Pick Me Up!

The following morning arrived, and I freshened up before heading to the dining hall. Clad in an apron, Chloe greeted me.

“Good morning, Mr. Han.”

I nodded in response.

To my surprise, instead of the usual roasted potatoes, there were freshly baked bread rolls placed on the table.

“What’s this?”

“It’s bread. It was made by our new baker.”

Chloe gestured towards a middle-aged lady standing nearby, awkwardly suppressing a giggle. She was one of the newcomers who joined us just yesterday.

Since we were lacking wheat in our pantry, they resorted to making bread from mashed potatoes.

‘Well, since we have a baker now we should try to gather some wheat.”

As I bit into the bread, I headed out of the hall towards my lodging.

‘This was some good news,’

By diversifying our food options, we could alleviate the stress levels in the waiting room.

In the square, Enok emerged from the warehouse, pulling a cart loaded with lumber. Two unfamiliar individuals were accompanying him.

Enok greeted me with a nod and swiftly continued on his way.

I entered the training camp.

There, I joined Jenna, Aaron, and Dica, who were waiting for me, and together, we commenced our basic stamina training.

As we neared the end of our routine, a familiar face arrived at the training camp. It was Edis Kallen, a formidable female mercenary dressed in sleek black leather armor. She courteously tilted her head towards me.

“Nice to see you.”

Silently, I retrieved a practice sword and dagger from the weapon rack. These were training weapons, devoid of a sharp edge. With a swift motion, I tossed them towards Edis, who skillfully caught them.

“What’s the purpose of this exercise?”

“If I’m going to trust you to cover my back, I need to know your true capabilities. It’s a fundamental requirement, you see.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

Edis offered a faint smile as she deftly twirled the dagger in her hand, assuming a lowered stance, fully prepared for combat.

I glanced at Edis’s status window. After absorbing a significant number of offerings the previous night, her level had reached 3. Even at level 3, her stats surpassed those of Aaron, who stood at level 5. Furthermore, her skill levels were also superior.

‘Nevertheless, she still has room for improvement.’

I adjusted my grip on the wooden sword.

With a cold gleam in her eyes, Edis lunged at me.

…

The duel concluded with my victory.

I refrained from utilizing Frenzy. Last night, I had experienced a headache, presumably a side effect of the skill. Unless it was a genuine battle, I had decided to exercise restraint in its usage.

Even so, Edis was unable to match my skills.

She let out a wry chuckle and remarked, “You’re quite formidable. I guess the tale of you being a farmer was a mere lie.”

“You seem to have mistaken something. Jenna!”

“Yes?”

“Give it a shot. Fight her using a dagger.”

“But my primary weapon is a bow!”

The following scene unfolded as Jenna courageously grasped the training dagger.

After a momentary pause, Edis regained her breath and rose from the ground. With a piercing gaze, she quickly assumed her stance once more.

As the intense fight concluded, Jenna wiped the sweat off her forehead.

“Phew, that was intense. It could have gone either way.”

In the end, Jenna emerged as the victor, with the level difference outweighing their respective ranks.

Edis muttered with a tinge of disappointment in her voice, “To think that such a young girl could be stronger than me…”

“Well, she’s not your average young girl. She’s eaten her fair share,” I quipped.

“Are both of you mercenaries, or perhaps renowned warriors?” Edis inquired.

“Not at all. I’m just a regular farmer, and she’s just a hunter’s daughter. We weren’t this formidable at the beginning either. In fact, Jenna was much weaker than this. But through rigorous training and countless battles here, we’ve grown stronger and become who we are now.”

“If those guys hadn’t relied solely on their bravado and had earnestly honed their skills, they would have given me a headache as well.”

Although Edis was currently weaker than us, she possessed skills and growth values superior to a 1-star rating. As her level increases, the gap would gradually narrow.

“Don’t believe him! it’s all just an illusion he’s trying to create! No matter how hard I try, I can’t catch up to them!” Aaron exclaimed with a hint of frustration while sprinting around the track.

I chose to disregard his outburst.

“Nevertheless, here, you can grow stronger based on your efforts. Don’t neglect your training, no matter who you are.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Leisurely, I surveyed the training grounds.

Aaron was leaping with a sandbag strapped to his back. Dica was wielding a sword, skillfully striking a wooden dummy on the right side of the training area. Alongside Edis, Jenna, and a few others, individuals were fervently wielding their weapons.

This was the aftermath of the massive synthesis that had taken place yesterday. Each person was diligently training with unwavering determination. If they wished to avoid perishing, they had no other choice. They needed to enhance their own value.

Nonetheless, the number of trainees remained limited.

If we were to measure the ratio of people assembled here, it wouldn’t even account for half.

My thoughts shifted to the two men who clung to Enok, appearing as problems.

Opting for a support role rather than engaging in combat seemed more convenient. However, the number of positions within the support organization was restricted. Currently, at best, the facilities could only accommodate two individuals. The rest would be left idle, unable to do anything other than participating in synthesis.

It was not my concern.

I shared with them everything necessary.

It’s up to them now.

My attention focused on the young man who wielded his sword with beads of sweat cascading down his face.

He had a solid grasp of the basic stance. Among those who narrowly escaped being preyed upon by the Fangwolves yesterday, he stood out with his two-star rating. His name was Asher. As the first 2-star hero to emerge since Molmont, he wielded a Low-tier Swordsmanship skill at Level 1.

Observing Asher discreetly, I noticed his awkward and hesitant sword swings.

“You there.”

“Are you referring to me?”

Asher was taken aback by my attention.

Appearing to be in his early twenties, he carried a dagger at his waist. However, it was a humble item, not a finely crafted weapon like Edis’s, something that wouldn’t raise eyebrows even if it broke.

“Who else is here besides you? Come closer.”

“Yes, understood.”

The man approached me cautiously.

“I’m Asher Roderick.”

“I see.”

Such details were evident when examining his status window.

“Yes…”

“Did you hear the explanation about this place yesterday?”

“I did. There’s a being called the Master, and we were summoned here to fight. I’ve taken your words to heart.”

Taking a wooden sword from the display shelf, I assumed my stance.

“Do you understand what I’m trying to achieve?”

“Yes, I do.”

Asher held the wooden sword with a tense expression.

But his gaze remained fixed on me. He didn’t avert his eyes or take a step back.

‘At least he has grasped the basics.’

“What were you doing before coming here?”

“I worked as a porter for a mercenary group…”

Asher murmured, glancing briefly at Edis.

Edis was engaged in archery practice with Jenna at the shooting range.

“Carrying baggage, standing guard, setting up camp…”

“For someone with those responsibilities, you seem to possess fighting skills.”

“Because I aspired to become a mercenary before.”

Asher offered a self-deprecating smile.

“Let’s begin.”

“Yes.”

I lunged forward, my sword slashing through the air. Asher’s strike missed, and he stumbled backward. However, his unwavering gaze remained fixed on me, refusing to blink even as he trembled.

Although it was merely a single exchange, he displayed unwavering determination.

It must be the difference between a 1-star and a 2-star hero.