Chapter 287: New Recruits
Chapter 287: New Recruits
"Sis, what should we do?" Athena approached Wrath and asked. "Is there still a chance?"
"Unfortunately, no." Wrath said. "The outcome is worse than before. Lucia and Chloe were still alive for the fight that was about to come, but now they're dead."
"I can attempt to kill Adam," Athena suggested.
"Zephyr won't let you." Wrath said, and even though she was wearing a blindfold, she could feel the gaze. "He is looking at you right now, isn't he?"
Athena looked over her shoulder and saw Zephyr standing in the midst of the battlefield, staring in their direction like a hawk.
"Yes..."
"We need to retreat," Wrath said. "The battle is lost."
"Alright..." Athena waved her finger.
A horn blasted throughout the battlefield, and Battle Maidens, while dispirited, turned around and started retreating from the battlefield.
'This is a big blow to the morale.' Athena looked towards Adam with a frown, then turned around, and followed the retreated forces.
"Should we go after them?" Taurus asked.
"They're not retreating over to the mountains, why?" Andromeda asked. "Instead, they're heading to Nightshade territory."
"Wrath must've seen also the future of what happens at the mountains." Zephyr said. "It seems they've chosen a less dangerous path to follow."
"Should we follow them?" Taurus asked. "With Adam here, we've got upperhand!"
"No," Zephyr shook his head. "We've already got what we've wanted. Extended territory. Battle Maidens have other worries now with Nightshade."
...
Adam walked in the midst of the soldiers, and everyone just moved out of his way. They also bowed their heads in respect and whispered between each other.
"The Slayer of Calamity..."
After a while, he reached the Crimson Hounds, who'd grouped up and were waiting for him. "Sorry, I am late." Adam said.
"Nah, I call that perfect timing." Digby said and shook his hand, but at the same time, tried to calculate Adam's current strength.
'There's no gap between us anymore...'
"Doesn't this make us peak tier 2 guild?" Lucette whispered to Valora. "With Adam here now that he is at Digby's level."
"Yes, it does..." Valora said with a smile. "Give it a year, and we might even be tier 1 guild." "Whoo..." Lucette inhaled cold air.
To think that they were in the danger of dropping to tier 3, but now they might even become tier 1 guild!
They would be a proper powerhouse, and it would be way easier for them to recruit more members.
"Adam!" Zephyr walked over to them.
The mercenaries bowed in respect to his status.
Digby also arched his back into a bow, and so did others, but Adam didn't, and Zephyr didn't seem to mind.
"May I have a word?" Zephyr asked.
"Sure," Adam said.
The others dispersed to give them privacy.
"I know you just came back, but I have a mission for you." Zephyr said.
"Oh?" Adam crossed his arms and nodded. "What is it?"
"I need you to visit the Border Village," Zephyr said.
"It is the village where you appear once the tutorial is over. A new group of tutorial takers are about to be done with their tutorial, and I think you can reach it faster than any of us can with your wings.
"We, members of the Council of Mercenaries, have contacts within tutorial as we work together with them. I've received some news that this group has quite a few talents.
"One of them might've been good enough for S-rank, but we did a vote, like we did with you. The vote ended in 4-3 against."
"?!" Adam looked surprised. 'There's not supposed to be another S-ranker in a while. Who could it be?'
"While that person is A-ranker in status, he might as well be S-ranker. There's also other quite incredible individuals, and it is one of the best tutorial groups in a long while." "We can assume that other factions will also send recruiters?" Adam asked.
"That's correct, and while I doubt it will escalate into a fight between recruiters, you need to be prepared for anything. I've faith in your strength to take care of yourself and try your best to get us some new talent."
"Alright."
Zephyr patted him on the shoulder and then went to organize the ranks for the return trip back to their base.
'Recruiter...' Adam scratched the back of his head. 'It's only been a year since I was the one being recruited.'
"Adam." Digby walked over to him and followed Zephyr with his eyes as he walked away. "What did he want?"
"I'll need to go to the Border Village to be a recruiter." Adam said. "Apparently there's some good new talent."
"You? Alone?" Digby asked with a frown.
"I am the fastest one with my wings." Adam said and shrugged his shoulders. "I can also escape easily whenever I want to."
"Mm..." Digby nodded. "There're some new reinforcements coming up soon from Dawnwatch, but I suppose Zephyr is also thinking about the future in case this war lasts
years."
