In his predictions, Albert would punish him by making him train ten times harder. "Really. If you think it''s better to learn advanced spells, you don''t have toe back here if you don''t want to¡± he said smiling. Austin didn''t notice it, but at that moment his eyes were shining with an evil glow. ¡­ And just like that, Zack and the others got ess to the second floor. Zack has to admit that when Austin said those things to Albert, his heart almost sank. If it wasn''t for him stopping trying to learn the spells on the second floor after a while, Zack would think that Austin has forgotten what his real ss is. He may have, and he thinks he couldn''t learn the spells just because they were tooplicated. Nor that he could have learned anything at all there if he had had a second ss. Tier 2 spells arepletely different from the others. Although Zack read all the books on the second floor, there was no point in learning the high-tier spells there. There are several reasons why you need to be a tier 2 ss to use tier 2 spells. Their system ispletely different from other spells. It took Austin three days to figure that out. Albert made it very difficult for him after that. Months passed before Albert stopped mocking and criticizing Austin. There were times when it seemed like Austin wanted to quit. During that period of time, Zack suffered from nightmares on the few asions that he decided to sleep instead of meditating at night. Dreams of Austin leaving and revealing his true ss kept him terrified more than once. Fortunately, nothing happened. Zack looked at his attributes. A mage''s body will always be weaker than a warrior''s. Reading books and meditating on him helped to increase his intelligence and wisdom, but did not help much to increase his physical attributes. Even with all the mana coursing through his body, there is a limit to his growth. His physical attributes stopped growing when they reached twenty points. Twenty-five in the case of endurance. Although it was unavoidable, exposing such an obvious weak point left him greatly disturbed. It is for this reason that Zack, like many wizards before him, tries to find a way to fix that. And he did it¡­ more or less. ----------------------- ---------------------------------- -------------------------------- --------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 43: New destination The maid guided Zack through the corridors of the magic tower. Halfway there, he met Austin and Shun, who were also being led by their assigned servants. The path they were using was not the one they usually traveled, and soon, he and the others found themselves outside the magic tower. These past few months, Zack had lost contact with Austin and Shun, especially since Miyu had to go to another corner of the castle to continue her training. The time they spent in the library was less and less, and the only bit of day they were together was breakfast when they spent most of their time eating in silence. During Albert''s sses, which had be prominently practical, Zack would overhear them talking about their progress and levels. Shun had just reached level 50, and Austin was at level 57. Neither of them has trained as hard as he has, but in Shun''s case, Zack doesn''t have to stress too much. Although it may seem low-level, you have to remember that Shun has a tier 2 ss. It is much easier to level up a tier 1 ss than level up a tier 2 ss. Austin''s problem is much more serious. Zack knows how hard it is to level up your ss once you get to the higher levels. Based on how long Austin has taken to get close to level 60, Zack estimates he will reach level 100 in three years, maybe a little longer. He tried to warn Austin multiple times, but no matter what Zack did, he wouldn''t listen. Officially, Zack told the others that he was level 55, so Zack knew Austin was underestimating him. Zack didn''t know what they were doing with their free time, but it was clear they weren''t training. Otherwise, they would be at a much higher level. Albert doesn''t suspect anything because the growth of all three is simr, but Zack knows that if Austin were to take training as seriously as Shun, he would have to be at least level 70. Sometimes, Zack heard them talk about going to the gardens or something about walking around the castle with the girls. Although they tried to invite him on more than one asion, Zack rejected them. He had no time to waste, and those walks did seem a waste of time. It is for these reasons that their rtionship cooled even more. Zack and the others entered the castle through one of the exterior corridors thatmunicated with the magic tower and were led to the dining room where they had their first and only banquet with the rest of their ssmates, the whole ss together. When they reached the dining room, sounds ofughter and cutlery began to enter Zack''s ears. Once they entered the dining room, he finally saw his ssmates whom he hadn''t seen for six months. Contrary to the tense and silent breakfasts with Shun and Austin, the rest of his ss couldn''t be louder. When people saw them enter, they greeted them happily. Although it had been a while since theyst met, they hadn''t forgotten the troubles they overcame together, and how helpful Zack and the rest were in the dungeon. As soon as they saw him walk in, Ryu and Kenzo motioned for him to sit with them, which he did. Austin also sat beside his friends, and Shun sat beside Miyu. Once they were all seated, they began to share stories with each other while eating the extremely seasoned food on the table. Due to eating a dish prepared by a Master Chef: Str +1 No one was going to despise free attribute points. The food was terrible but the atmosphere was nice, and for the first time in a long time, Zack was able to rx while he chatted with his teammates, who told him about their training, and the exaggerated adventures they had experienced. But all good things have to end. BAM The main door of the dining room was suddenly thrown open, and all eyes turned in that direction. Seeing who it was, the conversations stopped, and a tense atmosphere filled the room. Several guards burst into the dining room, escorting a man Zack had never seen before. He was a short man, d in a hideous yellow suit, adorned with all sorts of shiny decorations, with arge, not very ttering cap pulled over his head. His attire reminded them of the clothes nobles wore the day they were brought here. And also, of a giant banana. Once the presumed noble entered, he walked directly to the seat at the end of the table specially reserved for the prime minister. After sitting down, he surveyed the room''s upants. Seeing that we were all there, he nodded slightly and said: "Attention!!! I bring a message from his majesty, King Terence II, for the invoked heroes¡± The stranger spoke with an ostentatious tone while he unrolled a scroll he was carrying in his hand. The scroll read as follows: It basically said that our training in the castle was over and that each of them would be sent to a kingdom-specific instructor to learn what they needed to know about our sses to serve the kingdom. That makes sense. Officially, so far Zack and hispanions had only learned tier 1 spells, and hispanions with physical sses had only learned tier 1 subjects. If the higher-ups want to make good use of them, they need to learn as much as possible about their respective tier 2 sses. You can''t train a Shaman the same way as a Grand Wizard, so assigning them individual instructors is reasonable¡­ at least that''s what they initially thought. "Ahem. Now, I will indicate the destination of each one: ... As they listened to the fate of theirpanions, their faces assumed strange expressions. They started to notice a pattern. ... Kondo Ryu. Instructor Stroniam. Earthholder Castle, Northern border of the kingdom. Hiromiya Kaede. Instructor Tempes. Earthlord Castle, Northern border of the kingdom. Yamaguchi Kenzo. Instructor Torres. Earthholder Castle, Northern border of the kingdom. ¡­ No one noticed, but Zack¡äs face was starting to cloud over. Apparently, he was the only one who knew what it meant to be sent to that ce. ¡­ Austin Ramirez. Instructor Formio. Earthholder Castle, Northern border of the kingdom. Ronald Watergate. Earththorn City, Northern border of the kingdom. Suzumiya Airi. Suntain City, Northern territory of the kingdom. Daigo Shun. Suntain City, Northern territory of the kingdom. Zack Mayima. Stormde City, Northern territory of the kingdom Endou Miyu. Royal castle, Parma city.@@novelbin@@ ¡­ That is all¡± the messenger finished as he rolled up the scroll he had been reading. When Zack heard his name, he thanked them. He thanked his parents, himself, and his past self for making up his ss. Zack is convinced that there is only one reason why he and some other ssmates don''t go to that ce. There are no Grand Mages in Earthholder Castle. "Any questions?" he asked arrogantly as he surveyed the crowd. As if to dare them to dare to say anything before a royal decree. It was obviously a rhetorical question. That doesn''t mean that everyone would settle for that. "Excuse me" Miss Kaede said, getting up from her seat. ¡°Could you tell us why most of us go to the same ce? I''m sure there are other ces where we could learn about our sses. Also, I haven''t heard the names of Yamato, Seto, Tatsumaki, and Lorelei. Where will they go?" "Hmm. I am not aware of the thoughts that inhabit his majesty''s head, I am sure that whatever the reason for it, his majesty did it thinking of your well-being and the well-being of the kingdom¡± The messenger seemed overwhelmed for a moment before recovering and answering the question. After hearing that answer, Zack knew that he was not going to get any useful answers from this guy. He is just a messenger whoes to transmit the decisions of his superiors; a minion. People like him only obey orders without knowing the reasons, and Zack¡äs pretty sure he can sleep perfectly at night without knowing the answers. As he expected, hispanions couldn''t get anything clear from him. After questioning him for several minutes without getting anything, the messenger fled from there at his first opportunity, leaving them with more doubts than before. His confusedpanions were helpless as they watched the messenger hastily retreat, followed by the dozen guards beside him. Seeing this, Zack decided to withdraw as well. It was obvious that the prime minister was noting, and the news he had received was too important to stay here eating. After saying goodbye to the others, Zack hurried to the library. Once he got there he went to one of the bookshelves and pulled out a very specific book. Maps in this world are something very precious. Most of the maps that are sold in stores, correspond to very small plots and are blurred, with imprecise signs. In most kingdoms, it is illegal to create maps. Any map that urately shows the terrain of a kingdom is considered a military secret. If an enemy kingdom were to get hold of a good enough map, it might seriously consider an invasion. Most books in the castle were not here because people wanted to go to read them but to stop so that others could read them without permission. The map in Zack¡äs hands is not perfect, but good enough that he would be arrested if he were to show it in the streets. Zack quickly found the Eartholder Castle, and as he thought, the ce where it was was not good. Unless you consider it good for being in the first line against the demonic invasion, then it is perfect. ----------------------------- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------- -------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 44: Zack鈥瞫 fake class Earthholder Castle is situated in one of the kingdom''s many border points and is constantly being invaded by the demon empire. Every year, tens of thousands of soldiers are besieged by enemies from the north, and every year, thousands of allied troops perish defending that very same castle. Near the castle, there is a city in charge of sending supplies to the battlefront. If the castle is where the soldiers fight to defend their borders, then Earththorn City is where their weapons, armor, clothing, food, and everything necessary to keep the soldiers at their best are made. It is a supply point. Because Earthholder Castle needs to be constantly defended in case of enemy attack, thousands of professionals inhabit its walls on a daily basis, being one of the ces where most of the kingdom''s sses gather.@@novelbin@@ (That doesn''t mean that there aren''t people with adequate sses to teach us in other ces) Zack thought when he saw the map. Zack is sure that just here, in the capital, there are people with at least half of the sses that his ssmates have. Only Airi, Shun, Miyu, and himself won''t go directly there, and that''s because of the sses they have. Airi''s ss can be useful inbat where there are many allies, which will make the battlefield an ideal ce for them, except for the small detail that bards are notbat sses. A bard can look at the battlefield in the distance to draw inspiration and create songs, but by the time he fights, he may notst two verses. It is for this reason that there are not many bards who are fighters. Although they have some offensive skills, in a ce like that there will always be someone better. As for Miyu, who woulde up with the idea of sending a tailor to fight? Nobody would be that crazy. If she was a tier 2 ss, Miyu would be sent to Earththorn City like Ronald to supply high-level clothing and armor, but she is a tier 3 ss, so Zack can guess what the nobles thought: Instead of providing clothing and armor for the soldiers, she better stay here making clothes for us. Regarding his ss and Shun''s, they have something inmon. His training is impossible on the battlefield. Zack''s fictional ss is Great Mage, the direct promotion of the mage ss. The requirements to level up the wizard ss are the same for his evolution: learn to use magic. It''s not that simple, but that''s the main idea of the mage ss. Like every basic ss, all you have to do is explore what the ss can do. Sounds easy, but they can take decades to fill up to the maximum level of a basic ss. With the Great Mage ss, things getplicated. You are no longer a novice, you have discovered how vast the path of magic is, and yet you do not want to specialize in one branch of magic, You want to learn everything. The reason Zack didn''t even bother to learn a tier 2 spell is that they''re branched, and each magic ss has apletely different system of spells; Necromancy, runes, elemental, shamanism, strengthening magic, arcane magic, etc... Each of these branches, and the thousand more that make up the art called magic, have different learning systems. And yet the Great Wizard decides to learn them all. The Great Mage ss is an exception among exceptions. It is the only one that allows you to use spells from different magic systems, so to level up you need to learn enough. This is an impossible condition to meet on the battlefield. No Great Mage would go to ces where he can''t learn magic, and that''s why they couldn''t send him to fight with the rest, without proper training, training that can''t be provided in Earthholder Castle, he wouldn''t be more useful. than any tier 1 magic ss. On the other hand, Shun''s ss, Shaman, uses the strength of the spirits as a means of gaining power. The problem is that there are too many spirits on the battleground, some weak and some too strong. Shamans need peace and quiet to contact the chosen spirit and request their strength. If a shaman were to try to form a pact with a spirit on the battlefield, chances are something would go wrong due to the interference of other spirits, or the shaman himself would go berserk. That is why, like the Great Wizards, there are no shamans on the battlefield either. Despite all this, the kingdom will want them to go fight once they have learned the essentials. There''s only one reason why they''re going to be sent to a ce like that. (They want to send us to the battlefield immediately) Zack thought coldly as he clenched his fists tightly. It seems that the higher-ups have decided that half a year of basic training is enough to send them to the meatgrinder as quickly as possible. Of course, the other trainees'' instructors will almost certainly be teaching alongside them, and more than one lesson will be ''practical'' but there is no reason to think they wille out of the `apprenticeship¡ä alive. It is precisely for this reason that Yamato and the other three did not apany them, it is too dangerous. It''s not worth losing a tier 4 ss by exposing them to big threats early. Even if Zack and the rest of his ss survive, what''s next? Once they''re done with training, all he can imagine is that they''ll have to keep fighting there for who knows how long. Maybe until the day he dies. A chill runs down his spine just thinking about it. (Time to pack) Zack thought as he watched the trajectory from the capital to Stormde City. No matter how much his actions resemble those of a Great Wizard, by the time he arrives at his new destination there is no doubt that he will be discovered. He has to disappear before he gets to Stormde. He has inspected the castle for the past few months and hase to a conclusion: the castle is imprable. Even a tier 3 ss would have no chance of getting in or out without being noticed. Not only are there arge number of tier 2 knights patrolling at all hours, the castle is surrounded by magical formations to detect intruders and defend against raiders. The moment he steps outside the walls he will be caught. The only chance to sneak out is during the transfer to Stormde City. Stromde is one of the most important cities in the northern part of the kingdom, which means that there will be roads connecting the two cities. Knowing the poor physical condition of the magicians, and that Zack does not know how to ride a horse, it is most likely that the trip will take approximately four days by carriage. As for the possibility of teleportation from one city to another, it is impossible. The cost of using a teleportation matrix is huge, and even higher the further away you are. Zack''s value to the top brass isn''t enough for such a thing. Considering that Zack is the only one going to Stromde among hispanions, and the pragmatic value that the nobles have ced on them, the carriage he will ride in will only have two guards, four at the most. Zack carefully watched each part of the journey, looking for spots where he could mislead the guards, and escape. After memorizing each important point of the journey, Zack left the library and hurried to his room to get ready. When he got to his room he went to the door and blocked it from the inside. He didn''t want to be interrupted and find out what he was trying to do. (Conceal) Zack''s hands began to glow and a spell covered the room. He approached the ce where he had his clothes, and the clothes that the maids had provided him for day-to-day, in addition to the tunic that he was wearing. When he took off his clothes, Zack''s everyday efforts to increase his physical attributes could be appreciated. A well-toned bodyparable to that of a bodybuilder, muscles of iron, and a fully formed eight-pack was shown to the world that, together with the smooth features of his face, gave him an air of sensuality. A pity that he was alone in his room. If his body could be admired by the opposite sex, it would not be very difficult for him to find a partner for tonight. ns had been made long ago, the only thing left was to outline the details and make the preparations. His magical power began to manifest around him, and his eyes glowed with an ethereal touch, as he braced himself for the future. There was a lot to do, and very little time. Especially considering that he leaves in two days. ------- --------------------- ------------------------- ------------------ If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 46: Last night When the sun goes down, it''s time to rest. People return to their homes to gather their strength for the next day, and disreputable people take to the streets, searching for hidden opportunities in the shadows of the night. However, this is not the case in all ces. In the castle of the kingdom''s capital of Parmece,ughter, and lively conversations were erupting from one of the castle''srge baths. There, some people were bathing right now. In other ces, this would have been impossible due to the darkness of the night, but thanks to magic, nothing is truly impossible. ¡°Waahhh. This is incredible" ¡°This is a proper bathroom¡± "Yeah. It''s a shame we can''t do it ourselves" "True. Magic is very convenient¡±@@novelbin@@ "How envious. You can bathe like this whenever you want" A group of girls were pulling each other,plimenting one of them, enjoying a hot bath. "It''s not a big deal" Miyu replied embarrassed. All she had done was use a few low-level spells. She didn''t think it was something to be praised for. Most of the people there were 16-17 year old girls, except for a slightly older woman, whose body had fully developed. The voluptuous woman slowly approached the ce where Miyu was, before the envious looks of the other girls. ¡°Don''t underestimate yourself, none of us could have done something like that. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Your magic is impressive¡± Miss Kaede said as she smiled sweetly. Miyu was too embarrassed by thepliment to reply, so all she could do was nod. Seeing this, giggles escaped from the rest of the girls, which embarrassed her even more. ¡°Taking a bath feels really good. We are going to miss you Miyu¡± Realizing what she had said, the girl tried to cover her mouth, but it was toote. One by one, the girls stopped talking, and a depressive atmosphere appeared in the ce. This was theirst night here. They had all tried not to think about what would happen in the future. They were mature enough to realize that their training was not free. Just thinking about what they experienced thest time they went to a dungeon, some of the girls couldn''t help but start trembling. Until recently they were normal girls, and now they are forced to wield a weapon. If there was any way, they would give anything to return to their former life. Even so, none of them shed a tear, the time for that had passed. ¡°I am sure that everything will be fine. The next time we meet, I want you to use those wonderful tailoring skills of yours to make us some beautiful dresses¡± Kaede felt lost for a moment, but she recovered almost instantly. She had experience with situations like this before, and she knew exactly what to say to defuse the situation. Hearing Miss Kaede''s words, the other girls'' eyes suddenly lit up. "It''s true" "Why haven''t we thought of this before?" "I want a blue skirt!" "I would like to have a summer dress!" "I¡­" "Eh? That-" The situation had changed so quickly that Miyu couldn''t react as she was inundated with requests from all sides. Momentster, no one could remember why they were depressed a minute ago. Miss Kaede had a small smile on her mouth. Little by little, the girls finished bathing and went to their rooms to rest. Kaede was thest to leave, making sure that none of her former students had been left behind. After drying off and putting on her clothes, Kaede returned to her room. The moment she entered, her previously rxed eyes sharpened, and her hand went to the sword lying in the corner. As she grabbed the sword from her, Kaede thoroughly inspected her room. Something had changed. Although Kaede and her students seem to be the same as before, the truth is that Zack is not the only one who has grown stronger. Everyone has changed, in one way or another. The advantages that Zack has, his teammates also have them. The six months of training that they have undergone is the equivalent of more than a decade for the people of this world. Kaede is a qualified Sword Dancer. After looking around, she lowered her sword carefully. While examining her room she realized that whoever was there, had already left. Even so, Kaede''s expression did not rx. Ever since they came into this world, she has been under a lot of pressure. She, like some of her students, is well aware that the people of the castle are not her allies, and she must not let her guard downpletely at any time. Only an idiot would think it''s a coincidence that someone entered his room the night before everyone left the castle. Her gut is telling her that the person who came here had a very important reason for it. Don''t underestimate the instinct of a warrior. Many opponents underestimate closebat sses, only to be decapitated with the slightest carelessness. (Why did someonee to my room?) Kaede thought. The only thing she could do was turn the bedroom upside down in search of something that had changed. ¡­ Twenty minutester, the once spotless room was unrecognizable. The drawers were messy, the furniture was in different ces, and even the bed waspletely unmade and scattered. "Uff, uff..." Kaede sat down in one of the few spaces avable on the bed to rest, exhausted after having made such a mess. Nothing. No matter how long she searched, nothing had changed. The only thing different is that now her ce was a mess, and she needed another shower. (Could it be my imagination? No, I''m sure someone got in. Maybe they got in here by mistake?) Miss Kaede thought as she caught her breath. Seeing the condition of her room, she started to get depressed. She not only didn¡ät find what she was looking for, but she also had to tidy up her room again. With a sigh, Kaede got up and began to order. Eh? After moving the bed back to her ce. Grabbing her clothes, she noticed something that wasn''t supposed to be there. The garments in her hands were being picked up and discarded, until she was left with only one jacket. Holding it in her hands, Kaede''s face took on aplicated expression. This jacket was something she was wearing when she was brought into this world. Memories of the past flooded her mind for an instant. Kaede shook her head to remove those thoughts. That was not the reason why she had her jacket in her hands. (It feels heavier than I remembered) Kaede thought as she held it carefully. Kaede''s impression was not false. The jacket was heavier than before. Probably a couple of grams, but that''s enough for a tier 2 ss to notice the difference. She picked up the jacket and carefully examined it on all sides, not leaving a fold out of ce. As her delicate hands slipped into one of her pockets, Kaede felt something rough touch her fingers. However, when she looked inside it there seemed to be nothing. Kaede reached back into her pocket, and she again noticed that texture that shouldn''t be there. Her fingers slid across that surface, trying to find its edge, until she felt where it was located. Crack! A loud cracking sound sounded inside her jacket. Horrified, Kaede probed inside it, thinking that she had broken it. This was her favorite jacket, containing memories of her home, so she did not want it toe to tatters. To her surprise, when she went back to examine the ce where that noise came from, the jacket was intact, but something had appeared inside its pocket. After picking up the mysterious object and making it appear to the candlelight of the room, the object revealed its shape to her. Kaede''s eyes widened as she saw a delicate letter between her fingers. Kaede''s expression turned serious. The methods used to send it were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Only a select group could do what had just happened: Mages. Regardless of the content of the letter, she was sure that the mere fact that someone had resorted to sending it in this way could not mean anything good. After making sure it was safe, Kaede carefully opened the letter with her hands, and read its contents, carefully, not skipping a singlema. The minutes passed, and turned into hours, as Kaede continued with the letter in her hands. Kaede was still reading with the same expression she had the first time she read the letter. Even after having memorized the content of it, it seemed that the words in it didn''t quite resonate inside her. Fhuooosshhhh Suddenly the letter burned itself as if by magic, turning into small ashes that disappeared as if they had been blown away by the wind. Only, there was no wind, there was nobody else here but her, leaving Kaede''s shocked and dismayed face as the only proof that there had been something here. Coming to her senses, Kaede ran out of the room without looking back to inform the students of her, leaving behind an empty room, and a lone candle swaying in the wind that manifested with her departure.