One Person, Two Rewards

"Wind Wolf Basic Swordsmanship: Upward Flick!"

Parr's attack was different this time. The instant he launched it, the white Dazzling Light on his body spread onto the Black Short Sword. As the sword swung, it carved a white streak through the grey mist.

Sizzle...

A sound like flames entering water rang out. Caught off guard, the Grey Mist Shield that automatically sprang up around the overconfident Wraith Old Man was split cleanly in two.

"Wind Wolf Basic Swordsmanship: Slanting Slash!"

Parr shifted his sword, and the second move followed close behind.

"Ah..."

A shrill scream rang out. A glowing white crack appeared across the Wraith Old Man's translucent body. His mouth hung wide open, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets, and his expression twisted into something hideous. He was clearly suffering unbearable pain—pain that reached deep into his soul—so much so that he could not even resist.

Even so, Parr did not stop. There was no need to show respect for the old and care for the young when dealing with cultists. Besides, the Wraith Old Man was not even alive anymore. Better bury him quickly!

"Wind Wolf Basic Swordsmanship: Horizontal Slash!"

The third move followed, splitting the Wraith Old Man directly in two.

"Ah!"

The Wraith Old Man let out one final short scream, then brilliant white light erupted from his body. By the time the light faded, the Wraith Old Man had vanished without a trace. At the same time, the grey mist barrier around them began to slowly disperse.

"It's finally over."

Parr closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After sheathing the Black Short Sword, he walked over to Ithil and grabbed her arm. Just as Ithil had done for him earlier, the Dazzling Light on his body spread over her as well.

"Blood Moon Slash!"

Reinforcements always arrived after everything was over. John leaped from rooftop to rooftop in the distance and struck at the fading grey mist barrier.

Bang! Whoosh...

Like the last straw that broke the camel's back, the grey mist barrier completely collapsed. After stirring up a gust of cold wind, it dissipated into the air, revealing the two people unconscious and leaning against each other by the wall inside.

"Little guy!"

An anxious expression appeared on John's face. He rushed to Parr in just a few strides, and after checking him over, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Parr was fine, though he looked as if he were drunk. Ithil beside him was fine as well; she had merely passed out from excessive Stamina consumption.

"Then where's the enemy?"

After receiving the news, George had held back that powerful Bronze Walking Corpse while John rushed here ahead of him. Once he confirmed that Parr was unharmed, he narrowed his eyes and scanned the area. When he saw Ma Xi reduced to shattered ice, his expression turned wary.

"Wraith!"

John, who had extensive experience fighting cultists, immediately recognized what had caused Ma Xi to end up like this. He cautiously sensed his surroundings, yet found no trace of a Wraith. Could it be...

John turned his gaze back to Parr and Ithil, then hurriedly sheathed his sword and carried the two of them toward Green Stone City Church.

"Please don't let it be what I think it is!"

"No, and no. They haven't been possessed by a Wraith. They're merely exhausted."

Old Larry, the Physician Captain of Green Stone City Church, withdrew his glowing hand. He smiled and shook his head at John, who was waiting nearby, speaking with relief in his voice.

"Looks like you arrived in time. That Wraith fled before it could harm them."

Whew...

John let out another sigh of relief, then walked over to the sleeping Parr and vigorously rubbed his little head.

"You little brat really have some nerve. You actually dared to fight a Peak Knight Apprentice—and even won. That really was... lucky!"

The operation to wipe out the cultists in Azure Stone City finally ended late that night, with gratifying results. In John's eyes, aside from the one Wraith that had escaped, not a single other cultist had gotten away.

Afterward, George, captain of the Azure Stone City Patrol Team, led his men in sealing off that area. The Church personnel began searching every inch of ground, hoping to find the Wraith that had "escaped." It was destined to be futile, but... let them do as they pleased! Parr was not going to tell anyone that he had killed the Wraith.

Ithil had merely fainted from excessive Stamina consumption. She woke the following morning, sat up in the treatment room bed, and looked at the clear sky and warm sunlight outside the window. She could not help recalling what had happened last night.

"Ithil, see? I did it."

After killing the cultist, Parr sat beside Ithil with a smug expression. He grabbed her arm, and white Dazzling Light spread over her, protecting her from the lingering grey mist.

"..."

Ithil said nothing. She simply stared blankly at Parr. After a long while, she suddenly smiled, then shifted her weak body and leaned against him. Her large pink eyes slowly closed as she softly said in a weary yet reassured voice, "That's right! You're amazing, little brother!"

"..."

Why had she switched back to calling him little brother? Calling him Parr would have been fine too! The smugness vanished from Parr's face, and he began to panic inwardly.

No! I have to straighten out this matter of how she addresses me today!

With that thought, Parr cautiously asked, "Ithil, do you remember the bet we made earlier?"

"I do!" Ithil slowly nodded, her pink hair tickling Parr's nose.

"Good."

Parr rubbed his nose, and a smile returned to his face.

"My little request is that you call me big brother from now on."

"Why should I call you big brother?"

