402-408

Chapter 402: The Church Emissaries

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Matt's arrival signalled the end of Rhode's final worries. This also meant that Starlight was on the path towards self-sufficiency in income. Earning income was always the weakness of all guilds and as long as income was secured, they could shift their attention to lowering failure rates on missions and the death rates of mercenaries. These weren't difficult for Rhode and as a matter of fact, he had ordered Canary and Bubble to simulate all the mid-range and above levels dungeon BOSSes in the mirage for the repetitively training of mercenaries. At least for now, the mercenaries were familiar with their attacking patterns and the next challenge for them would be the actual battles.

After their discussion, Rhode checked on what Matt was up to all this while. After all, although it wasn't that straightforward collaborating with Starlight, Matt felt that it was better than not doing any business at all.

Matt's answer startled Rhode a little. Actually, this fat merchant had made his decision from the very start, but all this while, he hadn't clearly understood the situation. The Silver Libra might be a small trade association, but it controlled many territories in the South. Matt also knew that once he began his collaboration with Starlight, he could forget about going to those areas and he might as well sell them off for high prices, as most of the land in the Southern Port was extremely expensive. Matt didn't leak any information about his collaboration and he had just informed them that he needed to sell his territories due to business issues. Fortunately, this didn't peak any suspicions with the other merchants and they quickly snatched up the territories, which in turn earned Matt a huge profit. This was also part of the plan that Matt plotted earlier. He was clear that if he sold his territories after news of him collaborating with Starlight spread, the South would definitely lower his land prices on purpose. But now, everything worked in Matt's favor. Not only did he earn a big fortune, he also threw away a burden that plagued his trade association. Now that Matt had thought things through, although he lost his territories in the Southern Port, he would still be able to find territory in Golden City using his connections and his newly-earned sum of money. If the business transactions were as successful as Rhode had predicted, perhaps Matt's business would turn out even bigger than it was in the Southern Port.

This fat merchant was indeed quite scheming.

Since both sides had come to an agreement, their following negotiations were swift. And since both were business partners, Silver Libra would naturally need to build their branches in the Land of Atonement. After negotiations with Rhode, Matt agreed to send some of his production occupations, such as the miners and pharmacists, over. After all, Matt was clear about the rumors regarding the Land of Atonement. If Rhode really demolished the threats there, Matt would make a fortune with the plentiful natural resources even without the magical potions.

After clarifying both their stances in this collaboration, Matt considered this a win-win situation for both the trade association and the guild. On the other hand, Rhode wasn't calculative over these small matters as his principle was that the guild would forever be on top of the trade association. Other than that, he wouldn't mind giving small compensations to the trade association. Since both sides had a mutual understanding, the following contract signing was naturally successful.

But Matt gave Rhode some reminders before he left.

"When I arrived here, I saw a few guys from the Southern trade associations and those weren't any good people. Mr Rhode, I would like to remind you that you may face some troubles this time... Because Rosen's son was one of them."

This news indeed surprised Rhode. However, he didn't take it to heart. It was nothing new for the son to avenge for his father. Moreover, with Canary and Mini Bubblegum here and his own strength much more powerful now, Rhode didn't think that Rosen's son would threaten him in any way.

So Rhode wasn't too mindful of Matt's reminder.

Instead, what caught Rhode's attention was the other bunch of people.

Church Saints.

After receiving Rhode's invitation, the Church Saints arrived at the stronghold the next morning. This was the first time Rhode met the members of the Church.

Compared to other organizations, the Church had always been a place with more females than males, at the ratio of five to one. Of course, this wasn't solely because the gender of the Judgement & Ruling Twin Dragons were female, but more due to the nature of the Church. In the Church, there were mainly Clerics, Pharmacists, and some members responsible for financial services. Also, these responsibilities mainly required meticulous care, which was why it was female-dominant. Whereas the males in the Church mainly took up the role of Holy Knights, Guardian Knights, and other external jobs. These people standing before Rhode were no exceptions. Amongst the five, three were young females and the remaining two were middle-aged Holy Knights in silver armor. From their darkened complexions and determined eyes, the two Holy Knights seemed to be experienced veterans.

Whereas for the three ladies, they were dressed in white robes which represented their identities as Clerics. And from their standing positions, the one in the middle seemed to carry the highest rank. She was in her mid-20s and couldn't be considered a heavenly beauty, but more of an ordinary lady. However, perhaps due to their occupational traits, she transmitted an irreproachable feel just by standing there.

As Rhode personally welcomed them, the lady in the middle smiled and solemnly bowed.

"Greetings, Mr. Rhode. I am the emissary of the Church, Lilia Daniel Cranfield. It is my honor to receive your invitation."

"I should be the one thanking you, Miss Emissary."

Rhode nodded slightly and placed three fingers from his right hand to his left shoulder before returning the bow.

"I couldn't ask for more to receive the assistance from the guardians of order."

Noticing Rhode's gesture, the eyes of the other emissaries standing behind Lilia brightened. Their gazes towards Rhode seemed to be much kinder now.

"Huhuhu, Mr. Rhode has no need to be this modest with us."

After bowing, Lilia immediately straightened her posture and chuckled softly behind her palm.

"Besides... We have met before. Could it be that you've forgotten?"

"Oh?"

Rhode was slightly surprised by Lilia's comment. After taking a close look at the lady before his eyes, he frowned.

"Hmm..."

"It seems that you've really forgotten."

Lilia revealed a hopelessly bitter smile at Rhode's expression.

"Do you recall when you first defeated the Devils in Blackrock Depths and reported back to us?"

"Ah... That was you."

Rhode finally recalled. After defeating the Devils in Blackrock Depths and returning to the Mercenary Association to report the results, there were indeed members of the Church present. However, at that point in time, Rhode's head was filled with concerns over the Keller Family and the Country of Light, which was why he didn't notice her. As Lilia mentioned, Rhode remembered that he did speak to her and they even interacted for a while. But at that point in time, Rhode didn't plan to work his way with the Church yet, and he only cleared the mission as an investment for future advancement for his relationship with the Church. He didn't expect the returns to come back so quickly.

Under Rhode's invitation, the members of the Church stepped into the stronghold and arrived at the living room. After both parties sat down, Lilia once again spoke.

"Mr. Rhode, regarding our intentions, I guess Miss Shauna has already mentioned them to you."

"That's right, Miss Lilia."

Rhode lifted the teacup and slightly nodded in agreement.

"I can guarantee that our guild welcomes the Church to the Land of Atonement. Besides, if there's a need, I can even leave an area in our fortress for the Church's operations. Of course, I guess you are also clear that as the manager of the Land of Atonement, we must go through a certain extent in administration and restriction."

"That's for sure, Mr. Rhode. I can guarantee that the Church will definitely not bring you any trouble. Also, to prove our sincerity, we are willing to pay a certain amount of management fee. Furthermore, before we engage in any of our activities, we will take the initiative to report to your guild to prevent conflicts and controversies."

"That's for the best."

Rhode let out a sigh of relief in his mind. It seemed that the Church was just as nice to approach as they were in the game. The civilians and believers of the Twin Dragons were low profile in most of the places and due to their willingness to cooperate, many regions were willing to accept the presence of the Church. If not, nobody would ever welcome a bossy and domineering organization.

"I can also promise you, Miss Lilia, that our guild will not obstruct the activities of the Church. If your Church requires any assistance, you can also look for us. Everyone is a civilian of social order and to withstand chaos, our objective is the same."

Lilia couldn't help but shoot Rhode a few curious glances before replying.

"Pardon my rudeness, Mr. Rhode... Are you a believer of the Church?"

It was no wonder Lilia had such suspicions. After all, this young man seemed so experienced in these two meetings that they've had. Not only did he show respect for the Church, he also knew when to use specific hand gestures which the Church used internally. This was rarely seen in the believers because in the Church, although the differences between hand gestures weren't huge, they had totally different meanings. However, Rhode clearly knew which hand gesture to use and furthermore, his views on social order... was much determined that most believers.

"This..."

Rhode thought for a moment. In the game, he once brushed his relationship up with the Church to 'worship' level, which could count him as a Church believer. However, right now, even though he wasn't hostile to the Church and he even had a favorable impression of them, he still couldn't be considered as a believer.

"I'm regretful to say that I'm not a believer of the Church. But I can say that... the Church is an important friend of mine."

"That's an interesting analogy."

Rhode's answer brightened Lilia's eyes. She wasn't furious that Rhode didn't admit that he was a believer of the Church, but instead, the lady nodded as if she understood something about him.

"It is the Church's honor to have a friend like you... Mr. Rhode. I think you are also aware that we are not here solely for the matter regarding the Land of Atonement, right?"

"I'm aware of it."

Rhode nodded, and at this moment, Lilia sat up straight and her smile turned dignified.

"To be honest, Mr. Rhode. The Church has never heard of the battle styles for Clerics that you have on hand. You can even say that if we didn't see it for ourselves, we wouldn't even believe that Clerics could have such a battle style."

Lilia paused for a moment before she continued.

"Not only that, we inquired about the specific few Clerics from the Mercenary Association and I am aware that you brought them along for an adventure. And what surprised us was that you actually chose Clerics to face those evil Undead Creatures. The results were remarkable. I got to admit that this was a huge discovery for our Church."

Lilia ended her sentence with a stern look on her face. In fact, she didn't make known to Rhode that his doings had caused controversies in the Church. The reason was fairly simple because it had always been the duties of Holy Knights and Archbishops to banish Undead Creatures in all these years that the Church had been was established. Clerics would usually not battle. First, it had always been difficult for their spells to be effective in aggressive battles. Secondly, although many tried to attack using spells, they failed to grasp the crucial points. So in the end, for safety reasons, the Church divided both sides of the classes, where Clerics were responsible for supporting roles and the Holy Knights and Archbishops were responsible for dealing with enemies. It wasn't because the Church was inflexible, but mainly because this style of battle was be the most beneficial and secure. And since that was the case, they didn't need to risk losing Clerics, who were incapable for battles.

