195-202

Chapter 195: Training Begins

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

[Mission completed. Stronghold successfully upgraded. Available room types increased. Probe in intelligence increased.]

Rhode nodded his head while reading the system prompt. He lifted his head and glanced across the cold and gloomy basement. This place used to be a cellar for the nobles to store fine wines, and now it was just another ordinary empty room. Rhode summoned his system prompt and reviewed the construction menu.

[Build — Training Ground (LV1). Confirm to build?]

Yes.

[Building the Training Ground requires 300 gold coin and Sphere of Mystery. Continue?]

Continue.

Rhode answered while looking at the Sphere of Mystery floating by his side.

A golden light shone once again.

It was similar to the time when Rhode repaired this building; the golden light radiated from his hand as it formed a web across the entire room. It quickly analyzed the whole basement and transformed into an intangible material. Along with it, the damp, cold and narrow basement suddenly changed drastically.

Rumble.

The basement started to expand and rise rapidly. Solid, blue slabs coated the moist surface. The shabby rocks on the walls quickly transformed into a fireplace. With that, the flames from the fireplace drove the chilly cold away from the basement and brought warmth. In the corner, wooden and realistic human-shaped targets erected. And in the center, an exquisite sculpture emerged from the ground. The figure resembled a swordsman with a sword in one hand, and the other on its chest. The Sphere of Mystery beside Rhode quietly floated to the palm of the sculpture. From where Rhode stood, he could discern some intricacies from within the complicated and mysterious patterns on the sculpture. The whole statue was a small scale formation that could utilize the Sphere of Mystery's mysterious energy.

It seems like everything is going well.

Rhode nodded to himself with satisfaction. And at that moment, someone knocked on the door behind him.

"Come in."

Rhode replied without turning back. The wooden door opened and everyone entered. When they noticed the change, all of them suddenly became speechless.

"What happened here?"

Marlene was the first to recover. She stared suspiciously at this large training ground. Her memory of this place was vastly different from what it was right now. Previously, when Marlene was appointed to manage the mercenary group, she made a thorough check on every corner of this stronghold. Based on her memories, this should be an empty cellar. But now, what was this?

An illusion spell?

The maiden shook her head. As a Mage, she knew casting such illusions wasn't easy. Moreover, Rhode had never showcased this side of him. And furthermore, the objects that she observed didn't seem to have the slight blurriness that an illusion spell would surely have. Marlene extended her hand and placed it on the wall. The sensation from the dry wood correctly informed her that everything was real.

"Just a little trick."

Rhode didn't want to reveal anything at the moment. In fact, even if he did reveal his methods, where would he start to explain it? He shook his head inwardly and turned towards the group. There were five members present. Anne, Marlene, Lize, Joey and Randolf. These were the main candidates that Rhode had chosen for the mid-summer festival. According to the festival rules, regardless of group battles or individual battles, every guild was allowed to send only five members and one substitute. After all, this festival only lasted for a few days, and the guilds wouldn't be too happy if it dragged on for too long.

"I think all of you know that we are going to represent Paphield Region to participate in the mid-summer festival."

Everyone nodded in unison.

"All of you here will participate in this competition with me."

Although they were already mentally prepared, to hear it directly from Rhode, Anne and Lize couldn't help but feel excited. The mid-summer festival competition can be considered a grand stage that only mercenaries of Munn Kingdom could step on. A small mercenary group's biggest dream was to be accepted and cheered on by others. Marlene had an indifferent reaction as compared to the others. As an heir of the Senia family, she had once participated the mid-summer festival with her family. But at that time, she went as one of the audience.

"But..."

Just when everyone was getting pumped, Rhode changed his tone.

"To be honest, based on your current strength, none of you are qualified for this competition. I can guarantee that if all of you entered right now, it will be a guaranteed loss."

Rhode's straightforward analysis of their current status was like a wet blanket, completely dousing the flames in their hearts. However, they quickly recollected themselves and stole glances at one another. The joy and anticipation of entering the competition turned into embarrassment and insecurity. After all, deep within, all of them understood the strength of the mercenaries taking part in the mid-summer festival competition. If it easy to be champion, how could it be a fleeting dream for most mercenaries?

But the sad truth was that their strengths were indeed insufficient to step up onto that stage. Otherwise, they wouldn't still be in this small little mercenary group.

"Has anyone seen the mid-summer festival competition?"

Other than Marlene, everyone else shook their head. Rhode shot Marlene a look and asked.

"How far do you think you will go if you're up there?"

"Me?"

Marlene frowned and grabbed her staff while considering her answer. After hesitating a while, she spoke with a bit of uncertainty, "I'm not too sure... The semifinals... maybe?"

Hearing Marlene's answer, the other four took in deep breaths. Regarding individual strength, Marlene was unmistakably one of the strongest amongst them. But even she didn't have the confidence to reach the semifinals. This would most likely mean danger for the rest of them.

Rhode tapped on the sculpture next to him and casually said, "So you heard her. I need all of you to strengthen up."

For some unknown reason, all of them seemed to sense that Rhode was rejoicing in their misfortune.

"And now there is a good way to train. I found a Sphere of Mystery during my latest adventure. It can provide a decent training experience, so I will prepare a few enemies for all of you..."

"Sphere of Mystery?"

Marlene cried out in surprise. She quickly walked to the front of the sculpture and examined the floating sphere. Her expression slightly changed.

"This is a... mirage?"

"You know about this?"

Rhode frowned at Marlene's question and asked with surprise. Marlene nodded.

"During my school days, there were similar Spheres of Mystery, where the mirage could produce a training ground and it could even utilize the holder's memories to search for an opponent... I had practiced in there before, but... Mr. Rhode, how were able to find this thing too?"

"Just some luck."

Of course, Rhode wouldn't speak the truth. He shrugged his shoulders and turned towards everyone.

"So then, are all of you ready?"

Although most of them couldn't understand the conversation between the two, they eventually nodded and got ready. Once Rhode saw that they were prepared, he activated the Sphere of Mystery.

Dazzling rays of light erupted from the floating sphere. The blinding radiance forced everyone to shut their eyes, and when they reopened their eyes, the scene gave them a huge shock.

The training ground from before had disappeared entirely and was replaced with a vast, empty, white space. It seemed to stretch to infinity. As everyone looked around and observed this strange place, Rhode's voice sounded once again.

"In here, your equipment will not have any effects. You can only rely on your own battle techniques. But rest assured, your opponents will have an equal level as you so you wouldn't be overwhelmed. But on the other hand..."

Rhode stopped speaking for a moment and shrugged his shoulders while glancing over at the five.

"Perhaps all of you would feel the difference in skill quicker this way."

As Rhode finished, he snapped his finger.

"Boom."

Five human figures gradually walked over from nowhere. Everyone stared at them in confusion.

Those were five adventurers, or maybe could say they look like five adventurers.

There were two males and three females. Ranger, thief, tank, cleric, and mage respectively. Apparently, they were explicitly chosen from each of their classes. But to everyone, these randomly appeared opponents seemed to be dressed rather oddly.

A male ranger stood to the leftmost. He had a warm smile but was outlandish. He was obviously a man, but he had stud earrings on his ears, and even his nose had a weird nose ring. On his back, there was a black longbow made out of wood. Another two blades were sheathed at his waist.

The thief standing beside the ranger was more taciturn. A white mask covered his entire face, and his black caped clothes made him stand out like a sore thumb in this infinite white space. He remained half-squatted, quietly staring at the five.

Standing in the middle was a very sexy female. She seemed to be around twenty over years of age. She held the same golden shield as Anne and had colorful hair which was exceptionally strange. Not only that, she had black earphones in both of her ears as though she was listening to something.

Compared to the three of them who seemed to have a certain spunk, the remaining two were less eye-catching.

The female mage standing opposite Marlene seemed to be the same age as her. She was equipped with a decent blue gown and a staff. A young and inexperienced looking face displayed a sense of kindness. She also had a lively smile, and anyone who met her for the first time would probably think well of her.

As for Lize's opponent, it left her at her wits' ends. Because standing in front of her, was a little girl who could even possibly be younger than Christie. She placed both hands on her hips and stared proudly at Lize. Even though she was obviously smaller and younger than Lize, she had an attitude of a lady boss... which left Lize not knowing how to react.

We finally meet again...

All sorts of feeling welled up in Rhode's heart when he saw these people again. His gaze was warm as he felt the reminiscent sentiments bubbling inside him.

Driss, Blade King, Hot Cigarette Chick, Canary, and Mini Bubble Gum.

The five of them were once the core forces of Starlight Guild and were Rhode's friends. He thought that he would never have the chance to meet them again, but never did he expect to be reunited in this manner.

However, Rhode was clear that the five of them was only a projection from his memories and they didn't have any self-awareness nor soul. Just an empty shell.

