Chapter 355: Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps

Chapter 355: Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps



"Yes!"

In an instant, Rain felt the silvery mist in his spiritual sea rapidly increasing, and soon, a new portion of his spiritual sea was filled with the mist.

By now, nearly seventy percent of his spiritual sea was saturated with the silvery fog.

Rain glanced at his system panel:

Spirit: 68 (Vaporization 68%)



"Hmm? During the previous battle, I gained 4 points in spirit, and the vaporization rate increased to 53%. Now it's at 68%, so one Soul Energy Crystal is just enough to increase it by 3%."

"Looking at it this way, I'll need at least seven or eight Soul Energy Crystals to reach over 90%."

"No!"

"The effect might deteriorate again, so it seems that having ten Soul Energy Crystals would be more prudent."

At this moment, as if remembering something, Rain took out the sheepskin scroll (map) from his chest and spread it open to examine it.

Before departure, it was natural to carefully review the map.

A prominent red dot was located on the coast of Howling Gorge, marked as Frostbloom Cliff, and not far from it was a clear shipwreck symbol.

"It's a very noticeable mark, so it shouldn't be difficult to find." Rain nodded, thinking to himself.

At this moment, the knocking sound rang out again.

"Knock knock knock!"

"Come in!"

"Sir Rain." Melita, wearing a fitted white wizard robe, hesitated at the door and called out, then continued, "Sir Rain, about that matter..."

"Lady Melita, this matter has nothing to do with you, so don't worry about it," Rain smiled and said.

"Oh, Sir Rain, this is what the mentor asked me to give to you." Melita quickly walked forward and handed a set of documents to Rain.

Not sure if it was due to nervousness, but as Melita approached Rain, she suddenly stumbled, and her entire body fell onto Rain.

Rain's hand, which was originally reaching for the documents, instinctively supported her, but the position was not ideal, and he ended up touching her sensitive, pale, and towering area.

"Ah, sorry, Sir Rain!" Melita was about to get up, but when her sensitive area was touched, she immediately softened and fell back onto Rain.

Rain felt a soft and fragrant beauty in his arms, but when he squeezed her hand, he realized something was wrong and immediately helped the cotton-like Melita up.

Melita's face was flushed, and her head was almost buried in her chest.

As Melita recalled her actions, her face felt hot, and even she thought she had just thrown herself into his arms.

But Melita swore it was an accident.

Rain also felt a little embarrassed from touching her sensitive area, so the two of them stood there awkwardly for a moment.

At this moment, Rain naturally glanced at Melita a few times, noticing her voluptuous figure with a prominent chest, slender waist, and a well-curved body. Moreover, her wizard robe was the same as the last time, with the neckline open and fastened with a brooch.

Even with Melita's head bowed, Rain could still clearly see the expanse of her pale and smooth skin.

"Rain, Melita, what's going on?" At this moment, Anna's voice sounded from outside the door.

Melita, startled like a rabbit, quickly bent down to pick up the documents on the ground and handed them to Rain, saying, "Miss Anna, I'm delivering some documents to Sir Rain."

"Good night, you two."

The next second, Melita left with a slightly flustered expression.

"Hmm? I'm not sure, maybe it's because of this matter." Rain coughed and gestured with the Soul Devourer Moth's documents, saying.

Anna nodded and said, "Yes, Melita is still very concerned about this matter, no wonder."

The next morning.

Considering the potential danger in traveling to Frostwind Fjord, Rain had originally planned to leave Melita at Winterhold Academy.

However, Anna insisted on waiting for him in a nearby forest, leaving Rain no choice but to agree to bring her along.

After politely declining Bartolov's suggestion of having Melita accompany them, Rain and Anna mounted the Bloodwing Wyvern.

The two of them waved goodbye to Luther, Bartolov, and the other Winterhold Academy officials. In the next moment, Bloodwing vigorously flapped its wings, and a light blue aura quickly enveloped them.

"Whoosh!"

The two soared into the sky, gradually disappearing into the horizon.

Among the crowd, Melita couldn't hide her disappointment.

Several hours later.

Rain and Anna arrived at a forest near the town of Ilgarra.

This was the closest town to their destination, located just over a hundred miles away. Additionally, this was the last broadleaf forest in the region, and as a druid, Anna would be safe within the forest.

Moreover, with Bloodwing's advanced warning and support from the air, Rain didn't have to worry too much about Anna's safety.

