Chapter 333: The Mature Asheara
There was no time, no space, only countless particle-like Light Particles, one by one, faintly shimmering, filling my Line of Sight, constantly flowing past. The unchanging scene rendered an eternal silence.
"..."
Slowly waking from my Soul State, I opened my Eyes, took a deep breath, stretched lazily, and glanced out the window. The Sunlight of the morning sun peeked through from outside; it was already dawn.
Opening the window, a rush of damp, fresh Air immediately greeted me. Looking out from the second floor, the scene of the distant Swamp Lake came into view. Only then did I remember that I had arrived at Kurast Docks.
After breathing in the fresh Air for a while, I pulled open the Curtain, letting the morning Sunlight brighten the Room. I changed into the tight-fitting outfit standard for Adventurers, put on the well-fitting Cloak Velas had personally made for me, and my Gaze fell upon the Magic Book by the bed. I couldn't help but sigh again.
"Today, still no progress."
Counting it up, it had been over half a year since I obtained Soul Magic. During this time, aside from accompanying Velas and my two newly recognized Beloved Daughters when I was in Rogue Camp, I hadn't relaxed for a moment. With Soul Magic and the Old Drunkard as a Demon Teacher, even if my Talent wasn't outstanding, my progress had been immense.
First, regarding the Old Drunkard, thanks to her, she taught me many useful Techniques. So now, my Fundamentals might not be as good as Adventurers of the same Level, but in certain application Techniques, I'm not inferior to them, and might even surpass them. For example, the red date I used last time... cough, of course, if I don't Transform into Blood Bear, it can't be called a red date... cough, it's just a normal Charged Attack. Let's compare this Charged Attack: I can now achieve a three-times Speed Fist with a one-second Charge, five-times Speed with a two-second Charge, and about six-times Speed with a three-second Charge. As for after three seconds, there's no significant increase. It's not like the longer you Charge, the faster you hit; otherwise, if I Charged for a year, wouldn't I be able to Instant Kill Baal?
A six-times Speed Attack in three seconds. With a good Weapon, I could already land dozens of Attacks within a second. Of course, if I only used my Fists or Wrist Blades, the frequency would be even faster. This is one of the Advantages of us Druids and Assassins. This Speed, I think the Adventurers in Kurast are probably around this level. Moreover, I've also initially mastered Feint. Although not very Proficient, this is generally an Intermediate Combat Technique that only Adventurers in Harrogath can master. Facing Adventurers of the same Level, mastering Feint will definitely provide a significant Advantage.
I'm even more satisfied with my progress in Magic. I've thoroughly grasped the First Tier Firestorm. Now I can change it as I please, and even the Triple Firestorm can be Reluctantly controlled. The next step is to research how to attach the Power of Firestorm to my Body or Weapon. This is relatively Dangerous and requires careful Pondering before proceeding.
And the second Magic unearthed by Soul Magic after Firestorm, Molten Boulder, has also been mastered to a certain Degree. For example, I can now Instant Cast this Magic and control the explosion time of the Molten Boulder at any moment. This is a rather insidious Technique that can catch Enemies off guard, especially by controlling the Molten Boulder to explode directly above their Heads. I've tested it several times; the Flame fragments after the explosion can cover an area of five meters, turning it into a fiery pit of Scorched Earth. Moreover, it has a collision Stat. Subjected to such a dense Attack, even if the Enemy doesn't die, they will be sent flying by countless Stone Fragments. It's much more Powerful than a Sorceress's Second Tier Ice Magic, Frost Nova, by more than a Single Point or two.
The only pity is that I still can't control the direction the Flame Stone Fragments shoot out. When the Molten Boulder explodes naturally, the scattered Flame Stone Fragments cover the area in all directions. Thus, there is a lot of waste. If I could control these Flame Stone Fragments to all shoot towards the Enemy, just thinking about that scene... tsk tsk, even I feel a little scared.
As for the third Magic, Volcano, I actually found its Soul Imprint a few days ago, when I was learning Feint with the Old Drunkard. However, I've only just mastered it, so I'm not very Proficient. The biggest drawback of Volcano, as I mentioned before, is the accuracy issue. Within the range covered by Volcano, the Molten Lava pillars erupt in an irregular manner. It's possible that a Monster standing right in the center might not be hit. Therefore, controlling the position of the Molten Lava pillars is the Top priority. After that, I need to consider how to conserve Mana – what if there are only a dozen Enemies to kill, but Volcano erupts dozens of Molten Lava pillars at once? Wouldn't that be a waste?
