A man walking toward Gauss appeared to be in his thirties or forties, wearing well-tailored light armor with the emblem of the Great Serpent Adventurer Group emblazoned on his chest.

His steps were steady, his aura restrained, clearly indicating substantial strength.

Gauss and the others had originally planned to turn and leave, but seeing him approach, they temporarily halted their steps.

The man walked up to Gauss and his companions.

His gaze immediately fell upon Gauss.

"Hello, Mr. Gauss," the man spoke calmly, extending a hand at the same time.

He identified Gauss right from the start, without any pretense or mystery.

"I am William, the field operations director of the Great Serpent Adventurer Group. Our leader noticed you all earlier and specifically sent me over to greet you."

Gauss understood immediately—indeed, that Mr. Kid from the Vives family had been watching them.

Thinking it over, the only possible connection was that the Vives family had previously invited him through Adelle's message.

Could it be that after being rejected, as a member of the Vives family, he wanted to vent his family's displeasure?

Gauss's mind raced through possibilities, but his expression remained as calm as still water.

Then he reached out and shook William's hand briefly before withdrawing.

"Director William, hello. Please convey my regards to Leader Kid as well."

Though he had his suspicions, Gauss maintained proper etiquette, wanting to see what exactly the other party was up to.

Kid sending him over definitely wasn't just for greetings.

Sure enough, after the brief pleasantries, William continued speaking.

"The leader values talent and specifically asked me to inquire whether you, Mr. Gauss, and your half-snake friend here would be interested in joining our Great Serpent Adventurer Group's formal combat roster?"

Huh?

Just when Gauss had mentally prepared himself.

What came from William's mouth was still an invitation.

But this time it wasn't in the name of the Vives family, but rather the Great Serpent Adventurer Group.

After being rejected last time, they had changed their approach.

"This..."

With the previous experience as a cautionary tale, Gauss instinctively wanted to refuse.

He had no desire to be constrained.

"Rest assured, while our Great Serpent Adventurer Group has some connections with the Vives family, we are not their subsidiary. All internal affairs are independently decided within the group. The leader genuinely admires both of you, please consider it further."

His gaze lingered back and forth between Gauss and Serlandul for a long time.

He also understood why Leader Kid had specifically sent him to extend an invitation to these two.

Gauss naturally went without saying—just from his demeanor and appearance, he gave off an extraordinary impression. As for Serlandul, it was probably related to his half-snake identity.

Although both their levels were somewhat low.

To join their formal combat roster, one needed to be at least level 5 to start, and ordinary level 5 adventurers would most likely fail the assessment—they needed to have special skills. Generally, core combat personnel were at least level 6.

This stemmed from Leader Kid's elite strategy—better to have none than accept mediocrity.

Of course, for other non-core departments, the requirements were much lower.

But correspondingly, these people would enjoy fewer rights and resources compared to the core teams.

However, after his explanation.

He noticed that Gauss in front of him had furrowed his brows.

"What about my two companions then?"

Gauss wasn't actually that eager to join the Great Serpent Adventurer Group, but hearing William talk only about him and Serlandul from start to finish, ignoring Shadow and Aria, made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"Our Great Serpent Adventurer Group's formal combat roster has very high standards," William didn't directly answer Gauss's question.

"If you two join, you'll need to undergo a period of observation and internal training, then based on your specialties and strength, you'll be assigned to the most suitable combat squad. Subsequent operations will also be uniformly scheduled by the team."

After speaking, his gaze turned to Aria and Shadow behind him.

"As for these two teammates of yours, Mr. Gauss, they currently don't meet the entry standards for our core combat department."

"If they wish to join, I can communicate and coordinate with colleagues from other branch departments to arrange two positions for them."

The air seemed to freeze.

Aria stood awkwardly in place, pursing her lips, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her robe, completely at a loss.

The embarrassment of being publicly evaluated and deemed unqualified made her cheeks flush red.

Shadow remained expressionless.

As if the man named William wasn't talking about her, but about someone completely unrelated.

Gauss caught this scene in his peripheral vision.