-------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ---------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 47: What are we going to do? With the first rays of the sun appearing on the horizon, the beginning of a new day is marked. People go to work, and noise begins to fill the streets. Like Zack, Austin, and Shun, meet every morning for breakfast, the others do it too. Ryu, Kenzo, Kaede, and most of the students also have breakfast together. The only difference is that due to the number of people, the ce where they eat is bigger. Due to the number of people eating here every morning,ughter, talk, and fights fill the atmosphere, not allowing even a minute of silence. Or that''s how it usually is. In arge dining room, a continuous silence, only interrupted by the sound of cutlery colliding with the te, prated the hearts of its guests. Kaede, seeing this from her seat, sighed. The normally cheerful faces of her students were now filled with uncertainty and had a somber air to them. They weren''t the only ones who felt this way. Despite trying to do something to cheer up her students, Kaede''s thoughts weren''t positive either. Just when everyone was wondering what they could do to... BAM Suddenly, a loud knock sounded at the entrance to the dining room, and the doors were thrown open, letting in whoever was outside the ce. The loud noise drew everyone''s attention, and their gazes went to the entrance, wondering who was making such a ruckus. When they saw who they were, the conversations slowly faded away, and the gazes became more solemn. Four people entered the ce without the slightest difort in front of the multiple nces towards them. "Meal! I am hungry!" Tatsu said as he approached the table. "You don''t mind if I take something, do you?" Without the slightest courtesy, Tatsu grabbed the leg of some exotic animal from the te of one of the people already seated and brought it directly to his mouth. ¡°Yuck! This is disgusting! Do you want to poison me?" After tasting the paw, Tatsu spat out what he had in his mouth not caring that the remains of him fell on other people. After that, he left the bitten paw on the te from which he had taken it. "Let me know next time" he spoke as he prepared to follow Yamato and the others. The other ''heroes'' ignored Tatsu''s actions and headed for the farthest seats, specially reserved for them. One of the students who was sitting tried to get up to say something, only to be stopped by his friends, who shook their heads. "Hey, you. What are you waiting for? Bring food¡± Tatsumanded, addressing one of the servants in a corner of the dining room.@@novelbin@@ Yamato and the others don''t usually eat with them. The only time they ate together was the first day when the king examined their sses. Normally, they usually eat in one of the main dining rooms, where they frequently interact with nobles. The fact that they are here surprised them quite a bit. Hearing this, the maid bowed slightly and hurried out of the dining room to inform the chef. "Can''t you be less disgusting?" Lorelei asked Tatsu, who sat next to her. "Shut up! I''m starving and haven''t had any decent food since we got here. They only serve us garbage¡± Tatsu replied as he grabbed something to eat from his te. "At least it increases our stats" Seto said as he tried to eat the incredibly salty bread next to him. "Of course. Otherwise, I don''t think I could stand being here another minute" "Could you stop being so childish" Lorelei reproached seeing his behavior again. "Leave me alone" The ''hero¡äspanions'' began to chat in loud voices, without caring that they were bothering their ssmates. With the exception of Yamato who was eating quietly, it seemed like they were making as much noise as possible to disturb them. Seeing this, Kaede''s eyes filled with disappointment. Ever since she came into this world, her status as a teacher had disappeared in their eyes, and she couldn''t do anything to stop this behavior. Yamato and the other three received special training, away from the rest. Despite not having seen them in a long time, they didn''t seem to have changed much. In fact, it seems that their attitude had only gotten worse. None of the people in this room are fools. If their attitude has worsened after spending six months training under the best aces in the Kingdom, that can only mean that they have tolerated their attitude. If the most important people in the kingdom tolerate them, anything they say will be of no use. It is possible that what they say will get them into serious trouble. With each passing second, words without the slightest consideration came out of their mouths, directed towards the others in this very ce, testing their patience, making them want to get up on more than one asion and tell them a few truths. Only Yamato remained silent during the meal, so the others didn''t know what he was thinking. After finishing eating, Yamato got up, causing the other three to get up as well. They hadn''t even finished the food on their tes. It was obvious who controlled the group. Before going out the door, Yamato turned to the other students and said: ¡°I hope we meet in the future. If there is any chance, I would like us to fight togetherter" BAM The dining room door closed after leaving, leaving behind the rest of the students, who, far from feeling moved, seemed like they were going to copse at any moment. (Maybe telling her wasn''t the best option) Kaede thought as she tried to force herself to finish what was left on her te. (No, they had a right to know. In the long run, ignoring it would have been worse) Kaede shook her head away from bad thoughts, and she began to reminisce on the events ofst night. ¡­ "The battlefield?! They are going to send us to the battlefield!!¡± Ryu yelled upon hearing the news. ¡°Shhh!! Keep your voice down¡± Saki, who was wearing her priestess clothes, scolded him. Ryu quickly raised his hands to his mouth, and looked at Kaede intently, asking for an exnation. Kaede and the others were at one of the training grounds they regrly use. Although the pce is guarded at night, the training ground is a public ce that can be essed by anyone, so there is no need to guard that area. And that is why the guards do note by frequently. With the exception of magic sses like Zack, who lives in the magic tower, and Yamato and hispanions, who don''t know exactly where their rooms are, everyone else is gathered here. Not everyone is happy to be here after being dragged from their bedrooms in the middle of the night. Seeing that it would be troublesome to start telling the story from the beginning, Kaede simply stood in front of them and started telling what was in the letter she read. With each wording from her mouth, their faces turned a little paler. After they finished listening to what Kaede was saying. Airi, at the front, could barely stop herself from falling to the ground. ¡°I-Is it true? Is Earthholder a demon attack point?¡± Kenzo asked trying to make himself understood. Nobody doubted what Kaede said was true, they just wanted to see if there was a possibility. Kaede nodded but then shook her head. "I''m not sure. Beforeing here, I stopped by the library to see if it was true. None of the books mentioned anything about that castle being under siege by northern troops." Hearing Kaede''s words, the others began to rx. Right. How can it be possible that they are sent to fight for their lives without having learned everything they need? None of them are stupid. This isn''t a manga where the heroes are summoned to another world to fight for their lives, and he says: Okay, let''s do it. None of them have loyalty to the kingdom, and most of them had nned to escape on more than one asion. The only thing they did not expect was that they would have to fight so soon. Before her students could rx any further, Kaede''s voice rang out again. "But" Her students tensed upon hearing those words. ¡°Eartholder Castle is located on the northern border of the kingdom, and it is very close to one of the points that connect the northern continent with the kingdom. Although it was not documented anywhere, it may be a point of conflict¡± Kaede stopped speaking. There was nofortable way to say this. "It is possible that we will go to the battlefield" Silence reigned on the training ground. For a moment it seemed that no one was going to say anything. The news was too dreadful. In the morning they thought they were going to train, and at night they discover they are going to a ce where they could lose their lives. After a few minutes, a voice sounded from among the students. "And what are we going to do now?" ¡­ Kaede is still asking that same question. But first of all, a question kept constantly appearing before her. (Who wrote that letter?) On the other side of the castle, Zack and hispanions had finished having breakfast a while ago, a small carriage was leaving the castle in the direction of the city of Stormde.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 49: Escape (Part 2) The soft rattle of the carriage did not prevent Zack from restingfortably in his carriage. The night before, in the vige, he had been busy, and he had not been able to rest appropriately. Despite knowing that it was extremely important for him to prepare as much as possible, the hardness of the seats against his back made him regret on more than one asion he wasn¡ät able to sleep more yesterday. Still, Zack knew how essential a good rest was, so he forced himself to sleep in the carriage, enduring the difort. Just when he seemed to be falling asleep, an unpleasant sound rang outside. Neigghhh The carriage stopped, and the sounds of the horses rang in Zack''s ears, who stuck his head out to see what was happening. Seeing what was in front of him, Zack rxed and went back inside to prepare. The carriage had stopped in the middle of a small barracks. Behind the barracks was the entrance to an immense forest. Giant trees were constantly spreading, and small nts of an unknown nature to the inexperienced, were appearing, differentiating themselves from the constant grass that covered the sides of the road Zack and the two men had just traveled. After chatting with the guards, and a little check, the carriage entered smoothly. Once they located a ce to leave the carriage, the two men in charge of his ''security'' approached him and knocked on the door. "Mr. Wizard. Pleasee out" one of them said out loud. "Why have we stopped?" Zack''s voice sounded from the other side of the carriage, while he slightly opened the door to speak face to face. ¡°We have reached halfway. In front of us, there is a forest we will need to cross to reach our destination. Unfortunately, due to the difficult terrain, it is impossible to continue by carriage. We''ll have to cross on foot" "Eh? Oh really?" Zack asked as if he had no idea what the guard was talking about. ¡°We will continue in a bit. First, we need to stock up. Most likely, the journey will be long¡± said the knight while asking Zack to follow them. Zack had studied the path they would travel on more than one asion. It could be said that he knows the terrain better than hispanions. Although the forest they were going to cross had no official name, it was thergest forest in the entire kingdom, separating the kingdom¡äs territory in two, and leaving the northern part isted from the rest. Due to itsrge size and multitude of resources within. The vigers call it ''the forest of abundance''. Zack had to admit that it was an apt name. Multiple towns and cities around it are sustained by the resources collectors obtain from it. It is said that several dungeons have even formed within, hidden until the intended person discovers them. Zack got out of the carriage and went with his guard to the inside of the barracks to get supplies to cross the forest. On the way, a couple of guards passed by, chatting, without even inspecting them before entering the building. Noticing Zack''s look, one of them seemed to want to tell him something, but the presence of his bodyguard made him lose interest. The interior of the barracks was quite poor, except for the warehouse, which was permanently guarded, there was nothing of value inside, the quality of the guards'' equipment was absolutely average, and the quality of the guards was poor. Seeing this, Zack couldn''t help but sigh. There are more barracks like this one along the edges of the Forest of Abundance. They officially exist to prevent the monsters inside from escaping and attacking nearby settlements, but the reality is different. As its name says, the forest is full of resources, that includes food and water. What kind of animal or beast would move away from such a ce to travel several kilometers to attack other ces with hardly any value? Just because they are animals doesn''t make them stupid. The real reason these barracks are spread out on the outskirts of the forest is only because the kingdom wants the forest¡äs resources as well. The true function of the barracks is to stop anyone who wants to enter or leave the forest and apply a ''toll'' to them. The kingdom is aware of the amount of money the forest produces and is not going to allow it not to take its share. As much as someone wants to deny it, that is the truth. Otherwise, by the time the monsters came out of the woods, Zack had no doubt that with the quality of these guards, there wouldn''t be a man left alive. After gathering supplies for a day and a half of travel, Zack was ready for the forest. ¡­ The interior of the forest could be considered a paradise on Earth. The edge of the forest is awash with lush vegetation. A venue of trees full of vitality begins to appear, their bright green leaves seeming to move on their own. The sun filters through the leaves, creating a y of light and shadow that seems to dance on the ground full of green. As one enters the interior of the forest, the atmosphere slowly begins to change: The air bes fresher and more fragrant, and flowers of all kinds begin to appear. The soundsing from the barracks start to fade as Zack goes further into the woods, and are reced by the sound of the wind against the trees, and birds calling to each other. Butterflies, insects, and small animals asionally appear as if they were not afraid of what might happen to them. With each step, the nts around him change, moving away from the familiarity Zack had with the nts of his world, and taking on an unfamiliar aspect. nts and animals not seen before appear, and the trees acquire strange and fascinating appearances. The peripheral zone of the forest is not dangerous. Harmless animals and nts roam without a care in the world. And people from nearby cese to collect the fruits of the trees, animal fur, and medicinal nts. Unfortunately for Zack, his path will take them deeper into the forest. Although they will not have to enter the danger zones, it is inevitable that unexpected events may ur. Zack noticed how his ''travelpanions'' drew their swords the moment they entered the forest. The road they were crossing began to fill with roots from nearby trees, making it impossible to ess this ce by carriage.@@novelbin@@ It''s not that the kingdom hasn''t tried to make a path connecting one end of the forest to the other, but it just can''t be done. Within a few days of forming a path, trees begin to appear in the middle of it, and grass sprouts everywhere. In a week, there is no trace of it. The growth of nts in this forest is amazing. That is why no matter how much the residents of nearby cese here, the forest¡äs resources never seem to run out. Due to the difficulty in advancing. Often the knights guarding Zack had to clear the way with their swords. Despite the noise they were making, none of them had seen anything that could threaten them, only some harmless animals, which were attracted by the noise. Compared to his two guards, Zack''s pacing is messed up. He had never had to cross long distances before, let alone a forest. Even if the other two busied themselves with clearing the way, it was obvious that Zack was holding them back. By the time they decided to take a break, Zack''s body waspletely flooded with sweat, and the others didn''t even have anyplications breathing. The physical quality of a tier 1 mage is too far from that of a tier 2 warrior. ¡°We will camp here tonight¡± said one of the guards. Zack slumped on the ground upon hearing those words, trying to breathe better, while one of the soldiers set up camp, and the other went to get some firewood. Tsk. Zack cursed internally. Even in this situation, there was still someone next to him watching over him. He knew that the moment he tried to escape, they would stop what they were doing and chase him. During the entire trip, none of them tried to get close to him. Each word was used when necessary, and they always used a respectful tone. Zack tried many times to get their attention and get to know them a bit, but until now he didn''t even know their names. (It doesn''t matter) Zack sighed and tried to calm down. (Not that he didn''t foresee this situation) Zack''s gaze went to the nearby trees. The forest of abundance is divided into a core zone, an inner zone, an outer zone, and a peripheral zone. In the outer and peripheral zones, there are hardly any threats, only some harmless animals andmon nts. In the inner zone is where truly valuable resources begin to appear. Simrly, the danger increases proportionally to the gains. Suddenly, a small animal appeared from the grass, sniffing something. After appearing, the nces of Zack, and the little animal crossed. Zach smiled. His n had just begun. ------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- ------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 51: Escape (Part 4) The guards were stunned to see how Zack finished off the threat they couldn''t even fight. Until now, the only thing they thought about him when they looked at Zack was a spoiled child who had never seen the horrors that the world hides. Although they were speaking formally to him, it was because he has a magical ss. If a stronger magician found out they had treated a magic user disrespectfully, regardless of how weak he was, they would be in a lot of trouble. Once again, they remembered why wizards enjoy such high status in all parts of the world. Seeing the quiet smile on Zack''s face sent a chill down their backs. Fortunately, they treated him with respect. If they had offended him and he had refused to help them, perhaps they could be dead. The mosquitoes that attacked them did not pose a serious threat. All they would have had to do is find a river or stream to dive into and wait for them to disperse, but running, terrified, in a forest in the middle of the night is not the brightest idea that one coulde up with. The forest they are in is dangerous. Although they are going through areas where there are not too many inconveniences, in the case they lose their sense of direction and head deep into the forest, they may not be able to return safely. "Hmm. Something happen?" Zack asked, confused. ¡°N-No. No problem. Thank you very much for your help,¡± said one of the guards in a hurried manner. "So. If there''s no problem, it doesn''t matter if I go back to sleep?" ¡°Of course, mister mage. Thank you very much for the help¡± replied the other respectfully. Zack said goodnight to the escorts. And without waiting for their response, he turned and got into the tent. When he was alone, Zack almost copsed on the ground. He had to lean against one of the walls and sat on the floor to rest, his forehead sweating. Despite all the knowledge in the matter of magic that he possessed, his practical experience could be considered almost non-existent. Not only is actualbat extremely stressful for him, but having to perform multiple spells simultaneously is a feat few can boast of at his age. The show he put on out there was not something simple: First, he had to summon arge amount of water and make it levitate with a different spell. Then, he had to manipte the water to trap all the insects around them. And then, he transmuted the water into fire. All of this was quite a mental stress. Unfortunately, it was the only way to escape the guard¡äs surveince. After all, you can''t look to the right hand if you''re looking to the left. (Fortunately, everything went well) Zack thought while he recovered from the pain. Thanks to this, neither of them realized that Zack was performing an extra spell, not on them, nor the mosquitoes, but on... Zack''s gaze fell on a corner of his seat where a little rabbit was sleeping soundly. ¡­ The next morning, they broke camp and continued on their way. Due to the situationst night, the guards decided to continue without breaks until they reached the forest¡äs exit. Little by little, Zack could see with his own eyes how the weeds on the path disappeared, and the trees became increasingly scarce. They experienced no further trouble for the rest of their stay in the woods, and in the evening light, Zack was able to see the exit. In the distance, there was a barracks very simr to the one they had to go through to enter. "Stop" Zack said from the back. If this had been before, the knights would have ignored him, but ever since he saved them from the threat of mosquitoes, his voice had gained more weight. They stopped immediately, and Zack opened his arms before the gaze of the guards. He took a few steps in the direction of the woods and crouched to the ground. In his hands was the little rabbit he had caught hours after entering the forest. He ced it carefully on the ground, and his hands began to shine as he caressed it gently. "Mr. Wizard" said one of them while observing the changes in the rabbit. "It''s no big deal. It''s just a few little spells to keep it safe." The guards looked at each other without saying anything. Their orders were clear to prevent him from using magic of any kind without supervision. Even so, they both remembered the scene from yesterday and realized that if Zack has a bad opinion of them, that was not going to help them in their career. Also, even though none of them had magical training it was clear the spells he was casting were harmless. It was obvious that the magician they were escorting had potential. In the future, he would be someone important. It isn''t worth making enemies with him for something like that. After Zack finished performing the spells, he got up from the ground and walked towards the guards before the innocent eyes of the little rabbit and got up from the spot and began to go back into the forest. ¡­ The next morning the group left the barracks where they had spent the night and continued on their way. Even though none of the guards had said a single word, they seemed much more energetic than yesterday, it was evident that they had rested well. Zack, for his part, was grateful to have slept in a bed instead of going back to rest in the narrow carriage in which he had to spend the night before. They borrowed a carriage from the barracks and prepared themselves for the rest of the trip. With renewed forces, they continued on their way to Stormde City. Except for the incident in the forest, the journey so far has been fairly smooth.@@novelbin@@ Gradually the road they were crossing began to be rockier, the grass on both sides of the road began to thin, and the previously t terrain slowly turned into a slope. In about two hours, there was no green left in sight, and the road had deteriorated quite a bit, causing the carriage to wobble with eachrge stone that was stepped on the wheels. If thesest few days Zack had been ufortable in the carriage, the feeling he had now was indescribable. Zack and his guards were approaching a mountainous area, but he was too busy to notice. Once he passed this area, they would be a day''s drive from the city, and with it, Zack''s hopes should go to zero. The only thing he could hope for was that his assumptions were not false. This area was characterized by itsplex structure, which made it impossible to pass on horseback except in very particr ces, which made it the ideal ce to hide out bandits. The problem of the bandits has been an existing problem for many years. Every time the soldiers tried to exterminate them, they took advantage of their knowledge of the mountains to hide and escape from their pursuers. As the soldiers left, the bandits again attacked merchants and travelers using this pass, causing all but the most confident and/or powerful to cross this area. Zack wanted them to be attacked by bandits, that would be the only circumstance in which the soldiers would stop paying attention to him, and he would have a window of opportunity to escape. Even so, bandits are not stupid. If any of them think this is a trap, none of them will show up. After all, it is highly suspicious that a carriage alone with two guards would visit this area. If it was him, he wouldn''t attack the carriage for fear that the soldiers would be too strong. Zack could only hope that the bandits'' greed would outweigh his cautious side. The carriage continued on its way smoothly, and with each passing minute, Zack grew more anxious. Not surprisingly, his entire n depended on this point. If they weren''t attacked by bandits, all the preparations he had made up until now would be for nothing. Suddenly Zack looked outside and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he was right, the bandits were as greedy as he imagined. A little further on, in the middle of the road, another carriage blocked the way, preventing them from continuing their march. Nearby, two people, a young man and, a woman, were looking at the carriage with serious expressions. Hearing the noise behind them, they turned around and, seeing more people, a relieved smile lit up their faces. The older man walked over to where they were. The bandits were here. ------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------- --------------------------------- ---------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: .gg/ThnbrVYv Chapter 53: Escape (Part 6) While Zack and Melody were preparing the food, the rest were in charge of setting up camp and watching the surroundings. Despite being the first time Zack has seen someone cook in this world, he has to admit that with this technique it wouldn''t be difficult for her to work as a chef in a good restaurant. Of course, that only refers to her cooking skills, and not to the recipe she is making. In his world, cooking has a long history and has undergone many changes over time. That process seems not to have urred in this world. This world''s skill system allows its users to master any art they practice, assuming they have the necessary talent and effort. However, for the first time, Zack has seen a major w in this seemingly perfect system. Such elerated growth makes one of the most essential characteristics of the human race underestimated: umtion. Subsequent generations learn about the mistakes of the previous ones and do not repeat them, creating progress throughout history, anding to produce better masters and better results with each generation. That does not happen in this world. Due to people''s reluctance to share the techniques they have developed throughout their lives, the only thing the next generation can do is try to develop their craft themselves. From what Zack has seen, people ce more importance on leveling up their skills than on improving them. In the pce library, among the many book sections, there was a shelf reserved for cooking recipes, in case the royal cooks needed to review a recipe or learn new ones. In Zack''s opinion, most of the recipes were incredibly simple, or just in awful. It is as if a master builder ignored materials such as cement and gravel, and began to make houses with mud. The house will be the best possible, using 100% of the material used, but it will still be a mud house. It will never be anything more than a mud house. The same is happening right now. Melody¡äs cooking technique is exceptional, fast, and efficient. However, the recipe she is making is another story. It can hardly even be called a recipe. After cutting the ingredients, she just threw them into a boiling pot of water. That''s all. Even a child could do it. If a chef saw what Melody was doing, he would take the ingredients from her and throw them at her head, forbidding her to cook again. Still, Zack didn''t say anything. It wasn''t his ce to talk about it. Besides, he was very busy concentrating on trying to learn the useful things in her cooking. ¡­ By the time they had finished cooking, the camp was already set up, and the others were waiting to eat. ¡°It seems that we have taken too long. Please, I told you to finish it myself, you go with the others and rx¡± Melody said with a smile as she finished cing the food on tes. After giving the kitchen utensils to Melody, Zack stopped what he was doing, and he¡­ ...left towards the carriage. ¡°H-Hey. Wait-" BAM Seeing the direction in which Zack was going,pletely opposite to where the rest were all gathered, Melody tried to stop him, only for someone to get in her way. In front of her, one of the guards had gotten up from his seat in silence and was blocking her way. "Sir is tired. Please, I ask you not to follow him" he replied with an indifferent voice. The woman seemed to want to say something, but seeing the huge figure in front of her, she seemed to reconsider it. When Zack closed the carriage door he sat on the seat and rested his head back. He knew who right now he had to save energy since they would soon be attacked by bandits. He does not doubt it. Not only was the behavior of his new travelpanions extremely suspicious, but multiple times the things they said didn''t make sense. Furthermore, he had never seen an ordinary girl with bigger muscles than him. She had evidently not only lied about her profession but also about her daily life. (Everything will be fine) Zack thought mentally while he calmed himself down. It would be a lie to say that he was not nervous. More than six months. He has been nning this for over 6 months, day after day for this opportunity. Although he doesn''t want to think about what would happen if he were to fail, he knows full well that it won''t be good. Zack put his body to rest while he mentally reviewed what he should do next. If everything went well before tonight arrived he would finally be free. Everything has to go well. knock knock Unfortunately, it seems that he could not even rest in peace. Zack subconsciously frowned upon hearing the sound of the door, but he quickly adjusted his expression and said in a calm voice: "Enter" After hearing Zac''s words, the door opened from the outside and a person approached from outside. "Sir. I''m sorry to interrupt you. Before when you went to the carriage, you didn''t bring anything to eat. So I brought you a te so you could regain her strength¡± Melody said with a smile. "Oh. It''s true. I had totally forgotten. Thanks for bringing me something to eat. Now that I think about it, I''m a little hungry¡± Zack said with some embarrassment on his face. (I''d be stupid if I didn''t know you''ve poisoned the food) Zack thought as he received a bowl. "Then I won''t bother you anymore. Don''t forget to eat it all. It''s important to umte strength for the afternoon¡± (You''re going to need it) she thought sinisterly. After that, Melody closed the door, and left, leaving the carriage to resume its previous serenity. ¡­ Shortly after lunch, the guards broke down the camp. They continued on their nned route. It was still very early, and there was still a long way to go. It was not the time to rest. They continued without incident for a while, but Zack knew it wouldn''t continue like this for long. Half an hour after they got back on the road something happened that forced them to slow down. "Ugh" One of the guards began to put a hand to his head, and his horse began to move disorderly down the road. Just when the other was going to ask his colleague what was wrong, he began to feel severe dizziness and had to hold the horse to avoid idents. "Are you alright?" The twopanions who joined halfway started to approach the guards with worried looks on their faces. ¡°D-Don''t youe near me!