Anna took the initiative to hug Rain, then quickly kissed him, her face turning red. Her beautiful eyes stared at Rain seriously, and she said, "Rain, please be careful.

"Rest assured." Lei En rubbed Anna's hair and smiled.

"Okay!" As she watched Lei En's retreating back, Anna couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened.

She hadn't expected that after becoming a Druid, the gap in strength between her and Lei En would only widen.

"Sigh, I still need to work hard!"

"I have to learn how to transform into a bear and an eagle as soon as possible!" Anna waved her small, pale fist and resolved silently in her heart.

Ilgarra Town, about a hundred miles away from the Fogbloom Cliff according to the map, was a frontier stronghold in the Gorge County, still under the control of the Empire.

Lei En planned to ride a horse from Ilgarra Town to avoid drawing attention from the Sea God Sect in the area. After all, a flying knight was far too conspicuous.

Additionally, considering that both the Secret Silver Embroidered Plate Armor and the Enchanted Cerium Plate Armor were too eye-catching, Lei En, as before, wore a grayish-white Wizard Robe over them.

At the same time, Lei En didn't carry any other weapons, merely holding a staff formed from Hardened Mithril, looking like a young Wizard Apprentice.

Soon, Lei En arrived at a stable near Ilgarra Town.

Due to the unstable situation, there were quite a few people buying horses.

"Boss, how much for this chestnut horse?" Lei En pointed at a rather robust chestnut horse inside the fence and asked.

"Twenty gold, but I haven't had the chance to re-shoe it yet. If you're not in a hurry, you can come back this afternoon." The stable owner was a stocky middle-aged man who gestured the price and then pointed at the chestnut horse's hooves, speaking loudly.

"It's fine, boss. Here's the twenty gold." Lei En smiled and handed over twenty gold coins.

"Sir, be careful. The horseshoe on the right hind hoof is a bit loose and won't support you for a long journey," the stocky owner specifically reminded him before accepting Lei En's gold.

As a business owner, there was no reason to turn away a customer after giving a warning.

"Thank you." Lei En nodded.

A few other people buying horses nearby looked at Lei En, who was leading his horse away, with a bit of surprise.

This young man seemed to have some urgent business?

But he still needed to fix the horseshoes, or else the horse would be crippled, and the horse would be ruined.

Lei En, however, led the horse to the roadside and stopped.

He lifted the right hind hoof of the chestnut horse and, in the next moment, a flash of Arcane Aura appeared in his hand, and a brand new metal horseshoe materialized in his palm.

Removing the old horseshoe gently, Lei En placed the new one on and deformed seven iron nails from his hand, inserting them one by one.

In just a few seconds, he had replaced a horseshoe, faster than the most skilled blacksmith.

After all, which Metal Wizard would do the job of shoeing horses!

The chestnut horse seemed a bit stunned, blinking its large eyes and shaking its head in confusion.

After finishing, Lei En smiled, dusted off his hands, and rode the horse toward Ilgarra Town.

He planned to visit the tavern first to gather information.

From a distance, a middle-aged man dressed as a mercenary watched Lei En's actions, his face showing shock.

"Was that the Metal Magic 'Sharpening' just now?"

"Is the person a rare Metal Wizard?"

"No, looking at their age, they're likely a Third Level Wizard Apprentice."

"Could they have also taken the bounty? But why would they come alone? If they are alone, then..." The middle-aged man quickly judged in his mind.

After some thought, the man, dressed as a mercenary, bought two horses and quickly headed toward the town.

Ilgarra Town.

In the center of the town, the Gorge Tavern was bustling with noise.

Lei En found a vacant two-person seat by the window, sat down, and with a quick glance, noticed that most people were wearing Leather Armor or Chainmail Armor and carrying various weapons, mostly mercenaries.

Oddly, most of the mercenaries had a Longbow on their backs.

A smaller number, though not carrying Longbows, had thick shields and different equipment, mostly wearing heavy Plate Armor or a mix of Plate and Chainmail Armor.

Additionally, a few Second and Third Level Wizard Apprentices were scattered among them.

This couldn't help but make Lei En a bit puzzled.

Could there be some bounty or mission here?

Otherwise, why would so many mercenaries be attracted here?

"Sir, this is the local specialty, Stormfire Ale. Would you like to share a cup?" A middle-aged man smiled, holding a bottle of ale, and approached Lei En.

Lei En glanced at the man, immediately recognizing him from the stable earlier.

