203-210

Chapter 203: Be the Deviser

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

In the end, it the outcome was as expected.

None of them could clinch a victory even though Rhode had picked new opponents for them and arranged for them to have the upper hand due to their classes. While it was true that everyone had improved tremendously and felt the incredulous change at the start of the battle, but once their opponent retaliated, their initial euphoria quickly turned into sorrow and defeat.

This time, Rhode arranged a one versus one fight and the rest would observe from the sidelines. This gave them a third-person perspective over the battle. Rhode wanted them to generate ideas by watching how the superior players played. In the past, they could only focus on their opponent in front of them. But now, by observing as a third party, they could expand their knowledge of various classes and hopefully create new techniques for themselves.

Obviously, Rhode didn't do this to torture them. So after every three matches, he would wave his hand to stop and gather everyone.

"Okay, I have a question. What do you think of their attacking style?"

The five of them frowned at Rhode's question. After thinking for a moment, eventually, Marlene was the first to answer, albeit hesitantly.

"They... seemed to like attacking. A lot."

Marlene wasn't wrong. Especially today, after the observations, all of them realized the five figures seem to possess a crazy level of passion in offensive play. Even a support class like the Cleric, she even dared to use 'Defense Wall' to trap her opponent. From this, they could discern how extreme these group of people would go regarding taking the offensive. It wasn't only the cleric. Marlene's battle with the Shield Warrior was also the same.

As a mage, one would think that she would have a natural advantage over the Shield Warrior, but alas, little did she expect that the 'Shield Warrior' would totally abandon her defense and used the shield for offense instead. This left Marlene dumbstruck. For a moment, she forgot to release the spells from her hand, and by the time she snapped back, it was too late as her opponent already entered her proximity. The shield smashed her away and then...

... then there was nothing more after that.

"That's right."

Rhode nodded at Marlene's answer.

"What views do all of you have on this?"

"This..."

This time, it was Lize who raised her hand.

"I don't think that what they did was orthodox, Mr. Rhode. Their attacks were too wild and were ignored their defense. If they were countered, wouldn't that be-"

"The question is, would THEY be able to counterattack?"

Rhode's reply immediately made Lize swallow her words. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Indeed, the opponents appeared to attack fearlessly, and in theory, there are many risks hidden within this battle style. Even Marlene and the others could discover it and wanted to take advantage of it. However, before they could conceive of any method to counter, their opponents had already rained blows on them until they were beaten black and blue.

And what's the reason for that? Was it the unfamiliarity with the opponent's attack pattern? The classes may be different, however, the five figures' attacking styles were similar. After training for many days, they were accustomed to that behavior. But this time around, the figures waited for them to begin attacking and didn't immediately strike the instant they started fighting. This was an opportunity for Marlene and the rest to get a hold of the rhythm. Otherwise, if they were to talk about strength, both sides had equal strength. If any single one of the illusory figures had superior strength, then all it needed was to sneeze, and the five of them would just fall over.

But why did they not have any solutions to their opponents' crazy attacks? Even if they knew their opponents' weaknesses, they still lost so easily. What exactly was the reason? No one knew why. In the past, they had an excuse because they did not know their opponent's weaknesses. Now that their style, strengths, and weaknesses were all laid bare in front of them, but why couldn't they grasp the situation?

"This is the content of the second phase. All of you have to learn this — Be the deviser." Rhode pointed to himself as he spoke. "There is no perfect style in this world, and there are flaws in every one of them. If you focus on attack, others would say your defense is weak. If you focus on defense, then others would say you are too passive. Sereck's weakness in his swordsmanship is glaringly apparent as well. His fanciful swordsmanship is gorgeous, but lack strength. In theory, he would be as good as finished if he faces an opponent who has a barbarous attacking style. But what's the point of saying all these? Isn't he still a Swordsmaster?"

Everyone sweated while listening to his explanation. Sereck was a representative of Deep Stone City, but he turned out to be so useless and pathetic coming out of Rhode's mouth...

"The reason why you fail is not only solely on mastery of skills, but also in your thoughts."

Rhode stared coldly at his people.

"You subconsciously believed in defending against the opponent's attack first and follow up with an attack later. You wanted to excel in both aspects, but that's impossible because of your individual traits. Some of you love to defend, and some of you don't. Not everyone can be an all-rounded warrior!" Rhode explained. "Not only that, you did not exhibit your specialties and instead continuously revealed your weaknesses. It's no wonder all of you kept losing."

So that's why!

Marlene's eyes brightened after hearing Rhode's explanation. She finally understood why she couldn't control the rhythm of the battle and was always led by the nose. They just have to attack; only knowing how to attack, and love to attack. They didn't have much choice and could any do as they wished. But what about Marlene? She can attack and also defend. But should she attack? Or defend? Marlene didn't have a clear goal. She'll defend when the opponent attack, and she'll attack when the opponents stop attacking. This way, the rhythm of the battle would naturally be led by the opponent. As she didn't possess a personal battle style, she wasn't sure and didn't know what she should do. In a fierce battle, even a second of such hesitation could decide the outcome.

"In my hometown, there is an idiom, 'to foster strength and avoid weaknesses.' In other words, you need to display your specialties and keep away from your shortcomings — just like those fellows," He said while pointing towards the five figures. "Indeed, you would think that their frenzied attacks would weaken their defenses, and would be deadly if their opponents strike back. But as you can see, under their attacks, you didn't have any chance to counterattack, so why did you even think of attacking their weaknesses? A theory would remain as a theory, which anyone could debate about. But the truth isn't as simple as by speaking based on theory only."

Rhode stopped speaking, he noticed everyone's pensive expressions and nodded his head with satisfaction.

"You should understand what I'm trying to say. Remember, be the deviser. The battle style that you chose may have flaws, but that's okay. In theory, there are no battle styles that don't have any weaknesses; even the godly Archangels can be defeated. So, don't mind what the others say, remember what you should do, trust your decision, don't waver and hesitate, and it will be enough."

It wasn't illogical for Rhode to have such information. After all, he had seen many players struggling with this dilemma. Some people had their own special talents and traits, however, under the constant negativity of other people, they eventually gave up.

Just like this projection of 'Mini Bubble Gum' standing in front of Rhode. Since the inception of her character, she knew she wanted to choose the cleric job for PKing. Everyone doubted the cleric's battle abilities. Some of them even analyzed the data of cooldown, damage range, and spells. Some asserted that it was impossible based on their personal experiences in using a cleric to PK. In the beginning, 'Mini Bubble Gum' had indeed lost many times in a row.

Many players began started expressing their views on how clerics were not suitable for PK, and how the gaming company had never designed this job with the intention of possessing battle skills. If it were any other player, they would have already given up much earlier on. But since she was still a girl in her rebellious stage, the more they resisted, the more she wanted to prove herself. Rhode also supported her by giving her recommendations based on his experience. In the end, 'Mini Bubble Gum' created the most popular battle tactic of all Clerics, the 'Double Boom" tactic. Eventually, her PK rankings shot through the roof and secured a spot in the Top 10 Hall Of Fame, and was the only Cleric in the Top 50 PK rankings.

This story was the prime example of how other opinions were just opinions, and at the end of the day, the one with the final say would be the person herself.

Rhode didn't intend for them to have the same desire for offensive tactics. He just wanted them to experience themselves through this method the importance of persevering in their own style. If they were to do what everyone says, and not have their own style, then when it comes to the real fight, they would eventually still lose. Just like what Marlene had thought, it was impossible to gain victory if they were to react according to what their opponents do.

One lucky thing was, this wasn't like the game. In the game, many people would criticise and discuss others' decisions which would create tremendous pressure and may cause one to give up on their path. In other words, the only opponents that Marlene and the rest had to face were their inner selves. If they can overcome this tribulation and decide on their battle style, then that would be a big success for them.

After saying all that was needed, Rhode turned around and left the training ground. He gave the remaining time to the group to ponder and understand their abilities. Rhode did all that he could and the next part would rely on their own comprehension. Rhode believed that if all of them understood the point he was trying to make, then at least they wouldn't be defeated by their opponents in mere seconds. As long as they could do this, they were considered to have passed the test.

But Rhode didn't relax due to this. As the days passed, he began to grow busy.

–

And the ban from the Mercenary Association finally ended.

Chapter 204: Blackrock Depths

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

With the lifting of the ban, the mercenary groups sprang to business. Their objectives were more or less the same — begin warming up its members, and at the same time, commence missions to receive remunerations. Rhode's Starlight was no different, naturally. Starlight functioned rather clandestinely because Rhode didn't need to follow the points system in order to elevate to guild status. But Rhode still required to strengthen and polish his mercenary groups' aggregation through various missions. Furthermore, he also needed the remunerations to maintain the operation cost. After all, money doesn't simply fall from the skies, even for him. Since his mercenary group had grown in size, Starlight's financial reserves began to dip.

Thus, Rhode concluded that it'd be better to accept hard, yet less life-threatening missions, and at the same time, having high remunerations. But his requirements were slightly too demanding...

"Why do I feel like it's rowdier in here than before?"

Rhode frowned as he stood in the hall of the Mercenary Association while looking at the clamorous crowd. The place was literally in chaos. Waves of mercenaries crammed at the mission notice board, trying their best to seek out missions or requests that their group can accomplish. But this kind of scene wasn't surprising at all. After all, many of these mercenary groups had been financially starved so severely due to the ban that they couldn't afford to waste any more time.

