Chapter 24 : The Legendary Ring Of Protection

[Ring Of Protection (Legendary) - A ring made of ore blessed by the God of Protection to protect the user. Specially made by the first Artifact Master. The user will be immune toward most diseases and sickness. Increases the user's overall ability, including self-regeneration. Whenever the user is in danger or threatened, the ring will alert the user immediately. Gives the user a (Shield of Protection) that can be used a few times a day depending on the size of the shield enacted. Bonded to Clarissa by inheritance]

"Woah.. What the heck? A legendary defensive artifact.. So her real name is Clarissa, huh.." thought Aaron for a moment before he noticed that he had been staring at her ring for so long.

"Um, I have already finished my dinner. I will be leaving soon so that you can have this seat all to yourself, Miss Cla-" Aaron quickly interrupted himself to avoid mentioning her real name. He realized that she had never introduced herself.

The woman with blonde hair, fair skin, and an attractive smile was shocked when Aaron almost said her real name. She had never used her real name outside before. She found it very strange.

"No, it's okay, sir. Just stay. By the way, you shouldn't mention my real name ever again, or else you may face execution by my father if he finds out about this," the woman softly reminded him.

"So, do you need something from me?" Aaron asked curiously.

"Well, at first I just wanted to know why my workers were so scared of you earlier. I heard them mention that a 5-star mercenary had eaten here without them noticing. Thank you for being lenient to them. Since you already know my real name, I should introduce myself to you properly. I am Marissa, the owner of this restaurant." Clarissa stood for a moment and bowed as a gesture of politeness before sitting back down after her introduction.

"Oh.. I'm sorry.. I'm Aaron.. Or according to the identity card given by the mercenary association, I should be called Steven then.." Aaron stood for a while, introducing himself just as Clarissa had done before.

Aaron noticed that there were a few people watching them, and he assumed that they must be the ones tasked with protecting Clarissa. He had no idea about Clarissa's identity, but he guessed that she must be from the royal family since everything here was owned by them, and she must be a part of it to own this restaurant.

"I have been wondering.. Were you the one tasked to protect me when I was at the university a few weeks ago?" asked Clarissa curiously.

Aaron was caught by surprise by Clarissa's remark. He had never approached her or exposed himself to her, as he always maintained a professional distance, following the requirements given by the HQ to remain undetected.

"Did I fail?" thought Aaron.

Clarissa chuckled.

"It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. I conducted my own investigation. I had a great time during that period. Thank you for protecting me without disturbing my daily activities. Unlike other mercenaries, you didn't seem to seek any favors from me or my family, and I really appreciate that. I read your record, and since it was your first compulsory mission, I was glad to see that you performed it well in order to protect me."

Aaron continued to listen to the chatty woman in front of him, wondering what she really wanted from him, as he had nothing to offer her.

"Listen.. I'm going on a university trip next month. It will be a week in the wilderness, camping with my classmates. Would you mind accepting the mission to protect me during that time, Mr. Aaron?"

…

"Hmm.. I'm not really familiar with how the missions work, but if you need protection from the association, wouldn't it be better to approach them directly?" asked Aaron curiously, wanting to understand why she had chosen him specifically.

"Hehe, it's because you're strong. I don't like other 5-star mercenaries. They are complicated, and I hate it when someone else makes decisions for me, especially when it concerns my safety or my life. Do you understand? The HQ will send you the details of the mission later. So please accept them when they come, okay?"

Aaron let out a quiet sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it. It would be nice if the HQ could make this mission my compulsory assignment so I wouldn't have to take on other missions," Aaron remarked with a hint of uncertainty.

"Hehe, that's alright. I can arrange that for you. Oh, one more thing before I go. If someone from the royal family contacts you to reject the mission, please ignore them. I have chosen you, Aaron. Also, please refrain from staring at my ring from now on, as my bodyguards might perceive it as a threat..."

Clarissa smiled and politely left the table.

Aaron waved his hand in farewell and proceeded to the counter to pay for the food, only to be informed that Clarissa had already taken care of the bill.

"Hmmm... What a strange day. I should book a hotel here and make the most of their facilities tonight!" thought Aaron as he made his way to the hotel.

During his journey to the hotel, he noticed that he was being followed. However, he decided to ignore them for the time being, as they ceased their pursuit once he reached his room. It was one of the finest rooms in the five-star hotel, costing him 10,000 credits per night. Luckily, he received a 50% discount by utilizing his mercenary privileges.

The moment Aaron entered the room, he utilized the advanced technology provided by Luo to check for any hidden cameras or microphones. He wanted to ensure his privacy and be extra cautious.

Beep beep beep.

As the noise subsided, Aaron let out a sigh of relief. "So it's safe, huh..."

With his plans to enjoy the jacuzzi, he began preparing for a relaxing soak and settled down at the kitchen table. Despite the room's immense size and spaciousness, it only had a single bedroom and a modestly designed kitchen area.

He retrieved the knife he had taken earlier and examined its attributes using his left eye. The description appeared just as it had on his phone.

"It worked! Now I can easily identify fake artifacts without relying on my phone for scanning," Aaron murmured to himself.

As he did, a hammer materialized in his right hand. He knew he had to break the knife in order to claim his reward, especially since the countdown for his left eye had ended hours ago.

Smash!

The knife shattered into several pieces before gradually dissipating into thin air.

Ding!

The notification on his phone instantly appeared, stating, "You have been rewarded with 10 item tokens!"

"WTF? I didn't expect to receive this many tokens, but hey, I'll take it!" Aaron exclaimed, surprised by the generous reward.

Curiosity piqued, he retrieved a bottle of serum from his spatial ring that he had acquired from the orphanage. He had yet to examine its properties, so he decided to do so now.

[Superhuman Serum (Fake) - A counterfeit serum created by an evil individual to grant superhuman abilities. This serum is synthesized using countless drops of blood from various individuals. While it provides superhuman capabilities, it also deteriorates the user's sanity and lifespan. Additionally, it numbs the user's sensation of both external and internal pain. This serum is trash! Please use the original version.]

"Eh.. Can my hammer even destroy this serum?" Aaron muttered, contemplating the idea. With a determined expression, he tossed the serum into the air and swiftly brought down his hammer upon it.

Smash!

Using the full force of the hammer, weighing 5000 kg, Aaron ensured that every last drop of the serum was obliterated, leaving no trace behind.

A notification promptly appeared on his phone, stating, "You have been rewarded with 1 skill token!"

"Nice! Now I don't have to rely on bundle rolls just to obtain a single skill token," Aaron exclaimed with satisfaction.

He proceeded to destroy five more bottles of serum, keeping them for himself as Garry had expressed interest in conducting research on them.

"Yeah, I have accumulated 6 skill tokens now. I'll hold onto them until I have enough for a bundle roll," Aaron thought, strategizing his future actions. With a contented sigh, he submerged himself in the warm embrace of the jacuzzi.

"Ah, finally..."

….

The next morning, just before dawn, Aaron found himself engaged in a grueling session of push-ups. Determined to push his limits, he had set a goal of completing 10,000 push-ups.

"10,000 push-ups! Ffs, how long is this going to take?" Aaron grumbled, expressing his frustration at the seemingly never-ending task.

Nevertheless, he started his workout, knowing he had ample time to spare.

Just after completing his strenuous exercise, Aaron's phone chimed with a new message from the Mercenary HQ.

Curiosity piqued, he opened it, and his expression immediately shifted.