This made Lei En instantly think of something. He smiled and nodded, "Of course, please have a seat."

After a few cups of Stormfire Ale and some casual chat,

Lei En learned that the middle-aged man was named Vandar and was the leader of a mercenary group called the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps.

This time, they had taken the Empire's high bounty on the invading Sea Folk and specifically came to the Howling Gorge.

This realization helped Rain understand why so many formidable mercenary corps had gathered in a small town on the Empire's frontier.

The Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps had chosen an area centered around the shipwreck remains on the Frostbloom Cliff for their search. Although their destination was slightly off from Rain's intended path, the difference was less than ten li, making their targets largely overlapping.

Vandar was thirty-seven years old and had been a mercenary since he was eighteen. His talent for scouting was exceptional, and he had personally recruited every member of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps, building the entire corps from scratch.

Since the time at the stable, Vandar had sensed something extraordinary about Rain, an air of distinction that seemed to be veiled in a mysterious mist, making it difficult to gauge his true strength.

But this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

After years of experience in the mercenary world, Vandar trusted his instincts and judgment.

Sensing the right moment, Vandar broached the main topic.

"Sir Rain, are you also here to claim the Empire's bounty on the Sea Folk?" Vandar asked. "If so, why not join our team?"

The members of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps nearby were puzzled by their leader's sudden invitation to a stranger. Although the young man appeared to be a wizard apprentice, they were a well-established mercenary group, and they were cautious about adding an unfamiliar face to their team right before a mission.

After all, the team already had excellent coordination among its members, and adding someone new would inevitably disrupt this harmony to some extent.

Moreover, the stranger's background was unknown, which could potentially cause significant problems for the team.

"Well, I guess you could say I'm here to deal with the Sea Folk," Rain replied.

"Since Vandar has invited me so warmly, I'll join," Rain thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

Although Luther had provided some intelligence on the Sea God Sect, it was mostly general information. The specific strength and distribution of the Sea God Sect near Frostbloom Cliff were not entirely clear, and Rain believed that an on-site investigation would be the best approach.

This was Rain's original plan.

Vandar was delighted and smiled, saying, "Excellent, Sir Rain! Let's drink to our cooperation!"

"Cheers!"

"Sir Rain, if I may ask, are you a rare metal-type wizard apprentice?" Vandar inquired.

"Oh? How did you know, Vandar?" Rain feigned surprise and smiled.

"Hehe, I noticed your metal-type wizardry back at the stable," Vandar explained.

The members of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps nearby now understood why their leader had invited the stranger.

It made sense! Their leader's sister, Georgia, was the only wizard apprentice in the group, and the rest were warriors and rangers.

If they had a metal-type wizard apprentice who could cast Sharpening spells in battle, it would significantly enhance the team's capabilities.

Some members of the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps who had initially opposed Rain's inclusion were now more accepting.

At noon, Rain and Vandar's mercenary group headed towards the shipwreck remains.

Along the way, Rain learned that not only the Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps but also other mercenary groups had been drawn to the Howling Gorge by the high bounty offered by the Maen Province.

The bustling atmosphere at the gorge's tavern earlier was a testament to this.

Conversely, the constant emergence of various Sea Folk influenced by the Sea God Sect had put significant pressure on the Empire's defenses.

"Vandar, what's our plan for this mission?" Rain casually asked.

"Our goal is to kill one hundred Thickshell Crabmen and bring back their giant claws as proof," replied a nearby plate-armored knight with a tower shield, his smile as sturdy as his shield.

"Of course, if we can also take down a few Slasher Nagas, that would be even better," he added with a smile.

"Slasher Nagas?" Rain asked with interest.

"Yes, Sir Rain, you haven't heard of them? Slasher Nagas are high-ranking Sea Folk, typically stronger than full-fledged knights, and sometimes even rivaling great knights. The bounty for them is several times higher than for Thickshell Crabmen."

"But we need to be cautious if we encounter them," the knight warned.

At this moment, the other mercenaries looked at Rain with a hint of strangeness in their eyes.

Not everyone in the team welcomed Rain's inclusion, and it seemed that the young wizard apprentice, despite being a rare metal-type, appeared inexperienced.

Had he just graduated from wizard school and was now on his first adventure? An inexperienced wizard apprentice, even a rare metal-type, could be a liability.

Why hadn't the leader inquired more about him before inviting him to join?

"I see. Are there even stronger ones?" Rain asked, continuing his line of questioning.

