Chapter 55 |
“Three months to become an Apprentice warrior. The speed was a little slow, but the foundation is very solid. Not bad.”
O’Brien was fairly satisfied with Dean’s performance over these past few months. He had perseverance and also knew how to draw inferences from one example. Although his physical qualities were average, his comprehension was good.
He had also guided several young people before. Though some had a bit of aptitude, either their ability to withstand pressure was too poor, or their comprehension was too lacking, so they could only be eliminated.
A paladin could not be made by hot blood alone. Did people really think that once emotions surged, they could suddenly explode with hidden power on the spot? That was purely being fooled lame by bards.
“As long as I didn’t disappoint Teacher.”
Dean still looked like a big boy, scratching his head a little shyly. After several months, his figure had already changed from lean and wiry to sturdy, and he had grown a little taller as well.
“President Mills sent over an invitation, inviting us to watch tonight’s underground city duel matches. I’ll just take you along to broaden your horizons. Relax by yourself today, and remember to come back before dinner.”
“Really? Teacher! Can I go out and look around today?”
Excited light instantly burst from Dean’s eyes as he looked at O’Brien full of anticipation.
O’Brien nodded, his gaze returning to the workbench.
There lay a set of shining armor and a longsword, flowing with a pure halo of light. They were precisely the work he had painstakingly forged for the auction, and he was carrying out the final enchantment and adjustments.
“Teacher, is this the new equipment you made for yourself? It looks so cool!”
Dean had been busy training the whole time, and only today did he finally have the chance to admire the equipment his teacher had forged.
“No, it’s going to be auctioned.”
“Ah? But Teacher, your equipment all looks very… old. Aren’t you changing to new ones?”
Dean did not dare say it too bluntly.
“No need. Don’t be fooled by how worn and battered your teacher’s set looks. It was passed down by your grandmaster. Its true value is far beyond this set your master is forging now. It only looks so tattered because, with my current ability, I still have no way to repair it.”
Dean was awed. He was no longer a complete novice now, and had already learned a great deal about the Transcendent world.
Equipment that even Teacher’s strength could not repair—what level of equipment was that supposed to be?!
No wonder Teacher dared to chase after Big Brother Kyle!
“Teacher, when can I have my own equipment?”
Dean shamelessly looked at O’Brien with expectation.
“When you become a Formal paladin, I’ll forge a set for you.”
“Thank you, Teacher!”
Dean was overjoyed. After loudly thanking him, he rushed back into the house like a gust of wind, changed into an ordinary adventurer’s outfit, and charged out of the blacksmith shop in high spirits.
***
East City, West Square, backstage dressing room of the Rainbow Circus.
“Boss, didn’t you say we weren’t coming back to Coral Thorn City?”
Refreshed from head to toe and dressed up in flashy splendor, the Bearman Mino asked bashfully as he looked at Marco, who sat on his shoulder dressed like a clown and gnawing away at fruit with relish.
“This is called the darkest place is right under the lamp, got it?”
Marco swung his two little legs and answered unclearly.
Hearing that, Mino foolishly raised his head to look at the magic lamp above, then turned back toward Marco with a puzzled face.
Marco was also helpless. Mino had been raised like a wild beast since childhood, and his intelligence had seriously regressed. He could not even understand metaphors.
“It means that in Coral Thorn City, we’re safer!”
Marco explained patiently.
He had discovered that ever since his body had been reset by that terrifying mass of blood mist, his intuition and brain had both become even sharper.
He felt that as long as they developed steadily in Coral Thorn City and integrated themselves into this upheaval as quickly as possible, they would be able to completely cast off the shadows of the past.
On the contrary, if they went elsewhere, then with their former identities as assassins and thieves, those faint lingering connections would sooner or later still draw the attention of those people from the Shadow Guild.
Moreover, he turned his head to look at Mino, who was still scratching his head and thinking over his words.
If his intuition was right, then there was absolutely a backup measure left behind on Mino by that mysterious existence. Here, they would very likely gain that one’s attention, or even protection!
“Creak——”
The wooden door of the dressing room was pushed open. The former vegetable-selling auntie still had that same kindly appearance, only now she looked even more benevolent. At present, she was in charge of the logistics work of the Rainbow Circus.
“Boss, lunch is ready. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Got it, Aliya.” Marco responded with a grin.
“Let’s go, Mino, time to eat!” He patted Mino’s furry big head.
The moment he heard it was time to eat, Mino immediately forgot what he had been trying to think about just now. He stood up and strode toward the door, not forgetting to crouch carefully to avoid the doorframe bumping Marco on his shoulder.
Inside a domed tent colored red and yellow, topped with a cartoon-style giant head shaped like Mino, dozens of long tables of different sizes, painted in all sorts of colors, had been arranged in a spiral.
At this moment, nearly two hundred people were seated among them, waiting for the person at the seat of honor to arrive.
They were all thieves and assassins willing to follow Marco and begin life anew together, as well as their families.
These people who had once been deeply trapped in darkness were now all sitting together in bright costumes, chatting and joking, while the children chased and played between the tables. The air was full of a lightness and vitality unlike anything before.
When Mino carried Marco into the tent, the noise instantly fell silent, then immediately burst into warm applause and cheers. Everyone stood up to welcome their troupe leader.
Marco nimbly jumped down from Mino’s shoulder. Like a real clown, he made exaggerated faces and movements, grinning as he high-fived people and greeted them all the way through the crowd.
Mino, meanwhile, could not wait to run over and sit beside the seat of honor, then looked pitifully at Marco, who was still messing around with the children.
Marco now greatly enjoyed playing the role of a clown, especially when he was together with these real children. It was as though he had found the lost childhood he once misplaced.
No one in the entire tent urged Marco on. Everyone happily interacted with him.
One lunch instantly turned into a sea of juggling joy, and eating itself seemed to become secondary. Everyone was enjoying this regained ordinary warmth.
In the middle of his excitement, when Marco saw Mino still sitting there pitifully holding a knife and fork, an idea instantly popped into his head. Picking up a plate of soft honey cake from the dining table, he leaped and weaved across the tables, sending cake flying toward Mino from every direction.
Mino’s eyes shone brightly. His huge bear mouth, like some kind of gluttonous game character, swallowed the cakes one bite at a time.
The surrounding crowd, including the children, all reacted as well and joined this ‘feeding’ game together.
Fruit and pastries filled the air, flying toward Mino.
Mino refused nothing. With agility utterly mismatched to his huge body, he struck all sorts of difficult poses to catch the food. Whatever he did not have time to eat, he caught one by one with his big empty plate, putting on a magnificent acrobatic performance filled with nonstop laughter!
***
Far away in an underground karst cave beneath Mist Forest, Isos greedily savored this delicious sense of joy.
At present, he was in the crucial stage of advancing to Intent, and could break through at any moment. He could only remain in the secret stronghold to avoid the disturbance from his breakthrough drawing unnecessary trouble.
‘I knew it, this Shaggy Bear was worth a special marker from me! I’m such a genius!’
Isos was immersed in the delicious emotional fluctuations, his mood so good it could hardly be any better.
However, Montoya beside him felt miserable. He could sense that the surging power around Isos as he advanced was growing stronger and stronger, while he himself remained stuck in place, with not the slightest sign of a breakthrough.
By all rights, his development of his own power was already very high. Ordinary Intent-level beings were no match for him. Even so, he still had no clue whatsoever.
‘Sigh, Boss, when are you coming back… I miss you so much~’