Grayrock Town awoke from the night's embrace. Thin mist still lingered, draping like gauze over the stone-built houses and streets. The air carried a slight chill with hints of cooking smoke. Figures moved through the streets, already busy with the new day's work. Pack horses snorted as they pulled carts over the cobblestone roads, making rumbling sounds. Some adventurers wearing leather armor and carrying weapons yawned while clutching baked pancakes, moving in small groups toward the guild hall or town exit. This was Grayrock Town's most ordinary morning. Gauss and his two companions led their ostriches to the guild entrance to meet the supply caravan heading to Lincrest Town. Their equipment and supplies had been checked and prepared. Unlike the town's civilians and lower-tier adventurers, their destination lay farther away—an unfamiliar forest town filled with unknowns and hidden threats. Besides Gauss's adventurer team, the escort included several cavalry members and other staff. The cavalry captain was a middle-aged man named Bard with unkempt stubble on his chin. Seeing Gauss's party arrive, he finished reviewing documents before his eyes caught their rank badges, an unconsciously satisfied expression appearing on his face. The six-pointed stars showed three stars, three stars, and two stars respectively. After his strength certification, Gauss had been promoted from two stars to three stars, making the emblem on his chest look less monotonous. Actually, he still fell somewhat short on mission numbers, but Sherry had used her authority to promote him anyway. After all, he hadn't completed zero missions, and there would be more assignments after reaching Lincrest Town and heading to Outpost 11—this was essentially an "advance" on his future achievements. Gauss stepped forward and shook hands with Captain Bard. After exchanging nods, the entire caravan slowly passed through Grayrock Town's not-so-grand gate under the curious gazes of townsfolk. Shortly after leaving town, the road beneath immediately transitioned from stone to packed earth. Sunlight spilled across the road marked with wheel ruts and hoof prints as the ostriches moved with light yet steady steps. The oxen's pace felt no different from a leisurely stroll for the ostriches. "Captain Gauss, so young yet so accomplished," Cavalry Captain Bard remarked while riding a brown horse at the front of the convoy with Gauss, making casual conversation. "You flatter me," Gauss replied calmly. Bard laughed heartily, wiping the stubble on his chin with his large-knuckled, calloused hand. He genuinely felt Gauss had achieved remarkable things. Not only was Gauss himself a level 3 professional at such a young age, but his team members were equally promising. The entire squad radiated a vibrant, upward-moving spirit completely different from those veteran adventurers just going through the motions. "My son's older than you, still loafing around in Falim all day," Bard said, glancing at Gauss's confident face with indescribable envy. If his son were half as outstanding, he might already be able to retire and enjoy a peaceful life in his later years. Unfortunately, he still had to shoulder his family's burdens, even working to build an estate substantial enough for his children to squander. With the properties he'd accumulated—several ostrich rental shops in the provincial capital—he could theoretically retire comfortably. Gauss couldn't really comment on this. Actually, elite professionals like them occupied an awkward position—stuck between advancement and stagnation. If single, they could live quite well, but if aiming to establish a family foundation or even build a clan, it fell far short. Such families, with their modest wealth enough for basic comfort, often produced descendants who lacked drive and ambition. If his son were half as outstanding, he might already be able to retire and enjoy a peaceful retirement. yet unable to match true high-level adventurers who could leave substantial assets, wealth, and precious cultivation resources that could elevate even mediocre descendants to decent levels. When the pillar of such elite professional families fell, it might take just a few generations for the assets to be squandered completely, leading to class decline into backbreaking farming. "Captain Bard, are you from Falim?" Falim was the capital of Coldjade Province and its largest city. Even the Forest Capital Barry that Gauss had visited before couldn't compare—Barry was at best Coldjade Province's secondary center. Of course, this "secondary center" status wasn't officially designated but rather spread through common talk, with several similar "secondary centers" existing throughout the province. Falim's population wasn't much larger than Barry's, but it had significantly more high-level professionals and a much stronger magical atmosphere. Unlike young people from poor adventurer or commoner backgrounds who knew they had nothing to lose and had to fight for any hope, Hearing Gauss's question, Bard perked up. Mentioning prosperous Falim made even the poorest laborers from the Altaga district instinctively straighten their backs with pride. And he was no ordinary commoner. "Yes, I belong to the Iron Guard Knights, currently following superior orders to support the establishment of Settlement 11." This wasn't classified information. So Bard spoke frankly, a trace of barely noticeable pride coloring his expression. Though he felt considerable envy—even jealousy—toward Gauss for being just one level below him despite his youth, the Iron Guard Knights weren't something just any professional could join. This was Coldjade Province's directly affiliated elite knight order, serving directly under the provincial governor, Border Count Augustine Xavier. Talent alone wasn't enough—candidates had to pass through multiple layers of screening. Among his batch of applicants, he hadn't been the most talented, yet he made it through and used the knight order's resources to advance from an ordinary level 1 professional to his current level 4. In his lifetime, he might even glimpse the threshold of level 5. Level 5 professionals represented the strongest combat power among elite adventurers, nearly the peak ordinary people could achieve in a lifetime. Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖑~𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖾~𝖓𝖊𝖙 Reaching level 5 would mean he could die without regrets, personally speaking. As for level 6... better not even think about that. Level 6 professionals might even earn an audience with Count Xavier, and through merit and accomplishments be knighted as proper landed "knights," joining the lowest noble rank and achieving true social advancement. Only at that stage could one truly claim to have established a family clan. Thinking this, he couldn't help glancing at Gauss again. Well, ultimately, he still felt somewhat "green-eyed" about Gauss's talent. With this young man's gifts, he'd probably already become "Lord Bard" by now. Talent alone wasn't enough—candidates had to pass multiple layers of screening. He'd vaguely heard of this knight order before. Reportedly all members were professionals, with officer positions requiring elite-level strength or above. Of course, behind the resource investment came the cost of swearing loyalty to the Xavier family and sacrificing some personal freedom. He didn't feel particularly envious about this. But it made him wonder—since the province possessed elite forces like the Iron Guard Knights, why had they maintained relative peace with the Emerald Forest's monster forces for over a century rather than launching large-scale cleansing operations? Clearly, the Emerald Forest must contain substantial numbers of elite-level or higher monsters. Fortunately, such power levels concerned the entire province. For Outpost 11 where he was headed, it was just an ordinary node on an extended defensive line. Gauss seized the opportunity during travel to continuously gather information from Cavalry Captain Bard about Falim, the count's family, and the Emerald Forest. Lincrest Town wasn't particularly close to Grayrock Town. Combined with escorting ox-drawn supply wagons, it took two full days before Gauss's party spotted the town's architectural outline on the distant horizon. Even the energetic ostriches showed some fatigue after two days of travel. Gauss casually fed his mount Golden Spike two carrots. Crossing the final gentle hill, Lincrest Town's gates finally came into view. Completely different from Grayrock Town's rugged style—initially built around mining veins and later constructed from sturdy rock even after depletion—Lincrest Town seemed like something grown from the forest itself. The town entrance featured a massive archway not made of stone, but formed from the naturally curving, grafted branches of two enormous ancient trees growing together. The top was entwined with more vines and lush foliage, creating a vibrant "green gate." The lintel was decorated with wood carvings of forest spirits and beasts, filled with nature worship symbolism. This was a town with centuries of history, possessing deeper cultural heritage rather than simply developing as a human settlement from a forward outpost. Gauss and his party queued to enter the town. The air carried a rich forest scent blending soil, vegetation, and a sandalwood-like calming fragrance. The temperature felt slightly cooler than outside. Whether illusion or not, Gauss felt the mana within him seemed somewhat more active. "We've arrived, Lincrest Town." Cavalry Captain Bard sighed with relief, his voice carrying the relaxation of completing a phase mission. "Rest here tonight, replenish supplies, get proper rest. Tomorrow morning, we officially head to the outpost. Need to be careful on this final stretch." "Captain Bard, we'll part ways here then." Bard needed to meet with other Iron Guard Knights comrades, and Gauss tactfully suggested their farewell. After Bard's group departed, Gauss finally had time to appreciate this unfamiliar town he was visiting for the first time. His gaze swept across streets and buildings. The scenery here proved even more astonishing. Many structures weren't built from the ground up but cleverly integrated with massive trees. Treehouses were everywhere here, some even using thick branches as foundational support for multi-level buildings connected by suspension bridges or spiral wooden staircases. Roofs were covered with thick moss or turf, the architecture harmoniously blending with the environment. Sunlight filtered through the towering forest canopy, transforming into soft light beams that spilled across the town's streets and squares. The dappled light made this layered, complex yet somehow beautiful town seem perpetually bathed in a tranquil, hazy atmosphere. Town residents wore clothing mainly of linen, animal hides, and dark cotton—styles closer to nature and practicality. Many carried weapons at their waists or backs, likely because they regularly hunted in surrounding areas. This was a town with centuries of history, possessing deeper cultural heritage rather than simply developing as a human settlement from a forward outpost. The streets held many foreign adventurers like them whose attire clashed with local styles. Besides Grayrock Town, adventurers from Blackwater Town and Absinthe Town would also arrive in Lincrest Town over these few days, departing from here for the final leg to Outpost 11's chosen location. "Uncle Mo, book me the town's best hotel." A young warrior in gleaming, eye-catching armor also entered through the gates. Dismounting, he spoke to the middle-aged man beside him. Gauss turned to look. This person radiated wealth from head to toe. The white horse beneath him had exceptionally glossy fur that seemed to faintly glow, clearly possessing some special bloodline. "Very well, young master." Behind them followed several other relatively silent adventurers, but their equipment and weapons were clearly not ordinary. Were these noble scions from inland regions? The other party made no effort to conceal their status—whether through speech, mannerisms, or attire, everything was flamboyant. Gauss could easily guess their general identity. Especially the middle-aged man called Uncle Mo, who gave off an intensely oppressive presence. As Gauss observed, the white-robed middle-aged man also turned to look in his direction. Perhaps noticing the young man's appearance, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. His peripheral vision discreetly registered the trio's badge levels, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "I'm hungry, let's find somewhere to eat first." The young noble, possibly sensing the older man's attention, followed his gaze toward Gauss. After noting the trio's ordinary equipment and strength, his eyes passed over them indifferently as if scanning empty air, as though they didn't exist. "Very well, young master." The dappled light made this layered, complex yet somehow beautiful town seem perpetually bathed in a tranquil, hazy atmosphere. Aria snorted quietly. "So arrogant, these inlanders." "Don't even understand the principle of not flaunting wealth." The streets held many foreign adventurers like them whose attire clashed with local styles. Gauss smiled slightly. He'd long grown accustomed to being ignored by others. Temporary prominence meant little—if birth determined destiny, he wouldn't be standing here today. "Let's find an inn to settle in too."