[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding":3,"chapter-starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-chapter-105":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting Unlimited Evolution from Grinding",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},682660,915,"Chapter 105: A New Mission","starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-chapter-105",105,"\u003Cp>Because he hadn’t chosen a mission in advance yesterday, the first thing they had to do today was pick this trip’s assignments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike before, the Raging Bull Team had undergone a transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First was Lin Mo’s power boost. His abilities were now almost indistinguishable from a Level 2 professional—and possibly stronger than an ordinary Level 2. His magic wasn’t reliably powerful yet, but sometimes it could still produce surprising effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, Ellie had just been promoted. Now a full professional, her strength was considerable. Even Alden, who’d been a professional for years, was no longer her match. The Ice Wolf Clan bloodline was truly formidable: though Ellie was a warrior, her attacks carried magical traits that both amplified damage and could partially impede an enemy’s actions. Her innate great strength and physique gave her attributes exceeding a typical newly promoted professional—she was at least on par with a 1.3-level professional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there was the newest member who’d joined only yesterday: Finnie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie’s arrival was another major reason the team’s strength had risen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a professional-level priest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lin Mo had been in Roland Town earlier, he’d received treatment from non-professional priests; the stacked healing had been decent, but those had been rookies who’d only recently learned healing. A professional priest like Finnie was leagues stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not an exaggeration—having Finnie meant that, so long as she still had mana, it was like carrying unlimited basic healing potions—automatically applied in battle without having to drink them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But powerful priests are rarer than mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both classes require innate mana talent, but unlike the mana-hungry mage, priests are less expensive to maintain and often have the church as a safety net. Many people with mana talent but no money choose to become priests, so there are plenty of low-tier priests—even in Roland Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, those priests’ healing spells are limited, their mana pools small, and their bodies extremely fragile—unsuitable for field adventuring—so they usually remain stationed at churches, choosing a stable life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advancing on the priest path, though, is very difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You need strong affinity with the healing elements—light or water—plus exceptional mana talent and a righteous, pure temperament. Healing magic is harder to train than offensive or defensive spells and advances more slowly; without a devout, kind, and pure heart, progress is inefficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, professional-level priests above that rank are several times rarer than mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teams with a professional priest are among the elite squads in nearby cities—such teams usually have at least one senior professional and several members above Level 3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those teams take far more dangerous, unpredictable missions. That’s why Finnie’s mother chose to let her join the more ordinary, safer, and more trustworthy Raging Bull Team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This way, this way—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Solan was in a good mood today. Lin Mo and Ellie had just stepped into the guild when he waved at them from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why so cheerful today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo teased as he and Ellie approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Solan didn’t say much—just scratched his head and gave a goofy chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden snorted, looking somewhat reluctant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That kid went on his first date with Bella yesterday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rick spilled the beans, prompting a burst of laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie sat quietly to one side, wearing a gentle smile, still a bit out of place in the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All right, everyone’s here. Let’s look at the missions…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden put a stack of mission briefs in front of Lin Mo. “We arrived early and glanced through them. These are candidates worth considering.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo picked up a few and saw they were indeed suitable for their team. Alden, seasoned from years of adventuring, still had rich experience in evaluating missions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This one seems doable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo put one mission sheet in the center of the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Clear Goblin Settlement】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mission No.: E4566\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Type: Cleanup\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Client: Adventurers' Association\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reward: 18 gold + 3 silver per goblin, additional 1 gold per mutated goblin\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mission Summary:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small-to-medium goblin settlement (#69) was discovered in Roland Forest. Adventurers are needed to clear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Note: Suspected mutated goblins of threat level 1.5+ detected. Accept with caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo had done a similar mission before—mission No. 63—only a few days ago, and now it was up to No. 69. The goblin problem around Silverstream City was clearly severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the “small” settlement he’d dealt with earlier, this “small-to-medium” settlement had higher difficulty and better rewards, and the mission note warned of the risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden glanced at it and nodded. “I think this one’s good. Let’s lock it in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took the remaining mission sheets from Lin Mo and picked two more. “These two are not far from that settlement; we could take them together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was a simple E-rank gathering task: collect Hemostatic Herb, an ingredient for basic life potions. Several possible spawn locations were listed; the reward was 1 gold per clump, depending on how many they found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Hunt the Crimson Flame Tiger】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mission No.: E2283\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Type: Hunt\u002FMaterial Collection\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Client: Lady Shacher\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reward: 60–90 gold\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mission Summary:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go to the deep woods of Roland Forest and hunt a subadult Crimson Flame Tiger. Collect the tiger’s fangs, claws, and pelt—try to keep the pelt’s torso intact!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tip: Threat level 2+!