Tactical Core

After Gauss demonstrated his skills, especially Magic Missile.

The attitudes of the others towards him quietly changed in a very short period.

Although they didn't say it explicitly, the way they looked at Gauss now carried an extra measure of seriousness.

In the subsequent individual demonstrations and team tactical drills, everyone also put in extra effort.

It seemed that after Gauss got off to a good start, each of them worried about their own abilities being underestimated and did their utmost to impress.

Sensing the change in the team's atmosphere, Gauss shook his head.

He couldn't help but sigh.

Indeed, no matter the world, the strong are always respected.

Even if the strong are taciturn, the team will not ignore their voice because of it.

A path filled with flowers and applause.

However, Gauss also understood that strength is relative.

Relying on the powerful destructive force of Magic Missile, he could instantly occupy the tactical core position responsible for the finishing blow within the team.

This was because his burst damage was at least one level higher than the others.

But if he were placed among Professionals, he might just be another nobody by the roadside, with anyone capable of creating stronger attacks at will.

A Level 1 spell cast by an apprentice Mage like him, who had no Class Rank, might not even be as powerful as a Level 0 Cantrip cast by a Professional.

Moreover, he could only cast the fully powered Magic Missile once. Professionals consumed even less Mana for their Level 0 spells.

In other words, his ultimate move was equivalent to a Professional's basic attack.

He had heard from Shopkeeper Gron that once one officially advanced and condensed their Class Rank, a Mage's Mana pool would not only increase but also become more refined. Casting the same spell would result in a stronger effect than before.

When he advanced to become a Professional, he would likely be able to use the enhanced Magic Missile more times, instead of being limited to two weakened Magic Missiles or one fully powered missile in a short period like he was now.

"Hey, Gauss."

"From now on, leave the front line to me."

"I can help you tie down the enemies."

Leven watched as the drills ended and the group still gathered around Gauss, letting out a sigh of relief.

Actually, he possessed a special ability that he had never mentioned to anyone else.

It was a kind of uncanny intuition, which had saved his life several times.

This morning, in the Adventurer's Hall, as he walked past Gauss, he suddenly felt an inexplicable stirring.

He felt that Gauss stood out from the crowd, possessing an extraordinary aura.

Therefore, he didn't choose to approach Gauss only after he admitted his identity as a "Mage." Instead, he had already realized Gauss's unusual nature before that.

This was also why he immediately showed his intention to recruit him.

Even though he and the other team members had no intention of recruiting any more members before this.

This was also why some members had been cold towards Gauss. In fact, some of that coldness was likely due to him. Since he had suddenly brought someone in without consulting the others, it was natural for the other members to feel some resentment.

He couldn't explain the reason to his companions.

But now, Gauss had demonstrated strength beyond that of ordinary Adventurers and had successfully gained the recognition of the other members.

He felt a bit better about it.

At least the outcome was good.

The only difficulty now was how to persuade Gauss to officially join the team.

To be honest, after spending most of the day together, Leven could vaguely sense some of Gauss's thoughts.

And speaking of which, this guy might be the most aloof of them all.

Because from beginning to end, when facing Doyle and the others, regardless of whether they were initially cold or now friendly, Gauss maintained the same faint smile on his face.

It was as if he could accept whatever his teammates did.

But it was precisely this attitude that reflected a detached state of being.

The next morning.

"Dong--"

"Dong--"

The melodious sound of the bell awakened Grayrock Town.

"So early today?"

Sophia in the hall looked at Gauss as he came downstairs and asked curiously.

"I have a mission, I promised the team," Gauss said, checking his equipment and pack one last time before leaving.

After confirming nothing was missing, he stepped out the door.

"Sophia, I'm leaving. I'll be back in a few days."

"Have a safe trip and be careful on your mission." Sophia watched Gauss leave.

She already knew Gauss had officially become an Adventurer.

Sophia was a little worried about his decision.

Being an Adventurer was a dangerous Profession; who knew if this young man who left home to make his way in the world would end up dead in the wilderness one day.

If something unfortunate were to happen.

She, the innkeeper with no blood relation to him, might be the only one to ever hear any news of him.

Thinking about it made her feel a bit sad and uneasy.

However, she had no standing to interfere with the young man's life choices.

Even if she didn't approve, she could only offer her blessings.

Still, she could tell that Gauss's physical and mental state had been improving during this time, changing day by day.

Completely different from the past year.

"Perhaps, little Gauss has found his true life's goal."

He bought some meat pies on the street.

Eating as he walked towards the town's exit.

"Morning!"

Doyle the Swordsman's voice came from behind him.

"Morning."

"Want some jerky?"

"No thanks, I just bought some meat pies." Gauss replied indistinctly while chewing heartily.

Before he even reached the town exit, he spotted Leven, a tall figure, by the side of the road from a distance.

Beside him was a horse pulling a flatbed cart.

Doyle naturally placed his pack, armor, and weapons onto the cart.

"What's this?" Gauss blinked.

"This is the pack horse for our squad, Gauss. You can put your gear on it too." Leven waved him over.

Gauss then placed his own pack and Leather Armor onto the cart.

Leven's large shield, scale armor, Doyle's greatsword and armor, along with cooking equipment, food, tents, and other daily necessities were all on the cart.

They're quite well-prepared, Gauss thought to himself.

But it made sense, he supposed. There were six of them in total, and finding suitable transport with a merchant caravan on short notice might not be possible.

Even if they were lucky enough to find a traveling caravan on their way there, what about the return trip?

Without horses, even with Leven and Doyle's good stamina, they couldn't possibly walk for a whole day in the wilderness wearing heavy armor.

Perhaps this was why the Night Owl Squad had a dedicated pack horse and cart.

He wondered if they bought it or rented it.

Before long, the other members of the group arrived at the meeting point.

Everyone unloaded their burdens and placed them into the flatbed cart.

With everyone accounted for and all supplies confirmed, Leven gave a signal, and the group left Grayrock Town unburdened.

"Creak, creak—"

The sound of wooden wheels rolling over the ground, the team marched in an orderly fashion.

Those who got tired occasionally sat on the cart to rest.

Overall, the experience was much better than Gauss had anticipated.

I'll buy a horse myself someday, Gauss mused. It can carry my own luggage, or even my future teammates' luggage.

The last time he hiked back to Grayrock Town from Birch Village with a heavy load, he had almost died of exhaustion.

It

As it happens, he had already inquired with Daphne about the price of the basic materials for wands, and they were much more expensive than he had anticipated.

The quality of the base materials varied, ranging from holly, elder, lightning-struck wood, peach wood, hawthorn wood, and so on. Not all of these plants could be used; rather, a select few branches suitable for mana circulation had to be carefully chosen and processed, which meant the price would be at least 70 silver coins and up.

Some expensive ones were even pricier than the mana stones used as the core of the wand, reaching over 10 gold coins.

Thanks to "New Fatty Afeng" for the generous tip of five thousand coins. Why do you keep tipping me? I feel unworthy.

A side note: I just saw the data backstage and noticed that nearly 50% of the readers currently viewing this book are between 18 and 24 years old. Everyone seems so young.

In the blink of an eye, I'm almost 26, about to turn thirty and become an old man. It's terrifying.

Another side note: This Sunday marks the first round of recommendations. Thank you all for your continued support. I shamelessly implore you to keep following the daily updates, especially the chapters released on Tuesdays, as the next round of advancement heavily relies on the data from that day.

Thank you all!