¡± one of the guards yelled as he drew his sword, which would have been more intimidating if he didn''t seem to have a hard time staying on his feet. BAM Suddenly, the other member of Zack''s escort fell to the ground from the top of his horse and didn''t seem to show any signs of getting back up. It was at that moment when Melody and the other man stopped pretending and began tough very loudly. Hahahahaha Theirughter was joined by unknown voicesing from the surroundings, and little by little, armed men began to appear one by one from all sides. ¡°Hahaha. Good job guys¡± One of the bandits approached the group and congratted Melody and her partner, after which he ignored them and focused on her prey. ¡°Well, well, well, what do we have here? A young nobleman with his escort wanting to live adventures. Don''t worry, we will make you have fun, right guys?" Theughter in the background and mocking sounds seemed to please the boss. ¡°You two, go get him. The rest make sure there are no monsters. And someone, kill those two¡± The leader started issuing orders while he organized his group. Upon hearing her words, Melody hurried to the carriage along with another of the bandits with their weapons drawn, it is clear that her intention is they were not innocent. BAM ¡°AAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh¡± The moment they opened the carriage door, a fireball shot out at high speed, and the bandit apanying Melody began to burn like a torch. The impact caused her to fall to the ground as she watched his partner scream in pain. Right at the moment when the spell hit the bandit, something else was happening very close. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH¡± The people who had approached to take the life of the soldiers in charge of protecting Zack, put their hands around their necks, only to end up on the ground with lethal wounds. The guards, who until now seemed incapacitated, got up without any problem while looking at the bandits with indifferent eyes.@@novelbin@@ Seeing this, Melody got a chill down her spine. There wasn''t much time to think about what that meant. At that moment, the soldiers approached the bandits with the same intentions with which they had attacked the carriage. -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------- --------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 55: Escape (Part 8) The two guards hurriedly ran down the path they had traversed hours ago. Contrary to the way out, they went alone, without a carriage or horses apanying them. The speed at which they moved was overwhelming. The guards¡ä steps, like the martial artists in the movies, were inhuman, and their jumps high enough to cross any barrier. If they were in Zack''s world, that speed would be enough to overtake a car at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour. However, that speed is not sustainable for long. Although the main reason they took the carriage and horses, was for Zack''sfort and safety, they also used them to save strength for any inconvenience that arose, like the one that was happening right now. If one could get close enough, one would notice the multiple sweat marks on the guards'' foreheads. ¡°Are you sure we''re the right way? We should have caught up with him by now" hispanion asked, somewhat suspicious. "I¡äm sure. We are going in the right direction¡± the guard responded taciturnly. On another asion, he would have taught him a full lesson about trusting yourrades-in-arms but considering the circumstances, he could understand his friend¡äs state, so he let it pass. ¡°How could this happen? They did warn us that he could try to flee, but it was impossible¡± one of the guards began to mutter as they hurried along the way back. ¡°Stop thinking about it, it will only distract you. The important thing right now is to bring him back¡± his partner responded in a solemn voice. ¡°But how did he do it? None of us lost sight of him for more than a minute. How could he escape?!¡± his partner asked, somewhat hysterical. The guard sighed internally, but he didn''t say anything. Now is not the time to argue. He also doesn''t know how he did it, or how he got this far, but that''s not important. They must recover him as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be¡­ Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. Fortunately, he had not been chosen for this mission because of his pretty face. The two guards continued running in the direction his tracking skill indicated. Although he wasn''t sure what the distance was between them and the target. ¡­ A few minutes before. The fight- No. The massacre against the bandits was going smoothly. Despite the numerical advantage, the guards far surpassed them in level and skill, and along with Zack''s spells, the bandits couldn''t even touch them. To tell the truth, none of the guards had experienced such an easy fight until now. Even if the bandits were vastly weaker than them, they would not allow themselves to be killed without resistance. Thanks to the presence of a magician, that resistance had disappeared, being reced by terror. As the bandits began to flee, spells began to rain down behind them, while the guards took care of those fleeing in the front. sh After dispatching thest bandit, both guards turned around, and realized that it was over, but when they turned around, they saw a strange sight. They could see one of the bandits in the group escaping in the distance, evidently scared by the extermination that had just happened. The strange thing, however, was that there was no one attacking him. There were no spells, and no magic being used, which gave the bandits behind them a chance to escape. They looked at each other, wondering what had happened. Still, they weren''t too worried. Most likely, the mage they were escorting had run out of mana, or simply lost interest, and turned back to the carriage as they watched the guards do the work. Some magicians are very entric. One of them approached the carriage and knocked on the door to confirm its safety. Knock Knock ¡°Mr. Wizard, are you okay?¡± one of the guards asked, without receiving an answer. Knock Knock ¡°Mr. Wizard, can you hear me?¡± the guard called again, but there was no movement inside. Seeing this, the guard tried a few more times, without sess, until he had enough, and opened the carriage door. ¡°Excuse me, sir-¡° the guard began, only to be silenced by seeing the interior of the carriagepletely empty. The moment they discovered that Zack was missing, they used their tracking skill to locate him. At first, they thought he had been kidnapped by fleeing bandits to use him as a hostage, but as the hours passed that possibility became increasingly unlikely. First of all, bandits never stray too far from their territory. One of the most important advantages of bandits is their knowledge of the terrain in which they ''work'', not only does it allow them to locate the most advantageous area in which to ambush their victims, but it also makes it easier for them to hide if the kingdom''s soldiers decide to try to get rid of them, and they can also prepare to escape in case the people they intend to assault are too much for them. The most important reason why the kingdom''s bandits are not eliminated is not because they are strong, most of the time it is simply because they cannot be found. Entering unknown territory not only eliminates those advantages but also creates unnecessary risks that can endanger their life and the lives of theirpanions. Furthermore, none of the bandits were strong enough to kidnap Zack and flee so far before their eyes. That only leaves one possibility, Zack escaped on his own. Althoughpared to Yamato and his group, the treatment Zack has received from the kingdom leaves much to be desired, that does not mean they are not aware of his value. The soldiers in charge of escorting Zack are part of the kingdom''s elite forces, and thanks to this, both have ess to secrets that most do not know. Both escorts knew that the mage they were protecting belonged to the group of heroes summoned by the kingdom to end the war with the northern demons once and for all. Even after knowing this, none of them thought he would be able to perform a magic soplex as to teleport while they were busy fighting the bandits. Teleportation. It was the only exnation that made sense in the guards'' minds. And yet, they thought it was ridiculous. Space magic was one of the mostplex branches that exist. All the people who are able to use it are highly renowned magicians with multiple achievements in their respective fields. And most importantly, they are all old enough to be grandparents of the wizard they were watching. Until now, despite seeing what Zack was capable of on previous asions, they still underestimated him. Although they both knew Zack''s identity, they thought that, despite his strength, he did not live up to the legends about ancient heroes they had heard in the past. Now, they have to pay the price. ¡­ After several hours of returning along the same path they had used before, both guards stopped. "It''s here?" Seeing that hispanion had stopped, that could only mean one thing: the trail wasing to an end. The other guard nodded and looked around for Zack. Although his ability was ideal to track down the person he selects, they will have to spend some effort knowing his exact location. They were right now at the entrance to the Forest of Plenty, right behind the small barracks where they rested the night before. Most likely, Zack left some sign yesterday, which would allow him to teleport instantly when no one was watching him. The two guards entered the forest again with the aim of catching Zack. Likest time, with every step they took in the woods, new nts and trees appeared, along with small animals that were enjoying the wonders of nature. Despite being merely the entrance to the forest, the ces where one could hide are multiple and varied. Both guards had to search carefully for several hours until they found a clue. Half buried in the ground, one of them saw a half-eaten fruit that caused his tracking ability to react. Thanks to this, the two guards quickly rushed to where their skill took them.@@novelbin@@ About fifty meters from where they found the fruit, they found a tree like any other in the forest. However, if one looked closely, one could realize that that tree was hollow and that a figure was inside it. Seeing this, both guards smiled. Finally this nightmare was going to end. They approached quickly, thinking about the way they were going to tie him up, for all the trouble he had caused them. Once they were in front of the hole, they both stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds until, and then, both approached at the same time. Pyun!! At the moment when the guards caught the figure in the hollow of the tree, a strange sound came from its mouth. A non-human sound. Hearing this, both quickly removed their hand from the tree and looked at what they had caught. In their hands was a small ball of fur, with tiny, barely distinguishable legs, and a pig''s snout. They will both recognize it instantly. It was the animal Zack carried with him throughout his stay in the forest. They roughly pushed the animal away and thoroughly checked the inside of the hole several times. Absolutely empty, without any presence inside, with the exception of some berries that the rabbit had probably picked. Seeing this, they both knew they were in trouble. They looked at each other for a few moments to see what the person next to them was thinking and they began to sweat. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- --------------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 57: Escape (Part 10) In a luxurious room, a man with very elegant clothes was writing a report regarding the suspicious movements of one of the dukes'' men during thest few months. However, his eyes never stopped resting on a crystal ball that he had on top of his desk. Suddenly, the ball began to glow and the man quickly grabbed it. ¡°Did you find him?¡± he asked the crystal ball. The ball continued to shine silently, however, the man''s expression became sullen and he shouted violently towards the glowing sphere as if he was crazy. ¡°I don''t care what you have to do, but you have to find him! This is a disgrace! His Majesty is furious and I won''t be the only one who suffers from it!!!¡± Moments after he screamed, the ball stopped glowing, as if it was scared. When themunications ended the nobleman stayed for a moment thinking about what to do. Then, he took the crystal ball and made it shine on his own. "Is there any news?" the man asked. Even though his surroundings werepletely silent, he could hear screams on the other end of themunication. ¡°What do you mean you don''t know where he is?! At least tell me the names of the other two witnesses!" [...] "Memory disturbance?! You''re a Tier 3 mage, what do you mean you can''t do anything?!" [...] "That the alteration was months ago?! And what does it matter?! Get the information we need!¡± the man shouted loudly when suddenly the crystal ball stopped shining. Communications from the other side had been interrupted. The prime minister briefly considered throwing the crystal ball to the ground, but he knew that would be a mistake. These magic items are expensive. Even someone of his status would have to pay for it if he were to break it on purpose. With some resentment, the prime minister put the ball in its ce and put his hands in his temples. Sigh A sigh left his mouth involuntarily. Things had not been going well for days. At first, everything was going ording to n. The heroes'' training in the capital was over and they were going to send them to the battlefield to learn a few things before sending them on more dangerous missions. His task guarding the heroes was supposed to be finished. Who would have imagined what would happen next? The moment the heroes reached the border, the Prime Minister received a call through magical emergencymunications. Apparently one of the instructors was furious. Initially, he thought it was a minor matter, something rted to the attitude of his assigned student, but when he investigated further, Prime Minister O realized that it was something much more serious. One of the summoned people has a tier 1 ss.@@novelbin@@ It may not seem important, but it is. The fact that someone with a Tier 1 ss infiltrated the specifically selected group in front of all the kingdom''s nobles and the king is an unforgivable offense. That would not only mean that they have made a mistake, but that His Majesty, the King, has also made a mistake. The moment they learned this news, they ced the criminal under arrest and began to interrogate him about how it had happened. Unfortunately for them, not only one person with a tier 1 ss had infiltrated, but two. Hearing this the prime minister was furious. This is probably the most serious mistake of his career. What is even worse is that, when he gave the order to arrest him, news arrived that Zack had already fled. A mere tier 1 mage was able to escape from two tier 2 guards who were watching him 24 hours a day!! Just remembering it made an unbearable headache start to appear, and it didn''t seem to have any intention of leaving. The most terrible thing of all is that there was no one to me for this incident. They haven''t even gotten the names of the other two people who performed the ceremony. Apparently, the reason why those two were able to infiltrate with the other summoned people was that most of the people had left for the king''s banquet. The only witnesses left were the archmage, who performed the ceremony, and a pair of guards guarding the throne room. They were able to testify that the archmage performed the ceremony for four people. When they interrogated the prisoner, the only thing they could discover was that he had an aplice. They could not even discover the name of the other two people who had the ceremony with them. When they tried to find out their names, Austin responded that there was no one but him and Zack. At first, the interrogator thought that he was trying to protect his friends, but soon he realized that Austin''s memory had been altered, and he could do nothing to recover his original memories. If it had been something important, like for example his name, or the name of his ss, something important enough to him, then they could have retrieved information, but the fact that Austin would consider the presence of the other two students who were there as insignificant made the memory wipe go smoothly and his brain create alternative memories. He really thinks there was no one else. Those memories have taken hold in his subconscious, recing real memories. There was no way to obtain the original ones. When he heard this, the minister became hysterical. What kind of idiot considers the people who could cause his n to go awry as insignificant? Everything was getting out of control. The Prime Minister tried to find out the names of the other two by interrogating all the summoned heroes who had been sent to the frontier, but the moment they tried to obtain the information, they opposed in group! They said they weren''t willing to allow any of them to be questioned about something that wasn''t even their responsibility, and they threatened to leave and not continue their training. If they had been normal soldiers, they would already be on the gallows, but each of them was tier 2 sses with the ability to elerate growth and the possibility of promotion to tier 3. Worse, nobody knows why they are acting like this. Although the kingdom has more than a dozen people with tier 3 sses, that does not mean that they can afford to abandon more than fourteen potential tier 3 sses. And they also have to consider how Yamato and hispanions would feel if they found out about the treatment his colleagues are receiving. The Prime Minister''s headache became more intense. The situation was bing moreplicated by the moment, and he still didn''t know who he was going to me for this. One would be crazy to me the kingdom''s only archmage for this mistake. Not only was it not his obligation to perform this task, but after doing it, no one asked him about the results. Everyone knew that if there was someone notable among the remaining students, he would have said something, so no one cared about these four. As for the guards, if the minister dares toy his hand on them, themander of his majesty''s royal guard himself will intervene in the matter. That is thest thing O wants, the situation is already veryplex, and he does not want to add more inconveniences. None of them remember the names of the other people who were at the ceremony. It was a long time ago. He knows that, if he tries to use magic to force them to remember, the consequences would be too much for him to bear. Memory magic usually brings serious consequences to the victim. For the first time in a long time, the prime minister felt like his hands were tied behind his back. There was nothing he could do to remedy the situation. In fact, he is aware that he bears some me in the matter. Ideally, he should have left someone to record the results of the remaining summoned people, and then report it, but he did not do so. So the me falls on him. Just thinking about the punishment he would have to suffer if the news came to light was enough to make him tremble with fear. Sigh The Prime Minister sighed and rested his head against his table. He didn''t remember exactly how long he had gone without sleep. Since he received the news he has been in one disaster after another. His only hope is that his men can find the fugitive, and bring him in for sentencing. So at least he can calm the king''s anger. ¡­ In some ce of the Parmece¡äs Kingdom, a river flowed, giving life to the vegetation around it, feeding and quenching the thirst of the nearby poptions, and giving shelter to dozens of aquatic species. Ssh! Suddenly, from among the deep waters of the river, a figure slowly ascended towards the river bank. ¡°Cough, cough¡± His body was in a terrible state, and he barely had the strength to move enough to get away from the water. Even so, his eyes revealed an indescribable joy. He looked at the sky, clear, without a cloud on the horizon, and smiled. Zack had never felt so free. ---------------------------------------------- ----------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 58: New Zack In a small town, in one of the houses made half wood half stone, a couple was looking worriedly at their son, lying in bed, and breathing with difficulty. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± the mother asked worriedly, while the father watched silently with a frown. Next to the couple''s son, a short-haired man stood next to the child. The intellectual-looking man was about twenty years old, with refined features, and wearing travel clothes, with a briefcase from which some herbs from the area could be seen. Once the doctor finished examining him, he stood up, and the couple approached their kid as quickly as possible. Upon hearing the mother''s question, the man turned around and answered her calmly. ¡°Your son has a slight fever. Don''t worry, it''s nothing serious. I have some herbs with which I can prepare something that will relieve you. He just makes sure he eats well and rests today and tomorrow, and he should be cured by then,¡± the doctor said with a smile, allowing the mother to rx. The father, however, continued to frown. "How much will it cost us?" the boy''s father asked, to the mother''s surprise. ¡°Harold!¡± the mother shouted, indignant that she was thinking about something like that when their son was sick. ¡°Mary, we don''t have money to waste on nonsense. Who knows if the medicine he is going to prepare is effective? Besides, it''s just a cold, I''m sure he will be cured tomorrow. ¡°Harold! We are talking about our son. He had never been sick before. I''m sure it''s more than just a cold¡± her mother reproached her husband. ¡°If it''s the price, you don''t have to worry too much,¡± the doctor interrupted. Thest thing he needed was to hear a couple arguing in front of his son. ¡°Most of the herbs I''m going to use are local herbs, so the price won''t be too expensive¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Hmnp¡± the husband huffed as he crossed his arms. He seemed to want to say something else, but looking at his wife''s face, you could see that he had changed his mind. After finishing treating the child, the doctor left the house, and gave a sigh of exhaustion¡­ "Doctor!" ¡°Listen, I have a problem¡± "Doctor" ¡­Or so he would have liked. The moment he left the house, a horde of people surrounded him on all sides. Seeing the inhabitants of the city, asking him questions, and requesting that he examine them, Zack could only think one thing. (How did I get into this situation? I don''t even know medicine) Zack wanted to sigh, but it seemed like it wouldn''t be feasible, he thought as he put a smile on his mouth, and prepared to talk to the citizens. ¡­ After resting for a bit, Zack stood up from the shore and looked around. Zack looked to the right and saw a bunch of trees blocking his view. After this, he turned his head to the left and saw exactly the same thing. On the other side of the river, the scene did not seem to change. Seeing this, Zack nodded,ing to a conclusion. (I''m lost) Zack thought. Not that one needed to be a genius to notice it. (Not only that) Zack noted as he put his hand on his stomach. Zack isn''t sure how long he was underwater, but at least a day or two. If he were in his original world that would be enough to send him to a hospital to recover, but here, Zack only felt great fatigue. Still, that doesn''t leave him out of danger. Due to the guards'' strict surveince, Zack did not want to bring supplies for fear that they would notice what was going to happen. And he, too, did not take provisions from the camp for worry that they would be used to track him. After all, there are an infinite number of abilities, and Zack is not sure what could lead toplications. Without water, food, or money, Zack was left with only his clothes, and nothing else, which he will have to destroy. His clothes were too different from the clothes of the inhabitants of the kingdom. He still had enough logic. (Although food won''t be a problem) he said as he looked in the direction of the river. A few minutester, Zack watched as he was cooking a fish that he had just caught from the river. It wasn''t even difficult. Zack used the magician''s hand spell to pull a fish out of the river, and grab some fallen branches, and then used the tier 0 spark spell, to light a small fire where he could dry himself and his clothes, and cook his dinner. (Magic truly is convenient) Zack thought as he drank water that he had formed with magic. It doesn''t look like he''s going to have any problems in the wild. Still, Zack had to think about what to do next. After a while watching the fish cook, he created a preliminary n. The more important right now was not to find other people, it was to create a story. If people see an unknown person with the clothes he wears, with no past, and using magic while hiding from people, Zack can guarantee that the moment the soldiers start looking for him, he will be found in less than a week. That is why it is necessary to prepare a credible story that does not arouse suspicion. The first thing he did was get rid of his clothes. Zack had left behind everything he had received from the kingdom, leaving only his uniform, his sses, which he no longer needed, and his watch, which he had worn out months ago. These things have incalcble sentimental value for him, but sadly they are things that could easily identify him, so with anguish in his heart he decided to get rid of them when possible. Until then, Zack will have to adopt another appearance, something consistent with the clothing of this world. Zack raised his hands in the air and magic began to flow from inside him into his hands and then into his fingers. If someone were present he could see how Zack''s appearance was distorted little by little until he waspletely unrecognizable. Zack looked at his image in the stream and smiled. In front of him was a young man in his twenties, with short hair, blue eyes, and soft features. Although there is no way anyone would confuse them, the truth is that if the two were together, people would think they were brothers. Illusion magic is one of the most discussed branches regarding its usefulness. Despite the many advantages that a good illusionist can have, the main reason why this branch of magic is underestimated is because it does not usually affect Magicians. Illusion magic works by altering the perception of how the victims see the magician. This change is easily noticed by other mages, due to the mana fluctuations released from the user. Even if these fluctuations are hidden, they will be revealed the moment any other spell is used, so their usefulness is greatly diminished.