But Rhode quickly recovered from his nostalgia. He pointed towards the five adventurers and spoke to the rest, "They are your opponents. 1 versus 1. Let me see what you got."

Rhode said with a smiling expression.

"I hope that all of you wouldn't lose too badly."

Chapter 196: Painful Polishing

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Once again, everything suddenly became white. Along with the deactivation of the mirage, everyone returned to the real world.

However, none of them could stand up on their feet.

"Haa... Haa..."

Randolf laid flat on his back, stared at the ceiling while taking in big mouthfuls of breaths. He was extremely exhausted, not only physically, but also spiritually. During his battle, Randolf didn't have any upper hand at all. And not only that, the opponent countered his every move. Although in the mirage, both he and his opponent had the same level, in other words, the opponent had the same stats as Randolf himself, but he still couldn't gain the upper hand no matter how hard he struggled. This young ranger felt a deep sense of frustration, not knowing what's better to do.

Joey sat on the ground gloomily while wiping the sweat from his forehead and grumbled. It was as if he was considering something and regretting something at the same time. But no one could hear what he was mumbling about.

Anne leaned against the wall. Her shield that was always by her side had already been tossed aside while she closed her eyes and panted deeply. She didn't even have the time to ponder on the battle. The most important mission now was for Anne to recover her physical strength.

Marlene kneeled on the ground, gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. Her body couldn't stop shaking. It was unknown if it was due to her excessive efforts or because she had to accept her shocking defeat. And by her side, Lize looked utterly lost. She didn't know what to do and could only stare blankly.

In the mirage, everyone faced unprecedented defeat. Although the opponents' levels were suppressed to match their own, there wasn't any chance for a victory. Even if they used the same techniques against them, they would fail with no way of knowing how.

"If any of you are unable to take this blow, you can choose to withdraw."

"... To be frank, I'm utterly amazed, Mr. Rhode..."

Marlene collapsed to the ground and took out a towel to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Then, she lifted her head towards Rhode, her eyes filled with astonishment.

"Who exactly were they? That lady's techniques were completely foreign to me, and she was so ingenious and formidable. I was called a genius by others... but it seems to me that the lady is the true genius. What's her name? Why didn't I hear of such a person in the Mage Association before?"

It was no wonder that Marlene would ask so anxiously. When Marlene was sparing with the lady, from the start, Marlene had let her guard down after witnessing the friendly smile displayed from the lady. Thus, Marlene didn't treat her as a formidable enemy.

But after their fight, Marlene finally discovered the hidden strength that the harmless looking lady hid. Under her continuous assault, Marlene didn't even have a chance to counter and was immediately defeated. Marlene thought that she had belittled her opponent too much. But even after she turned serious and concentrated in the battle, the result was still the same. No matter how well prepared Marlene was, as long as the maiden attacked, Marlene would immediately get hit without any chance to react. Marlene could only hopelessly watch herself get caught by the opponent's spells. This wasn't the first time Marlene encountered such experiences. She had experienced them from Grand Mages before, where their strengths were profound and had a more extensive array of magical spells. However, this lady didn't have any specialty. Also, compared to Marlene, this lady only specializes in Wind and Fire elements. Her spells were also lesser than Marlene's, but even so, Marlene didn't stand a chance.

"Me... Me too..."

Lize answered with a shaky voice. She had never seen a cleric with such mighty strength. That girl seemed to be much younger than her, but her massive yet quick attacks caused Lize to think that she was fighting against a mage, and not a cleric. She had no idea how this little girl managed to do it. Lize had once trained in a church, but even the Bishops didn't possess such tremendous power.

Anne didn't fare any better. Maybe due to her bloodline, her energy was stronger than the opponent, but the battle didn't end up any sweeter than Marlene or Lize. The battle techniques used by the opponent broke every one of her expectations. She could never understand how a shield warrior could launch attacks as fast as a swordsman. And even though both of them were using golden shields, that woman had so many other ways to utilize it. Anne thought that she was already familiar with her weapon, but now she discovered she was far from it.

Compared to the girls, Randolf and Joey weren't as devastated by their defeat. Since Anne and Lize were veteran adventurers for a long time, and Marlene was a genius from magic school, they could be considered to have accumulated countless of experiences and confidence. However, Joey and Randolf were new mercenaries, and the first thing they would think of was: 'Those people were so strong!' They would not have similar thoughts with the three maidens like: 'How was it possible they were this strong?".

"They were my comrades and companions."

Rhode answered to Marlene's question and paused for a moment.

"Last time."

"Last time?"

Marlene stared blankly at Rhode's vague answer.

"That's right."

Rhode slightly nodded.

"But they are already gone from this world."

This sentence was indeed true to a certain extent. They weren't in this world anymore.

"We adventured deep into the east and faced an accident right at the end... They had left this world, and I'm the only one left here. So it isn't anything strange if you hadn't heard of your opponent in the Mage Association before. In your terms, that would mean she was just a wild Mage."

Although what Rhode said was neither true or false, he was actually right. However, all these happened back in the game, so naturally, he wouldn't tell it to Marlene.

"Adventure?"

Marlene frowned. She was smart. Thus, she could easily deduce the opponents' true strength. Even though they were battling with the same stats as them, but those people should be much stronger, so how would they even get into trouble during the adventure? But the last part of Rhode's answer left her mouth gaping. Such a powerhouse was actually self-taught without proper systemized magical education? How was this possible? If a wild mage could have such power, who was the real genius?

"Mr. Rhode, the area that all of you went to was..."

"The Deepest Labyrinth."

Rhode casually said the Void Dragon's dungeon's name. And this answer made everyone took in a deep breath.

Known to everyone, one of the forbidden regions within Dragon Soul Continent was the Deepest Labyrinth. It was practically on the top of the list. That area forbade any entrance to anyone. Anyone who entered wouldn't make it out alive. Even the strongest didn't dare to adventure there, yet Rhode and his men dared to. Just based on this, they were considered much more courageous than most of the elites.

And Lize suddenly realized why Rhode was hurt back then.

Although Rhode didn't explicitly state it, they had more or less guessed it. These young geniuses that possessed immense strength were confident in challenging the 'Deepest Labyrinth,' yet they had failed with only Rhode surviving. Based on the skill that they previously displayed, if their original strength was much stronger, it wasn't weird for them to go on the most dangerous adventure.

But at the same time, Marlene felt that it was a great pity. If those people were still alive, they could very well be the new legends of this continent...

If it were in the past, Marlene would still doubt Rhode having such powerful strength, but that notion completely faded away now. The mirage could completely reconstruct one's memories, so these people clearly existed in Rhode's mind and not purely imagination. To be able to lead such a strong team into the most dangerous region and come out alive, Marlene had no doubts about Rhode's strength and leadership.

Not to mention, in her heart, she had another point to prove her stand.

But... compared to them, she was too weak.

Thinking of this, the trio's hearts sank. Regardless if it was Marlene, Lize, or Anne, they had once considered that they could be of help to Rhode by being alongside him. But now it seemed otherwise, as compared to those companions from before, they were absolutely useless. Although Rhode had never grumbled about this, they wouldn't ignore the truth. They were far from the level where they could fight alongside Rhode.

That was the hard truth. In a normal adventure, Rhode seldom chose to fight alongside them. Most of the time, he would give out commands and fight the enemy one on one whenever a dangerous situation occurred. However, now that they discovered the difference in skill, it seemed like he felt that their strength wasn't enough to help him during times of peril.

Rhode didn't deny this thought. He stood by the side and observed everyone's expression. He knew he was strict on these people. The top ten most outstanding men he had in Starlight Guild had at least level 60 equipment sets, and none of the BOSSes below the second tier could threaten them at all. Even in PK, they greatly surpassed the other players. In the last three years, during the official competition, the first to the sixth place belonged to the Starlight Guild. And the guild battles to determine the champion would always include the five of them. Rhode led his guild to glory, and no one could challenge his status.

To the natives of this gaming world, this goal was indeed too far away. To put it bluntly, even if the players were naked without any equipment or weapons, if the NPCs could manage even to touch a hair on their head, they would be considered very powerful within the ranks of the NPCs.

Of course, Rhode knew what impact this would bring to his men. But he chose to quietly observe. After all, in future battles, they would need to build a robust mental resistance, and defeat was a good way to hone it. They must be able to withstand failures and embrace them to become stronger. Even though they weren't players, but Rhode thought that they could also learn a few things. Although talent trees and skill points were non-existent, skills and reflex could be sharpened. This was the most important part. Like Rhode, even though he started again from scratch and lost all his godlike equipment, he used his skills and knowledge which eventually worked out well. So now, the five of them would need to figure it out themselves.

"I'll say it once more. If you think that you can't handle the pressure, you can choose to withdraw."

Rhode repeated himself. The five of them looked at each other and eventually shook their head.