The slight consideration that had just risen in his heart was instantly replaced by a firm emotion.

Without hesitation, he spoke decisively.

"Sorry, thank you for your group's appreciation."

He could actually understand the strict screening requirements of a large adventurer group, but understanding didn't mean he could accept it.

"We are a complete team. Either we all join together, or none of us join."

William's originally confident expression suddenly stiffened.

He thought he had offered benefits that others couldn't refuse.

After all, if a level 4 professional normally applied to join the core roster, they'd probably be thrown out as troublemakers.

In Sena City, this bay pearl, the Great Serpent Adventurer Group's name was very prestigious. Even without mentioning subsequent training and improvement, becoming part of the core roster was itself an honor for ordinary elite professionals.

Something many dreamed of but couldn't obtain.

The calm finally disappeared from William's face.

His tone turned cold as he spoke full of disappointment, as if he had just discovered Gauss's foolishness.

"Gauss, I hope you think this through carefully. Everyone has their own path to walk."

His gaze swept over Aria and Shadow again.

"How about this—you go back and discuss it further. We'll be in Sena City for the next few days. You should be able to find our specific location with a little inquiry..."

"Thank you for your group's goodwill, but I think I've already considered it very clearly."

William looked at Gauss who refused again, his expression complex—displeasure at being offended mixed with a trace of regret and frustration at his lack of ambition.

"I understand. Farewell." He turned to leave but suddenly stopped, glancing back to leave one final sentence.

"I hope someday in the future, you won't regret today's choice."

After delivering this line, William's figure merged into the port crowd and disappeared.

After he left, the team fell silent for a moment.

Aria hesitated for a long time before speaking quietly.

"Ac...actually, we could separate too."

From her conflicted tone, one could tell she was struggling internally.

"I don't think that would be good." Gauss shook his head, showing a smile.

He had indeed briefly weighed the considerations earlier.

After all, it's easier to thrive under a big tree's shade. If the Great Serpent Adventurer Group's management was relatively loose, developing through this platform for a while might not be bad.

But facts proved he had thought too much.

There weren't that many public welfare organizations where you only enjoyed rights without undertaking obligations.

Not to mention that splitting up the team was something he couldn't accept.

Well...actually, when it came down to it, he was someone nostalgic and proud.

He believed that with his "talent," becoming stronger was just a matter of time, and he wasn't willing to compromise too much.

Not to mention that joining the Great Serpent Adventurer Group would mean reorganizing teams according to their needs, and subsequent operations would definitely follow orders.

If he wanted to kill large numbers of Goblins or certain low-level monsters to accumulate numbers in the Monster Encyclopedia, would other team members really agree?

Gauss knew it was impossible just thinking about it.

Because this involved fundamental interests—in the eyes of many adventurers, killing small monsters was useless behavior that didn't help with getting stronger, just a waste of time.

Moreover, being newly joined, he would definitely have little influence, probably unable to make proposals, let alone directly decide.

He paused, speaking with undeniable confidence.

"Believe me, it won't be long before we establish an even larger adventurer group and create even greater endeavors of our own."

Aria caught the determination in his eyes and couldn't help feeling moved inside.

Although she had said that earlier, if she really had to leave the team, she would be very sad.

But thinking of William's cold attitude earlier, she still felt somewhat indignant.

"Then, when that time comes, we'll just directly swallow up the Great Serpent Adventurer Group."

She spoke these somewhat childish fierce words, clearly having been "stimulated" by the experience.

"Good." Gauss smiled and nodded.

Serlandul remained silent.

From beginning to end, he hadn't felt the slightest attraction to the so-called Great Serpent Adventurer Group's core roster, only finding the other party noisy.

As for Shadow, she also vaguely understood Gauss and this team better.

Among those present, only Captain Fourn, who witnessed everything from start to finish, had already stirred up turbulent waves in his heart.

That was the Great Serpent Adventurer Group's core roster!

Having been active around Sena City for years, he knew very well what that represented.

If it were any other ordinary adventurer, he would definitely think they had lost their mind, and those "bold words" were just empty boasts to save face.

But looking at Gauss's completely serious, utterly earnest expression.