And after the battle in the Silent Highland, the Church immediately had internal disputes over the roles of the Clerics. Although Clerics took on supporting roles within adventures in the Silent Highland, their duties weren't only supporting from the backlines, but to support attackers in weakening enemy forces. This brought a new perspective to the Church and due to this, some people began to suggest modifications for their roles. After all, there were many more Clerics in the Church as compared to Archbishops or Holy Knights. Although Clerics weren't able to take on frontal battles, their weakening of enemy forces could decrease the tremendous pressure of their attackers, which was naturally a good thing.

However, there were a few people who disagreed with this perspective and their concerns were reasonable. Because no matter what, Clerics didn't have much defense capability. Once they met any dangers, they could only rely on others for protection, which would obstruct advancement in battle. Therefore, they thought that the most appropriate choice was to follow the safest, traditional method, which was to leave Clerics at the backlines and not take part in the charge.

Initially, in the Church, both opinions were met with a deadlock. However, after Lize managed to guard against Rosen's rapid attacks at the Midsummer Festival, the voices that suggested to reform gradually gained the upper hand. After all, everyone knew that Rosen was a top-class Swordsmaster and Lize wasn't even at the Elite stage yet, but she could still defend against his series of ferocious attacks. Furthermore, the 'Treat foes as friends' tactic which Lize displayed in battle widened the eyes of many important characters of the Church. According to them, there would naturally be no issues if all Clerics were able to do the same as Lize.

Although the Church tried to experiment with similar styles and techniques after the Midsummer Festival, for a Cleric battle style like 'Treating foes as friends' which was developed after experimentation by thousands of gamers, the Church was not able to master it.

And because of this, the Church decided to send their people to Starlight with the intentions of learning this technique. After all, whether it was the tactical aspect or the effects on battle, the young man in Starlight would understand it the clearest.

"Due to this, the Church sent me here in hopes of obtaining the knowledge and tactics... If the Church could possess such strength, I think it would be beneficial for everyone."

Rhode fell into silence for a few moments after hearing Lilia's request.

He didn't have many regards on this matter. Instead, Rhode couldn't ask for more, since the Church had personally approached him. After all, the Dark Dragon would invade them in the near future and if he could have a batch of well-trained Clerics, those pathetic Undead Creatures would definitely lose miserably. Of course, Rhode couldn't gather so many Clerics solely on his abilities, but things would be different with the involvement of the Church... After all, all the Clerics in this entire continent came from the Church.

"And of course, we do understand that this would be difficult for you." Lilia stood up as she placed her hand firmly on her chest and said solemnly. "Before we arrived here, the Church decided that if you are willing to teach us the tactics and skills, we will agree to all your conditions as long as they are within our means."

"Oh?"

Rhode twitched his brows as this transaction was definitely doable. Since the Church had sent the benefits over to him themselves... how could he reject them?

"So..."

Rhode stretched his arm and knocked on the table. Just as he was able to speak, suddenly a burst of oppressive rumbles interrupted his words.

What's going on?

Rhode couldn't help but frown, and after a few moments, a mercenary was seen gasping for air as he ran towards Rhode.

"S-Sir, someone's here to cause trouble!"

Chapter 403: Wrecking Havoc

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

"Hmph!"

Rhode's expression slightly changed after hearing the mercenary's report. He quickly stood up and apologized to Lilia and the other emissaries.

"My apologies, Miss Lilia. It seems that we will need to reschedule our discussions."

Rhode's expression sunk and left the living room. After Rhode turned the corner, Lilia and the others exchanged astonished looks with one another before following Rhode closely.

"Where's your sissy leader? Get him here!"

As soon as Rhode exited the main door, he could hear a scream from the courtyard. Rhode twitched his brows and stepped out without any expression. After exiting the stronghold, Rhode witnessed a few mercenaries groaning in pain as they laid on the ground. The door had been pushed haphazardly to the side and landed crookedly in the courtyard. At the entrance of the courtyard stood three men. They each dressed in different styles and their faces were filled with ill-intentions.

Rhode knew the man in the middle was Rosen's son. It seemed like Rosen's wife was devoted to him and didn't sleep with other men. If not, his son wouldn't look so similar to Rosen. It was as if Rosen's face was printed onto him. However, as his son was much younger, he didn't have the unflustered expression of his father and what replaced it was a young brashness. He wore the unique costume of the Southern merchants with a black steel sword hanging around his waist. It seemed that this guy came prepared.

On his left stood a man dressed as a warrior. Just his height was enough to scare others out of their wits. This man was half a body taller than Rhode, towering at around 2.6 meters! He couldn't even be considered as a human, but more so as a giant. And hanging behind this giant was a three meters long sawtooth giant sword. Not to mention its sharpness, just the looks of it was enough to scare someone to death.

The other man on the right was a Mage. A Mage who complied with standards. He wore a large robe and a pointy hat. His expression revealed superiority and uniqueness as he lifted his chin and scanned everyone like they were nothing more than rats and termites.

Finding trouble with me?

At this moment, Rhode's expression sunk and the anger in his heart began to burn. It seemed that this bunch of bastards wasn't frightened enough during the Midsummer Festival and dared to find trouble in my turf. They must be sick of living!

"Yo, the rat finally crawled out of its tiny hole?"

The man in the middle sneered and mocked Rhode as he stepped out. Behind that man, a crowd was gathered. After all, it was rare in Deep Stone City for someone to wreak havoc in someone else's turf. Furthermore, it was Starlight's turf that they were messing with, which flabbergasted many mercenaries.

At this moment, Rhode's expression couldn't get gloomier and the other party seemed very satisfied with that. He lifted his head and proudly looked down and Rhode.

"What's wrong? Afraid? I think, you still don't know who I am. I am..."

"I know who are you just from your looks."

Rhode interrupted the man's words.

"You are that old fart, Rosen's, son. Oops..."

Rhode suddenly paused and tapped on his head.

"I'm sorry for the mistake. Rosen is dead and I should've picked my words properly."

The crowd couldn't help but laugh at Rhode's terrific comeback. At this moment, the crowd understood the intent of their visit and didn't have favorable impressions of them either. As for Rosen's death, they wouldn't sympathize at all. Just like Rhode had said, in the eyes of the Northerners, Rosen was a demon who oppressed them. Now that the demon was dead, they couldn't be any happier. Now that this bunch of demon rascals wanted to seek revenge, what did it have to do with them?

"Hmph!"

Little Rosen snorted at the crowd's laughter and shifted his gaze towards Rhode furiously.

"I'm not here today to talk glibly with you."

"You'd better not."

At this moment, Rhode's expression had sunk to his lowest.

"If you're here to talk glibly and that's why you damaged my door and injured my men... Then you will not have a good time."

Little Rosen displayed a struggling expression. But shortly after, he unveiled a smile.

"Listen up, you sissy. I'm here today for my father."

He clapped his hand once and the two men behind him instantly stood forward.

"All of us know that you used despicable means to kill my father during the Midsummer Festival and this is what I couldn't accept. So, I'm here to avenge him. But..."

Little Rosen paused and shot Rhode a glance as he lifted his chin.

"... I will not act like a barbarian as you have. Furthermore, in order for you to not lose so badly, I will now compassionately grant you the opportunity for a challenge. Of course, if you admit that you're in the wrong and beg for forgiveness with your knees down, we might even forgive you. If not..."

"If not?"

"I will make everyone here pay for my father's life!"

A trace of murderous intent flashed in Rhode's eyes. Just as he was about to speak, suddenly a sharp voice was heard.

"Cut your crap!"

Along with this furious scream, two figures instantly appeared beside Rhode. They were Canary and Mini Bubble Gum. At this moment, Mini Bubble Gum was filled with anger as she stared at Little Rosen, sneering.

"Who do you think you are, to even dare threaten Leader? Scram! Scram! Scram! You make me sick. Garbage, scum, trash. You even thought of killing everyone in the stronghold just to make us pay for that silly ass's life? Who do you think you are?"

Mini Bubble Gum's nature had always been aggressive. As soon as she appeared, she immediately pointed at Little Rosen's face and gave him a good verbal thrashing. In the end, the girl even hooked her little finger.

"Come on, scumbags. Come over here and show me how good you are!"

"... You damn rascal!"

At this moment, Little Rosen was ashen-faced at Mini Bubble Gum's tauntings. He stared with widened eyes and trembled in anger before flinging his arm abruptly.

"Get her, Bull!"

"...!"

The burly, tall warrior instantly raised his head and bellowed. He drew out his long sword from the back and strode toward Mini Bubble Gum in giant steps. Got to say, this Bull warrior seemed really formidable and each of his steps were heavy and oppressing.

Facing the darting Bull warrior, Mini Bubble Gum didn't panic at all. Instead, an obvious look of despising displayed on her face.

"Scumbag!"

As Mini Bubble Gum snarled, the charging Bull warrior suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground as if he had tripped on a rock. And at this instance, Mini Bubble Gum suddenly extended her arms and cast a Defense Barrier in front of him where the Bull warrior's head landed right on it.

As everyone knew, the Defense Barrier was a magical wall cast by spells. However, everyone also knew that although the surface area of the wall was large, and the surface area on top was narrow. As the Bull warrior smashed his head onto the wall, it was as if he hit the top of an erected cement slab and he instantly screamed in immense pain. He lifted his head in panic and attempted to hold his neck in support. At this moment, his nose bridge had been completely broken and blood was gushing from his nostrils. But this wasn't the end, because as the Bull warrior lifted his head, he once again lost his balance after seemingly getting hit by something. However, Mini Bubble Gum wasn't so kind-hearted to allow him to fall just yet. Just as the Bull warrior's legs softened, she quickly flung her little hand and within a split second, two more Defense Barriers were launched at the Bull warrior's knees!

