Chapter 51: Departing for Shixi Village

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Departing for Shixi Village

’My Physique and Power both increased by 2 points! Now my Physique is 12 and my Power is 8... That brings my Total Attribute Points to 49. It’s only temporary, but this means I’m just one Attribute Point away from level 10!’

A wave of excitement washed over Hesia.

’Once I level up again and reach level 10, I’ll get to choose between two traits when I draw! At least I won’t have to worry about getting a weird trait like [Territory Odor Mark] again. I’ll be able to pick the one that suits me best. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the efficiency of drawing traits will be doubled!’

He could clearly feel he was a notch stronger than before, but what was more important was his Physique Attribute!

A Physique of 12 had already surpassed the average for a normal adult male, placing him firmly in the "strong" category.

His vital energy seemed more vigorous, its flow bringing a solid, grounded sensation.

’The Split Hoof Beef provides a +2 buff to Physique and Power, and the effect lasts for 6 hours... I need to remember this.’

’In the future, I can intentionally collect the meat of different Demons to figure out what types of buffs they provide.’

’That way, when I need to deal with different situations, I can eat the right meat for the job beforehand to boost the corresponding Attributes!’

’But this trait has another hidden benefit: it can be used to verify the authenticity of the meat.’

’If there’s no reaction after eating it, then what the merchant sold me was probably just ordinary livestock meat.’

’I can use this to call out fakes in the future.’

After such a long day, followed by a hearty meal, sleepiness gradually crept over him.

Hesia quickly took a nice hot shower, washing away the dust and fatigue of his travels.

Before bed, he gave a warning to Bruce, who was still enthusiastically gnawing on a bone, "No chewing on your bone tonight! Especially not in the middle of the night! Otherwise, you’re staying here at the inn to watch the house during tomorrow’s mission!"

Bruce whimpered pitifully and pushed the bone into a corner.

Hesia collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep almost the instant his head hit the pillow.

...

The next morning, the thin mist over Rose Town had yet to dissipate.

Hesia led Bruce toward the tree they had agreed to meet at yesterday. In the distance, the silhouettes of his teammates gradually came into view.

The Warrior, Belte, and the Ranger, Laila, had both changed into what looked like high-quality Leather Armor. Key areas like the Wrist Guards and Knee Guards were even studded with Metal Plates, making them look both sharp and professional.

The Stalker, Zoya, was still shrouded in her black cloak, but Hesia had a faint feeling that the style of the dagger at her waist and her boots had changed slightly. She might have upgraded her gear as well, but it was a shame he hadn’t gotten a clear look at the details yesterday.

Only Hesia himself was still wearing the same ordinary linen clothes he had arrived in. With an unremarkable dagger at his waist and a small pack on his back, he looked like he was heading out for a picnic, seeming somewhat out of place among the group of professional Adventurers.

’Why is my whole vibe so different from theirs?’

’Looks like I’ll have to add another item to my to-do list after this mission: purchase proper Mage equipment.’

Fortunately, aside from a slightly odd look from Laila, none of his teammates said much about his "plain" attire.

Hesia was just wondering why their leader, Hulk, hadn’t arrived yet when he heard a distinct COO COO sound from nearby.

He saw Hulk approaching, leading a peculiar creature.

The creature resembled an ostrich, but it was a full size larger than any ostrich Hesia remembered. When standing, it was nearly as tall as a horse. Its legs were powerful, covered in a scaly Thick Hide, and its toes ended in sharp, curved claws.

A special saddlebag was hung on the bird’s back, and several bulging packs were already loaded onto its sides.

He noticed that Hulk was only wearing simple, casual clothes, not even his signature Chain Armor, and he immediately understood.

’As expected of an experienced Adventurer. Constantly wearing Heavy Armor during a long journey would be too exhausting. Having a pack animal to share the load is both smart and practical.’

"Morning, Galen," Hulk said with a simple greeting as he approached.

Noticing Hesia’s curiosity about the large bird, he took the initiative to explain, "This is a Land Bird. You can rent them from Four Seas Currency. It’s two Silver Scales a day, but there’s a discount if you rent for three consecutive days—only five Silver Scales."

"These pack animals can be a bit ill-tempered, but their Endurance is astonishing, and their balance is excellent. Their Sharp Claws allow them to navigate all sorts of tangled forest trails as if they were walking on flat ground. They’re the most ideal form of transport near the Gray Mist Forest."

Hesia nodded, but inwardly, he was clicking his tongue in amazement. ’This is another one of the Tide Merchants Association’s businesses? They really have every aspect of an Adventurer’s Money Bag calculated down to the last coin... That damned capitalism!’

"You should put your pack up there too," Hulk said, pointing to an empty spot on the saddlebag. "It’ll save you a lot of energy."

Seeing that the other three had already put their packs on, Hesia didn’t stand on ceremony and strapped his own pack on as well.

With everything ready, the party of five, plus one dog and one Land Bird, officially set off toward the town’s west gate.

Their destination, Shixi Village, was located west of Rose Town and was one of the closest villages to the Gray Mist Forest.

Even with the pack animal carrying their loads, it would still take about a full day of travel at top speed.

The party’s pace wasn’t slow, but fortunately, Hesia’s Physique was just enough for him to keep up.

He had been worried that his teammates’ Physiques would far exceed his own and was prepared to eat some more meat to supplement his stats if necessary, but it seemed that wasn’t needed for now.

Along the way, Belte and Laila chattered away, talking about interesting tidbits from town, a new wine at some tavern, or adventure stories they’d recently heard. The atmosphere was quite relaxed.

Hulk would occasionally chime in or respond when they roped him into the conversation.

Only Zoya the Stalker remained as mysterious as ever.

She always walked on the party’s flank like a shadow blending into the environment, not saying a word.

However, Hesia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

The silent Stalker seemed to be looking his way quite often.

And her gaze was strange. It didn’t fall on his face or upper body, but seemed to linger more on his lower body.

’Is it my imagination? Or did I get something on my pants?’ Hesia looked down but didn’t see anything unusual.

Just then, he heard Laila whispering to Belte beside them, egging him on, "Go on, ask him..."

Then, Belte slowed his pace slightly and sidled up to Hesia, a hearty but slightly embarrassed smile on his face. "Hey, Galen, my man, sorry to be blunt, but... what’s your Magic Reserve like? Uh, what I mean is, how many times in a row can you cast your Earth Spike Technique?"

Hesia had no intention of hiding it. Since he’d decided to team up, it was necessary for his teammates to understand the limits of his abilities.

It was a prerequisite for building trust and coordinating tactics.

It was just that his own situation was rather unique.

With a normal Earth Spike Technique, given the terrifying mana regeneration speed from [Earth Affinity], he could probably keep casting it indefinitely without ever knowing when his Magic Power would run out.

But he didn’t know how many times an ordinary Mage Apprentice at this stage could cast a similar spell.

After a moment of thought, he decided it was best to give a conservative number.