abcnovels
Chapter 288: Favorite Daughter
Chapter 288: Favorite Daughter
Chapter 288: Favorite Daughter
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Through bright light, the new recruits of the 33rd tutorial group of year 2151 appeared in the cozy, little inn.
Pitter-patter!
The rain pattered against the window, and the scent of warm meal hit their nose like a wave of nostalgia.
"This is the New World..." Skye thought out loud with a smile and gazed out of the window.
She could barely make any sense of surroundings because of the heavy rain, but the cozy interior of the inn made her feel right at home.
Geoffrey went to the innkeeper, and talked something with him. It looked like a serious conversation as Geoffrey's expression turned stern.
As the new recruits looked out of the window, Geoffrey suddenly clapped his hands, and attracted everyone's attention.
"Because of the heavy rain, the wagons that take you to your new cities haven't arrived yet. It might take a couple of days before they can, as the heavy rain makes moving difficult.
"You all have rooms ready in this inn."
"I guess I'll go back to the real world then-" Skye stretched her arms. "I haven't seen my family for a while.
"Me too!"
"Right, it's been nearly a month since I've seen my parents. I wonder if they will even remember me!"
"Fool, it is only a month; relax."
"I haven't ever gone without a single day of not seeing my parents; now it was nearly a month!"
Nathaniel looked at the anxious recruits and scoffed under his breath.
"What's with you?" Nigel spoke to him. "Is it a sign of weakness to show desire to see your family?"
Nathaniel shot a glare at him and scoffed. "Why're you talking to me like an equal? Know your place, old man."
"Haha." Nigel laughed. "From what I heard, we're equal, are we not? Mister A-rank."
"I am more than eager to show that we're not." Nathaniel said coldly.
"Hah." Nigel smirked, "I'd like to see you try."
Nathaniel's gaze turned cold, and he slowly pulled out his knife from his belt.
Squeeze!
Nigel squeezed his right hand into a powerful fist.
"Alright, everyone calm down." Geoffrey clapped his hands again.
Everyone turned silent once again.
"Unfortunately, none of you can log off just yet."
"What, why not?!"
"The tutorial is over, is it not?!"
"It has already been a month. Don't tell me there is something else!"
The recruits all looked annoyed and angry.
"You all will have some visitors!" Geoffrey screamed.
The scream was so powerful that the recruits didn't dare to say one more thing. They felt like their ears would start bleeding.
"Who?" Nigel asked.
"The representatives of Seven Major Factions!" Geoffrey said respectfully. "Nightshade, Children of Fair, Battle Maidens, Smilebacks, Dying Star, Zestruction, Darkstar. All of them will send one representative!"
"Why?" Nathaniel asked with a frown.
"To recruit some of you!" Geoffrey said. "You guys have no idea how lucky all of you are. To join one of those factions is the greatest blessing you could ask for!"
"Is this because of the war?" Ida asked with her usual cold tone.
"Yes," Geoffrey said.
Some of the recruits looked nervous. They didn't want to participate in the war.
"Why would we join in their war?" Nathaniel asked. "To be some cannon fodder, fuck that!"
"If you make a name for yourself in the war, your future will be extremely bright!" Geoffrey shouted. "This is your chance to show what you're made out of. Don't be a coward; seize the opportunity!"
"What if I don't want to participate in the war?" One recruit asked.
"Then you should quit being mercenary, right now!" Geoffrey screamed. "This world does not need cowards like you. This is the rarest kind of opportunity. Most other recruits end up joining some shitty guild where they will make absolutely zero impact in the world."
Gulp~
A few recruits gulped.
"What faction are you part of?" Skye asked.
"..." Geoffrey raised his chin proudly. "Zestruction, led by the great Lord Zephyr himself!" "What, you're from Zestruction?" The innkeeper said in surprise. "Have you heard about what happened?"
"What happened?" Geoffrey turned to him and became nervous. "Something bad?"
"No, haha, something great!" The innkeeper rubbed his belly. "Your little genius Adam killed the Calamity of Death Mercenaries. I expected you to have not heard about it since you were in the tutorial!"
"He did what?!" Geoffrey's jaw almost dropped to the floor.
The recruits whispered with each other. They didn't know about who this Adam and Calamity were, but it sounded something amazing.
'Adam, and Calamity...' Nathaniel frowned. 'My handler mentioned them. S-rankers!'
At that moment, the door of the inn opened, and everyone heard the pattering of the rain.
Then, through the door, came a figure dressed in dark blue robes with a hood pulled over their
head.
