Collecting Some Interest First

"Warriors! This is your new home, and the place where you will earn glory through great deeds. I am the commander here, Lieutenant Knight Drey! Here, you will obey all of my commands. Under my command, there can only be brave warriors—cowardly deserters will never be tolerated."

Sun Busong was assigned to Sersama Fortress. On the day he reported in, the commander began his address. He was a level 45 Elite Warrior. It was impossible to tell whether the wounds on his face had been deliberately left behind or were caused by some special skill that made them permanently unhealable. In any case, his face bore seven or eight scars.

After becoming recruits, they swore loyalty to the Human Alliance and to King Copperbeard. In any case, all the required formalities had to be completed.

That afternoon, Sun Busong was assigned to the Soldier Training Camp, where his formal and rigorous training began.

The skills he had obtained on the Trial Path in Cold Ridge Valley had disappeared, but he was taught several new skills here.

Basic Melee Attack, Basic Ranged Attack, Basic Swordsmanship Attack, Basic Hammer Attack, Basic Axe Attack, and Basic Shield Defense.

Everyone could choose at least three to practice according to their interests and learning ability.

Sun Busong, however, learned them all!

After all, one could never have too many skills. Learning a few more would definitely be beneficial.

On his second day there, he was assigned to the Patrol Team. It should have been something to celebrate, but Sun Busong could not bring himself to feel happy.

All the veterans in the team had mounts, while he was the only one without one. Only after asking the captain did he learn that one needed to be above level 20 or become a Professional before receiving a mount!

Wasn't this ridiculous? All of you rode sheep while I had to scamper along behind you!

Fortunately, aside from his daily patrol duties and training, he had six hours of free time. If he wanted to catch up to everyone's levels as quickly as possible, he could only sneak off to hunt monsters when no one was paying attention.

There were twelve people in his squad in total: one mage, one priest, and all the rest were warriors!

It was a truly strange lineup. What was more, the two Magic Professionals were the captain and Vice-Captain. The level 36 Elite Priest was the captain, while the level 21 Normal Mage was actually the Vice-Captain. Sun Busong found that a little hard to accept.

But then again, their Intelligence was higher.

Among the remaining teammates, five were ordinary Warrior Professionals around level 30. The other five, like Sun Busong, were soldiers below level 30.

Their patrol route ran from Sersama Fortress to Ogaz Outpost. Previously, each round trip took only four hours, but with Sun Busong joining them, their patrol time had increased.

"Can't you run a little faster? At your pace, by the time we reach Ogaz, they'll have finished lunch already."

The speaker was another level 24 Chariot Soldier.

Sun Busong's temper flared at those words. You're a level 24 Chariot Soldier who still hasn't completed your advancement to a Professional, and you've got the nerve to lecture others?

"Hey, if you think I'm too slow, then let me ride your mount. I'm telling you, don't let my level 10 fool you—I've known how to ride sheep since I was little, and I'm pretty good at it too." Sun Busong shot back.

This guy was called Sem, a Black Iron Dwarf. His nose was so swollen and large that it covered even his upper lip.

"Hahaha, you want to ride a sheep? Keep dreaming. You're just a level 10 rookie. Talk to me after you reach level 20. For now, move those little legs of yours and run faster. If I miss lunch because of you, don't blame me for picking on you."

Sun Busong could not stand that. Just as he was about to step forward and argue with him, the captain at the front of the team heard the commotion and came over.

After learning what had happened, he looked at Sem with a grim expression.

"Busong is a new recruit, and he is only ten years old. He could have stayed in Ironforge and trained alongside children his own age, but he performed exceptionally well in the trial for advancing to soldier, which is why he was assigned here."

"He is a key talent specially transferred by the military for focused training. I hope none of you will have any more conflicts with him in the future."

It was the first time Sun Busong learned that he had been sent here because of his outstanding trial results.

Then the captain walked over to Sun Busong and looked at him kindly. "Leibraide Busong, I am the captain of this Patrol Team. You can call me Sultan. I'm very glad you've joined my squad."

As he spoke, he extended his hand. After Sun Busong shook it, the captain continued, "I'm usually in my room. If you need anything, you can come directly to me. I promise that what happened today will not happen again."