@@novelbin@@ It is necessary to have high magical capacity and extremely deep knowledge of the subject to be able to deceive a magician of your level. Its only use is to fool some townspeople, which most magic users don''t see as useful. Luckily that''s exactly what Zack is going to do. Now that he has the appearance, he needs an identity. Zack thought about the things he knew how to do, and to his dismay, he realized a small problem. He didn''t know how to do anything. In this world, Zack has fully focused on his ss and the study of magic, but considering that he is probably being hunted and that magicians are rare, using magic in front of the public doesn''t seem like the best idea. If we exclude the study of magic, Zack''s abilities are very limited. The skills Zack has developed in his world consist of the subjects taught in school, and limited social skills, products of the multiple parties and events he was forced to attend by his family. Zack has serious doubts that the people of this world will ept him, wee him, and give him money if he says that he knows how to do factorials. Zack suddenly remembered a skill he had acquired during his time in the castle: Herb Identification. Thanks to the multiple books in the central library, Zack not only knows most of the herbs that exist in the kingdom, but he also knows their effects, uses, and how to collect them. Zack already knew what identity he was going to assume: gatherer. Zack''s story would be the following. He would be a traveler who enjoys exploring the wonders of the world, to pay for his stay in inns, he learned to identify herbs, collect them, and sell them in nearby towns. His dream is to go around the world and see all kinds of things on his trips. Once his identity was confirmed, Zack headed towards the forest to collect beneficial herbs, so he could sleep under a roof. -------------------------- --------------------------- ----------------------- ------------------------------ If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: Chapter 61: Exploring the doctor鈥瞫 house (Part 1) ¡°We have arrived, Mr. Matthew¡± the secretary said, waking Zack from his thoughts. They were both near the edge of the city. A little further, you can see the entrance to a forest, where the former doctor probably collected herbs to make medicine. In front of him was a housepletely made of wood, with a different style from the other houses in the city, giving it a rustic atmosphere. The ce was big, and there was a lot of space. The house was also big, having two floors. One of the things that surprised him about the ce was that the house had ss windows. Although it was thick and almost opaque ss, ss is a very expensive and extravagant thing in this world. Only nobles and people with a powerful economic capacity can afford to have ss windows in their homes. Although there are artisans specialized in making ss, the majority reside in the important cities of the kingdom, serving the nobility and merchants. The only ce with ss windows he has seen in this town is the city hall. Although he does not doubt that the mayor''s house will have them too. ¡°What do you think, Mr. Matthew? This house belonged to the previous doctor¡± the secretary said with a professional touch. ¡°The deceased doctor did not have any rtives and lived alone, so, unfortunately, after his previous owner died, the house became the property of the city¡± the young assistant continued exining. ¡°ording to the mayor''s orders, this house now belongs to you, Mr. Matthew¡± the secretary responded respectfully. That is. The reason why Zack couldn''t refuse is that the mayor gave too much. In exchange for bing the town''s doctor, he not only finds himself under the protection of the mayor, one of the most influential people in the town, but he also gives Zack one of thergest houses in the city. After the secretary left, Zack prepared to enter his new home. Creak Ignoring the creaking sound of the door, Zack walked inside his ''new'' house. The light from outside flooded the room, revealing its interior. Looking around the ce, Zack could see a thinyer of dust covering every corner. Although the house isrge and appears robust, it is undeniably old. The wood of the floor creaked with every step, and the little furniture there was very worn. It is obvious that the previous doctor was not interested in redecorating his abode. Or perhaps the valuable furniture has already been transported by the mayor to his own home. Who knows? Puff Zack walked over to a used couch in the middle of the living room. and sat down, ignoring the dust around him. To be honest, Zack wasn''t sure if the decision he had made was right. Everything had gone too fast. Initially, Zack nned to wander through viges and small towns, selling herbs and gaining knowledge about this world. Once he was fully prepared, Zack would go to a small city near the border where he would live in hiding, waiting for an opportunity to go to another kingdom and study magic peacefully. The fact of living in a town, and having his own house, made him feel that he had jumped twenty steps in his n. However, not everything is good. Zack has already realized he is not as well received as the mayor tried to make him believe. Despite everything, Zack knows that he won''t get a better offer than this. The best thing he can do now is hide in a secluded ce and wait for everything to calm down. If you wander the kingdom or try to escape from it, it''s only a matter of time before he¡äs captured. The mayor¡äs protection may not seem important, but Zack is aware of the power of influence, especially in ancient times. Anyone who wants to attack or interfere with him will have to go through the elder first. With the protection of the mayor, even if some people suspect him, they will not dare to investigate him thoroughly for fear of offending the mayor. High-status individuals value reputation above all else. If anyone dares to mess with Zack, the mayor will be embarrassed. As the most powerful person in the city, people have to be on his good side if they want to have a good life in this ce. Thinking about his deal with the mayor, Zack frowned as he remembered his other mistake. He has no idea about medicine. Zack put his hands on his head. This is a serious problem. Despite the enormous amount of books Zack read in the castle, there were no medical books. One would think that the central library of the king''s castle would contain all the knowledge of the kingdom, but that was not the case. If one thinks about it carefully, one would understand the reason. Books are to be read, in a ce full of nobles and politicians, who would read medical books? In fact, most books in that library are filler to symbolize the monarch''s deep knowledge. Almost no one reads books there. Although medicine is not as important as it was in his world, that does not mean it has no value. Certain diseases cannot be cured by the power of priests. A simple fever, for example, makes the miracles of the clergy ineffective; at most, they can strengthen the body''s defenses to expel the virus. That is the reason why doctors have not beenpletely discarded, and there are still people who study medicine. Medical books are found in royal academies, where students and doctors can deepen their knowledge or simply take a look to refresh their memory. Considering that he couldn''t leave the castle, the possibility of reading those books is nil. That does not mean that there are no medical books in the castle, but they are found on the shelves of the private offices of the royal doctors, the best professionals in the kingdom destined exclusively for the care of the royal family, ces to which Zack did not have ess either. Zack had be a town¡äs doctor without having any idea about medicine. Zack sighed. He honestly had no idea what to do now. It''s evident that what he wants to do is concentrate on magic, but if someone seriously illes along, and he doesn''t know what to do, that person could die, and Zack''s fa?ade woulde to light. The only knowledge of medicine he has is a superficial knowledge of the human body from some books he read in his world and knowledge about the herbs of the continent. Regarding the treatment of wounds, and diseases, and the preparation of medicine, the knowledge of it is zero. No matter how much he pondered the matter, the situation did not seem to improve, so he got up and went to explore the house. To be honest, Zack was very happy. A wish that every teenager has is to be able to be independent and have a ce to call their own. The fact of having a house at his expense made him feel very excited. Although there wasn''t much furniture, the space had a certain charm. On the ground floor, as you walk through the main door, you find yourself in a weing hallway. The old wooden floor was worn from use but still retained its charm. Next to the hall was the living room. Large wooden beams on the roof support the structure of the house. A worn sofa, on which he had sat to think, with a couple of chairs surrounded a brick firece, adding warmth to the room. Across the hall is the dining room, with a wooden table and matching chairs, a wooden cab that stores the tes and other utensils, and a window that allows natural light to flood the room. In the back, there was a small kitchen, with wooden cabs with some cooking tools. In a corner, there was a handful of firewood stored. There wasn''t much else to see. Although it was not an extremely luxurious ce, it was a ce where one could livefortably. Zack waspletely satisfied with what he had seen. Wanting to see the rest, he headed to the second floor, climbing the wooden stairs next to the living room wall. ------------------------------------- ------------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------------------------------ If you want more chapters visit my patreon:@@novelbin@@/DaoistwgQxZLIf you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server:
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Chapter 63: Exploring the doctor鈥瞫 house (Part 3) ¡°Sarah still has too much character¡± said one of the men as he watched her pick up four tes full of food, and carry them without any problem to one of the tables. "With that attitude, it''s no wonder that she''s still al-"@@novelbin@@ ¡°If you want to get out of here in one piece, I rmend that you don''t finish that sentence¡± one of his colleagues interrupted. ¡°Thest one who made fun of her ended up in thete doctor''s clinic with a jug embedded in his head¡± Hearing this, the man who was going to use her of being a spinster quickly turned pale. He knew that was true. Although he wasn''t there to witness it, he was able to remember that the guy missed a month of work. And, when he returned to work, not only did his head waspletely covered in bandages, but, in addition, he never picked up a beer again because of the trauma. He looked gratefully at his friend for his warning. If he had listened to that tomboy, chances are he would know the new doctor personally. ¡°But seriously. I hope this doctor is morepetent than the previous one. You''ve already heard the rumors¡± said one of them after a while. Upon hearing this, the other two rushed towards him to silence him. "Be quiet!" one of them said quickly while trying to cover her mouth. ¡°You know the mayor doesn''t like people spreading those kinds of rumors. If anyone hears you, we will be in trouble" Seeing the attitude of hispanions, the man nodded his head strongly. The other two removed their hands from his mouth, took their jugs, and acted as if nothing had happened. ¡°Also, after the doctor''s death, a group inspected the house thoroughly and found nothing. Rumors are just rumors. Shut up and drink¡± said the leader, pretending to be calm to rx his friends. The other two looked at each other in silence. It would be a lie to say that they were not worried. ¡°Don''t worry so much. I know a couple of men who participated in the registry. Although there were some strange things, they did not find anything that pointed to the rumors being true" This aroused the curiosity of the others. ¡°What do you mean by ''strange things''?¡± asked one of them, curious about what could be in the doctor''s house. "Hmm. Let me think¡± he replied, scratching his head. ¡°A cousin of mine was assigned to the group in charge of exploring the house¡± he said, slowly remembering what she had told him. ¡±I remember her telling me that the doctor had a dark room full of metal instruments. After some research, they found out what they were for. Some were used to cut the skin, others to grab and force teeth out, there was even a saw that cut bones¡± When they were going to protest, his colleague exined to them that each and every one of the devices had a medical use. Upon hearing what those instruments were used for, a shiver ran down the spines of his friends, and their desire to go to the doctorpletely disappeared. Seeing this, he quickly changed the conversation. ¡°To be honest the rest was pretty normal. With the exception of that room, there was only a handful of worn-out furniture, and¡­ ¡­ Books!! When Zack opened the remaining door, a beautiful study appeared before his eyes. Unlike the rest of the house, this ce only had a lightyer of dust, and the furniture was well cared for. The ce was somewhat small. In the middle was a desk in front of the only window there. On the sides, wooden shelves house old books and decorative objects. When Zack approached to inspect the books, he realized they were medical books. Zack''s face was filled with happiness. (It seemed strange to me. How is it possible that a self-respecting doctor doesn''t have his own collection of medical books? It turns out that they were here) Zack thought as he opened one of them. To be honest, the collection wasn''t too big, it couldn''t even fill an entire bookshelf, but for Zack, this was like finding water in the desert. Although he had found the doctor''s recipe book. Using these ointments and potions could be dangerous. If Zack doesn''t have the knowledge to know what medication to use, he could make the situation worse, or cause the patient to die. This is not an exaggeration. In Zack''s world, there have been cases of people who have self-medicated and died from using the wrong drugs. After inspecting these books, a feeling of relief washed over Zack. If he is able to read and memorize them, although he will not consider himself a real doctor, he will be able to pretend to be one well enough so that no one will suspect. There will be no problem in identifying and treatingmon diseases. With the issue of his false identity forgotten, Zack continued to inspect the room. In addition to the books, the rest of the shelf space was taken up by figurines and decorations that Zack couldn''t identify, and some boxes that Zack didn''t feel like opening at the moment. Zack really wanted to read the books, but it was toote. If he started reading now, he''d probably be up all night, and he is too tired to put up with something like that. After leaving the room, Zack hurried to the attic to finish inspecting the house and go to sleep. Unfortunately, contrary to the other rooms that had surprises waiting for him, the attic waspletely deserted. Apart from dust and cobwebs, there was nothing worthwhile, just a pile of rubbish. Seeing this Zack was disappointed, but he didn''t get too depressed. He didn''t expect to find anything here either. He had already gotten enough. It was not good to be greedy. Zack yawned into the air and hurried to the bedroom. After searching the closet, Zack took out one of the pajamas that belonged to the former doctor. Although wearing someone else''s clothes felt somewhat ufortable, his body seemed to disagree. Despite how much he wanted to sleep, he had to do one thing first. Zack walked out into the garden and looked at what he had in his hands before gently cing it on the ground. His clothes, the clothes he had worn for years and his only connection to his past,y softly in the dirt. Zack didn''t want to do this, but he knew it was necessary. No matter how much he has studied, the possibility that there are abilities that can track him based on the possessions he was carrying at the time of fleeing is real. With extra willpower, he raised his hand, and a ball of fire fell gently on his former clothes. Zack stood watching for a while as herst connection to his old world, as well as his hopes of returning to his family, faded into the fire. After returning to the house he tiredly climbed the stairs, and finally reached the bedroom. He approached the bed and covered himself under the covers, resting his head gently on the pillow. Wrapped in the pleasure of sleeping again in a safe ce, Zack¡äs thoughts cleared, and little by little he fell into a deep sleep. ¡­ Or so he would have liked. Suddenly Zack opened his eyes, and two thoughts flooded his mind. The first was that he had wasted the money paying for a room for tonight, but in Zack''s mind, the second thought was more important. (I don''t remember seeing a bathroom in the house) --------------------------- ------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------------- If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 66: Zack鈥瞫 first day Zack got up from his bed, with a feeling of satisfaction. Sleeping in a bed is way better than sleeping in a carriage. Due to his umted fatigue, he decided to have an actual sleep instead of meditating to recover from his escape. Although he had rested quite well, a very familiar sensation was dragging him towards the sheets, almost ordering him not to get up. Unfortunately, Zack had just moved in, and there was a huge to-do list.@@novelbin@@ After getting up, he raised his hands and his body began to glow slightly. ¡°Clean¡± In a few moments, he waspletely refreshed, as if he had just gotten out of the shower. (Magic is really convenient) he thought as he changed his clothes. He had already used this little magic over a hundred times, but it never failed to amaze him. There were many things to do, but Zack had three priorities: Read the study books, collect medicinal herbs, and explore the city. What happened yesterday with that child who fainted on the street was luck, Zack''s knowledge of medicine is still zero. If he is going to pretend to be a doctor, it is necessary to have certain knowledge. Furthermore, after reading thete doctor''s recipe book yesterday, Zack inspected the rest of the house but did not see any medicine prepared. he doesn''t know if the doctor used all the medicine, or if someone stole it, but it is essential to start preparing new medicine in case an emergency urs. (I have never prepared medicine, but if I follow the recipe I don''t think there will be any problems) he thought naively. Later he would realize how wrong he was. Considering that it was still early, it seemed quite inappropriate to lock himself in his room to read. If he loses track of time like yesterday, chances are that when he takes a break, the day will be over. Having decided what to do today, he left the room and prepared to leave. ¡­ The entrance to the forest was very close to his case so it didn''t take him long to get there. Unlike in the Forest of Abundance, Zack didn''t feel anything special when he entered. Maybe the air is a little cooler than in his house, but that''s all. It is also reasonable. The Forest of Abundance is the most famous in the entire kingdom. Although the kingdom of Parma has many forests,rge and small, it is the only one that has its own name. That is enough to show that that ce is not simple. Once he went far enough, Zack spotted something in one of the nearby bushes, some berries. Orange berries. Seeing them, Zack began to remember what he had read about them. orange wberry These berries, which grow on wberry bushes, have a whole of different qualities depending on their color. There are a total of three types of colors: red, orange, and blue. Orange wberries are the only type of wberries that is edible. People in the north, mash them and mix them with water, making it an emergency ration in case of famine. Orange wberries are also known to have healing properties. When consumed, they stimte the immune system and promote the elimination of toxins. Zack approached the bush. The reason they are called wberry bushes is because of the shape of their thorn-covered, w-shaped branches. Because of this, harvesting their berries is very problematic, and unless you have the proper equipment for harvesting, you will end up with several injuries. Fortunately, Zack doesn''t have that problem. ¡°Mage hand¡± With a single gesture, the berries detached themselves from the bush and headed towards his bag. In a few seconds, his empty bag had twenty fresh berries. Once he finished collecting the orange berries, she continued on her way. Despite it not being a veryrge forest, Zack underestimated the dangers of getting lost in it. As time passed, the sun moved slowly across the sky, and the temperatures rose with it. Zack was wary of drinking stream water, but soon he realized that it was not a problem. ¡°Water Creation¡± With a movement of his hand, water began to gush out as if nothing had happened, which he carefully guided into his water bottle. Before, Zack somewhat underestimated tier 0 spells. It''s not that he thought they were useless, but only now does he understand how important they are. (It must be said, I am very grateful for his ss currently. Frankly, although I made the n, I did not expect him to get this far. If I had any other ss, it would have been almost impossible to get to where I am actually) he thought as he continued to advance. In the woods. Of course, he was not advancing blindly. In addition to searching for ingredients, his other objective was to familiarize himself with the area. Now Zack has very little funds. If he can find something valuable, maybe it can be coteral ie. As he continued searching the area, he found something interesting. The herbology books he read showed arge number of nts with beneficial properties, but also certain toxic, or poisonous nts. Zack saw a couple of dangerous nts while walking. Nothing too important, just a couple of herbs that could cause stomach pain if consumed in moderate amounts. Still, Zack had no intention of picking them up. The only reason he was here in the first ce was to collect medicinal nts. Picking poisonous nts would be of no use to him. If he wants, there are magic spells that would perform much better than poison. Seeing the position of the sun, it was time to return. If he stayed longer, he wouldn''t be able to explore the city a little before it got dark. However, when he wanted to return Zack realized a small problem. He had no idea which direction the city was. Fortunately, with the some knowledge that he acquired from some books in his world, Zack found his way back. In this world, the sun also rose in the east. With the help of the position of the sun, Zack was able to identify the cardinal points, allowing him to go in the general direction where the city was located. Once the vegetation became less dense, Zack was able to identify some ces he had already been and was able to return safely. Unfortunately, his little unnned adventure cost him a couple of hours more than he would have liked. When he returned to his house, he examined the herbs he had collected. Today was his first expedition into the forest so he was more interested in getting familiar with it than collecting medicine. Still, his harvest was satisfactory. In addition to the Orange wberry, Zack obtained two more herbs that had beneficial properties for the human body. Rain Root and Copper Sunflower Rain Root A rootmonly used to treat fever in many medicinal remedies. Its effects are so strong that even just taking the root can relieve symptoms. The nt to which this root belongs ispletely indistinguishable from the herbs that grow around it. The only way to identify it is after heavy rain. Due to its weak grip on the soil, the roots break off ande to the surface during heavy rains. Due to its powerful effect, it is advisable to treat it before using it on a patient. Copper Sunflower A sunflower found in ces where the sun is especially strong. Due to its ability to absorb sunlight, this sunflower takes on a coppery hue if not harvested for a long time. Its petals are used in multiple medicinal remedies due to their body-strengthening effects. Zack was quite pleased with his collection. It''s not that he didn''t wish he''d gotten more. It was only the first day. Having collected something can already be considered a sess. Zack left his things at his house and set out to explore the city. Despite having been in this world for roughly eight months, this was the first time he had gone to a city in this world. ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- --------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 68: Zack鈥瞫 first day (Part 3) Zack opened the doors of the adventurer''s guild and observed the atmosphere around him. This was the first time he entered a guild, so he didn''t quite know what to expect. Based on rumors, and what he read, he imagined that the guild would be full of tough guys looking for ways to make money and form groups to delve into the dungeon, seeking to reach level 100. It must be said that he was a little disappointed by what he saw upon entering. The interior of the building looks more like a tavern than a guild. Multiple people wereughing and drinking beer, while scantily d waitresses approached the tables to bring food. At the back was a counter where receptionists were serving a long line of people. To be honest, it seemed to be a bar and not a guild. Some clients didn''t even look like mercenaries, but rather residents who lived or worked nearby. Zack stood in one of the lines and waited for one of the receptionists to answer his questions. After ten minutes of waiting, it was his turn. When he told the receptionist, he wasn''t interested in signing up, she lost interest. Still, she was able to answer Zack''s questions. The city dungeon is under the control of the mercenary guild. If someone wants to enter it, they not only have to enroll in the guild but also rise to the appropriate rank. The dungeons are ssified ording to the letters D, C, B, A, S, and SS. The mercenary guild system also has a simr ranking. All people who register with the guild start at rank E, and as theyplete orders for the guild, their rank increases. If you want to enter a D-rank dungeon, you need to be a D-rank mercenary. The same goes for the rest of the dungeons. Furthermore, if you want to raise your rank, it is not only necessary to have a record of orders ced. You must also have the corresponding strength. This is measured in your ss tier. Tier 1 sses can only ess D, and C rank dungeons; Tier 2 sses can ess B and A rank dungeons, and Tier 3 sses can ess S, and SS rank dungeons. Of course, this is in theory. Zack doesn''t believe the rulers of the territories where the dungeons are located will let anyone enter. To his left is a board where people put requests. Mercenaries can select the requests they wish to make. Once fulfilled, they will receive a reward specified by the client, except for a part the guild retains to act as an intermediary. Upon hearing that they needed to check your status to register, Zack also lost interest in the conversation. However, there is one thing that caught his attention. Although he cannot ept requests, he can publish them. If at any time he needs to collect materials in the wild or the dungeon, Zack can make a request to the guild, and they will take care of delivering it. Unfortunately,missioning requests from the guild costs money that he does not have, but it is an alternative to take into ount in the future. Even so, he is pretty sure he¡äll note here often unless there is something extraordinary happening. Seeing that he had nothing else to do here, Zack discreetly left the building. Now, his priority was making money. If he is going to stay in this ce for some time, it is imperative to have a source of ie. It is not likely ill people wille to his house every day. He needs a new source of ie. His n to ept requests in the mercenary guild is history. As he was walking towards the town¡äs exit, his eyes passed by one of the shops that sell potions and herbs. The idea of selling balms, ointments, and salves to the mercenaries appeared in his head. Some recipes in thete doctor''s notebook were very efficient in healing wounds and disinfecting them. If he manages to gather the necessary materials, it would be no problem to sell it to a shop or guild to earn some money. Zack went into the pharmacy to buy herbs. Within five minutes, Zack was rushing out the door without stopping. (Two silver coins for a silver lily. That salesman must have the thief ss) Zack thought angryly as he left the ce. All the herbs were overpriced. They weren''t even rare herbs. Most can be collected in the nearby forests. With no other alternative, Zack decided he would collect his own herbs. No, he decided he would nt his own herbs. So that he doesn''t need toe back to this ce to be robbed. After searching a bit more, he decided toe back to his house. That was enough exploration. Without more ideas and without money, he couldn''t do anything else. Just as he was about to return to his house, he smelled a familiar smell. Growl Hearing the sounds of his stomach, Zack decided to stay a little longer. (Anyway, I don''t have anything important to do at home. It''s better to see if there''s anything new in men- no, it''s better to find out if something has happened since yesterday) Zack thought shamelessly as he headed towards the source of the smell. He had already recognized the smell, there was only one ce it coulde from. Zack opened the door of the inn where he stayed yesterday. "Wee. Ohh. If it is our new doctor. To what do I owe this visit?