211-217

Chapter 211: Parasites

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Boom... boom... boom...

Each step felt like a steel hammer pounding at their hearts. The mercenaries held their breath and stared at the black silhouette until the light completely revealed it.

"Oh Holy Soul..."

The moment Kavos saw the figure, he lost all sense and left his jaw agape. He was terrified to the extent that his daggers almost fell to the ground. Luckily, Kavos realized what was happening and regained his composure.

In front of them was a huge, fat and bloated abomination.

It appeared to have some features of a human — and perhaps it used to be a human, but at the moment, it was just a corpse decayed beyond recognition. Under its skin were bulging 'balloons' filled with fluids. Its massive head was squeezed between its shoulders with no neck in sight and its face was so crammed with fat that even the eyes couldn't be located.

Marlene extended her arm and quickly put it down. She wanted to hold her neck and push the vomit back into her stomach. However, she realized that doing this would create an opposing reaction, so she immediately stopped. Lize held her mouth and retreated to the back of the crowd. Anne didn't change her expression, but she still clenched her fist into a ball. It appeared that even Anne couldn't tolerate such things.

"Parasite."

Only Rhode remained the same. From his usual calm voice, it was as though this revolting piece of flesh didn't exist.

"It looks like the brave adventurers from before have become part of the nest. Keep your distance and beware of the tentacles."

Rhode raised his sword and pointed forward. All ten of the Parasite's fingers transformed into soft, flexible tentacles, lashing left to right continuously, crashing on the rock walls. On each tentacle, there were rows of small teeth, and even if they hadn't fought with them before, the mercenaries knew these small teeth weren't for having a meal...

"...!!"

The Parasite opened its mouth and roared. No one knew if it was suffering in pain or was it just purely enraged by instinct. However, it didn't affect Rhode. As the parasite roared, Rhode took this opportunity to dash forward with the battle angel Celia following closely behind. Her swords were raised high, and soon enough, a silver flame erupted from her blade.

The Parasite retaliated by lashing one of its arms at the duo. As a devil-type, it definitely couldn't tolerate the bright holy radiance that Celia emitted naturally.

Its hatred brought some sort of grievance — if the abomination could complain, then it would probably scream at these people to leave him alone.

Can't you see I'm deep underground to avoid this damnable light? Why can't you people spare a thought for me before bringing that thing here?

Isn't this considered bullying?

Of course, Rhode and Celia didn't bother about its feelings. The tentacle shot towards Rhode at frightening speeds, but Rhode, who managed to dodge it, followed up by crushing a green card that materialized in his palm. The Spirit Bird made its iconic cry as it pierced through the air.

At the same time, a lightning-fast attack struck from above Rhode, but he quickly parried the attack with his Crimson Blade. Before the Parasite could attack again, a bolt of lightning smashed into its body, causing it to retreat a few steps back in panic. Positive and negative energy always contradicted one another, so Celia was well-prepared for this. When facing the numerous tentacles, the angel had to just cast a small defensive barrier to guarantee her safety.

However, the other mercenaries were having a hard time.

Those tentacles that missed its target ended up being a stray attack which disrupted the mercenaries at the rear. The mercenaries weren't as strong as Rhode or Celia, and furthermore, they were inexperienced against fighting this foe. Should they rush up to attack? Or should they focus on defending?

The indecisive mercenaries took a few steps back. At this moment, Anne finally stepped into battle. Although Rhode's orders were to protect Marlene and Lize, as a Shield Warrior, Anne carried out her duties flawlessly. She quickly barreled to the front and expanded her golden shield, protecting the mercenaries to the rear.

"Bang!!"

The tentacles that struck the shield rebounded backward. Similar to the fiends, once the tentacles entered the ring of fire, the exterior flesh immediately charred. However, they weren't as weak as the fiends. While the damage dealt was quite noticeable, it did not stop lashing out at the mercenaries.

"You bunch of idiots, MOVE!"

Kavos reacted quickly and rushed forward with his daggers. Swish! He slashed at a tentacle but his attack wasn't powerful enough to sever it.

Kavos then drew back the corners of his mouth and attempted to try again. However, at this time, a silent figure suddenly appeared in his field of vision. Another pair of burning daggers moved so quickly that it transformed into a furious blaze. Kavos only saw a flash, and suddenly the tentacle retreated in a hurry. The tentacle was gravely injured, and Kavos knew it definitely wasn't him that did it.

He blinked his eyes in shock and saw a young man with a wide smile waving to him before disappearing into the shadows. His movements were as swift as the wind, and each strike was as fluid as the flowing river. Kavos recalled that this young man's name was Joey. If he remembered correctly, this lad was a newbie who had only recently became a mercenary for less than two years. But judging from the speed and precision from Joey's attack, Kavos couldn't believe that it came from a newbie. As a thief, he could naturally see it wasn't an easy feat. At least in this area, Kavos didn't feel that this Joey fellow was any weaker than himself. Moreover, his movements seemed to be much more flexible than himself... and he was much younger...

Where did Rhode find so many young and capable talents?

Before joining Starlight, his men had discussed the various young talents from time to time, especially the genius mage, Marlene. In the whole of the Paphield Region, none of the mercenary groups had a mage to work for them, yet Rhode managed to hire one. Considering that this genius mage was from the renowned Senia family, to be able to fight alongside the heir of a legendary and powerful family was like a dream that shouldn't have existed. A delicate daughter of a noble family should be obediently sitting in a luxurious room, sipping on high-grade tea... and not fighting in a dark tunnel with other mercenaries.

But he had to admit; this young lady did very well.

But the more the truth seemed this way, Kavos felt even more suspicious. He couldn't figure out why the heir of a renowned family line would be spending her days mixing around with the mercenaries. Though he heard that she would only be here temporarily, according to Kavos' understanding and experience with noble families, this 'temporary period' seemed rather too long. Especially when linked to Rhode's identity, he suspected if the motive of this young man was to build a mercenary group that was simple and pure.

However, Kavos didn't have the time to consider this topic right now. At that moment, the other mercenaries lifted their weapons and dashed towards the tentacles, striking them to the ground, forcing it to retreat. They switched between attack and defense to wear down the tentacles. Rhode didn't expect much from these mercenaries since with their current capabilities, they just wouldn't be able to confront the monster head on without receiving injuries. So all they did now was to stay within the ring of fire and defend.

But this method worked.

After receiving a barrage of attacks from the mercenaries, the Parasite decided to stop attacking, and it used its tentacles to block the attacks by Rhode and Celia. That bright lightning and the holy flames were the banes of its existence. The Parasite had initially thought that destroying these few insects wouldn't be difficult, but it finally realized that it lost its advantage. Even there was a difference in strength, Rhode and Celia were still able to cause damage to its body.

The Parasite released a thunderous roar of pain and anger. Then, it opened its mouth and spat out a greenish goo while lashing its tentacles at the duo.

Rhode was familiar with the Parasite's attack patterns, so he didn't allow himself to get caught by not sticking too close to its body. He knew how many fiends were hidden underneath its twisted body. Though it had 'humanly features,' frankly, it was more of an aircraft carrier than anything. Thousands of fiends squirmed underneath its skin which was why it appeared as though its muscles were bulging and twitching by itself. Rhode knew that the Parasite would release the barrage of fiends if he got too close.

Therefore Celia and Rhode chose to assault the Parasite while keeping a reasonable distance.

The many tentacles grazed past him by mere inches numerous times. He didn't turn back although he heard screams from the back as those weren't the sounds of fear or panic. It appeared as though the mercenaries were doing a fairly good job, but Rhode knew that it was only temporary. He had to seize the moment to finish this monster. After all, humans had a limit to their stamina while the devils could go on for days. Despite humans generally being a fragile race, they also have their good traits, and that was their tenacity. Thus, Rhode decided to pick up the pace.

Once again, he evaded the Parasite's attack, but this time, Rhode didn't retreat like before. Instead, he took a step forward and lunged his sword towards the monster's body. The sword burst out with an intense light, causing an explosion on impact. The Parasite's body stopped moving for a moment; then, the broken skin began to crawl back into position, replacing the gaping hole with countless of mini tentacles. Suddenly, Celia, who was behind Rhode, followed up by piercing the Parasite with her sword.

Celia's body, which was fully composed of the holy element, appeared to be the Parasite's living nightmare. When Rhode's attack broke the Parasite's exterior defensive layer, Celia drilled her holy sword through the gaping hole before it could close up. The Parasite roared in anger, but Celia ignored it. She clenched her teeth as she grasped the hilt of her sword with her other hand and pulled it sideways with all her might. The gaping hole became a huge, long gash which stretched from its left shoulder to the right waist. A trail of silver flames released from the sword consumed the monsters within, preventing the tentacles from restoring its body.

Once he saw this, Rhode abruptly raised his hand.

"Everyone back off!" Marlene yelled at the top of her voice.

She had been carefully observing Rhode's movement for this moment. Soon enough, the mercenaries opened up a path of the mage. And at this time, the young mage raised her wand and chanted a mysterious incantation. Suddenly, the air surrounding her dropped to subzero temperatures. A myriad of icy swords formed out of nowhere as it revolved around Marlene, who unhesitatingly shot them towards the Parasite.

"!!!"

The icy swords pierced into the Parasite's body, aggravating its wounds. An icy chill spread out from the swords, enveloping the Parasite with a thick layer of frost. It immediately stopped its moving and its numerous tentacles fell heavily to the ground. The chill continued to seep into the wounds that Celia had torn open, freezing any tentacles that still could move.

