Chapter 114: Spellcaster

Female professionals are not uncommon on the Aifala Continent.

Elf archers wandering between jungles, chasing the wind and fallen leaves; mages throwing themselves into the ocean of arcane arts, exploring the mysteries of mathematics and stars...

Those great existences praised by epics, legends among men, even make people subconsciously ignore their gender and focus only on the outstanding achievements they have made in their own fields.

But on the other hand, objective differences in physical fitness mean that among low-level adventurers who have not yet mastered sufficiently powerful transcendent forces and mostly fight relying on flesh and technique, female adventurers are rare.

And if there really is one who has been active in the Association lobby for a long time and stably, and has even obtained a "nickname" with a weak ironic meaning among adventurers who are extremely realistic and deeply implement the philosophy of "survival of the fittest."

That, to some extent, also represents the recognition of her in all aspects by the surrounding adventurers.

Sufficient to prove her strength.

"Green Blood" - Edwinna.

This woman with a crew cut and sturdy build had been like this since she came to Hegu Town many years ago.

No one knows if she ever had long hair, if she ever had a family, or if she was like those farm women in the fields, changing diapers for children while cleaning up the odds and ends at home.

Adventurers who put their heads on their belts and exchange their lives for gold coins rarely have the leisure to investigate.

Only occasionally, drunkards in the tavern whose brains are paralyzed by alcohol and who speak without restraint will let out some gossip.

No one cares either.

At least in the eyes of most low-level adventurers in Hegu Town, setting aside gender differences, Edwinna is actually just an adventurer who seems a bit paranoid and works harder at times.

Unlike titles in low-level adventurers such as "Fatty," "Limp," "Big Mouth," etc., which replace the original name with physical appearance characteristics;

or titles where negative evaluations such as "Cowardly **," "Despicable **," "Stingy **" dominate.

"Green Blood,"

From a literal meaning alone, it seems to lean more toward a neutral meaning.

And the fact is indeed so.

Edwinna shows a persistence far beyond the ordinary toward those Green-skinned Goblins that fill every corner of the forest like cockroaches.

Even though she has stayed in Hegu Town for many years, and her own strength has reached the level of being close to obtaining a professional level.

Clearly able to accept some missions with higher cost-effectiveness, expending less effort while reaping more gold coins.

From beginning to end, she has always focused on the extermination of Goblins.

Even if she sleeps in the open in the forest for many days, she only earns a dozen or so gold coins when she returns to town.

She is still tireless.

And when the members of her squad gradually grow through mission after mission and want to accept more arduous challenges and gain more benefits.

Edwinna doesn't stop them, just simply lets them leave the squad.

In this way, over the years, her reputation in Hegu Town has risen and spread along with these former teammates who have dispersed into various squads.

And under the indirect guidance of interested people among them, she obtained the title of "Green Blood."

——Meaning that every time she returns to the city, she is covered in the blood of Green-skins.

"The reputation is good; it's a squad that earns money by accepting missions properly."

"Quite reliable, and it just happens to be short of a person now."

"I have a bit of a friendship with Edwinna; if you are willing, I can go over and mention it for you."

Chaputun put down the tray in his hand and said to Xia Nan.

Xia Nan nodded in thanks, pondering in his heart:

"Only killing Goblins, huh... that's just like me."

However, his targeting of these Green-skinned Goblins might be a small part of the reason for his experience when he first crossed over, but it is also mainly because their threat mainly relies on the accumulation of numbers.

Under the effect of 【Tooth Hunt】, he, who possesses relatively high mobility, can very conveniently escape dangerous situations.

He knows the strength and attack methods of Goblins inside out.

That's why he treats them as the main target for grinding proficiency, and earns a little pocket money by the way.

Edwinna's... there should be other reasons.

Right now, in order to accept special missions related to Goblins on Hunting Day, he does need a squad.

Not to mention how much help it can provide, at least don't drag him down too much and affect his training progress.

Since Chaputun said Edwinna's squad is reliable and quite suitable, and he doesn't have the conditions to "compare three shops" now.

The other party even took the initiative to invite him.

Perhaps... it's not impossible?

Xia Nan scooped a spoonful of cream mushroom soup, feeling the fresh and sweet taste lingering on the tip of his tongue.