"Kacha!"

The Bull warrior's knees were punctured by the top of the two barriers as his body collapsed to the ground. The crowd only heard two quick and crisp crackles before they noticed his legs were twisted in incredible directions. Some of them even shut their eyes, hoping to not have a nightmare tonight.

"Who do you think you are to even challenge me?! Let me tell you, you are an idiot! Dumbass! Retarded! Scumbag who can't fight! You think you're a swordsman just because you have a sword?! Nooo! You are a scum! Scum! Scum! Scum! Scum!!!"

As Mini Bubble Gum continued to hurl insults, her hands didn't stop. As her voice amplified louder and louder, beams of light descended from the sky and smashed severely onto the Bull warrior's body. And every time a beam of light landed on his body, the crowd heard the crisp sound of bone fracture. Just as Mini Bubble Gum screamed the final 'Scum', her arms swung violently and a sudden storm rose from the ground, engulfing the long unconscious Bull warrior. The storm instantly lifted him off the courtyard and he landed heavily on the main streets.

"A noob that can't give me any EXP. Scram!"

At this moment, Mini Bubble Gum clapped the dust off her palms before lifting her head proudly at Little Rosen, who was ashen-faced.

Chapter 404: Shadow Behind His Back

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Little Rosen was looking pale.

He stared at the girl who was about 13 years of age and couldn't believe his eyes.Are you kidding me? Bull was a famous Swordsman of the South, and even though he wasn't as powerful as Rosen, he was still a talent that reached the ranks of Swordsmaster. Yet, he was defeated by this little girl just like that, and he didn't even get to retaliate? Who exactly is this girl?

Little Rosen suddenly recalled that he had once heard about the support of two Legendary stage beings. However, Little Rosen didn't take this matter to heart because he was sure that it was only a hoax. If Starlight really had two Legendary characters, why didn't they partake in the Midsummer Festival and only appeared now? Hmph, must be a hoax.

But now, Little Rosen changed his views. But... As he scanned this little girl who was panting with rage, he couldn't figure out how this girl could have any relations with the beings of the Legendary stage. The difference between the actual her and what he expected her to be was off the charts. However... He turned to the Bull warrior. It was a fact that this popular Swordsmaster from the South had run out of breath. He was dead before his very eyes and he didn't even see what exactly did that little girl did and how she did it!

"L-Lille."

Little Rosen panicked. The purpose of his visit was mainly because of these two men. Both of them had abilities of the Master Stage and were once friends and subordinates of his father. Little Rosen held high confidence in this revenge plot because he felt that his father failed because of the young man's evil scheme. Furthermore, he even suspected that Rhode relied on the powers of the demons. After all, Anne's sudden transformation was terrifying and it wasn't exaggerating to say that she had become a demon. Whereas for Rhode, although he did display his abilities at the end, Little Rosen felt that Rhode was only an expert in seizing every opportunity to strike and his true abilities shouldn't be feared.

In addition to this, with the presence of two Master stage men, shouldn't he be able to defeat this sly young man?

But, now it seemed that things weren't that simple.

"Lille, your turn."

"Leave it to me, Young Master."

The Mage stepped forward and coldly stared at Rhode. Before he was able to speak, Canary stepped up.

"Alright, Bubble. You had the previous one, so this one's mine... No matter what, this is Starlight's territory and if we allow anyone to just come and go after hurting our people, then Starlight would be too useless, right?"

Although Canary's words weren't as aggressive and direct as Mini Bubble Gum's, everyone could hear the deep dissatisfaction in her tone. As Canary stared at the Mage, she extended her right arm and clenched her fist. Suddenly, a violent wind rose and coalesced in her hand. In a few seconds, the whirlwind materialized into a sword.

"Elemental Materialization?!"

The Mage's calm expression was finally disrupted. He stared at the young lady with widened eyes in horror and surprise. Elemental Materialization. Elemental Mastery... Legendary stage? Oh lord. This must be a joke. This young lady was almost half his age, but she was already in the Legendary stage?!

That's impossible!

The Mage trembled with fear. At the same time, as an Inner Circle Mage, he sensed the surrounding elements coalescing towards Canary, which he couldn't even stop or prevent. And this was the sign of a Legendary stage.

What kind of sick joke is this? If this young lady is really in the Legendary stage, wouldn't I be seeking death if I fight her? But... What should I do?

Before the Mage found an escape route, Canary launched her attack.

Although she wasn't as emotional as Mini Bubble Gum, her attack instantly announced that the amount of anger in her heart was nowhere less than Mini Bubble Gum's. She softly chanted a few spells and suddenly, she darted towards the enemy.

What's going on?

The Mage couldn't react in time.

Judging from her dressing, isn't she a Mage too? Shouldn't a Mage draw a distance away to engage in battles? For her to charge towards me... What is she intending to do?

However, the Mage didn't have the time to consider this question because, at this moment, the young lady arrived before him with a sword in her hand!

Shing!

The sword materialized from wind pierced into the Mage's shoulder in a blink of an eye. The Mage shrieked in tremendous pain and he subconsciously struggled to retreat. But, at this moment, Canary rotated her wrist, and the wind elemental sword slashed up. With this motion, the Mage once again let out a blood-curdling screech and collapsed on the ground.

However, he wasn't able to land on his back as he had wished.

Because at this moment, Canary suddenly increased her speed as she shrunk her body and pounded towards his chest. This impact forced the Mage to innately curled his body. However, this wasn't the end, because the instant Canary pounded, she held her left hand against his chest.

"Bust!"

As she shouted, stormy winds erupted from her palm and instantly blew the Mage into the air. And at this moment, the young lady finally regained her stance as she lifted her sword and slashed across the air in glistening magical radiance.

Soon, the crowd witnessed specks of lightning emerge.

"—!"

At the next moment, the wind elemental sword transformed into countless bolts of lightning as they erupted in the air like electrical eels, devouring the pitiful Mage within. As the Mage shrieked pathetically, the crowd witnessed a beam of burning flames descending from the sky. Shortly after, the charred Mage landed heavily on the ground outside the stronghold, without any signs of life as burning flames and leaping bolts of lightning continued to circulate on his corpse.

So powerful!

Looking at this result, the mercenaries' eyeballs almost popped out of their eye sockets. What they witnessed wasn't just the powerful strength of two Legendary stage beings, but also their unprecedented battle styles. Oh lord, who would have thought that a Defense Barrier could actually turn into a murder weapon? And who would have thought that a Mage could actually engage in close-combat battles like a warrior?! How did she do that? Furthermore, this series of battle skills that Canary displayed dazzled even the mercenaries. Although logically speaking, a Mage should only attack from far range and was also a very time-consuming class, Canary's battle flowed smoothly no matter in close-combat or magic casting, which left the crowd obsessed as if they were admiring a gorgeous and passionate dance.

Not only were the mercenaries flabbergasted, but even Lilia and the rest standing behind Rhode were also in shock. When Mini Bubble Gum displayed her prowess, these Church emissaries couldn't help but stand in awe.

That's a Cleric? How could a Cleric be so brutal?

Although Mini Bubble Gum was in the Legendary stage and her might was definitely formidable, Lilia realized that all the spells that the girl had cast were spells that she was able to cast! However, she never thought of utilizing those spells for offense, and even 10 Holy Knights couldn't compare to it!

Is this the strength that Starlight holds? If that's the truth, what would become of the Church after we learned such battle skills?

Lilia was worried as this thought flashed in her mind.

Everyone fell into silence for a short while before exploding into a sea of cheers.

And at this moment, the expression of Little Rosen was unsightly.

I guessed it wrong!

In fact, Little Rosen knew he was thoroughly finished when Canary first launched her attack. But he couldn't believe that such young ladies would be in the Legendary stage. How could such illogical things even happen?

But now, it was too late for Little Rosen to regret.

He sneakily shifted his step, with intentions to leave. However, before he could move an inch further, Little Rosen suddenly felt a chilliness behind his back as dozens of light halos emerged in the air and swiftly bounded him tightly. Little Rosen's face turned ashen as he lifted his head towards the front in despair. He clenched his teeth and awaited the final judgment.

"What's wrong? Mr. Little Rosen? Are you in a hurry to leave?"

As Little Rosen gave up all hope, Rhode casually strolled to his face and quietly observed his fearful expression. Little Rosen gulped and began to stutter.

"Wh-What do you want to do? You can't kill me. If you kill me..."

Before Little Rosen finished his sentence, Rhode's sword pierced his chest without any resistance.

"I already did."

Little Rosen widened his eyes more and more as Rhode coldly retorted with his sword. Rhode placed his left hand on Little Rosen's forehead and gave a light tap.

And just like that, the lifeless corpse landed on the ground.

Chapter 405: Provocation or Declaration of War

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

He really did it!

As Little Rosen collapsed to the ground, the surrounding mercenaries stared blankly before instantly exploding into enthusiastic cheers. Mercenaries usually wouldn't think about the long-term but would only care about a moment of excitement. Furthermore, it was Little Rosen who started the taunts and the mercenaries cheered at his failures and pathetic consequences. However, some senior mercenaries with relatively broad knowledge were worried about what the Rosen Family was capable of. Rosen only had one son all his life, and he didn't have any grandchildren. This blow by Rhode could be said to have instantly ended their lineage. To a family, this meant a never-ending vengeance and the senior mercenaries could imagine the reactions of the Southerners once they heard this piece of news.

