[To Gauss:
We heard that you have been promoted to a bronze adventurer, and the entire Night Owl Squad is genuinely happy for you.
Although it was expected... it happened faster than we anticipated.
Levin and Doyle were a bit incredulous and had a few more drinks in the tavern at night; everyone is happy for you.
This path is not easy for any of us adventurers, congratulations to you.
We believe that the bronze level is just a brand-new starting point for your long journey. In the future, you will witness sights that we might find unreachable in our lifetimes.
May you never stop and continue moving forward.
We will also carry our own baggage and continue to work hard on this path.
The team is busy with the journey and couldn’t personally come to congratulate you, please forgive us. Everyone pooled together a gift to send with the letter. The gift is not heavy, but practical.
May your path ahead be bright.
From all the members of the Night Owl Squad.]
When Gauss saw the letter, to be honest, he felt a little warm inside.
He immediately recognized it as the handwriting of Medvedeva, the wandering apprentice of the Night Owl Squad.
After all, when they executed missions together at that time, she also needed to scout enemy information in advance, writing and drawing on the map, so Gauss had seen her handwriting, it was as delicate and neat as her personality.
The content of this letter seemed to take him back to the time they spent together several months ago.
He originally wanted to find a time to gather, but on second thought, Gauss dismissed the idea.
They are all striving hard for their professional promotions.
If he went there now, wouldn’t it easily make them feel a sense of loss?
Just like ordinary classmates in the past looking at those outstanding students who were admitted and recommended in advance.
"Forget it... let’s talk after they get promoted as well."
Gauss put the gift and letter back into the storage pouch.
"Was it someone you know who sent it?"
"Yeah, former squad teammates."
"Oh, then I’ll head to the kitchen." Sophia didn’t quite understand these things, and seeing he had nothing else, she turned toward the kitchen to be busy again.
After waiting for a while.
Aaliyah arrived as well.
"How come you’re here early again." Aaliyah, seeing Gauss already seated, showed a bit of helplessness on her face.
She wasn’t late, but Gauss always seemed to leave faster.
If it was before, when Gauss lived in the inn, it could be explained by living near, but now he moved out and still arrived so early.
"Just got here." Gauss just smiled.
"Want some breakfast? I ordered for you as well."
"Let’s have it together then."
During the time the two were waiting.
Gauss took a look at the Adventurer’s Handbook.
Name: Gauss
Profession: Magic Envoy
Strength: 7
Agility: 7
Constitution: 7
Intelligence: 9
Perception: 7
Charm: 7
Core Skill: 1st-level Spell Gauss Force Field lv4 (55/100)
Sub-Core Skill: 1st-level Spell Magic Missile lv3 (44/50)
Other Skills:
[0th Ring Trick]
Mage’s Hand lv3 (46/50)
Magic Tricks lv3 (17/50)
Flaming Arrow lv3 (15/50)
Light Spell lv3 (3/50)
Communication Technique lv2 (5/20)
Repair Technique lv2 (2/20)
Dancing Wind lv2 (2/20)
Poison Gas Spray lv1 (8/10)
Friendship Technique lv1 (6/10)
[Other Skills]
Basic Swordsmanship lv3 (3/50)
Enhanced Jump lv2(18/20)
Insight Skill lv1 (8/10)
Racial Talent: [White] Energy Storage Glands (Elite Level)
Professional Talent: Magic Resistance, Spell Mastery
Gauss looked at the panel.
He currently mastered a total of 14 skills, among which 3 were at lv1 proficiency, 4 at lv2 proficiency, 6 at lv3 proficiency, and 1 at lv4 proficiency.
In terms of perception, he had set a more understandable ranking for proficiency: lv1 as beginner, lv2 as adept, lv3 as proficient, lv4 as master, while lv5 remained unknown, with no clue what changes would occur upon reaching it, only hoping that the sole lv4 Gauss Force Field would boost soon to lv5 to open Gauss’s eyes.
However, regrettably, this proficiency ranking seemed to become more challenging to improve as one advanced; the first two levels increased rapidly, but starting from lv3, it would slow down.
So even for the Gauss Force Field, which was used intensively, advancing to lv5 shortly would be challenging.
The higher the proficiency rank, the faster and smoother the execution would be.
Especially the lv4 Gauss Force Field, originally the Mage Armor, once upgraded to a core skill and boosted to lv4 proficiency, when used on oneself could reach nearly instantaneous casting level.
Gauss browsed the panel.
Next, Magic Missile, Mage’s Hand, and Enhanced Jump needed focused training and practical use.
