Information popped up on the panel one after another:
【Redemption Strike Lv. 1 → Lv. 2 Current Proficiency: 7%】
【Skill effect enhanced! Mana cost increased: 7 points → 10 points】
【Purifying Severance Lv. 1 → Lv. 2 Current Proficiency: 2%】
【Skill effect enhanced! Mana cost increased: 13 points → 16 points】
【Health: 760/770 → 810/810】
【Mana: 353/353 → 363/363】
【The Practitioner’s basic attributes have been slightly enhanced!】
He felt the power surging within his body, then clenched his fists and rolled his shoulders.
The attribute enhancement gained from raising these skills from Lv. 1 to Lv. 2 was significantly greater than before.
He looked down at his hands, then up at the attributes on the panel.
Combining his experience fighting Lv. 5 monsters along the way, although he was only Lv. 4, his numerical values were likely close to those of an average Lv. 6 practitioner.
This was the advantage of having multiple skills and upgrading them all; his comprehensive strength far exceeded practitioners of the same level.
Bai Xuan thought to himself that after completing this Iron Rank commission, he would save money for a few more days.
Once the appointed time came, he would return to town to pick up his custom weapon. With his current strength, there should be few opponents for him in Blackcreek Town.
But just as this thought surfaced, he suddenly paused, his expression turning slightly solemn.
He slowly shook his head, suppressing the trace of restlessness in his heart.
It was a fact that he had become stronger, but there were still many people in Blackcreek Town stronger than him. He must never let his guard down.
Setting aside those nobles from Myriad City.
Just Lorrain from the Coarse Pottery Flask Shop, that cursed Lv. 9 half-elf—if they truly came to blows, his current strength would definitely not be enough.
Besides...
His journey had only just begun.
...
Inner Town of Blackcreek Town.
Candlelight shone brightly in the dining room of a noble mansion.
From the outside, this mansion looked no different from other noble buildings, but once inside, its true magnificence was revealed.
Dark wood floors covered the ground, and the picture frames hanging on the walls were all edged with metal, making the interior look even more elegant.
Seven or eight silver plates were neatly arranged on the long table.
The golden-brown roasted steaks in the pans sizzled with grease, the vegetables drizzled with thick sauce were brightly colored, and the freshly baked white bread emitted a faint wheat aroma.
A thin boy of eleven or twelve sat at the table, wearing a deep blue coat with dark patterns embroidered on the collar.
This was the best clothing he had ever worn in his life.
At this moment, he had his head down, quickly shoveling food into his mouth.
Before he could swallow one bite, the next was already in his mouth, looking as if someone were competing with him for the food.
He only dared to sit on the very edge of the chair, his body stiff and his upper half radiating awkwardness.
The chair was too soft and comfortable, which actually made him feel at a loss.
Keeping his back too straight was tiring, but leaning back slightly felt inappropriate. Only by sitting rigidly like this could he feel a modicum of peace.
Every few moments, he would quickly glance around before immediately retracting his gaze, burying his head to continue chewing the bread in his hand, as if everything around him made him deeply uneasy.
Opposite him sat a pink-haired girl.
The girl was holding a white rabbit plushie in her arms, resting her chin on one hand, watching him without blinking.
Her pink hair glowed softly under the flickering candlelight, and her large eyes blinked slowly, as if she were observing something interesting.
The young boy was very uncomfortable being watched by her, but he didn't even dare to say a word of protest. He could only lower his head again and take a large bite of bread to hide his embarrassment.
Just then, the girl suddenly spoke, her voice soft. “Have you been hungry for a long time?”
The boy froze for a moment and subconsciously nodded, but on second thought, he quickly shook his head.
He wasn't sure how he should answer.
The girl didn't press him, simply turning her head slowly toward the head of the dining table.
A young man sat there, dressed in a dark mage robe with exquisite patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs.
His features were somewhat similar to the girl’s, but his lines were harder and carried a bit more maturity.
“Brother Allen,” the girl called softly, her tone carrying a hint of dependency. “Who is this? I’ve never seen him before.”
Allen put down his wine glass, a smile spreading across his face.