His pitch-black eyes swept over the sturdy figure beside the tavern door.

The title the other party had among the surrounding adventurers, which he had just learned from Chaputun, couldn't help but appear in his mind:

"Green Blood."

He couldn't help but have some reverie in his heart.

He didn't know when he would also be able to have such a "nickname."

The crowded Adventurer Association.

Xia Nan was fully armed, carrying two longswords, standing in a corner of the lobby where the crowd was slightly more spacious.

Beside him was "Old Berg," an archer who looked to be in his thirties.

Edwinna and another young team member, "Abi," were squeezing through the crowd in front of the mission board, looking for suitable missions.

Yes,

After careful consideration, he finally accepted Edwinna's invitation.

As a temporary member, he joined the other party's squad.

Of course, before agreeing, he had already agreed with Edwinna that the teammate relationship would only last for the duration of this Hunting Day.

Once the festival ended, he would leave the squad.

After all, Xia Nan had already planned to accelerate his promotion speed, and he possessed magic equipment similar to 【Fate Coin】 and 【Dead Line】.

Unless he particularly trusted someone, it was difficult to team up with others without reservation.

To this, Edwinna didn't ask much and immediately agreed to Xia Nan's conditions.

"Looking so young, you must have entered this line of work very early, right?"

Beside him, Berg, who was standing with Xia Nan, looked at his face, which was not much older than Abi's, and asked casually.

It's no wonder the other party was curious.

If one really calculated it, Xia Nan was actually just a newcomer who had entered the industry for about half a year.

But if one looked at his temperament and dress, he was not much different from those experienced veteran adventurers, or even more so.

A glance at the quality, expensive and well-maintained metal chain mail; a combat style that had already formed its own, a dual-sword combination different from the common "one-handed sword + shield."

And that temperament of being at ease and calm and indifferent.

Completely unlike a newcomer.

Even though he looked young, Berg didn't think he was a rookie who had just arrived, only thinking that he had stepped into the adventurer's line of work very early.

Xia Nan didn't answer directly.

Instead, he shook his head ambiguously.

Necessary concealment and slight misunderstandings were not a bad thing for him.

"So you are used to dual-wielding when fighting normally?"

Seeing that he didn't want to say more, Berg changed the subject.

His gaze glanced at the two swords behind him, and he asked with a hint of strangeness in his words.

Among adventurers, dual-wielding combat types are not uncommon.

The weapon of their squad leader, Edwinna, is two one-handed hammers.

But a combination like Xia Nan's, one two-handed longsword and one one-handed wooden sword, is indeed a bit strange.

"One is a spare."

Xia Nan replied.

The other party is his teammate for the next period of time, and combat habits and the like will be seen sooner or later. Compared to the number of years in the industry before, this point is nothing to hide.

He just didn't reveal the special nature of the wooden sword 【Green Pine】 itself.

The two had just met not long ago, and they didn't know each other deeply.

They were just waiting listlessly for Edwinna to accept the mission and return, chatting one sentence after another.

"Berg! Has your squad recruited anyone?"

Suddenly, a voice came from the crowd nearby.

A thin man wearing leather armor, with a fake smile on his face, greeted from afar.

It seemed there was a bit of a story between him and Berg.

Seeing the other party, Berg's face immediately showed a stiff and somewhat embarrassed smile.

He took the initiative to step forward and put his arm around the man's shoulder.

"This time it's my fault; after Hunting Day, pick any tavern in town, it's my treat!"

Pinching the other's sleeve with his fingers, the thin man broke free from the arm on his shoulder, his tone filled with sarcasm:

"Oh, with 'Green Blood' backing you, how would I dare to take advantage of you?"

"Ke Ge Er, don't be like this." Knowing he was in the wrong, even though he was subjected to the other's sinister mockery, Berg still managed to squeeze a few smiles on his face. "You know, I'm not the kind of person who takes money and doesn't do things."

"I mentioned it to the captain, but she didn't choose you, and I couldn't help it."

"How about I take you to talk to her again?"

"If it really doesn't work, even if I have to lose this old face, I..."

"Stop." The thin man named "Ke Ge Er" immediately restrained his smile and looked to the other side of the lobby.