But... What was the point in all that now? The dead couldn't be revived. Now that things had ended this way, what was the point of regret? Besides... There were two powerful helpers in Starlight, so there was no need to worry at all, right?

After defeating Little Rosen, Rhode swept his glance towards the crowd and stared callously at a man dressed in a black cloak from head to toe who was hidden in the crowd. Sensing Rhode's gaze, the man shuddered and quickly fled.

It seems that my intentions have been conveyed.

After the man in black cloak escaped, Rhode withdrew his gaze and beckoned for the mercenaries to carry those corpses to the Security Department and also report this matter to them. Rhode wasn't worried that this matter would blow up even though the Rosen Family was influential in the South. Once this news spread, the Southerners would definitely be enraged, but could they do anything about it? Although the legal system in the Dragon Soul Continent wasn't as rigorous as the ones on Earth, it still provided certain protections for legitimate rights of various regular organizations. Rhode had the legal rights to conduct self-defense and counterattack in a case where an idiot like Little Rosen injured Rhode's men for no apparent or logical reason. In this aspect, Rhode wasn't in the wrong at all. With the abundance of human testimonies and material pieces of evidence available, everyone could confirm that Little Rosen and his gang were the ones who started the fight first. Rhode would only need to send a few men to clarify the situation with the Security Department and toss them the corpses.

Of course, Rhode knew that the death of Little Rosen would definitely incite the anger of the Southerners. However, he still did it—on purpose.

The South had been the base camp for the Reformist Party, and whenever their higher-ups pressured Golden City, they were best at inciting the masses to apply pressure on the government. This had become a common occurrence for them in order to reach their goals. On the other hand, Rhode was clear that once the news of 'Little Rosen murdered' spread to the South, the civilians would definitely blow their tops and seek revenge for the Rosens. That was the typical behavior because standpoint decided everything for humans. Even if Rhode's actions were reasonable and lawful, the civilians, blinded by hate and prejudice, would treat everything that he did as evil, and every single strand of hair from his head to toe would scream 'sins'. This was why they wouldn't accept Rhode's reasons for self-defense and counterattack but would only treat them as a despicable and shameless trick by the young man. The young man purposely murdered Rosen because he knew this would force Little Rosen to avenge his father in order to uphold his honor. With this, the young man used this opportunity to kill Little Rosen. The levels of his shamelessness made one's hair stand in anger. This bastard that's worse than a beast must be killed. You see, that bastard even plotted this scheme to defend himself.

If this were in the past, the Reformist Party definitely wouldn't mind exploiting the anger of the civilians to make things worse. But this time, they didn't dare to do so.

The reason was fairly simple because the situation had reached the juncture of life and death for the Southern Reformist Party.

Monarch Lydia had reached her last phase in annihilating the Reformist Party. Using war as an analogy, the Reformist Party was entirely trapped in the castle. If they kept themselves in and didn't take any actions, they might survive a few more days and perhaps the Country of Light Parliament's military assistance would come to save their worthless lives. However, if they got out of the castle and counterattacked now, only death awaited them.

After the Midsummer Festival, along with the death of Rosen and the disbandment of Liberty Wings Guild, the Southern Reformist Party had taken a huge toll. However, they were slightly fortunate because that stopped Monarch Lydia from temporarily having any reasons to deal with them so the Reformist Party could hide in their shells and regain their forces for the time being.

But now, Rhode gave an aggressive push to their backs. Since the Reformist Party had been claiming themselves as representatives of the civilians' interests, they definitely needed to give an answer and put up a tough stance while facing the enraged Southerners. If they continued to hide in their turtle shells, they would lose their civilians' support, which they relied heavily on, and death would also be one step closer.

But if the Reformist Party responded to the civilians' concerns and showed an unyielding stance, they could even incite conflicts between the regions. As a result, the determined Monarch Lydia would definitely suppress this bunch of people in the shortest period of time. By then, the Reformist Party's foundation would be uprooted and it would only be a matter of time before they got wiped out.

It wasn't true that Rhode didn't have any idea why Little Rosen would come to provoke him in his turf. Ever since he heard from Shauna that some people from the South and Country of Light visited, he had vaguely figured out their intentions. It was obvious that those people came scouting for intelligence on the strength of Starlight and Little Rosen's provocation must've been planned much earlier on. Although Rhode didn't know the backgrounds of the Bull warrior and Mage, it seemed like the opposition spent large efforts in gathering them. They must have observed Starlight's matchups in the Midsummer Festival and gotten two pretty decent helpers. Although they were unable to withstand a single blow from Canary and Bubble, Rhode knew that they were at least in the middle-level Master stage and were slightly lacking compared to Barter and almost similar to Mobis. According to the performances that Rhode and the others displayed at the Midsummer Festival, although these few people wouldn't be powerful enough to defeat everyone in the stronghold, they were still sufficient to probe the strength of members in the guild.

The plan seemed to go smoothly for them, except for them not expecting the presences of Canary and Little Bubble Gum. After all, it was only logical to not believe that these two teenage ladies were in the Legendary stage and even much more powerful than that.

But, after this lesson, those guys should understand how powerful they truly were now.

"... A bunch of crap."

Mini Bubble Gum dismissively snorted as she stared at the mercenaries lifted the corpses away. She turned towards Rhode, Lilia, and the other emissaries and revealed a dissatisfied frown.

"Why are these people here again?"

"Did they look for you before?"

Rhode curiously asked and Mini Bubble Gum nodded lightly while gazing at Lilia and the others with a complex expression.

"They did come before... But their over politeness made me sick so I chased them back. Besides, I'm a member of Starlight, so why must I train the members of the Church? What if these people turned their backs against us after they learned the techniques? Aren't we brewing troubles this way?"

That indeed was Bubble's style.

Rhode bitterly smiled at her response before extending his hand to pat on her bubble head.

"Okay, stop saying such wilful words. I have reached an agreement with the Church and they will be sending some of their people to be under your guidance. But don't worry, I will not request you to teach them everything. You just need to teach them some dungeon techniques for Clerics, that's all."

"..."

Bubble puckered her brows and fell into silence. After a few moments, she lifted her chin and said, "I'm ok with teaching them dungeon-clearing techniques, but PVP techniques are my inventions that only I can use."

"No problem."

Rhode nodded in acknowledgment before leading Mini Bubble Gum to Lilia.

"Ah... That's..."

Even though Mini Bubble Gum was much younger than Lilia, Lilia immediately lowered her head respectfully and tightened her posture as if she met someone of utmost importance. Not only Lilia—even the other Clerics and Holy Knights behind her were dignified and solemn in their expressions. Although they had heard of Mini Bubble Gum's reputation, seeing once was definitely better than hearing a hundred times. When this young girl displayed such formidable strength in their very eyes, Lilia and the others were flabbergasted. Those skills weren't anything extraordinary. But, when the skills were combined, they became a force that was stronger than offensive spells and that was the most crucial.

"For the sake of Leader, I agree to your conditions. You can send your people to the Fortress, but I don't wish to see too many of them because it'll irritate me."

"No problem, Miss Bubble."

Lilia lifted her head and her eyes were filled with pleasant surprise. After witnessing Mini Bubble Gum's battle personally, Lilia was confident that this was the best decision the Church had decided. If this young lady was willing to pass on her battle skills and knowledge to the Church, it would lead to a revolutionary revamp.

After listening to Lilia's reply, Mini Bubble Gum turned around and nodded complacently towards Rhode.

"So then, Leader... Big Sister and I shall head back first?"

Chapter 406: Pre-emptive

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Smash!

The exquisite teacup shattered on the carpet and red tea stained a large portion of the expensive wool carpet. However, the man was unconcerned. He stood up with a gloomy expression and at this moment, his expression turned ashen.

"He attacked? Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes, Sir Polk."

Within the crystal ball stood a man dressed in a black cloak from head to toe, lowering his head in fear while on the receiving end of his boss's screams of fury.

"Yes, I saw personally that he killed Sir Little Rosen. Also... Also... Sir McMullen and Sir Bull were also murdered. It was those two Mage and Cleric in the rumors who did it."

"Are they really that powerful? Tell me everything that you saw!"

Polk gritted his teeth and remained silent for a moment before speaking again. The man in black cloak shuddered and hurriedly gave an answer. In the face of his master, the man in the black cloak didn't conceal the slightest details as he reported the exact process of the entire battle. After listening to his report, Polk's expression turned more surprised than furious.

"I can't believe my ears. You're saying that Bull died under the hands of a 13 or 14 years old girl without dealing a single blow and the girl was a Cleric? You're also saying that a Mage defeated McMullen in close range? Are you sure you're not dreaming?"

"I can swear upon my soul, Sir. That female Mage that Sir McMullen faced definitely cast her spells and, I may be incorrect, but based on her battle skills, I think she's at least in the Master Stage."

"..."

Polk fell into deep silence for a few seconds before biting his lips in the face of this grave situation. However, he wasn't that mindful of Bull's death as he was just a senior subordinate of Rosen and didn't have much influence in the Reformist Party. Bull's death might even be a good thing to Polk because that man was as equally stubborn as Rosen. Bull couldn't put up with the behavior of Reformist Party clinging onto the Country of Light Parliament's influence and furthermore, he was simple-minded and not as unflustered as Rosen. His constant venting of dissatisfactions gave the Reformist Party a huge headache, which was why his death could be a good thing for Polk.

But it was different regarding McMullen's death because this Mage was a member of the Starmoon Mage Association. Although he was also Rosen's friend, the Reformist Party sent him for the sake of seeking out the situation in Starlight with his broad knowledge. After all, the Reformist Party had figured out after the Midsummer Festival that this newly promoted Guild wasn't standing on their side, and they might possibly be tougher enemies to deal with compared to Purple Lily and Cole Falcon. It was best to figure out their true strength at the earliest possible time.