"Oh, right. I heard you have great potential and may become a Magic Professional. You must work hard, then. Magic Professionals are very rare, and they receive special treatment wherever they go. For example, the Vice-Captain and I each have our own private rooms. Once the patrol mission is complete, I hope you'll come to my room so we can talk."

After saying that, the captain left without waiting for Sun Busong to reply.

The others in the team had already begun whispering among themselves.

"No wonder he was assigned here at level 10. So he has magical talent and is being specially cultivated."

"I thought he seemed a little different from the rest of us the moment I saw him. So that was why!"

"You don't know this, but I heard from the person who brought him here that this kid passed the trial in only ninety minutes, and he was barely injured when he came out."

"Yes, yes, I heard that too. He obtained two Skill Books during the trial—one magical and one physical."

"Impossible! Everyone can only obtain one Skill Book in the trial! What do you think the trial is for? It tests one's talent. If someone has physical talent, then a Warrior Professional Skill Book will drop. Unless there's one possibility—that he possesses both talents!"

"Two talents! Are you serious? Then he actually has the potential to become a Hero!"

For a moment, everyone looked toward Sun Busong. The team fell utterly silent, save for the sound of the sheep sneezing.

Sun Busong was stunned by this information as well. So obtaining two Skill Books had been a test of his talents.

Soon, the team began moving again.

Loch Modan's scenery was beautiful, with bluish-green pine trees everywhere. From time to time, small animals would dart out from the grass along both sides of the road.

Sun Busong followed behind the team, observing the area on either side of the road. He was searching for prey that suited him.

There were many kinds of monsters here. Spiders lurked in the forest, there were level 14 Black Bears, and he even spotted an Open-air Mine.

By the time they finally reached Ogaz Outpost, Sun Busong was nearly exhausted. He had gritted his teeth and endured the entire way. Although his health bar was long, his Stamina attribute was not high.

On the return journey, Sun Busong sought out the captain alone.

"Hello, Captain. I'd like to discuss something with you."

Though Sun Busong was tall, the captain knew his true age. "Kid, do you need my help?"

Captain remained very courteous, a smile always on his face.

Sun Busong was not polite either. He directly presented his idea to Captain.

"Captain, could I use our daily rest time to hunt monsters outside and gain experience? You know I've only just reached level ten. If I rely solely on the experience from daily training and patrol tasks, it'll be impossible for me to reach level twenty and advance my class in less than a year."

Upon hearing him, Captain frowned deeply. After thinking it over, he said, "You still don't know the monster distribution around here very well. There are level-ten monsters, but most of them are level fourteen or fifteen. If I let you go out alone and something happens, I can't bear that responsibility."

Sun Busong hurriedly said, "Captain, you don't need to take responsibility for me. Besides, I'm quite strong. See the equipment I'm wearing? I forged all of it myself. I can take responsibility for my own safety."

"What? You forged the equipment you're wearing yourself? That's impossible. You're only ten years old. Even if you'd started learning in your mother's womb, you still couldn't forge Green Equipment by the age of ten!"

Captain had originally intended to placate Sun Busong for now and only let him go out alone to train and gain experience after he had reached level fifteen in the fortress.

But this kid had actually said he could forge Green Equipment! No one had mentioned that before.

"Captain, we dwarves don't lie. I really did forge this equipment myself. I can take it off and show you the maker's mark."

As he spoke, Sun Busong took off his gloves and shoes.

Captain accepted the gloves and examined them carefully. Sure enough, he found the maker's mark Sun Busong had engraved on the equipment.

"So you really are a blacksmith! Haha, I never expected a forging prodigy to emerge from my squad!" Captain was overjoyed, because most of the people in the squad were still wearing Blank Equipment.

"So, Captain, does that mean you agree to my request?" Seeing Captain's eyes squint shut with delight, Sun Busong hurriedly asked.

At that moment, a glint flashed through Captain's eyes. He stared fixedly at Sun Busong for several dozen seconds before smiling and saying, "Fine, but I have one condition!"

In the end, they reached an agreement. Before Sun Busong reached level fifteen, someone had to accompany him every time he went out to hunt monsters for experience.

And those people would not accompany him for free. They would be responsible for Sun Busong's safety, while Sun Busong had to forge two pieces of equipment and one weapon for each person accompanying and protecting him!

