Chapter 37

A place unseen...

Whatever Kuina was thinking of, her little face suddenly flushed red. She hurriedly lowered her head, sipped her juice, and stopped asking questions.

Luo En drank his juice on one side while his mind sank into the attribute description of that permanent buff.

【True Meaning of Tempering Through Trials: As long as one applies their heart to everything, results can be achieved with half the effort!

When the host focuses earnestly on a single matter and strives for it, this buff can be activated, granting results with half the effort.】

"Doubling the effect of cultivation practice, huh..."

Luo En somewhat understood the function of this permanent buff.

Take his sword practice as an example.

Practicing swordsmanship for one day would yield ten points of swordsmanship experience.

But now, if he could activate this buff.

Practicing swordsmanship for half a day would yield twenty points of swordsmanship experience!

"Quite a useful buff. If I can make good use of it, it could greatly speed up how quickly I grow stronger."

Luo En thought to himself, feeling a bit pleased.

"Luo En, Luo En."

Kuina's soft call brought him back to his senses.

"What is it?"

Luo En raised his eyes and looked at her.

Kuina lowered her head and said in a hushed voice.

"The people at that table over there seem to have been looking our way this whole time."

Luo En shifted his gaze over and found that it was indeed so.

The four burly men at that table, their shoulders and faces covered in tattoos, drinking, whispered among themselves, snickering darkly every so often, and cast glances their way.

Those gazes... were like looking at two lambs awaiting slaughter.

Luo En's eyes instantly went cold.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, the four exchanged a look.

Then one of them—a bald man, his face brimming with a fierce aura, wearing a vest, his muscles bulging high—stood up and walked over.

He walked up to the table where the two sat.

He slammed the table, leaned in close to Luo En, and said with a vicious look:

"Brat, what are you looking at? You know who I am? You think I won't gouge your eyes out?!"

"That kid's done for—he actually provoked that guy Rut. I heard that guy used to be with the Sig Mountain Bandits."

"He didn't provoke them, did he? He just looked over a couple of times. I think that guy Rut just has his eye on his money."

The people at the next table whispered among themselves.

Luo En glanced at the fierce-looking bald man before him, then looked at Kuina across from him and said, "Want to stretch our hands a bit?"

Kuina was stunned for a moment, then her eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously at him.

"Mm-hm, mm-hm, mm-hm."

Bald Rut's veins popped on his head, and the three companions at his table also said impatiently, "Not done yet? Rut."

"Just two brats—does it take this long?"

"Hurry up and make them hand over all their money."

"I don't need you lot telling me!"

Bald Rut said irritably. Then his gaze turned vicious, and he reached out to grab the utterly calm Luo En.

The tavern's server edged over, his face drenched in cold sweat:

"Um, Mr. Rut, it's better not to get rough in the tavern, or I'll get scolded by the boss lady again later..."

"Get lost! I have to teach this disrespectful little brat a lesson today!"

Bald Rut shoved him aside and continued reaching for Luo En.

Clang!

Accompanied by a crisp sound of a blade leaving its sheath.

Bald Rut's hand, reaching for the black-haired boy, froze mid-air.

Under the gaze of everyone in the tavern.

A long blade, its cold gleam chilling, was pressed against the neck of the one called Rut.

And the one gripping the hilt.

Was the slender girl with short blue hair.

Kuina shot a sharp glance at Bald Rut, whose forehead was beading with cold sweat:

"Take one more step forward, and don't blame me for being rude."

Bald Rut stared at the cold gleam reflected on the blade, couldn't help but swallow, and took several steps back.

29, The stunned crowd, the effect after the permanent buff's activation (3/5)

Once he was out of that blade's attack range.

"Scared the hell out of me."

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and in the next instant his expression instantly turned fierce. "Brothers, grab your gear!"

The three men at that table kicked over the table in front of them, each drew a weapon, and walked over to Bald Rut's side.

"How dare you turn your blade on me—gutsy, I'll give you that. You wanna play for real? Fine! If I don't teach you two brats a proper lesson today, I'll write my name Bald Rut backwards! Get them!"

Bald Rut grabbed a large blade and slashed at Kuina.

GLOSSARY:

- Luo En

- Kuina

- Rut

- Sig Mountain Bandits

Kuina was a little excited. After telling Luo En, "Don't interfere," she raised the Wado Ichimonji and faced the four men.

The other patrons in the tavern either fled in panic or retreated far away, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. Some, however, stuck around to watch the show, gloating.

"Baldy Lutt is getting serious. Those two little brats are done for."

The tavern hand, staring at the broken tables and chairs, wore a look of utter despair.

"We're done for. We're gonna get chewed out by Big Sis Makino for sure. If only I'd never let those two in."

A moment later.

Contrary to everyone's expectations in the tavern.

That short blue-haired girl, facing a coordinated attack from four armed grown men whose builds far exceeded her own, was not at a disadvantage in the slightest.

In fact, one after another was struck by the flat of her blade.

One man went down.

Two men went down.

Baldy Lutt took a vertical slash head-on; both his hands trembled violently, and he could barely keep his grip on his weapon.

"You've got to be kidding me!!"

Cold sweat poured down his entire body.

"Is this the strength a little girl is supposed to have?!!"

"Argh!"

The third companion let out a shriek and collapsed beside Baldy Lutt.

"You're the only one left."

Kuina, holding the Wado Ichimonji and showing not the slightest trace of fatigue, stared at Baldy Lutt as she spoke.

Cold sweat poured down his entire body, and he couldn't help but step back.

Suddenly.

He spotted the black-haired boy who had come in with that girl, not far to his left, sipping juice and eating, as if he hadn't noticed what was happening here at all.

A thought flashed through his mind.

He immediately pushed off the ground and sprinted toward that boy.

"Oh no, Lutt's going to grab her companion."

"That girl may be tough, but as long as he takes her companion hostage, she definitely won't dare to keep fighting."

"What a dirty trick!"

"That's Lutt of the former Sigh Mountain Bandit Gang for you — his methods have always been shameless and despicable."

"Now those two are in for it."