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That one’s a bit high in difficulty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rick frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden nodded, but didn’t decide, instead looking at Lin Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, although Alden was the team leader, Lin Mo had become the squad’s core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Threat level 2+ meant even a subadult Crimson Flame Tiger had strength above Level 2!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That matched the description in the field guide he’d bought yesterday, The Common Monsters of Roland Forest—Crimson Flame Tigers in the deep woods were near-kingly, with adult tigers almost unmatched in the deep forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Finnie joined, he wouldn’t have considered such a mission, no matter the payout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with Finnie on the team, first, the mission rewards were effectively doubled—potentially 120–180 gold; second, if something went wrong, Finnie had hidden protection backing her up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If everything went normally, even a Level 2 or slightly stronger—say Level 2.5—Crimson Flame Tiger was something Lin Mo believed he could contend with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because on this adventure he was certain he would officially ascend to Level 2 Warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he still chickened out now, what kind of adventurer would he be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made up his mind and accepted the mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his decision, Alden nodded without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo took the three mission sheets to Lena at the counter to officially accept them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The catgirl at the counter saw the last mission and looked worried, asking if he’d taken the wrong one; her frown was cute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo tousled her beret and reassured her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, you can’t bother our staff during work hours, you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A coworker nearby, misunderstanding, thought Lena was being bothered by a troublesome adventurer and stepped in to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no, Sharan sister, we know each other…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lena explained, the receptionist’s expression changed to understanding, but her gaze toward Lin Mo grew oddly curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human tastes really are free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying goodbye to Lena, the group left the Association and formally set out on their adventure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn’t yet entered Roland Forest, but the team practiced their formation beforehand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their strongest member, Lin Mo, took the front; Carson scouted; Rick and Ellie took left and right; veteran Alden covered the rear to guard against danger from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranger Solan and priest Finnie stood in the center as the protected members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They joked and laughed on the road, teasing Solan about Bella, which left Solan both proud and embarrassed. Alden nearly turned red listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The easygoing mood helped Finnie, who was new to adventuring, relax considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This relaxation held until they reached the edge of Roland Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they stepped into Roland Forest, the joking ceased and the squad turned serious. The solemn atmosphere made Finnie a bit uneasy at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly gripped her staff and became earnest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie hadn’t decided to become an adventurer on a whim—she wasn’t an inexperienced noble trying some thrill. She’d studied many resources, read adventurers’ biographies, and knew well the hardships and dangers on the road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Priority-wise, the goblin settlement mission should be handled first… and it’s the closest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo checked the mission sheet, which had a simple location marked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the goblin settlement he’d cleared a few days ago, this No. 69 settlement was in the deep woods and much farther away—unreachable by this morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the journey wouldn’t be boring; besides poisonous insects and snakes commonly found in the forest, low-level monsters kept appearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo greeted a few teammates and used the weak monsters as magic practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A goblin clutched its chest, blood gushing out as it wailed in despair; then an ice spike pierced its throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Ice Spike】 proficiency +1!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was number six.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo glanced at his proficiency panel—six points were enough to raise Ice Spike to Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Skill [Ice Spike] Lv1 (10\u002F10) — Level Up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Current skill [Ice Spike] Lv2 (0\u002F20)”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would Level 2 Ice Spike be enough to one-shot a goblin? Previously his Level 2 Fireball couldn’t, but Fireball’s Level 3 would add one mana point, which might change things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Lin Mo got a chance to test it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another goblin patrol appeared. As usual, Lin Mo charged forward—this time without a dagger—launching an Ice Spike straight at a goblin’s eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a streak through the air, the spike pierced the goblin’s eyeball and into its brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It collapsed, twitched twice, then stopped moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d done it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo’s eyes brightened. Hitting such a fragile spot meant one-hit kills, making further practice much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He repeated the method, firing more Ice Spikes until his proficiency reached 6\u002F20. His mana depleted, leaving only one goblin in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a lone goblin shouldn’t be wasted. Lin Mo drew the Wolf Bone Sword and with a casual thrust finished it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teammates behind exchanged looks, feeling left out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, teams with a mage never let the mage waste mana on trivial low-level monsters. Everyone knew a mage’s mana was precious and should be conserved for crucial moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their mage insisted on blasting goblins to hone his spells. The reasoning was sound, but who deliberately uses goblins for practice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If these goblins died to magic, at least they went out with some dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the team, only Finnie had some understanding of magic. She clearly saw Lin Mo’s progress, marveled at how quickly he was improving, and felt even more determined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, hard practice and real experience were the only ways to achieve greater advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s rest a bit. We can use the afternoon to strike the goblin settlement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After covering more ground, with about a tenth of the journey left, Alden checked the sky and made a call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They checked their surroundings, confirmed no insects or snakes nearby, sprinkled insect repellent, and sat down to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie watched the group closely and mimicked their actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Books and reality still differed