This was Rhode's plan to tackle the Parasite. Although he could defeat it by using a more destructive approach, he knew that the enclosed environment would not take kindly to explosions. Furthermore, in the game, if the Parasite blew up, the players would receive an undesirable 'Parasite' debuff. Not only would it lower their attributes, but it could also even take their life. If they couldn't remove the debuff on time, the only result would be death.

Thus, only by using a method to freeze it would be the best solution for this situation. For this matter, Rhode didn't have any choice but to rely on Marlene as he didn't own any spirits of the Water element.

He raised his sword and slashed downwards.

The bright radiance of his sword released immediately. It transformed into a massive hammer which smashed squarely onto the Parasite's frozen body. The Parasite's body cracked and fell to the ground. Dozens of frozen tentacles spilled out like a river and before it could prove to be a threat, Celia's holy flames had turned them all to ashes.

Good, everything went as planned.

Rhode withdrew his sword as he gazed further down the dark tunnel.

If things went smoothly like this, it would only be a matter of time before completing their mission.

"Is it done, master?" Celia asked.

After engulfing the corpse with her silver flames, she folded back her wings and strode to Rhode's side. The rest of the mercenaries began to walk up to the corpse and examine the remains of the monster. Some of them even wondered how did they defeat this terrifying monstrosity.

"That's right," Rhode nodded. "At least for now."

Chapter 212: Battle in the Nest (1)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Splat.

"That's the thirteenth one."

Rhode kept his sword and glanced at the dead Parasite. Then, he eyed his mercenaries and studied the state of their bodies.

Hmm... around two thirds?

"Let's take a break."

Rhode motioned them to sit down, and all the mercenaries immediately plopped onto the ground. He was pleased that they didn't return to their usual companions even though they were tired. All of them sat with each other and discussed the previous battle. Although their newfound cohesiveness was worthy of praise, Rhode chose not to say anything.

His stance towards his mercenaries was clear. He chose a rather harsh way of managing his mercenaries as he knew that humans would naturally perform better under heavy stress. In this case, he wanted them to strengthen their bonds, which they did in an incredibly short period of time. Rhode even planned not to let them rest if they couldn't raise their weapons, and only when they had mentally or physically broken down would he stop.

Under such pressure, the mercenaries had no time to consider minor problems between the different cliques. They took in deep breaths and slumped on the ground, grumbling to the other nearby mercenaries.

Rhode didn't want them to be too familiar with one another because it might cause him a headache one day if they decided to rise against him together. Basically, he wanted a balance between fear and respect, which was what he was looking at right now. This made him quite satisfied.

A mercenary group leader must not be overly amiable or understanding, and neither must they be unfriendly or rude. Rhode recalled a time where a lot of players left his guild because he was too cold. Since everyone was a player, he didn't have a reason to display his arrogance. However, Rhode was clear that a leader cannot lead with only kindness as a trait. When others begin to realize that you're not much different from themselves, significant problems will start occurring.

Kavos sat by the side, gazing at Rhode. The young, black-haired man sat quietly in the corner. Flames from campfire illuminated his slender frame. While he physically sat near the mercenaries, they felt like as though he was far away. As an ex-mercenary group leader, Kavos understood why Rhode did this because his brother Derick was the same. Initially, when Derick formed a mercenary group after the army ceased its operations, Kavos didn't feel that his reserved brother would be able to do a good job. He felt that Derick wasn't as skilled as him in soft skills and he wasn't as passionate as Obertan who could rely on his charm to control troublemakers. However, Derick still managed to succeed.

Although he wasn't well-liked amongst his members in the beginning, his stern attitude which he cultivated from the army eventually gained the recognition of the mercenaries. However, Kavos was clear that Rhode wasn't such a person. This experienced thief sensed the emotions that Rhode had been revealing time to time. It was arrogance, prideful and determined faith. One can forget about affecting his views on anything. That perpetually expressionless face kept all emotions within and would only reveal a smile in front of the little girl with the same face as him.

When Kavos met both Rhode and Christie, he was stunned. It was especially so when Rhode displayed a brilliant smile that easily rivaled the most beautiful flower in the continent, though he had to quickly change his thoughts because he remembered that this man hated anyone who treated him as the opposite gender.

Fortunately, Rhode did not appear in crowded areas with Christie... if not, who knew what would happen?

–

Almost there...

Rhode calculated the journey. They had spent five days in Blackrock Depths. Coincidentally, Rhode already predicted there would be certain situations, so he had given his men enough time to prepare for this. However, despite all the predictions and preparations, injuries were still unavoidable. Two mercenaries had already paid with their lives for their carelessness. The Parasite also infected five to six others. Luckily, Lize and Celia were there to rescue them. However, it would be hard to say if they wouldn't be traumatized by the method Celia used to dig out the worms from their bodies.

At this moment, most mercenaries had already recovered from their fatigue. They whispered curiously and looked to the direction of Rhode with worry in their eyes. Some quick-witted mercenaries had discovered that the amount of rest time equaled to the difficulty level of the upcoming monsters. If the monsters were strong, Rhode would let them rest longer, but if the monsters were weak, then they would be like the donkeys whipped by the merchants. These few days they were already used to Rhode's instructions, and now, they realized that their break had obviously been much longer than before.

Soon, more of them began to suspect something was wrong and seemed to discuss with themselves. No one dared to ask Rhode about it. Some of the mercenaries turned their heads towards the few maidens sitting with Rhode. They were the only ones allowed to sit in Rhode's vicinity. Therefore, no mercenaries dared to get closer to them. After all, these beautiful ladies had a unique charm of their own, like brightly lit lamps in the night. When they were fighting the monsters, the mercenaries realized that the maidens weren't anywhere safer than themselves. Anne's passionate and outgoing characteristic touched some of their hearts.

However, Marlene's sharp gaze was like a sword hanging near their necks. Her cold expression was enough to stop those mercenaries from getting close to her and made them consider if it was worth it. They didn't wish to get hurt by playing this stupid game...

The only one they could talk to was the gentle cleric who healed their wounds. Even if they feigned injuries, she wouldn't get mad. But Celia would intervene sometimes and stare at those mercenaries with her piercing gaze.

In other words, the four ladies were like a bunch of thorny roses. Beautifully dangerous. If you hug them, you'll get pricked. But even if you retreat, somehow, something would draw you back to them.

Perhaps some outsiders might even envy these mercenaries who had the chance to party with such beautiful women in a dark cave. But little did they know that this was nothing like those erotic fantasies in their heads. It could even be considered mental torture.

Frankly, when the mercenaries saw the four women together with Rhode, they didn't feel a speck of jealousy. Rather, they felt that it would only cause unnecessary trouble if they associated with them.

"All right, get up."

Under all of their gazes, Rhode clapped his hands and stood up. The mercenaries quickly got up along with him. These few days, they had gotten used to this motion. Their leader was extremely cautious, before every battle, he would give out critical life-saving pointers. They had to admit, compared to a leader that gave vague reminders such as 'All of you be careful', 'beware your back', Rhode's pointers were much more helpful in staying alive.

"We'll get busy soon. I hope that everyone is ready. I've given you ample time to rest because the next battle will be incredibly tough. And how tough you say? All I can answer is that it will require you to utilize what you've learned so far."

The mercenaries immediately paled. After a few days of experiencing the command of this young leader, they were somewhat desensitized to his odd way of describing the danger. The way he warned them was as though he had been to this place before. But still, the things that he told them brought fear to the mercenaries.

They subconsciously checked their reserves and found that they weren't fully stocked. At most, they had only two more bottles of flaming agents. However, they still had an ample number of healing potions left. They understood the usefulness of the flaming agents, but it was useless against those crawling worms on the ground.

"Marlene."

Rhode signaled to the young mage who stood up and walked towards him. Then, Rhode made his way to the mercenaries and gave them a few scrolls. Meanwhile, Marlene was quite unhappy because the number of Fire-type scrolls she purchased wasn't what she expected. While she still did manage to acquire a decent amount, she realized that someone had bought the rest of them. This unexpected event forced her to sit in front of a desk and craft the scrolls herself. Oh lord, since 13 years old, this maiden had already stopped doing such mundane things that only apprentices would do.

Fortunately, time didn't wear off her ability to craft scrolls. She could still vividly recall how to draft the formations and diagrams needed for the scroll, but that didn't make Marlene any happier.

"In the upcoming battle, all of you will need these magical scrolls." After confirming that everyone had received a scroll, Rhode continued, "The way to use them is simple. Tear off the seal and throw it out. But everyone must listen to my command and not act on your own unless you have to... Kavos, I will leave you in charge. This time, our defense circle will be larger so we may not be able to handle every corner and there may be leaks. I need you to be well prepared."

"Yes, Leader."

Kavos nodded.

"Marlene," Rhode looked towards Marlene by his side and said, "Since you're considered quite experienced now, I don't think I need to clarify much. Still, I need you to be aware of threats from underground. If you suddenly feel the earth tremble, you must leave that area! It is the same for the rest of you. Anne, your priority is to protect Marlene, the rest is secondary. And lastly, Lize, you'll need to use your abilities this time."

"Yes, Mr. Rhode. I understand."

Lize stood up and answered firmly. Everyone had significant growth from the time spent in the mirage. Lize was no different. No matter where she went, she'll never forget those techniques. Previously, Lize always played the role of a support, but now, she finally had the chance to display her true battle abilities.