Unlike the girl’s pure smile, his carried a hint of distance within its warmth, though it wasn't off-putting.
“This is a friend we met after coming here,” he spoke slowly, turning his gaze to the boy, his tone softening slightly. “A very formidable friend.”
He said softly to the boy, “Don't be afraid. From now on, we are family.”
After a short pause, Allen’s tone grew heavier. “As for what happened to your father... I am sorry. Once you become strong, you can avenge him with your own hands.”
“Clink—” The spoon accidentally struck the edge of the plate with a light sound.
The boy didn't look up, but his eyes instantly reddened. Fragments of the past surged into his mind like a tide.
A few days ago, he had still been locked in a dark, damp cage, surrounded by many children his age.
Every day, someone would casually toss in a piece of rock-hard black bread and a bowl of murky water.
He didn't know how long he would be locked up, nor did he know if what awaited him was the fate of being sold or an even more terrifying end.
Until that man appeared.
The man paid the money and took him out of the cage.
He took him to bathe, changed him into clean clothes, and even taught him how to swing a sword and knowledge he had never been exposed to before.
Every night before bed, that man would pat his shoulder with a rough, large hand and say softly, “Sleep well.” That was a warmth he had never felt before.
But when the monster tide struck, they couldn't escape back to town in time.
In the moment of crisis, that man pushed him into a hidden tree hollow and blocked the entrance with dry branches.
He himself stood resolutely outside the hollow with a longsword, blocking all the monsters.
“Don't come out, you are the hope for the future.” Those were the last words the man had said to him.
Later, people dressed in magnificent clothes and riding tall horses appeared.
The leader was exactly the Allen sitting at the head of the table now.
They slaughtered the monsters and rescued him from the tree hollow.
And that man’s body lay not far from the hollow, his hand still tightly gripping the longsword that had protected him.
They buried the man. He stood before the grave, his whole body stiff, unable to say a single word.
He had never called that man father, but in his heart, that man was already his only family.
Now that Allen spoke of “avenging your father,” he didn't explain, nor did he want to.
In his heart, that person was worthy of the word father.
The boy slowly raised his head, his eyes still red, but his tears stubbornly refused to fall.
He looked at Allen, his voice so raspy it was almost inaudible. “Those monsters... weren't they already killed by you? Why do I still need revenge?”
Allen looked at him and didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he fell silent for a moment, his voice slowly dropping. “Those monsters were not ordinary monsters.”
“Someone is controlling them from behind the scenes. That person is extremely dangerous and exceptionally powerful because... he is a demon.”
The boy was stunned.
Demons—he had seen them in picture books when he was very young; they were the most evil existences in the world.
“The Demon King is about to awaken,” Allen’s voice carried a hint of solemnity.
“When that time comes, more monsters like these will appear, and more innocent people will die. We need to find people who can oppose them, people who can stop all of this.”
His gaze carried a trace of expectation and solemnity. “So, are you willing to become a Hero?”
“Are you willing to become strong, willing to one day personally avenge your father, slay the demon controlling the monsters, and defeat the soon-to-awaken Demon King?”
The boy’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.
He lowered his head and took a bite of bread, but as he chewed, his eyes grew hot again, tears welling up.
He quickly lowered his head and used his sleeve to hurriedly wipe his face, hiding his vulnerability.
Then he nodded vigorously, making the most important decision of his life.
Amelia, who was off to the side, hadn't interjected from beginning to end. She simply sat there quietly, holding her rabbit plushie.
But when she heard the word Hero, a flicker of emotion still rose in her eyes.
In fact, she had already guessed that this was likely the legend they were looking for on this trip.
But after receiving Allen’s confirmation, her heart couldn't help but feel a bit complicated.
It seemed her previous guess had been wrong.
Her gaze circled the boy several times before she slowly opened her special vision.
In her vision, a dazzling light radiated from his body, a light distinct from that of ordinary people.
It was as eye-catching as the midday sun; the light was warm, with a faint hint of gold, pure and clear, yet one could see through it at a single glance.
A Hero... is that all? Amelia pondered secretly.