¡± asked Harry, the innkeeper, as he watched him enter the inn. ¡°The news is flying from what I see¡± Zack said with a somewhat uneasy smile. The fact that all the people he has seen know something that happened yesterday afternoon is something that would never happen in his world. ¡°Hahaha. It is normal. There isn''t usually such exciting news every day. How can I help?" ¡°The truth is that I was passing through the area, and I got hungry so I thought I would stop and say hello¡± Hearing what he had said, the innkeeper''s smile became more pronounced. ¡°Ahhh. I see you can''t resist our delights. Don''t worry, we''ll feed you well" ¡°Sarah, prepare a table for the new doctor!!¡± Harry shouted from the reception. "Coming!" A voice answered from the dining room. ¡°It will be in a minute. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡± ¡°The truth is that because of everything that happened yesterday, I couldn''te and sleep here. I was asking myself if- ¡°No refunds¡± Harry cut him quickly with the same smile. ¡­ When Zack sat down, a waitress with orange hair, different from thest one, approached him. ¡°So you''re the new doctor? ¡°You don''t look like much¡± the waitress said rudely. "Yes, it''s me. My name is Matthew¡± she said with an awkward smile. Under other circumstances, he would have been offended, but it''s really hard to get angry when you''re told you don''t look like a doctor if you''re not actually a doctor. "Hmm. Anyway, what are you going to eat, doctor?¡± the waitress asked. "What do you rmend me?" At first, she was thinking of ordering the same thing as yesterday, but he was curious to see what was on the menu. He wouldn''t minding here frequently if the other dishes were just as good. ¡°Let me think¡± the waitress said, scratching her head as she tried to remember. ¡°We have stuffed pork, chicken legs, mushroom soup, meatloaf, mutton, sd, bread and cheese, and fish.¡± "Hmm. Mutton for me, what''s to drink?¡± "Beer" ¡­ .. . ¡°Is there anything else besides beer?¡± Zack and the waitress stared at each other for a few seconds until Zack asked. ¡°No,¡± the waitress responded without saying anything else. Silence appeared between them again. ¡°Cough. Then only the mutton¡± ¡°Coming¡± After saying this, the waitress left the embarrassed Zack behind, and she went to serve other customers. It was still a little early, and people were busy at this time, so there weren''t many patrons. Before he knew it, the food was on the table.@@novelbin@@ The appearance was quite good, giving it an appetizing appearance. Zack was eager to sink his teeth into it¡­ if it weren''t for the looks he was receiving from the waitress. (Seriously, what is going on with this world? Is it normal for waiters to stare at you while you eat?) He mentallyined. Seeing that the girl was still looking at him, Zack lowered the cutlery and looked at the waitress somewhat annoyed. "I can help you with something?" ¡­ .. . ¡°You''re not like us. What''s someone like you doing in a small town like this?¡± the waitress said suddenly. Of all the things he was hoping to hear, this one was definitely not on the list.A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZLIf you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 69: Gossip ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± Zack asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking. Unfortunately, the question was too unexpected. He was unprepared, and his voice possessed a slight tremor.Hearing the answer, the waitress said nothing. She just continued to stare at him in silence. After a while without saying anything, Sarah sighed. ¡°Well. It''s not that I have much interest in what you did before. Just try not to harm the townspeople. If you dare to do anything to them, I will take care of you myself, doctor¡± After saying that, she turned around and left. He was still processing the information when he saw how the girl had left the way she hade. (So. In the end. Does she know or not know who I am?) He asked himself. The chances of the waitress returning to her table to rify what had happened do not seem high. Zack shook his head. There is no evidence that she knows anything. Was there a problem with his disguise? No. There was no problem. (Maybe she just wanted to make sure I am not suspicious? The previous doctor''s reputation doesn''t seem to be the best.) Zack remembered the hostility with which the father of one of the children treated him. (Judging by her words, it doesn''t seem like I am in immediate danger) Zack''s mind was a mess. It was not appropriate to stay in the city in these conditions. The best option is to go back home and organize your ideas. Growl (After eating) Zack thought as he listened to the sounds of protest from his stomach. ¡­ When Zack arrived at his house, he had already calmed down. Judging the situation, it doesn''t seem like that girl has any intention of outing him. It''s not even certain that she knows he''s not a doctor. The first thing should be to make sure he understood what she meant. Zack is sure that her disguise is perfect, or at least good enough so that no one in this ce will discover him. If he takes action and it turns out it was a misunderstanding, he will pay dearly. (That''s why it''s better to wait. If nothing happens, I''m safe. On the contrary, if there is something abnormal, it won''t be toote to run away) Zack nodded. After clearing his thoughts, he felt a little more rxed. At first, he nned to read a little, but now he decided to practice some magic to digest food. There are still many spells that he wants to know how to use. The forest near his house is ideal for practicing without anyone bothering him. Once he got there and made sure no one was there, he began to remember the form he wanted to use. After choosing magic, Zack moved the mana from his body and raised his hands. ¡°Earth Spike¡± In front of him, the earth abruptly moved upwards, and a five-foot mound appeared. Seeing the iplete form of the spell, Zack was not discouraged. It was the first time he used it. It was normal. Tier 1 magic is divided into two aspects: mana maniption, and elemental transformation. Wizards absorb mana from nature and use it to use spells. In the fireball spell, for example: The first step is to manipte the mana inside your body so that when the magic manifests externally, it has the shape of a ball. To do this, the magician circtes the mana in his body in a certain specific way, through the nodes of his body. Once the mana maniption is finished, the next thing is to transform the mana into the corresponding element and manifest it externally. So, if it is converted to the element of fire, we will have a fireball. To be honest, the main difficulty with tier 1 spells is mana maniption. Sometimes exact movements are necessary for mana to be magic. Beyond that, there are no difficulties. Tier 2 magic is a little different. Zack shook his head. (This is not the time to think such things) And he returned to concentrating on repeating the spell. ¡­ Elsewhere, things were also happening. After Zack left the inn, some curious women entered. Seeing them, Harry, the innkeeper, hid behind the disy, wishing not to be seen by them. Fortunately, none of them were interested in him, and they ignored him, going straight to the dining room. Harry sighed. Eyes full of pity for what is going to happen. Once they arrived at the dining room it didn''t take long for them to see their objective. ¡°Sarah!¡± A high-pitched voice resounded in the dinner hall. Upon hearing that voice, a shiver ran through the waitress''s back. As she slowly turned around she saw, to his horror, the three women. ¡°H-Hello Aunt Muriel.¡± ¡°Sarah. "It''s been a long time since we saw you" ¡°You''re not going to give us a hug¡± "How much have you grown" ¡°We saw each other yesterday, Aunt Greta¡± she responded the best she could as she watched them pounce on her. ¡°Don''t worry about the details. We came to see you and chat a little. By the way, have you found a boyfriend? Otherwise, I can introduce you to the grandson of one of the town''s seamstresses. They say that he has already reached level 50 at 22 years old. I''m sure he would be-¡° ¡°I''m afraid I can''t speak now. ¡°I¡¯m working¡± Sarah quickly cut her aunt off, as she tried to get them off her. If she let them talk, they wouldn''t stop until nightfall. ¡°How can you talk to me like that?¡± responded one of her aunts ¡°We came here to see you. The least you could do is wee us¡± her aunt said as she released her from her embrace.@@novelbin@@ "Girls, stop. I think Sarah said something very reasonable¡± Hearing this, the women turned to see one of them saying this. ¡°It is true that we havee without taking into ount what she could be doing. We should not disturb her while she is busy¡± the woman continued. Hearing that, Sarah''s eyes couldn''t help but soften a little. ¡°Aunt Maggie¡± ¡°Don''t worry, we won''t bother you while you work. Your priority is to serve customers. We and the rest of your family are proud that you are making it on your own. Let''s go girls, let''s let her work¡± After saying this, Aunt Maggie turned around and walked towards her exit. Seeing this, the rest of the women followed her with hesitant steps, looking at each other for someone to say something. In the end, no one said anything, and they followed her with calm steps, without speaking. Seeing this, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to serve some customers. "Waitress" If Sarah had been holding something, she would have dropped it when she heard that voice calling her. She turned around slowly to see her aunts sitting at one of the tables while they called her name happily. ¡°I knew that was being too easy¡± she murmured quietly, as she went to another of the tables, pretending to ignore them. ¡°We would like to order something¡± "Can anyonee? I have a question about the menu¡± (This day is going to be a very long day) Sarah thought. ¡­ "Hey? So you think the doctor is a noble?¡± his aunt asked. In the end, Sarah could not resist the insistence of her aunts, and, before the grateful eyes of her boss, she told them everything she knew about the new doctor. "I''m almost sure. If he is not a nobleman, at least he must be the son of a wealthy family¡± she responded before the expectant eyes of her aunt. "How are you so sure? You''ve only seen him once" ¡°I haven''t been working here for years in vain¡± Sarah huffed. ¡°I''ve seen a lot of clients since I started working. From the idiots whoe to get drunk, to mercenaries from outside the town. The new doctor, Matthew, doesn''t eat like amoner. Nobody eats that way naturally. It is obvious that he knows etiquette and manners¡± That is. Even if Zack worked hard to create a new identity, that doesn''t mean it''s perfect. No matter how hard he tried to change his appearance and voice, it was inevitable that he would miss a few details. The reason why people stared at him while he ate was not because they did it with all people. He just did it in a different way than the rest. Since childhood, he has received the best education avable from his parents. From how to sit, to how to speak to others. All those years of etiquette are not something that disappears overnight. ¡°Why do you think someone like that has decided to stay here?¡± Aunt Greta asked. The women who were gossiping remained silent, thinking about this question. It¡äs true. Why would someone like that stay in our town? What is his story? What happens to his family? Are they dead? Or was the new doctor expelled for some reason? Thinking about the possible reasons, their eyes started shining. "Don''t know. ¡°It''s not something that''s really important¡± Before her aunts could get too excited, Sarah cut them off from their fantasies. ¡°The only thing that is important is that it does not bring problems to the town¡± she said heroically¡­ ¡°Oh. My niece has grown up¡± ¡°She is already a woman¡± ¡°The only thing shecks is a husband¡± ¡­Only for her aunts to start gossiping again. ¡°By the way, Sarah. Are you sure you don''t want us to introduce you to anyone? A woman needs someone by her side¡± "True. I know a man who has a son who is trying to make his own business. I''m sure you would be the perfect couple" ¡°And what about the new doctor? Although we don''t know much about him, it is undeniable that he is very handsome" ¡°You have to hurry. Otherwise, it will be toote-¡± ¡°SHUT UP!! WHO I DECIDE TO MARRY IS MY OWN THING!! GET OUT OF HERE!!" In the end, Sarah''s patience reached its limit, and she kicked her aunts out of the inn. The eyes of those women showed that they were dissatisfied, but they knew their niece well. If they try to stay here, they would most likely end up arguing. Sarah watched her aunts leave the inn while they differed over Matthew''s identity. The next morning, the exciting story of love, betrayal, and revenge about the new doctor''s former life was created in coboration with the town''s most annoying women.
A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZL
Chapter 70: Situation Eight or nine days passed, and Zack was getting used to his new lifestyle. In the mornings, he would go out early to explore the forest and collect the medicinal nts in the area. During this time, he has be ustomed to the forest, and picking herbs is a bit easier. After a few hours, he was back at home and began to read the medical books in his new study. Despite his talent and his title, which allowed him to read books quickly, the medical books wereplex, long, and hadplex jargon, so progress was not as fast as he would have liked. Still, Zack was gaining knowledge at a rapid rate, and he would not bepletely useless in case of an emergency. The first time he started reading one of these books, Zack was quite surprised by its content. In his opinion, medicine, like other aspects of this medieval society, would be old-fashioned, and full of errors. Zack thought the treatments would consist of using leeches and other unreliable remedies of this type to cure the sick. The reality was different. Medicine was quite advanced. In the books he has read, the existence of bacteria, blood transnts, and even procedures for performing minor surgical operations, such as appendectomy, is mentioned. Of course, the actual level is much lower than that of the modern world, and many diseases remain obscure mysteries. The reason why at first nce, the medicine of this world is at a high level is due to the direction of medical research. Due to the presence of priests and miracles, the medical knowledge of this world focused more on what sacred magic could not cure. Diseases, infections, and gues are the specialties of medicine in this world. That does not mean that doctors do not know about the treatment of bodily wounds, but due to healing magic, it has been relegated to the background. The clerical sses can regenerate lost members. Not even the medicine of their world canpete with that. In this world, doctors have given up long ago in this spot. In the afternoon, Zack dedicated himself to learning new spells and improving his attributes. During his stay in the castle, he focused on learning spells that would improve his survival andbat ability, so when he settled in, he realized that he had to learn spells that would be useful to him in their new circumstances. (And to think that I thought an ironing spell was useless) thought Zack, looking at his clothes, full of wrinkles. During this period, he has learned the Earth Spike, nt Growth, and the Rain Summoning spell, and he is learning a drying technique. Zack had collected some local herbs and transnted them into a small garden behind the house. The first two spells were for the correct growth of his herbs. Even though he had never nted anything, thanks to these spells, there were no problems with the transnt, and they are growing favorably. As for the drying spell, well¡­ Zack took a look from the window at an area of the field. It is a barren piece ofnd, where there was nothing. ¡­Let''s say that making potions is not as easy as he initially thought.@@novelbin@@ Not only does it require precise timing to introduce certain herbs into the mixture, but the preparation of each of the ingredients takes a long time. Some herbs require grinding before use, others need to be felled, and some need to be left in the sun for several days. That patch of grass is the result of having deposited his failed mixtures in that ce. The result is what can be seen from the window. If it weren''t for the growth spell, he is sure that, in six months, the nts in the forest will not be enough for him to practice. To speed up preparation, Zack has prepared a list of spells that are necessary: Dry, Drain, and Boil are the most urgent. Additionally, Zack has noticed that the ground around that area is starting to harden, so he also wants to learn a fertilizer spell. Fortunately, these spells are tier 0 cantrips, and the number of tier 0 spells Zack knows is enough to cover arge number of categories. He doesn''t even know why there were so many when there wasn''t a corresponding tier 1 spell. Still, Zack is grateful that they exist. Otherwise, things would be impossible. So far, despite multiple attempts, Zack has not made any minimally usable medicine, except the homemade ointment that Zack created, which consisted of mixing some ground herbs with water and leaving it to dry in the sun. Compared to the prescriptions in the old doctor''s notebook, I don''t think anyone will take a look at it. Zack stopped thinking about this. There was nothing he could do at this moment. (There are other things to worry about) Zack thought as he looked at what supplies he had. Apart from some berries he picked in the forest, there isn''t much to eat. Zack sighed. Since he settled here, almost two weeks ago, he hasn''t had any patients. On the one hand, he is grateful for it. He doesn''t want to make any mistake with a human life. On the other hand, the little money he earned selling herbs on the first day had run out. The n of selling potions didn''t look like it was going to pay off any time soon, and his money was already running out. Thesest few days, he does not dare to go to the city for fear that he will find something interesting and find himself without money to buy it. No matter how bad the food of this world is, it is better than eating berries for days. (Being a fugitive sucks) Zack thought as he reclined in his chair. If there were other circumstances, Zack would be in the dungeon collecting materials, or fulfilling orders to earn money. Even though most magicians spend a lot of money on resources, they also make a lot of money. He can''t even go to the dungeon to make money. Some magicians decide to focus on research and receive research money from the kingdom in which they are located, others decide to do some jobs in exchange for money, and thest ones embark on secondary professions such as magic teaching to wealthy people, creators of magical artifacts, or even a messenger. These professions are not sses, they are corners that do not fit into particr sses, or the ss that handles this is so difficult to acquire that they can make money. For example, no matter how fast a courier is, a mage can send the package much faster. No matter how good a teacher is, if he doesn''t know magic, he can''t teach. There are many types of sses, but none are as flexible as magic sses. What''s the point of being the best warrior if you can''t get close to your enemy? What''s the point of being the best assassin if they detect you before you arrive? What''s the point of being the best archer if your arrows don''t reach the enemy? Unfortunately, Zack cannot use his magic openly. Sigh If he could, he would pack his bags and leave for another kingdom, but he is not stupid enough to believe that they would not detect him, or recognize his identity. His spells can be useful here, but they are still tier-1 spells. The moment he wants to cross the border, he will be arrested before he can turn around. (Better do something productive. Daydream all day is useless) Thought Zack while reaching for another book. Bang Bang Bang While Zack was immersed in his circumstances, someone urgently began pounding on his door. Zack was startled. Since he moved, no one had visited him. He got up quickly and went to see what it was about. Who knows? Maybe his luck would turn around.A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZL Chapter 73: Animal Shop (Part 1) It was alreadyte, and dusk was beginning to settle in. The workday had ended, and people were heading back home, tired from their day''sbor. Zack approached the alley where the sound wasing from. As he got closer, not only that noise but other different sounds started echoing in his ears. Slowly, Zack left the main market street and ventured into the intricate side streets. After a while of wandering, he finally found the source of the noise. In front of him, in a narrow alley, there was a somewhat dpidated establishment. Its facade, covered in withered vines, barely revealed the rusty sign that could hardly be read. The wood was weathered, and the bricks were worn. It''s no wonder this ce was so secluded. If it had been on the main street, people would have been scared away. Curious, Zack struggled to open the door and entered the ce. Upon entering, his ears were flooded with a multitude of sounds, and there was a pungent smell thatbined old hay, wood, and a strange exotic fragrance. The interior was filled with cages and terrariums, housing various animals, some of which Zack had seen during his visits to the forest, and others he had only seen in books. Colorful feathered birds, snakes of unusual colors, and small wide-eyed mammals were in the cages. The terrariums disyed spiders, frogs, and various insects. As Zack ventured further in, he couldn''t help but be drawn inside. This might be one of the most magical scenes he had witnessed since arriving in this world. Zack observed everything around him like a curious child, but even though everything was new and exciting, something was missing. "Hello?" While Zack was busy searching for the owner, a raspy voice suddenly sounded. "Wee." Zack couldn''t help but startle at the sound of the voice. If it had been a bitter, he might have screamed like a teenager. Seeing that he had achieved the desired effect, the culprit couldn''t help but smile slightly. Turning around, Zack saw the owner of the voice. The person in question was a man with disheveled hair and an unkempt beard. The clothes he wore made him look more like a wizard than a merchant, always dressed in tattered clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. If it weren''t for the fact that Zack didn''t sense any magical power in him, he would be certain the man was a fellow wizard. "Sorry for that, young man. It''s been a long time since I''ve had a little fun. Most people whoe to this ce are apanied by customers who give them advance notice. I have to admit it''s satisfying to see someone get startled after all." The man approached and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I''m Harris, the owner of this shop." "Is this a shop?" Zack asked while looking around. Not that he hadn''t suspected before that this was a shop; it''s just that the ce was so old. If this were his former world, it would have been closed down due to the risk of copse. "I''m Matthew." "Ah, the new doctor. To what do I owe the pleasure?" By this point, Zack wasn''t surprised that he was recognized. After exining the situation, the owner apologized, and both of them sat in the back of the shop to talk. "Ah, so you heard a noise. I''m sorry about that. My animals tend to get restless from time to time," said Harris. "Don''t worry. Would you mind telling me a bit about this shop?" "Of course," the owner''s eyes lit up upon hearing the question. "As you may have already guessed, this is a pet shop. We sell all kinds of domestic animals. It''s quitemon for one to feel lonely or overwhelmed, and a pet is perfect for solving this problem." Harris began to talk about the benefits of having a pet at home. Upon hearing this, Zack interrupted, "So, you mean you sell these pets to the town''s residents?" Zack looked around. Whichever way he looked, he could see spiders, snakes, and insects. Definitely not the kind of animals one would want at home to keep their childrenpany. Harris sighed. "That was the n, but sadly, most of the town''s people are not interested in having pets," he said in a low voice. "The people who want pets already have them, and the rest don''t want to buy one. That''s why I''ve been forced to diversify my business."