"Very well, let's move."

Rhode spoke indifferently as though it was any other ordinary adventure.

However, when the group reached a deep, empty cave, they began to regret not having Rhode give them some pep talk to boost their morale. At least in such circumstances, they hoped that someone would provide them with courage and encouragement.

In the dark underground, a bright radiance flashed. A thick stench of blood filled every corner of the room. Even the soil on the ground was moist and disgusting. Marlene realized that Rhode's warning wasn't necessary because as soon she stepped on the dirt, it shook slightly as if it was alive.

Whether Rhode had warned her or not, Marlene was certain that she didn't like this mushy feeling at all.

Suddenly, something trembled in the distance.

A towering, giant hunk of flesh stood upright. Due to the light emitted from the group, everyone could quickly identify the abomination. Countless tentacles flew across the air, and not far away from the body were Parasites. They appeared much larger and more threatening than the Parasites the mercenaries previously encountered. These beings were once humans that had transformed into a monster because of the fiends.

However, the most frightening part of the massive chunk of flesh was its core. In the middle of the squirming tentacles, there was a section filled with pale, churning liquids that periodically dripped to the floor.

"Oh my god!"

Lize immediately cupped her mouth to stop herself from screaming. Marlene merely frowned, not saying anything else. However, the way she gripped her wand revealed her unstable emotions. Anne was the most psychologically affected one. She let out a cry and quickly hid behind the crowd. And as for Celia, she remained the same as always. Her sword was lifted, ready to vanquish the evil before her.

The corpse entangled in the sea of tentacles made the four women react adversely. It was the half-elf maiden.

Her four limbs were completely hidden behind the chunk of flesh and her round eyes were soulless as she stared into open space. A tentacle was forcefully stuffed into her mouth, wriggling grotesquely as it pumped gallons of liquids into her. Compared to her slender frame, her stomach area was unnaturally bloated, and within her belly, something appeared to be moving. From time to time, several tentacles entered between the legs of the half-elf maiden. Once the tentacles retracted, pale fluids would gush out, followed by white, tiny eggs slipping out onto the ground. Then, the eggs would sink into the rotten flesh on the ground and fuse into a bulging vessel, pumping nutrients to the main body. Then once more, the tentacles repeated the vicious cycle.

"Such... wretched evilness... unforgivable!"

Everyone shuddered in fear and disgust. Compared to the loathe that the male mercenaries had for the evil being, the four women had a more profound understanding of the half-elf maiden's agony.

"No time for chit-chat. Time to move!"

Rhode's reassuring voice woke everyone from their stupor. And at this time, they heard a familiar squeaking sound — hundreds of fiends suddenly emerged from the darkness, leaping towards them.

Chapter 213: Battle in the Nest (2)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The mercenaries were no longer unfamiliar with these fiends. The fiends had sharp claws and were able to fly at high speeds. Their only flaw was their fragile bodies which couldn't withstand attacks from the mercenaries. After adventuring through the tunnels for five days, the mercenaries were already familiar with these damn things. Therefore, when these creatures suddenly rushed towards them, the mercenaries instinctively grabbed the flaming agent on their waist and threw it on the ground. Once the bottle broke, and when the agent made contact with the air, a wall of flames immediately engulfed the earth, following with a mini explosion.

The blast caused a sudden heat wave to surge towards the mercenaries, burning some of their clothes. However, compared to them, the fiends were less fortunate. Some of them weren't able to stop in time and flew into the flames. The lucky ones managed to use the momentum to bypass the wall of flames without receiving significant damage, but eventually, they met their doom at the hands of the mercenaries on the other side.

The extreme temperature caused discomfort to the mercenaries, but it was even worse for the monsters. A nearby Parasite thrashed its tentacles violently and rushed towards the intruders, garnering the attention of a few other Parasites along the way. While their fat and fleshy bodies were much slower than the fiends, their strength was incomparable. They could unreservedly puncture holes in the wall of flames without receiving much backlash. Frankly, if the mercenaries had long ranged weaponry, they could obliterate the Parasites before they reached the flames. Alas, it was a pity that the raging wall of fire was like a double-edged sword. It could obstruct the aggressive attacks from the monsters, but it also hindered their field of view. Thus, they weren't able to launch long ranged attacks on these Parasites.

However, that didn't mean that others would have the same problem.

Rhode and Celia flew over the wall.

The group of mercenaries was already familiar with the duo's method of fighting, and this situation was no different. Besides, they didn't even know how Rhode succeeded in bypassing the wall of flames. Both figures merely appeared alongside the wall and then suddenly disappeared.

"Come with me!"

Rhode burst through the wall of flames with a sword on his right hand, then, he lifted his left arm forward, materializing a green card on his palm which he soon crushed unhesitatingly. In less than a second, a pair of translucent wings began to bud on Rhode's back, rapidly increasing in size as he shot towards the fiends in front of him. When he took the third step, his toes pushed his body into the air as if he was as light as a feather. And at the same time, Celia flapped her wings and followed him closely. She held her sword with both hands, releasing a silver flame to repel the incoming monsters. Both of them flew to where the Parasites were.

"———!!"

The Parasites roared aggressively. They quickly opened their mouths and shot out numerous tentacles coated with a toxic liquid towards Rhode. But at right this moment, Rhode's body suddenly became translucent as he transformed into an ethereal form, and the poisonous tentacles phased through him without causing any harm. Then, Rhode used the opportunity to perform a leap which quickly propelled him towards the flank of one of the Parasites before hacking down his sword.

The razor-sharp Crimson Blade sliced through the Parasite's rotten flesh effortlessly, and when the blade was halfway through the body, a condensed light erupted from the sword, tearing a one-meter hole in the Parasite. From the gaping hole, dozens of smaller fiends scrambled to escape, gnashing their tiny rows of knife-like teeth at anything they could grasp. But they were quickly consumed by the brilliant silver flames radiating from Celia, generating a spark of beauty in this dark and evil space.

Rhode ignored the incapacitated Parasites as he knew that these injuries were just flesh wounds. Other than temporarily halting their progress, there was nothing else to it.

Within a few minutes, most of the Parasites were more or less lying on the floor, unable to move. They squirmed on the ground as they attempted to regenerate their wounds while the giant chunk of flesh frequently ordered them to move forward.

That's the last one.

Rhode somersaulted in the air before landing neatly on the ground. Then he shifted his attention to the last mobile Parasite. However, this Parasite was somewhat more intelligent as it didn't instinctively charge towards Rhode. Instead, it took a step back and protected its body by using its two humongous arms. Rhode's eyes widened in surprise at this change in behavior.

This development caused Rhode's usual strategy to fail. However, as an experienced player, of course, he knew alternatives to counter this turtling Parasite. Rhode quickly raised his arm again and materialized a black card.

As though descending from the heavens, the Centaur Knight came rumbling down from the mid-air, crushing the Parasite's arms with its iron hooves. At the same time, Rhode veered to the left to avoid crashing into the Centaur Knight. The Parasite had no idea that such an attack was possible. It attempted to react to the sudden development, but all it could do was to protect its chest which was to no avail.

When the Parasite finally collapsed to the ground, Rhode had already withdrawn his card. From a small gap in the fleshy walls of the disabled Parasite, Rhode discovered a face stuck to a chunk of flesh — Barney.

Whatever left of the 'courageous' swordsman was only an empty husk for the fiends to invade. There were visible gashes on his face which were filled with countless small tentacles, wriggling under his skin like fishes swimming in the sea.

However, Rhode wasn't surprised at all. He grabbed a small bag that hung from the Parasite and leaped into the air, seemingly disappearing into thin air. In Rhode's point of view, he had never regarded that man as an obstacle before. Not now, not before, and clearly not in the future.

Meanwhile, within the wall of flames, the battle was equally as intense.

"...!!"

Marlene lifted her wand up high, conjuring a pillar of fire which erupted from the ground, causing the battlefield to turn chaotic. Under the searing heat, the disgusting fiends turned into ashes. But before Marlene could catch her breath, the ground suddenly trembled. She immediately recalled Rhode's warning and swiftly jumped to the side, not forgetting to yell at the nearby mercenaries at the same time. Right after the words left her mouth, a sharp thorn impaled the space where she previously stood. If Marlene were just a second slower, she would have been directly pierced through.

"Evil being!"

Marlene stopped and glared at the fleshy thorn and its enormous eye that was blinking at her. She quickly raised her wand and chanted furiously. Suddenly, a thick tentacle swiped down from above, attempting to remove this insolent human from its sights.

However, a flash of lightning stopped it from advancing any further. Icy swords appeared out of thin air and pierced into the tentacle. Like shards of glass through the bare human skin, the swords easily sank deep into the tentacle, causing it to freeze at an alarming rate. Then, several earth spikes burst out from the soil and destroyed the freezing tentacle.

Regarding technique, Marlene had much more to learn. But when it came to battle awareness and personal style, Marlene's abilities were not far from the 'mentor' in the mirage.

Randolf raised his bow and aimed.

Whenever the Parasites entered the wall of flames, their bodies caught fire quickly. But they still used their fat and bulky frame to open a path for its allies. Alas, whenever any of them decided to pass the wall, a volley of arrows greeted them 'courteously.'