"Of course, Sir Rain, although you're here to hunt the Sea Folk, it seems your preparations are inadequate.

"A crisp voice sounded from behind.

'If you happen to encounter a Deep Sea Giant, you'll probably be scared out of your wits and run for your life!' A slender young woman, carrying a longbow and clad in leather armor, rode forward with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Georgia was an archer and a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice. She strongly disagreed with her brother's decision to invite Rain.

Rain, despite his young age and white wizard robe, held an iron-skinned staff, which made Georgia wonder if he thought he was the ancient legendary wizard Rockdiloro. Most likely, he was a novice fresh out of wizard school, eager to gain experience.

'Georgia, watch your tone,' Vandar scolded.

'Apologies, Lord Rain. This is my sister, Georgia, an archer and a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice. I've spoiled her, and she can be rather arrogant,' Vandar apologized.

Rain waved his hand dismissively, unbothered by the comment. 'How strong are Deep Sea Giants?'

'Well, I once witnessed a battle between the Bloodwolf Mercenary Corps, a well-known group in Frostwind Tundra, and a Deep Sea Giant. The giant displayed formidable strength.'

'It possessed immense power, and even the Bloodwolf Corps' veteran Great Knight, armed with a tower shield, couldn't withstand a single blow and was sent flying, injured. They managed to defeat it only after employing hit-and-run tactics and suffering several casualties.'

'If we encounter one, our chances of victory are slim, and we should retreat immediately,' Vandar added gravely when mentioning Deep Sea Giants.

Rain nodded and smiled. 'In that case, the bounty for a Deep Sea Giant must be even higher. With me here, perhaps we can give it a try.'

'One more person won't make much difference. It's best to avoid Deep Sea Giants altogether!' Georgia, already upset by her brother's scolding, interrupted.

'Newcomer, my brother says your Sharpening technique is extraordinary. Why not demonstrate it for us?'

'Hehe, I'll showcase it when we're in battle. Using it now would only waste my mental energy,' Rain replied calmly, understanding her attitude as he also had a sister.

However, he didn't comply with Georgia's request, merely waving his hand.

Rain's response left Georgia frustrated, and she huffed before turning away and riding off.

As the team advanced toward the shipwreck remains, the broadleaf forest around them gradually thinned out.

Soon, they exited the woodland and reached a beach-like area with low-lying shrubs and grass.

Rain and Vandar chatted as they walked, and Rain quickly learned more about the Sea Folk who had come ashore to cause trouble.

The conversation then turned to the Sea God Sect.

'The most formidable opponents are the Sea God Sect followers. Some of them, the Eagle Handlers, are relatively weaker and easier to deal with. They are either veteran or peak Knights,' Rain explained.

'Others, wearing black robes with a giant octopus emblem on their chests, are Sea God Sect Executives. Each of them possesses the strength of a Full Wizard, making them tough opponents.'

'But whether it's against Eagle Handlers or Sea God Sect Executives, archers are the best choice. That's why our team consists mainly of archers and rangers.'

'I see,' Rain nodded in understanding.

He had wondered why almost half the mercenaries in the gorge's bar were archers, with the rest being warriors carrying various shields.

'Vandar, do you know if there are any powerful members of the Sea God Sect in the area?' Rain asked.

'The strongest Sea God Sect member around here is probably Harfus, a High Wizard with the nickname 'Shadowheart Burner,' who is rumored to have legendary power. He has killed two Imperial Majors responsible for the defense of this region in recent times,' Vandar replied solemnly.

'Don't jinx us! If we encounter the 'Shadowheart Burner,' we're all doomed!' Georgia, who had been listening to the conversation, muttered under her breath.

'Georgia!' Vandar scolded.

'Apologies, Lord Rain. As for other powerful members of the Sea God Sect, I'm not entirely sure. Even within the cult, such information is considered confidential, and the Empire might not have access to it,' Vandar apologized.

'Hmm,' Rain acknowledged.

Rain looked up at the sky for a few seconds.

After a few seconds, the archer on watch whispered, 'Commander, it's an Ironbeak Sea Eagle! There's a Sea God Sect Eagle Handler nearby!'

'Full alert!' Vandar ordered quietly.

The Frostclaw Bear Mercenary Corps members dismounted, their faces stern as they grabbed their longbows, drew arrows, and took aim.

'Just as we talk about the Sea God Sect, they appear. How infuriating!' Georgia aimed her bow, shooting Rain a glare, muttering in frustration.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end