Chapter 55: Marin Chasing His Dream
Black Anvil Workshop.
Returning to this old place, Gauss felt a wave of emotion as he surveyed the shop.
The last time he came here, he was just a novice who had completed his first mission.
He knew nothing about the adventurous life or the supernatural system of this world.
But now, he was walking the right path.
He stepped into the smithy.
Surprisingly, Gauss didn’t see the face he had expected.
A stranger was receiving guests at the front.
“Welcome to Black Anvil Workshop. Looking for weapons or gear?”
A freckled teenage boy approached with a smile.
Seeing that the man who entered was fully armored and sword‑wielding like an adventurer, he knew he probably wasn’t just some idle passerby.
“I’d like to buy a short sword.” Gauss looked around before speaking.
Although he already owned multiple weapons—dagger, rapier, and a bone-handled staff—he decided to add a short sword.
A light dagger is compact, concealed, and ideal for emergencies, but in close-range direct combat, it’s not as reliable as a short sword.
Even though he had a rapier, he wanted a short sword in preparation for more varied future battle scenarios.
In narrow spaces like caves or tunnels, a short sword performs better.
And, most critically, he had some extra cash on hand now.
Carrying more weapons is never a bad idea; you can always pick the right tool when facing adversaries.
Choosing a short sword was easy—just pick one that was well-crafted and seemed reliable.
Short swords are one of the mainstream weapon choices for many adventurers, so the shop stocked plenty of standard models—any one would do.
“Oh, by the way, can I ask where Marin went?” Gauss casually asked while paying.
The new clerk eyed him warily.
“I’m his friend—last time you were here, he was working here.”
The freckled boy replied.
“He quit last week and went home. I heard he’s preparing to become an adventurer,” he said, shaking his head.
“Who knows who persuaded Marin, but the shopkeeper tried to convince him to stay. In the end, the shopkeeper even sponsored him with a weapon.”
The freckled youth looked puzzled.
Gauss, the “culprit,” felt a bit embarrassed listening to this.
He knew Marin was likely influenced by him.
Especially last time, when Shopkeeper Groln briefly appraised his Life Magic Stone at two gold coins—it clearly stirred Marin.
That incident probably gave Marin the illusion of “Gauss can do it, so I can too.”
Gauss left the smithy without disturbing Groln hard at work in the back forge.
Thinking of Marin, he felt a pang of emotion.
He wanted to tell him that if he hadn’t had the Adventurer’s Handbook as a golden ticket, he probably wouldn’t have chosen to become an adventurer.
“May he find safety,” Gauss murmured, shaking his head.
He could only offer blessings for Marin’s choice, hoping they’d meet again someday.
He didn’t know many people in this world.
From Marin’s perspective, Gauss didn’t think becoming an adventurer offered more prospects than being a blacksmith.
In terms of income, a competent blacksmith surpasses most low-level adventurers—and it’s stable and safe.
An adventurer’s ceiling might be higher, but the job is dangerous, and very few make it to the upper ranks. If you remain at the bottom, unless you truly yearn for that life, it’s hard to justify giving up the stable livelihood of a smith’s apprentice.
Gauss turned and headed toward the Adventurer’s Guild.
Around Graystone Town, common low-level monsters left included kobolds, giant rats, and fish-people.
He didn’t feel the need to choose his targets meticulously.
First, once he collected five Monster Encyclopedia entries, the system would randomly select a special trait from among those five entries of monsters he’d defeated.
Other four slots were already filled,
even if the fifth monster was carefully selected, it was only a one-in-five chance.
Moreover, even if it happened to be the fifth monster, you still might not draw the desired ability.
It was better to go with fate; as long as you could collect five types to open the draw, that was enough.
“Seems like everyone’s rested well.” Levin looked at the energetic group and said with a smile.
Although nothing unexpected happened on the return, the group still retained some lingering trauma from that ghoul.
After a few days of rest, the more experienced adventurers quickly adjusted their mindset and condition.
You can never know whether your next mission request will be your last, but if you still harbor the aspiration to become a professional, you must overcome the fear of the unknown and then tread forward on thin ice.
The members of the Night Owl team clearly had this awareness.
“I’m ready to show what I can do anytime.” Doyle clenched his fist and let his gaze pass over the other teammates.
When his eyes landed on Gauss, they paused, then narrowed as he scrutinized him.
To be honest, though he hated to admit it, Gauss had always been his main focus.
First, it was out of respect for a “stronger” person; second, he wanted to learn from Gauss what made him strong.
Therefore, he was very sensitive to Gauss’s changes.
Seeing him again today, he felt that Gauss’s aura had changed in a way he couldn’t quite describe.
As if some kind of constraint had been lifted.
Gauss felt a bit uneasy under Doyle’s burning gaze.
From recollection, he knew this other world also had some people with unusual orientations.
Although this body’s charm stat was still 5 points, Gauss felt it might be close to 6.
But the stat didn’t allow rounding.
So whether it was 5.1 or 5.9, the system would still show 5.
The reason he thought his charm was nearing 6 wasn’t narcissism.
He had plenty of reasons: first, his base was already good; second, over this time he had eaten well, replenished nutrition, and his body became stronger, his vitality and aura elevated—so it was normal for charm to rise.
Calling him a bit handsome wasn’t an exaggeration.
“I should clarify, I like women.” Feeling helpless under Doyle’s stare, Gauss said.
The others first looked puzzled, then followed his gaze.
They saw Doyle standing there, seemingly "dazed," his expression shifting for a moment.
Especially the archer Oliver, who had been standing beside Doyle—he quietly took several steps back without anyone noticing.
Sensing his companion's strange gaze, Doyle, who had been lost in his thoughts, looked around at his teammates in confusion.
He looked at Oliver, trying to get him to explain what was happening.
“I also like women.” Oliver said cautiously.
Only then did Doyle realize, and his face flushed instantly.
After that small incident, the group laughed and entered the Adventurer’s Guild hall.
Levin, who had been walking in front, quietly let out a sigh.
He wasn’t the only one who had noticed the change in Gauss’s aura—Doyle, with his keen sixth sense as a swordsman, had too.
Has he grown stronger again? Levin wondered to himself.
At this rate, we might not be able to keep up with Gauss’s progress.
For a small team, if one member pulls too far ahead in strength, it also means a farewell is not far off.
Because that benefits neither side: the stronger one is slowed down by the weaker; the weaker, overly protected, will gradually lose their motivation; eventually the door to becoming a professional will close on them.
That’s a terrifying prospect for adventurers who yearn to go pro.
After all, if they only sought safety, why become adventurers?
Staying in town would be much more peaceful.
Levin realized this—and separation seemed inevitable.
But even though he noticed it, he wouldn’t say so out loud.
“Still the same as always?” Levin asked Gauss.
“Mm.”
“Then I’ll take a look.”