Chapter 158: The First Intimate Contact

Chapter 158: The First Intimate Contact



As soon as the black-haired elf thought of the dangers posed by the Dark Mother Tree Seed, her expression changed, and she muttered to herself, "No, I have to go get that seed back."

"The only one who had a chance to take the seed just now was probably that young knight who used the Wizardry Scroll."

In the black-haired elf's mind, the image of Rain, the young knight wielding a two-handed greatsword, immediately appeared.

The next second, the black-haired elf transformed into an eagle once again and soared into the sky.

Soon, she caught up with Rain and his group who were just about to return from the temple garden entrance.

Halfway back, one of the Night Watch members seemed to notice the eagle above them and turned to the Night Watch Captain, Matteo, who was by his side. "Captain, there's an eagle circling above us. It feels like it's tracking our group."

Matteo immediately looked up and nodded, "You're right, it does seem a bit odd. It's as if it's tracking our team. Could there be an unknown force's falconer nearby?"

Matteo's expression turned serious, and after some thought, he urged his horse to catch up with Rain, who was talking with Ragle. "Deputy, there's an eagle up there tracking us. I believe there's an unknown force's falconer nearby."

Rain looked up in confusion.

In the sky, there were a few flying birds, but none were eagles, meaning there were no eagles in the sky at that moment.

"Matteo, there's no eagle," Rain said.

"Huh? But I could have sworn I saw one just now," Matteo said, scratching his head.

However, it was clear that the eagle was no longer there, and it was more likely that Matteo was being overly cautious.

Perhaps the eagle was simply chasing prey, and the prey's location was near their group.

In fact, when Matteo looked up, the black-haired elf, who had transformed into an eagle, realized that her circling behavior had probably drawn the attention of some members of the group below.

So, she immediately decided to fly towards the direction of the group's movement and landed not far ahead of them. She then perched on a tree to observe the team.

A squirrel's watchful gaze would naturally not attract anyone's attention, not even Rain, who had an extraordinary sense of perception.

In the Night Song Forest, there were numerous beasts, and if the watchful gaze of a squirrel would be a concern, then there were far too many gazes that required attention and vigilance.

---

After half a day, the group returned to Flashgold Town, and Hamilton was already waiting at the entrance of the administrative hall to welcome them.

As soon as the group entered Flashgold Town, a security officer notified Hamilton.

Upon seeing Rain and the Night Watch members from Flashgold Town, most of whom had returned safely, a relieved smile appeared on Hamilton's face.

However, when he saw the Temple Knights at the back of the group carrying several stretchers and the obvious absence of two members, Hamilton's smile faded.

After some inquiries, Hamilton was surprised.

He never expected that a mission that was supposed to be a sure success would have such a twist.

First, the number of Malevolent Knights had suddenly increased to three, and almost all of them possessed the strength of peak knights.

Second, the dilapidated temple hall turned out to be the site of the ancient evil cult, the 'Mother Tree Cult,' and there was even a Flesh Tree Spirit, a powerful demon equivalent to a Great Knight! This made it hard for Hamilton to imagine the intensity of the battle at that time.

However, what puzzled him was why his elite Night Watch members were mostly unharmed, while the Church's Temple Knights, who had already entered the extraordinary realm, suffered such heavy casualties.

The two survivors were both severely injured, and there were also two Temple Knights lying on stretchers, having died honorably.

Moreover, why was his deputy, Rain, not only uninjured after such a fierce battle but also full of energy?

In this state, Hamilton would have found it more reasonable if Rain had just taken a nap!

"Hmm? Rain's aura..."

"It feels like his strength has improved again!"

Hamilton stared at Rain, his eyes widening in surprise.

However, before Hamilton could ask in detail, Rudolf approached with a solemn expression.

"Rudolf, thank you for your hard work. The Church will bestow honors and compensation upon these two fallen knights."

"Hamilton, we also appreciate the great support from Deputy Rain of Flashgold Town. Without him, our losses might have been greater." Rudolf said.

"It's what we should do for Flashgold Town," Hamilton replied, feeling a little surprised.

Because, according to Rudolf's words, Rain must have played a crucial role in this mission.

Otherwise, with Rudolf's usually rigid personality, it would be unlikely for him to say such flattering words.

After some polite conversation, the Church group led by Rudolf, the Bishop, did not stay in town but instead left for the county immediately after securing two carriages.

Firstly, the two severely injured Temple Knights needed immediate treatment.

Additionally, Rudolf needed to report the discovery of the ancient evil cult, the 'Mother Tree Cult,' to the Bishop as soon as possible.

However, before leaving, Rudolf specifically sought out Rain for a private conversation.

"Rain, the doors of the Church of the Wind and Sea Goddess will always be open to you!"

"Furthermore, I will also report your performance in this incident to the Bishop."

