Chapter 33: Professional

Raine looked toward the sound. The newcomers were the three Professionals he had briefly crossed paths with outside the town.

Leading them was a tall, burly young man with blond hair. His gleaming, bright silver Full Plate Armor was polished to a mirror finish and seemed to weigh nothing on him. He had a handsome face, his short blond hair impeccably groomed, and a Two-Handed Giant Sword nearly as tall as a person rested steadily on his back, faintly radiating the soft glow of Magic.

Following closely behind was an agile young woman. She wore a set of form-fitting dark Leather Armor. Her gaze swept over every corner and shadow like lightning, and her footsteps were so light they were nearly silent. She seemed to glide through the shadows, displaying the quintessential demeanor of a Wanderer.

Bringing up the rear was a middle-aged Mage holding an Oak Staff. He had profound eyes and a neatly trimmed short beard. Faint, heart-palpitating ripples of Arcane Magic surrounded him. As the three walked calmly, an imposing, chilling aura naturally filled the air.

Matthew and his group, who had just been excitedly showing off their Razor Beast Bone Spikes, abruptly stopped as if an invisible hand had gripped their throats. The flushed excitement on their faces was instantly replaced by tension and awe. They subconsciously lowered their heads, terrified that their clamor might disturb these true powerhouses. The other Adventurers in the hall did the same, their eyes tracing the trio's path with profound envy and respect.

The blond man's sharp gaze swept indifferently across the room. When his eyes brushed past Matthew's group and the Bone Spikes on their table, he did not pause for even a second. It was as if those boast-worthy trophies were no different from the tables and chairs—just an insignificant part of the scenery.

This time, his gaze happened to linger on Raine for a fleeting moment, and Raine happened to be looking right back. Their eyes met. The blond man's expression remained entirely flat, and he quickly looked away. Raine, however, felt a cold sweat instantly soak his back. In those placid azure eyes, he felt as if he had just seen a massive herd of Razor Beasts charging madly straight at him.

Raine thought, "Professionals truly are extraordinary." He took a slow, deep breath, doing his best to calm down.

Professional.

The word itself seemed to carry Magic Power. It represented Power, skill, and glory that transcended the limits of ordinary mortals. They were formidable beings capable of single-handedly altering the tide of a local battle. They were the ultimate dream of countless Adventurers and the gateway to a broader world.

The birth of every Professional meant that talent, perseverance, and opportunity were all indispensably present. However, stepping through the gilded gates of that sacred hall was by no means an easy feat.

Raine carefully recalled the days he spent learning from the Sloppy Ranger, trying to find even fragments of information about how to become a Professional. But that teacher seemed to have deliberately avoided the topic. Perhaps he felt that the Raine of that time would never be able to reach such heights. Or perhaps, even he had never truly pushed open that door, remaining nothing more than an ordinary Adventurer who had lingered on the threshold for a very long time.

Raine's gaze ultimately landed on the Adventurer's Badges pinned to the chests of the three Professionals. Unlike the dull brass ones worn by him and the vast majority of the people in the hall, those three badges gleamed with a cold, steely luster. Their edges were more refined, and they featured several intricate engravings. That was the symbol of a Fine Steel Level Adventurer, a full two Levels higher than theirs.

Raine remembered that Adventurers were divided into seven major Levels in total. They were the Brass Level, Black Iron Level, Fine Steel Level, Silver Level, Gold Level, Secret Silver Level, and Refined Gold Level. Fine Steel Level Adventurers were already the pinnacle that the vast majority of Bottom-level Adventurers aspired to reach. More accurately, perhaps even those ordinary veterans might never touch that height despite a lifetime of struggle, because doing so required them to actually survive that long in the first place.

"Tch, what's so great about them?" Kaelin crossed her arms over her chest and gave a soft huff.

There was not much awe in those emerald-green eyes; instead, they flickered with an unyielding competitiveness. She didn't seem unfamiliar with Professionals, and she even harbored a faint desire to compare herself to them. This underlying confidence clearly didn't come from nowhere.

Ada quickly counted the Bone Spikes, her tone carrying a trace of the respect owed to the strong. Her words highlighted the trio's status and strength. "They are the Ring of Steel, the only resident Professional squad in Mottled Town, and friends of the Town Mayor. Perhaps it is exactly because they are standing guard here that the Town Mayor felt at ease taking his troops away. That is the true weight of a Professional.

"Their strength is beyond doubt. They are only one sufficiently Difficult quest away from earning their Silver Badges.

"Adventurers who can reach that Level are more than capable of winning the appreciation and respect of Lords across the Kingdom, regardless of whether that Lord belongs to the New Nobility or the Traditional Nobility.

"There are actually quite a few Professional Adventurer squads that pass through Mottled Town every year, but they are the only ones who have truly put down roots here.

"Most Professionals don't stay in the same area for long. They crave novelty and yearn for more challenging adventures."

Hearing Ada say this, Raine couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Even though he didn't know exactly what threshold he needed to cross to become a Professional, that was exactly the goal he would strive toward next. It might be a path of trials paved with thorns, but he would absolutely not take a single step back.

"A total of twelve Razor Beast Bone Spikes, confirmed," Ada said. Having finished the count, she divided the sixty Silver Lions evenly into two piles and pushed them over to Raine and Kaelin respectively.

By this time, the three Professionals had already walked straight across the hall toward the stairs leading to the second floor, an area where higher Level quests were handed over and true powerhouses gathered. It wasn't until their figures completely disappeared around the corner of the stairs that the invisible pressure finally dissipated, and the hall gradually returned to its previous noisy state.

"Thanks, Ada." Raine pocketed the heavy Silver Lions and stood up alongside Kaelin to leave the counter. After exchanging brief greetings with Matthew and the others at the door, the two walked shoulder to shoulder out of the bustling Adventurer's Guild.

Standing on the stone steps in front of the guild, the slightly glaring sunlight dispelled the last traces of morning mist. Feeling the hefty coin pouch in his arms, a touch of joy involuntarily surfaced on Raine's face. A full 1 Golden King and 30 Silver Lions—this was a massive sum he wouldn't have even dared to dream of before!

Moreover, in addition to the Tough Fur and Mottled Ring he had gained as loot, both the [Hunting Chapter] and the [Exploration Chapter] had advanced a step further!

Amidst his excitement, Raine's gaze once again fell on Kaelin. Even though he still didn't know this Red-haired Female Swordsman's secret, he never would have obtained such a bountiful harvest without her help.

After the joy faded, a hint of solemnity welled up in Raine's dark eyes. Rather than saying Kaelin hid a secret, it was more accurate to say her frail shoulders bore some heavy, unspoken burden that threatened to crush her already scarred body. This much was evident from the scene that had unfolded in the cave earlier.