Speaking of which, all three Magic Engravings are Fire Magic. The Soul Imprint for Polar Storm still hasn't been found. Could my Stats be biased towards Fire? No, that can't be right, I'm such a Calm person.
However, progress in Magic is limited to this. Recently, I seem to have hit a Bottleneck and haven't made much progress. But never mind, even if I'm temporarily stuck, just using Soul Magic every day can significantly increase my Soul Strength and Mental Power. I finally understand why Tia could cast such terrifying Ice Arrow Rain – besides severely Overdrawing her Mana, it's also inseparable from her Powerful Mental Power. Thinking about how she's been practicing Soul Magic since she was young, her Mental Power is probably as strong as a Level fifty or sixty Sorceress. No wonder the Horadrim Sorceresses are all so abnormal. The Domain Power that ordinary Sorceresses find difficult to step into throughout their lives is just a piece of cake for them. I think it's because of the Existence of Soul Magic.
Alright, since I've hit a Bottleneck in Magic, let's think from a different angle. I'm a Transmigrator, how can I be looked down upon by Otherworlders? Putting away the Magic Book, I pushed open the door and went downstairs. A scent wafted up. Oh, has the Three-No Princess prepared Breakfast already?
For example, the Skills attached to Class-Specific Equipment, do they also have Magic Engravings within the Equipment? Can I use Soul Magic to explore them? If the above Conditions are met, can I use Soul Magic to Optimize the Magic Engravings attached to the Equipment, or even copy them into my own Soul? These Ideas are very tempting, but I can only think about them for now because my Ability is insufficient. I'm not yet capable of using Soul Magic to explore Equipment.
While I was thinking, the Three-No Princess had already brought up Breakfast. Ah, a rare sight in a white Apron, without the veil and that strange big white hat. She really looks more like a normal girl this way.
"..."
I was wrong. No matter how normal her attire, that emotionless doll face doesn't look like a normal girl at all.
"Master, are you thinking something rude?"
"Haha, I was thinking about your face..." I answered subconsciously. Halfway through, I immediately reacted and quickly covered my mouth in a panic. It only took zero point one second in total – there aren't many quick-witted people like me left.
The Three-No Princess was already standing beside me, holding a Silver Plate in both hands, staring down at me with the Gaze one would use on an inorganic object.
"Breakfast is not ready yet, please wait." After saying this, the Three-No Princess, with a straight face, held the Silver Plate and intended to return to the Kitchen.
"Didn't you already bring it over? It's ready, it's definitely ready, you definitely want to go back to the Kitchen and add some strange ingredients, right? I apologize, I was wrong, okay? Little Molly, please forgive me." I quickly hugged the Three-No Princess from behind, dragged her back, and clasped my hands together, begging for mercy.
Eh, wait, am I really the Master?
After much Effort, I finally dispelled the Three-No Princess's Idea of redoing Breakfast. I quickly stuffed the hard-won delicious food into my stomach. However, now was not the time to relax. If I didn't make this Little Squirt happy before noon, Lunch would likely be the specialty of Kurast Docks – a lump of black, mushy Marsh Mud. Of course, it might thoughtfully include a little Meat, such as continuously wriggling Swamp Leeches...
After Breakfast, I Plan to first wander around the Central Area to get a feel for the main activity Zone for Adventurers. Perhaps I can get a lot of useful Information from the Taverns. The Taverns frequently visited by Adventurers are like Guilds in a Game; you can always hear some fresh News there. However, whether it's true or false is unknown.
Besides that, perhaps I should visit Thorn, and another Representative – Mercenary Captain Asheara. She is the Leader of the Mercenaries here. Her position is somewhat similar to the Old Drunkard's. With her, you can sign an Alliance Contract with another major feature of Kurast Docks – the Sword Mages. The Mage Mercenaries led by Asheara are also respectfully referred to as the Iron Wolves Mercenaries in Kurast. Leading her Iron Wolves Mercenaries, Asheara has fought against Demons here thousands of times, earning great Merit/Contribution in defending Kurast. She is a person worthy of admiration.
Apart from these two people, there are two others worth my attention. One is Hratli, the most famous Blacksmith in Kurast. Unlike most Blacksmiths who are Barbarians and Paladins, Hratli is a Sorceress. Because of this, although the Weapons and Armor he forges are not as sturdy and Durable as those made by other Blacksmiths, relying on the Sorceress's Magic Power, these Equipment are superior in Stats. Of course, the Price is also much higher, and it's non-negotiable. Many Adventurers secretly call him the Stingy Guy who is obsessed with Money.
