Full-Time Wizard: Starting with Harvesting Wheat

Moore went out carrying a small round shield, overjoyed.

This round shield was made primarily of refined iron, with its outline complemented by fine wood. It was neither too light nor too heavy to lift, which pleased him greatly.

The shield was cold, yet it burned like a blazing flame in his palm.

The only thing that annoyed him was the way the boy tossed the round shield to him from the pile of old goods, as if it were trash.

Damn it, once I kill that bloodsucking monster, let's see who dares to laugh at me!

Moor roared inwardly, his heavy footsteps crunching across the gravel road as he followed the townspeople's directions toward the Soram Tavern.

……

The next morning, the air was stagnant and leaden, and the bone-chilling cold felt like poison, freezing our breath.

The town mayor crawled out from under the hemp quilt, wondering if the snow would come in November this year.

With each breath he exhaled, white vapor swirled around his ears, forming a chilling, thin curtain.

"Usopp!" He pushed open the creaking wooden door and called out to the man who was almost blending into the shadows of the house.

Ever since losing his son, the man had been obsessed, constantly shouting that he would find the murderer and avenge his son. When his son's dried-up corpse appeared before him, his soul seemed to be drained away, leaving only a withered shell like rotten wood.

"Mayor, I'm looking for that mercenary, Mor, to see if he... finished off that thing." Usopp, wrapped in a thin, paper-like garment, shook his head listlessly, his eyes staring blankly to one side. "I'll go look over there again."

Usopp's stubbornness conveniently prevented the mayor from sending someone else to find Moore.

The town mayor stood outside the gate, like a stone pillar.

After a long while, Usopp's figure emerged from the mist like a ghost.

"No... I couldn't find him anywhere."

Even the last glimmer of light in those empty eyes dimmed.

The mayor found it strange. The mercenary, Moor, was tall and imposing, and was wearing armor. He had also reportedly taken a round shield from the blacksmith's shop yesterday. He should have been easy to find.

Could it be that they've already gone back to the tavern to rest by morning?

Usopp immediately went to the tavern to ask him questions, and Soram said that the mercenary had gone out last night and had not returned.

At this moment, ominous clouds gathered over the town.

When Aunt Mary went to the well to fetch water, she pulled on the bucket and found it extremely heavy. Suspecting that something was tangled in the bucket, she poked her head in and immediately screamed in alarm.

The mummified corpse lay limp in the tub like a doll, its face upturned, its murky, bloodless eyes silently gazing at the sky.

It was as if he died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

He was still covered in thick leather armor, his helmet was tossed aside, his round shield floated silently on the water, and his one-handed sword was stuck in a crevice in the well wall, unstained by blood.

Even before they were pulled out, Aunt Mary could tell that this was the same mercenary who had been so arrogant yesterday, declaring that he wanted to slaughter the vampires.

The townspeople rushed over upon hearing the commotion and worked together to lift the barrel. Some of the bolder ones examined the body closely and, sure enough, found a row of sharp teeth marks on the neck.

"My God! Even the mercenaries... have been killed!"

"It's a vampire!"

"We'll all be drained dry!"

"It's over...we're doomed..."

Desperate whispers and screams collided in the cold wind.

Aunt Mary looked around; every face was contorted with the same terror and despair. She glanced instinctively into the well, the dark bottom reflecting her own expression.

—Pale, distorted.

No different from anyone else.

On this day, the path leading to Perand's lonely cottage became unusually lively.

Roy had come to Perland's hut three times to learn swordsmanship, but no one had ever come to visit him. At most, the townspeople passing by would give him a friendly smile before hurrying away.

That sense of boundary stems not only from the difference in status between civilians and mercenaries, but also from the chasm of power.

He always felt that the mercenary's hut was a place isolated from Lanxi Town.

However, such a place is more suitable for practicing sword skills.

"How's your Whirlwind Slash practice going?" Perland asked, but his face was beaming with joy at seeing his disciple's progress.

At the same time, there was also a hint of shock at Roy's talent.

Roy first looked at the standard of the up-and-down movement, which was always trembling at around 80%, and then looked at his own face reflected in the iron sword.

【Whirlwind Slash Lv.2 (389/500)】

Lv.1 represents the level of proficiency, Lv.2 represents a further understanding and smoother execution beyond that level, and as for the Lv.3 he is about to reach...

Just like a knife cutting butter, the small pieces of butter slide into the side of the pot, making it incredibly smooth and natural.

"Soon," Roy replied.

He knew that Perand Mercenary's Lv.4 level was almost like writing his moves into computer program code. As long as he had a thought, that code would run automatically without any stagnation.

This terrifying level of proficiency is, for the time being, like Old John's Lv.4 forging, something he cannot reach in a short period of time.

He decided that once he reached level 3 in Whirlwind Slash, he would go and deal with the matter with Droc.

suddenly!

"Puff puff puff—!"

The sparrows perched on the branches suddenly burst into flight, scattering in terror towards the gray sky as if whipped by an invisible lash.

This flight caused a large number of equally frightened birds to flee the area in panic.

Suddenly, cries for help rang out outside the cabin, like a drowning person grabbing onto a fragile embankment.

"Honorable mercenary Perland, we beg you, teach us, help us to vanquish the vampires!"

"Honorable Mercenary Perland, Mercenary Mor has already perished under the vampire's blade. We beg your intervention!"

"The vampires are ruthless; we dare not go out during the day anymore!"

"Mercenaries..."

The townspeople were sensible enough not to rush straight over the gate into the courtyard. However, Perand's eyebrows had furrowed into a straight line.

"I'd heard about vampires before, and even mercenaries have died," he murmured.

"The mercenary Mor in Lotte Town, I heard he was at the Bronze level, just like you. Do you know him, Master?" Roy wasn't surprised at all by Mor's death; he only lamented that the round shield had been given away for nothing.

"I'm also a Bronze-level mercenary in the Lot Town Mercenary Guild," Perland said, waving his hand. "But I've never heard of this person before; perhaps he was recently promoted."

"Master, you're also at the Bronze level!?" Roy was stunned; the difference in strength between the two was like heaven and earth.

"The Bronze level is divided into three tiers..."

Perland said no more. The townspeople outside the door were making a huge commotion, which was disturbing Roy's sword practice. He couldn't just ignore it.

He took the iron sword, which he hadn't used in a long time, from the wall and walked out of the courtyard with firm steps.

"Mercenaries!"

"You're finally out, mercenary!"

"We've all been waiting for you!"

The sentiment is exciting.

Perland felt saddened that Lanxi Town, lacking any strong leaders, could only rely on him alone. This was why they wanted their children to participate in the lord's recruitment and become knights' squires.

That's to cultivate future strong individuals!

"Everyone!" Perland's voice was strong and clear, instantly silencing all the noise.

With a clang, a dazzling white streak flew out of the sword sheath.

The townspeople paused, stunned by the mercenary's action. Perand's imposing presence was completely different from that of Mor, who could only put on a show!

"Tonight, I will patrol the night once, I swear on my mercenary blood and honor!"

"As if encountering a vampire—"

The iron sword hummed in his hand.

"He must be...beheaded by my sword!"