Ithil opened her eyes again. After sitting upright, she turned and looked directly into Parr's large black eyes, saying with a smile, "Our bet was that whoever killed Ma Xi would win, and it seems that I was the one who killed Ma Xi just now! So you should keep being little brother!"

After saying that, Ithil closed her eyes again and leaned against Parr.

Parr froze for a moment, then reached out and pushed Ithil. "No! Wait a minute, I was clearly the one who killed Ma Xi!"

"You killed the Wraith, not Ma Xi. I was the one who dealt Ma Xi the final blow."

Ithil spoke softly with her eyes closed. No matter how one looked at it, she seemed to be shamelessly quibbling. Yet after thinking it over, she was right! A Wraith was a Wraith, and Ma Xi was Ma Xi. That Wraith certainly would not have been named Ma Xi.

"This..."

Parr was speechless. Was that really allowed? "Hahaha."

Ithil opened her eyes and glanced at Parr before covering her mouth and giggling. When Parr looked at her, she quickly stopped laughing and asked him a question. "Do you plan to join our Green Stone City Church?"

"No."

Parr shook his head without hesitation. He wanted to travel the entire world, so he could not stop at a tiny Green Stone City Church.

"But your Dazzling Light..."

Ithil wanted to persuade him further, but Parr cut her off.

"Ithil."

Parr's voice became serious.

"Ithil, please don't tell anyone about what happened tonight."

"..."

Ithil fell silent for a moment, then answered with a question instead. "Little brother, why don't you want to join our Green Stone City Church?"

"The world is so big. I want to see it!" Parr loudly declared his dream.

"The world is so big. I want to see it?"

Ithil repeated it as though murmuring to herself. Then she nodded and narrowed her large pink eyes. "I understand. I won't tell anyone about what happened tonight. This will be a secret between the two of us."

"That's good."

Parr breathed a sigh of relief, then reached out and rubbed Ithil's beautiful hair.

"And don't call me little brother. Call me big brother!"

"Big brother!"

Suddenly, Ithil actually called him that. Parr turned to look at her in surprise, only to see her grinning mischievously as she extended her palm.

Whoosh...

White Drunkard Flower Pollen rushed into Parr's face. His eyes rolled back, and he immediately passed out. Before his consciousness sank into darkness, he seemed to hear Ithil say, "Since we can't tell anyone what happened, being unconscious and saying we don't know anything is the best approach."

After Parr fainted, Ithil could barely keep her own eyes open. Using the last of her strength, she rubbed herself against Parr, smearing the blood from her leather armor onto him and creating the illusion that the two of them had passed out after a bloody battle with Ma Xi.

"Is everything over?"

Awakening from her final memories of last night, Ithil rolled out of bed. Her white Shell Sheepskin Armor was covered in blood and had begun to stink, so she needed to return to her room for a bath.

Creak~

At that moment, Old Larry pushed open the door and walked in. When he saw that Ithil was awake, a smile appeared on his face.

"Ithil, you're awake? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Is your head dizzy? You..."

"Stop, stop, stop, Teacher. I'm perfectly fine."

Ithil quickly stopped Old Larry's nagging. Dazzling Light radiated from her body, showing that she was fine. Then she walked over to Old Larry. Looking at the old man who had taught her for five or six years, her lips moved, but she was too embarrassed to say what she wanted.

"Ithil, if you have something to say, just say it. Hesitating like this doesn't suit your personality!" Old Larry wore a kind smile.

"..."

Ithil lowered her head and remained silent for a while. Then she took a deep breath, raised her head, and looked directly into Old Larry's weathered, wise eyes.

"Teacher, I don't want to be a physician anymore. I want to become a Church Knight."

"I see!"

Old Larry did not ask why. He merely looked into Ithil's eyes and encouraged her.

"Ithil, if you've made up your mind, then go. I won't stand in your way, because your Talent on the path of a Knight is far greater than your Talent for medicine!"

"Yes, thank you, Teacher!"

Awooo...

At dawn, Parr suddenly opened his eyes. He sat up in bed, drenched in sweat, and stared blankly for quite some time. He had dreamed that strange dream again. He had seen that wolf head again, and been startled awake by its howl again.

"How strange."

Scratching his head, Parr came back to himself and looked around. He was in an unfamiliar room, with Lapis Lazuli walls, tables, chairs, and other furniture. The wooden bed even had a mattress.

"Where am I?"

Scratching his head again, Parr got out of bed, walked to the window, and looked outside. He then figured out where he was: a guest room at the Kunna Merchant Guild's residence.

"Did Uncle John bring me back?"

Parr returned to the bed and sat down. He recalled what had happened last night, then shook his head and opened the Status Panel. The first thing he saw was the notification he had not closed last night.

Ding, detectable absorbable Life Energy Points. Absorb?
Ding, detectable absorbable Mental Energy Points. Absorb?

"Yes."

Ding, absorbing...

Ding, absorption complete. Obtained 50 Life Energy Points and 100 Mental Energy Points.

"Ma Xi plus the Wraith—two rewards from one person. Not bad!" After praising himself, Parr closed the notification and looked at his data.

Name: Parr Tianxing...