Fourn's heart couldn't help but accelerate.

If it were him... perhaps... he really could accomplish it?

The moment this thought emerged, even he found it utterly absurd.

The Great Serpent Adventurer Group—that was one of the behemoths perched at the top of Sena City's food chain.

Its formal members were said to exceed five hundred, not including the even larger number of peripheral members, service personnel, and employees related to the group's industries.

Leader Kid himself was a powerful bloodline warlock with unfathomable strength, standing at the pinnacle of Sena City's pyramid.

The Great Serpent Adventurer Group was no longer just an adventurer group—it had even become an important force in certain city defense matters.

Not to mention that the Great Serpent Adventurer Group had numerous connections with the city's true masters, the Vives family.

These intricate, deeply entangled relationships allowed the Great Serpent Adventurer Group to essentially operate freely in Sena City—whether official, merchant, or underground circles all had to show them some respect.

The Great Serpent Adventurer Group was such a behemoth, its influence extending like tree roots into most corners of Sena City.

With Fourn's limited perspective, he found it difficult to imagine what scale of force could possibly shake, let alone "swallow up," such an existence.

If it really happened, it would undoubtedly be the greatest miracle.

Thinking this, he felt his mouth go dry.

By that time, he might be one of the few witnesses to the entire process?

Fourn suddenly felt incredibly eager to see that day arrive.

Gazing at the calm-as-water ambition in Gauss's eyes, his own eyes took on a burning intensity.

"Let's go, first we need to deal with the spoils."

Gauss put the Great Serpent Adventurer Group out of his mind again.

The road must be walked step by step, rice must be eaten mouthful by mouthful.

As long as they kept growing stronger, those arrogant boasts would gradually become reality someday.

On Ninth Avenue in Sena City, in a luxurious motorcade.

Kid Vives leaned against the velvet-lined window, his eyes calmly scanning the passing street scenes outside, those snake-like pupils reflecting no emotion whatsoever.

"Refused? I see."

Faced with the returned message, he merely responded calmly.

That handsome yet somewhat chilling face remained expressionless.

Not the slightest change occurred upon hearing the news.

No anger, displeasure, surprise, or regret—only a placidness like a deep pool.

His earlier act of sending someone to invite them had indeed been just a whim.

Although he spent years abroad managing his own adventurer group, he wasn't completely unaware of some Vives family decisions. In fact, he knew most of the family's noteworthy matters inside out.

Of course, not because he actively sought information, but because people in the family would help transmit messages.

And amidst his busy schedule, he would take time to understand various intelligence and consultations.

Those in high positions were actually busier than many imagined.

Naturally, he would feel curious about a low-level adventurer like Gauss who had outright refused the family's investment.

That's why when he spotted them at the dock earlier, he took the opportunity to send someone to recruit them.

The family's power had nothing to do with him—the Great Serpent Adventurer Group was the independent kingdom he could control.

If talents who refused the family could be used by him personally, he would find it interesting.

As for Serlandul, that was just incidental due to bloodline relations.

Yes, his invitation to Gauss and Serlandul had nothing to do with anything else—it was purely out of interest.

So being refused didn't bother him much anyway.

This was just an insignificant little episode.

For him, what truly mattered was only his own strength and the Great Serpent Adventurer Group's scale and development.

Everything else was just noise.

"Lord Kid, the Elder Council requests your presence at the family conference hall immediately upon landing," reminded a beautiful attendant nearby.

"Then let's hurry over," he replied, his voice still steady and unfluctuating.

The luxurious carriage rolled over the smooth stone pavement, heading toward the oldest, most solemn complex of buildings in the city center.

The scenery outside the window gradually shifted from the noisy bustle of the port district to the solemn, quiet nobility district.

Everywhere one looked were high walls, deep courtyards, and heavy security.

The Vives family conference hall was located in the core area of the family castle.

The heavy oak doors were carved with intricate family emblems—white waves encircling an all-seeing eye, symbolizing the family's mastery over the seas and hidden knowledge.