"I... I think I can do it. Mr. Rhode."

Marlene stood up while gritting her teeth.

"That lady was indeed powerful, but isn't that what I need? Please do not forget why I am here in the first place."

"Me, Me too..."

Lize raised her hand.

"I'm not afraid of such challenges, Mr. Rhode. I can do it."

"Anne wouldn't give up."

Anne clenched her fist and waved it. Her eyes revealed some excitement.

"Anne had never met such a powerful opponent before, so how can I choose to give up."

"Us too, Leader."

Randolf and Joey stood up and answered firmly.

"Good."

Rhode nodded approvingly.

"From tomorrow onwards, all of you better be prepared for special training."

Chapter 197: Hellish Training

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

You lose some; you win some. Christie understood this meaning.

Now she could finally follow Rhode around Deep Stone City. Out of concern, refrained from sending her out alone. And in fact, after many years of torture and sadness, the little girl was vigilant against crowds. While she hoped to broaden her horizon, she was afraid of getting hurt. And only by Rhode's side would she feel strong enough to do so.

And now, she'd done it.

Bright rays of sunlight illuminated the busy streets of the market. It was noon, and everyone was working hard to begin their daily chores. The sellers were advertising their products and greeting the customers. Rhode held Christie's tiny hand as they strolled along the busy market street of Deep Stone City.

The duo wore a cloak to cover their faces before heading out to prevent unnecessary trouble. This short 'trip' was actually something enjoyable for Rhode, but of course, the main reason was to purchase some of the things that Christie loved. To be frank, Rhode had no idea how to resolve the issue of boredom for Christie. If the two of them had met on Earth, Rhode could still find some activities for her to keep her mind off things, such as browsing the internet or reading a book. But alas, in this world, leisure activities and entertainment were sorely lacking. Most of their entertainment consisted of the city's night-life, which was definitely something Rhode wouldn't allow her to experience at her age.

The little girl stuck to Rhode's side while she tightly gripped his hand. At the same time, she didn't forget to sate her curiosity by gawking at the nearby buildings as well as the little bits and oddities around the Deep Stone Market. For a person who had lived in a small village all her life, she felt that Deep Stone City was simply too unbelievable! From the buildings on the top of the rock walls to the endless pit down below, Christie didn't let any minor attraction slip from her sight. Even the faraway harbor wasn't any less attractive than the marketplace that she was currently at.

Her only regret was that the older sisters who treated her very well weren't able to accompany her on this sightseeing trip. Ever since Rhode's return, Christie had seldom seen Lize and the rest around. Every day, they would leave their rooms with a complex expression, and would only return in the evening with pale faces. Sometimes, they were too tired and simply skipped their dinner.

"What are the older sisters doing?"

Christie asked Rhode curiously. But Rhode's answer was much vaguer than she imagined.

"They want to be stronger."

Christie didn't understand the meaning of this sentence. But since Rhode said it, so it shouldn't be wrong... but still, she wanted to know what were the sisters really doing.

Thinking of this, Christie turned her head towards the direction of their stronghold.

–

"Ahhhh!"

Marlene let out a huge sigh and leaned against the wall. Her forehead was full of sweat. To the side of her, Lize didn't look any better. As for Anne, she sprawled on the ground, spreading her limbs in all directions. Not far away from them were Randolf and Joey who were even more pathetic. They weren't even able to keep their consciousness alive.

In front of the three maidens stood the illusionary figures which Rhode had summoned from his memories. The illusory figures can last for a long time within the mirage, and could even act on the summoner's interests. So without the need of physically being there, he only needed Marlene to activate the Sphere of Mystery and everyone would be brought into the mirage for training.

"No, this is unacceptable."

Marlene shook her head, bit her lips and faced forward. A maiden dressed in a blue gown was still smiling at her as if she met an old friend. But Marlene could never forget the scene where she was utterly defeated within three short seconds.

Marlene gritted her teeth in frustration when the previous battle flashed in her memories once more. Luckily, Marlene had always maintained her well-disciplined disposition, which prevented her prideful self from crumbling due to failure. If she were arrogant and self-satisfied with the title of 'genius', then Marlene would have already found a place to hang herself, as this blow to her ego was too huge for her.

While her self-control was strong, it didn't help Marlene's abilities to improve. No matter how well she was prepared for the battle, she would totally falter under the opponent's attack and taste the bitter fruit of defeat within the next five seconds. And furthermore, her opponent displayed magical skills that far exceeded her knowledge.

She knew that the key to victory was to exploit the fact that her opponent only specialized in Wind and Fire, whereas for her, she had a total of five elements at her disposal. Since that was the case, her opponent shouldn't have much variety in her skills, so she concluded that once she understood the casting pattern, she could attempt to counterattack.

After a consecutive series of losses, Marlene's perseverance paid off and managed to memorize her opponent's skill rotation. Just as Marlene had imagined, her opponent's spells were limited.

But even with that knowledge, Marlene wasn't able to clinch a victory.

This was because Marlene had forgotten an important point. In an actual battle, the number of skills one had wasn't the most important deciding factor. Instead, the critical timing and appropriate use of skills were of higher importance.

True, her opponent was indeed only specialized in Wind and Fire, but because of that, she didn't have to choose from a broad repertoire of spells and could just use them as it is. But as for Marlene, she had too many different elemental spells to choose from, and she didn't know which one to use for each differing situation, thus, confusing herself in the end. Although Marlene's hard work managed to allow her to defend herself against the first attack, she would be blown away the very next second.

Stay calm, calm... think of Mr. Rhode's advice...

Biting her lips, Marlene once again thought of Rhode's advice. He would gather them every night and debrief them regarding the battle techniques and insights. These were very useful, especially to the mercenaries who lacked battle experiences.

"I think that all of you had a glimpse of their battle styles, and I believe some of you may have already discovered the secrets in their techniques. Using the timing to ensure that there aren't any loopholes in their attacks, and also to attack continuously without stopping. But of course, when we discuss about attack or defense, these terms are seen as a means to an end. In battle, he who controls the battlefield is king. Thus, there are two core terms which you must understand, control and anti-control. If you can control your opponent's movements, then the next clash wouldn't be too difficult. However, if you get controlled by them instead, then you will feel the results yourselves."

Control...

Marlene mumbled to herself. She could obviously understand the meaning of this word. However, the truth remained the same, even if she attacked or defended from the start, she felt the battle didn't proceed as she intended. She was like a boat going against the waves, losing control under the storm and inevitably falling into a perilous situation.

Thinking of this, Marlene frowned. She realized that she had a misconception. Right until now, she had been focusing on how to prevent and break the opponent's rotation of spells. But instead, these were only strategies in battle. Even if she could try stopping her opponent's attack once, she wouldn't be able for the other as she hadn't turned the tide of the battle in her favor. Her countermeasures were still within her opponent's calculations. Therefore, her initial resistance didn't mean much to the outcome of the battle.

In other words, she shouldn't focus on how to defend and counterattack, but she should think of how to break the control of the opponent, and turn it to her favor?

But if she used this method, didn't it mean that she needed to defend and resist against the opponent's aggression too?

Between these two, what were the differences?

Unlike Marlene who was frowning and deep in thought, Lize quietly remembered the battle techniques she studied from the little girl. She could cast the same skills as the little girl and was clear of the theory. But Lize had never used these skills offensively, and now, she was akin to a traveler who had just discovered the new continent, greedily observing the unknown creatures.

Although they went through similar training, the five of them had different views towards it. Randolf and Joey were newbies, so they didn't have their personalized styles or determination. Therefore they hoped to learn how to fight by observing strong opponents. As for Marlene, she had possessed sufficient spells, and now she needed to know how to utilize them to their full potential. Anne wished she could improve herself by battling such strong opponents. Whereas for Lize, she was still considering and understanding the connotation of the techniques.

Rhode didn't expect them to defeat their opponents since these people were the top ten players in the gaming world. Even if Lize and the rest carried a certain amount of talent, but to obtain the same level of strength in such a short period was clearly impossible. But this wasn't his only motive. He hoped that Marlene and the rest could derive the best battle techniques for themselves. These experiences would be extremely beneficial for their future growth. Learning step-by-step had its merits indeed. Just like Marlene, with her abilities, she wouldn't have any problems bullying some underground giant, but if a nine-headed serpent appeared, then she would immediately be at a loss. It wasn't only because of her unfamiliarity with the monster, but also because of her lack of battle experiences with beings that were stronger than herself.

Right now, Rhode was training them mentally and physically to fight superior opponents. In the upcoming mid-summer festival, they would meet powerful enemies... or at least it would be considered powerful in their point of view.