Initially, Polk held McMullen in high regards because McMullen was a Mage that reached the outer-inner ring level, and a Mage usually had plenty of ways to escape from dangers. But never did he expect that Canary could instantly defeat McMullen in just mere seconds. Under the repression of rank and strength, he couldn't even cast one-thousandth of his powers, and in the end, he could only harbor a grudge.

Right now, what gave Polk the biggest headache was that this Mage held a high position in the Starmoon Mage Association. And now that he had died under Polk's entrustment of the task, it couldn't be guaranteed that the association wouldn't flip out with him. Furthermore, Little Rosen's death...

Rhode's prediction was right. Even Polk didn't expect this young man to be so frantic because this was as good as declaring war with the Southern Port, which even Purple Lily and Cole Falcon didn't dare to do. After all, the South was a financial hub and those who offended them would have a hard time circulating funds. Furthermore, the cash flows might even be broken due to their strained relationship. Could it be that this young man wasn't aware of it?

Is he just in his prime of youth or is he plotting some other schemes?

Polk rubbed his forehead, trying to shake off this fatigue. He hopelessly waved his hand and made a decision.

"Get everyone to retreat."

"E-Everyone?"

"Darn right, everyone! Just leave a few of them there for surveillance! It doesn't matter if that guy is crazy or not; we no longer have the forces to deal with a guild that has two people at the Legendary stage. Get those bastards to open their eyes wide and not create any more trouble!"

"Yes, Sir! I will do it now!"

The crystal ball immediately dimmed and Polk let out a long sigh. After pushing aside the crystal ball, he fell into silence for a few moments before knocking on the hanging bell beside his table with a small wooden hammer. Soon, an attendant opened the door and entered the room with much respect.

"Prepare the chariot; I'm heading to the Starmoon Mage Association."

Just as Polk was troubling over how he should handle the censure of Starmoon Mage Association, Rhode on the other side had settled all his visitors. After Mini Bubble Gum agreed to the conditions, Rhode got into further discussions with the Church. In the end, the Church agreed to send 50 Clerics to the fortress in the Land of Atonement to accept Mini Bubble Gum's 'Cleric Training'. The duration would be for two years, and within these two years, Rhode would be allowed to dispatch them for adventures or battles to gain a certain extent of experience. Of course, it would also be the Church's responsibilities in the event of any unfortunate deaths. In terms of their levels, Lilia mentioned that most of them would be in the Professional stage and a small handful of them would be in Elite stage. Rhode didn't have any opinions on this matter, and this duration of two years was actually good news for him, because he was clear that in at most a year's time, if the Country of Light was to be invaded by the Country of Darkness, the war would start. Until then, Rhode's success rate would naturally multiply with the support of the 50 Clerics in his fortress. In terms of strength, it wasn't that worrying for Rhode because with the Sphere of Mystery to boost training efficiency by three times, it wouldn't be difficult for those in the Professional stage to reach the Elite stage in two years' time.

After Lilia left, Rhode received Keller, Klautz, and Sereck. Keller's purpose in visiting was within Rhode's expectations as he wished to sponsor Starlight. However, this idea was naturally rejected by Rhode. Although the Keller Family stayed loyal and devoted to the Munn Kingdom, Rhode didn't have the habit of placing the lifeline of his guild in the hands of others. Moreover, considering the bad impression that the fat chick in Keller Family had on him, it was all the more reason he didn't want to mix with them too much. In the end, Rhode compromised to invite the Keller Family to his fortress to conduct ore explorations and excavations. After all, this was the main business of the Keller Family, and although Matt could also contribute partially, his expertise was still on business and not mining, so he wouldn't be as proficient as the Keller Family.

Keller also knew that thorough communications with Rhode were rather difficult after the incident between Rhode and his daughter, which was why he didn't request for too much but just agreed to Rhode's suggestion with a nod. Finally, both sides agreed to the terms: the Keller Family would be responsible for explorations while Starlight would be in charge of monitoring and guarding their safety. The number of ores dug would be split three to seven. As gratitude, Rhode's fortress would exempt the Kellers one year of business tax.

Strictly speaking, this agreement wasn't too beneficial for the Keller Family. But Keller agreed without hesitation. After all, the most important purpose for this decision was to improve their relationship with Starlight. His scheme was similar to Matt's, where both of them recognized the two political resources—Lize and Marlene. Also, Rhode was also admired deeply by Monarch Lydia. Keller only just took over the Merchant Association of the Paphield region and needed powerful political backing, and urgently. To be able to maintain a close relationship with Rhode and Starlight meant the best for Keller.

Keller's visit didn't surprise Rhode, but Klautz's reaction was out of Rhode's expectations. Originally he thought that this owner of Deep Stone City cum Paphield Magistrate had the same intentions as Keller, which was to do business with Starlight. However, Klautz didn't express such an attitude; instead, Klautz only spoke normally and in the end, he promised Rhode that Paphield would become their solid backing. As long as Rhode's guild didn't violate any laws, Klautz could make things convenient for Rhode.

Rhode didn't fully believe Klautz's words. However, Rhode expressed that Starlight, as a new guild in Paphield, would strive to oversee the mercenary groups and guarantee the peace and stability of Paphield as gratitude. No matter what, mercenary groups or guilds were still the 'products' of an authority organization. According to the laws of the Dragon Soul Continent, a guild couldn't have more than 500 registered members and to prevent anyone from taking advantage of any loopholes, they had also set a rule that a Guild Fortress couldn't have more than 1500 people. Considering the future additions of members from the Church, Keller Family, Matt's trade association, and Deep Creek village, these procedures would be thorny, which was why it would be better if things could be settled quickly.

On the contrary, the Mercenary Association which Sereck represented didn't bring any daunting tasks for Rhode. After all, they were also clear that Starlight was still a newborn baby and to immediately request growth wasn't reasonable. As such, Sereck only raised some points to Rhode with regards to basic situations and the necessity of filling member records. However, what caught Rhode's attention was the necessary completion of two five stars missions with the hard indicators of a year, which Sereck mentioned before he left. After all, half a year had already gone and Sereck was worried that Rhode's guild would be forcefully demoted because he didn't complete the requirements. Of course, Rhode already had plans for this.

It was already noon after he sent off everyone.Rhode let out a long sigh while Lapis and Christie prepared their pieces of baggage and were waiting for him. But...

"Sir, just you alone?"

Kavos questioned with doubts and shifted his gaze towards Christie and Lapis with an awkward expression. Other than the huge easel on Christie's back, there were only a few pieces of clothes she would be bringing over to the fortress. On the other hand, there were three pieces of baggage of different sizes beside Lapis. According to her, this was only a small portion of all her luggage.

After receiving Rhode's order, Kavos thought Rhode would bring along a few other mercenaries for the journey back. However, it seemed like things were otherwise. Can Sir handle all this baggage alone?

"Follow me."

Rhode didn't respond; instead, he beckoned for Kavos and Shauna before turning towards the stairs. Both of them exchanged dubious glances and followed Rhode down the stairs after lifting the baggage.

Under Rhode's lead, everyone arrived at a room located on the second basement floor. This place was originally set up for training mercenaries with the Sphere of Mystery. Now that the Sphere of Mystery had been shifted to the fortress by Rhode, this location had been modified for the Summon Gate. Everyone was surprised as they entered the room.

What's this?

A rock-carved large gate built into the wall was seen in the deepest end of the room. At first glance, this gate was no different from any stone carving. However, after careful observation, they realized that there was a hovering whirlpool glinting with magical radiance right in the middle of the pitch-black gate, like a revolving galaxy.

"Sir... This is..."

Upon hearing Shauna's question, Rhode approached the wooden gate and knocked.

"This is a magical portal. It can transport us between the stronghold and fortress... In simple terms, we can go to the fortress in the Land of Atonement and the stronghold here at our will. Understand?"

"There's such a thing?!"

Both Shauna and Kavos were shocked as they knew the importance of this gate. At this moment, Shauna finally understood how Rhode returned to the stronghold in absolute silence.

"I guess both of you are aware that this gate is very important. Within the guild, only me, Marlene, Lize, Anne, Gillian, Canary, and Mini Bubble Gum are aware of its presence. Now that both of you are aware, I think you should be clear that this must be kept a secret from everyone else. Only those who pass the test and show loyalty to the guild will have the rights to know about the presence of this gate."

Rhode paused for a moment and turned towards Shauna and Kavos.

"Shauna, you should know that this is a top secret. I have set up magical sentries here and it will trigger an alarm once it detects an intruder. But I still hope that you can keep this secret securely."

"Yes, Sir, please be assured. I will not leak this secret."

Shauna instantly promised sternly. After receiving Shauna's word, Rhode nodded and turned to Kavos.

"Kavos, check on the manpower we have after I leave and prepare to head into the Land of Atonement. I guarantee there's a surprise for you there. So then..."

Rhode paused before turning his head towards Christie and Lapis.

"We should go... I have a date tonight."

Chapter 407: Fantasy Night

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

As night fell, Marlene sat by the window and blankly stared at the scenery. At this moment, her emotions were a mess.

The night scenery of the Land of Atonement was unlike any other places that Marlene had seen before. As far as one's eyes could see, the surrounding scenery was in full pitch-black apart from the sparkling lights of the fortress. At the border of this orderly land, even the radiance of the moon ceased to exist. Raising one's eyes to it, the odd darkness spread in unique tranquility and peacefulness.

Marlene stretched out her hand and gently stroked the window before her eyes. The ice-cold tactile sensation came through, but it wasn't enough to calm the maiden. Instead, Marlene felt she was as rigid as if she were in an ice cave. Her muscles were totally tight like she was huddled in a corner and shivering like a mouse waiting for a cat's arrival.