But due to the previous incident, the mercenary groups had begun to follow the rules. They avoided dangerous missions and places that they weren't supposed to go. They accepted ordinary missions with low danger levels, and some even confirmed many times with the requestor that they wouldn't need to visit dangerous areas. Most of them accepted 2 Star-Ranked missions, leaving the 3 Star-Ranked missions mostly untouched.

That was good news for Rhode as no one would be snatching business from him. Now, he only needed to consider which mission amongst them would be most beneficial for his mercenary group.

Rhode had stopped considering missions that involved undead creatures because of the increase in numbers. Previously, as he had lesser people, his clerics could cover all of them with their holy spells. In this scenario, having an increase of members wasn't necessarily a good thing. So, this time, Rhode decided to accept normal missions.

"Hmm?"

But at this time, Rhode was sidetracked by a note embedded with golden edges. On the paper, there was a clear, golden scale.

The church logo?

The churches in Dragon Soul Continent were different, unlike the ones in reality. They did not worship any specific deity, but instead, chose to protect their beliefs and laws. In the Dragon Soul Continent, no matter whether the area was under the Dark or Light Dragon, every church belonged to the Country of Law's Twin Dragons. The church preached kindness, elimination of evil, respect for each other, and justice. Furthermore, they were responsible for expelling the devils and notarization throughout the continent. Since olden times, the churches in Dragon Soul Continent acted similarly as notary offices. No matter if it was trading among merchants, or the political exchanges between nobles, or even the conditions laid out between countries, the church supervised all of them. Therefore, as long as the church signed the pact, usually, nobody would need to worry about renouncing promises.

The Country of Law wasn't like Earth, where they borrowed religious influence to affect politics. Perhaps it was because of the status of the one who ruled over the church — who was one of the five creator dragons, and they were very much respected everywhere. Moreover, the Country of Law had never intervened with conflicts involving other countries. In the game, this neutral stand by the Country of Law had once aroused the Country of Light parliament's displeasure when they did not intervene when the Country of Darkness invaded the Country of Light. And in response to their cries of help, the Country of Law stated that they didn't feel that the Country of Darkness was evil, so they didn't attack them.

In fact, the Country of Law's definition of evil was vastly different from what the common people thought it as. From the people's perspective, killing was evil, but in the eyes of the Country of Law and churches, taking a life of another was only considered a crime which did not have any connection to evil. In their teachings, evil was referred to as destroying order and bringing chaos. Thus, when the Country of Darkness invaded the Country of Light, they continued to rule their own territory as the order was still apparent, not taking any action. Only when a country desecrates law and order would the Country of Law retaliate.

Other than maintaining social order, the Country of Law focused its efforts primarily on cleansing non-orderly regions. They often sent bishops and knights to chaotic zones to help the people defend and get through the threat, and at the same time, spreading their doctrines on building social order. Eliminating chaos was the most important goal of the Country of Law and its churches.

During the game's mid-point, when players developed their individual territories, the Country of Law would always provide them assistance. Rhode was no different. He managed to receive his territory with the help of the Country of Law and its churches. Therefore, he always had a favorable impression of them. And if this were still the game, the Country of Law would undoubtedly be ranked top three among the most popular forces.

Because of this, when Rhode saw the churches' announcement, he read the note thoroughly while revealing an engrossed expression.

The request wasn't very complicated. The church requested the mercenary group to head down to the Blackrock Depths to search for a missing ancient holy relic. It was said that the relic belonged to the church's legacy which somehow went missing in the Blackrock Depths due to unknown reasons. Now, the church posted a request on the notice board in hope to recover it.

But... the Blackrock Depths...?

Rhode frowned upon when the name rang in his mind. He completed this mission before, and the church was always ever so generous with their remunerations. Although there was some danger involved, it wasn't to the extent of life-and-death. Referring back to Rhode's requirements, this mission seemed to suit him a lot, but the only problem was...

Thinking about this, Rhode turned over and asked Marlene who was standing beside him in a soft voice.

"Miss Marlene, do you know how to craft Fire-type scrolls?"

"Fire-type scrolls?"

Marlene was slightly taken aback by Rhode's sudden question. She pondered for a moment and nodded her head.

"If it is a low-level scroll for blasting flames, I have no problem. But I don't have any tools at the moment, so it may take a while to craft them."

"How long do you need to craft one?" Rhode asked almost immediately.

Marlene sank into thought for a moment before answering Rhode, "Erm... roughly three hours.".

After hearing Marlene's answer, Rhode remained silent as if considering something. A while later, he shook his head.

"We shall see. If there's not enough time, we can purchase them. We need around a hundred..."

"But that would be very costly. and there's no guarantee that we can find them."

Marlene shook her head. As a mage, she knew how much the scrolls were worth. In the market, the cheapest magical scrolls also required at least a dozens of gold. And that wasn't all, as there weren' many mages who would sell magical scrolls, the quantity was very scarce. A big city like the Golden City might have more of them, but Marlene didn't feel like there would be that many magical scrolls in a small city like Deep Stone City.

"No matter what, we shall see the situation first."

Rhode shook his head as he brought Marlene to the counter and tapped lightly on the table. In no time at all, Old Hank ran out and displayed a warm smile to the two of them.

"Why, isn't this Mr. Rhode and Miss Marlene? Are you two here for the missions as well?"

"Something like that. It seems like you guys are very busy."

Rhode glanced around while speaking. The mercenaries were shouting and screaming as the secretaries toiled and recorded their accepted missions and mercenary group names.

"Yes, we are currently swamped. But this is great too as it has been a while since we had a crowd like this. This is what the Mercenary Association should be like."

The busy Old Hank appeared as though he was rushing for time, so he stopped his casual chat with Rhode and went straight to the point, "So, Mr. Rhode. Which mission does your Starlight group intend to take up?"

"I would like to know more about that mission."

Rhode pointed to the golden note on the notice board.

"A three Star-Ranked mission? You people in Starlight are truly competent. No one even dares to take up a three Star-Ranked mission, and there you go, taking one as your first mission after the lifting of the ban... buuuuut... then again, this isn't your first time taking a three Star-Ranked mission." Old Hank nagged and lifted his head towards the notice board. "I can't help but recall the time when you guys came and took on a three Star-Ranked mission for the first time. To be honest, we thought that you guys were just throwing your lives away..."

Old Hank yapped endlessly. A while later, he finally realized which mission Rhode referring to. "Oh... So you wanted to attempt the church's request?"

"That's right."

Rhode nodded his head.

"When did this request appear? Had any other mercenary groups accept this?"

"This mission... hmm..."

Old Hank frowned and tried to recall if anyone had taken it.

"It should be within the past few days. There shouldn't be anybody else who had accepted it."

I see...

Rhode went silent after hearing Old Hank's answer. But at this moment, a hand suddenly stretched from the side and slammed on the table.

"Uncle Hank, I'll take this mission."

A voice sounded.

Chapter 205: Rebel of a Nonentity

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Barney lowered his head as he walked out of the room. He clenched both his fists and stared at the scroll on his hand. He had a tough time acquiring this roll of paper.

"How was it?"

A half-elf maiden, who was waiting outside, asked the young swordsman when he stepped out. Barney nodded at her excitedly. The half-elf maiden revealed a gentle and relaxed smile in response.

"I didn't expect that we actually succeeded."

"Yeah..."

Barney nodded his head and stared at the scroll on his hand as if he couldn't believe that it was real. He had waited a long time for this day, but even now, he still felt that it was a dream.

"We really succeeded... and from now on, the Jade Tears Mercenary Group belongs to us!"

Thinking of this, Barney felt a wave of excitement coming over him. They had been waiting so long for the arrival of this day.

After the disappearance of their ex-leader Frank, the Jade Tears Mercenary Group fell into unimaginable chaos. The remaining mercenaries didn't know what to do. They were mercenaries who were cast aside by their previous mercenary groups, and even Frank refused to trust them fully. Of course, this was also the main reason how these people were able to survive. Had Frank entrusted them with hunting down Rhode in the underground mine then they'd be long dead.

Since they had lost the only person who could restrain them, the mercenaries naturally started to make a scene and even requested for the disbandment of the mercenary group in attempt to obtain that final bit of money for themselves. The Mercenary Association accepted their request. If Frank didn't appear, they would disband the Jade Tears Mercenary Group.

However, not everyone chose to give up.

Barney was one of them. Due to the conflict he had with Rhode, Frank ranked him rather low in the group. But as a talented swordsman, his strength was actually quite strong. He was different from the other mercenaries. Barney joined Jade Tears Mercenary Group with hopes of succeeding in life, and thus, he was very much resentful against the disbandment of the mercenary group. He felt that they should rely on themselves to revive the group rather than to leave it in the hands of a sly, arrogant bastard.

So, even when faced with the terrible fate of imminent disbandment, Barney didn't choose to give up. He relied on his reputation within the mercenary group to band all the other confused and upset mercenaries together.

"All of you had once left under the mocking of others for the sake of doing better than those who mocked you. If all of you give up now, then you will always be under their feet!"