"Mm, we can catch up on things once I return from there." Adam unfurled his beautiful wings. "Alright, there're some important matters I need to discuss with you." Digby patted him on the shoulder. "A very important matter."
Adam nodded and then took flight, disappearing within the clouds in an instant.
...
Geoffrey stood in front of a still baby-faced recruit, who were giggling and laughing with
each other.
They had just finished the fourth floor and were sitting on the front steps of the cottage in the
warm fifth floor.
They were in very high spirits and were all smiling.
However, Geoffrey didn't share the same look of joy as the others.
It was because he didn't know that they had just completed the easiest part of being
mercenaries, especially during these dangerous times.
'They've no idea that when they step through that door, they enter a world that is in a war.'
He pinched on his forehead and shook his head.
While he was caretaker for this tutorial, once he returned to the New World, he would be sent
straight to the front lines. It wasn't something he was anticipating with eagerness but
dreaded, but it was his duty.
"Alright, everyone, quiet down!" Geoffrey said with a commanding tone.
The recruits quieted down.
They hadn't forgotten about the beating they received in Geoffrey's hands. However, one of
them managed to break one of his fingers.
By the bottom step of the porch, Nathaniel looked relaxed, with a smirk on his face, and
looked quite confident about his score.
With his dark blue hair tied back in a ponytail, he looked like a mischievous elf.
A group of recruits sat around him like in a protective circle. They were his "friends" of the tutorial, but in reality, they were all just his followers.
After witnessing Nathaniel's strength on the first floor, they started following him like sheep, believing they would have much easier time on the tutorial if they followed him.
"Let's start with the scores!" Geoffrey shouted. "Harry Wise!"
"That's me!" A young man behind Nathaniel eagerly said, and stood straight with a nervous
smile on his face.
"C-score!"
A few snickers sounded.
"C..." Harry looked dispirited. "So low..."
'Trash.' Nathaniel thought to himself.
"Skye Hunt!"
"Mm..." Skye niddled on her finger nervously.
She was sitting beside Nathaniel and was quite pretty with her round face and curly hair.
"B-score!"
The heads nodded in approval, while Skye let out a sigh of relief.
'She received a better score than me? Shit!' Harry's face turned red in embarrassment.
"How did I do, Nathan~" Skye asked with a shy smile.
"Good." Nathaniel said with a handsome smile, but inside, he thought. 'Another trash.'
"Ida Kinsman!"
Ida uncrossed her arms, and she looked like a cold princess. She didn't follow Nathaniel during the tutorial and instead moved alone throughout the entire tutorial.
"B-score!"
A few heads nodded again.
Ida crossed her arms again and moved her gaze away, not looking like she cared much about
the score.
'Pity, she could've been A-rank if she just bothered to work with others.' Geoffrey shook his
head. 'No one wants a mercenary that is unwilling to work with others.'
"Nigel Kennedy!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
A broad-shouldered man took a step forward. He didn't look like he was in his early twenties,
but looked to be in his early thirties!
He had a bushy beard with a rough visage, and his skin looked tough, and weathered like a
bark of a tree.
"A-score!"
Gasp~
A quite few gasped at the amazing score, but they weren't really surprised because Nigel was
very impressive during the tutorial.
There was quite a heated rivalry between Nigel and Nathaniel.
"Hmph." Nigel just scoffed.
'Sadly, he is old.' Geoffrey thought to himself. 'His talent is amazing, but his age is turn off
for many.'
"Nathaniel Whetzer!" Geoffrey shouted and looked at the dark blue young man.
Nathaniel smirked and sat straight on the steps.
The surroundings turned silent.
"It must be S-rank, right?" "Definitely. Nathaniel is amazing!"
"He broke Geoffrey's finger too, and he is a Grandeur-ranked mercenary!"
Geoffrey sighed and said. "A-score!"
Gasp!
The recruits were shocked.
While it was an amazing score, it seemed too low for him!
Nathaniel's eyes turned cold. 'A-score? I am on the same level as that trash?!'
"If he didn't receive S-score, just what kind of monsters are S-rankers?!"
'A pity. If it was me, I would've given him an S-rank.' Geoffrey thought and looked at his
broken finger. 'After all, he is the most fearsome recruit I've ever seen!'