Wildness and Masks

The strength assessment of the adventurer team was completed yesterday.

Under Uncle Foucault's guarantee, the Foucault Adventurer Squad was rated as White Porcelain (Apprentice) One Star.

Don't underestimate a single star; it requires a guarantor to even be marked with it. Otherwise, with just Ogre and the others who have just registered and are unrated apprentice-level professionals, they'd definitely be zero stars.

A zero-star adventurer team can only take on odd jobs like delivering messages, goods, catching cats, or dealing with sewer rats. Only after accumulating enough task points can the members be promoted to one star.

Though not difficult, it is certainly a waste of time.

But one star is different. Some public task commissions are open, including simple demon beast clearing and resource gathering.

If you can complete a cross-rating star task during the process, it can still be counted as completed, though the rewards will be less.

Before reaching four stars, professional star ratings do not require any evaluation assessments; you just need to accumulate tasks proficiently and efficiently.

Whether you seek external help or not, the association doesn't care, as external help is also considered part of a professional's capability.

However, after four stars, rating tasks must go through special assessment tasks to be classified as a four-star adventurer team.

The same applies to five and six stars.

After all, the Professional Association is responsible for assessing the capabilities of high-star adventurer teams, which is why assessments are conducted to determine if you truly have the ability and experience.

"There are many goblin gangs in the forest. How can we be judged to have completed the task?" Thrandic asked curiously.

"Just collect goblin fangs. The size and quality of the fangs vary among different grades of goblin marauders. Of course, there is usually a commissioner to check them. Our commission is issued by a village on the outskirts of the Demon Beast Forest, so naturally, they will authenticate it."

The sound of birds chirping in the sky caught Foucault's attention.

"We've arrived." Ogre, who was walking ahead, stopped. In front of them was a village.

That was the small village where the commission was to be delivered. Just follow the river for a while, and you'll reach it.

"Who are you?" The village militia shouted towards Ogre and his group.

The general militia of this village is mostly apprentice-level at best. Those with a bit more strength have gone out, and only a few real professionals return.

During the demon beast winter, they must invite adventurer teams of sufficient level to protect them through it.

Compared to the city dwellers who pay taxes, their lives are certainly much worse, but better than the chaotic slums. Some adventurers often transit and stay temporarily in such villages.

"We are a low-level adventurer team that took on the commission. Here is our commission." At Foucault's signal, Lange stepped forward and took out the task scroll.

One of the militia looked them over, and after seeing their decorations and the badges on their chests, he stepped forward to take the association-issued certificate.

"It's real." The militia turned and nodded to the back.

"Do you need a guide?" The militia was quite concerned about the goblin marauder cleanup.

This group of goblins is not very strong, but they are annoying. The village militia has responsibilities and can't go out, so they have to rely on the Professional Association.

Previously, a village tried to save money by sending out its own guards, which left the village vulnerable, resulting in many women being kidnapped and several farmer children being killed.

"A map will do. I'm quite familiar with this place." Ogre spoke up.

"Chuanle, go get a map."

They had issued quite a few commissions for goblin cleanup tasks, so they were quite familiar with it by now, as it wasn't a high-difficulty task.

Soon, a rough map marking the goblin nests was brought over.

Ogre glanced at Foucault, and after getting a nod, he took the map.

After a quick look and aligning it with the sun to check directions, he returned the map.

"Thank you, I have a rough idea now."

For the adventurer team, this level of task isn't too difficult, mostly just for practice.

"No need to thank us; it's the convenience we should provide."

The militia smiled kindly at Ogre, and when looking at Lange, Foucault, and the others, there was a hint of envy in his eyes—such young one-star professional apprentices with decent equipment, their future must be bright.

Once upon a time, he too dreamed of becoming a professional.

Unfortunately, his knee was hit by an arrow during a goblin marauder encounter, greatly reducing his mobility.

"Then wait for our good news." Thrandic, with youthful enthusiasm, waved and promised the militia.

They indeed needed to return to the village for a stamp later, so they wouldn't have to wait for verification to receive their reward from the Professional Association.

"Then I wish you adventurers the best of luck." Watching the energetic youths, the militia gave a heartfelt smile.

After obtaining the approximate coordinates, the group began their journey toward the target location, occasionally encountering low-level demon beasts like slimes.

These low-level demon beasts usually take on the role of forest decomposers.

"Bones?" Lange suddenly noticed a skeleton, seemingly humanoid, not knowing if it belonged to a goblin or a human child.

This immediately heightened his previously slackened spirits.

"Sometimes, children sneak out of the village. Some are lucky and return, while others are unlucky and die. Survival of the fittest applies to most species," Ogre said from the side.

He had just explained the upcoming battle plan to everyone, and since he was the most experienced, the others listened attentively.

"That's too cruel..." Lange's voice came through his helmet, tinged with sympathy.

His pride stemmed from his noble status, but seeing the remains of what might be a fellow human stirred something within him.

After all, he was just a youth, and the knight's education kept him from losing composure.

"This should just be a humanoid creature," Ogre said, after checking the surroundings, before looking at the skeleton Lange was gazing at.

If it were a human skeleton, the teeth wouldn't look like that.

The presence of bones indicated they were likely close to the goblin marauders' nest.

"That's good." Lange exhaled, though he couldn't shake off the tension.

Young nobles like Lange from the inland rarely encountered such realities.

This was probably one of Uncle Foucault's purposes—no amount of theoretical teaching could compare to practical experience.

"I'll leave the next distribution to you, Ogre." Foucault looked at the forest obscured by dense trees, feeling a bit affected.

With a life-and-death battle imminent, emotions were bound to be different.

"Most of the wood in the Demon Beast Forest is hardened and fire-resistant due to demon beast blood nourishment, so try to avoid using it."

Ogre emphasized again, then stopped to start the next deployment:

"I've seen the map. We'll likely be engaging in cave combat next. Foucault, you and I will quickly take out the guards at the entrance with ranged attacks, then Lange and Thrandic will search for other cave exits to block. I'll go into the main cave, and Foucault, you stay at the entrance for my signal. I'll drive the goblins out for you to ambush. If I come running out, regroup quickly."

"You're going in alone? Can you handle it?" Foucault frowned slightly.

"I need to assess the specific level of this goblin nest. Your lack of experience could distract me. If the level is higher, I'll call you in. Don't underestimate the tasks I've assigned you. Clearing escaping goblins is crucial; if they get into the forest, they'll be hard to catch."

Ogre patiently explained. He was quite experienced in killing goblins, and generally, such small nests wouldn't have powerful goblins.

A Goblin King usually only appears once, and having a Goblin Knight or Goblin Shaman in such a nest is the limit.

Without complete human breathing techniques and magic training, Goblin Knights and Shamans are mostly apprentice-level.

Ordinary goblins are even weaker, less formidable than a regular human farmer, and are bottom-tier demon beasts, only growing stronger through repeated raids.

Honestly, Ogre could clear such a nest on his own.

"I'm fine with it," Lange assured after seeing Foucault nod.

"At this time, the goblin gang shouldn't be raiding yet," Ogre muttered to himself as he led the group toward the nearest goblin nest.

"Try to keep quiet and watch for signals."

"Okay." ×3.

Goblin raids usually start at dusk. They excel at nighttime ambushes, and their advantage over humans is probably needing less sleep.

However, they also have shorter lifespans and rely heavily on innate abilities from their mothers.

It was early morning, and the goblin guards outside the cave hadn't rotated shifts yet, appearing slightly weary.

They were looking around with their green heads, ready to alert the others at any moment.