somewhat—although she’d learned these things before, doing them for the first time meant she didn’t get everything perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo glanced over, remembered Flora’s advice, set down his pack, and walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need so much—just a little… spread it evenly, like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took the insect powder from her hand and demonstrated simply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t known this stuff at first either; he’d picked it up bit by bit while adventuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Try again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie nodded and, a bit nervous, took the pouch and copied his motion, sprinkling the powder little by little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing her attempt, Lin Mo smiled. “Not bad—just like that. You’ll get used to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie brightened and added, “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She studied the slightly delicate-looking youth before her. After she’d joined the team yesterday, she nervously asked Sister Flora about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flora had said little about the others, but she’d spoken at length about Lin Mo—his outstanding talent, kind nature, and the things that sometimes annoyed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d never heard Flora describe anyone so many ways before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellie hugged her knees and rested her chin on them, staring straight at Lin Mo. She didn’t say anything but blinked and kept watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo grew self-conscious under her gaze and, helplessly, smiled. He sat beside her, used Fireball to light the fire, and made his special small burgers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellie loved these and always asked him to make them during rests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie took a red wooden box out of her pack. Inside were delicate pastries from home. She nibbled while curiously watching Lin Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His food looked simple and not very healthy; her mother would never have allowed such food before, so she was curious to try it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she hesitated and didn’t ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellie munched his burger and hummed a little tune, catching Finnie’s eye and flashing a triumphant look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finnie tilted her head in confusion and continued eating pastries with small, graceful bites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short break ended quickly; they had to reach the destination by afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining route was traversed carefully. Though this was a time prone to letting one’s guard down, settlement-forming goblins behaved differently from wandering ones—there could be designated lookouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, two or three kilometers from the settlement they ran into a goblin patrol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only three or four goblins; Lin Mo and Carson exchanged a glance and struck in perfect coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goblins walked idly through the trees—assigned to patrol but evidently too dim to comprehend the task—so their execution was perfunctory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carson burst from the shadows and easily slit one goblin’s throat with a dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Lin Mo cut off two heads with one swing, then sent an Ice Spike through the last goblin’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single sound from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team pressed on slowly under the canopy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon a far more developed settlement appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the one he’d cleared days before, this settlement had built a proper “wall” about a meter high. Inside were many wooden huts of varying sizes; some of the better ones even had plant decorations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the settlement’s center stood racks hung with animal meat and even some human limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These bastards were making jerky…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of mealtime, a dozen ordinary goblins queued around an almost-empty cauldron, scooping leftover scraps into their mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of the others lounged lazily; several mutated goblins lived in the huts, lying on straw piles covered with tattered clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three largest huts were too far to see clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo counted. Judging by the number of huts, if those three largest huts each housed a mutated goblin, there were already seven mutated goblins—possibly adults—and the three in the largest huts were likely mature, possibly exceeding the mission’s noted threat level of 1.5.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Direct assault doesn’t seem wise…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rick frowned. Seven mutated goblins plus nearly two hundred regular goblins—despite the Raging Bull Team being much stronger now, a frontal confrontation might be beyond them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden also felt troubled. As leader, safety was his priority. This settlement’s scale was larger than expected—approaching a medium-sized settlement—and frankly slightly beyond their team’s safe capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go scout.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo also felt the situation was unexpectedly large. The settlement’s strength was far beyond the one he’d handled earlier; the three strongest mutated goblins were unknowns, so they needed confirmation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be extremely careful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alden warned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo nodded and used the tree cover to approach the settlement’s rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He circled to the back, leapt over the wall, and on landing activated Vanish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slight noise drew a mutated goblin’s attention, but it saw nothing and dismissed it as the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six seconds of stealth was enough for Lin Mo to reach the largest hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peering in, he saw an unusually tall mutated goblin stretching its jaw and dozing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by its size, it was much stronger than a normal adult mutated goblin, though exactly how strong was unknown until they fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Mo retreated behind the hut. Vanish ended, but the wood structure concealed him so exposure wasn’t a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later he activated Vanish again to check the next hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside that hut was a more ordinary mutated goblin—no different from the adult ones he’d seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should he act now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wolf Bone Sword in hand, Lin Mo stared at the snoring mutated goblin, hesitating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sneak attack opportunity only came once. If he chose the one in front of him, he’d get a guaranteed instant kill—but it might not shift the overall situation much. If he targeted the largest, unknown-strength mutated goblin, the outcome was uncertain…\u003C\u002Fp>",2766,"2026-06-02T08:44:24.853Z",1,"novelbin.me","cdbb4dbdbf5274822fd8dac621bb60a92eb5479d36838cd5a11634c543c806ff","starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-chapter-106","starting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-chapter-104",349,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-unlimited-evolution-from-grinding-cover.jpg"]