Under the encouragement of Barney, many of them were emotionally affected. Indeed, they had previously left their mercenary groups for the sake of doing better. But what happened now? If the Jade Tears Mercenary Group disbanded, they would become unemployed.

They could imagine the amount of mocking and teasing they would receive if they met their past comrades.

Based on Frank's impression, Barney's behavior was considered rash. However, Barney was respected by the mercenaries as a heroic figure. Rhode had mocked the Jade Tears Mercenary Group on many different occasions, and not only that, but he also avoided punishment for killing their comrades by using the identity of a noble. As a result, none of the members of the Jade Tears Mercenary Group liked Rhode.

At one point in time, Barney stood up for them and lost an ear to Rhode. Ever since then, he had become a heroic figure in their hearts. To them, Rhode represented the nobles who were highly arrogant, proud, prideful and evil. Yet Barney represented them to fight against him fearlessly. On top of that, he was even willing to reform the whole mercenary group! These noble acts finally gained the trust of many mercenaries.

It wasn't as if accusations such as 'Barney being too young and thus not suitable to lead a mercenary group as leader' never happened before, but they were mostly denied. Young? That little noble from Starlight Mercenary Group was equally young, yet he could lead an incomplete mercenary group to this size, so why can't we? So what if we're young? Maybe one day, Barney could become stronger than that damned noble, and our Jade Tears Mercenary Group will become the strongest Guild in Paphield Region. If that sissy little noble could do it, then we can too!

However, the journey wasn't all smooth sailing. As the proverb says, speaking is like splashing of water. Of course, the Mercenary Association wouldn't easily allow Jade Tears Mercenary Group to retract their disbandment application. In fact, the association hoped for this mercenary group to be disbanded as they created many of the previous incidents. And furthermore, this mercenary group was considered to be the enemy of civilians. Hence, they truly yearned to disband this mercenary group to give themselves more peaceful days.

However, Barney was extremely determined to revive the group, and eventually, the Mercenary Association could only delay and temporarily halt the disbandment process. But they had certain conditions — they needed to complete at least two of the two stars missions in the next month to prove their worth. At the same time, they had to guarantee they wouldn't start fights against other mercenary groups. Once any of these conditions were breached, the Mercenary Association would disband Jade Tears Mercenary Group with immediate effect.

Of course, Barney wasn't too happy. After all, the previous conflict was instigated by another group. Even if their side retaliated rather uncivilly, the fact remained that Rhode did kill someone. Apparently, the Mercenary Association chose to defend the other party...

None of these nobles were any good.

But not everything was bad news. Barney received assistance from someone that he had never expected to receive help from, and to him, it made him extremely happy.

Now, everything was going as planned.

Looking at the scroll on his hand, Barney fell deep into thought. However, suddenly a familiar voice echoed from the front.

"Miss Marlene, what do you think?"

Barney and the half-elf girl were instantly stunned when they heard the familiar voice. They quickly turned their heads and discovered Rhode who was standing nearby. He was speaking softly to the maiden dressed in a gown, with their heads turned towards the notice board.

"It's him, Barney..."

The half-elf maiden lowered her voice as she spoke frightenedly, and at the same time, she tugged onto Barney's shirt. After that battle, the half-elf maiden had never dared to be arrogant. Never had she faced death so closely before. Rhode was a formidable enemy, and just his hand was enough to break her neck as if she was a little chick without any resistance. The huge gap in strength brought fear into the half-elf maiden when she stared at Rhode's back. She hid behind Barney to avoid Rhode from noticing her and finding trouble. Rhode was more than capable of doing such things.

However, unlike the half-elf maiden, Barney didn't think of leaving just yet. Instead, he made a gesture quietly and eavesdropped on the two of them. Soon, Rhode and Marlene left. When their figures had disappeared into the crowd, the half-elf maiden finally relaxed.

"Barney, let's go, don't stay here anymore..."

"Did you manage to hear them?"

Barney asked, and the half-elf maiden nodded her head.

"Yes, I heard..."

The half-elves naturally had an acute sense of hearing, and besides, Rhode and Marlene weren't actually whispering either, so she was able to overhear their conversation. However, she didn't understand why Barney would ask her this question at such a moment.

"... I think we can take this mission."

"Eh?"

The half-elf maiden surprised for a moment and cried out in shock.

"Barney, what are you talking about, are you crazy?"

"I'm not crazy!"

Barney waved his hand and interrupted the maiden.

"I think this is a good chance. You know, now that the Mercenary Association requires us to prove our worth, we should show those people that we are capable and let them know we aren't weak. And if we can snatch this mission before Starlight does, and even complete it, it would mean so much to us! You should know how our mercenaries always hated that damn bastard and his mercenary group. Since they elected me as their new leader, if I don't do something, the Jade Tears Mercenary Group would be doomed!"

"But we can still choose other missions..."

The half-elf maiden shook her head and disagreed with Barney.

"Now our priority is to rebuild the mercenary group and not act rashly, Barney. Did you forget about Leader Frank's incident? What if that scary noble do the same to us, then what should we do? Barney, you don't need to do this. We can complete the requirements set by the Mercenary Association, then slowly settle other matters. Also, since Starlight wants to do that particular mission, we may not even be capable of completing it too..."

"You don't have to worry about this. You and I heard what he said. He required Fire-type scrolls for Blackrock Depths, which proved that they would be useful there. I think, our new supporter would be able to sponsor us enough money to purchase those scrolls. Don't forget the reason why the supporter chose us. If we show good results, then that person would help our mercenary group to become even stronger. Also, just think about it, if I announced to others that I had successfully snatched a mission from Starlight, and even complete it, wouldn't you think of that as a considerable feat?

"... you're indeed right, but..."

The half-elf maiden bit her lips hearing Barney's words. She understood what he meant, and as his companion, the half-elf maiden was very clear why the Jade Tears Mercenary Group had a new supporter in providing them with financial assistance. However, she was still afraid. Every time she thought of Rhode, the half-elf maiden would tremble in fear. She absolutely would not dare to stand close or provoke that man. Barney's idea was indeed logical, but wouldn't he be afraid of that man secretly planning for revenge?

"I'm still worried..."

"Fear is normal. But we still have to face our fears with courage." Barney looked at the maiden and coaxed. Then he reached for his ear. "I'm also afraid, but I will never avoid it. I know what you are worried about. Relax, I will not lead all of you into danger. Besides, this mission isn't too difficult. It is only a three Star-Ranked mission. Although, we, the Jade Tears has inadequate members, but it would still be enough for this mission."

"..."

The half-elf maiden didn't answer immediately. She went silent for a moment and said, "I'm not sure if I should agree with this unnecessary risk, Barney. Why not we do it this way, if they accepted the mission, then we would give up. And if they don't accept the mission, then we will do it, how about that?"

"No problem!"

Barney smiled excitedly. He held the maiden's hand and led her into the crowd. Soon enough, he saw Rhode and Marlene speaking to Old Hank.

"When did this request appear? Had any other mercenary groups accept this?"

"This mission... hmm..."

Old Hank frowned and tried to recall if anyone had taken it.

"It should be within the past few days. There shouldn't be anybody else who had accepted it."

Now's the chance!

Barney immediately stormed up and slammed his hand on the table despite the half-elf maiden's resistance.

"Uncle Hank, I'll take this mission."

Chapter 206: Ten Days Bet

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

It is him?

Rhode's brows went up, and he stared at the young man who interrupted him. Marlene was clearly unhappy. While she wasn't present when Rhode and the Jade Tears Mercenary Group had their conflicts, she still wasn't too pleased with someone blatantly snatching their mission right in front of their noses. This was akin to an uncivilized person jumping the queue at other peoples' expense. She already held some prejudice against mercenaries, and now Barney's actions reinforced her belief.

"We've not left the counter yet, and you want to snatch our mission? That's just plain rude. Do you not comprehend basic social etiquette?"

The half-elf maiden's face began to darken when she heard Marlene's apparent displeasure. She tugged at Barney's arm, trying to stop him from doing any more harm. However, Barney learned from his previous mistakes. This time, he didn't reply and locked his eyes with Old Hank with a solemn expression.

"Uncle Hank, you should know the rules. In the Mercenary Association, any unaccepted missions will be available for everyone. Now, I act on behalf of the leader of the Jade Tears Mercenary Group to accept this mission. That shouldn't be any problem? Right?"

"This..."

Old Hank revealed a troubled expression when faced with Barney's inquiry. He looked at Barney, then at Rhode, and then back at Barney. Unlike Marlene, Hank had witnessed the battle by the entrance of the Mercenary Association. Now that the two of them had once again clashed heads, Hank immediately tensed up. He glanced over to Rhode, hoping that this young man wouldn't act impulsively again. If history repeated itself, it wouldn't be good news for the Mercenary Association. Fortunately, Rhode seemed to be pretty calm with no signs of irritation on his face. However, even so, who could understand Rhode's true intentions behind that expressionless face?

"Uncle Hank."

Barney reminded Old Hank as he hadn't responded for a while.

"This mission is legally ours, am I right?"

"You...!"

Marlene was infuriated at this moment. But Rhode suddenly restrained her from blowing up with a hand gesture. He turned around and sized the two of them.

When Rhode's gaze landed on her, the half-elf maiden shivered slightly. She bit her lips and lowered her head downwards, avoiding his frightening eyes. As for Barney, he boldly lifted his head and welcomed Rhode's stare fearlessly. However, Rhode wasn't interested in a staring contest. He went silent for a moment and let out a soft hum.

