Chapter 171 - Growth
The day of their travel to Solaguer had arrived. Dan, Emelda and Dustin were coming with them along with a few more of their people.
Elliot and his friends would be dropped of to Alorde with Dustin while his parents would do the paperwork for the registration of their new guild. Elliot's idea to construct a guild would benefit the people in Cilca greatly.
"Dustin will stay with us for a while?" Viper asked. He was sharing the same room with Elliot and they were preparing for their travel.
"His parents will take a while processing their registration in Solaguer. And Dustin doesn't really have any other friends except for Stacey," Elliot said. "Dustin wants to go with his parents but when he heard we were going home, he wanted to come with us to see the guild."
"Speaking of guild, I miss Alorde," Viper said. "I mean, it's nice here and all but… I guess I just miss my grandma."
"That's normal," Elliot chuckled. He stood after wearing his boots and ruffled Viper's hair. "When you're an Adventurer, you'll have missions that would require you to go for weeks or even months in a quest. Then again, I also felt like this in my first adventure. I was anxious, I was cold, it was everything that I don't feel now and I believe that's the goal."
"Woah," Viper gasped. "But how did you become stronger? I mean, you're so strong right now that you can beat bandits without using any ability. That's so impressive."
"You flatter me too much," Elliot chuckled. "But to answer your question, I think you have to know what separates Adventurers from a regular person. Think about it. What's it with us that's not in an everyday Joe."
"The system?" Viper asked with a pout. "I think it's the system."
"Close," Elliot said. "I'll give you time to figure it out. But until then, we have to go to the hall and eat our breakfast. Let's go."
Elliot walked out of their room, leaving a pouting Viper who wasn't satisfief with Elliot's answer.
"He gave me a task as an answer to my question," Viper sighed. "Is he really like this?"
–
"Woah!" Dustin gasped in awe, seeing the vast green fields of the hills.
It was his first time going outside of their area and considering that their city is surrounded with forests, he hasn't seen a glimpse of the plain fields.
The Cilcan villagers had also donated wagons and horses for their journey. It would be more efficient than just walking and would cut their journey to Alorde for up to a day. And to think that they still have to go to Solaguer, it wouldn't be as wise to just walk.
"The green grass is beautiful," Dustin said. "I wish everyone in the village could see this. Mother, have you seen this before?"
Emelda chuckled, caressing her son's shoulder and smiled. "I have once. Back when your father and I started going out."
"Ohh," Dustin awed and glanced back at the green fields. "It's so beautiful."
In the other carriage, Viper and Florencia was riding with other villagers. Viper had told Florencia about Elliot's task and they we're now brainstorming as to what the answer could be.
What was it with them that's not found in a normal Adventurer?
"I really can't think of anything except for the system," Florencia sighed. "Maybe Christina has an idea? She's smarter than us even at her age, stronget too."
"Okay," Viper said.
Christina was in the third carriage with Elliot and the remaining villagers. They were talking about Elliot's adventures when Christina received a call from Florencia.
"Uhm, Elliot? Can I transfer carriages?" Christina asked. "I want to… err, discuss something with Florencia."
"Okay, but let's do that at the next stop. We can't just stop in the middle of the journey, is that fine?" Elliot asked to which Christina nodded.
"Yeah, that's okay."
–
"Something with us that's not in the normal citizens," Christina was now stuck puzzled with the other two.
"He thinks he's too enigmatic for his age," Florencia deadpanned that made the other two snort. "I mean, he could just say it to us and not give us killer headaches."
The two started to laugh, hearing Florencia want. She continued rambling until the two were silent. They tried to shut her up but she didn't stop talking about Elliot.
"I mean, he's already mature for his age yet sometimes he's just too childish. And to think that I actually considered lik–"
"Well," Elliot said from behind her, making her stop and froze. Elliot sat next to Florencia on the large rock she was sitting on. "I sometimes act childish, don't I?"
"Y-You do," Florencia said with a gulp. "But that's not a bad thing, right guys?"
The two shook their heads vigorously, chorusing, "Definitely not a bad thing!"
"Okay, that's good enough," Elliot said with a smile. "Why are y'all so tense?"
"A horde of beasts!" Dan yelled, pointing at the horizon.
Elliot immediately ran up to him and took a look at where Dan was pointing.
There, they saw a horde of Noon Pheasants. They are the opposite of Midnight Pheasants that Elliot used to hunt. These birds travel in a flock and usually runs rampage into a vehicle.
"Florencia, Viper, Christina," Elliot called. "Let's protect the villagers!"
"Yes, sir!" the three yelled together. Christina took her wand that Elliot gave her while the other two were brandishing their weapons, preparing for the fight.
"I'll find their leader and kill it," Elliot said. "I guess we'll be enjoying pheasant soup for lunch."
The four of them charged into the horde of incoming beasts. Elliot leaped and suspended himself in the air temporarily. He was looking for the leader while the other three distracted the other birds.
"Triquetra Barilla!"
Christina was shooting her water gun rapidly. It was effectively slowing the birds down with enough speed that the two could take on with their swords.
'Level Up.'
'Level Up.'
'Level Up.'
The notifications rang inside their heads from time to time. It was then that Viper finally understood what Elliot meant.
"I see it!" Elliot yelled after seeing the glowing orange Noon Pheasant. "Gotcha, birdie! Hasty Aspire!"
From the air, Elliot dashed to the ground, slashing his sword and cutting the bird's head off.
When the horde felt their leader's death, they instantly dispersed and ran in different directions, all but the one they originally planned on going which led to the villagers.
"That was nice," Elliot chuckled.
"I finally know," Viper came up to him. "The thing we have that not an ordinary person has is a power for absolute growth. A power that would reassure us, that whenever we work hard enough, we would level up. Normal people don't have that power, we do.. That is the secret to become stronger."