CHAPTER 38: 038 MOVING FORWARD FOR WHAT PURPOSE

Reiger might not have known that at the start, when he learned that Loki and the clan leaders had found him a teammate and arranged for him to team up and venture into the underground city with a newcomer from the clan, Rephia had resolved to grow.

Because Rephia was well aware of the problems she harbored.

Unlike the rest of the clan executives who debuted as adventurers, accustomed to fighting monsters, even engaging in fierce mortal combats, Rephia came from an academic background—an elite who grew up in an ivory tower, quite different in thought and awareness from those adventurers who were used to putting their lives on the line daily.

Before joining Loki’s clan, Rephia had developed in a very stable manner and became a high-level adventurer upon becoming an adventurer. Rephia was actually not accustomed to intensely fierce battles.

Moreover, being a specialist rear guard, she had a side to her that was prone to nervousness. Once she was engaged in battle, she was usually fine unless something unexpected happened, at which point her heart would race and she wouldn’t be able to calm down for a long while.

This was undoubtedly very fatal for a Magic Guide.

After all, Magic Guides primarily use magic as their means of combat, chanting magic, and casting magic—that’s the only thing a Magic Guide could do.

But Chanting Magic usually also required a very stable mind and disposition; otherwise, how could one successfully and smoothly chant the spells of magic?

When using magic, one must have a stable disposition and a calm spirit, maintaining equanimity to continue one’s chanting unconcernedly when a monster is attacking, to refine spiritual power into Magic Power, to successfully cast magic and annihilate the enemy.

So, while Magic Guides might seem to just stay in safe positions casting magic as rear guards, they actually require a stronger heart than vanguards and midfield guards.

In this regard, Rephia undoubtedly fell short.

She had lost her composure in battle more than once, leading to the failure of her magic use.

That’s why, in Rephia’s heart, she truly couldn’t shoulder the importance the clan leaders and clan executives placed on her, nor could she bear the name of genius.

People like Finn often counseled Rephia, and even the first-tier adventurers of the clan looked at her differently, reaching out a helping hand without nitpicking, allowing her to join the executives’ teams and circles, acting together. Yet, Rephia often got so nervous that she forgot to chant her magic.

Therefore, Rephia always believed she couldn’t keep up with the first-tier adventurers, and that she was just dragging them down by being with them.

With this mindset, Rephia had no complaints about teaming up with a Lv.1 newbie from the clan, and dared not consider herself a senior, even though she had a higher level than Reiger, and she joined the adventure with him with a mentality of seeking advice.

Indeed, Rephia really wanted to use the opportunity of teaming up with Reiger to train herself well and correct her own flaws.

She also highly valued this opportunity; teaming with higher-level executives meant she was dragging them down, and teaming with clan colleagues of the same level could trouble others. In such a situation, exploring with a newcomer of a lower rank and figuring out fighting styles together was more in line with Rephia’s intentions.

But the result was less than satisfactory.

No, even less than satisfactory didn’t cover it; her performance was undoubtedly as bad as it could be.

Recalling how she had been repeatedly rescued by Reiger yesterday, and how she had acted in panic, Rephia felt extremely ashamed.

And during Reiger’s deadly fight with the crocodile dragon, as a rear guard Magic Guide, she should have found opportunities to use her magic to help Reiger defeat a formidable enemy, yet in the end, she just stood aside, foolishly watching, having completely lost her ability to react.

In contrast, Reiger, although weaker than his enemy and merely a week into his adventuring career, never showed a trace of fear. Instead, he faced the challenge head-on, unafraid of death, staging an unparalleled fight.

The figure, the grace, even Rephia had to admit, the impression and impact it left on her at the time were unimaginably huge.

Rephia even saw the figure of the person she admired in Reiger at that time.

Those two figures, in Rephia’s heart, had somewhat overlapped.

By comparison, her own performance was utterly terrible.

Realizing this, Rephia had sunk into deep self-loathing since returning home, unable to extricate herself.

"People like me, wherever I go, I’m just dragging others down," Rephia said, head low and extremely dejected. "Mr. Reiger should team up with more capable clan colleagues to avoid being held back."

At this point, Rephia’s tone was not just dejected, but also carried a hint of self-abuse and inferiority.

The living room was also overtaken by a stifling silence that made the atmosphere somewhat uncomfortable.