As soon as Rudolf left, Hamilton, who was filled with curiosity, pulled Rain into his office for a detailed inquiry.

Previously, with the Church members present, Hamilton had many questions that were not convenient to ask.

"Well, sir, there's not much to it."

After Rain briefly described the situation of the two battles, Hamilton finally understood why Rudolf valued Rain so highly after hearing about the two battles. If he were in Rain's shoes, he would have done the same.

Initially, he assumed that the Church had suffered the most casualties, so they must have contributed the most during this mysterious incident.

He even thought that his own Night Watch squad might have only been engaged in some vigilance duties, which explained their low casualties.

But the reality was beyond his expectations!

Rain had single-handedly turned the tide, representing the Night Watch of Flashgold Town and himself, making a crucial contribution in this incident.

"Rain, well done! I'll report the situation in the next few days, and you'll likely receive a substantial amount of merit points soon," Hamilton praised with awe.

Rain had impressed Hamilton in his previous battle against Adams, but this time, he had exceeded his expectations once again!

"Thank you, sir," Rain bowed slightly, smiling.

Merit points were a valuable reward, and Rain naturally wouldn't refuse them, although he had already gained a lot from this incident.

But no one would complain about having more money, right?

However, when Rain thought about merit points, he couldn't help but recall his customized Water Film Steel Knight Armor, which would take two months to craft—an incredibly long time. And his Chrome Iron Armor, after the battles with Adams and the Flesh Tree Spirit, was almost ready to be scrapped.

It seemed like he would have to make another trip to the County City Guard's supply depot to exchange it for a new set of Knight Armor as a temporary solution.

At this moment, the black-haired elf, who had transformed into a squirrel, followed Rain's group to Flashgold Town. Her bright eyes glimmered with a hint of surprise.

Hmm? Isn't this the general direction where I sensed the talisman's location? Yes, that's right!

It should be somewhere within this small town.

The squirrel, which was the black-haired elf, nodded affirmatively.

However, since some time had passed since the talisman's last activation, she needed to search carefully to pinpoint its exact location.

But this matter could wait. For now, she needed to keep a close eye on the young knight.

The black-haired elf was hesitant, unsure of how to communicate with the young human knight.

The first option was to find a private moment to talk to him, explaining the danger the Dark Elf Mother Tree Seed posed to this world and asking him to hand it over.

But her instincts told her that humans wouldn't be so understanding.

The second option, for the sake of this world's safety, was to sacrifice herself and take the seed. However, this action would likely be considered stealing or theft.

This dilemma left the black-haired elf unsure of which approach to take.

---

After having dinner with Ragle, Anna, and her family, Rain reflected on his performance in the Night Song Forest battle.

In simple terms, it was a 'battle review'! Continuous reflection and summarization were necessary for improvement.

Rain had already experienced the benefits of this approach.

"I went through two battles this time. In the first battle, against the Malevolent Knight protected by heavy armor and black energy, my core skill 'Hammer Expertise,' Tokkar Hammer Technique, and Boar Head Hammer combined in a three-pronged attack, resulting in an incredibly powerful strike."

"This was a great test of my post-battle review from the last time!"

Ever since the battle with the Dark Flame Acolyte from the Black Flame Church, Rain had decided to slowly cultivate his hammer techniques, utilizing the heavy hammer's powerful crushing and shock damage against armored enemies.

This strategy was effectively validated against the three Malevolent Knights!

Rain's eyes sparkled with thought.

"The other battle was against the Flesh Tree Spirit."

"If it weren't for Rudolf's High-Grade Divine Spell 'Sword of Judgment' that heavily injured the Flesh Tree Spirit at the start, I might not have been able to defeat it even if I used all my abilities."

"But this is normal. After all, according to Hamilton, the Flesh Tree Spirit is on par with a Great Knight in terms of danger."

"In the end, I relied on the Wizardry Scroll 'Frosty Gale' and the basic touch-type spell 'Scorching Touch' to defeat it. To be honest, this was easier than fighting with a greatsword."

"This shows the undeniable importance of wizardry. If I can master multiple spells, I can target my enemies' weaknesses and use specific spells to achieve unexpected effects."

"Additionally, the importance of mental power is becoming increasingly evident."

"After all, I currently have no other way to enhance the power of my spells. But by strengthening my mental power, I can simultaneously increase the effectiveness of my spells, which is certain."

"From this perspective, if there are no special circumstances, enhancing my mental power will be my priority."

"As for mastering multiple spells?"

Rain crossed his arms, stroking his chin as he paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought.

"The testing crystal has confirmed that I have the strongest affinity for fire-based energy particles, no, there's one more, the pale silver energy particles that I still don't fully understand."

"But even with the pale silver energy particles, I only have a high affinity for these two types of energy particles. Learning spells from other elements would be twice the effort for half the effectiveness, and the spells wouldn't be as powerful."