They were quite close to the next upgrade.
-----------------
After breakfast.
Gauss and the companion arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters.
Still amidst many envious glances, climbed the stairs to the second floor.
"Another team went up....."
"Why are there so many bronze adventurers heading to the second floor today?"
"I wonder if something big is up?"
"Hey, who cares, it has nothing to do with us ordinary adventurers, we should hurry and choose a suitable task."
"It’s getting colder; work for another two weeks, and I should pack up and go home to winter."
"Indeed, once the snow falls, the roads are hard, need to plan ahead..."
When the two of them went up to the second floor, the scene was indeed quite different from usual.
On typical days, at this time, the second-floor hall usually had less than a dozen bronze adventurers loitering. Yet now, it was a crowd; the number of adventurers gathered here was likely no fewer than a hundred!
Among them were many faces Gauss had never seen before.
Several short and agile half-elves gathered in a corner, wearing dark-toned soft leather armor suitable for movement, their waist belts stocked with various small tools, eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, whispering to each other.
If not for Gauss, knowing a half-elf mage, it would’ve been hard to notice this group of short fellows hidden in the crowd.
The most numerous were warriors, mostly well-equipped, wearing medium-heavy armor, carrying broadswords, battle axes, or spears, most teams gathered in small groups of two or three always seemed to have one reassuring warrior present.
Among them, particularly notable were the intimidating, fierce half-orc warriors, whose physiques were bulkier than others, body adorned with non-human organs, making them distinctive: some had tails, beast ears, beast noses, canine teeth, or lower bodies, or limbs were beast claws, all varying in degrees of transformation using weapons like giant two-handed axes, war hammers and similar heavy weapons, with leather armor as their robust attire.
Then there were some human rangers and suspected half-elf ranger figures dressed in hunting gear more suitable for forest activities, armed with longbows or crossbows, short blades hung to their waists, mostly sharp-eyed, piercing like eagles.
Mages and priests weren’t that uncommon, often seen in squads.
Gauss vaguely saw some unconventional professions, but he only had speculation, not making definite judgments.
Retracting his gaze.
Gauss and Aaliyah approached the counter, acquiring a form.
And then headed to sit in a relatively corner place.
The reason why so many bronze adventurers gathered today was due to the explanation meeting for the Winter Hunt event.
"Seems like some people I’ve never seen before, do you recognize them?"
When Gauss arrived, encountering several squads greeting Aaliyah as if they had collaborated temporarily before.
Aaliyah shook her head, then leaned close to Gauss’s ear and whispered a simple explanation.
"I don’t know either; every year at this time, some adventurers from the inland come to join the Winter Hunt event..."
Roughly, after autumn, some inland adventurers start heading towards border towns.
Some come to train themselves.
Others specifically seize the opportunity to earn some money then endure the winter.
Because winter’s cold weather makes most adventurers too lazy to move, earning a bit before winter lets them comfortably loaf through the season.
Come next spring, when the snow melts, and the weather warms up, they reemerge for activities.
Thus, essentially, adventurers and demons act similarly, preparing "provisions" for a restful winter in advance.
"I see."
A realization dawned on Gauss’s face, explaining why he had noticed some people distinctly differing in aura from others, exquisitely equipped: inland adventurers, maybe even family members here for training.
After waiting for a while, with the adventurers in the hall gathered mostly.
The assembly then headed into the meeting hall.
Hosting the ceremony on stage was the president of Gray Rock Town’s Adventurer’s Guild, an unfamiliar man to Gauss, with short brown hair, red eyes, handsome yet expressionless, appearing very serious.
Beside him, the vice president Warlock Shirley was seated, along with the secretary.
Once everyone was seated roughly.
The president coughed lightly, commencing the explanatory meeting.
"Cough!"
His voice simultaneously echoed into everyone’s ears, an invisibly powerful aura enveloping the meeting hall.
The unavoidable noise from a hundred gathered individuals was promptly muffled by this presence, rendering the hall silent.
Only after restoring quietude did he proceed with the explanation.
Gauss also listened attentively.
While carefully perceiving the strange field energy enveloping the room, akin to a powerful biological domain, drawing people to heed his arrangements, focusing their attention on him.
If it was.....magic, does it violate laws? This thought suddenly emerged in Gauss’s mind.
Given it wasn’t pre-notified to those present, but considering his identity, likely no one would pursue this slight offense.
According to Gauss’s perception, the red-eyed man’s aura was the strongest professional presence he had encountered.