An Unexpected Face, Arriving at the Bamboo Grove

Time passed quickly and was now nearing the peak of noon. By this hour, many of those who ventured out earlier were beginning to return from their morning quest.

One such group was the party led by the mohawk youth known as Weizer; he was currently in a good mood and was humming while strolling across the fields. His two lackeys that saw this couldn't help but smile as they conversed amongst themselves.

"The young master has finally achieved Level 6; with this, he should be one step ahead of this new batch of brats and only behind the Gold Spear Boy and that Child of Blaze..." One of them said with a joyous expression.

"Indeed, so long as the master achieves Stage 6 in his Mountain Axe Style, then I dare say he might even grow comparable to those freaks," The other lackey said with a smile.

Weizer felt proud when he heard his lackeys bootlicking. He knew that he was approaching the stage where he could officially rise to fame. He thought with a smile, 'Just a bit more, a little further and I can strive and overawe the world in a single flash!'

Weizer then gripped his fists as he spoke with firm eyes, "Hmph! For daring to look down on me I'll let my family see that they were wrong! I Weizer am a true genius, and no one should be better than me!'

The lackeys hearing his words nodded and bootlicked, as they spoke separately.

"Haha, Young Master Weizer is right, you are guaranteed to make it!"

"If our young master can't, then no one should!"

Weizer, who felt good, was about to say something, but soon, he couldn't help but frown as he saw a familiar figure moving towards the Bamboo Grove. His body was covered in bits of blood and a sea of corpses was behind him, some of them even belonged to strange looking wolves, while the majority were goblins.

Weizer frowned as he spoke his thoughts out loud, "Hmm? Isn't that the pretty face bum from yesterday? Did he kill those Inferior Grade monsters by himself?"

The two lackeys knew of Nero's strength; they shook their heads as one of them replied with a sneering expression.

"Young Master, that's impossible; his strength was absolutely meager when battling against the Initiation Slime, there is no way that he can currently stand in front of an Inferior Grade monster much less kill them! I feel that he was more or likely on the brink of death, and some kind soul must have helped him out of pity," The lackey said.

Weizer frowned as he heard these words, he carefully eyed Nero, noticing that he was holding a bloody sword as he limped while walking away from the carnage.

He thought, 'It doesn't make sense, then why is he still heading into the woods? He should have already known of his limitations, che! Fine, it doesn't matter, this kind of trash isn't worth paying attention to, even if he did kill them, they are, in the end no more than mere Inferior Grade monsters.'

The lackeys thought he wasn't pleased with Nero appearing; their faces turned cold as one spoke.

"Young Master, if you're not feeling well around him, then shall we go slap some sense into him?"

Weizer shook his head at this and replied with an annoyed look, "What do you take me for? Do I look like some third-rate young master from fiction? Stop yapping and let's go!"

As he said this, he once more continued on his way, only this time he wasn't humming. The lackeys didn't dare to dally, and promptly followed while speaking, 'A-As the young maser wishes!'

While walking, Weizer was thinking about how to practice his technique to the next stage. But at this time, a figure had appeared not too far from them.

He was a simple-looking youth with sharp eyes and short yellowish hair that was of an undercut hairstyle. He wore decent looking leather armor instead of the beginner martial uniforms as a bow and a quiver was on his back.

Weizer glanced at this youth and narrowed his eyes, but he didn't say anything and only continued moving with his lackeys.

After a short while, Weizer's party had left the new person's vicinity, as only the sounds of the flowing winds and distant battling sounds broke the silence of these plains.

Suddenly, this youth turned his sights towards his surroundings, but after searching for a while, he frowned as he thought, 'So troublesome, father has only made my life more burdensome, how am I to watch over someone that's all over the place?'

After saying this, the youth shook his head and murmured, "They said that he was fighting here, but I have no idea of where he's gone, it looks like I'll just need to check at random. Tsk! All this hassle!"

After saying this, the youth then looked at the path Weizer's party had come from, leading into the Greater Plains. He shook his head and continued onward, soon after leaving this region, unaware his target had traveled elsewhere.

***

When Nero left the Lesser Plains, he had vanished into a semi-transparent wall that rippled like water; behind it was an image much like that of the endless forest of bamboo shoots that rose high into the air with no end.

A track of dirt trailed towards its farthest ends, as many of these shoots grew around its edges. Looking around, one would even notice that though it was the peak of noon, a slight mist still lingered about the area, carrying an uncanny atmosphere.

The cries of insects and other peculiar creatures sounded across the area, capable of filling anyone with a dark mood.

At this time, Nero, whose body seemed injured, limped as he walked through this area while drinking a potion. His steps taken on the track would make a rough sound echoed in this silent abandoned pathway.