"Hmm, I'll focus on fire-based spells for now, and slowly search for other spell models."

"After all, my biggest challenge right now is the lack of various spell models."

"Hmm, that's right, I think Jenny and I arranged to meet tomorrow. I hope I'll find something useful in her friend's library."

Rain suddenly recalled his appointment with Jenny, and his eyes lit up slightly.

Ever since experiencing the power of Wizardry in battle, Rain eagerly anticipated each new spell.

"Also, I've never heard of this ancient sect, the Mother Tree Cult. Even that small, light golden sapling, I have no idea where it came from. It seems I need to pay more attention to ancient knowledge in the future."

"Then, I must continue studying Arcanese."

"After all, many ancient books were written by Wizards or Wizard Apprentices in Arcanese."

Soon, Rain took out the three ancient Arcanese books and placed them on his desk.

Rain was already halfway through studying these Arcanese books. He understood most of the language, but his pronunciation and fluency still needed improvement, so he needed to practice more.

As Rain diligently studied Arcanese, in the adjacent room, Ragre tossed and turned restlessly.

She had decided that early the next morning, she would leave Shangjin Town with her brother's and teammates' belongings (weapons) and return to the barbarian tribe in the Frostwind Tundra in the northern part of the Empire.

This was a significant decision, and she was determined to see it through.

Only by doing so could the souls of her brother and teammates return to the Hall of Heroes.

Additionally, she planned to request the tribal priest to undergo the Life and Death Trial upon her return.

She hadn't mentioned either of these decisions to Rain, especially the latter, which she never intended to share with him.

After spending time with Rain, Ragre realized she had developed a fondness for this young man who had saved her twice.

If she successfully passed the Life and Death Trial, perhaps there would be a future for them.

But if she failed, it would mean that from birth to her return to the Hall of Heroes, she would never have been with the boy she liked. Wasn't that a bit too regrettable?

"Should I go to his room tonight?"

"But would that hurt Anna?"

"Probably not, because I might not survive, and even if I do, I might not return and meet Rain again."

Soon, Ragre made up her mind. When the night grew deeper, she would go to find Rain, and before dawn, she would set out on her journey back to the Frostwind Tundra!

Late at night, as the black-haired elf was about to sneak into Rain's second-floor bedroom, she glanced through the corridor window and noticed the door of the adjacent room slowly opening.

A figure in sheer fabric with a curvy figure silently emerged.

The black-haired elf's beautiful eyes widened in recognition.

She immediately identified the girl as the barbarian girl who had returned from the Night Song Forest with the young human knight during the day.

So, she stopped and quietly observed from the side.

The barbarian girl didn't knock but quietly opened the young knight's door and swiftly slipped into his room.

The black-haired elf was curious!

Could they be planning something secret?

Was that why they chose to meet at midnight?

Could they be discussing how to deal with the Dark Mother Tree Seed?

At this thought, the black-haired elf's eyes lit up.

The next moment, a squirrel leaped from a tree and landed on Rain's second-floor bedroom windowsill, peering through the gap to observe.

With her Dark Vision, she could see everything clearly!

The squirrel's eyes widened in a very human-like expression, its mouth agape, but its tiny hands covered its eyes.

Inside the room, the curvy barbarian girl was attempting to tame a male wild horse in a riding position, while the young human knight held her slender waist.

(One million words omitted)



After an intense battle, the male wild horse's endurance proved too formidable, making it extremely difficult to tame!

Eventually, the barbarian girl gave up on taming it and decided to rest by lying down.

However, due to exhaustion from the day's events, the girl couldn't find a comfortable position to rest, whether lying on her back or stomach, throughout the entire night.

The squirrel at Rain's bedroom window came and went, but it couldn't find an opportunity to communicate with Rain about the important matter of 'world safety.'

As the sky gradually brightened, the squirrel, now a manifestation of the black-haired elf, shook its head in frustration and left.

In fact, Rain had already noticed Ragre's stealthy entrance.

He recognized her familiar aura and knew it was Ragre.

But he was perplexed as to why she had entered without knocking. The next moment, he froze, as a certain part of his body had been invaded by something (one million words omitted).

In the courtyard, an ant was suddenly entangled by a sticky tongue and swallowed by a lizard lying on the ground.

The lizard chewed, feeling the ant bursting in its mouth, causing a stinging pain.

It quickly spat out the burst ant, only to realize it was a venomous ant that secreted a transparent, paralyzing liquid when attacked.

In the darkness, the lizard hadn't noticed it was a venomous ant, so it swallowed it.

As the lizard prepared to leave, it discovered more ants attacking its vulnerable lower body.

This enraged the lizard! It swallowed the bold ant with its sticky tongue, killing it after it burst, but it immediately spat it out again.

Unexpectedly, this was also a venomous fire ant!

