Chapter 116: Fame

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Fame

A long convoy of heavy wooden supply wagons, overflowing with pristine, sun-kissed produce, rumbled through the grand gates of The Crossroads Citadel. The sheer volume of the haul brought immediate traffic along the main thoroughfare to a complete standstill. Merchants, city guards, and veteran climbers stared in dumbfounded silence as wagon after wagon passed by, laden with giant golden ears of corn, heavy sheaves of amber wheat, polished ruby tomatoes, and massive, earth-rich potatoes.

Within the hour, the colossal harvest was distributed throughout the city’s culinary districts. From rustic taverns tucked into the lower ribs of the titan to the high-end dining halls of elite Tier 2 guild houses, kitchens burst into frantic activity. The moment cooks sliced into the fresh crops, the air filled with an intoxicating, hyper-pure aroma of untainted nature.

The culinary impact was instantaneous. When cooked into stews, roasts, and artisan breads, Rowan’s crops didn’t just fill stomachs—they actively purged residual fatigue, soothed spiritual weariness, and restored vital energy to anyone who ate them. Adventurers accustomed to choking down dry, expensive rations or bland, mana-corrupted crops wept openly at their dining tables, savoring meals that tasted of true life.

By midday, Rowan’s name was on the lips of every citizen, merchant, and guild leader in the metropolis. Rumors spread like wildfire through the auction houses, marketplace stalls, and tavern halls. The legend of the master agriculturalist was stripped of its mystery when word got out about his identity: not an ancient archmage or a grizzled druid, but a 16-year-old boy wearing an Enchanted Straw Hat, carrying a simple wooden hoe over his shoulder.

A single teenager had accomplished what the Citadel’s agricultural council couldn’t do in decades. He had breathed life back into dead earth, restoring hope, vitality, and true sustenance to thousands of people living trapped within the unforgiving floors of the Tower.

As Rowan strolled back through the bustling city streets, the atmosphere around him had completely transformed. Shopkeepers bowed respectfully as he walked past, street vendors offered him free goods, and whispers of awe followed his every step. Unbothered by the sudden tide of fame, Rowan simply adjusted his straw hat with a relaxed smirk, enjoying the quiet satisfaction of seeing a full town fed by the work of his own hands.

***

As the second day drew to a close, the ambient golden glow of Floor 5’s perpetual sky filtered through the tall windows of the inn. Squad 07 gathered around a massive round oak table in a private dining alcove, fully reunited after forty-eight hours of intense grinding across the Citadel.

The tabletop was covered in a lavish spread prepared by the inn’s head chef, who had practically begged to cook with Rowan’s pristine harvest. Steaming bowls of rich vegetable stew, thick sourdough loaves baked from golden wheat, crisp roasted potatoes, and savory cuts of meat glazed in fresh tomato sauce filled the air with an aroma so divine it had half the tavern looking over in pure envy.

Barney slammed his tankard onto the wood with a deep, booming laugh, his soot-stained forearms resting on the table after two days of non-stop forging. "I swear, I couldn’t even buy coal today without the local blacksmiths talking about the ’Divine Hoe-Wielder’!"

Seraphina adjusted her Lenses of Divine Focus, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "The alchemists’ guild was in total chaos. Every master potion-maker was practically hyperventilating over the pure mana density in the crop samples Rowan turned in."

Caelen and Mirei exchanged amused glances, while Princess Lyra leaned back in her chair, a brilliant grin lighting up her face. The trio had returned from the outer steppes covered in rare monster loot and brimming with fresh combat experience, but all anyone in the city cared to talk about was the miracle on the terraces.

"We went out to hunt wolf packs and clear perimeter bounties," Lyra said, raising her glass of spiced wine toward Rowan with a playful toast. "And we come back to find out our party leader conquered the entire city’s economy without drawing a single blade. Seriously, Rowan... you’re more famous than the Emperor within the Tower now!"

Mirei crossed her arms, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "Kings spend centuries fighting brutal, blood-soaked wars for a fraction of the devotion you earned with forty-eight hours of basic crop rotation."

Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, casually spearing a golden potato with his fork. A dry, relaxed smirk touched his lips as he looked around at his laughing squad. "The land was hungry, the people were starving for good food, and we needed guild merit. I just did a little honest work."

"Honest work that turned you into a living legend overnight," Caelen chuckled, digging heartily into his steak. "To Rowan—the undisputed green terror of Floor 5!"

The squad clinked their glasses together in unison, their laughter echoing through the cozy tavern as they celebrated their massive haul of coin, experience, and newfound prestige before planning their next big climb through the Tower.

***

The morning sun cast an energetic, golden light across the grand plaza as Squad 07 walked through the arched stone doors of the Adventurer’s Guild hall. Yesterday’s quiet buzz had transformed into outright fanfare; the moment Rowan stepped inside, hushed murmurs rippled through the gathered crowds, though the team kept their focus squarely on the main processing counters to finalize their two-day spree of hard work.

Splitting up along the broad wooden counter line, the squad began cashing in their respective commissions.

Barney stepped up to the trade station, thumping a heavy iron chest onto the counter. Inside lay dozens of pristine, re-enchanted longswords, reinforced breastplates, and masterfully restored shields. The guild’s master smiths leaned over the counter in awe, eagerly stamping his receipts and sliding over heavy velvet pouches brimming with gold coins and trade merit.

A few counters over, Seraphina handed over row after row of crystal vials. Her stabilized mana elixirs and high-potency agility tonics carried an immaculate purity rating that had the chief alchemist nearly weeping with joy as he tallied her astronomical bonus payout.

Meanwhile, Caelen, Mirei, and Princess Lyra hauled high-grade monster cores, thick beast hides, and rare shadow-wolf fangs to the combat desk. Their aggressive patrol sweep along the outer steppes had yielded a staggering bounty of elite materials, earning the trio a massive pile of gold and top-tier combat merit points.

Finally, Rowan approached the chief administrator’s desk. The formal verification report from the Citadel’s Agricultural Council was already stamped and sitting on the velvet blotter. For completely revitalizing the Floor 5 farmland, purifying the soil, and yielding a record-breaking harvest, the guild issued Rowan an unheard-of reward: a glowing gold-tier merit token paired with a heavy pouch of high-value coins.

Together, Squad 07’s combined wealth and guild standing skyrocketed in a single morning. The head clerk bowed deeply, gesturing toward the guarded double doors leading into the Guild Vault, where exclusive high-tier equipment, rare forging metals, divine seed samples, and potent alchemical resources were reserved strictly for high-merit climbers.

Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, looking over at his squad with a confident grin as their crystal slates hummed with thousands of newly acquired merit points. "Time to gear up."