The blazing arrow tips tore through the air, piercing between Parasite's eyes as well as their wounded spots. Fire was the best element against Parasites which were overloaded with fats and oil. Within a few seconds, the flames spread from in between their eyes, then to their head, and lastly through their veins. Thus, under their rough skin, a fire appeared to be burning them inside out. After a while, when the trapped heat had nowhere to escape, the Parasites would then fall backward explode.

"Oh, sh*t!"

A nearby mercenary got caught in the blast and flew a considerable distance before rolling on the ground to a stop. Before anything else, he quickly got up and removed the mini tentacles writhing on his clothes, but when he turned around, a terrifyingly enormous blood-dripping mouth appeared in front of him. The mercenary's expression sank as he closed his eyes, accepting his imminent death... but suddenly, a golden shield encompassed his entire body!

Lize had a grim expression on her face as she raised both hands in the air. An illuminated golden halo condensed on her hands, causing the tentacles to retreat after smashing onto her shield. The monsters screeched under the blinding light, and with a wave of Lize's right arm, a sanctified holy aura burst out, liquifying every fiend into a puddle of black, pungent water. Just like snow in the summer.

"Hu..."

Lize closed her eyes and exhaled a breath of relief. Unlike mages, clerics received a certain amount of power without the need for enchantment. In the mirage, both Lize and Marlene realized this, but compared to Marlene who went down the path of a destructive mage, Lize decided not to follow her 'mentor.' She took half a step back into the protection of the mercenaries and cast another layer of protection over the mercenaries.

"Hell yeah!!"

A heavy shield smashed onto the ground, turning the scrambling fiends into minced meat. Anne lifted her golden shield in the air and extended the corners by at least twice, revealing the Heart of Rock embedded deep within. Then, she flipped her hand over and gripped the enarmes tightly. Razor sharp blades shot out from between the gaps in her shield, and at the same time, she threw it into the air like a boomerang.

The spinning shield created a tiny vortex wherever it went as it sucked the palm-sized fiends towards it. As much as they tried to resist the pulling force by flapping their wings, eventually, they were pulled into it and minced into pieces like boats attempting to outrun a hurricane. When the shield finally returned to Anne, the blood dripping off the edges made her look extremely indomitable.

–

After getting rid of the last obstacle, Celia and Rhode finally arrived in front of the colossal chunk of flesh. It wasn't until now that they had the chance of witnessing its true appearance.

Countless of squirming tentacles under the filthy, rotting meat wriggled endlessly. The many hideous eyes observed the dark surroundings for its foes, and at the base of the towering chunk of flesh were eggs the size of cantaloupe melons which was surrounded by bulging vessels that greedily absorbed the nutrients within.

"Remember your duties, Celia."

The battle angel nodded as Rhode reminded her softly. She clutched her sword while gritting her teeth.

Before the battle, Rhode and Celia exchanged opinions about the relic. The holy relic which belonged to the church was hidden within this creature's body. In the past, the relic used its divine energy to seal this creature, however, the previous pack of idiots roused it from its slumber, causing the seal to vanish and the holy relic lost its power. Therefore, Rhode decided to tear the devil's body apart using brute force and search for the location of the holy relic before getting Celia to trigger it with her holy energy which would ultimately reseal the devil. And once the seal is active, Rhode could easily defeat this devil.

This strategy was only possible because of the existence of Celia. He didn't have many men who possessed the holy element and Lize was unsuitable, so he could solely depend on Celia. Fortunately, Celia was a summoned spirit. If any unexpected incident occurred, she could still 'survive' through resummoning. As a Summoning Swordsman, Rhode always had a way of communicating with his spirits, and if anything went wrong, Rhode would immediately summon Celia again, just like what he did in High Cliff Village.

After reminding Celia, Rhode swiftly drew his sword and plunged it deep into the ground. Suddenly, a series of violent shockwaves erupted with Rhode as the epicenter. Many of the delicate eggs were defenseless against this force and began to shatter. Furthermore, the underdeveloped fiends within instinctively crawled out — but only to meet their demise shortly after.

"———!!"

The devil let out an enraged roar after realizing the death of its kin. The tentacles which were previously working on transmitting the nutrients began to rise from the ground and shot towards them at ridiculous speeds. However, Celia and Rhode were already prepared for its attacks long before destroying the eggs and had already flown off the ground. The attack wasn't even close.

However, that didn't mean that the devil would give up. It swiftly released another dozen tentacles from its body towards Rhode and Celia.

Tch.

Rhode frowned when he saw the smelly flesh-colored tentacle.

You think you're the only one with that many limbs?

Rhode snorted coldly, and a black card flew out when he waved his hand.

Soon, countless of black tendrils emerged from the shadows and bound itself on the flesh-colored tentacles attacking Rhode and Celia, forcing them down to the ground. The devil then summoned more tentacles while facing this unwelcomed guest — but how could it exterminate its own shadow?

At this moment, Rhode sped downwards with incredible speed.

The Crimson Blade started releasing a brilliant light. For a normal human to search for the relic within the devil's body was like finding a needle in a haystack, but as for Rhode who had completed this mission many times before, it was a walk in the park. He had already detected the presence of the holy relic, so the next thing he had to do was to expose it completely.

Blade of Destruction, activate.

A blinding radiance radiated from the Crimson Blade as Rhode drilled his sword towards his target. The sword tore through the air and collided with the devil like a meteor. Then, a long screeching sound echoed throughout the cave, followed by the sound of flesh tearing apart. Rhode's attack punctured the hard, exterior surface of the devil, revealing a more vulnerable flesh trembling within.

Final attack!

The intense light coalesced on the blade reached its peak, and Fury Trial, under the guidance of Rhode's intent, began vibrating violently like a wild beast attempting to escape its cage. At this moment, a pale figure blocked Rhode's path.

The half-elf maiden whose limbs were tied up, lifelessly opened her mouth, seeking for the young man's help.

"Help me... I don't want to die..."

"Mmmph—!!!!"

A tentacle suddenly emerged from within the maiden's mouth and shot towards Rhode, but it soon vanished under the tremendous power of the sword light.

Rhode swung his sword without the slightest hesitation.

The sword which was already glowing terrifyingly bright, erupted as it pierced into the half-elf maiden's skull. Then, Rhode mercilessly lunged his sword into the wound that he caused earlier, and almost instantaneously, an extremely black, blood clot appeared, contrasting against the brilliant light from his blade.

"Throw the scrolls! NOW!"

Rhode yelled at the top of his voice, and at the same time, he emptied the small bag that he took from Barney. More than ten Fire-type scrolls fell out. Then, he unhesitatingly threw them all towards the blood clot after removing the seals on the scrolls.

All of the mercenaries immediately complied with Rhode's command. They unsealed their scrolls and threw them towards the ray of light. Suddenly, the bloody flesh carpet, the eggs, and tentacles all ignited in flames at the same time. Marlene quickly cast a fire resistant shield with Lize to protect the mercenaries from the lack of oxygen and the scorching heat waves within the enclosed cave.

The devil's fleshy exterior began to melt, just like a soap bar returning to its liquid state. The murky blood and mournful cries intertwined; its sound was enough to cause everyone to tremble in fear.

Meanwhile, Rhode finally found the object he had been looking for. Although it flashed for a mere second, it wasn't enough to escape from Rhode's eyes.

"Celia!"

The battle angel shot down and sped into the devil's body following Rhode's coordinates.

Chapter 214: Battle in the Nest (End)

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The battle angel shot forward.

The devil sank into silence for a moment; then it suddenly made an ear-piercing shriek. Its screech was loud enough to send anyone to a daze as though thousands of spirits were burning in within the flames of hell. The towering chunk of flesh began to tremble violently, and it soon exploded, revealing a vestige of the holy relic within.

"NOW!"

Rhode yelled as he unhesitatingly summoned the Flame Killer. Before the poor hound could understand what was going on, Rhode gave it a 'generous' kick on its butt, sending the Flame Killer into the mouth of the wailing devil. Rhode quickly retreated and flapped his wings backward.

"———!!!"

And at this moment, a terrifying explosion shook the entire cave.

A bright, surging column of flames shot into the air from the insides of the devil's mouth. The earth quaked as the cavern walls began to lose its stability. Huge stalactites came crashing down, causing a thick layer of soil to rise into the air.

Cough...

Rhode finally landed on the ground with filth smeared on his face and a layer of soil rested on his head. Although he was protected by the Spirit Bird's wind element, after all, there was a limit to what humans could withstand. In the face of such a powerful explosion, even Rhode wouldn't dare take it head-on. Fortunately, the mercenaries were much further away, and they didn't suffer many injuries. Of course, Marlene and Lize played a huge role in protecting them with their spells.

Rhode casually waved his hand, summoning a gust of wind to clear the dust cloud. The tragic state of the devil could finally be seen.

The bloody flesh carpet had disappeared, and at a distance, they discovered the collapsed devil lying motionlessly on the floor. Its wretched appearance resembled a crushed watermelon. It was an incredibly disgusting sight. The Flame Killer's explosion had created a gaping hole in the ceiling of the cave, drilling a clean shaft straight to surface. Sunlight permeated through the newly formed opening, bringing a positive vibe to the living.

However, Rhode was slightly shocked when he found that he underestimated the power of the hound's explosion after its advancement. If it wasn't for the devil's natural resistance against fire, and its thick walls of flesh containing a majority of the force, perhaps the mercenaries wouldn't be walking right now. The underground cave was at least 100 meters below the surface... and to be able to puncture a hole all the way upwards was simply absurd.