This can't do!

Marlene shook her head in denial before forcing herself to her feet and turning her attention indoors.

Although this fortress was only recently built, the facilities were comprehensive. Furthermore, after considering individual characteristics, Rhode came up with simple decorations for the rooms when he designed the fortress. And before Marlene's eyes, her bedroom showed a quiet and calm atmosphere. A white, soft bed laid beside the cyan curtains above the window, which let off a refreshing mood. Besides that, there were ancient carvings and slightly mysterious-looking pieces of furniture which seemed secluded and beautiful.

Am I overreacting?

Marlene inched towards the mirror beside her bed and observed herself. The maiden in the reflection was as beautiful and graceful as always. However, this time, she wasn't in her usual gorgeous robe, but in an elegant and luxurious black dress.

This was apparel which nobles put on for dance parties and banquets. As the heir of the Senia Family, this dress had been through meticulous alterations to fit Marlene's body nicely, highlighting her slender waist and bosoms. The black silk yarn fell gracefully on her shoulders, showing off a pair of fair shoulders and tender arms. At first glance, this plain-looking skirt let off the silver radiance of a galaxy river flowing along with the gentle movements of the maiden. Matching with a silver necklace and a pair of delicate gemstone earrings, she let off an elegant charm.

Such dress up undoubtedly made one the center of attention in a ballroom. However, it inevitably felt out of place as she wore it in the room. Marlene looked at her reflection blankly as she stacked her palms on her chest and puckered her brows slightly.

"Mine's are a little small compared to Anne's..."

The maiden mumbled softly and after a few moments, she abruptly startled and lifted her head as if she had just woken up from a short dream.

"Th-This looks ridiculous."

Marlene blushed and hurriedly scuttled to the wardrobe on the other side of the room. The maiden opened the doors of the wardrobe and rummaged through the dresses attentively. Marlene let out a long sigh after a few moments before closing the doors of the wardrobe. She sat down on a chair and held her hand against her forehead.

"What exactly am I doing..." The maiden muttered under her breath.

Since this morning, Marlene had tried on all the dresses in her wardrobe and her makeup was also re-applied at least two to three times. However, Marlene still wasn't satisfied. To her, these clothes would either seem too childish, overly flirtatious or simple in Rhode's eyes... which made it hard for Marlene to decide. Although in the final moments, she had decided to wear her favorite black nightgown, she began to feel ill at ease while waiting... After all, this gown was too outrageous in this place. What would Rhode think if he sees this? Will he think that I'm vain? Haughty? Ostentatious?

Marlene had never experienced such emotions before. In fact, the maiden never thought that she would have such an irresolute day. Ever since she was young, she had never been this way before. Even when she learned about her family secrets from her father and heard her life mission, she had never been this hesitant. But now, she realized she was acting like a timid and overcautious girl who was letting her imaginations run wild.

Why am I acting like this?

Marlene couldn't figure out why she panicked in this situation and was even this hesitant and indecisive. She was even dubious over her feelings towards Rhode. Although she admitted that she didn't hate Rhode and had a favorable impression of him... she shouldn't have been acting this way regardless.

Marlene couldn't be blamed for feeling depressed in this difficult situation. After all, their relationship indeed was somewhat odd. Most human relationships would develop step by step from gaining interest in one another and finally reaching the last step of sexual intercourse. However, their relationship was totally different. Both of them didn't advance step by step, but instead, they skipped the middle step and got straight to the last. It was so fast that Marlene wasn't even able to buffer her thoughts for the middle step.

Not to mention, ever since Marlene was born, she had never fallen in love. Love in stories and fairy tales were only suitable in wonderful dreams. However, the love which she sensed and felt was not completely consistent with the love stories. But in fairy tales, the prince wouldn't engage in such illogical developments with the princess.

Due to this, Marlene had conflicting views. There were many times that she had decided to call off this date, but she couldn't pluck up the courage. And right now, the most important moment of her life was finally here.

Knock knock knock.

Hearing the knocks on her door, Marlene innately leaped up like a startled bunny. She looked at the door in uncertainty and subconsciously placed her palm on her chest before sucking in a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Rhode."

"...!"

Marlene felt her heart almost stop beating as she stood on the same spot and regained her senses after a few seconds. She tidied her hair and the creases on her dress before inching towards the door. It was incredible that even though the maiden was so familiar and used to Rhode's voice, at this moment, she was triggered with unprecedented stimulations.

I-I think it's better to change back into my usual robe.

As Marlene approached the door, she once again hesitated. She turned around and looked at her uncertain self in the mirror before shaking her head violently. There's no more time now. I can't possibly make Mr Rhode wait for too long. Since things are this way now, I don't think I need to overthink anymore...

Marlene sighed before gently unlocking her door and pushed it open slightly.

"Hmm?"

The instant Rhode met Marlene, he revealed an odd expression which tensed her emotions. As I thought. This dress is a complete mistake. If I knew this would happen, I would've worn my usual robe.

However, the odd expression on Rhode's face only lasted for a second before he regained his usual expression and nodded towards Marlene.

"Hi there, Miss Marlene."

"H-Hi, Mr Rhode... Please come in."

With full of uncertainty, Marlene nodded towards Rhode and invited him into her room. At this moment, the maiden's head was a complete blank. The noble etiquette she learned and practiced for so many years had been thrown to the ends of the earth.

Rhode also seemed to notice Marlene's eccentric behavior and a trace of craftiness flashed in his eyes. Under Marlene's invitation, Rhode sat by the table. At this moment, Marlene was completely rattled and she didn't even notice Rhode's peculiar expression.

"Miss Marlene, I'm thankful for your invitation. So, you invited me here tonight for..."

"Ah, th-that..."

Marlene slightly blushed at Rhode's question. She sat opposite Rhode and lowered her head in panic while gazing at the tableware. Her gaze wandered all around, avoiding direct contact with the man before her. At this moment, Marlene was acting like a child who didn't dare face her parents after doing something wrong.

"This... Mr. Rhode. I remember you made a trip back to the stronghold, right? How are Christie and Lapis doing?"

After a few seconds, Marlene finally asked. However, it was entirely out of topic.

"They're doing well. Apart from those Southern idiots who sent some men to create trouble, nothing much happened. I brought Christie and Lapis to the fortress and Lize has arranged their lodgings."

"I see..."

Marlene replied and the atmosphere became silent once again. Rhode didn't speak as he attentively scanned the maiden before his eyes. On the other end of the table, Marlene continued to stare blankly at the tableware and abruptly regained her senses after awhile.

"Ah, yes, sorry... Mr. Rhode. I have forgotten that I invited you for tea..."

Marlene stood up in panic and poured a cup of red tea for Rhode. However, perhaps due to her excessive nervousness, her hands slightly trembled and red tea overflowed and spilled onto the table.

"Ah!"

Frightened by the spillage, Marlene gasped and instinctively tried to wipe the water stains off the table with a cloth. However, the maiden instantly retracted her hand upon getting into contact with the boiling tea. And at this moment, she lost her balance and tripped to the ground.

"Ah...!"

The maiden's screams abruptly stopped because at this instance, Rhode grabbed her hand and dragged her into his arms. The maiden loosened her grip of the teapot and along with a crisp smash, the teapot shattered into a pile of debris after hitting the floor.

"... Argh... Argh..."

Marlene began to tremble as she whimpered.

I screwed up.

I have never messed up anything before, but how did things turn out this way? I thought as long as I tried my best, I could say anything. So how did things become like this? So stupid, so foolish, so sluggish. What curse did I get myself into?

"I'm so sorry, Miss Marlene."

And at this moment, Rhode's voice sounded in her ears. The maiden widened her eyes strangely and gazed at the man before her eyes. Although Rhode was still displaying his usual expressionless face, this time, Marlene discovered his smile was filled with a few traces of apologies and slyness.

"If I've put you into a difficult situation, allow me to apologize... To be frank, Miss Marlene looks really adorable right now, so I can't help but see just how cute you are. But it seems like this is your limit..."

"Eh?"

Marlene widened her eyes in shock as she stared blankly into Rhode's eyes.

"M-Mr. Rhode, you know..."

"A young lady invites a man to her room late at night, dressed in such a luxurious dress. Anyone can understand what this means, unless one's an idiot..."

"Ah... Ah..."

Marlene's fair and smooth cheeks instantly blushed. Oh Lord, Marlene could swear that although she was indeed thinking of this, her head had always been considering how to explain to Rhode. Since she had forgotten that she was the one who invited Rhode, it clearly proved her intentions.

At this thought, Marlene immediately felt an immense sense of shame as she lowered her head and clenched her teeth like she was trying to curl up and resist this sudden shame. However, Rhode didn't give her the chance. Instead, he gently caressed her cheek, hugged her up, and placed her on her bed.

"M-Mr. Rhode!"

Feeling the soft, fluffy bed on her back, Marlene tightened her body. Although she did predict that things would end up at this state, Rhode's fast actions had exceeded her imaginations. She gazed at Rhode in uncertainty and clawed onto her skirt while her body was as stiff as an ice sculpture. But out of Marlene's expectations, Rhode didn't act as she thought. He didn't rapidly 'attack', but instead, he quietly looked into her eyes while revealing a rare conscientiousness.

"Although I understand your intentions, I would still like to ask you again. Miss Marlene, are you really willing to do this?"

"..."

"I admit, I do feel good about you and I like you a lot. But I don't treat you as my most important romantic partner. So I will mostly be unable to return the same treatment you expect. Is this fine by you too?"

"I... I..."

In a state of confusion, Marlene gazed blankly at Rhode and revealed her rare timid side. However, Rhode didn't stop confessing.

