Black String of Fate

Chapter 90 : End of the Rescue

"So, Lafia, how strong is that boy? Did you have a good match?"

In the campsite where the party rested, Adam asked this question teasingly to the sulky girl. It was obvious to everyone that she lost, but Adam wanted to poke fun at her.

Especially since he has never won against her himself. Seeing her humbled was something he never knew could feel so good.

"I lost overwhelmingly. Xavier's so abnormally strong that even though he couldn't use any qi, he easily overpowered my attacks. I felt like I was fighting for my life out there."

"Hoho, you did not go easy on the little lass, did you, boy? You know, girls will hate you if you treat them so harshly."

Xavier, who had finished his training and was sitting, drinking a soup he made, heard Rolan's comments. He sighed from the warmth of the soup and commented with closed eyes,

"I do not care for such trivialities, I only faced an opponent higher in rank than me. Moreover, you'd be surprised how many girls like it when you treat them harshly…"

Rolan laughed loudly, not expecting advice on girls from a brat a fourth of his age. Xavier calmly went back to drinking his soup, which the other party members looked at with a hint of disgust.

'I can't believe they rejected my tonic just because it tastes bad. It has all the good nutrients to keep the body healthy, containing herbs I found in this forest… Well, whatever, their loss.'

Soon, in a light mood, they all began their journey once more. Elites didn't need much rest to recover in the first place, they could even go on for a week without sleep with no problems.

Finally, with such eventual breaks and journeys, they finally reached their destination.

*********

In the crack of dawn, the silhouette of six people of various sizes could be seen on the backdrop of a yellow horizon. The guards, who had just begun their shift, immediately recognized the flowing cape and the small stature of one of the silhouettes.

"Hey look, it's that D-ranked kid! He completed yet another quest!"

"Oh yeah! I see them! The other people look like Lafia's party. So they were the ones who got trapped in the forest…"

While the guards were animatedly discussing, Xavier and the party arrived at the gates. The guards, now familiar with him, let them pass without asking anything.

"Let's report the completion of the quest first." Lafia said, and everyone nodded. Xavier was already ahead and heading towards the guild.

Soon, they entered the guild hall, and everyone's eyes turned towards them.

"Oh wow, look, it's Lafia's party! They somehow returned alive too!"

"That young girl is also incredible…"

Xavier heard the discussions around him with surprise. He did not expect this random party to be popular among these ruffians.

"Oh? Were you guys actually renowned? I thought you were joking with me when you mentioned it in passing."

"Of course we are. Every one of us is at least an Advanced Elite, and overall we are one of the most versatile and balanced parties in the region. We aren't some small fries."

"Wow, the standard of the world is lower than I thought."

"Ugh…"

Lafia just became quiet as she heard the gigglings of her party members. She looked back with a glare, which made them shut up for a moment, but they soon continued as she turned back around.

Xavier smiled as he saw this interaction.

'Well, renowned or not, they are a good party…'

Xavier went up to the desk and took a deep breath. It had become a ritual by now and he was in a good mood, so he thought of entertaining the people for once.

The whole hall became silent as Xavier loudly announced,

"D+ rank quest, rescue of the D-ranked party, complete."

"WOOHOO! LET'S GOO!"

"I FUCKING WON! GIMME MY MONEY!"

"DAMN IT! YOU SHOULD'VE TAKEN JUST A DAY LONGER!"

A loud cheering erupted inside the guild hall, and it was loud enough to be heard by the people outside the hall too.

"Ah, those noisy adventurers… Betting on a kid's life again."

"Let them be, gramps, that's just how they are. Apparently, that kid completed a quest considered impossible by even the veterans here."

"Oh? Haha, looks like the youth will once again surpass their previous generations. Our empire is in good hands…"

The people on the street started discussing today's events, leading to Xavier's reputation being leaked outside of just the circle of adventurers.

Inside the guild hall, Susan arrived and saw a perfectly fine Xavier with 5 other people behind him. She sighed in relief, happy to know that her plan kept Xavier safe. She knew what she did was unethical, but she couldn't bear the guilt of killing a promising adventurer by giving him a quest out of his league.

"Alright, report the damage you've caused to the outpost. The knights of the Grimswald have decided to act on this one, so you'll be the last adventurer to attempt it."

Xavier was confused for a second before he understood what she was thinking. He smiled mischievously and brought out the ear of the hobgoblin chief.

Susan was shocked to see this. As a receptionist, she of course knew what this meant.

"Y-You killed the hobgoblin chief?" Susan said in a low voice, but those words were enough to silence the whole guild hall.

Lafia and her party stood by, already predicting the chaos that was about to erupt.

"Haha, that's not all…"

Xavier then pulled out the storage ring he had borrowed from Adam and dumped all his loot on the ground. Susan and all the adventurers present stared in shock at the mountain of weapons and gear, and the pile of hobgoblin ears.

"I have killed over 300 hobgoblins and retrieved about one and a half tons of gear made from steel. The hobgoblin outpost no longer exists, I have killed every last one of them…

Alone." Continue the experience at m-vl-em-pyr

Xavier then stepped closer to Susan, his eyes gleaming with a fearsome aura.

"Never underestimate me, Susan. I know what I am."