Rhode sighed inwardly when he thought of this. Then, he withdrew his wings and walked towards the devil's corpse.

The devil no longer possessed any of its natural resistance after its death. Its body rapidly liquefied into a puddle of murky water and dried up soon after. Apart from a lingering stench, nothing was left to prove its existence.

Rhode scanned the corpse and found something that caught his attention.

There were two equipment that wasn't damaged by the explosion. One of them was a scepter carved with golden flowers, and the other was a fist-sized Spirit Core.

Not bad...

Rhode studied both equipments after picking them up. A surge of holy elemental energy churned from within the scepter. Legend told that this scepter once belonged to an archbishop who sealed the devil and was considered one of the secret treasures' of the church. If he gave it to Lize, her stats would increase substantially. However, Rhode didn't want to get on the bad side of the church just yet as he still considered the possibilities of collaborating with them. Furthermore, Rhode was aware the scepter was named 'Princess', a type of weapon that carried self-consciousness. It could judge the holder if they were genuine. If not, the scepter would rebel against the holder.

Back in the game, some players obtained this scepter by justifying themselves as 'the last hit.' Most of them were clerics who were allowed by their party members to deal the final blow to the devil. According to the game mechanics, only the person who administered the finishing blow could use the scepter. Currently, Lize was too weak and didn't have enough strength to kill it with an attack, so it was almost impossible for her to obtain it.

In any case, Rhode was more excited in the other 'free gift' that came alongside the scepter — the Spirit Core. This core originated from hell and was an exclusive item; it was even rare even to the Gods. Moreover, it was an excellent treasure for all Spirit Swordsmen. The Spirit Core had attributes that passively boosted the summoned spirits and also provide active buffs to them. This Spirit Core could even guarantee a 100% chance of summoning a high-level spirit!

Alas, the spirit summoned would most likely be a Dark elemental.

Rhode didn't intend to use the Spirit Core at the moment so he kept it in his spatial bag. Although the battle had ended, from the dreadful appearances of the mercenaries, Rhode didn't feel happy at all. The previous battle had given them a trauma, especially so after the catastrophic explosion which rocked the cave like a cradle. For a split second, they thought that this would be their final burial grounds.

The mercenaries froze in their steps. Their fingers turned pale after gripping their weapons ever so tightly. Most of them had blank expressions as they stared at the burnt chunk of flesh, dying fiends and the cracks in the walls.

Even the carefree Anne also supported herself by leaning against her shield, inhaling deeply. She had expanded most of her energy in the battle. Marlene and Lize weren't better off as they sat by a rock formation, exhausted beyond belief.

Lize took the initiative to ask, "Is it over, Mr. Rhode?"

"Yes. It's over."

Rhode nodded slowly as everyone glanced over to their leader. Then he lifted the scepter up high.

"With this scepter, our mission is complete!"

There was an awkward silence for a moment after that. The mercenaries looked at each other blankly, not knowing what emotion to display.

Huh, we completed the mission?

Did we really kill our way into Blackrock Depths and defeat a devil?

They couldn't believe it.

Many mercenaries began shivering when they thought of this. Ever since they entered the BlackRock Depths, they had been 'blessed' with Rhode's meticulous orders and continuously faced life-threatening battles one after another. Their mental capacity had been strained time and again without having much time to recover, so now that they've finally beaten the last BOSS, like an overdrawn bowstring, their taut minds snapped.

We actually defeated the devil!!

In all of Dragon Soul Continent, legends regarded the devils as the most terrifying beings that invaded their lands below ground. They lurked in the dark underworld, always ready to crush the humans on the surface. Normal humans could only dream of defeating one of them. Only those in the legendary figures from the stories were capable of killing these devils.

And now, we did it?

"Yeah!!"

"We did it!!!"

The mercenaries finally exploded in joy. Many of them whistled and screamed to express their excitement. Defeating a devil was an incredible honor, even if they did nothing for the rest of their lives, just this mission alone would give them enough substance to brag.

A wave of euphoria swept past the entire group of mercenaries. Even Marlene who had always displayed a cold expression was no exception. She stood quietly by the side, gazing at the rejoicing mercenaries warmly with an unnoticeable smile on her face. While Marlene hadn't placed them in her eyes before, but after fighting so many battles with them, it was impossible not to develop any connection to them.

Despite the insistence of many mercenaries to carry the devil's corpse back home as trophies, Lize and Celia stopped them from doing so. (Author Notes: Celia was withdrawn before the explosion and was resummoned later.)

After all, although it was dead, these things once belonged to the devil which could affect one's spirit if careless. As for the fiends, even though they were small, but they were extremely resilient. If any unborn fiend escaped to the surface, it would be a huge problem.

In order to prevent any accidents from happening, the angel engulfed the mercenaries with the Flames of Inquisition. Although it was slightly uncomfortable, the holy element within the flames could purge all remaining traces of the devil.

"Never in my lifetime would I have expected to defeat a devil," Kavos said softly as sat on a rock, gazing up at the hole in the ceiling. As a veteran mercenary, he had killed countless of people, beasts, and even monsters. But a devil? Oh divines, this term wasn't in his dictionary of 'possible missions' at all.

"Yes, our leader is awesome," Joey said cheekily as he squeezed over to Kavos.

"Honestly, I don't know how even to start fighting this thing. Normally I would've just ran for my life..."

"Me too."

Kavos smiled and nodded.

Although many people were injured, it was nothing compared to the mission's difficulty. Usually, if bandits ambushed them, they would lose at least a quarter of their men. And that kind of scenario was totally incomparable to fighting a devil. Losing an entire mercenary group wouldn't be surprising.

"Come. Cheers to our wise leader."

Kavos smiled and reached out to his bottle of liquor on his waist while Joey fished out a metal cup from his pocket.

"That's right. Cheers to the leader! Although he forbids us to drink alcohol during a mission, since it already ended, we can drink, right?" Joey laughed and said, "Damn, if only leader could be softer on the inside just like his appearance... haha! I'm famished after working so hard. Even though it's not time to feast right now, a little drink should be fine eh?"

"What are both of you prattling on about?"

At this moment, Rhode's voice sounded behind. Joey's expression froze but when he slowly turned his head around, he maintained a passionate smiling face.

"It's nothing, leader. We were just amazed by how well you commanded us."

"Oh..."

Rhode nodded, and then he extended his arm without any expression. Joey glanced at the direction that Rhode pointed to and had chills down his spine. He stared blankly at a charred fiend that was clearly dead for some time.

"Sir, this..."

"Aren't you hungry? This is for you; you can even eat it right now. Try it; it's chicken flavored. Crispy too."

Joey stared at the 'crispy chicken' with an ashen complexion. Gulp. He swallowed his saliva and gathered his courage to touch it. The moment his finger felt the fiend, for unknown reasons, its body suddenly twitched.

"Ahhh!!"

Joey withdrew his hand at lightning speed and sprang back like a spring, disappearing into the crowd.

"Sorry, leader, I was wrong!!"

Rhode shrugged when he saw the Joey 'running for his life', and then he shifted his attention to Kavos. Kavos was slightly more refined; his rigid face still managed to bear a smile and he slowly stood up.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I will go attend to my guys... Those group of b*stards are too careless; I'd worry if they create any trouble while celebrating..."

Kavos turned around and quickly left.

Rhode stared at Kavos as he disappearing into the crowd then, he lowered his head and looked at the fiend on his hand. Once again, he confirmed that he had no talent in making jokes.

After this brief interlude, the mercenaries swiftly cleaned up the battlefield. Frankly, there wasn't much to do. Almost everything here had been contaminated by an evil aura and couldn't be brought out. Meanwhile, Celia used her holy flames to purify the grounds once more. Although there were no loot for the mercenaries, they weren't upset one bit. After all, the remuneration from the church would be more than enough. After signing the contract, the mercenaries had no reason to bicker about their rightful claim of the loot. Furthermore, the fact that they defeated a devil was an absolutely memorable event to them. Thus, without any grumbling, they quickly made their way back to the stronghold.

After two days, the Starlight Mercenary group finally returned to the surface, and upon reaching the Mercenary Association, Rhode handed the scepter to the church who had been waiting anxiously.

"Thank you for your help, dear Sir." A female sister expressed her thanks gracefully.

Draped in a full white gown which only revealed her delicate face, she carefully accepted the scepter and bowed courteously.

"May the blessings of the divines be forever with you, brave warrior. No matter what challenges you face in the future, I hope you will be able to find your rightful path."

Rhode nodded and placed his right hand on his chest, slightly bending over.

"The rapid river would eventually flow towards the right stream, and the storms would never deceive my eyes. I am deeply honored to receive such fair blessings. May there be an everlasting order for all living things."

The sister widened her eyes with astonishment. Then, after a few moments, she revealed a gentle and cordial smile.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Sir. I almost believed that it was a real Holy Knight standing in front of me."

"The honor is mine, leader of order."

Rhode didn't have to think much when replying to the sister. Back in the game, Rhode interacted with the Country of Law's churches for most of his time, so he was extremely well-versed with their conversations and etiquette. Although these few short sentences wouldn't bring him any material benefits, it was enough to leave a good impression on the church.

After bidding goodbye, Rhode left the Mercenary Association and immediately saw Lize when he stepped out of the main entrance.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Rhode. Did everything go well?"

"Everything is good."

Rhode wasn't surprised with Lize's concern since she was a cleric and could be considered to belong to the church.

"Where are the rest?"

