Perhaps in a couple of years, when he meets Gauss again, he’ll have to use honorifics.
For adventurers, there is no concern for age hierarchy, here strength is the utmost, power is paramount.
Might is right.
Thinking of this, he became more solemn.
"I wanted to ask about Gauss, what are your plans for after next year?"
"Tomorrow...," Gauss pondered for a moment.
As a matter of fact, for next year, which is New Calendar 1016, Gauss’s team had privately discussed it.
There were mainly three routes: advancing east to the forest capital Barry, heading west to re-explore Coral Bay and the Tarner River area, and moving north towards the provincial center Farlim.
Since he surpassed the master level, and possesses considerable strength at this tier, the activity range of Gauss’s team will become more flexible, no longer needing to be as cautious as before, they can delve into areas with relatively dense monsters.
More intensely exterminating monsters within the Human Kingdom’s territory.
Firstly, he needs to kill a large number of monsters to increase his strength, as he now has abundant magic power and large-scale destructive spell abilities. As long as he is cautious, he shouldn’t encounter too much danger; secondly, he can also gain fame and plunder resources from the monster tribes.
However, doing so, he might need to continuously form or build a logistics team to distribute the various seized materials, monster materials, and other resources for him.
As an adventurer, he doesn’t have much energy to personally handle these trivial matters.
"Our team is still internally discussing next year’s activity route for now." Gauss did not reveal his plans.
"I see... If possible, I hope you Gauss can stay around Gray Rock Town for a while at the beginning of next year," Abelhard requested with a serious expression.
"Is it because the situation in the Jade Forest has changed?"
Gauss looked at Abelhard and asked directly.
"Yes, according to intelligence gathered by guild spies in the forest, one of the major ogre tribes under the Green Dragon Queen is operating at the edge of the forest."
"The winter hunt last year was just a foreshadowing action. We reasonably speculate that this medium to large ogre tribe is planning a bloody city siege and plunder."
"It’s just that it’s unclear which small town around they are targeting."
Abelhard looked at Gauss.
As the president of the Gray Rock Town Adventurer’s Guild, he finally waited for such a powerful comrade to return, naturally, he hoped they could stay longer in Gray Rock Town.
Even though last year’s events had already strengthened Gray Rock Town’s defenses significantly.
However, if Gauss’s team, who possesses formidable battle power, could station in Gray Rock Town, the safety would clearly increase substantially.
Yet whether to agree or not depends on Gauss’s decision.
"I understand..."
Gauss nodded.
If it’s a larger monster tribe, this beast tide would be much more terrifying than what was experienced at Outpost 11 before.
"I’ll try to stay in town for a while longer."
Gauss agreed for the time being.
There are also many commissions that can be taken up around town, and furthermore, if there’s a beast tide siege, it’s a great opportunity for Gauss—a monster-killing machine—to amass entries in his Monster Atlas, without the effort of gathering intelligence to investigate monster nests in the wide wilderness.
Moreover, he could also take the time to see if he could start building his logistics team.
Upon hearing Gauss’s response, Abelhard breathed a sigh of relief, as if he’d received a dose of reassurance.
This, for him, and for the entire Gray Rock Town and surrounding areas, is undoubtedly good news.
Although the top and provincial capital Farlim will also send support, due to having to guard against the Green Dragon Queen and its demon generals under it, and because the entire front is too long and narrow, it’s uncertain if enough forces can be distributed here at Gray Rock Town.
"On behalf of the residents of Gray Rock Town, I thank you all."
"President need not be so polite, after all, I’m also a member of Gray Rock Town."
Gauss did not wish for this town, which held so many of his memories, to completely disappear from the map.
He looked at the Monster Atlas.
"Total monster kills: 11,892"
Perhaps this number will see a rapid increase.
In fact, the constraints on increasing the total kills, aside from strength, are more so due to travel, intelligence investigation, and other matters besides fighting, rarely having the chance to encounter meaningful monster clustering events.
He currently has only experienced the extermination of barely sized monster armies a few times.
The goblin nests in the caves, Hephaestus’s kobold army, and the monster minion army driven by the Dragon Worship Sect, but these single-event scales were also pretty much at a few hundreds to a thousand, at most.
This time the enemy came from the demon country in the south.
A paradise where monsters gather everywhere.
Hundreds or thousands of monsters thrown in are nothing but a drop in the ocean.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the window, looking towards the green representing the Jade Forest on the distant horizon, feeling a mix of unease and a tinge of eager anticipation in his heart.