"I'll put this upfront... I'm a dominating man. If you are willing to become my woman, then you will be my woman forever. And now... You still have a chance to turn back."

Marlene couldn't help but leaned her head to the side shyly. Her face was flushed red and at the same time, she pouted her mouth slightly.

"... Mr. Rhode is so cunning... You clearly said I was your woman before... What do you want me to say now..."

"That's my attitude and opinion, Miss Marlene."

But Rhode wasn't angry as he faced Marlene's childish-like reply. Instead, he unrolled a slight smile and squished Marlene's chin with his right hand to turn her head towards himself.

"Now is the time for you to express your feelings... isn't it?"

"... I... gree..."

"What? I didn't hear it clearly. Say it louder."

"... I ag... agree..."

"Sorry, the wind was too loud and I can't hear clearly."

"I... I... I..."

Marlene's face flushed red at Rhode's teasing. She gaped and finally gritted her teeth.

"I agree... to become Mr. Rhode's... w-w-woman..."

"Good."

Rhode nodded in satisfaction after hearing Marlene's answer in a sobbing tone. He extended his arm to gently fondle the maiden's cheek before leaning in towards her ear.

"Since Marlene said so... Then, from today onwards, you are my possession... If you don't agree, I will make you understand."

Rhode extended his hand and began to gently caress her chest hidden beneath the elegant evening gown. Sensing this strong stimulation, the maiden shrieked and innately shook her head to reject Rhode's advancement. However, at this moment, Rhode forced her to look into his eyes before going in for a deep kiss on her lips.

The instant Marlene felt Rhode's lips on hers, her ice-cold body melted as though she had blended into hot water. A familiar and comfortable sensation constantly released from her body as she slowly stretched herself in itchiness and joy. At the same time, her entire body softened and all she could do was to awkwardly stick out her tongue in response to Rhode's lure.

"Wu... En..."

Coming out from the quiet room were the sounds of heavy breathing and the salivary sounds of tongues tantalizing each other.

Rhode nimbly undid the knot on Marlene's nightgown. The outer shell that enveloped the maiden fell off entirely and what was left was the alluring, naked body of an innocent lady. Sensing the chills of the late night breeze, Marlene slightly shuddered and she began to moan softly along with Rhode's gentle caresses. At this moment, with a hard sensation entering her body, Marlene abruptly shut her mouth and turned her head to the side like a child acting in a fit of pique.

Interesting.

Rhode subconsciously twitched his brows at this sight. Although this wasn't his first time enjoying this body, the sensation he felt this time was entirely different. During the first experience, Marlene's will was completely influenced by drugs and she only showed her instinctual desires. Even though her crazy desires were equally impressive, this current Marlene was much more worthy of conquering. Obviously, she had been framed down, but she still forcibly upheld her strong self-esteem. Such a Marlene was also quite adorable.

So, I will have some fun then.

With this thought, Rhode lowered his head and began to 'savor' her body. Like raindrops, his kisses landed on every corner of the maiden's body while his hands continued to rub and stroke. At the same time, Rhode constantly stuck out his tongue like he was licking cream off a cake.

"Wu... En..."

Under Rhode's affectionate care, Marlene quickly fell into a state of semi-consciousness. She had almost forgotten where and how she was as she only wished to shut her eyes and just concentrate on enjoying this pleasure sweeping her body like ocean waves. She was like a small boat arriving at the top of the waves again and again, enjoying this thrilling sensation.

Her body temperature turned hotter and hotter, but it wasn't there yet. Just a little, just a little more...

At this moment, the waves suddenly calmed.

"Eh?"

Marlene opened her eyes in a daze and gazed at Rhode. At this moment, Rhode's movements weren't as intense as before. Instead, his speed began to slowly decrease and at the same time, even though he skillfully fondled between her legs, he didn't take any further action.

Why? Why didn't he continue?

"It seems like I'm not skillful enough... Miss Marlene, do you feel uncomfortable?"

No, no such thing. Faster, faster. Continue...

Marlene gazed at Rhode with needful eyes. However, at this moment, Rhode seemed to have turned into a dummy as he only caressed the maiden's body and wasn't able to fulfill Marlene's desires. But the maiden could no longer tolerate it anymore. She writhed and clumsily pushed up her waist, wishing to continue the comfortable feeling. However, Rhode slowly withdrew from Marlene.

"Miss Marlene. If you want it, you need to say it, okay? If you don't say it, how would I know you want it?"

"I... I..."

After all, she was an unmarried daughter of a noble family and for her to say such a statement with a clear state of mind was too difficult. She blushed, and at the same time, her eyes were looking at Rhode with uneasiness. She softly groaned with hopes that Rhode would read her thoughts with this response. However, Rhode was not in the least concerned about Marlene's 'invitation' as he continued to slowly caress and tease the maiden while watching her.

"I'm waiting for your answer, Miss Marlene."

"I... I..."

The emptiness and longingness in her body turned stronger and stronger, and Marlene felt as if she were about to burst into tears. She couldn't stop shaking her head as the rationalities in her mind tried to avoid such shameful confessions. But at the same time, her instinctive desires also became much stronger under Rhode's teasing. And in the end, her desires overwhelmed her reasoning.

"I want... Rhode... to give me everything... please... Rhode... give me..."

Marlene couldn't hold it in anymore as she buried her face in her hands. Oh Lord, this was the first time she said something so shameless!

Hearing Marlene's answer, Rhode grinned and leaned towards her ear.

"As you wish, my dearest young lady."

After this reply from Rhode, Marlene felt a strong, intense heat instantly enter her body.

"Ahhhh...!"

Under joyful cries, Marlene innately hugged Rhode tightly as she rose her body up against Rhode's under his powerful thrustings. On the other hand, Rhode continued to fondle and kiss her body while his speed increased. Marlene's breaths hastened, and at this moment, she could feel an unparalleled thrill coming towards herself as she totally threw her shame to the back of her mind. Her legs wrapped around Rhode's waist as she greedily enjoyed his offense.

"...!"

After this frantic battle, Rhode deeply moaned and straightened his body while Marlene shivered all over as she hugged Rhode and let out weep-like sobs. After a few seconds, both of them collapsed onto the bed.

"Hu..."

Up until this moment, Marlene regained her senses from the franticness. She stared blankly at the ceiling while enjoying the pleasant lingering effect of intense joy. But suddenly, Rhode straightened his body once again, and she quickly felt a hard sensation.

"I won't let you sleep tonight, Marlene," Rhode said with a smile.

Chapter 408: Five Star Missions

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

"Hu..."

Walking on the slightly breezy corridor, Lize exhaled onto her hands. At this moment, it was midnight and peaceful within the fortress. Burning flares on the watchtowers could be seen flickering through the windows. However, Lize didn't have the mood to admire the night scenery. As a member of the guild, she had the responsibility of surveillance rotations and also preparing morning meals and drinks.

After the construction of the fortress, Rhode mentioned that there would be increasingly stricter routines in Starlight and one couldn't do as they pleased like back when Starlight was a mercenary group. Normally, there was no fixed timing as to when mercenaries should get up in the morning, take breaks, rotate sentry duties, and even eat three meals. And as a Cleric, Lize naturally took on this responsibility. Although the maiden wasn't as imposing and capable of decision-making, her considerate and feminine attentiveness made her the best candidate for this job.

"Eh?"

As Lize approached the flight of stairs, she noticed a figure seemingly practicing its swordsmanship out in the garden outside the fortress. Lize gradually stopped moving and observed the figure for a while. After all, it was only 6 am and according to the standards of Dragon Soul Continent, the sun had not risen yet. Not to mention, in a place like the Land of Atonement with a weak natural force of order, the number of hours in the night far exceeded the number of hours in the morning. In this place, the sun would rise at 12 pm and set at 4 pm to 5. Got to say, it was really odd to have such differences in time. If that happened on Earth, perhaps it might attribute to some special phenomenon in high latitudes. However, the Land of Atonement and Deep Sone City were only separated by a mountain, and yet, the sun rose from 8 am to 9 am on the other side of the mountain and set at around 7 pm to 8 pm. On this side, the sun rose from 11 am to 12 pm and set from 4 pm to 5 pm. That was really an illogical natural rule.

And due to this, jet lag became the most painful torture for the newly arrived mercenaries. Especially with the unique environmental effects of the Land of Atonement, the mercenaries felt as if they were on night watch two-thirds of the day, which caused them to be extremely tired. Not to mention waking up early, even oversleeping had been normal for the mercenaries. So who exactly had woken up so early?

Lize curiously descended on the flight of stairs and headed towards the garden.

The skies were as dark as ink and the radiance illuminating from the fortress wasn't able to tear apart this deep darkness. Lize exited the fortress and arrived at the garden. Shortly after, with the aid of flare, Lize recognized someone whom she couldn't be more familiar with.

"Mr. Rhode?"

"Lize?"

Rhode laid his sword down and turned around in surprise.

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw someone here, so... Mr. Rhode, what are you do-..."

"I woke up slightly earlier so I decided to take a stroll out here."

Rhode shrugged his shoulders and sheathed his sword. What he said wasn't false. However, it couldn't be considered the truth either. After tormenting Marlene throughout the night, the maiden who couldn't handle Rhode's 'ravage' eventually fell asleep. Right after Marlene fell into a slumber, Rhode left her room. Initially, Rhode intended to rest in his own room, but he didn't feel sleepy at all. That was why he practiced his swordsmanship in the garden after hastily taking a cold shower. Apart from practicing, he used the chance to exercise. After all, one must have the assets to live that loose nightlife.

"Is it time?"

Rhode naturally guessed the reason for Lize to be here and she nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Sir, time is almost up. I intend to patrol for a little more before swapping out..."