"Judging by what I see... aren't you being a little too overly confident?"

"It's not up to you to decide whether we can complete the mission or not."

Barney responded firmly. As for Rhode, he merely shrugged.

"Seems like you do not agree with my opinion and you've already decided to take this mission?"

"Of course, Mr. Rhode."

Barney replied instantly without any hesitation.

"But I don't have any intentions of giving up this mission."

Old Hank and the half-elf maiden immediately tensed up when they heard this sentence from Rhode. Barney gritted his teeth, and his right hand slowly traced his sword hilt. But luckily, it seemed that Rhode had no intention to fight. Instead, it appeared as though his mood was rather good.

"It's pointless for both of us to debate over this. So why don't we make a bet?"

"... What bet?"

"I don't trust that your mercenary group can complete this mission. So I suggest that we both accept this mission at the same time."

Rhode spoke as though he was addressing the filth of humanity. This angered them, but they knew if they were to lose their temper, the consequences were dire. They swallowed their ego and waited for Rhode to continue.

"With my sympathy for the weak, I will give you ten days. After these ten days, if you do not return by then, I would assume that all of you had died and failed the mission. From that point on, my mercenary group and I will then enter the Blackrock Depths to complete the mission. What do you think of my proposal?"

Everybody had differing opinions on Rhode's proposal. Marlene remained quiet, but she felt like this was an unnecessary bet. The half-elf maiden appeared to had given up as she didn't know what was waiting within the Blackrock Depths. As for Old Hank, he trembled in fear as he watched the invisible sparks clashing between the both of them, fearing that a fight may break out anytime.

"That's fine."

After a moment of consideration, Barney nodded.

"But, I have one condition," Barney added.

"Oh? One condition?"

Rhode's brows raised slightly, and then he nodded.

"Okay, tell me what condition?"

"To guarantee the fairness of this bet, I hope the Mercenary Association would send someone to act as witness... After we enter the underground tunnels, the Mercenary Association should guard the entrance to prevent any unnecessary distractions."

The half-elf maiden let out a long sigh as she understood what Barney meant. The truth was, the mercenary groups could indeed seek such assistance from the Mercenary Association. Barney was worried that Rhode would mess with them from the shadows, so he set these conditions to deter Rhode. But ultimately, he wasn't the one who controls the Mercenary Association, so all he could do was attempt to request for aid. With the Mercenary Association behind him, Rhode shouldn't be able to do anything. If any news about Rhode's unscrupulous behavior spread, it wouldn't be a good thing for him.

"No problem."

Rhode agreed to Barney's conditions immediately. Then he turned around and waved to both of them.

"Okay then, that's settled then. I hope that you guys won't disappoint me. Let's go, Marlene."

Marlene frowned, but she heard Rhode's beckon, so she gave an unwilling stare to the two fellows before leaving.

Barney finally let out a long sigh of relief and lifted his sweaty palm off the sword hilt. The half-elf maiden also felt a wave of pressure leaving her body as if she had just been released from the depths of hell.

"You were too reckless, Barney."

"But it's useful, isn't it?"

Barney revealed a confident smile in response to the half-elf maiden's grumbling which made the maiden's face blush a little.

This move from Barney was indeed commendable. Borrowing the powers of the Mercenary Association could indeed reduce the threat. However, the half-elf maiden was very clear that now wasn't the time to time to relax as they had many other matters to attend to.

"What should we do next?"

"I will find the supporter and report the recent development. I think he should be very willing to support us financially in this mission. Go back and inform the rest about Blackrock Depths. We can't possibly enter without any knowledge of that place. Also, get two of them to spy on Starlight Mercenary Group. If they make any suspicious movements, immediately notify me. I don't believe that man would give up just like that."

"Alright, I understand. I'll go now."

Hearing Barney's firm command, the half-elf maiden finally relaxed. She was finally convinced that this young man wasn't the same reckless man that she used to know.

Meanwhile, Rhode and Marlene also engaged in their own conversation after leaving the Mercenary Association.

"I can't believe that you actually agreed to their conditions, Mr. Rhode."

Marlene seemed to be still quite dissatisfied with the whole event before, but Rhode didn't appear to take it too seriously.

"Don't worry, Marlene. It's better this way since we have more time to prepare for it. Everything will continue as planned, and you will be in charge of purchasing the Fire-type scrolls. As much as possible, please. And... I can use this time to gather Lize and the rest to revise their form... How's your progress?"

"I think we are on the right track, Mr. Rhode."

Even since then, Marlene and the rest had finally understood the point Rhode was trying to make. They began to craft their own personalized battle style while blending their thoughts and techniques into the actual battle. Although the progress was a little slow, at least they understood what to do.

"Good, this mission will test all of you, so I hope that you will be ready. Oh, and Marlene, if you possess any Fire-type magic equipment, I advise you to bring them along. This mission isn't as straightforward as you think.

"I will try my best, but... Mr. Rhode. Aren't you worried at all? If that group can complete the mission?"

"It's fine."

Rhode dismissed the possibility of them completing the mission.

"Even if they completed the mission, it would be totally meaningless."

He answered.

Chapter 207: Stand out from the Masses

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

After two days, Rhode sent Randolf to find Kavos and his brothers. These three men had already returned to the stronghold with their troops, but Rhode didn't give them any further command which left them quite worried. So, after finally receiving Rhode's beckon, they hurriedly abided.

Walking into the room, the three of them saw Rhode sitting by his desk, scribbling something unusual on a piece of paper. Beside him was Christie, who was quietly reading a book. When Christie spotted the three men, she quickly put her book down and greeted them with a polite bow. Kavos, Obertan, and Derick bowed back in response. However, Rhode didn't react as though they had never entered the room. The three former mercenary leaders stood in the center of the room rigidly as they shifted their feet slightly, not knowing what to do. The atmosphere turned a little awkward, and after Christie greeted the three men, she hugged her book and sat on the chair again.

Rhode finally lifted his head.

"Have a seat."

He gestured. The three men let out a sigh of relief and sat on the chairs in front of Rhode.

"How was it? The matter that I instructed all of you to do?"

"It's doing great, Leader."

Kavos immediately followed up. Amongst the trio, he was the most long-winded of them all, but in his presentation, he had spoken of some matters which made Rhode quite happy. Rhode had no choice but to put on a cold demeanor in front of the three so they would understand their position and rank. Furthermore, it was also considered payback for their hotheaded behavior. Kavos, on the other hand, didn't mind to lower himself.

"According to your instructions, we have collected these magical herbs. This is the herb list..."

Kavos handed a paper over, but Rhode left it as it was on the table. Apparently, he wasn't too mindful about such trivial matters.

"Since all of you are back, let us speak of proper business next."

Kavos and his brothers immediately sat up straight. They weren't dummies. Along with the removal of the Mercenary Association's ban, many mercenary groups had already started to accept missions. For a powerful mercenary group like Starlight, there's no reason for them not to accept any missions. So would they be of use this time?

Kavos and his brothers had once believed that their mercenary groups would be in a cooperative relationship with Starlight. However, Rhode plainly revealed the truth and said that it was an annexation. And since then, all of them were considered Rhode's members and had no special treatment compared to the rest. If Kavos and the rest were in their youth, they would have torn Rhode's arrogant face into pieces. However, each one of them was way past their energetic days, and the long years spent being mercenaries taught them to remain calm in such situations. It wasn't scary to do wrong, and as long as you accept the wrong, you'll have the chance to correct it. The scary thing was to make mistakes over and over until the end of your life.

After considering their options, Kavos and the rest realized that they were probably not the best bet within Starlight's ranks. Come to think of it, Rhode could complete high-level missions with insufficient members, and he could even complete them almost perfectly. Furthermore, he had a close circle of members that had been by his side ever since the beginning, so they wouldn't face any major issues with teamwork and trust. In other words, if you had trustworthy brothers or sisters in the mercenary group, do you think that new members would be of equal importance?

Because of this reason, the three men stopped harping over this issue, Instead, when their men grumbled about Rhode's negligence towards them, the three men took the initiative to step up and consoled them. After all, Rhode had clearly informed them about their attitude; only an idiot would choose to go against him.

And now as they saw it, Rhode intended to delegate them some work which proved that Rhode still somewhat valued them.

Meanwhile, Rhode didn't know what was going through the mind of these three men, and neither did he care.

"Two days ago, I had accepted a request from the church. I believe you may already hear of this."

Rhode's bet with Barney had already spread everywhere in Deep Stone City.

"The reason I summoned all of you here was for this matter. After the next few days, we will head to Blackrock Depths. I need you to get prepared. Since we'll be attempting various missions together, I hope that you'll take the initiative to strengthen yourselves. From today onwards, the Training Ground is officially open for you. If you have nothing better to do, for the sake of the three of you, I hope that you will show me the right attitude."

"... Kavos." Rhode singled out the man in the middle.

"Yes, Leader?"

Kavos's posture stiffened immediately.

"These people... including your brothers, are all under your care. You will be responsible for any issues. I will split your team into two groups, one for defense and the other for offense. Go and think about how to accomplish that... and don't disappoint me."

"Yes, Leader, I guarantee that there won't be any problems."