There, several adventurers wearing fine armor were looking at the two with cold expressions.

Seeing the man looking at them, the sturdy man who looked like the leader suddenly smiled ferociously, revealing a mouth full of yellowish rotten teeth.

"Without you, don't tell me you really thought I couldn't find a squad?"

Berg followed the other's gaze, and after only slightly identifying their identities, his gaze retracted as if electrocuted.

"'Buck-tooth' Bennett!? How did you get mixed up with them?"

He lowered his voice, his speech speed subconsciously quickened, and his expression revealed a hint of anxiety.

"Don't you know, he..."

"I want to earn money!" Ke Ge Er interrupted again, his tone cold. "Without gold coins, how am I supposed to support my family?"

"If you won't help, then I'll find my own way out."

After speaking, without waiting for Berg to reply, he just coldly glanced at Xia Nan behind him.

Then he turned and walked straight toward the direction where "Buck-tooth" and his team were.

Berg originally wanted to chase after him to explain, but perhaps due to the overly notorious reputation of "Buck-tooth" Bennett.

He only took two steps forward before stopping his body.

With his head hanging low, he sighed and returned to Xia Nan's side.

Xia Nan, who had witnessed the whole process from not far away, also roughly guessed what happened through the conversation between the two:

Edwinna's squad was just short of one person to meet the four-person condition required for Hunting Day, and the thin man named "Ke Ge Er" just now used connections (and possibly paid a price) to have Berg help pull him into the squad.

As a result, for some reason, Edwinna didn't like him, but instead invited him to fill the vacancy in the squad.

Spent money, but the matter wasn't handled well.

Causing Ke Ge Er to fall out with Berg and join "Buck-tooth" Bennett's adventurer team.

Listening to Berg just now, this "Bennett's" reputation didn't seem to be very good.

"Buck-tooth? Why haven't I heard of it again?"

Xia Nan couldn't help but reach out and scratch his head.

He didn't care about expenses and stayed at the White Tit Tavern just to learn more relevant information in this place where adventurers come and go the most in town.

Over the past few months, although he had indeed obtained a lot of information, he had also learned no less about various offbeat and improper gossip, insults, and slang.

The two words "Buck-tooth" sounded a bit familiar; he might have heard adventurers at the next table mention it one night.

But he knew nothing about Bennett as a person.

Berg, who came back from over there, had a much gloomier face and looked preoccupied.

He stopped talking.

Xia Nan then looked at the crowd coming and going in the Adventurer Association lobby on his own.

His gaze suddenly stalled.

It was a man wearing a simple robe.

Slightly messy black hair hung to his shoulders, his appearance was elegant, and there were a few crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, but strangely, his approximate age could not be seen;

The surface of the indigo ramie robe seemed to be faded and faintly whitish, but if one observed carefully, one could find that it was actually deliberately made old, and as the hem of the clothes swayed, it was the fine and soft texture of expensive silk that he had seen in the tailor shop;

On the ring finger, index finger, and thumb of his left hand, he wore three rings of different textures and colors; his right sleeve pulled up from time to time as his body moved, revealing a silver-iron bracelet with complex patterns engraved on his wrist.

Unlike other adventurers in the lobby who wished they could embed a layer of metal even in their underwear, wrapped tightly in various armors in three layers inside and three layers outside.

This man only wore the lightest robe, and there was no heavy luggage behind him.

A delicate and small leather pouch hung from his waist.

As his arms swung while walking, his left hand pressed lightly, as if he could reach his five fingers into the leather pouch in the next second to take out what he needed.

For some reason, looking at that figure walking leisurely through the lobby.

Xia Nan suddenly remembered the famous professor invited by a domestic university when his company held a large meeting in his previous life.

"Spellcaster?"

The inexplicable intuition made him judge subconsciously in his heart.

Then, he watched with his own eyes as the other party stepped on the stairs and walked up to the "Association Second Floor," which only professionals were qualified to enter.

"Mission accepted, the location is on the outskirts of the forest."

"The round trip takes about two days."

A hoarse and slightly soft voice came to his ears.

Xia Nan withdrew his gaze.

He tightened the strap of the sword scabbard behind him.

"Then let's go."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 115 =====