If they didn't have necessary preparation against stronger opponents, then no matter how familiar they were with their skills or techniques, they would fail miserably when it came to the actual fight,

The only factor which made Rhode worried was their lack of time. The mid-summer festival was only two months away, and after these few days, the ban by the Mercenary Association would be lifted. At that time, they would re-invest their time into the missions. While Rhode didn't need to acquire more points to ensure that his mercenary group would promote to a guild, but he still needed some missions to rally his men. Those newly joined mercenaries didn't get to know himself too well, and the only way to bond the mercenary group together was in battle.

But this means that he would need to pick a dangerous mission. Humans tend to fight for themselves when they're relaxed, and only when life-threatening situations occur would they fight alongside each other. Rhode didn't intend to find some ordinary mission to polish the group, so, in his mind, he thought of selecting a mission that wasn't too far away, yet slightly dangerous. Furthermore, if the mercenaries witnessed his abilities firsthand, then they would grow to trust him more.

But as Rhode mused about this matter, his train of thoughts was interrupted by Christie.

Rhode lowered his head and looked at Christie who pulled onto the hem of his garment.

"What's wrong, Christie?"

"... Rhode... What's that?"

The little girl asked curiously while extending her hand and pointed to the front.

Chapter 198: Brilliant Colors

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Rhode turned around and looked at the direction that Christie was pointing.

Both of them had walked to the middle of the market, stopping at a circular flight of stairs. This location was a designated section of the market for shop owners or customers alike to take a break. However, since it was still noon, most of the citizens were still hard at work, leaving only a few people at the resting area. A few children and elderly were sitting and chatting by the side while small street performers There were also street performers preparing for their next act.

Christie pointed to a man that was wearing a green overall with a feather on top of his hat. He was sitting on a chair and drawing on a white canvas in front of him.

"That's an artist."

Rhode identified the man with a single glance.

"They are here to draw sceneries and human portraits. And if anyone likes their art, then they would request to purchase them. Of course, if these artists found someone intriguing to draw, then they wouldn't hesitate to take the initiative to ask..."

Rhode frowned as he explained. In fact, he had been approached by artists several times when he passed the market. And of course, Rhode didn't comply. As these people were only ordinary civilians, he didn't want to be put into a situation where he had to kill them with his sword. If it weren't for Christie being with him today, he would've just avoided this place.

"What's the matter? Are you interested?"

He knew he couldn't avoid it since Christie's eyes were already beaming with curiosity.

"Sigh... then let's go."

Rhode sighed and held the little girl's hand before walking to the artist.

"Oh! Greetings to both of you, it's a pleasant day today."

The artist immediately sprang up upon Rhode and Christie's arrival. He exaggeratedly but passionately bowed towards them. His unusual and overstated tone was as if he was singing, but was severely out of tune.

"May I know how I could be of help to both of you? If it's for a portrait, I guarantee to give my 200% passion, so please rest assured. I, Francisco, am a well-known professional of Deep Stone City, and I have reasonable pricing. Just five silver coins. Five silver coins is all I humbly request, and I can draw you a beautiful portrait of your esteemed self. Customer satisfaction guaranteed! If you're unhappy with the outcome, then you can refund it for free!"

"... Sir... Are all these hand-drawn?"

Christie didn't seem to have any reactions to the self-proclaimed artist's exaggerated words. Her attention was solely focused on the art pieces displayed. It was Deep Stone City's mountain scenery. Other than his bragging, the art that this artist produced was indeed something. Some of the other artists in Deep Stone City were so terrible that Rhode couldn't even make out what they were drawing. Did it resemble an alien or human? The answer was neither. Furthermore, Rhode's standard of art wasn't THAT high. As long he could understand what they were drawing, then that was good enough. Thus, for those abstract pieces, he would rather leave it to the professionals to debate.

"Of course, my lady."

His eyes studied his potential customers, and judging from the laced cloak she wore; he concluded that this girl in front of him should be one of the daughters that belonged to a particular noble family who slipped out to play.

"All these artwork were drawn by me. If you are interested, please feel free to appreciate them."

Christie hesitated at Francisco's warm invitation and eventually chose to stay behind Rhode's back. She held onto Rhode's hand as she curiously peeked from the sides. As she admired the landscape and humans on the canvas, she remained silent in thought. Meanwhile, Rhode kept quiet while he caressed her hair gently and waited for her next decision.

But he soon discovered that Christie was concentrating on a portrait drawing by the side. The portrait was depicted a little girl and her mother. The mother was carrying her child, and both of them revealed a warm smile. This artist's piece was indeed on point. He was able to invoke the emotions of others through his drawing. However, he wasn't sure if it was the same for Christie.

And at this moment, Christie finally spoke.

"... Sir... Can you please draw a portrait of myself?"

"That's not a problem, my lady."

Having acquired a new customer, Francisco passionately moved up a step and quickly placed a fresh sheet of white canvas on his easel. Next, he politely gestured to Christie to come closer.

"Please stand here."

"I... I need to stand there?"

Hearing the artist's request, Christie opened her eyes wide with surprise. She grabbed onto Rhode's clothes with uncertainty. Hearing her question, Francisco laughed as he felt this little girl was too interesting. Could it be that she doesn't know what to do?

"Yes, of course, my lady. I need to have a good look at you so I can draw you. How am I suppose to draw if you are wrapped up in your cloak? I can't possibly draw you like that."

Francisco explained to Christie while smiling and waving his carbon pen. However, the little girl still seemed to possess some lingering hesitation and looked at the crowd with uncertainty. Rhode had already read Christie's thoughts and knew that Christie absolutely wanted a portrait, but she felt uneasy in crowded places. Now that it was bustling with noise and excitement, he could imagine the amount of attention she would receive after removing her cloak. For Christie, it was torture.

"Don't worry, Christie."

Rhode tapped on her little shoulders lightly and consoled her.

"Go ahead. I will be by your side to protect you. Don't worry; no one will do anything to you."

"..."

Christie finally nodded after listening to Rhode's comforting words. She stayed silent for a moment before summoning enough courage to walk forward. But before she took her third step, the little girl suddenly stopped walking. She stared at the portrait once again and turned around, pulling on the hem of Rhode's clothes.

"... Rhode..."

"Yes, Christie?"

"Can you do it with me?"

"..."

Hearing Christie's request, Rhode's heart dropped. He suddenly realized he had jumped deep into this pit that he dug for himself...

In any case, Christie was a girl, and people would say: 'What a beautiful and sweet looking little girl!' Which, in her case, was a compliment for a female.

But for himself?

'What a beautiful and sweet looking man...?"

Thinking of this, Rhode had the urge to draw his sword and kill anyone who said that.

If it was anyone else who requested Rhode for this, he would never comply. But as for Christie, Rhode could never reject her. Similarly, just like Christie could only truly be at ease with Rhode by her side. So, Rhode could choose to reject everyone else, but he definitely couldn't reject Christie. He didn't know why it was this way, just like how Christie didn't understand why she would be fondly attached to Rhode. Perhaps the similar appearance might be one of the reasons, but there was probably another deeper connection between them which they themselves can't understand yet.

In the end, agreed to Christie's request.

Rhode's worries were indeed reasonable. After removing his cloak, both of them received quite a lot of attention. The elderly and children that were resting on the stairs started flocking over curiously. Even the workers who were busy also noticed the crowd surrounding Rhode, which piqued their curiosity. After all, it was no surprise as both of them were beautiful, and looked almost identical.

After Francisco saw both of their faces, he was also inexplicably over the moon. As an artist, of course, he wished to retain beautiful things. Francisco wanted to compliment both of them again, but Rhode's deathly gaze brought him back from fantasy.

As everyone stood in a circle and watched, Christie became increasingly nervous. She inched closer to Rhode's side and clung tightly to his clothes with both hands. Rhode stroked the girl's long hair, and at the same time, shot daggers at the surroundings with his cold gaze. It proved useful, as some people within the crowd started moving away. Although Rhode didn't like his face, his special features were actually useful for making announcements. All the bullies and rogues knew about the incident when Rhode killed someone outside the Mercenary Association. Due to his distinctive facial features, everyone could recognize him.

After dispersing the crowd, Rhode and Christie finally could relax for a while. Francisco also started to display his artistic flair as his fingers flicked left and right on the canvas with incredible speed.

Francisco's speed wasn't slow at all, which was to be expected because he did this for a living. If he needed a few hours to complete a portrait, then it would be questionable if any model would want to stand there for that long. Also, Rhode's killer eyes subtly forced this artist to increase his speed to ensure his customer's satisfaction. Francisco didn't think that this was a bad deal either. He felt lucky that both of them had outstanding traits, unlike his other customers who required necessary touchups which took up some time.

So, without letting both of them wait for too long, Francisco quickly finished his artwork.

"Both of you, please enjoy."