"After receiving their rewards, everyone left on their own business. Marlene said she wanted to buy some tonics... Are we heading back to the stronghold now?"

"No."

Rhode shook his head, which surprised Lize.

"You head back first. I'll need to go find someone."

Rhode extended his hand and examined a ring he found in Barney's bag. Initially, Rhode didn't intend to bring this broken thing back, but he realized something that reminded himself of something important.

"How surprising. They were actually involved in this?"

Chapter 215: Rhode's visit

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Sunshine filtered through the window, spilling onto a quaint wooden table, bringing a hint of warmth to the room. A man focused on a document in his hand as he sat on the chair, revealing a broad smile.

This was an excellent opportunity for Keller.

Eventually, the Merchant Association rejected Klautz's request to lower the ore prices, restoring the original state of the market. After which, everything went smoothly. The Association and Vice President led their men to arrest at least 50 association members in the name of 'deliberately damaging the order of business.' And that led to the end of the negotiation, which only lasted three hours. Keller stood on the sidelines, witnessing the city guards arresting the spoiled merchants. Surprisingly, it included the President's secretary, deputy executive, and the Merchant Association's representative.

Keller felt a chill when he saw through the entire process. Apparently, Klautz had infiltrated the Merchant Association and received the support from the opposition party. Although most high ranking members had been arrested, there wasn't much difference yet. This was somewhat hard to explain because the influence was still present during the negotiations.

Keller was afraid that this might happen. The President assumed that by holding on to the whole region's business lifeline, they had the rights to request. But he overlooked one important point — no one was able to replace it.

It was the same for himself.

Keller shuddered at this thought.

Because of this incident, the Keller family secured an advantageous position, moreover, they benefited quite a bit from it financially. As a reward, Keller was assigned as the provisional President of the Merchant Association in the Paphield Region. Keller understood that if he did a good job, by this year's end, he would be promoted to the 'real' President. Previously, during Klautz's reign, he overheard that the government officials appeared to have interest in appointing Deep Stone City as the central business network. If that were the case, then the Keller family would have a smooth sailing future.

Of course, the prerequisite was for him not to make any wrong choices.

Keller knew he wasn't an ambitious person. He was fully aware the reason why Klautz appointed him. If he made the slightest mistake, then he would expect his wooden door to be pushed down by guards.

This wasn't the future Keller wanted for his family and himself. The consequence for betrayal in the Munn Kingdom was capital punishment. But of course, depending on the severity of the crime, there was a possibility of keeping the corpse together.

Knock knock.

When Keller was still a daze, a series of knocks sounded on the door, surprising him slightly. Somehow, when he lifted his head, he was strangely relieved that it wasn't a scene of fully armored guards charging in to arrest him. Keller forced a smile and shook his head.

I'm overthinking things.

"Come in." Keller tidied his clothes and said.

A housekeeper walked into his room and bowed politely.

"Sir, someone wishes to seek your presence."

"Oh?"

Keller frowned. It was still during his working hours, and he didn't wish to be disturbed by anyone.

"Who is it?"

"He introduced himself as the leader of Starlight Mercenary Group, Mr. Rhode Alander."

"Mr. Rhode?"

Keller was surprised when he heard Rhode's name.

"What does he need to find me for?"

It wasn't odd for Keller to feel slightly dubious. Although the two of them did have some interactions with each other before, they can't be considered to be close. And as a mercenary group leader, Rhode didn't seem to have any reason to visit him.

"I'm not too sure, Sir."

The old housekeeper didn't know how to answer to Keller's question.

"He only said that he had something he wanted to verify with you. Do you wish for me to ask him to leave, Sir?"

"It's alright."

Keller shook his head and stood up. No matter what, Rhode was an influential figure in Deep Stone City, especially so among mercenary groups. Keller knew that Rhode was a noble, and his group also housed the only heir of the Senia family. Thus, no one dared to belittle this man. Moreover, he realized that Rhode was an intelligent and determined man. In fact, Rhode seemed to know about everything regarding the recent series of events in Deep Stone City. Whether it was the Jade Tears mercenary group or other matters, this young man appeared to be everywhere. Keller even had a feeling that Rhode originated from Golden City, but according to Klautz, that wasn't possible.

This young man was full of mystery.

Although he wasn't sure why Rhode wanted to seek his audience, based on the young man's personality, something must be up.

However, he wasn't sure if it was going to be good or bad news.

"Bring me to him."

Keller followed the old housekeeper into the living room. Then he found a figure standing in a corner, appreciating a suit of armor. Keller's body tensed for a moment when seeing Rhode. He calmed himself down before walking up with a smile.

"Welcome, Mr. Rhode. What brings you here today?"

"Hi, Mr. Keller. It's been some time."

Rhode shifted his attention towards Keller. Keller revealed a warm smile and extended his hand, ushering Rhode to sit. The servant quickly served a cup of hot tea. Rhode's teacup was on the table, apparently untouched.

"I didn't expect you to look for me. What's the matter?"

After settling down, Keller asked Rhode, "I didn't expect you to look for me. What's the matter?"

Rhode slightly nodded without hesitation.

"I'm here to verify something with you, Mr. Keller."

"Oh?"

Keller made a surprised expression and gestured for the housekeeper to leave the room.

"So... What does Mr. Rhode want to verify with me?"

Rhode narrowed his eyes. He leaned back on the couch and stroked the Crimson Blade on his lap. For some reason, Keller felt a chill whenever Rhode's slender fingers touched the sword as if the blade was at his throat.

However, Keller endured and sipped his tea to force that odd sensation down his throat.

"It's like this," Rhode said in a soft voice, "previously, I made a bet with a tiresome person. Regarding that matter, is Mr. Keller aware?"

Keller felt the surrounding temperature drop.

"This... I heard from time to time."

Keller was distracted for a moment and answered in a fluster. The matter of Rhode and Barney's bet was blown out of proportions by the common people. And even Keller, who was incredibly busy during this period, caught hold of this matter. However, wasn't that something involving the Mercenary Association? What did it have to do with himself?

"Things have developed to a stage where I can't hide it from you any longer, Mr. Keller." Rhode crossed his arms and said. "Before my trip into Blackrock Depths, I needed to purchase a significant amount of Fire-type scrolls. However, my men found that a vast amount had been purchased by someone else."

A spark flashed in Rhode's eyes as he curled his lips imperceptibly. He continued, "So, poor Marlene had to spend many days toiling to create enough scrolls for our mission. It's all thanks to her efforts that we can safely return to the surface. It's always good to have a mage by your side, am I right?"

"That's... for sure, Mr. Rhode."

Keller answered hesitatingly. Up until now, he still couldn't figure out the link of the matter to himself? Scrolls? We deal with ores. Magical products had nothing to do with us.

"However, when we looted the battlefield, I've found many scrolls originating from Deep Stone City. And furthermore, I've found this—"

Rhode fished out a ring and placed it on the table in between them. Keller's face instantly paled.

"Mr. Keller. If I recall correctly, your family is in the mining industry... have you now decided to expand your business to magical products? I've confirmed with various shops that this imprint belonged to the Keller family. I hope to receive an explanation for this."

Rhode leaned back on the couch with his eyes slightly closed, carefully scrutinizing the man in front of him.

At this point, Keller's face was totally drained.

Of course he knew where this ring came from! It was his own daughter's ring!

Keller finally realized the problem.

Chapter 216: The Keller Family's Decision

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Although from the surface, Rhode could be sure that there wouldn't be much of a problem because even if those flame reels were really purchased by the Keller family, they still couldn't explain anything. However, Keller was clear that the problem didn't lie there. More importantly, if it was really as Rhode had said, it would only be a matter of time before the Keller family and the Jade Tears mercenary group got involved with each other, which was something that Keller didn't wish to see.

The reason was very simple: the Jade Tears mercenary group's identity wasn't ordinary.

If it was another mercenary group, Keller wouldn't be worried about what Rhode had said since it was normal for the Merchant Association to support a mercenary group. If the reason Rhode looked for trouble was just to complain like a child, then he wouldn't take it seriously, but it was different if things turned out to be related to Jade Tears. As everyone knew, the Jade Tears mercenary group had once been ruled by the son of a noble from the Country of Light—Frank. According to the continuous incidents that happened previously, Keller even heard that this mercenary group was related to the floating ship incident from before; they were most likely spies sent by the Country of Light. Such speculation was spreading among the upper echelons, which was why Klautz sent people to ask a few questions while Rhode almost killed Frank on the street. As for the sudden disappearance of Frank and his followers, although the public seemed to know what happened, the mercenary Association and Deep Stone City officials only kept a strange silence. Keller was not stupid; from their attitude it could be seen that the Jade Tears had most likely done something to provoke trouble. It was possible that those rumors were true. If the Jade Tears hadn't disappeared all of sudden, then most likely they would have been called out by the city guards and brought out to the Town Square to be beheaded in public.

But since they disappeared now, things were better. This could be seen from this incident with Rhode. Originally, even if there was a bet on both sides, the Mercenary Association would still have to confirm it to ensure the Jade Tears mercenary group wasn't being victimized. However, this time, they actually even omitted the necessary procedures, clearly making complete preparation for the Jade Tears mercenary group's disappearance. Of course, the Mercenary Association who had always been working based on mercenary interests and could not possibly give Rhode any privilege just because of his identity. The reason was because they needed to make the Jade Tears disappear.