The last person is Alkor the Alchemist. I don't know much about him, only that he sells Potions, always researches strange and bizarre things, and is skilled in Appraisal. He also seems to moonlight as a Gambling Merchant. *Sweat*
After organizing the Information in my Brain, I diligently approached the Three-No Princess, who was sitting in a Corner, flipping through a thick Book.
"Little Molly, how about it? Want to go out for a walk with me and get familiar with the Environment?"
Her Crystal-clear Eyes moved from the Book to my face, then she gently nodded. Hehe, there's Hope. The Three-No Princess followed me all the way to Kurast, meaning she arrived in the South District and settled everything within the few short hours it took me to go to the Central Area and meet Ormus. She definitely hasn't had a chance to experience the charm of Kurast yet.
Today's Lunch might just Level Up from Marsh Mud to Roasted Meat.
"Oh right, Little Molly, your Books..." I suddenly remembered the Space Fortress-like Study Room behind the Lut Gholein Villa, that Room full of Books. Where did she stuff them all?
"Storage Box."
Just as I expected. I wondered why she kept running back and forth outside for a few days before we Departed. It turns out she was busy stuffing the Books into the Storage Box. Since Storage Boxes are shared, as long as the Books are put into the Storage Box in Lut Gholein, they can be retrieved here in Kurast, which is very convenient. However...
"Aren't Storage Boxes only for Class-Changed Ones?" I asked curiously.
"Ding—"
The Three-No Princess didn't answer. Instead, she coolly took out several Gems that were clearly priceless and made a crisp sound in front of my Eyes, her pretty face expressionless.
So that's how it is. You can buy your way through with Money. I forgot, this Little Squirt is richer than me, this Parvenu. This damned Money-driven society, this evil Maid who is richer than her Master.
After the Three-No Princess changed into her attire, the two of us set off towards the Central Area. If I remember correctly, this should be the first time she and I have gone out together. I wonder what this Little Squirt usually does when she goes out. Does she just wander around bookstores all alone? Perhaps I really have neglected her a bit.
The Central Area of Kurast, which is the activity Zone for Adventurers, is also divided into several sections. One of them is the Central Platform where Ormus took me. That is the center of Kurast, and even Adventurers cannot enter casually.
Then there is the temporary Residential Area for Adventurers, which is the Platform where Inns are abundant. Adventurers are generally lazy. Even if they have Money, they are more willing to stay in Inns than buy Houses. Buying a House is too troublesome; you have to put in Effort to find one, clean it, cook for yourself, and it's far from the central Zone. When you leave, you have to entrust someone to sell it (after all, not every Adventurer is as rich as a certain person who buys Real Estate everywhere). Staying in an Inn is much better.
After that is the Entertainment District. The most numerous establishments here are various Taverns. Information exchange among Adventurers usually takes place here. Of course, the boundary between Inns and Taverns is not clear; many are both a Tavern and an Inn, which is also more convenient for those lazy Adventurers. Besides that, there are some more special things, such as the "Women's Street," Casinos, and even Underground Arenas. I won't go through these more negative and dark things one by one.
Finally, there is the Trade District. Adventurers in Kurast have gained considerable freedom in trading, no longer like the Rogue Encampment where they were restricted everywhere like children in kindergarten being looked after. Basically, a large amount of Equipment Trading has appeared here. You can even see traces of Gold Equipment.
Unconsciously, a whole morning had passed. Yet, the two of us had only walked through less than half of the entire Central Area. This was thanks to the Three-No Princess's astonishing Memory. After just a quick glance at the Map, she immediately devised the most efficient Route – a Route that would cover the entire Central Area without repeating.
*Tch*, isn't she just a bit smarter? I'm not Envious/Jealous, not at all...
"Little Molly, how far are we from the East District now?"
After the worrying Lunch problem was perfectly solved at a certain restaurant, I patted my belly and said contentedly. Haha, now I'm not afraid of slightly bullying this Little Squirt anymore. In my "Dragon"-like good mood, I seemed to have forgotten about Dinner, and the future...
Closing her Eyes, she seemed to be searching for our current location in her Brain, making me even have the illusion of hearing a hard drive reading sound. In less than five seconds, she opened her Eyes.
"Very close, only half an hour's journey." As expected, the Three-No Princess gave a precise answer.
"..."
Soon, we arrived in the East District and, with the guidance of a Student, found Asheara. Just like when I first saw Ormus, I stopped far away, hesitating whether to go forward – are all the Representatives in Kurast so full of Personality?
Asheara, Gender: Female; Age: Looked to be around thirty years old, with brown Wavy Long Hair, a classic mature woman appearance. Her Figure was tall and voluptuous. At first glance, I thought she was an Amazon. What was most Helpless was her attire, which could be fully described in three words.