"What a rain, aye." The figure said in a deep voice and shook the rain off his shoulders.
The recruits looked at the figure, and looked nervous suddenly.
"Sir, may I help you?" The innkeeper asked.
"Yeah, uhm..." The figure showed a card. "My name's Lionel Holloway. I am a Smilebacks representative. I heard there's some new recruits here."
Gasp~
The recruits started whispering with each other.
In their eyes, this Lionel guy seemed quite ordinary with short hair and a medium build. To
them, Nathaniel and Nigel looked far more impressive.
"Ah, sir, yes, they're here." The innkeeper pointed in the direction of the new recruits.
Lionel looked over and smiled. "Am I the first one here? Lucky me~"
The recruits looked slightly disappointed, as it looked like Smilebacks sent some weaklings. They wanted to meet some powerful mercenaries and maybe befriend them.
However, while they looked disappointed, Geoffrey's eyes were round like saucers.
'Lionel the motherfucking Holloway!' Geoffrey panicked. 'A legendary figure in the field of mercenary work!'
'A rumor has that he has completed over five thousand quests, more than anyone else. He is also the one who led the party that was the first one to clear the 70th floor!
'Considered as the greatest party leader ever, Lionel Holloway!'
"So, who is the highest-ranked recruit here?" Lionel asked with a smile.
"Me."
"Me!"
Nathaniel and Nigel stepped forward at the same time.
"You?"
"You?"
They repeated each other and turned to look at each other with ugly frowns.
"You really think you're better than me?" Nathaniel asked with an angry laugh.
"Well, of course, I am." Nigel said it like it was obvious.
"I am younger and more talented." Nathaniel said with a laugh. "If I were your age, I would've become S-ranker, no problem!"
"Yet, you lack in the intelligent department." Nigel touched his temple. "With my experience,
I would crush you in any fight."
"I'd like to see you try." Nathaniel twirled the knife in his hand. "You're slow, like a turtle.
When you fought Geoffrey, you moved like a fucking ape."
"It all needs one punch." Nigel kissed his fist.
"Hah!" Nathaniel rolled his eyes.
"Mm~" Lionel shook his head and went to a cold-looking woman. "What's your name."
"Ida." She said coldly.
"That ain't good~" Lionel shook his finger. "You should smile more and be more
approachable."
"Why?" Ida asked. "All I need to be is strong, no?"
Lionel shook his head and went to another young woman by the window.
"What's your name?"
"Skye!" She saluted with a smile.
"That's better!" Lionel clapped his hands. "Your score?"
"B!"
"Not bad, not bad..." Lionel rubbed his chin. "I was also B-score. But through hard work and
dedication, I became Bartholomew's righthand man!"
"Hah, so you're B-score?" Nathaniel said with a smirk. "So, I am more talented than you."
"Oh, in traditional sense, yeah." Lionel turned to him and smiled. "What about it?" "Nothing." Nathaniel said and shrugged his shoulders. "Disappointed, that's all. I expected the top of the mercenary hierarchy to be... stronger, that's all."
"Oh, but you're mistaken." Lionel approached him and grinned. "Talent doesn't equalize
strength. Y'know, A-rankers die like flies these days, and even S-ranker have already met
their doom."
"I am not worried." Nathaniel crossed his arms. "I won't join your faction, even if you beg me.
If you're the best Smilebacks have to offer, then I am greatly disappointed."
"What a shame." Lionel smiled.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
Without anyone opening the door, the person outside opened the door and stepped through,
shaking the rain off their umbrella as they entered the room.
"Mm-"Lionel turned to the person with a smile. "Welcome~" "Thank you~" Removing the hood, the First Sister smiled cheekily. "Lionel, what a
pleasure~"
"I didn't expect Alistair to send his favorite daughter!" Lionel laughed. "The First Sister."
"My daddy thought I would be good at persuasion~" The First Sister giggled, and turned to Geoffrey. "Who might you be~"
"Geoffrey, the caretaker of the tutorial." Geoffrey said with a serious expression. "Nice to
meet you, the First Sister."
Before, he was nervous in Lionel's presence, but now he was worried.
'The First Sister?! Why the fuck is every faction sending their scariest people!'
"So, mind giving me the numbers?" The First Sister asked with a smile. "O-okay..." Geoffrey checked his notes. "Two A-rankers. Twelve B-rankers. Twenty-seven C-
rankers. Fourty-two D-rankers."
"Oh, not bad~" The First Sister looked around the inn that was filled with the recruits.