I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 154 Endurance Challenge
Under the dim moonlight, a young man with a somewhat immature appearance, wearing leather armor, was carrying two large barrels of wine and was panting as he hurried along the road.

He had a hairstyle resembling that of a Viking barbarian, but his black hair was now soaked with sweat. As he continued to walk, steam rose intermittently from his forehead, and the dripping sweat wet the road, making the boy curse under his breath.

What was originally a ten-mile journey would have taken him less than half an hour to complete, but now he had already walked for that long and was still not even halfway there.

"Be content. I carried the carcass of a brown bear back with me. That thing weighed over 1000 pounds and the carcass was even heavier, but I didn't rest once even when I reached the tribe. Unlike you, who is panting and out of breath."

"I'm a fucking mage!" DuPont cursed, exhausted. "My strength is only 14 and my constitution is only 18 even with the belt. How can I compare to a human beast like you? Not to mention, this carrying pole is making my shoulders hurt. Otherwise, I would definitely walk faster than this."

“This is only a little bit of work. Even some hardworking old farmers who aren’t as strong as you can finish this little bit of work. It’s obvious you’ve never done any work before.” Man Shi pointed and said from the side, “You’re slowing down again. Don’t stop. Otherwise, you’ll get even more tired if you stop to rest. If you rest for too long, you’ll have wasted half the journey. You must persevere.”

"This is fucking inhuman work!" DuPont wiped his sweat. This was much more grueling than fighting the mirror image. "Can't I cast spells during this process? I'm only 120 pounds, I can't possibly handle it!"

"Trust in your muscles. Your body has unlimited potential. Besides, didn't my woman give you the strength of a bull? Just hang in there and the pain will pass."

DuPont spat after hearing this; his saliva was sticky from excessive sweating: "After this test, I'll still be able to fight a bear? Give me a bed and I can fall asleep right now!"

“That’s for tomorrow morning. You’ve already completed half of tonight’s task.” Man Shi watched from behind, secretly amused. He had been just as disheveled back then, but the joy of advancing overwhelmed him, and he didn’t care about being tired at all: “Don’t worry, you’re so young. You’ll be fully recovered after a good night’s sleep tomorrow.”

I think they'll get exhausted.

"It's alright, my woman has healing magic, these are minor issues." Man Shi said, looking at the druid: "Keep it up, what makes us adventurers? It's the ability to do things that mortals can't. You should be grateful. I didn't have such good logistical support back then, I had to rely on myself for everything."

Before DuPont could retort, Miss Druid whispered, "We've already walked seven miles, and we'll be there in about five more miles."

"Did you hear that? We've already covered most of the distance!" Man Shi laughed. "Keep it up! When we get there, I'll find you a pretty girl to warm your bed. There's a pretty girl sleeping in just five more miles!"

The druid glared at the barbarian stone with annoyance, but to his surprise, DuPont actually perked up, straightening his previously hunched back.

Is this guy risking his life for a woman?

However, after observing for a while, the druid noticed some differences.

Compared to his initial staggering and difficult movements, DuPont's steps were now noticeably lighter. Although his upper body muscles were still tense, he was clearly no longer in such a sorry state.

Have they already found a solution?
However, the druid didn't speak. At this moment, DuPont probably didn't even have time to consider these issues, acting entirely on instinct. If he managed to distract the other party and pull him back to that heavy reality, he might really lose heart in no time.

Let him bicker with Man Shi; at least it'll lighten his mood.

However, the team gradually quieted down.

Listening to the hooting of owls, passing by the village with torches lit, DuPont raised his head in confusion and stubbornness, and when he saw the long fence, he almost couldn't help but burst into tears.

His shoulder had gone from painful to numb, and his entire right shoulder and thigh had lost sensation. He was walking forward entirely by inertia.

Only these last 100-odd steps remain.
Thinking of this, DuPont's body began to radiate power again, his numb body regaining its strength.