@@novelbin@@ "Diversify?" Zack asked. The owner pointed at the animals in the cages. "The animals here are not pets. They are dangerous animals, most of which are trained to work with mercenaries." "Look at that bird, for example," Harris pointed to one of the cages where a bird with multicolored feathers was squawking loudly. "That''s a swiftwing bird. They are hardy animals that can fly faster than horses. They used to be used as messenger birds by the army. Later, they switched to a less conspicuous bird to avoid message interception. They are very expensive; hardly anyone in the town can afford them, but mercenaries like them." "Look at this one," the owner said as he pointed to one of the terrariums. "That''s a trapdoor spider. It specializes in digging holes in the ground and hiding in them. It''s not venomous, but it''s excellent at ambushing. A well-trained trapdoor spider can dig enough to conceal a person in no time." Zack listened to the owner''s words as he exined, one by one, the different animals in the shop. When he finished the exnation, he turned to Zack and asked, "What do you think? Are you interested in any of them?" Zack was surprised to hear this. Obviously, he was a doctor (or at least pretending to be one), and he had no use in acquiring a pet from the ones being sold here. Seeing his expression, Harris knew what he was thinking. "Not all the pets here have to be used by adventurers," he said. With that, he got up from his seat and approached a small cage on one of the shelves. "Look at this." The owner lifted the cover that was covering the cage and showed what was inside: a small toad that Zack had never seen before, fast asleep. They call it a treasure toad. It''s usually bred in the southern part of the continent. It lives in warm-climate forests and feeds on all kinds of herbs. Pharmacists use it to detect medicinal herbs. The moment it detects one, it leaps for it. Are you interested?" Upon hearing the owner''s description, a hint of curiosity sparked in Zack''s eyes. Searching for herbs indeed takes a lot of time. If he had one of these, his job would be much easier. Zack''s interested expression let Harris know he had a potential customer. He exined all the toad''s features one by one while watching Zack''s eyes shine a little brighter. Still, Zack wasn''t going to be easily fooled. In the age of information, the world he came from knows perfectly well that there''s always a catch. "How much?" "A stealpared to what you could earn if it falls into the hands of someone skilled," Harris said. "How much?" When Zack finally repeated the very same words, this time more cautiously, Harris''s smile shrank a bit. "Ten gold coins." "Ten gold coins?!" Zack eximed The interest faded from his eyes.A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZL Chapter 77: Titan (Part 3) Zack turned around to see who it was. Behind him stood a massive guy in a tight shirt that showcased his muscles, wielding a huge axe in one arm, and looking at him with a friendly smile on his face. "Good morning to you too, Lorent," Zack replied to the lumberjack''s enthusiastic greeting. "Hahaha. As calm as ever. That''s good. We don''t want our new doctor to be a bundle of nerves," Lorent began as he rested his axe on the ground. Evidently, he intended to stop and chat for a while. Lorent is one of the lumberjacks who supply the city with firewood. Every day, he and his colleagues venture into the depths of the forest to find good trees to chop down. Winters here in the north can be very cold, so their work is essential for the entiremunity. Without wood, it''s hard to say how many people would survive the winter. Not everyone can conjure fire from their hands. That''s why they take their work very seriously. Zack met Lorent in the early days of exploration. For a moment, he thought he had stumbled upon a bear. When he learned of the misunderstanding, Lorentughed for almost a minute. It must be said that Lorent is one of the most honest people Zack has ever met. The first time he encountered Zack, he asked him something that left himpletely bewildered: "Sorry not to be a bear. You also don''t seem to be the exiled prince desperately fighting for his lover, as I''ve heard." It must be said that he had never met someone as brutally honest as Lorent. Though, thanks to him, Zack learned a bit about some of the rumors circting in the city about him. It turns out the previous doctor didn''t have the best reputation one could have, and upon seeing Zack as the new doctor, people couldn''t help but specte about his origin. However, that wasn''t thest rumor he heard from Lorent''s mouth. Rumors about him being a merchant with enough gold to buy the continent, or a spy trying to uncover the kingdom''s military secrets¡ªthere''s even a rumor that he''s a degenerate practicing ck magic and is wanted by the church. It has reached the point where Zack suspects that Lorent makes up new rumors every time they meet. However, thest one isn''t too far from the truth. That doesn''t mean Lorent is a bad person. In fact, Lorent has been one of the most enthusiastic in weing him. Thanks to his help, Zack was able to navigate the forest with ease. Moreover, he pointed out ces where certain herbs grew that were very useful to him in making medicine, or at least attempting to. "And who''s this little friend of yours?" the lumberjack asked, bringing Zack''s attention back to the conversation. "This is Titan. I bought him from old Harris''s pet store just a couple of days ago. Say hello, Titan." Woof Titan started barking energetically in Zack''s direction as if seeking his attention. Basically, after looking at Lorent for a while, he lostplete interest in him. Seeing this, Zack smiled bitterly. "Sorry, I''m still teaching him." "Hahaha. What an energetic little dog. I didn''t know old Harris still sold pets. I thought he had switched to a more dangerous species," the lumberjack replied with a smile, observing how yful Zack''s new little friend was. "By the way, have you heard the rumors?" Zack raised an eyebrow and looked at him intently. Is this another rumor about my mysterious origin? What am I this time? A bandit? A pirate? Or am I a tomb raider, perhaps? Although some of the rumors he had heard were amusing, most had negative connotations. He was already used to it, and he took it with a bit of humor. It''s one of the few things that entertain him these days, aside from learning magic. Thinking about that, for a moment, Zack felt as if someone was ring at him. When he looked in that direction, all he saw was Titan ying with his tail. "Hahaha. No. It has nothing to do with you. Apparently, someone important has decided to improve the infrastructure of this area, and it''s said that a message will arrive from the nearest city to see if it''s worth building a road to facilitate traffic. The mayor is super excited about the news. Someone saw him jumping in his office," Lorent said, imagining his elderly mayor jumping like a schoolgirl and couldn''t help but smile. Zack was reminded once again that privacy doesn''t exist in this town. Presumably, tomorrow Titan will be in the rumors of its inhabitants, along with his mysterious owner, as a three-meter-tall dog that devours the corpses of its victims. "A road now? What happened that the town deserves this attention?" Zack asked, confused by the news. "Who knows what those at the top are thinking? Apparently, it''s not just our town; almost the entire northern area is undergoing improvements in its infrastructure. It is said that the goal is to facilitate the mobilization of troops for the fight against the demons," Lorent shrugged. For him, these kinds of things didn''t affect him much. His life will continue the same, whether there are new roads or not. Zack began to have a strange thought. Logically speaking, there is no reason for this to happen. There has been no news from the northern front, and there have been no reports of any kind of disturbances. This new message and the change in infrastructure throughout the northern region of the kingdom was weird. Too much work. He is sure, there is something else nned. (It does not matter. No one would be crazy enough to make such a big change in the kingdom considering the material and economic expenses it would entail, without a big objetive. Probably the ripples will not reach here) he thought as he shook his head to rid himself of these fantasies. "Lorent. Where are you, blockhead?" Suddenly a voice started to be heard from among the trees. "I''m here," Lorent replied with a smile. The sound of someone traversing the underbrush began to ring in both their ears moments before another person dressed simrly to Lorent and with an axe appeared before them. The only difference is that he didn''t seem as friendly. "What are you doing here ying? We have work to do," the new individual scolded before indescribably looking at Zack. "Sorry, sorry. I got distracted chatting," Lorent said as he slung his axe over his arm. "See you another day," he said goodbye to Zack. And after that, he started walking in the direction of hispanion.@@novelbin@@ The new figure seemed to want to say something, but seeing Lorent walking away, he changed his mind and began to follow him. Zack sighed in relief. He was familiar with that kind of look. It wasn''t the first time he''d been looked at like that since he came to the town. Apparently, not everyone has as good an impression of him as he would have liked. Still, those people usually keep their distance and pretend he doesn''t exist. It was the first time someone was going to talk to him. Zack isn''t sure how to take that conversation. Zack shook his head. It doesn''t matter. There are more important things to do now. After looking around, he noticed a quite important detail. Titan was gone.A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZLIf you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 81: Rea "Hey, what are you guys supposed to be doing here?" Woof Upon hearing the voice behind them, the people in front of the cabin jumped. When they looked back, Zack immediately recognized them. "You. Why are you here now? Didn''t I tell you toe a couple of days ago to finish the treatment?" Upon hearing Zack''s words, both of them looked at each other ufortably and remained silent. The people in front of him were two of the adventurers Zack had treated the other day at the guild. Initially, they were supposed toe the next day to set a cast and see if there was any deviation in the bone that needed correction. Zack had been waiting all morning for them to arrive. He even prepared some food to chat with them afterward, but they never showed up. The girl approached Zack and took a step forward. "Um, we''re really sorry for noting that day. We had some issues, and it was hard for us to make it," the girl nervously replied under Zack''s gaze. He said nothing and simply looked at the boy who seemed to want to say something but was holding back to avoid being rude. Zack approached them, disregarding the fact that the girl was talking, and firmly grabbed Max''s leg. "AAAAAggghhhhhh!" A scream of pain escaped Max''s mouth the moment Zack grabbed him. "What are you doing? S-Stop. You''re hurting him!" Rea eximed, seeing how herpanion was screaming. She and Max had known each other for a long time. Max was always trying to act tough and hide his injuries. If he was screaming like that, it meant he was genuinely in pain. Seeing that the girl was about to try to stop him, Zack quickly let go of the leg. There was no other way; right now, he was just a tier 1 ss doctor. If they start fighting over Max''s leg, not only will they worsen his injury, but they''ll also notice that his strength is much greater than it should be for someone like him. "Grrr" Sensing Rea''s intentions, Titan quickly began to growl, and it seemed like he was about to pounce on her. Zack quickly grabbed Titan to prevent the situation from escting. Right now, thest thing he needs is for these two to draw their swords. Zack looked at them with calm eyes, trying to figure out what to do to calm them down. Then, to Zack''s astonishment, Max stepped forward as if to protect the girl, who could barely stand. Looking at Zack defiantly. "Ha ha. Leave. Rea. Alone," Max said intermittently. For a moment, it seemed like he was the viin of the story trying to kidnap the protagonist''s romantic interest, while the protagonist was helpless. Zack was speechless. They were the ones who didn''t follow his instructions. They were the ones who had stood in front of his house waiting for him. No matter how you look at it, they''re the ones armed. (Why does it feel like I''m the bad guy?) Zack thought, tired of the situation. The journey through the forest had left him exhausted, and he was not in the mood to entertain these two, whatever fantasy they had concocted. All he wanted now was to go home, take a bath with Titan, and put on clean clothes. He didn''t want anything to do with this nonsense. BAM Just as he was about to ask them to leave and go somewhere else to have Max''s leg examined, the boy who had been looking at him as if he were going to bite him copsed to the ground. Suddenly, all the noise ceased. Both of their eyes focused on Max''s fallen figure before looking back at each other. Seeing the lost look on the girl''s face and the idiot who had fallen asleep in front of his house, Zack knew he couldn''t get rid of this problem anymore. Zack sighed. This day was not going at all as he wanted. ... "Here, be careful, it''s hot," Zack said as he handed the girl a cup of tea. "Ah, thanks - Ouch," Rea said as she took the cup only to almost spill it because of how hot it was. (And I warned you) Zack thought in his mind as he watched Rea quickly put the cup on the table and start blowing on her hands. "I''ve finished the treatment. Fortunately, the guy got lucky. Even though it''s obvious he''s been using his leg frequently, there are no signs of nerve injuries," Zack reported. "Thank you very much." Upon hearing Zack''s words, Rea''s eyes calmed down a bit, and her body seemed to rx a bit. After Max copsed on the ground, Zack and Rea brought him to his house for examination. Even though he doesn''t have advanced medical knowledge, that doesn''t mean he''s beenzing around all this time. Thanks to his title, the books that would take someone else years to read and understand thoroughly, Zack can do it more easily. Although he hasn''t finished reading them all, he has already gained preliminary knowledge of basic medicine in this world. Also, the cause of the fainting is not that hard to identify. The reason the boy passed out was simply because of the pain his leg was causing. One can imagine what he was feeling at that moment to lose consciousness. Once they brought him to the examination room and Rea fled from there because she saw the instruments on the table, Zack got to work. After undressing him, and the leg appeared before his eyes, he knew his fears had been confirmed. The leg that had a natural color before had a purple hue and was hugely swollen. To be honest, a sprain is amon injury. Especially ankle and wrist sprains. A sprain is the twisting or stretching of a ligament. Ligaments are tissues that connect the bones in a joint. A fall or blow can cause a sprain. The treatment for sprains is also straightforward, including things like rest, ice, and using bandages topress the sprained area. The main problem here is that Max didn''t follow Zack''s instructions. Observing the state of the leg, it''s obvious that he has been putting pressure on it. That has not only caused the injury to worsen but also ced the bone in an unnatural position. What Zack had to do next was reset the leg to its initial position. To do this, it''s necessary to relieve the swollen area. Otherwise, due to how swollen the leg is, it will be impossible. Zack grabbed some herbs with anti-inmmatory effects, crushed them, and prepared a simple homemade cream. This can''t be considered medicine. It''s just a few herbs mixed with some water. Still, the effect was quite good. It''s unknown whether it''s because these are nts from another world, or there is mana here, but the effect was quite fast. After applying the cream, it only took a few minutes to reduce the inmmation. Once Zack was ready, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After opening them, he grabbed the leg and set it back to its initial position. Crack Crack Crunch Crunch Pop Max was very fortunate to be unconscious. Zack was sure that if he had been awake, the screams would have given the impression that a murder was taking ce right there. ... Once Zack finished reminiscing, he refocused on the girl who was carefully drinking tea. Zack grabbed his own cup and looked at her calmly. Although there was some hidden anger in his voice. "Why did you wait until now toe here?" Zack asked, getting straight to the point.@@novelbin@@ "Do you think the words I said after treating him a couple of days ago were a joke? That leg needs rest, and it''s obvious it hasn''t received any. If he had been a little more unlucky, it could genuinely have had fatal consequences. What were you thinking?" Zack scolded, somewhat angered. In response to his words, Rea could only lower her head and gaze at the floor, clutching her clothes ufortably. "W-We didn''t have another option," Rea said, trembling. "We didn''t have money."A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZLIf you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 84 The first step Zack reclined in one of the seats in the living room, exhausted (Finally, I managed to get them to leave). After lunch, Zack persuaded them to go home. He would visit them soon to check on the healing progress and see if there were anyplications. As for payment, they decided to wait until the leg healed before discussing the matter. Anyway, it was obvious that they couldn''t earn enough money to pay him for now. (It''s not the time to rest) Zack got up from his seat and started walking towards his bedroom. With all themotion, he hadn''t even had time to change his clothes. Once he put on something morefortable, he grabbed the bag of medicinal herbs he had with him all this time and headed to his study. After entering, he closed the door so Titan couldn''t interrupt him. As he was trying to prepare one of the remedies from his recipe book, Titan entered the room. He still has nightmares about that incident. Since then, he has been forbidden from entering when Zack is working. Not that there was much to worry about; the dog was now peacefully napping after filling his stomach. But still, Zack didn''t want to take any risks. Once he sat in the chair, he didn''t immediately start working. He took out the ingredients one by one and began cataloging them. If there''s one thing he learned these weeks, it''s that an organized environment is crucial for a job well done. Once he arranged all the herbs he gathered in his little journey through the forest, he began working. The recipe he was going to try was a skin exfoliant. It''s an herbal cream with anti-inmmatory and skin-repairing functions. It''s used for burns and the removal of pimples and wrinkles. Zack decided to learn this recipe first because it''s highly coveted by the women in the vige. During the time Greta and her group of harpy friends helped him get familiar with the market, they told him that the old doctor used to sell this cream in the city stores to make money, and it was quite profitable. More than once, they hinted that he could prepare it again, and the vige would be very grateful. Shaking off that memory from his head, Zack refocused on the medicine. The other reason he decided to prepare this cream is that the recipe is not tooplicated: a teaspoon of ginger root, half a tablespoon of copper flower, a cup of miambre oil, and a pinch of moonlight powder. Seems easy, right? Far from it. This damn recipe has been tormenting him for almost two weeks. The damn recipe book forgot to include sensible instructions. How much of a teaspoon of ginger root? And half a tablespoon? How much is a pinch? And where do I get moonlight powder from?! These questions have been on Zack''s mind since he saw the recipe. The book doesn''t include exact measurements to follow. Everything written is tailored to thete doctor. If he could, Zack would grab the doctor and force the answers out of his mouth with punches for all the time he''s wasted searching for the ingredient proportions. Even if he had the correct proportions, it still wouldn''t be enough. The ingredients must be ground, grated, and mixed properly for the desired effect to ur. Otherwise, an iplete mixture will result, and without the full effect. No matter how hard he tries, he''s not a doctor, nor does he have the necessary skills to make even the simplest of remedies. That doesn''t mean he can''t cheat. Zack directed his gaze toward the ingredients, and magical power began to flow through his body. The ingredients started to float and headed to different points on the table. The ginger root began to crush itself slowly until it turned into a paste that slowly deposited itself into a container. The copper flower released its petals from the rest of the nt, and half of them were slowly ground in the mortar, which was being controlled with the tier 0 magician''s hand spell, ensuring they weren''t finer than a grain of sand. The miambre was ced on the table, and Zack used one of the new spells he had learned to extract the oil from it. Drain. He had never heard of miambre until now. Miambre is a vegetable from warm climates in this world, and it is very popr among the inhabitants of viges and small towns. The reason it''s so popr is that it''s straightforward to cultivate and offers a bountiful harvest, much like rice. Although they are in the northern part of the continent, it gets warm enough to grow the vegetables. Once the ingredients were ready, Zack put them in the mortar and began mixing them manually. Although he could do it with magic, the excellent control he possesses only allows for a homogeneous mix that doesn''t have the effect described in the book, so Zack can only try it by hand. Zack felt a little strange. Thinking that one of the reasons he can''t create the recipes is because he does it too well seems a bit ridiculous. The recipe he is making now, he has done a countless number of times. He already has the stepspletely memorized and does them almost unconsciously. The problem is that he still doesn''t know what he''s doing wrong. All he can do is repeat the recipe over and over, slightly changing some of the steps and noting those changes to see if anything abnormal happens in the preparation. "Huh?" When he finished making the burn ointment and deposited it into one of the containers to examine it, he saw something curious. The finished ointment had a different color than usual; normally, the leaf mixture leaves a yellowish color, but this time, it turned a dark white color. Zack reviewed the steps one by one to see what had gone wrong, but (Could it be that I''ve found the solution?) Zack wondered as he shot up to the office. When he returned, he brought one of the medicine books with him. (Have I seeded?) The book details that some medicinalbinations can have a color alteration based on the different elements provided. (But how do I check it?) If he had the tier 1 craftsman ss, everything would be easier. Despite being one of the basic sses, one of its most iconic skills is being able to identify the objects one crafts on their own. Of course, there are many other identification skills. Unfortunately, he doesn''t have any since most are exclusive to each ss. To be honest, he didn''t think he would seed; this was just one of many attempts to try to uncover the true recipe.@@novelbin@@ Although Zack suspects that the medicine is real, he has no intention of testing it on himself. Who knows what its effects would be if his assumption is wrong? Besides, this is not a game, and medicine is not magic. Even if he wanted to find out if it has real effects, the only way is to apply it, but it''s a burn medicine, not a miracle remedy. It would take several days to check if it has an effect once exposed to the skin. Suddenly, a furry figure came to mind. However, he dismissed the idea quickly. There has to be another way to test its effects. Then he remembered that there is a ss that can identify certain types of objects. Zack got up from his seat and prepared to leave. It was time to go to the city.A NOTE FROM DAOISTWGQXZLIf you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 86: Sister Sally "Here, sir," said a childish voice just as they stopped in front of one of the buildings. "Here?" Zack frowned as he took a look. In contrast to the square they were in before, the street left much to be desired. The streets were dirty, and people''s clothing was several notches below the inhabitants of the vige he had seen earlier. On the way, Zack had also seen some suspicious-looking individuals moving furtively. It wasn''t a good ce. The location they were in was on the edge between the residential area and the slums. It was hard to say that security could be guaranteed. When they entered the building, the first thing Zack noticed was that it was old andrge. Probably one of thergest houses on the street, but its condition made people not want to live there. Unlike the residential buildings, made of brick and stone, this one was made of wood, and it was evident that a considerable amount of time had passed since its construction. "I''m back. I''ve brought someone who can heal Sister Sally," the child ran in, and his voice echoed throughout the house. (Sister Sally?) Zack thought that the person who was sick was the boy''s biological sister, but now it seemed not entirely true. With every step he took, the floor creaked beneath his feet, indicating how old this ce was. Seconds after the child finished speaking, something unexpected happened. "Is that true?" "Big brother" "Is Sister Sally going to be okay?" Children emerged from the corners, like mushrooms after a stormy day. Little kids came out of hiding, and they all started talking at once, making it impossible to understand anything. (Two, three, five) Zack silently counted the number of small children starting to appear. In the end, he counted a total of seven small children, excluding the one who had led him here. "Sir, are you a doctor?" "Please, cure Sister Sally." Once they heard who Zack was, all the children began to approach him. In no time, he was surrounded by children asking him to heal their sister. "Sir, this way." The child who had brought him approached him hurriedly and guided him to one of the rooms, pushing the other children away from him, as if afraid he might change his mind at any moment. "Matthew," said Zack, following the child calmly through the corridors, and observing the rest of the house. Judging by the fineyer of dust in this ce, it had been a few days since anyone had cleaned here. "Eh?" The guiding child stopped in surprise at hearing Zack''s voice. "My name is Matthew," Zack rified when he saw that the child didn''t understand what he meant. Now that he thought about it, maybe he had been too hasty in agreeing to help the boy. He didn''t even know his name. It''s even possible that what awaits him is an ambush rather than a patient. His tiny guide''s attitude, and the other children they had encountered, suggested otherwise, but unnecessary risks should not be taken. In fact, as they approached the slums, Zack used a small detection spell to see if they were being followed.@@novelbin@@ Mages have the ability to detect those of their own kind. It''s very simr to how in his old world, retired soldiers could see if someone else had received simr training. The difference is that it''s instinctive, while mages consciously notice it based on the fluctuations of mana around that person. They can hide it, but almost no one does. Being a mage is a respectable thing; no one would intentionally hide it. (Almost no one) Zack thought. During his time in the vige, he hadn''t seen a single person who could use magic. Not that he wanted toin; he''s very grateful for that, but it made him realize that mages are more valuable than he thought. "I''m Manny," said the child without turning around. They soon entered one of the rooms. There, lying in bed, was a twenty-year-old girl, sweating and trying to breathe normally. "Sister Sally," said Manny, who approached the girl with a look of concern on his face. The moment they entered, the girl turned to see them, surprised. "Manny, what are you doing here? You''re supposed to be working." "I''ve brought someone to cure you. Matthew is a doctor. He can heal you," he replied with certainty. The girl looked at Zack for a moment before getting up from the bed with some difficulty and approaching both of them. p. Sister Sally pped the boy with all her strength. Then, she grabbed his shoulders and began to scold him. "Why did you do such a thing? You know perfectly well that we don''t have money to pay the doctor. What do you think will happen if he cures me and finds outter? In the worst case, he could call the guards to arrest us." "Do you want to get arrested? Do you want never to see Timmy, Jenny- Cough, cough "Sister Sally!" Manny, who had been paralyzed when the girl pped him, reacted when she let go and started coughing violently. "Manny, bring a ss of water," a deep voice sounded behind him. When he turned, Zack was approaching Sister Sally, who was still coughing. Once he was in front of her, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed despite her protests. "Don''t take Sister Sally away!" he shouted, somewhat confused. Seeing this, The boy was in shock. It''s normal; he was doing something he thought was good, and instead of being praised, he was reproached very strongly. Instantly afterward, the person doing it starts feeling sore. It''s normal not to know how to react. "Don''t worry; nothing bad will happen. I''m just going to see how she''s doing," Zack said calmly to reassure the boy. Zack''s words seemed to have made him recover a bit, and after looking at the woman in the doctor''s arms, he nodded vigorously and ran out of the room. (Why does this happen to me? It''s the second time today) Once he was alone in the room, Zack sighed mentally. For a moment, he wondered if someone had cursed him, but he quickly dismissed that thought from his head. Now he had more important things to do. He gently ced the girl on the bed and began to examine her. Although his medical skills leave much to be desired, the books he had read in his old world about basic biology, and the more than two dozen books on medicine from this world, were not just for show. At least, he considers himself sufficiently trained to make a simple initial diagnosis. Moreover, he has an advantage that doctors in his world don''t have: he can cheat. He closed his eyes and let his magical power envelop the unconscious figure lying on the bed./DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 89: The actual situation To be honest, the money he earns or is going to earn is not too much for what he needs. It only covers his basic needs. Not many people outside the circle know this, but the mage ss is probably the most expensive ss to advance of all. The reason why all people with this ss are recruited by the kingdom and introduced to magical academies is, in part, for the king to control the immense power that these sses can unleashpared to others. On the other hand, it is due to the excessive cost of their development. If they were not forcibly recruited and introduced into royal academies, most of them would be forced to serve some noble in exchange for resources. A mage not only needs knowledge, which is difficult to acquire in itself. They also need other resources such as meditation techniques, a ce abundant in mana, magical artifacts, a grimoire, and even mana crystals. Except for the meditation technique he learned in the castle, Zack does not possess any of these things. The only reason he continues to level up quickly is the advantage he has over the people of this world and all the knowledge about magic he possesses and is gradually absorbing. However, if he had to choose, what he would most like to have right now are mana crystals. Mana crystal. It is a derivative produced by the excessive umtion of mana in a ce. Mages use them during meditation to increase the amount of mana in their bodies. It is one of the most important items for mages. High-level mages use soul crystals in rituals during their rank ascension to obtain more powerful sses. All professionals of different sses have their ways of acquiring certain rarer sses. Usually, these are certain drugs that temporarily or permanently enhance the user. In reality, almost no one uses this method. It ismonly thought that, just as the system will give you the most suitable ss for you, it will also do so if you have the privilege of leveling up. Usually, these rituals