If the Keller family got involved with the Jade Tears mercenary group, then the matter would only get worse. Thinking until here, Keller broke into a cold sweat. It would be dangerous if the young man before him thought that he did it on purpose to trouble him. From Rhode's actions, it could be seen that he was from the King's party. He had also heard Klautz mentioned Rhode's name recently, and the upper echelons from Golden City seemed to take some interest to him. It could be said that this young man was surely on the road to success. He was only an ordinary merchant. If he offended this promising young man, nothing good would come from it. Moreover, what would they think if Klautz or other people knew about this? The Keller family had been interacting with the Country of Light in private?! Holy spirit above, if such a thing really happened, then the Keller family would be finished! If it were just like usual, people might not mind it, but this topic was currently very sensitive. Although it wasn't widely circulated, many people from the upper echelons knew that the Country of Light would likely plot something to incite riots in the Paphield area. If news got out that the Keller family and the Country of Light were privately involved with each other, then wouldn't he basically be looking for death?

When the time came, not only would his own future be finished, but the entire family would be completely destroyed...

Thinking until here, beads of sweat dropped from Keller's face until Rhode's voice pulled him back to the reality. "I'm still waiting for your explanation, Mr. Keller."

"T-this, I think I can explain it to you."

Keller rubbed the sweat on his forehead. Currently, his face was pale, but he was also feeling fortunate that Rhode had looked for him. It seemed like he hadn't yet spread the words, or else, he would have already been finished once Rhode told this matter to Klautz. Even if he wasn't finished, nothing good would happen to him as a result. After all, before he had hinted that Marlene was feeling miserable about this matter. If they knew the culprit behind this problem was actually the Keller family, then who knew what might they do them..

"To tell you the truth, this ring is my daughter's..."

"Oh?" Hearing this answer, Rhode frowned and he immediately remembered the fat pig-like woman. "So?"

"So... So... I'm sorry, please wait for a moment, I'll call her right away." Having said that, Keller picked up the bell on the table and shook it.

Soon, the old housekeeper quickly walked into the room. But before he asked Keller what he could do for him, the former shouted angrily.

"Immediately bring Helen here, no matter where is she. Bring her here immediately, now!"

"Yes, master!" Seeing Keller's pale expression, the old housekeeper quickly followed the order and left. Keller finally felt relieved, leaning on the sofa while wiping the sweat on his forehead. He looked at the dark-haired man before him, but he didn't know what to say. Facing Keller, Rhode didn't speak and only leisurely tasted the black tea and snack in front of him. He looked more like a guest than trouble.

"This... Mr. Rhode, please forgive me for presuming about this matter, about this..."

"I haven't told anyone yet." Rhode put down the cup. "I'm just a little curious, after all. In my mind, your family does not seem like the type to oppose the Kingdom..."

"This is, of course, Mr. Rhode. We, the Keller family, are forever loyal to the Munn Kingdom, and it will never change. I can swear here by the name of my soul that it is absolutely impossible for me to betray the kingdom."

Even though he didn't say it clearly, but from Rhode's words, his speculation was eighty to ninety percent certain... It was really troublesome!

He didn't know to what extent Rhode would believe in himself because no matter what, he would just be giving excuses. In fact, as the head of the family, Keller knew to a certain extent what his daughter was doing. It was because of the recent business handover that he thought it would be a good thing to let his daughter learn about investing and supporting the mercenary group. After all, it was important for the Merchant Association to have experience with mercenary groups, but he didn't expect that just because he didn't ask about it, the matter would turn out like this!

Holy spirit above! There were so many mercenary groups in Deep Stone City; why would she get involved with the damned Jade Tears!

"Father, are you looking for me?" At this moment, Helen walked toward the living room, led by the housekeeper. She glanced to the side and soon, she saw Rhode. Helen's fat face immediately darkened, but she didn't make a ruckus in front of her father and only lowered her head while walking toward Keller. On the other side, Keller looked at his daughter and signaled for the housekeeper to leave.

When the housekeeper left and closed the door, he coldly asked, "What are you doing these few days?"

"I... I'm not doing anything."

"Nothing?" Hearing her answer, Keller frowned. He pointed toward the ring on the table and asked.

"Then what about this ring!?"

Hearing his father's question, Helen curiously looked toward the direction her father pointed and immediately shouted after seeing it. "Ah!! This is the keepsake I gave to Barney. How come it's here!?"

Having said that, Helen immediately jumped up, looking at Rhode. "It's you, isn't it! It must be you who killed them right! It's you! I know it, you..."

"Shut up!" Hearing until here, Keller no longer said anything and slapped Helen while fiercely glaring at her. A crisp sound sounded. She immediately stopped cursing and looked at her father, feeling confused.

"Father, why did you hit me, what did I do wrong!?"

"You dare ask me what you did wrong? Why did you got involved with Jade Tears?! Tell me, why did you got involved with them!"

"I... I..."

Hearing Helen's explanation intermittently, Rhode and Keller finally understood the things that happened. Helen originally did intend to invest in a mercenary group, but at that time she did not know about the existence of the Jade Tears. She heard about them from her servants. The Jade Tears's tragic story touched her, so she sent someone to meet Barney and was moved by his sincerity. Eventually, Helen agreed to support the Jade Tears mercenary group. Of course, she had her own little plan. Because of the previous conflict between her and Rhode, she hated him very much. Although objectively speaking, Rhode had protected her from being abducted, but his rude behavior was too unacceptable for her. Later, she complained about this matter to her father. Instead of punishing Rhode and teaching him a lesson, he even gave the family heirloom to him. This made Helen felt very angry. Originally, if she hadn't heard news about Rhode so often, she would have forget him after a long time. However, because news of Rhode had been spreading in Deep Stone City, Helen was forced to listen frequently. This made her feel even more disgusted, especially when she heard those people praising Rhode. So she chose to support the Jade Tears mercenary group in order to oppose Starlight and Rhode.

Of course, at that time, she had a romantic delusion. She wanted the Jade Tears to grow into the most powerful mercenary group in the Paphield area under her support while Starlight could only work hard in the shadows. She wanted her father to praise her and hand the entire Trader Association to her... For this reason, Helen followed Barney's idea to put the magic reel and sweep out all of the stock in the market. In her opinion, if she could make trouble for Rhode's Starlight, then it would be the best.

It was a pity that she could only daydream.

"You... you..."

Hearing his daughter explanation, Keller was very angry and didn't know what to say. That incident had passed for some time now, so he thought that Helen no longer cared about it anymore. No matter what, Rhode had kindly saved her life. Even if he was rude, did she have to hold this grudge for so long?

On the other hand, Rhode was very open-minded about this matter. He often saw such narrow-minded women. He once had a classmate who held a grudge for half a year just because her boyfriend glanced at another woman. That was why he thought that this kind of thing was just normal.

"Immediately go back to your room! You are not allowed to go out until you realize your mistake!"

While Rhode was dozing off, Keller already made his decision. He slapped his daughter a few times then called out the guard. He wanted them to bring Helen who had flown into rage back to the room and locked her up. No matter what the reason is, she was not allowed go out. The fatty girl kept screaming until she was gone. Keller was finally relieved and sat back on the sofa.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rhode. It's my fault for such thing to happen."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Mr. Keller." Rhode frowned, but his expression didn't change the slightest. "Everyone makes mistakes, right?"

"Right." Hearing Rhode's words, Keller finally felt relieved. He smiled and rubbed his hands. "Then... although this matter was caused by my daughter, I will of course not run from the responsibility. My daughter's action has caused damage your mercenary group, so our Keller family will surely compensate for it."

Of course, both sides knew that this was not true. Helen's actions did not really cause any real damage to Rhode and the others; both knew it was just an excuse that Keller made to make sure Rhode would stay silent about this matter. This was equivalent to the "sealing fee," used to ensure the peace of the Keller family.

Rhode naturally had no objections to this. Strictly speaking, this was indeed the reason he came here.

As a player, if he didn't maximize the benefits of the quest, could he still be called a player?

"Since Mr. Keller said so..."

Rhode crossed his hands and leaned against the sofa while narrowing his eyes.

"Then, I have a request ..."

Chapter 217: Advancing Soon

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Keller sure showed enough sincerity.

Looking at the dark stone in his hand, Rhode gasped. It seemed like his guess was indeed correct. He had assumed that this newly appointed president of the Merchant Association naturally did not want to hand over this position to other people. In fact, when he discovered that the Keller family and the Jade Tears mercenary group were related, Rhode felt very puzzled. He remembered clearly that later in the game, the Keller family would be of important stature in Deep Stone City, and they were also loyalists to the King's party. Rhode had also completed a quest to protect the Keller family caravan that was sending out weapons from the Country of Light to the Munn Kingdom. Why would they suddenly support the Country of Light? Was the Keller family actually planning something big behind?

Now that things were finally clear, Rhode finally felt relieved. This matter was not actually done by Keller himself, so he didn't care too much about this. Of course, he still stayed vigilant and didn't completely trust Keller's words. As the saying went, all merchants were sly; if they weren't sly, then they weren't a merchant. There was no way for a merchant to tell the truth. But as long as Keller stood on the right side, Rhode wouldn't mind it. After all, it wasn't something he needed to worry about in this moment.