While walking, Nero soon heard a few notifications sound as a text box appeared before his eyes.

Ding!

[You've entered the Quest Zone, proceed to the point of the previous incident, and slay the pests that lurk these paths!]

As Nero heard this, his eyes flashed when he finished gulping down his potion and tossing it to the side, causing it to crack apart as it hit the ground.

[Ding!]

[You recovered 50 HP! Your health is now fully restored!]

"Perfect, I feel much better now," Nero said while gripped his fists, his injuries were now gone, and he was no longer limping as he walked.

Nero couldn't help but feel better at his current state, as when he recalled his previous hours of hellish training. He couldn't help but think it was a miracle he could even survive, he thought to himself, 'I don't want to go through that shit again!'

Following his thoughts, Adult Nero, who was listening, spoke out, "Oh, and if you didn't do so, how would you even come close to reaching your current stage? I'll have you know that right now, though you might be able to trounce those of the Inferior Grade, it will be an entirely different story against those of the Common Grade found in Normal Quests. Not to mention, your adversaries in this Novice Zone are each on the verge of being capable of battling those at the Greater Grade."

When Nero heard this, he woke from his senses and shook his head, not bothering to refute it. He called upon his stats, looking at his recent growth.

[Name: Nero Valstine]

[Title - None]

[Tier - Novice Rank Digitizer]

[Level 3 | Class: None]

[Next Level EXP: 495]

[Current EXP: 350]

[Influence: None | Prestige: 100 - Good Villager]

[Health 140/140]

[Magic Power 140/140]

[Combat Power: 96 | 60 + (21+15)] (See authors note: 1)

[Body Tenacity: 35 | 16 + (4+15)]

[Spiritual Awareness: 20]

[Speed 56(+1) km/h]:

[Genetic Trait:]

[Grade??? Inheritance Bit (Mazello(Level 10)) - A powerful Spiritual Being of an ancient era, as you've earned his recognition, you have awakened a small portion of his strength. Your awareness of spirits has risen, you will naturally attract the love and care of goodwill spirits, but those of a dark nature shall view you in a manner no different from their mortal enemy.]

---

[Reaper's Eye - A talent that allows one to see the origin of nature. It enables the living to see those that exist between both realms of reality.]

…

[Skills:]

[Passive Techniques:]

Low-Grade Skill:

[Foundation Body Refinement: Stage 3 (140/150) | 3 Stages]

[Effects: Technique is limited to 3 Stages, and each stage can increase Combat Power and Body Tenacity by a total of +5 | Current (+15)]

---

[Foundation Weapon Control - Stage 3 (135/150) | 3 Stages]

[Effects:]

[Technique is limited to 3 Stages, and each stage can increase the Combat Power used by any weapon +5 | Current Stat Boost (+15)]

...

[Combat Techniques:]

High-Grade Skill:

[Four Point Unity Steps - Stage 3 (101/200) | 9 Stages]

[Description: This is a speed-boosting art that can increase speed allowing graceful movement and superior reaction capabilities. Each stage can grant the user and increase of 5km/h in speed.]

[Effects: MP Consumption: 20]

[User can increase speed by 15km/h]

....

Low-Grade Skill: Low-Grade Skill:

[Flash Cut: Stage 2 (40/75) | 3 Stages]

[Description - This is a sword style that allows the wielder to rely on the momentum of the sword, leaving its sheath and furthering it with Magic Power, allowing it to cut apart its foe in merely a flash.]

[Effects: MP Consumption: 25]

…

Initially, Nero had felt proud of his current stats, but as he heard Adult Nero's words, he came back to reality. He cursed as he looked at the details once more, 'Che! I know that! It's not like I don't know what I'm up against, it's easy for you to say that they're strong, but you should know that I'm doing my best here, it's not easy to level up these skills. Look, even that Four Points Unity Steps is giving me a hard time, it was hard enough to get it into the 3rd stage, much less achieving mastery.'

Adult Nero replied, "What do you think? It is a High-Grade skill for a reason, the fact that you could even take it into Stage 3 should be an accomplishment itself. Hmph! You should stop wasting time by pondering useless things and focus on the path before you; it will only get more troublesome from here on out."

Nero sighed as he didn't bother to complain anymore, his eyes looked at the head of him at the misty pathway as he put more force into his steps as he spoke with determination, "Hmph! No matter what, I will grow even stronger."

Adult Nero smiled as he said nothing, but while they moved, his eyes were fixed around their surroundings. They soon faded into the mist traveling towards the depths of the Bamboo Grove, but as they vanished, so did a few silhouettes whose eyes gleamed in a cruel red light.

______

Author's Note:

Support the series by reviewing it on Webnovel and voting power stones.

Digitize - https://www.webnovel.com/book/17048424205270405

______

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