Kavos finally could put his heart to rest after hearing Rhode's instructions. Now that Rhode willingly assigned him to be in charge of his mercenaries, it proved that they had been finally recognized. And for the next step... if they were able to grasp it, then all would be well.

"Very well."

Rhode nodded and extended his arm, pointing to the side.

"... However, with your current equipment, I'm honestly worried if you can even complete the first part of the mission. So, I've prepared something for you as remunerations for completing my order."

Their eyes traced the direction Rhode pointed to. The three brothers immediately discovered two humongous wooden chests which laid to the corner of the room. Surprisingly, the chests appeared rather plain, which left the three brothers confused. They glanced at each other for a moment, but they eventually followed Rhode's instructions and opened the chests. What they saw next left them completely bewildered.

The two unseemingly unremarkable chests contained various refined equipment and weapons. There were helmets, leather armors, heavy armors, long swords, bows, and shields. Everything was sparkly as though it was brand new. And if it weren't for the slightly irregular shape, Kavos would have thought that these were stolen from some warehouse.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. From the feeble magical radiance resonating from within the pile, it appeared that there were even magical weapons!

Oh my Lord, am I dreaming?

Kavos pinched his thigh secretly and picked up a dagger with his trembling fingers. He examined the dagger slowly and soon noticed a green shimmer on the blade. Clearly, that was a trait of a magical weapon.

Kavos wasn't the only one in shock. Even Obertan and Derick's expressions changed. They quickly lowered their bodies and dug through the mountain of equipment while stealing a glance towards Rhode occasionally. How did he manage to get his hands on these exquisite armors and weapons?

If Anne was present, she'd most definitely be able to answer the mercenary's inner doubt. That was because all of these were brought back by Anne from the Black Pine Ruins!

Although the mysterious assailant ambushed Rhode, he didn't give up the loot. By Rhode's logic, since the attacker could easily inflict so much damage in a short period of time, then it shouldn't take much effort for them to kill him. Yet, the attacker chose not to, which meant that they had no intention to kill him. Thus, rather than running away with their tails between their legs, why not retrieve all the loot since they had already spent so much time here?

This was exactly why Rhode instructed Anne to dump all the equipment from the dead mercenaries into his spatial bag. Furthermore, even before that final fight, he had looted magical weapons from the goblins. Even though they were low-level monsters, it didn't mean that they wouldn't drop equipment!

Alas, it was a pity that Anne didn't have Marlene's golden touch. She could only pick out the average equipment, while the rare and uncommon loot were all destroyed in battle as expected...

Of course, for Rhode who was already close to level 20, these lowly magical weapons that came with unique attributes such as 'Sharp,' '+1 Poison Element,' or 'Bleed' were no longer necessary to him. From a player's perspective, these weapons would only be sold to merchants for money. But to these NPCs, the weapons can only be a blessing to them. These three poor brothers had disbanded their mercenary group because of financial problems; thus, when they saw this 'generous' offer from Rhode, their eyes gleamed with awe.

"Thank you Leader for your gift!"

Kavos stood up straight; then he bowed deeply and respectfully to Rhode. Likewise for Obertan and Derick.

"I guarantee I won't disappoint you!"

"You don't have to thank me."

Rhode gestured for him to stop. Although he didn't mind giving items out freely like this, he had to agree that the Diamond Mercenary Group did indeed have some pretty neat gear. While the equipment they dropped wasn't in the ranks of magical gear, but they were still a grade above average. And since they had 'kindly offered' their gear to Rhode, naturally he would accept the offer with open arms.

"As I've said, these are your remunerations. After spending so much time picking magic herbs in Twilight Forest, naturally, you will receive your rightful rewards, right?"

Although Rhode spoke in a casual tone, Kavos knew better. The value of these magic herbs they collected wouldn't be able to match the price of a magical dagger.

However, before Kavos could pay his respects, Rhode dropped another bomb on them.

"Ah... right. Get your men ready to claim some potions from Lapis. Each of you will receive five incendiary agents and healing potions. These are for your own personal use; I don't wish to see anyone selling them. Understood?"

Magical potions!?

I-is this for real?

Kavos became overly excited and almost passed out. Of course, he had heard from Shauna about Rhode granting them magical potions before, but Kavos had always been dubious on this matter. Now, after experiencing it for himself, he didn't know how to react. After so many years of leading his mercenary group, he had never heard of such generosity. Which mercenary group would really give their members so many magical equipment and potions? Oh lord, not even those huge guilds would do it!

"No answer?"

Kavos immediately snapped back from his shock and subconsciously nodded his head.

"Yes, Leader!! I guarantee you that there will not be any problems!"

Finally, it wasn't until now when the three brothers realize that joining Starlight was absolutely the right choice.

The three brothers left with two huge wooden chests, returning the room to its previous peacefulness. Rhode sighed and leaned back against the chair. At this moment, a pair of delicate, tiny hands delivered a small cup of warm tea to Rhode.

"... Rhode... are you tired?"

"A little."

Regarding Christie's concern, Rhode revealed a gentle smile. He extended his hand and stroked Christie's hair. Christie balled up like a kitten, happily squinting her sparkling eyes at Rhode. When he saw her adorable smile, Rhode felt some stress leave his body.

Is this what it feels like being brother and sister?

Thinking of this, Rhode subconsciously fell into nostalgia. His real sister had always been living in the hospital and never been by his side like Christie. Rhode couldn't differentiate the contrast between the relationship of siblings and ordinary couples. He recalled that he had friends who were like that in high school. That pair never left each other's' side, and Rhode had always been curious why they wouldn't be sick of each other. Naturally, Rhode attempted to ask, but his friends didn't give him a logical reply, so Rhode left it hanging there.

In the end, Rhode began to tease the pair as their names had almost the same pronunciation.

Yulian and Yulian. Truly interesting names. (TL notes: Different Chinese characters for 'lian,' but spoken with the same pronunciation.)

Thinking back about his past, Rhode couldn't help but smile, and at this moment, a strange sentence suddenly sounded in his ear.

"Lai, ya, Beiramiterhafura."

"Christie?"

Rhode turned his head over and saw Christie covering her mouth in shame. Facing Rhode's puzzled look, the little girl shook her head vigorously.

"I, I don't know... Rhode... these words... I would speak of them randomly and I don't know what it means... Did I say something bad?"

"Don't worry, Christie."

Rhode shook his head, after hearing Christie's uneasy explanations. He remembered the time when he was interrogating the village chief; he had once mentioned that Christie would something speak words that no one could understand. Now, it seemed to be true.

"Don't worry, Christie. You didn't say anything bad."

Rhode consoled Christie in a soothing voice, and when she heard his comforting words, Christie started to relax.

But...

That was the Abyss Language.

Rhode patted Christie's head. Although he didn't reveal his emotions explicitly, in his heart, he was somewhat dubious.

The Abyss Language. It was a language that came from deep within hell. A language used by the devils. In the Dragon Soul Continent, other than devil worshippers, mages, and the almighty churches, no one else knew this language. As for Christie, she obviously hadn't learned this language before, and not only that, based on the intelligence gathered in High Cliff Village, Christie was denied of education, but she was still able to write and even read some of the books in Rhode's room. While she still couldn't read some profound sentences, it was still quite a feat!

However, this was indeed a bizarre case.

And what bugged Rhode the most, was the words that Christie spoke.

'Beware the undiscovered nightmares laid within the depths.'

How did she know about this?

Chapter 208: Fiends and Tentacles

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

(ED: Warning: NSFW near the end. *insert lenny face here*)A putrid smell arose from the depths of the dimly lit underground cave.

What's happening?

With a torch raised, Barney felt jittery when he led his men deeper into the caverns.

It had been five days since they entered the Blackrock Depths.

However, unexpectedly, they hadn't met any enemies so far — no, rather, it was more like they couldn't detect the enemies. The underground caverns weren't the same as the tunnels they traversed before, where the Goblins and Earth Protoplasms continually harassed them. Now, everything appeared to be avoiding them like a plague as though the mercenaries were the only living creatures in this underground world.

"Barney, do you want to stop and rest for a moment?"

The half-elf maiden walked up to Barney and asked softly. Then, she turned around and glanced over to the mercenaries behind.

"Everyone... Everyone seemed to be worried."

"I know."

Barney was a little unhappy hearing the half-elf maiden's words, but he quickly let out a sigh.

"Sorry, I was just..."

"I know... but this isn't the solution, Barney. We are certainly within the Blackrock Depths. We are not lost, but why can't we see anything?"

Whenever she used her innate elf vision, she could see clearly in the dark unlike ordinary humans. But even so, she could only detect randomly strewn debris and some aged bone dust. After spending five long days in the caverns, these obviously weren't the things they had come here for. Other than discovering some underground residences, there was nothing else of interest to the group.

Barney wasn't dense. He knew that these caverns must contain something valuable. Before entering Blackrock Depths, he had sent scouts to scour the area, and it was truly an extremely dangerous place. All the legends, rumors and warnings further proved this point. Besides, the reason why the church requested for help was that this place posed a certain degree of danger. Rhode wouldn't have valued this mission if not for its rewards.

Although Barney possessed a burning hatred for Rhode, he had to admit that Rhode was incredibly powerful. And even with that strength, Rhode still hesitated to accept this mission.

But the problem now was, where were the threats?

