Chapter 188 - 187: Cooperation
「The next day.」
「Adventurer’s Association.」
Whenever the squad appeared in the association, they drew a lot of attention, and today was no exception.
Many Adventurers had heard about the accident at the Alberti Clan’s mine, not to mention the [Challenge]-rated Demon and its sky-high bounty.
"Look, it’s them..."
"I heard they’re the ones who took care of that Demon in the mine..."
"For real? That was a Thousand-Teeth Rock Worm! Is the Marcus Squad that strong now?"
"I think it’s because of that Mage..."
Zelir was already used to it. He ignored the surrounding whispers and walked straight to the front desk.
"Good morning, Eira. These are the Demon Cores we collected during the battle."
Zelir placed a large bag of Demon Cores on the table with a loud CLATTER. "Could you see what price you can offer for these?"
"Good morning, Mr. Zelir! Oh, I heard! It was the commission from the Alberti Clan, right?"
Eira’s eyes lit up when she saw it was Zelir. "It was a Thousand-Teeth Rock Worm, wasn’t it?"
"Yes." Zelir nodded.
"That’s a very ferocious [Challenge]-rated Demon."
Eira nodded in agreement and praised him, "Mr. Zelir, you’re improving your strength faster and faster!"
"Just a few months ago, you were a new Adventurer, and now you’re already leading a squad to hunt [Challenge]-rated Demons. You truly live up to your title as the fastest Silver Level Adventurer!"
"Thank you..." Facing Eira’s unstinting praise, Zelir just smiled.
’How come Eira’s never this enthusiastic with me?’ Maki wondered, leaning against the counter and frowning slightly as he watched the scene.
Gray looked Maki up and down. "It’s probably your looks, isn’t it?"
Maki’s appearance wasn’t particularly striking. A single glance just gave one the impression of "a solidly built Adventurer."
It was a far cry from Gray, the "blond playboy"; Zelir, the "handsome, dark-haired Mage"; and Valles, the "dashing Half-Elf Ranger."
"And you’re so handsome?" Maki shot back at Gray, disgruntled.
"At least, I’m more handsome than you are," Gray said with a smile.
He was confident on that front.
"Hmph..."
Maki grumbled resentfully, "Then how come I’ve never seen Eira act so nice to you?"
"Maybe Eira just prefers the more effeminate type?" Gray shrugged.
"I can hear you, you know," Zelir said, shooting a sideways glance at the two jokers.
"All counted."
Eira pushed a bag of Gold Coins onto the counter, which produced a pleasant, clinking sound.
"One Demon Core from the Thousand-Teeth Rock Worm, at a buyback price of fifty-five Gold Coins. Seventeen Demon Cores from the Stone Maggots, for a total of seventeen Gold Coins. That comes to seventy-two Gold Coins altogether."
"Thank you." Zelir put away the money pouch.
He had checked the market prices beforehand, and this was indeed around the right amount.
After settling the payment, the squad found a quiet spot to divide the money.
These seventy-two Gold Coins, added to the one hundred sixty-seven Gold Coins from yesterday, brought the total profit from this mission to an astonishing two hundred thirty-nine Gold Coins!
Based on the distribution ratios previously set by Marcus, Zelir’s share was ninety-five Gold Coins and sixty silver coins.
An absolute fortune!
Adding that to the eighty-two Gold Coins he already had, Zelir’s savings reached a new peak.
One hundred seventy-seven Gold Coins!
He wouldn’t have to worry about his Magic Robe loan payments for at least half a year.
The others also made out well, each receiving several dozen Gold Coins, far more than their usual income from commissions.
Of course, that was also because the Alberti Family’s reward had been particularly generous.
A commission from the Adventurer’s Association would never have offered a bounty of one hundred and fifty Gold Coins for a Thousand-Teeth Rock Worm.
"Ha."
Maki’s eyebrows shot up as he weighed his share of the reward. "This is almost half a year’s income for me."
He usually drifted from job to job, didn’t have a regular team, and didn’t dare trust the strength of random pickup squads.
That’s why Maki rarely risked hunting [Challenge]-rated Demons. He mostly stuck to fighting [Difficulty]-rated ones, so his pay was usually just so-so.
"Maki, will you be leaving Black Stone Town soon?" Zelir asked.
"The winters in the Northern Territory are too cold. I won’t stay here forever."
Maki waved his hand. "But I’m not leaving just yet. I plan to stick around for a while."
"In that case, would you consider temporarily joining our squad while you’re in Black Stone Town?"
Zelir extended the invitation. "This way we can try to take on Middle Level commissions."
With the squad’s original four-person lineup, taking on [Challenge]-rated Demons was still a bit dicey.
But adding Maki, a Middle Level Swordsman, would give them a solid safety net.
Although the number of Junior commissions has dropped off recently, the supply of Middle Level commissions is still somewhat stable.
After all, truly skilled Adventurers are a minority.
"Sure."
Maki agreed without hesitation. "Your squad is excellent, at least the best one I’ve come across in all my travels."
"Glad to have you with us, then."
"Glad to be here!"
...
「By the river.」
The afternoon sun was warm on this late autumn day.
After finishing his Shallow Meditation, Zelir slowly opened his eyes, emerging from the ethereal state of being one with the world around him.
He was in excellent condition; his Spirit was clear and focused.
The Technique Celestial Calculation panel materialized before him.
In the past few days, the analysis of two more spells learned during his Monster Hunting had been completed.
The Level Two Multi-layered Spell Structure Magic, Whispering Barrier.
And the Level Five Magic, Purification Aura.
Although Purification Aura was a Level Five Magic, just like Blazing Flame Shield and Ring of Resistance, the Spell Structures of the Empowerment Magic System were more complex, so its analysis progressed more slowly.
Additionally, Magma Pillar, Gravity Singularity, Praise of Life, and Magic Harmony were all Level Six Magic and were still undergoing analysis.
Moreover, Level Six Magic... was already beyond the scope of what a Junior Mage could master.
He would have to break through to Middle Level Mage. Only the subsequent increase in his Intelligence would allow him to use them.
As for Star Punishment, a Level Seven Magic, that was even more out of the question.
Then there was the Level Four Multi-Layered Magic Technique Structure: Flame Thunder Spear. It was also in the middle of being analyzed, and it too required him to become a Middle Level Mage.
’However, it can serve as a benchmark to determine the threshold for my Attribute breakthrough.’
Magic Power flowed out, and Zelir tried to sketch the Spell Structure.
Zelir could conjure the Level Two Fireball Skill with ease, almost managing to Instant Cast it.
However, when Zelir tried to cast Whispering Barrier, a Level Two multi-layered spell, he discovered it wasn’t much easier than a Level Five Magic.
After his Magic Power smoothly traced the first layer of the circuit, the most critical step arrived.
Zelir had to divert a portion of his focus to maintain the flow while simultaneously guiding the subsequent Magic Power along the intersecting nodes and onto the next layer.