Rhode took the canvas and carefully examined it. He had to admit that this artist was well versed in his profession. He captured a very sensitive motion between the two of them as the theme of his art. On the canvas, Rhode was caressing Christie's hair gently with his head lowered, revealing a warm smile. Whereas the little girl lifted her head, both of her hands were clinging to Rhode's clothes, and her slightly dilated eyes were filled with intentions to never part with him. Anyone who viewed this portrait would lament to the harmonious and beautiful relationship between the two of them. Even Rhode who had experience with photoshopped pictures on the internet exclaimed in admiration after looking at the final product.

"The time is limited, so this was all I can do."

Francisco revealed a helpless smile.

"If you would grant me the pleasure, I wish to spend more time to touch up on..."

"That's not necessary. This is good enough."

Looking at the portrait in his hands, Rhode nodded his head with satisfaction. Later, he handed it to Christie and tossed a gold coin over to Francisco. Francisco, who was shocked at the gold coin on his palm, tried to bite it with his teeth as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Then he exposed an excited, smiling face.

"Thank you for your kindness, my esteemed customer. You are too kind. To be honest, I had actually decided not to charge a fee. As an artist, to preserve eternal beauty is my pride. It is my honor for you to give me this chance, and I..."

Rhode nodded his head without any interest to listen to what he had to say and immediately pulled up his cloak with the intention of leaving. However, suddenly, a female voice sounded out.

"Never did I expect to see such a beautiful little girl here."

Followed by this voice, a woman who was exceptionally well-dressed, appeared in front of Rhode and Christie. She smiled as she looked at the little girl and extended her hand.

"Come, little one, let this older sister take a good look at you."

Facing the woman's extended hand, Christie was a little terrified. She moved back and shrunk her lower body. And at this moment, Rhode grabbed onto the woman's wrist.

Chapter 199: Old Walker's advice

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

"Mister, what are you doing?"

The woman didn't have any change in expression even when Rhode grabbed her wrist. When Rhode noticed her smiling expression despite exerting force, his eyes immediately narrowed and increased the strength of his grip.

"Oh... So you recognize that I am a 'Mister'."

"Yes... of course, Mister."

Not just anyone could resist Rhode's strength when he displayed his power. The woman's expression gradually sank and painfully forced a smile. To alleviate some pain, she leaned her body against the youth and smiled while raising up her chest. A white and ample chest bulged from the small crack in between her collar. However, instead of focusing on her chest, Rhode discovered something worth his attention. It was a silver ivory necklace hanging on her chest.

The woman struggled to free her hand and said, "I only wanted to take a closer look at this little lady here. She's indeed adorable, isn't she?"

She turned to Christie once again, but this time, she didn't dare to attempt to touch her. Instead, she took a few steps back. She revealed a discontented face at Rhode as if she was furious towards his ungentlemanly behaviour. But that expression only lasted for but a moment before she shrugged her shoulders and gave a soft laugh.

"You don't need to be tense, Mister. I am nothing but just a normal woman. That is no way to treat a lady. But I admit I was kind of rude, so... I will take my leave."

After finishing her sentence, the woman smiled lightly, nodded towards Christie, and departed. Rhode gave a glance at the woman's retreating figure before lowering his head and discovering a slip of paper in his hand.

"... Rhode...?"

Christie's tiny voice sounded in Rhode's ear. She dubiously raised her head and eyed him. Rhode didn't respond immediately and simply kept the slip of paper. Then, he looked back at Christie and revealed a gentle smiling face.

"Christie, do you have anywhere else you want to go?"

It was already evening when Rhode had brought Christie back to their stronghold.

It was a rare opportunity for them to be able to take a break. Christie spent most of her time recovering and seldom head out. The furthest she went was the path at the stronghold's garden. Whereas for Rhode, he spent most of his time on building the mercenary group and working on missions. Thus, this trip was a great way for both of them to take a break from their usual routine. However, compared to the energetic Christie, Rhode seemed to be rather exhausted. After all, as a male, shopping clearly wasn't their list of interesting things to do. But for a female, a hobby such as shopping had already blended into their soul and blood. Christie was no different.

But to prevent the little girl from falling sick, Rhode decided to return to the stronghold. Though, emotionally, Christie was feeling great, but her body wasn't able to support a prolonged exercise. Thus, she had no choice but to head back to rest.

After sending Christie to her room, Rhode made his way to the lounge on the first floor with the intention to relax. After a full day of shopping, Christie was physically tired while Rhode was mentally drained. No matter how much he looked like a woman, he still couldn't understand the source of passion that women have for shopping. Was there any meaning to window shopping? In other words, if there isn't any intention to buy, why go shopping in the first place?

Rhode couldn't find the answer to this question.

However, when Rhode stepped into the lounge, he unexpectedly met someone.

"Yo, kid."

[PMO]障がい者向け業務創出/管理案件 - VBA・145万円/月

Old Walker sat by the table beside the window. Noticing Rhode's arrival, he waved to him.

"You're back?"

"Yes, I'm back."

Rhode scanned the room. Originally, this room was a recreational room for nobles, but now, the room was empty save for the few tables and wine buckets in the corners. Usually, there would be more mercenaries in the room, but since the ban wasn't uplifted yet, many of them went out.

"... Never did I imagine that the mercenary group would grow to such large numbers. We already have so many members..."

Old Walker sipped on the fine liquor and stared out of the window.

"At that time, when you and Lize invited me to join, so many mercenaries mocked the both of you. Heh... a 3-man mercenary group? Who would have thought?" Old Walker laughed. "I was the same as those mercenaries as well. I also wished for your failure. Ah.. but alas, you disappointed me...."

Old Walker's voice suddenly trailed off, and he lifted his wine cup.

"Kid, what exactly do you want to achieve? I had been a mercenary all my life and seen many kinds of people. Someone of your caliber would have high aspirations and lofty goals. I believe that the reason why you built this mercenary group isn't merely for seeking thrills in adventures right?"

"..."

Rhode didn't answer. He simply shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand.

"Of course I have my plans, old man."

As they say, 'not to reciprocate is against etiquette.' Since Old Walker had always called him a 'kid' every time they spoke, then Rhode wouldn't mind calling him "old man".

"You just need to sit tight and watch. Since you are already so old, it's hard to change anything now anyway, isn't it?" Rhode smirked.

"Tch."

Old Walker groaned at Rhode's playful remark. But then his face suddenly became serious.

"... I don't care what you want to do. But you need to be mentally prepared that not everyone would think or act like you. Your great ambitions may only be a burden to them... I hope you can remember this point, mercenaries... are sometimes... only mercenaries after all."

Old Walker's face turned gloomy. He lowered and shook his head while sighing. Then he stood up and walked towards the wine buckets by the wall. Rhode's eyes tracked the aged man without saying anything.

"I had such an experience once."

While he filled his wine cup, Old Walker said.

"At that time I was so full of mettle, and thought that I was omnipotent. I wanted to increase our power ever so badly." Old Walker said with deep nostalgia in his eyes. He looked at the ceiling and continued, "Our prestige would ring throughout the ages, we would be richer than kings, and even the bards would sing our feats for eternity."

"My close comrades and I had once thought this way, but, the truth was otherwise. Not everyone was interested in this future of mine. They didn't care about money nor fame. They didn't wish to risk their lives entering dangerous areas in order to guard the peace of mankind. In the eyes of death, they chose to cower. They had no desire to battle against the fiendish devils and rotting undead in icy cold regions underneath the earth. Many would eventually die without any reputation, and even worse, their bodies couldn't even find peace as they had a chance of reanimating as undead. Thus, the bulk of them chose to bring money back to their hometown and live a comfortable life. I had once felt betrayed, but now it seems like I was the one that was too ridiculous..."

The old man forced a smile but his voice was filled with bitterness.

Rhode sunk into silence after hearing the old man's words. He had never considered this question before. But now, the old man's words drove Rhode into contemplation.

What was the mercenary group's future going to be?

If everything were smooth sailing, after the mid-summer festival, Rhode's mercenary group would be promoted to a guild. This would be one of the biggest dreams a mercenary could ever have. No matter if it was Lize or Anne, they were working hard towards their goal. But what comes after? Would they idle their lives away?

Rhode certainly didn't wish for that to happen. To become a guild wasn't the end, but the start of everything. Eventually, his goal was to acquire a territory and build a force strong enough to resist against the Country of Light and Darkness as well as the following battles after that. Previously, Rhode felt that this wasn't difficult, after all, he had already experienced the calamity once, so he wouldn't lose the second time. But Old Walker's timely reminder made Rhode realize that he had subconsciously assumed the ideology of players to be similar as NPCs.

Players would never have issues with being fed up. Once they discover new missions and dungeons, they would try to conquer it. Furthermore, owning territory in a game was one of the important end-game milestones for most players, and they would probably explode with excitement once attained. The acquiring of items through hard work, managing guild resources and gaining prestige from difficult quests were all powerful sources of motivation which drove the player forward in the game. But as for NPCs, their motivation to battle was far different as compared to players. The most significant reason was that NPCs only had one life, whereas players could just revive again and again. Because of this, the NPCs valued their life over anything else.