It was quiet to the point where it was terrifying. The lack of danger made Barney increasingly nervous, and this panicky sensation wasn't a good feeling at all. Initially, he thought that this place would be littered with monsters, thus, he instructed his people to buy a bunch of Fire elemental scrolls. But there weren't any monsters for him to use these scrolls on at all!

The half-elf maiden didn't know what to do either. Her sharp senses weren't useful in this situation. They were simply walking on the only path forward, but somehow, they were still lost. If this situation kept up, then who knows what would happen?

"Oi, leader!"

Finally, a mercenary from the rear couldn't bear the silence any longer.

"How much longer do we have to walk for!"

Barney frowned and remained silent. Unquestionably, he understood the unhappiness from his men. During the initial preparation for the mission, he boosted their morale by enticing them with fame and fortune. However, after so many days of aimless walking, their adrenaline finally died down, and dissent became apparent. Even veterans wouldn't be able to tolerate wasting time like this. Not to mention that these people can't be considered close to the cream of the crop — frankly, it was a miracle that they only rebelled at this stage.

"Hmm? What's that smell?"

And at this moment, a pleasant aroma blew past their noses.

The mercenaries looked at one another curiously while their noses twitched.

"It smells so good... is there something up ahead?"

"Quick, let's go!"

In a regular situation, most mercenaries would hate it when any sudden or peculiar situation occur during a mission. But at this moment, facing anything would be better than dying of boredom. With his torch in his left hand, Barney cautiously moved his right hand onto his sword's hilt and inched forward slowly.

After turning the corner, soon enough, they entered a spacious room.

Oddly, without the need of the torch, they could see everything clearly. It wasn't because they developed the same innate ability as the half-elf, but instead, it was a radiance emitted from a 'light' source.

In the seven meters wide open cave, a vast forest expanded unhindered because of the strange light. The green leaves on the trees swayed in the wind while its luscious crimson fruits dangled from the branches, causing a distinctive aroma to drift towards their direction. And underneath the trees, a beautiful garden laid bare in all its splendor, bringing vibrant colors to the otherwise dull cave.

What is this? Why is something like this here?

Barney scrutinized these strange trees. He felt suspicious over this whole situation. It wasn't logical at all. There was neither water nor sunlight, therefore it was impossible for vegetation to thrive here. However, before he could put all his thoughts together, some of his mercenaries already ran and plucked the fruits.

"Ohhh man... this smells so good..."

The fruit had a bright, crimson red exterior; also, it was shaped like a banana but much thicker. After peeling its skin, a sugary scent flooded their sense of smell which caused them to swallow their saliva.

"I can't take it anymore, let me take a bite!"

Soon enough, a mercenary bit into the bright red fruit. And at this moment, Barney immediately reacted.

"Wait! Don't eat! This situation is too strange!"

"Strange? What's strange?"

Some mercenaries stopped, but most of them ignored him and ate as much as they could. The ones that managed to control their urges also thought that this place was too good to be true. However, as more of them ate the fruits, the fragrance became increasingly thicker, and soon enough, even the mercenaries who had previously refrained from eating fell into temptation. The strong-willed ones still wandered around, carefully observing the rest.

"What do you think?"

Barney held his forehead helplessly and asked the half-elf maiden.

"I... I don't know, Barney."

The half-elf maiden shook her head.

"This situation is too bizarre... How do I put it...? They don't feel like vegetation at all..."

"Forget it."

Barney lost all his mood and interrupted the maiden with a wave.

"Search the surroundings. This is the deepest part of the cave. I don't believe that there's nothing here. There must be something that we've missed!"

"Okay, Barney, I..."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!'

Before they could finish their conversation, they were interrupted by a shrill scream. Barney and the half-elf maiden jumped slightly in shock and immediately turned towards the voice. Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded in front of them.

The mercenaries who consumed the fruits had collapsed on the ground, moaning painfully. They struggled and rolled on the ground, tearing out their skins and letting out excruciating screams. Suddenly, the trees overhead shook slightly, and the crimson fruits peeled open, revealing the soft mesh within. Then, it fell to the ground and began to rapidly crawl towards the fallen mercenaries before forcefully invading their orifices.

For a moment, those who were still conscious were stunned speechless by this freakshow. As the leader, Barney was the first to react.

"Everyone unleash your Fire elemental scrolls! Burn them!!"

As he spoke, he unfurled the scroll and unleashed a wave of flames towards the trees. The other mercenaries recovered from their daze and quickly did the same. Soon enough, a blaze engulfed the nearby trees, drawing the attention of the fruit fiends. They spun around and crawled towards the mercenaries with an unbelievable speed. Two mercenaries unknowingly stepped on the fiends who quickly pulled them to the ground. The fiends then crawled into their mouths, causing their bodies started to twist and turn from within.

"Q-quickly retreat! Go!!"

Barney unfurled a Firewall scroll and yelled at the mercenaries to retreat using the wall of flames as cover. The half-elf maiden followed closely behind while displaying a terrified expression on her face.

"Barney, there's too many of them!!"

"Escape to that tunnel over there and blockade it with our Firewall scrolls, if we do it well, we can block these heinous things from advancing!"

Barney yelled at the top of his voice while gesturing towards a nearby tunnel.

At this point, he finally understood why Rhode needed so many Fire elemental scrolls. But there was nothing more he could do then to escape with the half-elf maiden and the remaining mercenaries.

The ground began to shake.

The earth under them creased as though something pinched the ground. Then, the fiends utilized their element to advance towards the mercenaries undetected by digging under the wall of flames.

Suddenly, a tentacle appeared from beneath the ground and shot towards the half-elf maiden, successfully latching onto her leg.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

She screamed in terror when she felt a slimy sensation on her leg. Barney hurriedly turned around when he heard her scream. But at that moment, dozens of tentacles broke out from the ground, binding the maiden tightly as they lifted her up into the air.

"Barney, save me, save me!! Save me ah!!"

The half-elf maiden struggled with all her might, but she still couldn't escape. Instead, the tentacles became even tighter when she resisted. At this point, her clothes were already torn into pieces, revealing her soft, snow-like skin. The tentacles then squirmed and tightened around her four limbs, slowly squeezing out the air from her lungs.

Barney saw this and hesitated for a moment, but he decided to continue running towards the tunnel.

"Barney, save me... save me..."

The half-elf maiden began to gasp for air as her consciousness blurred. She struggled to extend her hand towards the direction that Barney fled to, and at that moment, two thick tentacles slithered up her thighs and under her skirt. The maiden's face immediately paled as she struggled furiously.

"N-No, no!! Stop!! Stop ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—!!"

The half-elf's heartwrenching cry turned into a painful scream. In her abdomen, two thick bulges twisted and turned unceasingly. The maiden's body shook intensely when the tentacles entered. Her body bobbed up and down in the air as she gagged continuously when another thick tentacle penetrated her mouth. The maiden's eyes rolled back and her body trembled violently. Sounds of gooey liquid and flesh pounding together echoed throughout the cave.

"Arg... arh... ah..."

Suddenly, the tentacles became increasingly aggressive in its movements and vibrated violently for a moment before finally flinging the half-elf maiden's body side-to-side like a toy.

"———!!"

A wave of heat suddenly erupted from within her body. For a brief moment, her eyes opened wide in shock as her body arched upwards, then her eyes rolled back before a series of convulsions wrecked her body. She let out choking sounds as the tentacles quickly retreated from her body, leaving a trail of white, gooey liquid which shot out from between her legs. At this moment, the maiden slumped lifelessly from one of the tentacles; her clothes totally torn apart and strewn everywhere.

The earth raised once again.

A huge chunk of meat appeared underneath. It grabbed the maiden into its body with its tentacle and ravished her body violently once more.

"Damn it!! Why did this happen!!"

Barney released another Firewall scroll without turning his head back. He gritted his teeth with a blank mind.

How did this happen? Why? Why? What on earth is that thing?!

Ahhhh! It's pointless to think now! I have to leave this place immediately! As long as I can survive...

A cold sensation brushed past Barney's neck.

Is it water?

The young man glanced upwards in confusion, but that puzzled expression soon turned into horror.

Chapter 209: Blackrock Depths (Continued)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The Blackrock Depths entrance was situated within an underground mining cavern in the northern side of Deep Stone City. Legend told that a long time ago, it was the historical remains of a Dwarven Kingdom. However, in the eyes of everyone now, it was merely a large cave. Rhode led his men towards the entrance of the underground tunnel and saw two men dressed like mercenaries leaning lazily on a table with one elbow. They were playing cards and drinking beer, clearly not interested in doing their duty.

When Rhode let out a soft cough, their ears perked up and turned their heads sharply towards the sound.

"Mr. Rhode! Y-you've arrived... we are—"

One of the mercenaries quickly addressed Rhode nervously.

"I'm here to follow up on our bet. Have they returned to the surface?"

Rhode pointed to the underground entrance, and the two mercenaries looked at each other awkwardly and shook their heads.

"No, they haven't, Mr. Rhode. We can assure you that no one came out."

"Alright, so can I go in now?"

"Yes Mr. Rhode, as you wish."

The mercenaries let out a sigh of relief. One of them swiftly retrieved a key from his pocket and opened the steel gates to the underground tunnel. Then, he waved a torch in an arc, confirming the status of the route and then nodded towards Rhode.