Thus, Sun Busong began his life as a new recruit in Loch Modan.

Three weeks later.

"This kid is really ruthless. Not only did he wipe out every monster along our squad's patrol route, he even killed the monsters on other patrol routes."

"Exactly. The captain of Seventh Squad came over two days ago. He wanted to argue with Captain and demand compensation."

"Compensation, my ass. Before Busong came along, as long as those monsters didn't interfere with their patrols, they'd never bother killing them. They only came to take advantage because they know Busong is a blacksmith."

"Yeah, they're shameless. I heard the captain of Seventh Squad threatened to reveal that Busong is a blacksmith if we don't forge ten pieces of equipment for them."

"That lawless bastard is disgusting. Busong has only forged one piece of equipment for me so far. He hasn't even started on my weapon yet."

Meanwhile, in Captain's room.

"I don't care! Every member of our squad must get one piece of equipment, or don't even think about going back to harm the monsters on our route!"

Listen to that—he said they were not allowed to harm their monsters!

Sun Busong was helpless too. His squadmates just loved showing off, and now they had stirred up the envy of everyone else.

"No! There are twelve people in your squad. Forging twelve pieces of equipment would take at least a month. With that time, couldn't he level up just the same by doing quests?" Captain firmly refused.

"I don't care about that. If you don't agree, I'll tell the other squad captains."

"You're shameless!"

"What do I need shame for? What I want is equipment."

"No. That would delay his leveling. His most important task now is to raise his level and then advance his class."

And so the two of them argued back and forth, going in circles without end.

By the end of it, even Sun Busong's head was spinning from all the noise.

But just as his mind grew muddled and he was getting sleepy enough to fall asleep, a sentence suddenly lodged itself in his mind.

"I can also reorganize the Mossy People along our squad's patrol route and give some to you!"

Mossy People!

Sun Busong abruptly rose to his feet and crossed the room in two strides, stopping before the captain of Seventh Squad.

The squad captain was so startled that his body jerked, and he took a step back.

"What did you just say? There's a Mossy People Tribe on your patrol route?" Sun Busong was extremely excited, his eyes wide as he demanded an answer.

"Uh, y-yes. There is."

Sun Busong smiled excitedly. "Really? There really is? That's great!"

Then he turned to look at his own Captain.

"Captain, agree to his terms. I can forge one piece of equipment for every member of their squad, but I'll charge double for materials."

Early the next morning, Sun Busong got up very early. Ever since reaching an agreement with Captain, he had no longer taken part in the squad's patrol duties.

Every day, all he did was kill monsters and forge equipment.

"I'll take you to the Mossy People Tribe right now. Hahaha, if I'd known that was all you wanted, it really wasn't worth falling out with your captain like that. Um... you're level fourteen now. Do you need me to send someone to protect you?"

"No need. Just take me there. Don't concern yourselves with anything else."

"No problem! Hahaha, come on, this way."

After a two-hour journey, Sun Busong finally arrived at the place.

"Busong, I don't usually give this grinding spot to anyone else, you know? There's a Silver Elite Mossy Person in this Mossy People Tribe!"

"Silver Elite!"

"That's right! Heh heh, we come over every week to harvest a batch. Killing the Wiseclaw Chieftain can drop Blue Gear—you brat have gotten a huge bargain."

It was true that killing Silver Elite monsters could drop Blue Gear. But as for them coming every week to kill the Wiseclaw Chieftain, that monster had long since stopped dropping blue equipment. Even Green Equipment depended on luck now; 99% of the chieftain's drops were White Equipment.

But Sun Busong didn't know that.

"I won't take advantage of you either. How about this? As long as you let me kill Mossy People every week, I'll forge an extra piece of equipment for you each week. Does that work?"

"Hahaha, that works perfectly! You said it yourself. When dwarf men speak, every word is an iron nail."

"Don't worry. I never break my word!"

Looking at the gates of the Mossy People Tribe ahead, Sun Busong recalled those scenes of his parents being murdered.

"Mossy People, we'll settle our score slowly. But for now, I'll collect a little interest first!"

Sun Busong, Level 14!

HP: 10552! Strength: 82. Stamina: 23. Armor: 640! Kill Points (35/100)

Begging for everything, the kind where I roll around on the ground! Dear brothers and sisters, please pity this newbie!