As he passed the hall entrance, his gaze subtly paused on the family emblem for a moment, a slightly mocking smile curling his lips before he stepped into the main hall.

The air was filled with the mixed scents of ancient wood, preserved documents, and faint magical incense.

Around the long conference table sat several elderly figures, both men and women.

Each one here was a powerful figure controlling the Vives family's vital interests—in other words, the true masters of Sena City.

Among them, some were responsible for family finances and industries, some for intelligence and certain "special" affairs.

Others handled the family's core interests in military, magical research, Adventurers Guild, and other areas.

Kid's arrival drew all eyes to him.

"Kid, your recent actions have been somewhat too conspicuous," said the white-haired elder at the head, named Lawrence Vives. He referred to the Great Serpent Adventurer Group's continuously expanding influence and Kid's increasingly autocratic style in certain matters.

"The Elder Council hopes you can rein in your subordinates."

"I'll do my best."

"And those sea folk—don't tell me you can't control them?" Lawrence tapped the table, his tone not questioning but interrogating.

The so-called sea folk were those humans with partial seafolk bloodline.

Due to bloodline relations, some among them with benign mutations possessed better talents than ordinary humans.

But mixed bloodlines also made these people more prone to "bloodline sickness," greatly increasing their risk of losing control.

Recently, several large-scale bloody conflicts had already erupted in the city between sea folk and ordinary humans.

"Those causing conflicts aren't my people," Kid shook his head calmly.

Lawrence just stared firmly at him, not speaking for a long time.

"I don't care if they're your people or not, I only want to see results," Lawrence snorted coldly.

"Understood," Kid slightly bowed his head.

"And clean out some of those sea folk from your group too. Regarding how to deal with those impure-blooded outsiders, I don't think I need to remind you further."

Elder Lawrence locked his hawk-like gaze on Kid, fingers lightly tapping the table, emitting rhythmic taps as if applying pressure.

"Don't forget, Kid—you are first the Vives family's second heir, then the leader of the Great Serpent Adventurer Group."

The underlying meaning in his words was that although the Great Serpent Adventurer Group was his power base, its operation still depended on the family, and they had many ways to make this organization cease functioning.

Kid's face finally showed some expression.

He took a deep breath.

After a long time, he finally spoke.

"Elder Lawrence, I believe what the family needs is a great serpent that can tear apart prey, not a docile, harmless sheep, right?"

"Can you control them? Rather than raising a pack of beasts that will eventually turn on you? Even if you didn't directly order the recent conflicts, your permissive attitude is largely responsible! Sena City needs stability, not chaos!" Another female elder, Madam Marjorie, who managed family intelligence, spoke coldly.

Beasts, huh...

Kid's gaze swept over each elder's face present.

Suddenly, he chuckled lightly.

"I understand."

He stood up, his tall serpent-like figure casting a long shadow under the magical lights.

"Since this is the Elder Council's collective decision... I'll deal with it."

After speaking, he didn't look at any elder again, turning to walk toward the main door, his steps still steady.

After he left.

Elder Lawrence and Elder Marjorie exchanged a glance.

"He's becoming increasingly difficult to restrain."

"If this continues, I'm afraid some people in the city will only know of the Heavenly Serpent Kid, and not recognize the Vives family."

"By the way, I just received intelligence—Kid privately sent someone to contact that Gauss as soon as he landed, trying to recruit him."

If Gauss were here, he'd probably be shocked because barely any time had passed since he was at the dock, yet the intelligence had already flown like wings to the Vives family's core decision-making level.

"Did he agree?"

"No, that kid refused."

"Then no need to concern ourselves. That esteemed one has already taken notice of him—we cannot go against that esteemed one's wishes."

"Another one of these impure-blooded freaks... Forget it, even if he can't be used by the family, it doesn't matter. Saves us from raising another ungrateful venomous snake."

Her tone seemed disdainful, but that momentary pause and subtle movement betrayed her insincerity.

Making her words sound somewhat sour.

Everyone present knew that the weight of being personally noted by that esteemed one couldn't be diminished by her few words.

So the others didn't respond, and soon the conference hall fell into silence.

"Meeting adjourned."