Chapter 976 - 474: Resolving Doubts
Matthias Monroe watched Gauss return without a change in expression, completely lacking the demeanor of someone who had just finished a battle. He suddenly understood why such unrealistic rumors circulated within the Adventurer’s Guild—whispers that Gauss might actually be a Giant Dragon in human form. This kind of strength certainly didn’t seem like something a normal human should possess. He had never seen a Level 9 Caster with such abundant Magic Power.
"Gauss, my friend, here is your loot." Monroe handed Gauss the Storage Pouch containing the corpse of the Extraordinary Centaur. After a brief hesitation, he spoke up again. "Next time we’re in a situation like that, it would be best if you didn’t rush so far to the front."
"Understood. I’ll be more cautious," Gauss nodded.
Of course, he fully expected to take the initiative and clear out the monsters again next time. It wasn’t every day he got such a perfect opportunity to kick them while they were down. Moreover, Guild Master Monroe didn’t know his true strength and likely overestimated his level of exhaustion. If he were to bluntly state that everything was completely under his control, he would come off as an insufferable show-off. So, he simply nodded and accepted the older man’s goodwill.
The two exchanged a few more quiet words before flying back toward the city walls together.
Below them, the once-fierce battlefield had gradually quieted down. The cavalrymen wore triumphant expressions, their long spears skewering the corpses of numerous monsters. Meanwhile, teams of professional Corpse Collectors filed out from the various city gates, rushing to claim a battlefield of their own. As battlefield Corpse Collectors, their task was to gather the monster corpses and materials left behind by the powerful fighters. Naturally, not everything they collected belonged to them; they merely earned a share of the profits.
The low-level Demons that Gauss had killed were a perfect example. He had left them entirely to those professional Corpse Collector teams to handle.
As he and Monroe landed back on the city walls, the surrounding soldiers and Adventurers cast curious gazes their way. Some of them had witnessed Gauss slaying the Extraordinary Centaur. Even those who missed that fleeting moment had at least seen him flying to the front lines and blasting monsters to pieces. The monsters that seemed incomparably ferocious in their eyes were as fragile as wet paper before his Magic Staff.
This intense contrast couldn’t help but inspire a deep sense of reverence within their hearts. Those who hadn’t previously known of Gauss even began asking their comrades about his identity. On a battlefield defined by blood and fire, no noble bloodline or lofty title could command respect quite like a display of overwhelming strength. The more terrifying Gauss appeared in the eyes of the monsters, the more endearing he became in the eyes of his human comrades.
"Thank you, sir," said several officers stationed closest to where the pair had landed. They immediately removed their steel helmets, revealing flushed, sweat-drenched faces.
About twenty monster corpses were already strewn across the surrounding battlements. These were the vanguard of the first wave, having used grappling hooks to quickly scale the walls and engage the archers in close-quarters combat, all to buy time for the rest of the horde to advance. Ordinarily, casualties within their squad during such an intense skirmish would have been unavoidable.
But today was different. The massive advantage Gauss had secured in the high-tier battles had forced the Rot-wing Dragon Bats and other Extraordinary Demons to hesitate, prompting them into a hasty retreat. Every single human who participated in this battle benefited from his intervention. This was especially true for the soldiers on the military payroll. While many Adventurers fought voluntarily for the profit of hunting monsters or for their own personal reasons, the soldiers had no choice. They were bound by military orders to defend the city.
Over the past half-month of warfare, these soldiers had suffered the highest casualty rates. This wasn’t because they were weaker than the average Adventurer. On the contrary, their teamwork and combat discipline were generally far superior to those of the Bottom Adventurers, and they boasted a slightly higher proportion of Professionals in their ranks. However, because they were stationed in the most dangerous and critical zones, they bore the absolute brunt of the enemy’s vicious assaults.
Seeing today’s battle come to such a swift conclusion, many of them couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. They were thankful to have survived for another day.
"You’ve worked hard." Looking at their sweat-drenched state, Gauss waved a hand, summoning a refreshing, swirling breeze.
Seeing this, Matthias Monroe also summoned his Holy Light, letting it wash over them to ease their fatigue. Being a Warrior was always the most grueling Profession on the front lines of a battlefield. Neither their weapons nor their Armor were light. Yet, if they didn’t wear their Protective gear properly, any stray arrow or piece of flying shrapnel in the vanguard could easily claim their lives. This grim reality was evident from the countless dents and scratches marring the helmets they held at their hips.
"HEH HEH." Hearing Gauss’s words of comfort and feeling the cool breeze he provided, the sweat-soaked soldiers simply let out foolish, good-natured chuckles.
As they walked down the stone stairs from the ramparts, Gauss passed by even more people. This included soldiers and Adventurers who had been injured—or killed—during the brief but brutal skirmish.
Detecting Gauss’s gaze lingering on the grayish-brown shrouds covering the dead, Matthias Monroe spoke softly. "The pensions for the fallen will be delivered to their families."
"That’s good," Gauss replied.
The joy he had felt over his recent breakthrough in power was clouded by the somber sights around him. Yet, he also knew that these sacrifices were inevitable. No matter how powerful he became, his strength ultimately had its limits. He wasn’t a god; he couldn’t instantly eradicate every enemy on the battlefield with a single thought.