were created in the hope of acquiring rare and unusual sses. Most of these experiments were disastrous, with consequences not mentioned in the books he read, but some were sessful and were kept as a legacy of the fortunate families that seeded. Upon learning this, his idea was to search for one of these methods, but he underestimated their value. Even after searching both libraries, he had permission to ess, found in the castle of the king of this kingdom, he did not find any of these secret methods. This world ispletely different from his own. Information about sses may be obtained if you have the right contacts, but what is truly valuable will note out of the owners'' houses. This is true for both nobles andmon people. The reason why many intelligent mages are willing to work under the orders of the king and the nobles is because of the stable channels to obtain these resources. Not only these methods, but mana crystals are also necessary for crafting magical objects, casting advanced spells, and creating formations and rituals of the highest level. They can be said to be widely used. However, obtaining them is not easy. Mana crystal production is very low. Even in ces where the mana concentration is high, creation takes years. However, they are really useful. Using Zack as an example, even if he meditates ten hours every day, it would only be equivalent to someone meditating a couple of hours with the help of mana crystals. Of course, no one would be foolish enough to use them in meditation. There are much more profitable uses than for individual growth. Unfortunately, he does not know any ces to get them, and even if he did, he would not have the money to buy them. Those things are expensive. Zack does not have any of these resources avable, but he is aware of his advantages. Not only does he have elerated growth, but he also has enough knowledge to fill an academy. Instead of worrying about what he doesn''t have, it is better to maximize his advantages and then address his deficiencies. (It''s time to get to work) ¡­ Time is cruel. No matter who you are, it will treat you without any preferential treatment. In a small office, a boy was quietly reading a book. The rays of light filtering through the window illuminated the entire room, allowing uninterrupted reading. When Zack reached thest page, he closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the content in his mind. Finally, after several seconds, he stood up and ced the book in its ce. His gaze turned to a small wooden sundial that marked eight in the morning. As a person in the modern era, he knew perfectly well how important it is to manage your time correctly. Seeing it in the market, Zack knew he had to get it. He was willing to spend a fortune, but who would have thought that the seller did not know its true value? In this world, people wake up with the sunrise and return to their homes when it starts to get dark. Most people do not understand the utility a clock can have. Thanks to that, Zack only had to spend a few copper coins on it. Zack left the room and prepared for his daily routine. "Status" Name: Zack Mayima Age: 19 Race: Human Title: Bookworm, Survivor ss: Mage Level: 86 Stats: Strength: 37 Endurance: 44 Wisdom: 93 Luck: 11 Agility: 39 Intelligence: 87 Charm: 12 Mana: 163/163 Skills: Fast Reading Level 7 Memorization Level 5 Mana Control Level 9 Danger Sense Level 1 Multitasking Level 3 Herb Identification Level 3 High-Speed Casting Level 3 Multi-Casting Level 1@@novelbin@@ Diagnosis Level 1 Universal Trantion Spells: Tier 0: Magic Hand Level (MAX) Light Level (MAX) Trip Level (MAX) Summon Water Level (MAX) Cleanse Level (MAX) Boil Level (MAX) Drain Level (MAX) Ground Level (MAX) Growth Level (MAX) Fertilize Level (MAX) ... Tier 1: Magic Missile Level (MAX) Fireball Level (MAX) Shield Level (MAX) Levitation Level (MAX) Detection Level (MAX) Body Enhancement Level (MAX) Silence Level (MAX) Earth Spike Level (MAX) ... In addition to continuing to learn the spells he had memorized during his time in the castle, he has also been able to practice some magical skills in his ss. High-Speed Casting and multi-casting. Although considered high-level magical skills, the truth is that it is perfectly possible to learn them with the tier 1 Mage ss. The reason Zack had not learned them before was that no one had taught him. If someone were to find him practicing these skills, his true skill level would be discovered. Considering he was trying to escape, that was not a very good idea. It has been a week since he found a way to reduce his economic problems. During these days, he has prepared and sold enough potions to not have to eat forest berries every day, and his visits to the vige have be a bit more frequent. In addition, Zack had benefited from ces he did not expect. After umting experience for a week, the herb identification skill leveled up. That was thanks to constant explorations in the forest for resources. His friend Lorent, the lumberjack, helped him by indicating the location of several umon herbs. That, along with the rest of the work he did, helped him increase his knowledge of the forest. But the real surprise was his other skill. These days, the vigers had been starting to get used to his presence, and the number of patients he treated had increased. Most were not serious, however, that led to learning something he thought would not be possible: diagnosing a patient. It was sudden. He had just returned home, and before he could realize it, the skill was already there. This is a typical skill for doctors and nurses in this world. It can be said that thanks to that, Zack has already be a kind of medic. Of course, not everything that happened was good. Woof Woof "Ack. Let me go!"
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 91 Airi Honestly, Airi had nothing against Zack. If she had been in his ce, she would have done the same. She suspected that it was Zack who sent that message that night. (Although it would have been good to know it a few weeks in advance) The moment Airi heard they were looking for Zack, she knew he had fled. She, along with Ronald and Austin, were the only ones who knew his true ss, and seeing what was done to their peers with tier 1 sses, Airi couldn''t me him for wanting to keep it a secret. She was not so innocent as to think they were safe and training as they were supposed to. The moment they were dragged out of the throne room, she knew they wouldn''t have a good future. Seeing the fate she had received, she didn''t want to imagine what had happened to her peers. At first, with all the summoning, sses, and everything else, she, like most of her peers, thought they would be trained by the kingdom''s best teachers and would take care of saving the kingdom. The reality was very different. It is true that they had good teachers, and the training was tough, but the environment they were in was different. The people around them didn''t see them as saviors or role models. Some of the people responsible for teaching them showed an attitude not suitable for a teacher, as if they were a nuisance, or at least an extra duty they had to take responsibility for. It was then that Airi realized they were expendable. It''s not that they had no value, but that they were not necessary. In the eyes of others, only Yamato and his small elite group were important. The rest were simply a bonus. That''s the real reason she modified Austin''s memory. For one simple reason: she had overestimated their value. Before, she thought nothing would happen by helping Zack and Austin keep their secret. Once she realized her situation, she knew that if they found out she had been helping them, she would be sacrificed to serve as an example to others. During the time she was in the castle, she approached Austin and modified his memory. The changes she could make were not many, just small things that would be forgotten if you didn''t remind yourself. Despite everything, it was enough to erase her and Ronald from his memories. At first, she wanted to erase Zack and Ronald''s memory as well, but she couldn''t. The areas where Zack and Ronald were located were different from where she was, and unlike Austin, neither of them was interested in leaving their area. The few times they saw each other were not enough for Airi to do anything about them. For a while, she was very nervous that they would discover any of them and that she was involved in their n. That''s why it was a huge relief when she heard the news that Zack had escaped. When she learned that they wanted to interrogate them about his whereabouts, she knew they hadn''t been able to get anything out of Austin. As long as Ronald didn''t open his mouth, there would be no problem. Unfortunately, during this time, she had not been able tomunicate with him. Having different types of sses meant their training was different. He''s not even in the castle anymore. Thest news she heard about him was that he went to the city nearby to work forging weapons for the battle soldiers. Honestly, she felt a bit envious that he managed to escape. Despite learning a lot from her instructor and her level increasing, life has not been easy for any of them. Since they arrived here, the mood has never been good. None of the people here are stupid. Most knew that what awaited them here was not going to be good, but it was only when they arrived that they saw the reality of the situation. This is a battlefield. No one can protect them. A simple mistake can be their end. Tension increased in each of them with each passing day. And then the inevitable happened. One of their ssmates died. If they were scared before, now they were terrified. Someone they knew, with whom they spent days and ate together, had died... and they could be next. At that moment, something that everyone had overlooked was proven. They were not soldiers, not even adults in their world; they are children. Children who have never seen the battlefield, who until now had never seen death. And now they were going through all of that at once. Although everything seemed normal on the surface, Airi knew perfectly well that this calmness would notst before the storm. In fact, if it weren''t for Miss Kaede acting as a mediator, the seriousness of the situation would have been discovered. Looking at the appearance of her friends, who were once privileged daughters of the best families and are now forced to fight on the battlefield, she knew that the situation would soon spiral out of control. (There is not much time) she thought as she approached them to console them. If there is a time to escape, it is now. Not now, but soon. All she has to do is convince her group to leave this ce. And seeing their haggard appearance and unfocused eyes, it won''t be very difficult. ... Ding "Wee. Oh. What a pleasant surprise, doctor," replied the innkeeper upon seeing him enter through the door. "Hello, Harry." "It''s been a while since I saw you. What are you doing in the city?" "Visiting a patient. A mercenary got injured in the dungeon, and I had to take a look." After exchanging greetings, Harry, the innkeeper, and Zack began to talk about what had happened in the vige this week. "By the way, have you heard thetest news?"@@novelbin@@ "Eh, what news?" Zack asked, confused. "I''m not sure yet. The mayor has been very elusive about it, but they say those who have seen him in the town hall have noticed him preparing something important," said Harry while leaning on the counter. "Mmm. What do you think it could be?" "No one knows, but it''s the talk of the town these days. Thest time the mayor was so nervous was when a noble came to the vige to supervise the territory," said Harry, shrugging. (A noble) though Zack sombrely. He did not have good experience with them. His time in the castle is still fresh in his mind. If possible he doesn''t want to see any noble ever again. "Don''t worry too much. If it''s something important, the mayor will announce it soon, presumably there," maybe sensing his mood Harry continued, pointing with his finger towards one side. Zack turned and saw a flyer hanging on one of the walls. "Harvest Festival?" "Yep. We''re already on those dates. The harvest will end soon, and the whole vige will gather for a small party. Of course, they don''t really expect you toe." Zack looked pensive. The news he just heard had piqued his curiosity. There are a few interesting things happening here. After a while, Zack said goodbye to Harry and entered the dining room to eat. (Maybe a little break wouldn''t hurt)"
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 95: Secret Months passed without anyone being able to prevent it. During this time, things were improving for Zack. Thanks to the help of his new workers, he was able to make progress in his studies at a good pace. Due to the concentration of mana in the vige dungeon, the nts Rea collected had better quality than those found in the forest. As the first nts in the dungeon were always full of adventurers entering and exiting its depths, there were no monsters to worry about. In the rare cases he had to face them, they were individual monsters, so he suffered no injuries. One could consider it taking walks in the dungeon. Sally''s job was not difficult either. Thanks to the help of the orphanage children, whomunicated with other children, they could find out if their parents were sick or if any of them were not well. Once they told Sally what they had done that day, she would visit the sick people with a gift and discreetly mention it to the doctor. This not only made the people in the vige view her more favorably but also increased donations to the orphanage. Inparison, all Zack got was a couple of new patients who seemed toe here to die. The person who had a tough time was Max. Once his wounds healed, Max stopped staying at the orphanage taking care of the children, and started recing Zack on his walks to the forest. Max''s task was to gather herbs necessary for the potions. Unlike the dungeon herbs, which had magical properties due to the terrain they grew in, not all forest herbs were useful for Zack. To address this, Zack had him memorize the local herbs during the recovery period. Max, like many other young adults, couldn''t read. In fact, most people in this world can''t read. Considering that most skills are learned orally from parents to children, no one finds it necessary to learn such a thing. Max was no exception. Like most orphans, Max learned his skills from whoever he could. Learning to read is a luxury that only nobles, merchants, and sses with a lot of necessary information, like mages or doctors, need to acquire. There wasn''t enough time to teach Max to read, so he could only memorize the appearance of the nts. This gave Zack free time to focus on learning magic. His progress in these months was not the same. One should not underestimate his study speed. Thanks to his abnormal speed in ss-rted matters, coupled with his title, his progress in a day equaled that of almost two weeks for amon mage apprentice. The reason he suspects he hasn''t reached the maximum level for his ss is due to one thing. His growth is purely theoretical. Normally, mages, like mostbat-applicable sses, delve into dungeons to level up more quickly. Zack, on the other hand, dedicates himself to studying magical theories, spells, and practical applications of magic, without killing monsters to level up. This could be considered the purest way to level up, instead of using the universal method that is dungeons. Of course, this is not without benefits. In fact, he is sure that his knowledge and mastery of tier 1 magical arts are superior to many tier 2 mages. A more solid knowledge base will allow him to ascend to the next tier more easily and have more ss options. Also, seeing the level number slowly rising gives him a tremendous sense of satisfaction. If anyone knew what he was thinking, they would go to his house to teach him what it means to level up slowly. Compared to anyone else, his level increase is astronomical. Soon he won''t be able to level up anymore. "Woof Woof." The bark woke him from his fantasies. A small dog was pulling at his leg, urging him to keep walking. He was currently at the market with Titan. Supplies at home were running out, and it was time to restock. These days, he had been so focused on learning new spells that he had neglected Titan a bit. That''s whytely, every time they went for a walk, Zack gave him a small reward. Money was no longer a problem. As long as he didn''t squander, there was nothing wrong with having some luxury. The longer they took on the walk, theter he would receive his reward. That was uneptable for their furrypanion. "Woof" "I''ming. I''ming. Let me go," he responded to the small dog''s harassment. Watching this scene, it was difficult to say who was the owner and who was the domesticated animal. "Doctor Matthew." Just as he was finishing shopping for provisions, a voice sounded behind him. All the hairs on his body stood on end, and a chill ran down his spine. Zack recognized that voice. He turned around slowly, hoping his fears were unfounded, but they were real. In front of him, a middle-aged woman with curly hair looked at him with a smile that sent shivers down his spine. Behind her, two or three women of the same age looked at him the same way. "Good morning, Doctor Matthew. What a coincidence. Are you also shopping?" the woman said, approaching him without waiting for him to answer her question.@@novelbin@@ With each step she took, Zack''s desire to run away increased, but somehow he stood firm in ce. "Hello, Greta," he finally replied with an ufortable smile. "Oh, Doctor Matthew, don''t be so formal. You can call me Aunt Greta if you like," she said, still smiling. "By the way, thest time we met, I told you that you coulde to my house to talk whenever you wanted, but sadly, you didn''t show up. A slight tremor ran through his body, and small beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He had the premonition that if he didn''t answer correctly, things could go very wrong. Why haven''t youe to visit me? Those words echoed in his mind every second, like a countdown explosive about to reach zero. "I-I would have liked to, but I''ve been very busy with my patients," he finally said. "With so many people preparing for the festival, it''s inevitable that there are injuries. Because of that, I haven''t been able toe to your house. I''m very sorry." "The festival," Greta murmured to herself. "It''s true that there has been a lot ofmotiontely, and people have been very busy." Greta turned her head and began to observe the festival decorations. Due to the proximity of the festival, everyone was busy. Merchants prepared unique and exotic things to sell, and mercenaries walked more often through the vige streets instead of spending all day in the dungeon. Taking ast look, Greta looked at him and smiled kindly. "If that''s the case, it can''t be helped. I''ll forgive you this time but don''t forget to visit me. My niece is looking forward to seeing you again." Before he could calm down, voices sounded that made him tense. "Greta, that''s not fair. It''s not fair to monopolize him. Doctor, I have a daughter who is very interested in meeting someone as attractive as you." "Your daughter has two suitors. It''s not appropriate. I know a single youngdy who would be very interested in being invited for a walk someday." "Doctor..." Zack spent the next half-hour trying to convince a group of middle-ageddies that he was still too young to get married. Questions and invitations were constantly thrown in his direction. They talked about anything humanly possible. His life, what he had done these days, his rtionship with the orphanage, his three workers. They even talked about his business with the merchant to whom he sold ointments. Basically, anything he had done since he arrived in the vige was discussed in depth. By the time they finished, his legs were trembling, and he could barely stand. The traumas of hisst encounter hade back to stay. If possible, he would like to avoid her as much as possible. "By the way, Doctor Matthew," Greta said with a satisfied smile. Obviously, she hadn''t had so much fun in a long time. "Uh?" Zack said, almost instinctively. "Have you heard thetest rumors about the festival?"------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 97: Danger Seeing the diminishing figure of the doctor fading into the distance, Sarah''s mouth couldn''t help but twist into a small grin. "Enjoying this, aren''t you?" a voice sounded behind the waitress. "N-No, no," sadly, Sarah responded a bit too quickly for anyone to believe it wasn''t a lie. "Just doing my job," her words didn''t inspire any confidence. After all, she hadn''t stopped smiling during all this time. Seeing this, Harry shook his head and got to work. "I wish you were so applied in your job every day." "Did you say something?" her employee''s voice rang out, sending a shiver down his spine. "Your imagination," he replied. (She''s got better hearing than her aunt), thought the innkeeper as he walked away to attend to some customers at the bar. "Hump," Sarah didn''t seem entirely convinced but got to work honestly. BAM Suddenly, a noise sounded from one of the tables, and all the customers looked towards the source. When they saw what it was, they decided to ignore it and carry on. At the source of the noise, one of the patrons had drunk too much and fallen to the floor. The waitress went to look for the owner, but he had disappeared again. Sarah sighed. It was always up to her to deal with the mess. Nobody wanted to get involved. Dealing with drunkards was one of the least enjoyable parts of the job, especially when they got handsy. "Hey. Trent. Wake up. This isn''t a ce to sleep," she said as she lightly kicked the guy on the floor. The rest of the customers looked on with pity at the poor guy. Despite her many qualities, delicacy wasn''t one of them. Most of those present were regrs and had experienced her ''care''. In the end, Sarah was forced to lift the guy from the floor and ce him on a chair to sober up. If Zack were here, he''d recognize him as one of the loggers who cut trees in the forest outside the vige. "It''s all his fault. It''s all his fault," he murmured softly. Sarah quieted him down to let him rest. She also knew who he was and what he was talking about. What happened was a tragedy; most of the town knew it, but there was nothing that could be done. That incident wasn''t anyone''s fault. Some people just don''t want to acknowledge it. His blurry gaze kept darting around, and by chance, he saw Zack walking away back to his home. "If he didn''t exist, none of that would have happened." ... After Zack returned home, he started making dinner. It was a bitte, so it was the perfect time. Since he had juste back from shopping, he decided to make something special. Seeing the array of dishes on the table, Titan''s drool reached the floor. If he hadn''t been receiving training these past few weeks, he would have already been diving into the food. Once Zack gave the signal, Titan began eating eagerly. Normally, watching his littlepanion eat with such gusto always brought a smile to his face, but today was different. The conversation this afternoon with Greta had left him worried. The fact that nobles are fleeing the cities and hiding shows that the situation is very serious. In his world, nobility was a significant problem for generations. Fools guided by selfishness caused the deaths of thousands of their subjects due to greed and pride. His contact with nobles during his stay in the castle was extremely limited, but even so, it was enough to see that things weren''t any better here. Moreover, due to the system, he''s sure that the nobles rule their territories with even fewer scruples. That''s because, thanks to the strength and abilities granted by the sses, they have another means by which to consolidate their power. It''s no secret that nobles have a monopoly on knowledge about high-tier sses. A person with a tier 3 ss is enough to quell any disturbance that may arise from mismanagement or mistreatment of the poption. Even if a viger manages to luckily reach tier 3, which is extremely rare but possible, the sses they end up getting aremon sses without any extraordinary factors, within all tier 3 sses. The most important nobles in the kingdom even have exclusive ss sequences for them, allowing their descendants to inherit the same ss thanks to training programs devised by their predecessors. sses of the same tier are also divided into categories: Common, Umon, Rare, Unique, Prestige, and Legendary sses. As you progress through these categories, not only does their power increase, but their conditions for obtaining them also be moreplicated. Known tier 1 sses are onlymon and umon sses; there''s no such thing as a legendary tier 1 ss. For example, Austin''s ss, Fire Mage, is an umon ss. With each tier, the avable categories increase by one. In tier 2, there are onlymon, umon, and rare sses, and so on. People who have managed to ascend to tier 4 are extremely scarce, and, without exception, they are only seen in legends. That''s why they''re called legendary sses. And yet, legendary sses are real. There''s no doubt about that. That''s because there''s one ss that frequently appears throughout history; a ss that possesses enough power to change the course of a war. The Hero ss. Zack is not from this world and doesn''t know what a legendary ss means to the inhabitants of this world. When he and hispanions were summoned, the ritual was conducted under the strictest secrecy, and even the nobles who apanied the king to witness the revtion of their sses were the most loyal and influential in the kingdom. And yet, they were all forced to sign a magical contract that prevented them from spreading the news. Zack did well to hide because the prime minister made sure to search for him throughout the region. In fact, the reason they are looking for him is not because he has fled. People flee every day, and although he possesses a supposed tier 2 magical ss, he is still considered expendable.@@novelbin@@ The real reason they are searching for him is because they know they have summoned a hero. If any of the neighboring countries find out that they have summoned a hero, it would be enough to go to war. That''s why they must prevent any possible way that information could be obtained. Despite all the means he used to hide, he still underestimates the nobles of this world. If it weren''t for the disturbances in the north, there would probably be an exhaustive search in every habitable ce in the kingdom. That doesn''t mean he''s not good at hiding. He just doesn''t know the means avable to the rulers of this world, nor the risk his departure poses. Hearing the arrival of a noble in the vige, he inevitably fears the possibility of being discovered. Who knows if that noble brings with him a mage who can detect him? (Looks like I''ll have to consider the possibility of being detected), Zack thought destely. Life isn''t a game, you can''t y it again. Even if there''s the slightest chance of being found out, it could mean his death. (I can''t rest in peace), he thought sadly as he stroked Titan, who was exhausted from the walk.