Rhode knew a lot of Old Walker's history, but those were only widely known information. Initially, Rhode thought Old Walker was depressed because of his injury. But after hearing this story, he realized that Old Walker was already disappointed with his companions before he had gotten injured.

He used justice and glory to motivate his companions, but it seemed that these imaginary things didn't appeal to them. Meanwhile, Rhode intended to use equipment and power to lure in mercenaries. Will his method work?

It was as though you and your companions had just cleared a bandit camp and received a fortune that was enough to last a lifetime. Later, you received news that there was an evil dragon which dropped legendary equipment and weapons. And if you defeated it, everyone would hail you as heroes to the kingdom.

So what would the NPCs choose?

If it were the players, without a doubt, they would choose to slay the dragon.

As for the NPCs? Would they really want to challenge the dragon knowing fully that they might perish? After receiving ample resources to live a peaceful life, would they continue to choose to fight? No one could confirm this. But Rhode was clear that once the war started, no one could escape.

Despite knowing what the future holds, nobody would believe him if he told them. Just like now, most of the people living in Deep Stone City were satisfied with their peace. They had no idea that Country of Light and Darkness would start a war soon and Country of Darkness would target the Munn Kingdom as their first stepping stone. Peace is like a soap bubble, beautiful, yet fragile. Just a light nudge would destroy everything. However, the majority would choose to remain in this soap bubble, not willing to face the truth.

"Thanks for your advice, old man."

Rhode stood up as he realized that he might need to re-consider this point.

"You're welcome, kid. Anyway, I was merely grumbling, and that's all I can say about these matters. It's up to you if you wish to heed them or not. I'm already an old man, so I don't care much anymore. Who knows how much longer this old life of mine can last?"

After downing another cup, Old Walker returned to his peaceful self. He wiped his mouth and stared at the youth who was leaving.

"What? Are you still heading out at this hour?"

"I'm going on a trip to Glorious Star. When Marlene and the rest return from their training, help me inform them that they do not need to wait for me tonight."

"Glorious Star?"

Hearing Rhode's reply, the old man was stunned, but he soon he revealed a sly smile.

"Heh heh heh kid, you finally couldn't hold it any longer eh? The chicks there are splendid. As I said before, as men, how can we not go there for a good time? That is the best place in Deep Stone City. Every day, you have so many beautiful girls by your side, but you can only look at them. I must hand it to you. You successfully held in your urges until now. Go on, kid, I will cover up for you. If Miss Lize and the other girls asked, I will tell them that you went to do something important!"

Rhode shook his head when he heard his teasing.

However, it wasn't like he was lying. Like what Old Walker had said, he was indeed about to do something important.

Chapter 200: A Warning from Dark Fang

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

In the Dragon Soul Continent, there wasn't much 'entertainment' for the people at dusk. When evening fell, nobles would usually pass the time in a drinking party, mingling and laughing throughout the night. Whereas for the commoners, they could only afford the cheaper beer in pubs. Those with wives would spend time at home, and as for the bachelors, their only choice was to find night services from brothels.

Glorious Star was one of the many venues to provide warmth for these bachelors. But it differed from most other low-class brothels, as the place largely serves rich customers. Their furnishings and decorations were grand and proper. And from the exterior, you'd never guess that this was a place for 'dirty businesses', but rather a high-class inn instead.

Back in the game, players also visited such venues. Of course, the bulk of them held filthy motives when doing so. Some of the brazen ones unabashedly slapped their money on the table and gestured to the waitress, telling them to 'give them your best one.' And after receiving the money, the NPC would bring the player to the 'special VIP room' upstairs.

For the players, the first time was like a thrilling rollercoaster experience. All sorts of nasty deeds ran through their minds. Despite being unsure of how VR NPCs would offer them their 'special services', but even if they couldn't physically touch them, lap dances or stripteases would be adequate — for the sake of the experience, of course. Furthermore, since this was just a game, they needn't worry about authorities raiding the venues.

Once they arrived at the much anticipated 'special VIP room,' they would immediately close the door, sit down on the couch, face a stage with a curtain drawn, and wait for the show to start in excitement.

Thump, thump, thump. Akin to a rollercoaster ride at its peak, their heartbeats raced with anticipation. But, alas, when the curtain fell, what greeted them was a huge naked river crab, which stood in the middle of the stage, waving its claws side-to-side towards the player…

Of course, the players were left dumbstruck. All their hopes and expectations, though filthy, were dashed. Naturally, they didn't let the matter drop just like that, and they immediately took to official forums to rant. However to their dismay, the official reply they received from the game company was, "Due to the law and legislation, we cannot…."

Since the developers said that it was so… what else could the players say? They could only give up and forget about it.

Though afterward, the game company expressed their goodwill by compensating the players with a treasure chest monster instead of a river crab, but to the players, it just wasn't the same…

As Rhode stood at the entrance of the Glorious Star, he couldn't help but reminisce the interesting event in the past. But that was in the game, and the game company HAD to replace the women with stripteasing river crabs or else they would face legal backlash. Presently, the world was real, and he needn't worry about meeting the river crab in the 'special VIP room' — but nevertheless, the purpose of this visit wasn't to make up for the 'loss of content' in the game.

"Greetings, esteemed Sir."

A woman quickly walked up to him. It was that lady from the market earlier this morning. Rhode's outfit wasn't any different from before, with his cloak still concealing his face. The woman's appearance differed slightly though. She wore lighter makeup and adorned a gorgeous evening dress, which further emphasized her delicate waistline and beauty. Seeing Rhode's arrival, the woman smiled and bowed politely to him. Rhode gave a slight nod to return the gesture.

"Please come with me."

Without saying anything else, the woman spun around gracefully and led Rhode into the building. This well-dressed woman appeared to possess a high status in this place. When they entered through the front door, the guard glanced at the sword sheathed on Rhode's waist and tried to stop him. However, when the woman coughed, the guard immediately retracted his hand. Clearly, this woman's identity wasn't ordinary.

However, Rhode didn't think much about it because he wasn't here to meet her.

After entering the building, he realized that the lights were fairly dim. Paired with a soft melody in the background, the lighting created an oddly warm atmosphere. Rhode didn't linger for long and left after stealing some glances at the nearby rooms. It was clear that this place wasn't the average low-class brothel, not all the rooms had naked female dancers flirting with men with the doors wide open.

Rhode had initially thought that the woman would take him to the 'special VIP room.' He didn't expect her to lead him to a dark corner of the lounge. After her job was done, she left the room in a hurry.

Rhode casually scanned his surroundings before finally resting his eyes on a man sitting on a couch in front of him.

"Greetings, Mr. Shawn." Rhode sat down on a couch opposite the man.

"Well met, Mr. Rhode."

'Shadow' Shawn, the leader of the Dark Fang mercenary group. He donned a similar outfit to Rhode, with the only prominent difference being his pale white mask, which reflected the glow of the candelabrum on the table. Shawn made a casual nod as an acknowledgment to Rhode's greeting, but Rhode wasn't too mindful of that.

"To be honest, I was quite surprised to receive your invitation. But I'd hoped that you would have better standards in selecting your messenger, and also not to trouble my men," Rhode said as he crossed his legs.

He didn't feel any pressure when faced with this cold-hearted killer. He casually reached for the burgundy glass cup and poured himself a drink. At the same time, he grumbled with discontent, which was clearly audible to Shawn. However, Shawn merely smiled and shook his head.

"Salina is my assistant, and sometimes, she tends to be slightly cranky. As a killer, this is something unacceptable. I think it's time to change this shortcoming of hers… As for her offending your people, I formally apologize, Mr. Rhode."

"You don't have to apologize; I was just saying."

Rhode gestured with his hand and leaned back against the soft couch, looking the man with caution and curiosity. He had made no contact with Dark Fang mercenary group before, and neither did they have any past conflict with him. So why did Shawn take the initiative to look for him?

"Let us go straight to the point… Mr. Shawn. What exactly did you find me for?"

Shawn didn't immediately answer. Instead, he remained silent for a moment, and said, "Mr. Rhode, if I recall correctly, you and your mercenary group will be attending the mid-summer festival in two months time."

"That's right."

Rhode nodded. He wasn't surprised that Shawn was aware of this. After all, the Mercenary Association had approached the top three mercenary group leaders on this. However, Hiller had rejected, and Shawn intentionally avoided them after hearing about it. Now that he had personally sought out Rhode to discuss on this, what did he want?

"So then, I hope you will be mindful of someone called Carody."

"Carody?"

Rhode frowned. He swiftly searched his memory for this person.

"Carody Custer?"