"Mr. Rhode, since they aren't back yet, according to the rules, you can enter."

"Good. It'd been tough for you guys these days."

Rhode walked to the front of the mercenaries and tapped on their shoulders. Later, he fished out two gold coins and planted them sneakily into their palms. The mercenaries lit up in joy. Although guarding the entrance was a relaxing job, doing absolutely nothing was just incredibly boring. Rhode's arrival meant that they could end their monotonous duties and report back to the association.

"You're welcome, Mr. Rhode. We are just following orders. Do you need our help for anything else? If there is, please let us know."

After receiving a generous tip, the mercenaries' became incredibly passionate. They swiftly tidied the cards and swept the beers off the table. However, Rhode didn't have any requests for them. Sensing his intention, as though their thoughts were in synchronization, both of them stopped talking at the same time and left immediately after packing up their stuff.

When the two men were out of sight, Rhode turned back and scanned his group.

Marlene, Anne, and Lize were standing by his side. Behind them were Joey, Randolf, and Kavos. The other mercenaries split themselves into two teams, quietly lining up behind the trio appropriately. Only Kavos knew how difficult his men were when Rhode instructed them to look for magic herbs in Twilight Forest. From their perspective, this order was akin to slapping their faces; if it was only gathering herbs, why would he employ mercenaries to do that? He should just get himself an alchemist.

However, when Kavos and his brothers unveiled the wooden chest filled with equipment bestowed by Rhode, the mercenaries' attitudes instantaneously flipped 180 degrees. Never in their mercenary life had they seen a group so generous. Exquisitely crafted equipment? Magical weapons? Where on the continent would they find such a reward for picking up magic herbs? Previously, they could only drool while looking at these equipment from afar, but now they could actually get a hold of one!

Generous people were always popular no matter the era. Rhode's 'benevolence' instantly transformed the views of the mercenaries. Initially, when the mercenaries joined Starlight, they had an inkling that Rhode was arrogant and cruel. After all, his 'fearful name' had spread far and wide. But now, at least if he was arrogant or cruel, at least he was a generous boss.

But that wasn't the end of their jubilance; Kavos dropped another bomb on them just like what Rhode did to him — their rights to retrieve magical potions!

Magical potions! If the mercenaries could only dream of these luxurious gear in their dreams, then these magical potions belonged to an even higher tier! Now that these things were already in their possession, they couldn't feel anything less than joy.

If the previous impression of Rhode was 'favorable', then now it would be 'worship.' A leader that could provide such expensive equipment and magical potions would be a leader worth fighting for.

If Rhode could prove his abilities in leading the mercenaries, then they wouldn't mind formally accepting him.

Of course, Rhode didn't know what was going on in their minds, but he didn't care either way. Since the mercenaries were willing to listen to his command, then all is well. Now that his group had grown rather big, it appeared rather impressive, but under the veil, it was much easier for the situation to turn chaotic. Starlight used to be lacking members, but under pressure, everyone still cooperated hand-in-hand to work things out. Now that they've expanded, even though the weight on each individual decreased, who knows if they could perform as splendidly as before?

Back in the game, guilds were the same. When there were lesser members, cooperation was much simpler. But once they grew in size, small issues could snowball into more significant problems. Thus, if the mercenaries were at least willing to listen to his commands, it would certainly be enough.

"I think that all of you must be anxious for battle."

Rhode flicked his finger towards the fully-armored mercenaries.

"And I know all of you are curious why we're here. But I can tell you now if you are willing to abide by my orders adequately, then I guarantee your safe return. The situation in Blackrock Depths is complicated, and the only aspect of this operation I can reveal thus far is that all of you must be prepared to handle some thorny situations — if I were to describe it using an example, think of it as a poisonous fiend that has the ability to fly. I think all of you should know how to react."

The mercenaries nodded in response. They weren't newbies like Randolf. After being in this trade for so many years, they'd been through numerous similar situations. So Rhode needed only to remind them, and they would know what to do.

"Marlene."

Rhode called and turned to Marlene.

"I need you to keep the Flame Shield up at all times like Lize had done. Prioritize yourself first before the rest of the group. This journey will be a long and arduous one, and we will face multiple dangerous situations. Both you and Lize should prepare yourselves mentally and distribute your spiritual energies reasonably."

"Yes, Mr. Rhode."

Hearing Rhode's reminder, both of them nodded in response. Ever since they had followed Rhode, they knew that as long as he reminded them of something, it wouldn't be redundant and will be crucial to the mission's success. Thus, any information they received from Rhode would be treated of the highest importance.

"Ok, let's go."

Rhode turned back towards the steel gate and walked into the underground tunnel.

–

Inside the dark tunnel, there was only silence.

Rhode led the group at the front while Lize maintained her Holy Radiance at the rear. Beside her was Marlene, Anne, and also Celia. As per usual, Rhode would summon Celia for assistance. At this moment, she walked beside Rhode, furling her wings, not minding the mercenaries' gazes from the back.

"...!"

Far away in the tunnel, a faint sound echoed.

Hearing this sound, Rhode clenched his fist into a ball.

It worked!

Previously, the reason why Rhode agreed to Barney's conditions wasn't solely because of conflicts of interest, in fact, when Rhode discovered this mission, his head throbbed incessantly over something troublesome — the characteristics of this dungeon. Compared to the mechanics of a regular dungeon, the Blackrock Depths was a somewhat unique experience. The first group to enter would trigger the sleeping BOSS and the monsters, and then the following group who entered would be able to clear the dungeon as per normal.

This setting caused a wave of unhappiness amongst the players who felt that this feature was unmeaningful. However, there were still some that felt that this was a reasonable development because it created an unexpected variable to an otherwise unremarkable dungeon. They felt that it was exciting because a BOSS wouldn't appear every single time they triggered the instance which would be more challenging and realistic.

While not everyone agreed to this setting, there was nothing much that could be done as this was how the dungeon was established.

So, afterward, once they understood the mechanics, the players devised their own strategies to tackle this dungeon. By how you say? By stripping of course! They would strip down to their underwear and force the BOSS to spawn, get killed, respawn and then re-enter with their full gear on. There was another option though, — kill the boss through brute force. If the player were highly skilled and had extremely good gear, it would otherwise be nigh impossible to kill the BOSS in the first run.

During the first run, when the BOSS was summoned, monsters would appear from the rear of the BOSS, and if one weren't powerful enough, there would be no way of defeating the BOSS and its monsters.

This was exactly the reason why Rhode hesitated to pick up this mission. He couldn't possibly send his men to their grave, and the method to overpower the BOSS with overwhelming strength was out of the question as well.

However, Barney's intervention resolved Rhode's dilemma. Since the other party handed itself on a platter, then Rhode wouldn't mind taking up their offer. Not to mention that he had already warned Barney. Alas, he didn't listen to his advice and since that was the case, what else could Rhode say?

The only worry that lingered within Rhode's mind was Barney being unable to trigger the BOSS, but from the sound of it, it seemed like he had successfully awakened it.

"Everyone, get ready for battle."

Rhode quickly raised his hand and gave a command.

Chapter 210: Moving Deeper

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The mercenaries quickly acknowledged Rhode's command and coated the flaming agent onto their weapons. Then, they made a flicking motion which ignited the agent, lighting their weapons ablaze. Soon enough, a series of flames brightened the dim tunnel.

Rhode made a subtle gesture and the group of mercenaries quickly gathered in a circle with him in the center. Marlene readied her wand and narrowed her eyes with a solemn expression. It seemed like after the training, their standards had indeed improved by leaps and bounds, but...

"Don't just blindly look to the front, don't forget to look above you as well."

Rhode's indifferent voice echoed in the tunnel. The mercenaries felt his mocking tone and raised the torch above their heads.

Perhaps it was due to their pride or whatever other reasons, the mercenaries didn't immediately scream when they saw the horrors that lingered on the ceiling. Marlene and Lize couldn't help but cup their mouths to stifle their scream.

"Wha-what are those things!"

"Wahhh!"

Even the experienced mercenaries were shocked, and some of them stumbled backward.

"These eggs have been dormant for quite some time."

Celia's first sentence made everyone slightly relieved. However, her following sentence caused them to freeze in terror.

"But they've been fertilized about four to five days ago."

Four to five days...!

The mercenaries looked at each other after hearing the news. Once again, they lifted up their heads to count how many eggs were there, but after a minute, they began to despair. There were just too many of them.

Meanwhile, it was obvious that Celia didn't care about the mental state of the mercenaries.

She turned towards Rhode and said, "These are Blogg eggs, master."

"Blogg?"

Marlene repeated the word in shock and turned towards Rhode.

"Aren't Bloggs the devils that resided in the Nine Layers of Hell? How did it appear here?"

"The devils can sometimes breach the boundary. It isn't rare for it to happen."

Celia explained to Marlene calmly while slowly unsheathing her sword. Then a silver flame suddenly emerged from the blade, blinding the mercenaries momentarily and flooding the entire tunnel with a brilliant light.

"Judging by the condition of these eggs, the devil must have been sealed for many years, only to be awakened recently. Master, I think..."

"Celia, that's enough. Analyzing the situation isn't your job."