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 101 Festival (Part 4) "What are you saying?" responded the mayor, scandalized by the misunderstanding. "None of this has anything to do with money," he tried to exin but was interrupted by Trent, who had lost all semnce of sanity. "Nothing to do with money?! Then answer me. Why do you forbid everyone from talking about the matter? Why don''t you want anyone to know about this? Since that incident happened, more and more people havee to the town. How is it that nobody knows what happened?" he asked repeatedly and insistently. The mayor wanted to say something, but the constant barrage he was enduring prevented him from saying anything. The town and the mayor himself have indeed benefited since he prohibited talking about the issue, but it was out of necessity. Has Trent forgotten how the town was left after that disaster? The ce''s reputation was in the gutter, and all the people who had the means to leave had already done so in search of safer ces to live. The only ones left were those who had no resources, and the few who wanted to live and die where they were born. It was thanks to his actions that the town was able to recover. Both he and the rest of the people who stayed have indeed benefited from the prosperity that was so hard to bring about, but it was also the mayor who worked hardest for the town. If he hadn''t personally gone from house to house, talking to people to convince them not to move away, to work together to leave the past behind, we would only find a ghost town in its ce. Do they think he did it for money? With the money he invested in the town''s recovery, he could have gone elsewhere and lived as well as he is now. With every word that came out of Trent''s mouth, the mayor''s anger increased. "Carlo, Bea, Sonia. He left them to die-" "Silence!" Finally, he couldn''t take it anymore. The mayor''s shout echoed throughout the office. Trent didn''t expect the mayor to shout like that, so he forgot what he was going to say. "Do you think I wanted that tragedy to happen?! That I rejoiced to see this town wither away?!" the mayor shouted with a fury not normal for a man his age. "During these years, I have done everything possible to improve things! How many sleepless nights have I spent thinking of new ways to revitalize the town? To bring it back to its old glory. While othersmented their fate, I worked tirelessly to get us to where we are today," he stood up from his seat and looked Trent in the eye. "The town is thriving, the industry is booming, and mercenaries are drawn to the dungeon. What have you done for this town? Besidesmenting, what have you done for the people who still live here?" Trent was about to answer, but at the moment he wanted to say something, the words couldn''te out of his mouth. Everything he thought of sounded too selfish to say out loud. The mayor stared at him while trying toe up with a response that could satisfy him. The room, which had been filled with shouts a while ago, was now silent. It''s not known how much time passed exactly until something broke this moment. Knock Knock "Come in." Unlike the young woodcutter, who was startled by the sound of the door, the mayor responded smoothly, undisturbed. "Excuse me, sir. The inspector has just arrived," said his secretary, who seemed not to have heard the conversation between them before. "Already?" the mayor asked. After turning around, he looked outside. At the entrance of the town hall, there were multiple carriages parked. Multiple residents watched from a distance with curiosity. The news that a nobleman wasing to the town had spread quickly over the past few days. The carriages were guarded by a significant number of guards making sure that no one approached too closely. Thergest carriage bore a golden coat of arms, representing the noble family. It was true. The inspector had arrived in town. The mayor cursed inwardly. It wasn''t the agreed-upon time yet, there was still a long time to go. If he hadn''t listened to his wife, when the nobleman arrived, there would be no one to receive him. "I''ll be right there." Just thinking about the consequences of insulting the new inspector made a cold sweat break out on his forehead. At the same time, he couldn''t help but feel grateful for having obeyed his wife. "We''ll continue this conversation another time." The mayor hadn''t forgotten about Trent, but he had more important things to do. You don''t keep the nobility waiting unless you have a death wish. "Help young Trent find his way out. I''ll go greet the inspector," said the mayor as he quickly left his office. "Wait. We''re not finished." The young woodcutter seemed to want to say something, but he was blocked by his secretary who stood in his way, allowing the mayor to leave without conflict. ... Elsewhere in the city, Max was taking the children to see the decorations and performances that people had prepared for the festival.@@novelbin@@ Despite his somewhat gruff attitude, Max got along very well with the children, and he''s a fully qualified babysitter... sometimes. "Hey. Wait. Don''t go so fast!" shouted Max from a distance, having zero effect. The children had been looking forward to this day all year. No matter how hard he tried, controlling a handful of excited little monsters was a very difficult task. The town residents around him looked at him pityingly as he tried to corral around a dozen children who kept wandering around. Despite it all, he and the children were having a really good time. The town as a whole glowed with a cheerful light. People from all around wereing and going,ughing and talking amongst themselves. Decorations were used only at this time of year, and all sorts of food abounded in the town''s streets. Some street performers showcased their skills to the amazed eyes of the crowd, and music filled the streets, causing everyone to dance where the notes were heard. For the children who were mostly confined to the orphanage, it was a magical time. After several hours of wandering around, Max and the children sat down to rx on street benches to rest while enjoying a local delicacy: hot corn on the cob. Watching the children devour the food eagerly, Max leaned back against the bench, exhausted. There''s no way around it, watching children is an exhausting task, especially when there are so many. "Here you go, Uncle Max." He opened his eyes to see a half-eaten cob of corn offered by one of the children. "What''s wrong? Don''t you want more?" The child nodded embarrassment on his face. He had been taught from a young age not to waste food, but his stomach disagreed with that exnation. "Luckily, I have an iron stomach," said Max as he took the cob and began to devour it. With all themotion, he hadn''t been able to eat anything since they left the house. Seeing him eat the cob, the child put aside his worries and joined the others to y. "This isn''t bad." Watching the children y, he couldn''t help but rx. These past few weeks have been very stressful for him. Since he injured his leg, everything has been veryplicated. Things weren''t easy when he was in full condition, and it wasn''t easy having to depend on Rea to do things. Fortunately, Dr. Matthew was there, otherwise they might have had problems. Thinking of the doctor, Max couldn''t help but show a conflicted expression. What happened was a problem for many in the town. Many people died, including Max''s parents. At first, he was full of hostility towards the doctor, but after all the help he received, he wouldn''t have the face to present himself to Rea if he still harbored resentment towards him. The doctor not only healed him despite his behavior, but he also offered them a simple job that allowed them and the orphanage to survive. Still, some wounds don''t heal so easily.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 103 Festival (Part 6) One must admit that riding in a carriage is very convenient. The group led by the mayor reached their destination in less than 5 minutes. The city''s main source of ie is the dungeon. Due to its low level, it attracts people from nearby cities looking to level up and make some money. Local merchants, seeing therge number of mercenaries staying in the vige, saw a business opportunity and decided to invest their money in creating all sorts of businesses for mercenaries. It is because of them that both the industrial area, responsible for processing materials obtained from the dungeon and supplying mercenaries with weapons and equipment, and themercial area, are widely developed. Brothels, gambling halls, inns, and bars are particrly prominent in this part of the vige. The reason the mayor wanted to seek the support of a noble is that the town''s growth has reached its limit. Originally, this was a small vige with nothing special, isted from the outside. With the appearance of the dungeon, many development opportunities emerged, but it is inevitable that problems also arose. Poor nning, difficult ess to the vige, and the small number of inhabitants became factors limiting its growth. Generationster, the development potential of this site has reached its limit. No matter how hard the mayor tries, there is no way for this ce to grow further. That is why he wanted the support of a noble. With the money he would receive, he could create roads that would connect more easily with nearby towns and cities, demolish and modernize infrastructure, and attract more people to live here. If he manages to convince the inspector, the embarrassing situation where this cecks its doctor will not happen again. Professionals of all sses wille to the vige hoping to advance in the tier, and he, as the initiator, would be rewarded and could regain his family''s glory. Just as the mayor was lost in his fantasies, a very loud voice brought him back to reality. "Hahaha. This ce isn''t bad." In front of him, the supposed inspector was with two women on each arm and a jug of alcohol in each hand.@@novelbin@@ The mayor thought that the first thing this noble did upon entering the establishment was to dismiss the other customers and take over the ce, but it wasn''t like that. At first, the mayor was confused, thinking that this noble had a minimum of respect for others, but he soon understood what was happening. Seeing how the rest of the customers looked enviously as all the women attended to him, a smile couldn''t help but settle in the noble''s eyes, looking at the others disdainfully. As if he were telling them that no matter what they do, they will be different. Under normal circumstances, this kind of attitude would have already caused a fight, but just by looking out the window, one could see arge number of guards around the establishment, awaiting orders. No one would be so stupid as to start a fight they are willing to lose. At his side, a couple of servants catered to their lord. Strangely, despite the behavior he exhibited, none of them showed any signs of difort. Maybe they are used to this, but for the mayor, it was exhausting. It should be noted that they had been here for three hours already. Just as he was thinking of saying something, the young noble set the drink on the table and pulled away from the woman. "I''m hungry. Hey, do you have anything to eat here?" he asked one of the girls. "I''m very sorry, young master, but this establishment doesn''t sell food. If you wish, we can go to a restaurant to get you something to eat," said one of the beauties with a seductive voice. "Nah. That''s fine. Let''s go together. I could use a stretch. Then we can go see other ces," he said as he got up from his seat and started heading toward the exit. "Excuse me," just as he was about to leave the establishment, a voice called out to him. The noble''s steps halted, and he looked back. Before him, a man dressed in elegant clothes approached him slowly. "Who are you?" the noble asked with a cold attitude. The noble who wasughing surrounded by beauties a second ago had disappeared, leaving only a harsh tone and a disdainful gaze. The man, seeing this, bowed respectfully to greet him. "It''s a pleasure. My name is¡ª" "What do you want?" he interrupted with the same tone, not caring to know his name. The man, somewhat intimidated, slowly pulled out a paper from his pocket and presented it to the noble. "Here is the bill for our services," said the man, who was presumably the owner of the establishment, sweating slightly. As soon as his words left his mouth, the atmosphere froze. "Is that so?" The noble stepped forward and took the paper from his hand, looking at it for a few seconds. After seeing what was written on it, he threw the paper to the ground. It took a few seconds for the paper to touch the carpet of the establishment, and the noble didn''t say another word. All he did was look at the owner with cold, emotionless eyes. It was obvious that he had no intention of paying. A bad feeling arose in the hearts of those present, and the owner began to tremble a little. It was at that moment that the noble took a step forward. "Young master," said a voice belonging to his butler, approaching him with wless posture. The noble''s gaze shifted from the owner to his butler. "I remind you that the master sent you here hoping you wouldn''t attract attention. I suggest you don''t waste your father''s efforts on an insignificant conflict," he said without hesitation, not at all intimidated by his master''s actions. Their gazes met for a few moments, but to the people around them, it felt like an eternity. Finally, the noble looked away from his butler and back to the owner of the establishment. "I''m very sorry. I don''t currently have much money. Would it be possible for you toe see meter? I''m sure by then you will have gathered what I owe you," said the noble with a smile, dissipating the atmosphere. "Of course," said the man, still trembling from what had just happened. "Great. Let''s go eat," replied the noble as he continued his exit. As the others left the building behind him, the mayor endured the headache that all this was causing him. It hasn''t been a few hours since the inspector arrived, and almost an incident urred. The only thing this inspector has inspected is the number of girls in this ce. Forget about improving the town, the mayor will be grateful if this day ends without incidents. Seeing the table where the noble was, full of unfinished drinks, the mayor couldn''t help but sigh. Let''s hope nothing happens during his visit.
If you want more chapters visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL I was sick and did not publishing yesterday. I am sorry. Here is the chapter. Enjoy. ?What do you think? Hello. It''s me, the author. First of all, I would like to thank all of you who have apanied me this far with my little project. The reason I''m writing this is because I want to improve my novel and would love to hear your suggestions. I will start reviewing older chapters to look for spelling mistakes (aint I''ve heard frequently), but I would also like to know what you think so far and in which areas I could improve ording to you.@@novelbin@@ Please don''t hesitate to write if you have any constructive suggestions. Thank you all very much. Chapter 110 Festival (Part 13) Did you just leave like that?!" Max shouted in the middle of the restaurant. After Rea left to find Sally''s whereabouts, Zack and Max stayed behind to take care of the children. The puppet show had ended, and the kids were tired from being in the sun and very thirsty, so they decided to take them to a nearby ce to get something to drink and regain their strength. Just like with the noble, it wasn''t tough to find the ce where they were having a drink. All you had to do was ask if anyone had seen a bunch of kids apanied by two adults. When Rea met up with them, they were in a shaded spot drinking. After greeting them and the children, she sat down and began to exin what had happened. After finishing her story, Max stood up from his seat and started shouting, attracting the attention of all the nearby customers. Hearing Max''s usations, all she could do was lower her head. There was no way to deny it. After all, she had indeed returned without Sally. The courage she had shown earlier was nowhere to be found. "Calm down. Are you sure you want to do this here?" Zack warned in a calm tone, pointing to the many people watching them. Looking around and seeing the many onlookers he had attracted, Max realized the scene he was causing and reluctantly sat back down. Seeing that there was not going to be any drama, the rest of the diners returned to their own business, and the atmosphere of the ce returned to its previous state. At their table, however, things were different. Max was looking at Rea with an expression of surprise and pain, as if she had betrayed him, while she kept her head down, trying to avoid his gaze. Seeing how things were, Zack knew they weren''t going to get anywhere. "We''d better eat something. The kids are starting to get hungry too. We can talk afterward," he suggested, trying to ease the tension. Max wanted to continue, but the children''s expressions upon hearing the word "food" made him drop the subject quickly. Never get between a young child and food. That was a lesson he learned a long time ago. Thest time he did, he almost lost a finger. After ordering some food, it didn''t take long to arrive. As soon as the food touched the table, multiple small hands appeared out of nowhere and pounced on it, as if it were a sulent prize. "Yummy!" "Delicious!" "Hey! That was mine!" "I''m thirsty!" Zack, Max, and Rea barely had time to blink before almost half the food had disappeared. "Hey! Leave some for the rest of us!" Max protested and quickly lunged at the remaining food on the table. Zack and Rea didn''tg behind either. Thanks to impable teamwork, the food on the table vanished in no time. "Can you tell us what happened?" Seeing that everyone had finished, Zack knew this was the right moment. Max''s rxed face suddenly tensed, and he focused all his attention on Rea''s words. With a full stomach and some time to calm down, Rea wasn''t as nervous and could not what had happened. Hearing her exnation, Max''s reaction gradually diminished until all his anger had disappeared, leaving only difort and helplessness in him. The same was true for Rea. When she finished speaking, silence took over them. For a moment, no one seemed to know what to say. Zack also said nothing as he finished drinking what he had ordered from the waitress. In his world, he is a minor; he had never tried alcohol and had no intention of starting now. This world ispletely different from his. Although it has simr elements, there are all kinds of things that are not possible in his world: animals, nts, and the different races that exist here, which can only be seen in movies and fairy tales. What Zack was drinking was a non-alcoholic drink of a color simr to beer, made from local herbs, which had a sweet touch and helped with digestion. Usually, only children and women drank that kind of beverage in a bar, so when he ordered it with the food, not only did hispanions look at him strangely, but the rest of the diners looked at him with disdain. Even so, when it arrived, he drank it with pleasure. If he had cared about other people''s opinions, he wouldn''t have been alone in his old world. With his parents'' careers and influence, there was no way he wouldn''t have joined some group if it hadn''t been by choice. "So, what are we going to do now?" Max asked quietly, breaking the silence that had formed. Rea opened her mouth to answer, but the words wouldn''te out, and she closed it slowly afterward. Rea wanted to rescue Sally as much as Max did, but the mayor''s words constantly echoed in her head. As far as they knew, the young noble wasn''t apassionate person. If they dared to demand that Sally go with them, it was unlikely he would let her go with a smile and a hug. They didn''t know how he might react, but it was obvious it wouldn''t be good for them. In the worst case, he could have his men deal with them with a mere gesture of his hand. And precisely because that was possible, they didn''t want to leave Sally with someone like him. Who knows what might happen? Neither of them had any idea, so they looked at the remaining person in the group. Zack ced the jug he had just drunk from on the table and looked them in the eyes. "Right now, there''s only one thing we can do." "Do you have a n?" they asked excitedly. If the doctor had any idea to rescue Sally, half of their problems would be solved. His words made them regain their energy, and they listened attentively. "We can only wait," he finally said. Max and Rea, who had been waiting for his response, felt their hopes dash, and they lowered their heads dejectedly. BAM Zack hit the table, startling them and making them look at him again. "In these circumstances, we can''t do anything. What the mayor said is true; trying to act without thinking could cause serious problems." To be honest, Zack also wanted to help Sally, but the things he could do were limited. Rushing headlong against that noble and his guards was a quick way to end up in prison or worse. Even if they went to rescue her and seeded, what would happen next? Obviously, they would be pursued for it. Recalling his limited experience with nobles, Zack had no hope that a sudden conscience would sprout and they would be forgiven if captured. In the extremely unrealistic case that they managed to escape the pursuit, they couldn''t return to their lives here unless they wanted to live from now on in a cell. Zack was fine, his appearance was modified by magic, and no one would know what he looked like, but what about the others? What about the children? Who would take care of them? This is moreplicated than it seems. It''s not a matter that can be solved with brute force. Zack knew this, and Max and Rea knew it too, but that didn''t stop the helplessness they felt at not being able to do anything to help their friend. Standing by doing nothing wasn''t an option either. "Let''s go home. It''ste," Zack said as he got up to pay the bill. "The only thing we can do now is trust the mayor''s word and hope Sally returns to the orphanage on her own in a couple of hours." None of them seemed satisfied with his exnation, but they couldn''t think of a better idea. Even Max said nothing, knowing it wasn''t the time to make a scene. They got up from the table and left the restaurant with the children. Zack offered to apany them to the orphanage, but they refused, saying it wasn''t necessary. Sigh Watching their slumped backs as they left, he could only sigh. He knew his suggestions had offended them, but there was nothing else he could do. This kind of problem left him without a solution. No matter how much magic he knew, there were problems he couldn''t solve. Even so, the situation wasn''t as bad as they painted it. It was just a spoiled brat who had taken some girls to have fun. He didn''t think the situation would go beyond that. There were many girls more attractive than Sally in the brothels they had visited, and after a couple of hours, that noble would get bored and let her go. Even so, Zack had a bad feeling. Call him paranoid or obsessed. Maybe it was because of his experience in the castle, or perhaps it was due to the number of novels he had read in his life, but despite everything indicating that the matter would end here, he felt it might not be the case.@@novelbin@@ Maybe nothing would happen, but it was thanks to that distrustful attitude that he managed to escape from the pce. Besides, even if the worst situation didn''t ur, it wouldn''t hurt to be prepared. Just when the others had disappeared down the vige streets, he turned around and headed to the market. There was much to prepare... just in case. If you want more chapters visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL Chapter 111 End of the Festival In the middle of the darkness is the best time for predators to start their day. While the herbivores and the good people returned to their homes and rested from their day, the monsters came out of their homes to cause all kinds of disasters. One particr predator was getting ready to do the same. In his eyes was reflected an indescribable suffering that couldn''t be expressed in words. Remembering his story, his eyes couldn''t help but cloud over. Quickly, he shook his head to make those memories disappear: the sadness of being discarded, the abandonment, how he survived despite it not seeming real. (That''s enough) thought the beast. He wasn''t here to remember. He had only one purpose: Revenge. He knew who his target was. He could never forget him. He knew what he was going to do and where he wasing from; the only thing left was to wait. Like a good predator, he silently positioned himself in the ideal spot to ambush his future victim. He didn''t know how long he had been waiting, minutes, hours, days. It didn''t matter. He wouldn''t stop until he caught with his own hands the one who betrayed him. Click Suddenly, his ears twitched at the sound of a lock. His muscles tensed in an attack position, and he crouched, almost glued to the ground so the night could camouge him in its embrace and what was about to happen. The door opened, and he pounced on his prey. ... When Zack got home, it was alreadyte at night. The moon proudly rose on the horizon, and the stars shone brightly. He reached into a pocket of his pants and took out a key to enter. The day had been longer than he thought, and he was somewhat tired. The image of his bed asionally appeared in his mind, whispering promises that seemed very tempting. Too good to be true. Click ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± ¡°Woah¡±@@novelbin@@ As soon as he entered, Titan pounced on him, almost making him fall to the ground. Unlike his normally cheerful tone, this time it was full of resentment. ¡°Grr¡± Not having managed to knock him down, Titan grabbed his pants and started pulling hard. ¡°Hey, stop!¡± Zack ordered without much sess. He tried to shake him off, but Titan clung to him fiercely. When he felt some drool slide onto his sock, he knew he had to stop him. ¡°Okay. You win. I''m sorry I didn''t take you with me.¡± Seeing that the situation showed no signs of resolving, the only thing he could do was change tactics. He crouched down slowly and grabbed his dog by both sides, lifting him carefully and cing him on his chest. Seeing the dog''s distressed face, he could only smile bitterly while petting him, consoling him. When Max and the others came to fetch him for the festival, Zack momentarily thought of taking Titan with him, but in the end, he decided it wasn''t a good idea. Titan had only been living with him for a few weeks, and most of the time they spent alone together. Due to the festival, the streets were crowded, and there were people everywhere. With so muchmotion, it would be very difficult to find him among the people if he were to get lost. If he got nervous because of the crowd and ran away, it was likely he wouldn''t find his way back, or worse, someone might take him. At first nce, Titan looked well-cared for, full of energy, and his coat shone brightly. Not many people would pay to have him as a pet, but getting him for free was a different story. Titan''s reproachful look didn''t seem to lessen with Zack''s apologies. Fortunately, he had an ace up his sleeve. ¡°Are you hungry? How about I prepare some meat for you?¡± Hearing the magic words, Titan''s snout moved slightly, but soon after he stopped looking Zack in the eyes as if ignoring him. It seemed his words had no effect, but... his tail started wagging sideways involuntarily. Seeing this, Zack held back a smile that began to appear on his lips. ¡°Isn''t a big, juicy steak enough for you to forgive me?¡± he continued while watching the tail movements. Titan''s expression didn''t change; he even nced at Zack disdainfully, as if implying that his attempt was pathetic. The tail wagged more and more vigorously. ¡°Well,¡± Zack eximed, ¡°it''s a pity. I was just heading to the kitchen to prepare a big, well-done steak with special sauce, but if even that doesn''t make you forgive me, I better go to bed to rest.¡± The tail stopped dead in the air as if grabbed by an invisible hand. He put Titan down and headed to the stairs to go upstairs when he felt something tugging at him. He looked down and saw hispanion looking up at him sideways, holding onto one of his shoes. ¡°What''s up, Titan? Do you have something to say to me?¡± Zack asked with an innocent smile. He had already noticed that his dog was smarter than any species he had seen on Earth. He didn''t know if it was due to something special or if all the animals in this world were like this, but since he realized, he never treated Titan like an ordinary dog. It should be said that part of the sadness he felt for everything that happened was greatly alleviated by having Titan by his side. Although the time they had been together was shortpared to the time he spent in the castle, Titan had be an irreceable existence. If someone offered him ten times the price he paid for him in exchange for his pet, he would reject it without hesitation. Titan was the one he trusted the most among all the people he had met here. And he knew him better than anyone. The dog''s movements stopped, and his eyes showed an expression of inner struggle. Probably this was the most serious conflict he had faced since he was born. He didn''t know what the right decision was. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Hahaha. I see. So you want a steak.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± In the end, food won the struggle, and he looked up with big, wet eyes as if saying Zack had won this time, but next time he would. ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± Titan ran to the kitchen, looking back asionally to make sure Zack was following him. (Since I have to cook, I''ll make something for myself too,) Zack thought as he followed the dog''s steps. Soon after, the sound of sizzling oil could be heard from the kitchen, apanied by the howls of a dog. ... Half an hourter, humans and dogs were lying on the living room sofa, with their stomachs full and expressions of satisfaction on their faces. ¡°This is bad. I want to go upstairs, but I can''t move.¡± ¡°Woof,¡± his dog replied, sharing his sentiment. They were both silent, savoring the memories of the wonderful dinner they had just enjoyed when the worst happened. Knock Knock They both froze, their eyes slowly turning to the door, wishing what they just heard was a dream. Their hopes were shattered when there was another knock at the door, this time with more urgency. Knock Knock ¡°Titan,¡± he began, ¡°why don''t you try opening the door?¡± Zack looked at him, who turned his head and found something very fascinating on the floor. Knock Knock Time passed, and still no one had answered the door. In the end, Zack got up resentfully and went to open it. And perhaps to torture the person who had disturbed them. Of all the people he thought might appear, when he opened the door, he saw someone he didn''t expect to see at this hour of the night. If you want more chapters visit my patreon: /DaoistwgQxZL