Bikini...
Her entire Body was adorned in a sexy Bikini outfit, accentuating her towering Chest. With every step she took, the movement could only be described as surging Waves. Aside from the thin, rope-like Underwear on her lower Body, there were only two strips of cloth hanging front and back, barely covering her private parts. If she moved, or if a gust of Wind blew, it would definitely be a major exposure of her charms. Compared to her, even Mai Shiranui would feel ashamed – she was dressed far too conservatively.
Hey, hey. You over there, the one summoning updrafts, go face the wall automatically...
Therefore, if the Students hadn't pointed out her Status beforehand, I would definitely have mistaken her for someone from Women's Street soliciting Guests. Could such a person really be the Leader of a Sorceress Organization? Shouldn't Sorceresses' personalities be stubborn and rigorous (please don't use people like the Stingy Guy as a reference)? If Tia gave me a different Viewpoint, then Asheara before me completely overturned my Concepts.
What should I do? Should I go up and say hello? Ah, forget it. Since I'm already here, I just Hope her Personality isn't as strange as that dead Ormus.
"Oh, esteemed Adventurer, welcome. Is there something you need from me? If you're looking to sign a Mercenary Contract with these lovely little Wolves under me, perhaps I can recommend some good Candidates."
Asheara, who was talking to a Red Robed Wizard, turned her Head upon noticing my arrival and greeted me warmly. Her towering twin peaks swayed with her Movement, and the two strips of cloth barely covering her private parts lifted even higher...
"Cough cough..." I choked on my own breath. Perhaps I really shouldn't have come.
"Ms. Asheara, I'm not here to sign up as a Mercenary. Uh, it's just... a visit." I said somewhat hastily, my Brain in a mess. Damn it, this woman is truly terrifying.
"A visit? That's a fresh word. You must be an Adventurer who just arrived in Kurast. Come, please sit, my little Guest." Asheara said with a smile.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I hope I didn't Disturb you." Seeing the Red Robed Mage Mercenary next to her retreat, I slightly performed a Mage's Salute.
After sitting down, I took out Akara's Notes and showed her my Elder's Proof. Asheara was clearly very surprised by my Status.
"I didn't expect Elder Your Excellency to grace us with your presence. I apologize for my rudeness."
"It's nothing, nothing. I'm just an Elder in name." I smiled and shook my Head.
"If there's anything, Elder Your Excellency, please feel free to command. As a member of the Adventurer's Guild, our Iron Wolves Mercenaries fear no Enemy." Asheara said forcefully. The heroic spirit in her Eyes indeed had the Presence of a woman who yields to no man, finally correcting my impression of her somewhat.
At this moment, the strange "thick scarf" around Asheara's neck suddenly moved, and then a Head emerged from behind her, flicking its tongue and staring at me with a Cold Gaze.
"..."
I take back what I said earlier. I originally thought the thing hanging around her neck was just an old-fashioned "scarf." I didn't expect it to be a living Large Snake. She is indeed still a strange Sorceress, a strange woman.
"I wouldn't dare command. Let's help each other out in the future. By the way, Asheara, your Mercenaries are quite well-informed. I wanted to inquire, Ormus asked me to help him find the lost Gheed. Do you know anything about it?"
"Gheed? I see. I'm not very clear about this Matter either. I only know that a few Little People broke in during the days it was lost and seemed to have stolen quite a few things. Originally, my little Wolves wanted to kill these annoying Little People, but the next day they disappeared without a trace. According to the investigation by my lovely little Wolves, there seems to be a Loophole in a Corner of the Magic Array. I'm currently working hard to deal with this Matter. As for the Gheed Elder mentioned, I think it's very likely that it was stolen by those Little People."
I didn't get much useful Information from Asheara. The only thing I could confirm was that Gheed seemed to have indeed been stolen by Little People. But even if that's true, where would I even look?
After chatting with Asheara for a while, I quickly took my leave. Before I left, she also kindly explained that although Old Man Ormus's Personality was a bit strange, he was indeed a good Representative, and she hoped I wouldn't be misled by the first Feeling.
Alright, I'll temporarily ignore Ormus's situation. Akara probably had her Principle for making him the Representative. However, Asheara's performance gave me a lot more confidence in the Kurast Adventurer's Guild. Compared to Ormus, she was much more normal, of course, if you ignore her attire...
"Next is Hratli. Where is he? Does Little Molly know?"
Leaving Asheara's Residence, I set my second visit Target. Just as I was about to take out the Map to check, I remembered I had a human Map machine beside me.
"West, Central Area, two hours' journey." As expected, the Three-No Princess gave a precise answer.
"..."