Starting with the goblin extermination

Logan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The battle is over.

As the [Wild Hunt] state was intentionally ended, the violent power was instantly drawn out of his body.

The pain and exhaustion that had been forcibly blocked out pierced his body again.

Although the "Bloodshed" feat allowed him to draw life force from the Shadow Leopard to heal most of his lacerations, he still couldn't shake off the feeling of exhaustion.

This is probably the price to pay for using Wild Hunt.

Logan bit open the cork of the [Basic Healing Potion] and drank the liquid inside in one gulp. Ellis, not far away, did the same.

The warmth spread throughout their bodies, and their tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

Logan glanced at Elsa, who was holding a dagger and standing guard nearby, then turned his gaze to Ellis, who was panting heavily, and Sylvie, who had put away her longbow.

Nice job.

I thought that these two women would need my support when facing the Shadow Leopard, which is known for its speed.

Unexpectedly, Ellis's nickname "Steel Fist" was not just for show. She withstood the Shadow Leopard's attacks for so long, protecting the two helpless burdens behind her.

Finally, with Elsa's help, they smashed the Shadow Panther's head with a single punch.

Logan glanced at Quintus and Koska, who were sitting blankly on the ground, as if they were two breathing money bags.

I really have to thank Ellis.

The tall, fit woman was in a sorry state. Her heavy chainmail was tattered, and beneath the cracked armor, one could vaguely see her powerful muscles.

Sweat mingled with black blood, slowly sliding down her deep collarbone and chest.

Logan smiled and, mimicking the gesture that the old dwarf Thorin had made to him in the past, gave Ellis a thumbs-up.

Ellis stared intently at Logan.

The man's face was covered in blood, and his hair was disheveled.

But there was no scheming or defensiveness between adventurers in their eyes, only the pure recognition between warriors after fighting side by side.

Still brimming with the passion from the life-or-death struggle, she could clearly feel her blood boiling.

Not for any other reason, but because the guy in front of her was just too much to her liking.

He is powerful, reliable, and even single-handedly took down a Shadow Leopard.

Elsa's cold, icy gaze flashed through Iris's mind again.

The fighting spirit in his eyes not only did not subside, but burned even brighter.

She recalled Elsa's ghostly figure during the battle. Their teamwork in that fight was absolutely flawless.

He has a temper, courage, and ability; he's an excellent teammate.

She's made up her mind. She wants both Logan and Elsa!

If we're in a good mood one day, we'll take them all to the training ground and have a fight.

Thoughts are clear and open.

Ellis strode over and unceremoniously draped her arm heavily over Logan's shoulder.

"Just one thumb? That's stingy, Logan."

The stench of blood mixed with the smell of sweat hit me.

"I risked my guts to protect you and those dozen or so platinum coins. When we get back to Riverwood, aren't you going to buy me drinks all night?"

Logan glanced at her sideways, but didn't push her away; he just smiled relaxedly.

We went through a fierce battle together.

A sense of shared identity, transcending defensiveness, naturally developed among adventurers.

"You deserve it," Logan said seriously. "The Shadow Leopard is too fast. If you hadn't held it back so tightly, those two guys behind would have been torn to shreds by now."

"Well done, Ellis."

When Ellis heard the praise, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Instead of letting go, she excitedly tightened her grip on Logan's neck with her arms.

"You've got a way with words, kid! But honestly... teaming up with tough guys like you who'll fight without hesitation is way more fun than teaming up with those spineless pretty boys in the guild!"

As she spoke, she turned her head and gestured with her chin toward Elsa, who was standing to the side.

"And that little girl, well done! When we get back to Riverwood, our two teams have to have a good drink. I've decided you're friends!"

Sylvie rubbed his forehead.

Ellis has started again.

She would try to befriend any powerful adventurer who matched her temperament, and they would always end up fighting each other.

Hopefully, Logan and the others won't be scared off by her enthusiasm.

Logan looked at this enthusiastic, tomboyish woman, smiled, and agreed.

Then, his expression immediately turned serious.

Because they are still in a dangerous situation.

He plucked a leaf and walked to the flickering campfire.

"The Shadow Leopard is a monster deep within the forest and will never appear in the outer areas."

"Unless we're already in the deep layers," Koska interjected quietly.

On that leaf, grayish-white spots had somehow spread to cover more than half of its surface area.

The entire leaf looked sickly and deathly gray in the firelight.

"This area is no longer safe; we must evacuate immediately."

No one objected.

But you can't leave empty-handed.

As a level 1 challenge monster, the Shadow Leopard's black and white fur is a top-quality material for crafting equipment. Although it was a bit troublesome, Logan and Iris, relying on their amazing strength, each carried a corpse.

Logan looked at Koska with some difficulty.

Now that this area has been designated as a deep zone, the nearby Guardian Stone is no longer safe.

They had to hold out in the deepest part of the area for two hours, while also protecting an unarmed old drunkard.

He didn't want to take risks.

"Old man, I'm afraid the commission has to be terminated."

Kosca let out a burp, but surprisingly, he was quite open-minded.

"Alright, alright! Know when to stop. This old man isn't ready to die yet." Kosca waved his hand. "Forget about that pile of broken rocks. Take me back to Riverwood first thing tomorrow morning, and I'll give you back the remaining four platinum coins, except for the advance payment."

Logan paused.

Why?

"How about I do you a favor, old man?"

Koska chuckled.

"As you know, I've been blacklisted by the guild, so I definitely can't post commissions through the guild for a while. I'll be posting a lot of freelance work in the future. You're pretty good, consider this my investment in making friends in advance."

Logan stared at the old man for a couple of seconds, then nodded.

"Thank you, I'll remember this favor."

Without further delay, the group marched at full speed through the darkness.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Logan casually plucked a leaf and confirmed that the gray spots on it had shrunk to about a third of their original size, his tense nerves finally relaxed.

They retreated to the edge of the forest.

In a dry cave, the two teams re-established their camp.

Logan rested his head on Elsa's soft lap and fell into a deep sleep.

Koska, standing to the side, closed his eyes and silently recited a string of words.

His consciousness slowly sank into darkness.