One of his demands was that he wanted a shop under the Keller's family name. Although the Keller family did mining business, they also had many other related industries. This time, Rhode had asked for the Keller family's shop that forged and sold magic weapons. Though Keller couldn't bear letting it go, he still agreed. In any case, mining ores was the Keller's family main business, and forging weaponry was just a side industry. He himself also very clear the reason why that shop could forge magic weapons wasn't because they had the craftsmans; instead, it was due to the forging table that had been handed down from a long time ago. When a weapon was forged on that forging table under the moonlight, the weapon would turn into a magic weapon. Keller had sent his men to investigate this forging table before, but the investigation yielded no result. On the surface, there was nothing special about this forging table beside looking a little bit old, but the magic weapons that were forged on this table were created with different magic effects. The strongest magical effect would occur when the weapon was forged on the full moon. To the contrary, when the weapon was forged on the new moon, there wouldn't be any magical effects on the weapon. In fact, Rhode's Blood Tears was also forged from it. It was rumored to be forged by a skilled and powerful blacksmith in ancient times under the blood moon that only appeared once every five hundred years...

And that was what Rhode wanted.

Although the loss of this forging table made Keller felt somewhat distressed, thinking about his entire family future, he could only comply with Rhode's request. Of course, Rhode also did not intend to leave the forging table there. When he returned to the stronghold, he would bring it with him. Keller had never moved the table before because he was afraid of damaging it, but to Rhode, it wasn't a problem at all.

In addition, Rhode also made another request. He hoped to obtain the black stone owned by the Keller family.

Hearing Rhode's request, Keller did not hesitate and agreed. Compared to the complimentary magical effect of the forging table, the black stone owned by the Keller family was only something that they accidentally found in the mining pit. Because of its strange shape, they decided to keep it as a memento. There was nothing special about it; they only used it to commemorate the ancestors of the Keller family up until now. If Rhode wanted it, there was no problem giving it to him. Of course, Keller also curiously asked about what Rhode was planning to do with this stone, but Rhode's answer made him feel a little bit surprised. Rhode said he just thought the stone looked good, so he wanted to take it back to make it into a statue...

Based on his instinct as a merchant, Keller always felt that Rhode wasn't telling the truth. However, there didn't seem to be any conspiracy in his actions. Even if Keller made an excuse and rejected him, Rhode still wouldn't seem to care about it. That's why Keller eventually no longer thought about it and agreed to Rhode's request.

But Keller didn't know that Rhode had been aiming for this stone ever since he walked across the Keller's family treasury. As for the forging table that contained the magical effect? It was only complimentary stuff because from the first time Rhode saw the stone, he recognized its true identity. It wasn't an ordinary stone. It was an item that could make players go crazy. It was the Heart of Spirit!

It was just like how wood could be formed from petroleum through distillation; the Heart of Spirit was formed from an evil Soul Core. However, their uses were slightly different. The Soul Core was used to awaken a summoned spirit, while the Heart of Spirit could no longer be used to awaken a spirit because the inherent, revitalized soul power inside it would turn stagnant after hundreds of thousands years. But it had another special ability: by drawing upon the stagnant, inherent power inside it, one would be able to increase their strength. In other words, it would increase a player's EXP.

In the Blackrock Depth before, the low-level monster's Soul Core was only as big as one's fist. However, the Heart of Spirit that he found in the Keller's house was even larger than one's head. It was conceivable that this Heart of Spirit was definitely sourced from a high-level evil spirit such as the Demon General or even the Archdemon. One of the biggest battles between demons and humans happened in Deep Stone City, and many demons died in human hands. It was very rare to see a Heart of Spirit in such an intact state. In the game, a Heart of Spirit costed about a thousand gold coins, and a huge one like this might have costed about ten times more.

The stone must contain quite a lot of EXP points.

When he conquered the Blackrock Depth, Rhode had already broken through to Level 19, but he didn't plan to level up until the moment he found this stone.

Even though there seemed to only be a one level gap between Level 19 and Level 20, there was, in fact, a huge difference between them.

In the Dragon Soul Continent, levels was strictly divided. No matter which job the player was, they had to follow the same rules. Level 1-10 was Apprenticeship level; most players on this level were ordinary rookies and newcomers. Randolf and Joey, who had both just joined a mercenary group, belonged to this level. Level 10-20 was the official entrance to all jobs. The moment players advanced 10 levels, they embarked on the path of a Professional. The regular mercenaries on the entire Dragon Soul Continent were basically at this level. In Rhode's mercenary group, Shauna, Lize, Anne, Old Walker, and other mercenaries were within this range. In the Dragon Soul Continent, it was the average level of the majority of people under the Light Dragon.

Level 20-40 was considered a big leap. This was the so-called "Advanced" level to the people of Dragon Soul Continent. When entering this phase, a swordsman would be able to use a sword energy that was similar to soul condensation, or even a higher level magic that exclusively linked to their job. Of course, the result would be calculated based on their level and skill proficiency. As NPCs of the Dragon Soul Continent, certainly, they did not have a cheat-like ability like a player's allocation of skill points.

In Starlight, the only person who had reached this level was Marlene. However, her lack of experience hindered her from making good use of her full power. It was just like a newbie who spent money to obtain godlike equipment. It didn't mean that the newbie's strength would become godlike too. Fortunately, after the training in the Mirage, now Marlene had the skills and experience to match up with her strength. At least Rhode wouldn't have to worry about the time in the game when he saw a Knight—a DPS character—becoming a tank...

Most of the people in this phase were considered as elites. Even in small places, they could have gotten a very high position in a mercenary group. Usually, the leader and vice leader of a mercenary group were around these levels.

Level 40-60 belonged to the Master levels; this was also a limit that ordinary human races could not reach. Sereck belonged to this category; he was a Level 40 Sword Master. Of course, his level was still considered low. In a remote area such as Deep Stone City, he had an incomparable prestige. However, in the Golden City, Sereck's level was no more than that of a Royal Guard Captain. In many places, people with this level were regarded as very influential people. Most of them held a great authority, and some of them became the follower of an old veteran. Certainly, from a human's point of view, there were indeed quite a few people who had reached the Master level, but the numbers were still far lower compared to mixed race, such as elves and angels who had a long lifespan.

Level 60-80 was Legendary level. It was very rare to find someone at that level in the continent. Most of them were the core of large forces, and some even became legendary figures. They lived humbly in secrecy, and it was very difficult to meet them.

Needless to say, beside the Great Level 100 Five Creators Dragon, there were also the three Archangels, five Elemental Lords, four Legendary Generals, and six Devils who could reach above Level 80. Even the Archdemons were only about Level 70; they simply could not reach a higher level.

For Rhode, reaching Level 20 not only meant that he would formally become an elite, but it also represented a very important change. In the game, every time players reached a certain level, they would be allowed to enhance their swordsmanship, attributes, or talents. If he chose to enhance his swordsmanship, then when he leveled up, his swordsmanship would increase +1 by default; the same would happen should he choose attributes or talents.

In the game, the player had a total of four opportunities to enhance their status. This was not a trivial matter because each choice could affect a player's growth. If not properly selected, it would negatively impact the next battle.

Rhode was not bewildered by this matter since he had made his choice already, but there was one thing that made him hesitate. When he became an Advanced Spirit Swordsman, he would receive a free reward: to designate a card and chose it as the Core Card of the Ten Strongest Spirit Deck.

As a Core Card, the designated summon spirit would be able to stay by his side without limited time. It would be able to absorb magic by itself to maintain its existence. The summoner would only have to supply the spirit with magic supplies if the spirit was heavily injured. Not only that, the Core Card could also use its magic power to summon cards with the same element.

Right now, Rhode only had two options: Celia or Gillian.

They both had their own strengths and weaknesses. Celia was his most commonly used card and had followed him for the longest time. If he chose her as the Core Card, then he would not have to waste his soul power to summon her anymore.

As for Gillian, she was extremely strong, but her summoning frequency was limited. Rhode did not only value Gillian's strength, but also her experiences and intelligence. It bothered him that currently, his Starlight mercenary group did not have a military advisor to help him think and solve problems. Anne's careless personality was not suited for this job. And although Marlene understood his objectives very well, it did not mean that she agreed to it due to her {spiritual cleanliness" that had formed from years of her being a noble. As for Lize, it was even more impossible; if it were a melee combat, she might be able to handle it, but if the situation had developed into a private confrontation, such as slandering, poaching, and conspiracies, there was no way for her to handle it.

However, Gillian was different. After interacting with her for some time now, Rhode found that he really liked her way of thinking. Just like himself, she solved problems through a player's point of view and was adaptable to evil means. If he could summon her, then no matter what happened in the future, he would not have to do things secretly like a thief, just like the previous incident with Frank. It was still okay doing it once or twice, but the pressure would be too much if he could only rely on himself continuously.

It did not mean that there were no other cons in summoning her out. Since her level was really high, there would be a penalty for summoning a spirit beyond his level. Previously, Rhode had suffered a great loss after summoning her once. This time he would have to consider how to thoroughly avoid similar problems from happening. Before, the penalty was only deducting some EXP points, but what if he became weak in other attributes? That would make him cry to death.

Then, what should he do?

Looking at the summoning circle in his hand, Rhode fell into deep thought...

Translator's Note: The Core Card of the Ten Strongest Spirit Deck and Core Card in the group deck are different. In the group deck, the one ranked first is automatically selected as the deck's Core Card. However, the Core Card of the Ten Strongest Spirit Deck is chosen by the player and the summoned spirit's rank didn't matter. In other words, the Core Card in the group deck is the Captain, while the Core Card of the Ten Strongest Spirit Deck is the General Commander.