"Thanks for your hard work. Don't worry, after the mercenaries have gathered here, you won't be this busy anymore." Rhode patted Lize's shoulder and said softly.

However, Lize chuckled before shaking her head and smiling back at the man before her eyes.

"It's nothing, Mr. Rhode. I don't think this is troublesome at all. Instead, I think this is fine... I know I'm not as smart and imposing as Marlene, so it's only natural for me to help Mr. Rhode in managing your guild. To me, as long as it's within my capabilities, I will do it. I..."

Before Lize could finish her sentence, Rhode placed his finger by her lips.

"You're wrong, Lize. This isn't my guild, this is our guild..." Rhode lifted his hand upwards and knocked on Lize's head lightly. "Don't tell me you've forgotten that it wasn't me who stayed with this mercenary group ever since it was established. No matter what, it wouldn't be Starlight without you. So Lize, I think it's unnecessary for you to be so hard on yourself... Just do what you should do and everything will be fine... Understood?"

"Ah... Yes."

Lize widened her eyes in surprise as she gazed at Rhode. After a few moments, as if she had woken up from a dream, she nodded and answered. If it weren't for Rhode's reminder, Lize almost had forgotten that in terms of seniority, she was the longest lasting member of Starlight. In fact, when Starlight wasn't Starlight previously, she was already here... right?

"Alright, continue with your work then. I'm heading back to rest now."

Rhode nodded and turned towards the fortress. However, after a few steps, Rhode was suddenly reminded of something as he turned back and waved towards Lize.

"Oh yes, don't wake Marlene up for breakfast later. I think she will probably wake up in the afternoon."

"Ah, okay, I understood."

Lize hurriedly nodded and she observed Rhode as he leisurely strolled into the entrance of the Fortress. Up until this moment, Lize tilted her head to one side and began to suspect.

"But... how does Mr. Rhode know that Marlene wouldn't need to eat breakfast...?"

This night was only an accident for Rhode. He affirmed Marlene's feelings towards himself and at the same time accepted them. However, to be frank, Rhode didn't think that Marlene would fall so deep. Although he admitted that he sensed the young lady's likings towards himself, the logic where a woman would go to bed with a man just because she liked the man was too ridiculous. Furthermore, after the night in Golden City, Rhode thought that most females would choose to avoid the topic. Of course, when men were a little more thick skinned and continued to advance, it was possible that the female might accept him. However, Rhode knew of Marlene's unique identity and at that point in time, he didn't have the intentions to tease her. But never did he think that deep down, Marlene would be too shy to speak her mind. Yet right now, she took the initiative to invite himself... This behavior had a distinct inconsistency with her usual self.

After last night, Rhode confirmed that Marlene was hiding some secrets. As an experienced person with females, Rhode had always been very sensitive to the reactions of females in bed. From that frantic night, he realized that apart from her liking towards himself, there was more of self-devotion, just like how a female saint offered her body and life to devote her faith in God.

This was obviously very abnormal. Rhode was no God and furthermore, Marlene's usual actions didn't seem to treat himself as a person worthy of being worshipped. This was why, for Marlene to reveal such an attitude in the act of love-making, was thought-provoking.

Without a doubt, Rhode had no intentions of questioning her thoughts. After this night, he seemed to have a much deeper understanding of this young lady. At least, right after the Midsummer Festival, Marlene didn't stay with Starlight just because she wished to go on adventures.

And that was all Rhode's doubt was when concerning Marlene. Since Marlene didn't wish to tell, then he wouldn't pester her for an answer because it was important to properly maintain personal privacy. Therefore, as long as Rhode continued to observe her, there's no need to question her. Besides, there was something much more serious than this.

"Hu..."

Looking at the list of missions displayed in front of him, Rhode heaved a huge sigh. He flipped each page over one by one. What laid in front of him were the 5 Star missions that the Mercenary Association published for the Guild. Unlike the mercenary missions, these hundreds of 5 Star missions weren't regionally locked and could be said to spread around every corner of the Dragon Soul Continent.

Similar to the game, these 5 Star missions naturally were the most difficult to accomplish and required anywhere from at least 25 members to at least a hundred members. Of course, there were all kinds of purposes in these missions. There were humans, demonic creatures, and some were missions that even required players to defend against the demons and devils crawling from the underground. The difficulties of these missions varied, but all the BOSSes in the missions were at least in their Legendary stage. Their little monsters were basically at least Elite stage and if the players were lucky (or unlucky), they might face some Mutant Elites and Monster Lords.

On this continent, the areas which the Mercenary Association was responsible for were too broad, which was the reason why there were a variety of guild missions. After all, regular armies and guard squadrons were supposed to maintain security on both nation and region-wide fronts. Although sometimes they could crusade against monsters or creatures, in the long run, that would be considered not attending to their proper duties. This was why, those matters that couldn't be resolved by regular armies would be pushed to the Mercenary Association. And due to this, the 5 Star Missions for guilds included different bits of everything.

Incidentally, the Void Dragon Dungeon which Rhode had cleared before he arrived in this world was a 5 Star guild mission: the top tier mission within the 5 Star missions.

This time, Rhode surely wouldn't challenge insane missions like the Deepest Labyrinth. Even though Canary and Mini Bubble Gum were by his side now, they would still be destroyed with Starlight's current strength and standards. Furthermore, there was no resurrection in this world, which made things much more tedious.

Because of this, the 5 Star missions that Rhode chose were mainly much simpler in comparison. However, as NPCs and players had different definitions of threats, there might be some deviations. For instance, some missions that seemed difficult for NPCs were easier for the players. Likewise, some missions that NPCs could complete in a breeze were life-threatening for the players...

This difference in concept brought along unmatched standards between the remunerations and danger levels of the 5 Star missions. Rhode was more inclined to go for missions with lesser possibilities of dangers and with high remunerations.

Without a doubt, remunerations didn't just refer to gold coins...

Rhode stopped his motions and lifted his head towards the sky. What displayed there were the system rewards corresponding to the guild missions.

After careful selection, there were a total of five 5 Star missions before his eyes. All of them were chosen based on their close location to Paphield. Located in the north, these missions also were less dangerous and awarded rich remunerations. Without a doubt, another reason that Rhode had chosen them was that he had cleared these missions with his guild in the game over a hundred times. He could even complete them with his eyes closed.

The first mission was located in the ice-cold region by the borders of Cranmore Lake in the north. Cranmore Lake began to freeze 15 years ago and not even the hot summer days were warm enough to melt the frozen ice layer which gave the locals a lot of trouble... The culprit of this phenomenon was the Ice Devil that escaped from the Water Plane of Existence. It had a strength of around level 65 and wouldn't be difficult to defeat. Furthermore, the remunerations were luxurious. What aroused Rhode the most were the mission rewards that the system would be awarding. After retrieving the Soul Core of the Ice Devil, Rhode could open the doors to the elemental plane of existences within the fortress and summon low-level Water Elemental spirits. Moreover, he could also choose to awaken the Soul Core and obtain a Water Element Summoning Spirit. Regardless of choice, both would be a profitable bargain.

The second mission would require them to go to Land of Ashes and demolish the devil passageway. It was located in the common boundary of the Country of Light and the Country of Darkness. Compared to the first mission, even though the remunerations were less enticing, the system rewards were still generous: a full set of Devil cards.

The third mission was located in an underground cave by the border area of Paphield. Rumors spread that someone witnessed the presence of a Dark Sprite and this spirit was restless. They had huge influence in the surroundings, attacking merchants and locals. The Mercenary Association hoped for a guild to take the responsibility to entirely exterminate the Dark Sprite in the region. As for the system rewards, they were the poorest within all the five missions. Apart from the huge amount of EXP, there would also be a reward that increased the number of dedicated buildings for Dark spirits within the fortress's construction system, which seemed acceptable.

The fourth mission would be situated in Storm Mountain Range. In comparison, this mission was slightly more unique. Legend had it that since decades ago, no one returned after entering this mountain range. The victims were only civilians from the start; however, mercenary groups began to get involved. Similarly, mercenary groups went missing, which alarmed the Mercenary Association and local guilds to form a search party. In the end, the search party consisted of guild members was also gone forever. In order to rescue them, a few powerful Mages also entered the mountain range. What followed went without saying.

And due to this, this mission had been upgraded to a 5 Star mission and its remunerations were the most generous. Not only would the Mercenary Association award 5 million gold coins, they would also put up a sword and shield with Legendary grade: Blizzard Edge and Sacred Shield.

Within the system missions, the rewards that were given for this 5 Star mission were attractive. Apart from the astronomical numbers of EXP, Rhode would also be able to expand his territory according to the size calculated according to the surface area of the Storm Mountain Range. In other words, Rhode's territory would increase by at least half out of thin air.

As for the final mission, it was located in the historical remains above Castel Plateau. Similar to Storm Mountain Range, these historical remains used to be a 4 Star mission. However, a Necromancer appeared out of nowhere and stationed itself there. It awakened Undeads that were fast asleep in the historical remains and panicked the surrounding regions. Although the officials sent out armies and guild alliance had attacked the area, they mostly returned without any results. Because of this, this mission was also promoted as a 5 Star mission.

The system rewards for this mission were rather odd. Apart from an Undead summoning card, the rewards also allowed Rhode to construct a portal for the plane of existence within the fortress to summon low-level creatures as his servants. However, apart from these, there was another reward that interested Rhode: the Golem Guards Defense Formation.

Wow, that's an outstanding defense mechanism for the fortress...

All of these system rewards were great and Rhode had a hard time deciding. To be frank, Rhode wished he could take on all these missions if he could. However, the problem lay on his incapability to complete all the missions.

So then, which missions should he choose?

Rhode sunk into deep consideration