She thought of that Bai Xuan she had met in the dungeon.
The light on Bai Xuan wasn't this dazzling; instead, it was full of contradictions.
Extremely discordant colors and textures were exceptionally deep, like a bottomless abyss, mysterious and unpredictable, making it impossible to ever see through him.
Amelia retracted her vision, the corners of her mouth moving slightly, a flash of interest in her eyes.
“Oh?” she suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a young girl’s curiosity. “So that means you’ll be our family from now on!”
With that, she slid off her chair, holding her rabbit plushie.
Then she quickly walked over to the boy and looked up at him with her small face. “By the way, I don't know your name yet. What are you called?”
He raised his head, a blush instantly spreading across his cheeks.
The girl before him had eyes that curved when she smiled, looking like sunlight dancing on water—warm and bright, causing his tense heartstrings to loosen slightly.
“I-I’m called Ryan,” he stammered, his voice still carrying a trace of raspiness.
“Ryan~” Amelia trailed off with a soft lilt, her smile very sweet. “What a good name!”
Looking at her brilliant smile, Ryan’s heart skipped a beat for some reason, and a trace of joy actually bloomed in his heart.
He then lowered his head again to continue eating his bread, but his ears were perked high, afraid to miss a single word Amelia might say next.
Amelia smiled and returned to her seat with her rabbit plushie.
She leaned against the back of the chair, her gaze falling somewhere on the ceiling, thinking about something unknown, a depth of contemplation unbefitting her age hidden in her eyes.
Allen picked up his wine glass and took a light sip, his gaze falling on the flickering flames in the fireplace, his expression calm.
The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, the wood occasionally making a crackling sound.
Just then, the door was pushed open softly.
Ryan didn't hear any footsteps, only feeling a slight cool breeze blow past his back.
He subconsciously turned his head and saw an old man slowly walking in.
The old man wore a robe and walked at a slow but steady pace.
His gaze swept indifferently over the dining table, lingering for a brief moment on Ryan before slowly moving away without staying long.
“Grandpa Frank!” Amelia immediately jumped off her chair and ran over.
Grabbing the old man’s sleeve, her voice was full of joy. “You’re back! Was the dungeon fun? Did you find anything interesting?”
Frank smiled and lightly patted her head, his tone gentle. “Nothing fun. It’s all skeletons inside, quite gloomy.”
With that, he walked over to Allen, his expression gradually becoming solemn. “Young Master, the situation in the dungeon has been mostly investigated.”
“There is a space on the seventh floor with a very strong and ancient aura remaining, but for some reason, that aura vanished into thin air. No trace could be found.”
Hearing this, Allen’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of concern. “What about the other floors? Any abnormalities?”
“There are no abnormalities on the other floors.”
Frank shook his head and added, “Only the seal on the bottom floor showed some loosening, but I have already reinforced it. There shouldn't be any issues in the near future.”
“I’ve already organized the detailed investigation records; I’ll give them to you in a moment.”
Allen nodded, his expression relaxing slightly. “That’s good.”
“Since the matters in the dungeon are mostly resolved, let’s find a time to return to Myriad City. It went much smoother than I expected.”
Frank gave a soft hum, his gaze sweeping over the dining room again, finally landing on Ryan in the corner.
He watched Ryan quietly for a moment before asking, “Where is Master Banner? I don't see him.”
“As soon as he returned, he was anxious to ask me for class change materials.”
Allen smiled helplessly, his tone carrying a bit of doting. “He said he wanted to complete his class change in town and didn't want to wait any longer.”
“By now, he should have completed the class change and is taking his guards to the woods near town to find monsters for practice. We’ll depart once he returns.”
Frank nodded and didn't ask further.
Only, his gaze landed on Ryan, a flash of indiscernible scrutiny in his eyes.
“And this is...” He paused, looking at Allen with a questioning tone.
Allen looked up at Ryan, his tone solemn. “He is someone who will become an important strength for us in the future.”
Frank’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Without asking further, he slowly walked over to Ryan and stopped.
Sensing his gaze, Ryan raised his head and looked timidly at the old man before him.
Rate on N.U.