"You know of him?"

Shawn was slightly awed with Rhode's broad knowledge. Although the mask had concealed his expression, his somewhat raised tone in contrast to his usual deep voice betrayed him. However, Rhode didn't elaborate further and simply shrugged.

"If you are referring to the Carody that led the 'Black Blade' secret troops under the Country of Light parliament, then yes, I have heard of his name."

"Heard of?"

Shawn stared at Rhode; his eyes revealed a mocking expression. After a moment, he sneered.

"So much for 'secret troops' eh? If a mercenary of Munn Kingdom could negligently discover the name of the commander of the parliament's secret troops, then it seems like those old bastards who can only fight with their tongues are really useless. Humph, but it's fine. Since you know his identity, then you should catch my drift, Mr. Rhode."

"If I'm not mistaken, you mean that Carody will appear in the mid-summer festival?" Rhode questioned as raised his eyebrows in suspicions, "But Mr. Shawn, what has this got to do with me?"

"I'm not too sure about the exact details, Mr. Rhode. According to a report that I received a few days ago, the Country of Light had already prepared the 'Black Blade' in attempt to strike you down during the mid-summer festival… Clearly, you must have had somehow foiled the plans of those good for nothing idiots."

"During mid-summer festival?"

Rhode's expression sunk but his tone remained calm.

"Yes, and according to the intelligence I received, he will disguise as a mercenary of a certain guild, and stage a 'death by accident' during the competition. This way he wouldn't need to be investigated and receive punishments, and furthermore, he wouldn't attract the attention of Munn, nor damage the bilateral relations between both countries… Even though I feel that there's already nothing much to sustain both countries' relationships…."

"I appreciate your reminder, Mr. Shawn."

Rhode didn't make any expression, but deep inside him, he had already memorized this information to heart. Rhode wasn't surprised with the intel that Shawn provided, as it was true that Rhode had utterly destroyed all the preparations set in Paphield Region by the Country of Light. Whether it was for revenge, or to silence him from revealing their secret, the parliament would never let him go easily. It seems like Rhode's prediction was on point. The Country of Light couldn't tolerate him any longer.

The Black Blade was only one of the secret forces of the parliament. Frankly, they weren't strong. According to the level system back in the game, most of its members were between level 30 to 40, and Carody's level was similar to Sereck. If it were way before, Rhode would have unquestionably lost to Carody. But now, although he couldn't say that he would guarantee a victory, as long he was well prepared, Carody wouldn't be a threat to his life.

However…

"Mr. Shawn, while I appreciate your timely reminder, I think the purpose of you inviting me here shouldn't be just reminding me of this simple matter."

"That's for sure."

The killer nodded slightly and admitted to Rhode's conjecture. Then, without warning, his voice suddenly turned deep, unveiling his icy-cold killer intent.

"I have a request… Mr. Rhode. Once you meet him at the mid-summer festival, I hope will show no mercy. If you can successfully kill him, then I can guarantee you that, we the Dark Fang, will unconditionally fulfill a wish of yours… any wish that you want."

Hearing this, Rhode was unexpectedly surprised.

Chapter 201: Negotiations with Dark Fang

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Rhode remained calm as he assessed the masked killer in front of him with a stoic expression.

"Mr. Shawn, I'm not a curious person." Rhode shook his head, "But even so, I need to ask you this question — since you are willing to pay such a big price, why not do it yourself?"

Shawn paused for a while; then he answered with resent in his voice, "... Because I'm unable to get near him."

"Magic is a very troublesome thing. I think you of all people should understand this point, considering that you have a mage in your group. Carody is terrified of my revenge, so he acquired a unique magical item which would alert him to my presence once I get near him. It's not as though I hadn't tried, but I failed every single time. So..."

"So you hope I could do it for you."

Rhode didn't hate it even though Shawn intended to use him. While he wasn't interested in the grudge between Shawn and Carody, since Carody belonged to the Country of Light, then killing him would only bring him additional benefits. And doing so makes him feel good... Yes, that was the most important reason to Rhode.

Rhode respected his opponents, but not traitors. He could still endure the Country of Darkness's invasion, but he would never accept the cowardly Country of Light's surrender. During the battle between the two countries, the Country of Light gave up shortly and offered compensation to the Country of Darkness. But the wealth they had wasn't enough to stop the Country of Darkness from invading, and in the end, they decided to give up the Light Dragon in order to protect themselves. According to their reasoning, they felt that the neverending fight between light and darkness was an issue, thus, they wanted to end it once and for all by handing over the Light Dragon.

What is this? Is this what a human with average intelligence would do?

At the birth of the nations, the first Light Dragon elected the parliament and gave them the authority to run the country while she would lay low. According to her, this was a country built by her people, so they should decide which direction to move toward to. As long they bear the heavy responsibility of developing a nation, their country would prosper in both peace and security.

The Dark Dragon thought otherwise. He felt that he, as one of the five creator dragons, and as the leader of the Country of Darkness, should bear the duty of guiding his people towards the future. In his eyes, these mortals were too shortsighted and childish. They could only see in the present, and not the future. If they were to lead a country, then one day, they would eventually lose themselves in the ocean of time. Therefore, the Dark Dragon felt that the Light Dragon's decision to pass the authority to her people was a cowardly and timid move.

Of course, this was just a clash of ideology and there weren't any contradictions that couldn't be harmonized. According to the internet about the five creator dragons, they were harsh with their words, but they never moved against each other using physical means.

However, as time passed year after year, the Dragon Soul's successor changed from one to another, and their ideology began to shift as well. The Country of Light and Dark had countless of conflicts in the meantime. As the Country of Light saw how powerful the Country of Darkness came to be, they grew terrified. They were afraid that one day, the successor of the Light Dragon's soul would be like the Dark Dragon's successor, who stole back the authority from its people.

Because of fear, they began sowing their treacherous seeds of evil. Using their authority, they started to brainwash the local populace about the unimportance of the Light Dragon's impact on their country and the continent. Thus, in the present, most citizens didn't know what the Light Dragon signified and how vital its presence was to the land. At most, they knew that the sky was the symbol of the Light Dragon, no one knew what was going to happen after losing it.

Meanwhile, the Country of Darkness emphasized the importance of necessity and existence of the Dragon Soul to its people, explaining to them the reason why they could live peacefully on this continent. Because of the Dragon Soul's power, it was able to regulate the chaos energy which restored order to the world. Of course, the Country of Light loathed it and refuted this belief. They thought that the Dark Dragon wanted to utilize propaganda to strengthen itself, so it purposely proclaimed that to claim its rights to dictate over the country.

On the other hand, the successors of the Light Dragon didn't have any power nor authority. To put it nicely, they were like flowers in the greenhouse — but realistically, they were like pets who were raised by the parliament, only to be summoned when needed.

Later on, Lydia's method of ruling the Munn Kingdom made the Country of Light fearful. They were afraid that their people would admire their way of ruling, and request for the Country of Light to reform so that the Light Dragon would recover its power. If that happened, their hard work and effort to brainwash the populace would be undermined.

This made Rhode suspicious. He speculated that the reason why the parliament would use such an idiotic rationale to justify the surrender of the Light Dragon was due to a pact with the Country of Darkness. The Country of Darkness might have offered to give these parliament members their rightful authority after obtaining part of Country of Light's domain. These old geezers from the parliament held no regrets in selling their dignity and glory of the country to cling on to their seats.

When players accepted the quest to defend against the Dark Dragon's invasion, even when they completed their quest, the fate of the country was already sealed. However, after Rhode's guild destroyed the Country of Light's parliament and led the players to rebel against the Country of Darkness, the Player Alliance immediately displayed unexpected unobstructed progress without interference from the remnants of the parliament. They reached all the way to the heart of the Country of Darkness and eventually wiped out everyone.

There were only two possibilities to this situation. First, either the parliament was too incompetent, which would only increase the burden on the players, or they had purposely used up their strength just to favor the future leader.

If it was the former, it wouldn't be that bad, but if it was the latter, then it was unforgivable.

In other words — the parliament must die.

So, with regards to Shawn's request, Rhode approved it. He was even grateful for Shawn's warning, Although Rhode was already prepared for the Country of Light, if someone were to provide additional information about his enemies, that would be better than wading through the river and groping at stones all by himself, wasn't it?

"I understand what you meant now."

Rhode's expression remained the same despite agreeing with Shawn. After all, the other party was requesting for help, and if he seemed to be overly passionate, he might be taken advantage of next time. To Rhode, this was a mission. And since it was a mission, he should squeeze every single drop out of it, which suited his identity.