For an entire night, the lizard was relentlessly attacked by venomous fire ants targeting its vulnerable spots, while it continuously devoured the ants with its sticky tongue, killing and spitting them out after bursting them.

In the end, as dawn broke, the lizard fled in a panic!

It never dared to stay in this cursed place again; there were too many venomous fire ants, and even after killing them all night, they just kept coming!

The next morning, Rain, who had woken up, turned to look at Lagrela, who was still asleep beside him.

The wild barbarian girl, with her ample white chest exposed, had golden hair naturally draped over the white pillow. Her petite nose and cherry lips, along with her delicate features, were more refined than most women in the Empire.

Judging by her appearance alone, no one would have guessed that Lagrela was from the Empire's Frostwind Tundra, a tribe of barbarians.

Additionally, Rain still hadn't figured out what had happened last night.

Why did Lagrela suddenly come to his room in the middle of the night?

Moreover, before he could even ask, the 'battle' between them suddenly erupted.

On one hand, Lagrela's exquisite face and curvaceous figure were incredibly alluring.

On the other hand, it was also a matter of Rain's own desires.

Ever since he entered the extraordinary realm, his desires in this regard had intensified. So, when Lagrela fired the first shot, Rain's powder keg was ignited, and the two naturally engaged in a fierce battle.

Recalling the exhilarating battle from the previous night, a smile couldn't help but emerge on Rain's face.

Unconsciously, he reached out and gently stroked Lagrela's messy hair.

At that moment, it seemed that Rain's action startled Lagrela from her slumber. Her long lashes fluttered, and her deep blue eyes opened, revealing themselves to Rain.

Lagrela also stared at Rain, and for a moment, her mind was in disarray.

To be honest, the situation differed significantly from what Lagrela had anticipated.

Originally, in her plan, she would sneak into his room in the middle of the night, stay for a while, and then quietly leave before dawn.

She believed that by the time she left, Rain would be fast asleep.

Even though she knew Rain had exceptional stamina, she thought he would follow this pattern in this aspect.

In the end, Rain didn't stop until the sky was already brightening!

This not only shattered her expectations but also exhausted her physically.

Now, she felt a strong sense of fatigue, coupled with a mental clarity that seemed to contradict her physical state.

Additionally, this made it impossible for Lagrela to carry out her original plan.

But when Lagrela thought about the possibility of encountering Anna upon waking up, she immediately snapped back to reality and said, "I have to go, Rain."

"Leave?" Rain raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes, I need to take my brother's and everyone's belongings and return to the Frostwind Tundra as soon as possible," Lagrela said earnestly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Rain.

"Can't you stay a little longer?" Rain asked.

Leonardo da Vinci once said that the eyes are the window to the soul. In truth, Rain had already understood the meaning behind Lagrela's gaze.

Therefore, Rain didn't try to dissuade her, but with a reluctant heart, he asked if she could delay her departure by a few days.

"I'm afraid not. I've already stayed too long, and I need to return to my tribe as soon as possible," Lagrela replied, slightly lowering her head and shaking it gently.

Indeed, her answer was as Rain had expected.

From their interactions over the past few days, Rain had sensed that Lagrela's character was resolute and resilient due to her upbringing in the harsh environment of the Frostwind Tundra. She was not one to be indecisive.

In an instant, Rain understood why Lagrela had taken the initiative to come to his room the night before.

"When will you be back?" Rain asked, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"I don't know," Lagrela shook her head again, unsure how to respond.

She planned to return to her tribe and immediately participate in the Trial of Life and Death, a trial with a high mortality rate. She wasn't sure if she would survive.

Lagrela wasn't good at lying, so she genuinely didn't know how to answer Rain's question.

Additionally, she didn't want to tell Rain or anyone else about her plan to return to her tribe and participate in the Trial of Life and Death.

"Rain, I really have to go." Lagrela stood up, revealing her voluptuous figure, and quickly got dressed.

Watching Lagrela's departing figure, Rain felt a sense of loss in his heart.

Rain was well aware that with his current strength, there were many things he couldn't change.

Furthermore, he couldn't afford to indulge in temporary pleasures.

However, Rain believed that as long as he kept moving forward and breaking through, some things, some people, and some regrets would eventually be transformed and changed by his will!

Breakfast time.

"Sister Anna, have you seen Sister Lagrela?" Mint curiously looked at the table, which one person was missing, and asked.

"I didn't see her wake up. Maybe she's still sleeping because she was tired from yesterday's trip to the Night Song Forest?" Anna smiled and patted Mint's head, saying.

"Um, Lagrela has already left. She returned to the Frostwind Tundra," Rain hesitated and said.

Instantly, several gazes focused on Rain.

"Huh?" Mother Emma, sitting beside him, looked at Rain in surprise and asked, "What did you say?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end