The next day. The sun had not yet fully risen.
Charles collapsed onto the bed, clasped his hands tightly, and curled up like a shrimp.
"Drink, drink—"
He gasped for breath. Even though he was immune to "drunkenness and violence," the temptation of divine wine still gnawed at him.
"Damn withdrawal!"
Sweat poured down his face, his body trembled, and he nearly fainted.
"No wonder Lililruca instinctively feared the divine wine a few years later. This is not something humans should ever experience!"
Charles stared blankly at the ceiling.
"It seems that unless absolutely necessary, I shouldn't change skills for now—not until the side effects of the magic wine subside."
He began thinking about the day's plan.
Boom boom boom—
Suddenly, loud banging on the door jolted Charles awake.
With a crash, a foot smashed the wooden door into pieces, and a gruff dwarf pushed it open.
"Hey! How long do you plan to sleep, Charles? How dare you keep me waiting this long?!"
Who are you? It's not even daybreak! Charles blinked, still groggy and struggling to accept the situation.
At that moment, a human swordsman sneered and complained:
"Hey, Canoe, that door belongs to the family. If you break it, Zanis will be on your case."
Outside, a man and a woman who looked like rangers echoed the complaint:
"Who let this kid sleep in? The repair fee should come out of his wages today!"
"Don't make me laugh. Where does he even get wages?"
"Hahaha."
Laughing, Canoe kicked Charles's wooden bed hard.
"What are you wasting time for, little brat? Grab your backpack and follow us, useless porter! Can you afford to delay us making money?"
Charles snapped back to reality.
These four were the adventurers who exploited him after his parents died. Canoe was also the dwarf who betrayed the killer ants and harmed Lili in the original story.
Charles's eyes lit up: This is... a coincidence!
I was thinking of getting some teammates yesterday, and today they come to me.
Their attitude was rough, but that didn't matter—they'd get along eventually.
Slowly getting out of bed, Charles straightened his slightly messy clothes and slung on his huge backpack.
"You're being unusually gentle today, Master Canoe."
He glanced in surprise at the burly dwarf leaning in the doorway, arms crossed.
In the past, Canoe would have grabbed his collar, slammed him onto the bed, and laughed.
Today, Charles had time to straighten up.
Canoe sneered, "Tsk."
Behind him, the swordsman Sven said casually:
"I heard you awakened a new skill? How about graduating from supporter and joining our team?"
"Huh?" Charles narrowed his eyes.
Just waiting here?
He didn't think these scumbags had a change of heart.
Is this a test? Afraid I'll get out of control? If my skills are useful and I stay under control, I'll be fully exploited?
Charles was highly sensitive to malice.
At this moment...
These people were just the lower ranks of the Soma clan, their strength probably somewhere between H and E.
Not very strong...
With the added boost from Drunken Rage, Charles had a good chance in a one-on-one duel. But the ranger was a little more troublesome.
For now...
I'll play along.
"Did Lord Zanis send you here?" Charles asked.
This attitude made Canoe and the others even more wary.
Canoe snorted coldly: "Since you know everything... I won't hide it. Yes, he asked us to look after you. Since you accepted the reward, you must help develop the clan!"
Swain added, "It's already 5:30 and you're still sleeping? Lazy!"
I see. Thanks to my friend Zanis for sending these special 'discount packages' for the Hall of Rebirth!
Charles felt a surge of delight, but kept his face serious:
"I see. Since it's Lord Zanis's will, from today on, you are my beloved relatives, friends, brothers and sisters!"
"Huh?"
Canoe grabbed Charles's collar and yanked him upright.
"What are you talking about, brat? Brother? What right do you have to call yourself Lord Canoe's brother?"
"What a stinky brat! I don't like you. From today on, call me brother!"
Charles pried open Canoe's thick fingers, adjusted his collar, and said seriously:
"Do you intend to go against Lord Zanis's will? Do you know what happens to those who betray Lord Zanis and the clan?"
Who'd want to betray the clan?
"Looks like I'm the only one left to clean up this mess!" Charles clenched his fists with a creak.
Canoe and the others exchanged looks.
No... who gave this kid the guts to fight a dwarf with his little fists?
Though the Soma clan lived rough underground, they kept things secret. Who would allow such public insolence?
Had the kid drunk too much and lost his mind?
Sven held back Canoe, who was about to lose face, and laughed:
"Let's go. Today's target is 10,000 valis. Brother Charles, what skills do you have? Show us in the dungeon."
The swordsman Sven put his arm around Charles's shoulder, the gesture overly friendly.
The four quickly left the dormitory.
As they passed through the hall, Charles stopped, grabbed the iron wine barrels placed on either side, and slipped one into his backpack.
"What are you doing? Don't add useless weight!" Ranger Link snapped angrily.
Those wines outside were all failures—concentrated waste to be processed. It was fine to take them, but stupid to carry them to the dungeon and increase weight.
Link was unhappy with Charles. Why could a porter suddenly be equal to them—and even more valued by Zanis?
Charles shrugged: "I just drank divine wine yesterday. This will quench the craving."
They understood immediately. They'd all experienced the pain of not getting divine wine and had done similar things—but they weren't stingy enough to use inferior wine as a substitute.
Link smacked his lips and turned away, unhappy.
The five walked through the gate.
As they left, Charles saw the group of newcomers who had collapsed the day before. Now, led by the old man, they were heading into the dungeon to make money.
Seeing Charles look their way, Sven smiled hypocritically:
"Thank us. Without our friendship, who knows how many times you'd have barely come back alive if you'd followed them."
Canoe sneered, "That guy Sirus is on a knife's edge. He'll take those newbies to the 6th floor today, hehe."
The sixth floor of the dungeon was a novice graveyard.
The monsters' attacks and numbers had changed drastically... but...
You guys aren't much better.
Charles rolled his eyes and walked on without a word.
"Hey? Big brother, this kid seems to have something. He actually ignored you." The female ranger Emma said sarcastically.
"Just bluffing," Link muttered.
"Let's find out his background. Lord Zanis didn't look well yesterday. Though he told us to watch him, I'm not so sure." Sven rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"If it's a rare skill like Sword Princess's, we won't beat ten of them."
Sword Princess—Ace Wallenstein.
That madman had shot straight to the 7th floor as soon as he became an adventurer.
Whenever new stars like her appeared, Canoe and the others lamented their own incompetence.