Just as Rephia couldn’t help but think about fleeing, Reiger finally spoke up.

"Rephia." Reiger asked, "What did you become an adventurer for?"

At this, Rephia was slightly taken aback, lifting her head to look at Reiger.

In front of Rephia, Reiger was staring directly at her, his eyes and expression extremely calm.

"I..."

Rephia was at a loss.

What had she become an adventurer for?

"Some for wealth."

"Some for fame."

"Some for power."

"Some for survival."

"People choose to become adventurers each for their own reasons and desires, otherwise, no one would choose such a job where one could lose their life at any time."

Reiger’s voice was unusually serene, giving a sense of wonder.

"How about you? What did you become an adventurer for?"

This question left Rephia momentarily speechless.

"Can’t answer?"

Reiger wasn’t surprised, simply making this comment.

"Yes." Rephia couldn’t help but lower her head again, whispering, "I, I also don’t know why."

Rephia really couldn’t explain it.

It felt like there was a reason, but she thought that the reason must be trivial.

Perhaps———

"Perhaps, you haven’t found a reason that can firmly tell others, not feeling sorry for others, nor for yourself, a reason that can make you feel proud," Reiger seemed to see through Rephia’s heart and said, "But it actually doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, you will find your own reason."

"And when you find that reason, you will realize that you can do what others can do as well."

"After all, the only difference between you and me lies here."

Reiger’s words, as they fell on Rephia’s ears, were quite profound.

Strangely enough, Rephia felt she couldn’t forget these words.

Especially when Reiger’s expression was so calm, yet the words spoken were like this.

"When a reason you must do this appears, the courage you lack will surely show up as well."

"You can be confused, you can be puzzled, but never be numb and just go with the flow."

"That is truly terrifying."

When Reiger spoke these words, there was an inexplicable persuasiveness in his tone.

Regrettably, Rephia did not have the chance to explore the reasons further.

"You are still not mature; this is indeed a fact. But I am also not strong enough. So, we are even," Reiger finally showed a slight smile and said to Rephia, "I think it’s good if we continue to team up like this. Do you have any objections?"

"Of, of course not!" Rephia hastily shook her head like a rattle drum. After hesitating, she once again timidly said, "Can I really do it?"

Reiger didn’t answer the question, but just looked at Rephia, his gaze saying it all.

Seeing this, Rephia took a deep breath.

Right here, Rephia made up her mind again, determined to grow.

To not let herself down.

To not let down the admired female swordsman.

And also, to not let down the teammate standing before her, whose aspirations overlapped with her own.

...

The Manor at Dusk, courtyard.

After parting with Rephia, Reiger went back to his room, took his short sword, which was a secondary weapon, and came here.

However, when Reiger arrived, someone was already there.

"Whoosh!"

The blond female swordsman, holding a silver longsword, danced around here, each swing producing slicing winds that resounded continuously.

Reiger stood there, watching for a while, and then found that the person had stopped.

Ais no longer swung her sword, but did not sheathe it either, just stood there, turned her head, and looked at Reiger who had appeared in the courtyard.

The two made eye contact, and for a moment, neither chose to speak.

After a pause———

"Shall we spar?"

Without any reason, Ais made such a suggestion, causing Reiger to be slightly taken aback.

Ais’s expression remained unchanged.

"You came to get moving, right?" Ais said. "To adjust to the body after the explosive increase in strength."

"...You noticed?" Reiger was silent for a while, then replied helplessly, "It seems my change is quite obvious."

"Mhm." Ais nodded and said, "It might not be such a big issue for others, but you’ve increased your strength so much, your physical movements are visibly uncoordinated to the point that it could affect combat."

Who would think that Reiger would have an unprecedented full ability SSS upgrade? Before the upgrade, his highest basic ability was just B, and now he had a one-time full ability surge to SSS, upgraded to Lv.2, plus acquired ’Light Gear’, a combat development ability that enhances ’Agility’ and ’Swiftness’, which was also elevated in level by the effect of [Endless]. Reiger’s current strength improvement indeed was significant enough that adjustments had to be made.

"Shall we spar?"

Ais proposed again.

"Yes."

Reiger naturally had no objections and nodded firmly.

Before long, sounds of clashing swords were heard in the courtyard.

Reiger continued to grow fiercely and quickly.

As his skills suggested, as if never seeing an end.