Reunited Once More

The moment he stepped into the Adventurers' Association, Zelier was pulled straight into an embrace. "Zelier! It's been more than half a month! I missed you to death!" The newcomer gave Zelier an enthusiastic bear hug, accompanied by a wave of thick, hearty masculine scent that left Zelier a little dizzy. Gray was practically beaming, utterly thrilled. He clapped Zelier heavily on the shoulder and even leaned in, puckering up as if to plant a kiss. "Whoa, whoa, whoa... not on the cheek!" Zelier was thoroughly resistant to this peculiar form of greeting. "Come on! Vallis, let's have a hug too!" Gray turned grinning toward the half-elf ranger. "Don't bring that act over here. You're like a toad jumping on someone's foot—it won't bite, but it disgusts everyone just the same." Vallis wore an expression of sheer distaste and took two or three steps back in retreat. "Full of energy, aren't you? How's the wound?" Marcus walked over, looking Gray up and down. "All healed up." Gray thumped his chest firmly. "Couldn't be better." Zelier stared, wide-eyed and skeptical. He stepped forward, pulled Gray's shirt aside, and carefully inspected his shoulder. The spot where the scrap of iron had pierced him was completely healed over. Even the scab had fallen off, leaving only a faint pale mark. Zelier pressed on Gray's chest next. The muscles beneath his fingers felt solid and powerful, and he could feel the strong heartbeat thudding underneath. This regenerative ability was truly something else. Less than half a month had passed, yet he was already fully recovered. If this had been an ordinary person from Blue Star, wouldn't they have been laid up in bed for a month or more? "Warriors are all like that—thick-skinned and tough." Seeing Zelier's astonishment, Vallis explained offhandedly, "Once they awaken their Qi Heart, their recovery rate is far beyond that of ordinary people." The most important distinction between a warrior apprentice and a lower warrior was the Qi Heart. A warrior apprentice was merely an ordinary person who had undergone physical training, without any drastic transformation. A lower warrior who had awakened a Qi Heart was entirely different. If quantified through Zelier's status panel, their Strength, Agility, and Constitution would all see substantial increases, accompanied by fast recovery and other perks. In subsequent cultivation, the Qi Heart would also branch into various advanced progression paths depending on the individual's focus. Generally speaking, those with high Constitution were suited to serve as vanguards. Those with high Agility and Strength had more options, being able to try their hand at assassin, swordsman, or ranger roles. This divergence became especially pronounced in the advanced warrior class promotion paths. For instance, the Guardian and Sword Saint classes had completely contrasting combat styles. "Speaking of which... can a mage awaken a Qi Heart?" Zelier suddenly thought of the possibility. He wanted that kind of healing and recovery ability too. "Theoretically speaking, it should be possible, right? It's just that very few mages ever do that." Vallis shrugged. "You can't chase two hares at once. If you want everything, you'll end up with nothing, and you won't get far on either the path of the warrior or the mage." Marcus and Zelier both welcomed Gray's return. Even though Vallis was slightly exasperated with the guy, he didn't raise any objections. And so, the original party was reunited once more. When it came to choosing their next commission, Marcus again asked for Zelier's input. "Maybe we could try a lower-tier commission?" Zelier suggested. Right now, Zelier's level was Lv. 4 (27/175). He was still 147 experience points away from leveling up. Sticking to those minor, run-of-the-mill ordinary commissions was simply too inefficient. Lower-tier commissions were also divided into ratings, ranging from one to three stars from lowest to highest. Moreover, they generally pitted adventurers against monsters rated as [Hard]. The difficulty was far greater than ordinary commissions, but the compensation was naturally much more generous as well. Marcus pondered for a moment before agreeing. "All right." After witnessing Fire Dragon, his confidence in Zelier had grown considerably. Besides, with Gray back in the party, it was indeed time to challenge higher-difficulty tasks. Adventuring was all about taking risks to reap the rewards. "As for a lower-tier commission..." Marcus's gaze swept across the commission board until he spotted an ideal target. Reaching up, he tore down the notice. "How about this one?" [Giant-Winged Bat Subjugation Commission] A giant-winged bat residing in the dense woods of western Ashwood Forest has recently entered its breeding and nursing period, becoming exceptionally violent and aggressive. The beast has already injured six people and killed one from nearby Creek Village, posing an extremely high threat. Commission Rank: Lower-Tier (One Star) Commission Objective: Eliminate the giant-winged bat and clear the brood inside its nest. Bounty: A reward of four gold coins for slaying the giant-winged bat. In addition, an extra bounty of fifty silver coins will be awarded for each giant-winged bat pup eliminated. Association Notes: A giant-winged bat during its breeding and nursing period is unusually ferocious. Vanguards must prepare quality equipment capable of withstanding high-altitude dives. It is recommended that the party include at least one anti-air ranged combatant, whether a ranger or a mage. "A giant-winged bat, huh... Shouldn't be an issue." Gray leaned over to take a look. "I hunted one before with another party. They're just a bit annoying because they fly around up in the sky all the time." "Marcus, as long as you can pin the giant-winged bat down, Zelier and I can shoot it out of the sky," Vallis said. "Yeah... shouldn't be much of a problem." Zelier nodded. The giant-winged bat itself, plus its pups, should yield just about enough to cover the 147 experience points. "All right, let's take this one then." Marcus walked over to the front desk to handle the paperwork. While they were waiting, a deep, heavy voice came from beside Zelier. "You're the mage who took part in killing the Mist Demon and the giant slime?" Zelier turned his head and quickly fished out a memory of the speaker. It was the half-orc warrior he had seen in the association previously. Zelier wasn't short by any means, standing at over one point eight meters tall. Yet this half-orc warrior stood well over two meters, towering nearly two heads above Zelier. Standing in front of him, he resembled a small mountain, radiating sheer intimidation. "I am... Is something the matter?" Zelier tilted his chin slightly to meet the half-orc's gaze. "Nothing. Just thought you're pretty decent, pretty strong." The half-orc split his face into what he considered a friendly grin, though it still looked thoroughly menacing. "I'm Gak. If the chance comes up, let's take on a commission together." "Oh... I'm Zelier." Zelier shook hands with Gak somewhat stiffly. "If the chance comes up." Having exchanged pleasantries, the half-orc Gak strutted out of the Adventurers' Association with a broadax slung across his back. Once he was out of sight, Zelier discreetly glanced around, noticing that several people were indeed casting glances in his direction, whether intentionally or not. It seemed he had earned himself a bit of fame after all. Thinking about it, it made sense. Out of the whole crowd of adventurers, Zelier was the lone mage, and he had slain monsters one after another. Keeping a low profile was hardly an option.