This higher benchmark is, in fact, the Tiefling Paladin, Pleos.
He possesses the power to swiftly kill Cecilia in a normal state.
This means that if Gauss were to fight him now, even with his full strength, he might still lose to Pleos.
And once his brief burst of power wanes, Pleos could easily kill him.
"Phew—"
Gauss let out a long breath.
After organizing his thoughts, he gained some understanding of his current strength stage.
This process is actually very important.
Only by knowing his own capabilities can he avoid enemies he cannot possibly defeat in advance.
He needs to "bully the weak" to gain access to greater power.
Once he becomes stronger, he can elevate the baseline of the "weak" and bully a new batch of enemies.
"Now, most 6-10 level Commander level monsters shouldn’t be my match."
Gauss believed he could take on higher-level commissions.
However, he didn’t completely dismiss the possibility that some special powerful races have extraordinary combat abilities that surpass levels, such as Giant Dragons, mind flayers, Giants, Jinn, special undead, demons, Devils, and so on.
While he is special among humans, monsters also have their unique existences.
...
He stored away the two remaining Mid-Level Magic Stones.
Gauss pushed open the door of the Cultivation Chamber, and fresh air blew in from outside.
He glanced at the neighboring room, where the door remained closed for Mr. Regan, who had come with him, indicating he was still meditating.
Several nearby cultivation chambers were also in use.
It seemed that Farlim had more Master Casters than he had initially thought.
Retracting his gaze, he walked outside.
After inquiring with the staff outside, he learned it had only been two days since he entered the Cultivation Chamber, so Gauss didn’t rush back to the Red Dragon Team’s base.
Instead, he first left Farlim and found a deserted area outside the city.
There he freely released all the magic and abilities he currently mastered.
He consumed magic power, rested, and then continued to expend energy...
This process continued for another three days.
Until he felt he had fully integrated the increase in strength brought about by leveling up, he finally stopped.
He looked around at the several hundred meters of devastated land.
Now it looked like a massive crater on the moon, with a height difference of over twenty meters in the center, and the ground had become extremely compact due to the continuous magic bombardment.
He had no doubt that after a few heavy rains, a natural lake would slowly form here.
And this water source would bring more life.
So, Gauss’s "destruction" might actually bring more vitality.
Could this be nature’s "self-healing" ability?
Gauss suddenly thought of some valleys and gorges he had passed on his journey; perhaps many of them were creations left by High-Tier Professionals.
Even now, he had the rudimentary ability to reshape the landscape; the work of those Extraordinary, epic, or stronger individuals would only be more grandiose.
Back at Farlim, Gauss’s presence had become much more restrained.
"You’re back, Captain."
Afternoon, Red Dragon Team’s base.
The receptionist, who was reading, glanced up casually and noticed a figure slowly approaching from outside the main gate. She was momentarily stunned before standing to greet him.
"No need to be so tense," Gauss said with some curiosity. "What are you reading?"
Faced with Gauss’s inquiry, the receptionist felt nervous but nonetheless showed him the storybook in her hand.
Gauss flipped through a few pages and then handed the book back to her.
He smiled at her tense posture.
"It’s fine, I don’t mean to reprimand you."
"As long as it doesn’t affect your work, feel free to read to pass the time."
"Your name is Danny, right?"
"Yes, Captain, I’m Danny." The receptionist, Danny, hadn’t expected the Captain to remember the name of such a minor character like herself, and her face bore a look of surprise and delight, with an indescribable sense of satisfaction in her heart.
"Then I won’t disturb you. Please continue."
Gauss waved his hand and proceeded into the estate grounds of the base.
And Danny, watching his back, was lost in thought for a long time.
The Captain was truly wonderful!
The sense of belonging she already had to the Red Dragon Team quietly intensified.
But she didn’t know that her psychological change was related to Gauss’s "Leader’s Sigil" specialty.
Once someone joined the Red Dragon Team, over time, their affinity with the adventure group, or rather Gauss’s own personality charm, would steadily increase.
Like a sweet "chronic poison."
Gently affecting each member.
In the alchemy lab.
Ivan, engrossed in mixing dosages, heard a soft knock at the door, and a trace of irritation subconsciously crossed his eyes.
He disliked being disturbed during work.
However, he quickly suppressed that displeasure.
He knew there was a reason his apprentice would disturb him, as he had reminded them multiple times not to knock unless it was important, and to wait until he finished work to report otherwise.
In recent times, the operation of the entire Red Dragon Team base had increasingly stabilized.
He had delegated many trivial tasks to some dedicated team leaders, giving him more time to delve into alchemical studies.
He knew that Captain Gauss most valued his potion-making skills.
Opening the door.
"What’s up?" he asked calmly.
"The Captain has returned," the apprentice whispered in reply.
Upon hearing this, the former gloominess on Ivan’s face instantly brightened.
"Well done, be sure to notify me first next time as well."
"Keep an eye on the equipment in my room, and don’t let anyone come in and mess it up."
After giving a quick command, he went to his office, picked up a stack of well-organized reports, and headed downstairs briskly.
Walking on the white, fresh pavement, his steps unconsciously became livelier.
As if hearing the news of Captain Gauss’s return lifted his entire mood.
This change even went unnoticed by himself.
"Captain, I’ve come to report on the group’s recent status."
Sitting at the dining table, Gauss looked up at Ivan, a bit surprised.
Still, he thought it was a good thing for a subordinate to have a proactive work attitude.
"Alright."
"Have a seat and join me for a bite."
The kitchen had already started serving steaming dishes.
After expressing his thanks, Ivan cautiously seated himself next to Gauss.
Ivan perceived that Gauss’s strength seemed more unfathomable than before.
Compared to when they first met, the Captain, though gentler in demeanor now, seemed like a deep, immeasurable lake.
Even though he was only a Level 3 Dragon Vein Mage,
his status as a Pharmacist had given him close encounters with notable figures at some events in the past.
Yet, in his experience, none compared to the current Captain.
That faint dragon vein within him told him the man beside him was terrifyingly powerful, the gap in their bloodlines not just a little, but hundreds or thousands of times greater.
But he didn’t fear Gauss; instead, he felt a kind of adoring admiration.
After a moment’s pause, he began to report on the work.
"Miss Aaliyah has already gone out to prepare for her breakthrough, and Miss Ying has taken Lord Hephaestus with her."
"They also left you the specific location."
"Additionally, Calcasa Magic Academy has extended an invitation to you, wanting to know if you have time to conduct a lecture there."
"Calcasa Magic Academy?" Gauss asked while chewing his food.
"It’s the best Caster academy in Farlim. Many families in Farlim send their magically gifted children there. Many powerful Casters in the city have connections to it, either through education or by holding formal or honorary positions there."
"I also received my education as a Warlock there."
Ivan quickly explained to Gauss.
Gauss nodded.
He was a Caster who came up through an unconventional path, but that didn’t mean all Casters in this world were like him.
In fact, for Professional Casters, he was rather an exception; most of the level-holding Casters had mentorships.