Da Er Joins the Hunt Tonight

Rewards are always the primary driving force that motivates people to explore, no matter when or where.

Some people might be drawn in by the story or other factors, but it's unrealistic to expect people to be enthusiastic about exploring Roguelike based solely on the story.

Adventurers are mostly driven by self-interest; they are only motivated by rewards.

For example, Leon and his team are full of energy right now. He dragged the reluctant Delu back into the Roguelike level, and they fought there for a whole day.

After a whole day of work, I finally obtained four Proof of Past Battles.

Delu checked the rewards at the altar and finally chose to exchange for the Lure Skull. One Proof of Past Battles could be exchanged for ten Lure Skull, which seemed like a good deal, especially with the ten skulls scattered around him, giving him a sense of accomplishment.

Since the description of the Lure Skull says it can attract the attention of monsters, he no longer needs to worry about being chased and attacked by monsters.

The most dangerous moment of the day was when he was being chased by the Outcast Demon; it was disgusting, and he never wanted to experience it again.

"Aren't you going to change something?" He turned to look at Leon.

Leon shook his head and said, "I'm saving up to exchange for something better."

His gaze was intense as he looked at the altar, his hands clenching so tightly they cracked, as if he held the Proof of Past Battles in his very hands.

This is one small step for him, but one giant leap for adventurers.

These blessings are sometimes more valuable than souls; the Zane Dungeon is truly a treasure trove.

In his excitement, he noticed the straight sword in his hand. The blade was dented and worn, clearly from prolonged combat, and he needed to find a blacksmith to repair it.

Whether it was Leon's imagination or not, he felt that the strength of the monsters inside the levels had changed when he entered them again.

This feeling is very subtle, and I don't know how to describe it.

The monsters that were too weak or too strong have all disappeared, and the monsters that have taken their place all require him to fight them with some difficulty in order to win.

The strength of the Elite Monsters, however, would require him to engage in a perilous and arduous battle before he could have a chance of winning.

It felt to him as if the strength of the monsters here had been adjusted to match his own strength.

Fighting against equally matched opponents is indeed very interesting, but the fun of mowing down enemies is lost, and only the Combat Level before encountering the first elite are relatively easy.

There's no need to doubt it; Gong Qiying has applied the "Strength Balance" permission to the Roguelike.

After a busy day, Leon was still excited, but his physical strength was exhausted. After calculating that it was about time, they decided to leave the dungeon on their own.

It was already night outside, with scattered stars hanging in the sky, and the moon looked like it had been bitten by Jobs.

The clamor of the crowd filled their ears, making Leon and his companions feel as if they were in another world compared to the silent Firelink Shrine.

It's said that returning to a quiet home from a lively ball can be disconcerting and uncomfortable, but Leon, on the contrary, felt out of place in such a bustling setting.

"Do you think Malu and the others have come out yet?"

He bought a few skewers from a roadside stall, and while eating, he handed one to Delu.

Delu hesitated as he looked at the skewers made of some unknown meat. Recently, due to the influence of the Gourmet Area, the food around Bede City had become strange and unusual, and people could not tell what the raw materials of the food served on the table were.

Who cares what it's made of, as long as it tastes good.

With his stomach Ghrū, he still took the skewers.

I don't know what kind of meat the skewers are made of, but they are very juicy. The dark brown skin and the scallion segments create a striking color contrast. A rich aroma of meat wafts into your nose. One bite, and the taste is simply heavenly for meat lovers.

The day's fatigue seemed to dissipate most of it the moment the hot food hit his stomach. Delu finished the skewers, which were as long as his forearm, in two bites, and was still a little unsatisfied.

Leon smiled, wanting to buy some more, but the other person waved his hand and said, "To the tavern!"

Hot food and ice-cold beer are both essential for a perfect meal.

As soon as they pushed open the tavern door, the surging sound waves made the two of them take a step back.

The tavern was brightly lit and packed with people, many of whom stood at the tables to drink. Everyone was enthusiastically discussing their day's haul, and when they were really enjoying themselves, they would clink glasses and the aroma of beer filled everyone's hearts.

"Were there always this many people here?" Leon looked around; there was simply no room to put his feet down in the tavern.

This is a place they frequent, and it's always been quite popular, but it's never been this crowded. What happened today?

"It's been like this for a while now. Everyone was drawn here by the dungeon. Of course you didn't notice it after being away for a month."

Delu pointed inside the tavern. "Come on, there are seats there."

Are there any seats available?

Leon looked over and spotted familiar faces: Malu and Te Er, but Jia Paer was nowhere to be found.

Luo Jieer, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, was also there. He had one arm around Te Er's waist—because he couldn't reach his shoulder—and the other arm around a young man Leon had never seen before. He was singing off-key songs as if he were drunk, and the guests kept frowning at him, probably about to reach their limit of Endurance.

Leon suddenly didn't want to go anymore.

"Boss, over here!" Malu spotted him instantly and waved.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk over. As soon as he got there, Luo Jieer rushed over to hug him, but luckily he managed to dodge.

With a "thud," Luo Jieer fell to the ground and couldn't get up. After a while, his snoring could be heard.

"Never mind him, he gets drunk as soon as he drinks," Malu dismissively, pulling him aside. At that moment, the unfamiliar young man also said goodbye and wanted to leave, seemingly unaccustomed to the lively atmosphere.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute."