Rhode's stance on the matter caught the attention of Shawn. Frankly, ever since the two of them met, Shawn felt that this young man was becoming increasingly mysterious. At the Mercenary Association meeting, Rhode displayed the strategic side of him. However, Shawn was very clear that this young man was a steadfast man under the veil of arrogance. Now it seemed that his steadiness had gone a step further beyond Shawn's initial judgment. Even so, Rhode wasn't the least bit worried, and not a sign of worry was on his face. As a killer, Shawn was an expert in examining the expressions of people, so he could verify that when he mentioned the Country of Light, Rhode's calmness wasn't fake and was genuine.

Of course, the killer didn't know that Rhode had already wiped out the whole of Country of Light back in the game. So, naturally, Rhode didn't experience much shock when mentioned about these things.

Shawn was certain of what Rhode was thinking, so he didn't hesitate to extend his arm. In a flash, a black dagger appeared on his palm.

"Mr. Rhode, this is my 'Black Ivory'." Shawn said as he placed the dagger on the table, "It served me for many years and has always been a deadly weapon. I'll give it to you now as a deposit... and furthermore, I guarantee that in the future, if you require intelligence reports, we the 'Dark Fang,' will provide this service to you for free."

Rhode nodded.

Although Dark Fang was just a mercenary group, they seem to resemble a hitman organization. The fact that they could gather secret intel from the Country of Light proved their strength in this field. If Rhode could acquire their help, then it would naturally be an advantage for the Starlight guild in the future.

However, Rhode's ambition didn't stop here. But he knew that some things shouldn't be brought to light now.

"I hope we will have a pleasant cooperation."

Rhode said as he extended his right arm.

Shawn glanced at Rhode's outstretched arm and calmly shook on it.

"Yes... of course. Pleasant cooperation."

Chapter 202: Second Phase of Training

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The matter of Carody was put to a side. It just wasn't important enough to think about for Rhode right now. Instead, the training for Marlene and the others' were more crucial as the festival was arriving soon. Rhode wondered if after the few days if hellish training would be enough for them to study the attack patterns. While he didn't expect them to be able to comprehend the patterns fully, but at least they would gain some valuable experiences. In any case, skill mastery could be honed over time. Therefore, Rhode felt that it was time to proceed on to the second phase!

It was another day at the training grounds. When everybody arrived, to their surprise, they discovered Rhode standing in front of them.

"I have seen all your performances these few days, well done," said Rhode who hadn't appeared for a seemingly long period of time.

When they heard Rhode compliment them, their expressions became awkward. They didn't feel like they made any significant improvements worthy of praise.

How was this 'well done' when they were still battered black and blue every single day like a newbie?

"I guess that all of you have already learned something regarding battles," Rhode ignored their expressions and continued speaking, "So now we are going to enter the second phase."

Everyone looked at each other curiously and saw excitement, confusion, anticipation, and worry in their eyes. They had barely made it in the first phase, and how would the second phase even look like?

However, Rhode didn't intend to explain to everyone just yet. Instead, he activated the Sphere of Mystery and within the white space, the five human figures appeared once again.

"Today we'll spice it up a little."

As Rhode spoke, he walked towards the side and pointed towards Joey.

"Joey."

"Yes, Leader. Here!"

The young thief immediately ran towards Rhode excitedly upon hearing his name.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I will change your opponent today. You'll face her."

He pointed towards the dainty and mischievous little girl.

Everyone was shocked momentarily.

A cleric?

It was common knowledge that a spellcasting class would be at a disadvantage when fighting against a thief class. If the little girl had better stats than Joey, then perhaps she would win, but now that both sides were equal in strength, how could she dodge Joey's agile attacks?

Rhode remained nonchalant at everyone's dubious gazes. He made the rest watch by the side and announced the start of the battle.

"Begin fight!"

Joey did not understand Rhode's underlying motive, but he still obeyed and switched to his concealment mode. But at this moment, his eyes suddenly widened in shock. It wasn't only him that was surprised, even Randolf by the side exclaimed.

How could Joey's companion not know how his concealment skill worked? Joey was at passable thief at best, that was all. However, when Joey cast his concealment skill, it felt incredibly smooth! It was totally unlike the previous time he saw it! Just a little bit more and perhaps he would be able to reach the peak of the thief class.

Joey's ridiculous rate of improvement was naturally due to his daily training. Each time he was beaten badly, he grasped and modified his movement technique. As the illusory figures were too tough to beat, he didn't realize that his strength was improving drastically. However, Rhode who monitored each and every one of them closely, was clear of their rate of growth. If he were to create a growth chart using their data, it would be an upwards trend graph.

While they might not be able to level up when utilizing the Sphere of Mystery to train, but the vivid improvement to their mastery of skills was impeccable. Rhode had successfully trained these NPCs as real players! It didn't matter if the level was slightly low. As long one had a firm foundation in skill mastery, levels would come easily later. Rhode always emphasized that it was essential to master the skill as early as possible.

It was akin to a sports athlete who hid weights on his calves during practice runs. And after the removal of these limitations on the competition day, their speed and endurance would shoot through the roof!

This was precisely what happened to Joey. Back then, when he was faced with the overwhelming pressure from his opponent, he hadn't realized his own development. Now, Joey knew that he was no longer his old self. The techniques and skills that had been rather taxing to cast could be accomplished as easily as breathing.

An opening!

Joey switched his stance and circled towards the rear of the cleric. The petite little girl glanced at her surroundings, seemingly incapable of detecting the thief's concealment. All she did was cast a barrier over herself and stood still.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Lize whispered as she observed the situation quietly. She couldn't see where Joey was and didn't know how he would attack. If it were her in the little girl's position right now, she wouldn't have done much better. For a cleric, casting a barrier over herself wasn't anything new, after all, that skill was the bread and butter of any cleric in battle. However, what skill comes next? What kind of ability would be effective against a thief's ambush?

The girl stood in the same spot and played with her fingers. She didn't attack just like when she was facing Lize. Is it because she was unable to detect Joey? Or did she have other reasons?

However, Joey didn't have to worry about such problems. He suddenly appeared behind the girl's back and drove his dagger towards her!

Ding!! Along with a clear and crisp sound, the girl's barrier flashed and vanished. Joey played out various situations in his mind and was elated that it was going as planned! Then he drew the dagger on his other hand and swiftly slashed over!

But a sudden movement shocked everyone.

A dazzling radiance exploded in Joey's face and obstructed his vision. However, this young thief's reaction was superb. He knew that this was her diversionary tactic. He decided not to retreat as he was aware that Clerics do not have weapons and the one that should be escaping was her. In his mind, he concluded that this move was to probe him and create distance between the two of them. Thus, he refused to fall for the bait and pressed on his assault.

But at this moment, Joey suddenly felt a solid resistance on his left hand.

"Ding!"

What happened?

Facing this weird response, Joey was momentarily distracted. Could it be that this girl had cast another barrier? However, he forcibly cut off his hesitation and launched another attack. But this time, he clearly knew he was blocked.

Impossible! Did she actually just cast another defensive barrier in mere seconds?

Doubts began to grow in his mind as he continued probing. He didn't believe that this girl would be powerful enough to capture his attack intervals and cast a barrier every single time. And even if she had done it, what's the point? Casting a barrier required high spiritual energy, and not to mention casting two consecutively in such a short period of time? Will she even be capable of standing later?

After the blinding radiance scattered, the young thief's eyes widened at the scene in front of him in disbelief.

The girl stood in front of him, not budging an inch. She didn't cast another barrier like what Joey had guessed. Instead, this girl was chanting a powerful spell softly. From the radiance coagulating on her hand, it appeared that a spell was being prepared for a long time.

How is this possible! I've been attacking her continuously, how is she able to continue casting her spell?

Joey was startled. He launched another attack once again, but this time, he saw his dagger crashing into the barrier and bouncing off. It wasn't until now when Joey finally realized that a circular golden barrier had completely enveloped him.

"Defense Wall!"

Lize screamed when she saw what happened.

Defense Wall was the advanced version of Defense Shield. Its defensive abilities were a lot stronger, but it had a weakness. It could not freely follow the caster around. Also, as its name suggests, it created a wall to protect the people inside while obstructing outside attacks. But the people inside wouldn't be able to launch an attack outside the wall as well. Lize had learned this skill, but she didn't often use it. This skill was only used in emergencies where the party was facing an imminent wipe. After all, there were too many limitations and its usage occupied a different role in battle as compared to Defense Shield.

But now, this girl did something that Lize had never thought off. She actually cast the Defense Wall onto the opponent!

What's going on?

Before Lize could comprehend fully, the spell had completed consolidating. And at the same time, the little girl removed the barrier from the Defense Wall.

A series of bright and colorful magical flashes flourished, and as a thief without high defensive abilities, there was only one ending...

As Joey blasted away, everyone became dead silent. Rhode lifted his head and scrutinized for a moment, and then he extended his arm.

"Next up, Marlene. You'll face her."

Rhode pointed his finger towards the Shield Warrior.