"Hey, almost done..." Man Shi was about to speak when the druid beside him interrupted him with a message: "Don't talk, let him go up by himself." "This kid's already exhausted, this uphill climb is going to be tough, isn't it?"

“He’s still walking, clearly not planning to stop.” The druid narrowed his eyes. “He’s competing with himself. Anyway, it’s only a hundred or so steps, and the outcome will be decided soon.”

"Hmm, wait a minute, his legs seem a bit weak. Climbing this hill is much more tiring than walking normally." Seeing this, Man Shi sensed something was wrong and quickly said, "Just the last two steps, use Berserk!"

Upon hearing this, DuPont's already somewhat muddled mind suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He roared and was instantly filled with strength. He picked up the carrying pole and started running!

Even faster than empty-handed!
The two people behind him were stunned by the situation, exchanged a glance, and simultaneously sensed something was wrong.

While berserk mode can indeed significantly increase a person's strength and stamina, DuPont's small frame must have been completely exhausted by now, so how could he still have that much strength?

This is unusual; the kid is probably already out of it and has started to let his instincts control his body.

The moon spirit, who had finally found some peace and quiet in the courtyard, suddenly opened her eyes. Naturally, the sound, which sounded like a ferocious beast attacking, did not escape her notice.

Didn't that cousin Morning Star say there weren't any strong wild beasts around? Could it be that his enemies have come knocking on his door?

Unaware of the situation, Moonflower quickly woke up the meditating Sun Elf beside her. Upon hearing this, Vermilion was shocked. She called out to two guards, put on her cloak, grabbed her sword, and went out, only to find a swaying figure.

Cui Xing's hand, gripping the sword hilt, remained still. This person looked vaguely familiar.
"Holy crap, there really are pretty girls here!"

Upon hearing this, the Sun Elf was about to draw his longsword when he saw the other person stagger and fall to the ground. He had already used the force of the two wooden barrels to deflect the impact and tossed them aside.

Seeing this, Cui Xing was completely bewildered and stood there at a loss.

Where did this stupid thief come from?
Should we deal with it directly or wait for the owner to return?
Before Cui Xing could find an answer, Man Shi and Chen Xing arrived in the courtyard. Seeing that no conflict had occurred, they breathed a sigh of relief: "Aren't you asleep yet?"

“We were just taking a short break for meditation anyway.” The sun elf clearly didn’t have a good impression of the barbarian; compared to him, at least the previous mage apprentice could be considered a decent human being. “But this one, judging by his hairstyle, is your cousin?”

Man Shi didn't care much about the other party's attitude. Anyway, these few bean sprouts would be gone tomorrow, and his woman still had some face: "This is DuPont, huh? He just changed his hairstyle. How about it? Pretty handsome, right?"

"..." The Sun Elf was speechless, thinking that DuPont really had a close relationship with Lavoisier and the others. He was even familiar with his old teammates. Could he be his hidden illegitimate son?
At this moment, the moon elf came out with two guards: "Master Morning Star, what is this?"

“We’re helping DuPont train. He’s not just a mage, he’s also a barbarian who’s found his way to advancement.” Morning Star had a reserved smile on her face. Although wood elves are considered savages in the elven world, her strength was enough for her to hold her head high in front of royalty. “It’s also a way for us to set the direction for his impression.”

"Huh?" The Sun Elf was shocked to hear this. "Isn't he a level 4 mage? How can he find the Barbarian advancement path? What was he thinking about when choosing a class?"

“True geniuses aren’t bound by their professions; it’s just a matter of whether they’re in the mood. Besides, DuPont is practically a genius.” Morning Star said, having Man Shi lift DuPont up. “However, he’s quite exhausted. I’ll take him to rest first. If you’re interested, you can stay a while tomorrow to watch the barbarian’s advancement ceremony.”

Upon hearing this, the moon elf exchanged a glance with the sun elf, then silently nodded and returned to her room.

(End of this chapter)