Malu pulled Leon aside and said, "Boss, let me introduce you. He's the one I mentioned before—"

"Da Er, right?" Leon smiled warmly and extended his hand to him.

Da Er shook hands with him briefly and said, somewhat unexpectedly, "I didn't expect 'Lion' Leon to know me too."

"Of course, I've heard a lot about you since I got back, such as," Leon said with a teasing smile, "The Farron Undead Legion, Farron's wolf cubs, the hero who slayed the demons."

"Pfft, cough cough cough"

Da Er had just taken a sip of wine to calm his nerves when he heard what Leon said, and he almost spat it all out.

Who came up with all these nicknames? Can't they come up with something normal?

"Please sit down. I've been wanting to meet you for a long time."

Da Er sat down with a somewhat solemn expression. Leon the Lion was the leader of the Strategy Team. He had heard that the other party was a person as warm as the sun but as ruthless as a lion, and perhaps very cunning.

He roused himself, determined to face whatever challenges the other party might present.

Dealing with important people is a trial that one has to endure in life!

A moment later.

"The Undead Legion are so cool! I really want to fight them!"

After finishing his eighth beer, a slightly tipsy Leon put his arm around Da Er's shoulder, gave him an envious look, and said, "Hey, tell me more stories about the Farron Undead Legion, I want to hear more."

The latter shrugged, wondering if the strong people here had a habit of getting physical when they were drunk.

Da Er gave an awkward yet polite smile and said, "I've already told you everything I know about the Undead Legion, there's really nothing more."

What's going on? Why is the mighty Lion Leon acting like a child pestering an adult for a story?!

"That's a real shame," Leon sighed, then asked, "So, the Undead Legion are pretty strong, right? How's your campaign going?"

Da Er shook his head, as if to say he couldn't win? But there seemed to be a deeper reason.

Oh, Leon, I see. It's only been a few days since the Battle of Val City. Da Er needs to rest too. Looks like he hasn't been to the dungeon these past few days.

"Young Master Da Er has become quite famous lately,"

Then, Luo Jieer suddenly got up from the ground. He didn't seem drunk at all and said:

"The Earl awarded him the prize and recommended him to his superiors. Adventurers thought the guy was incredibly amazing, and the common people idolized him. This life is just too awesome."

Da Er's lips twitched slightly as he said, "Many people have put in the effort, so why am I the only one being praised?"

"It's because that footage was so cool, and you killed the leader of the demon race," Luo Jieer said. "It's perfect as promotional material!"

Da Er sighed and said nothing more.

The impact of that footage actually went far beyond these points.

This morning, several people came to his house, wanting to become his disciples and asking him to teach them martial arts.

Only after asking did I learn that these people were survivors of Val City.

The survivors' eyes were numb and filled with hatred, as if they would commit suicide immediately after killing the demons to avenge themselves, as if life had no meaning anymore.

They came after hearing the rumors about the images, and they also knew the legend of the Farron Undead Legion. In people's eyes, the Abyss was linked to the demons, so the Undead Legion that monitored the Abyss naturally became great heroes who eliminated the demons.

Da Er's swordsmanship, which originated from the Undead Legion, his figure fighting alongside the wolf pack, and the Wolf's Blood he had unleashed all led people to believe that he had inherited the Undead Legion's legacy.

The survivors, seeking revenge, lacked the strength to storm Farron Keep and could only place their hopes on Da Er.

This hope was too heavy a burden, and Da Er was still somewhat at a loss, so he could only temporarily settle these people on the farm.

But these people were just the beginning. Many more came to him, some wanting to become his apprentices, some wanting him to be their bodyguard to search for Wolf's Blood, and some even throwing their entire fortunes at him, hoping that Da Er would slaughter as many demons as possible.

This threw Da Er into a panic, and he fled the farm that night as if he were escaping. He was then pulled into a tavern by Luo Jieer, who was strolling down the street, which led to the events that are unfolding now.

Am I really going to build a new Undead Legion here? But can I take responsibility for the future of so many people?

The tavern was bustling, but Da Er's thoughts were a jumbled mess.

His silence caused the atmosphere at the table to cool down. In order to find a new topic, Leon took out the Painting Fragment he had just acquired.

"This is what I got from the grave. It depicts the story of the Wolf Knight Artorias, but unfortunately it's just a fragment and you can't make out anything."

The password was correct, Da Er immediately looked up.

What did he just hear, Wolf Knight Artorias?

Isn't that knight the idol of the Farron Undead Legion?

He suddenly grasped Leon's hand and said earnestly:

"Please, you must explain the situation!"

After Leon explained the details of the Roguelike and other things, Da Er looked somewhat dazed, as if he was thinking about something.

A renewed sense of determination appeared in his eyes; his next move was now clear.

Tomorrow, he will go to the underground city to search for the legend of Artorias!

Perhaps the story of that hero can offer him some inspiration in his current predicament!

The next day, when Da Er arrived at the portal alone, he bumped into someone he never expected.

"Yo-ho~" Malu peeked out from behind Leon and greeted Leon, "Good morning."

Da Er looked rather awkwardly behind the group, where an elderly figure stood.

Sword Saint Gapar nodded to him.