Rhode waved his hand to interrupt Celia who respectfully lowered the sword in her hand and folded her wings obediently. The newer mercenaries were bewildered as most of them never interacted with an angel before. When they first saw Celia, they panicked slightly, not knowing what to do. Furthermore, they weren't exactly on best terms with angels. Although the senior mercenaries had preempted them about Rhode's association with the Celia, the newbies didn't seem to believe them. Instead, they speculated that both of them must be in some sort of companion relationship rather than a master-slave contract. But it was clear as day now; Celia's docile behavior was unlike the haughty battle angel they had expected her to be.

"Si-sir."

Kavos swallowed his saliva and tiptoed to Rhode's side. Although he didn't catch on fully what Celia had said to Rhode, he was absolutely certain that he heard the word 'devil.' To ordinary humans, this word was a taboo.

"Ar-Are we gonna fight a devil?"

"Maybe."

Rhode replied as he turned his head and stared deeper into the tunnel.

His expression was calm, albeit too calm for comfort. If it weren't for the interactions with him a few days back, Kavos would have concluded that his leader was an expressionless man. He even suspected that this leader of his knew what was going to happen.

"Why do you ask? Are you afraid?"

"Mercenaries only desire for money; even if we have to wade through the depths of hell, we will still go for it!"

Kavos focused his thoughts and regained his composure once he realized that the rest of the mercenaries didn't have any reaction to Rhode's question. After all, the senior mercenaries in Starlight had already experienced the terrifying Wind Serpents, dauntless undead, and other frightening creatures. Compared to that, a devil that had been slumbering for centuries was just a piece of cake. Kavos' band of newcomers were obviously shaken, so he had to cough to conceal his awkwardness and surprise.

"I was just but a little surprised, sir."

"Good," Rhode said. Then he turned away and extended his right hand outwards before swinging it towards the ground.

Scorching flames erupted from nowhere which soon formed a silhouette of a huge, black hound. Just before this mission, Rhode used another Gargoyle's Heart on the hound, causing it to level up once more. In the past, the hound was just a large dog, but now, it finally lived up to its name as the Flame Killer. It was at least a meter in height, with fiery wisps emanating from its jaws each time it breathed, and it had a string of embers as its mane, spanning from the top of its head all the way to the end of its tail. The black hound had transformed entirely into a monstrous figure.

Alas, despite its fearsome appearance, its defense was still just as abysmal as before.

Rhode's eyelid twitched when he saw the size of this hound. Based on the mass of its humongous body, its self-detonation ability should rival a medium-sized missile by now. If he had a better choice, he would never summon it in a narrow tunnel. It was akin to placing a walking time bomb by his side.

Rhode snapped his fingers and the black hound immediately shook its body vigorously. At the same time, a circle of flames erupted and enveloped everyone in it. Other than the well-prepared Rhode, and Anne, Marlene and Lize who had a defensive shield up, the rest of the mercenaries felt a singe on their skin. Instinctively, the attempted to avoid the flames, but they quickly realized that they were in a different world.

Their surroundings didn't change much, however, now everything they viewed had a strange red tint to it. Just below their feet, a circular formation of flames rotated on the ground, releasing a mild stench of burning meat.

"I guess most of you already realized what we are fighting against now," Rhode said.

The mercenaries raised their weapons and nodded. Some of them were still evidently hesitant, but at least they didn't have the intention to retreat.

That's the way.

Rhode nodded his head in satisfaction before turning to the front once more.

"Let's press on then."

The attack from the devil was far stronger than what most mercenaries could imagine.

When the group entered the deeper areas, they discovered gruesome beings they had never seen before.

–

A palm-sized, flesh-colored fiend flapped its oddly shaped bat wings, shooting towards them while making a high-pitched screeching sound. However, the air in front of it erupted for no apparent reason. They twisted and turned their bodies to defend themselves, and at this moment, the mercenaries made their killing moves. When their sharp blades contacted with the soft, fleshy skin, they were faintly surprised how delicate their bodies were. They half expected some sort of solid resistance from the monster, but instead, they split it into half easily like a hot knife through butter. But its death was as disgusting as its appearance. When it died, it vanished into a puddle of murky water, releasing a pungent smell.

Joey and Randolf began to display their enhanced skills. After the rigorous training in the mirage, they had finally managed to get the hang of their jobs. Marlene and Lize weren't weak either. They were looking forward to an actual battle to showcase their newfound abilities. However, those thoughts immediately vanished when Rhode placed a carcass in front of them.

"Look carefully."

Rhode lifted the burnt corpse of the fiend without any hesitation. It had six claws, quite similar to how a human hand looks like after peeling off the skin. In the middle of the 'palm,' there was a slit which opened and closed by itself, and if one looked closer into the hole, they would discover countless of tentacles crawling within.

"If you reencounter them, remember that they will attack your face and try to stick these things in your orifices, suck out your brain matter and then lay eggs into your emptied skull. By the time you open your eyes again, your body will be a host to these fiends and fall under their complete control." Rhode explained indifferently, ignoring the paling faces of Marlene and Lize. "So I advice you to stay in a relatively safe location and only attack when I need you to."

After Rhode's detailed analysis of the fiend, the tunnel fell into silence. From now on, no mercenary harbored any intention to take part in fights unnecessarily.

After subsequent battles with fiends, the mercenaries began to adapt to their attack pattern. That was the power of adaptability in humans. When facing the unknown, feeling anxious was a natural reaction. But when accustomed to it, it wouldn't be frightening anymore.

"Careful! On your left!"

Kavos plunged his dual daggers into a fiend that flew towards him. Then in a fluid motion, he pulled back one of the mercenaries who nearly stepped out of the ring of fire. Behind them, the black hound stood quietly in the center of the circle. Kavos and his men knew that it was due to this hound that they were able to fight with ease. Although he didn't know how it was done, it was clear that it protected his men. Whenever the fiends touched the flames, their movement slowed and were easily caught off guard. If not for the hound, Kavos wasn't sure if he and his men could surely defeat these monsters.

Now, with the help of the black hound, all he had to do was to command his men to stay in the ring and slay the monsters when they entered.

Slowly, the teamwork between the mercenaries grew better and better. They covered each other and worked together toward a common goal. The hectic shifting from one point to another wasn't because they had never faced such monsters before, but it was Rhode who constantly kept them on the move with his sudden commands. When they were busy fighting, Rhode would suddenly order them to an unseemingly inconspicuous location to regroup to welcome another batch of enemies coming from another direction.

"Damn!"

A mercenary grumbled as he needed to shift to another battlefield. He smacked away a monster flying towards him and glanced secretly at Rhode. Although he was unhappy about the order, he had no choice but to acknowledge that Rhode did well as a mercenary leader. In battle, Rhode would always lead the group at the vanguard, slaughtering the monsters with his sword. Compared to the mercenaries, Rhode was much more efficient. After every attack he made, a group of monsters would fall to the ground.

While Rhode's commands weren't the most pleasant to hear, to the mercenaries who were already acclimated to screaming and swearing, his mocking tone only pricked their pride.

Still, they could hardly tolerate Rhode's 'reckless' commands. Mostly it was the newbie mercenaries who were dissatisfied, but they still followed his orders without showing any external form of resistance. No matter what, the payoff was still worth it, and while his orders might be unreasonable, at least he didn't send them over to die.

"Seems to be going well." Rhode nodded to himself. While the mercenaries threw secret glances at Rhode, Rhode eyeballed them at the same time, observing and studying their movements.

During this mission, he could clearly notice the improvement in teamwork as compared to before. However, it wasn't an ideal situation for him. It was human nature to prefer familiar faces. If this went on, the mercenary group would inevitably split into two groups. That was the reason why Rhode always kept them on their toes, mixing them with each other so that they can learn how to support different people during fights. Once the mercenaries realize that they can trust each other wholeheartedly, that would be a step in the right direction.

And that was exactly what Rhode was doing. He separated the mercenaries who had good relations with one another and forced them into another group, mixing the newbies and the seniors. Fortunately, Kavos was able to understand Rhode's intention, so he lectured his mercenaries on Rhode's behalf.

Meanwhile, Marlene and Lize took cover behind Anne's shield and Celia was, as usual, taking charge of one side of the battle by herself. Each swing from her sword brought a wave of intense silver flames which roasted the fiends in front of her into ashes. Her pure, white wings didn't seem to be soiled in the least, maintaining its radiant shine.

After a while, Rhode realized that the movement of these fiends grew increasingly erratic and their screeches were getting louder as though they were upset.

Everything was progressing as expected.

Suddenly, he raised his sword high and hacked downwards.

Light emerged from his sword, forming an arc in the air. At that very moment, a huge tentacle shot out from the darkness towards him.

Slash! The light sliced the tentacle into two. Black-colored blood spewed out, releasing a horrid stench which filled the entire tunnel. Then a deep, menacing growl shook the earth, causing the rest of the fiends to retreat into the darkness.

The mercenaries didn't panic. On the contrary, they quickly assumed their defensive positions in a rather calm manner. They all knew that the main dish had arrived. Celia ran towards Rhode's side with both of her hands on the hilt of her sword.

Suddenly Rhode called out to Marlene.

The young mage immediately made her way to Rhode when she heard her name.

"Wait for Celia and my watch my signal. Then, release the ice swords. Remember, you must freeze it."

And at that moment, a colossal shadow emerged from the darkness.