Chapter 104: Promotion and Respite
After the battle, since most of the team had nearly digested their potions, the next pressing matter was leveling up.
Asker took “Projectile I” and advanced to level 6;
Eleanor took “Resilience I” and advanced to level 4;
Miel took “Vision I” and advanced to level 3;
Thira took “Radiance I” and advanced to level 4;
And Mia, the thief girl, having already acquired all the Sequence I abilities in her bloodline, took “Shadow II” this time, becoming the first in the team to possess a level II supernatural ability.
If this were happening outside, the sight of an entire team collectively advancing would be enough to make any Transcendental’s jaw drop, evoking intense envy and resentment.
However, compared to the players in his previous life, this pace was still considered slow.
The reason for this discrepancy was undoubtedly information asymmetry.
Most Transcendental NPCs weren’t even clear about the bloodline combinations available to them; even if they knew, they wouldn’t know where to find the corresponding formulas; and even if they found the formulas, they wouldn’t know how to obtain the required transcendental materials.
In this regard, Asker, with his information advantage, was countless times more efficient in terms of advancement.
After officially advancing to level 6, Asker tried using “Grazing Shot” with his sword and indeed found that his control over this Celestial Ninefold Strike move had greatly improved.
The girls back on Furnace Island were still queuing up for promotion, waiting for Nuo to sing for them (activate Angel’s Song).
Asker took a stroll around the island and saw Sidlipha by the lake in the small woods at the foot of the mountain. She was holding her hair with her left hand and a dagger with her right.
“What are you doing?” Asker asked.
Sidlipha turned her head. Seeing it was the captain, she hummed in acknowledgment and said:
“My hair’s a bit long, I’m planning to trim it.”
“Long?” Asker was surprised. Your hair barely touched your shoulders, okay? Why shave your head, classmate?
“Do you like short hair?” Asker asked casually.
Sidlipha fell silent.
Huh, this one has worries too? It was the first time Asker had seen the usually carefree Sidlipha show such an introverted and contemplative expression.
“I actually think long hair suits you better,” Asker said honestly.
“A true Viking shouldn’t make themselves too pretty,” Sidlipha said.
“Even Viking women?” Asker asked.
Sidlipha: ???
Wait, are there women among the Vikings?
“Even Viking men like beautiful women, right?” Asker said. “Are Viking women not allowed to dress up?”
Sidlipha argued, “Being a Viking isn’t about bloodline, it’s a spirit.”
“And the Viking spirit prohibits looking good?” Asker asked.
Sidlipha: …
Of course not. Huh, then why did I want short hair?
“If my hair is long, wouldn’t it be easy for someone to grab it during a fight, making me vulnerable?” Sidlipha finally remembered why she had cut her long hair back then.
“You’re overthinking it,” Asker said. “If the enemy can grab your hair, then at the same distance, they could cut your neck with a sword.”
“In other words, even if you have short hair, if your skills are inferior, you’ll die anyway. Instead of focusing on your hair, why not think about how to dodge attacks more efficiently?”
Sidlipha was speechless.
“I was just saying,” Asker laughed. “Do whatever you want, whatever you like.”
“Tsk,” Medea’s voice came from behind. “I didn’t expect the captain to have a normal sense of aesthetics.”
“Why wouldn’t I have a sense of aesthetics?” Asker turned around, exasperated.
“Look, all the girls in the team are so beautiful, yet you’re indifferent to everyone. I thought you had some aesthetic deficiency and couldn’t tell beauty from ugliness,” Medea said, smiling as she clung to his arm.
Asker awkwardly pulled his arm out of her embrace and said with a frown:
“Medea.”
“Hmm?” Medea hummed sweetly through her nose.
“Do you want to go for a run?” Asker asked.
Medea’s expression changed, and she turned her head away. “You don’t even know how to appreciate a favor. Your personality really is terrible.”
“Eh?!” Sidlipha finally noticed something was wrong. “Medea, is your androphobia cured?”
“Not cured,” Medea giggled. “I was just moved by the captain’s love, so I’m not afraid of him anymore~”
Moved by love, my ass! This red-crowned crane is full of nonsense!
Seeing Sidlipha’s confused gaze, Asker had no choice but to explain helplessly:
“It was that time she was swept away by the avalanche…”
“Hmm, a life-saving grace should indeed be repaid diligently.” Sidlipha said seriously. Medea’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed Asker’s arm, shaking it back and forth, batting her eyes coquettishly:
“That’s right. Captain, I want to go into the city to buy some equipment, come with me, please, please…”
Her combination of coquettishness and pleading was too powerful. Even the shrewd Asker couldn’t resist and was half-dragged, half-pulled away.
Sidlipha watched the two of them teleport away, stunned for a moment, then touched the ends of her hair thoughtfully.
Hmm, would long hair suit me better?
…
“I want that, the cheese and vanilla bean ice cream ball,” Medea said. “With extra nuts and sesame seeds.”
“Wait a minute! Why is there ice cream in Sparta?” Asker was shocked. Wasn’t Sparta the city of warriors?
“I’m Cypriot,” the shop owner replied, handing an ice cream cone to Medea.
“Can you actually stay in business here?” Asker asked doubtfully. Would Spartans eat ice cream?
“They buy a lot,” the owner shrugged. “But not to eat, for training.”
“Training?”
“It seems they smear it on the boys’ bodies, then make them lie on the grass for hours, letting ants crawl all over them, to train the Spartan boys’ willpower,” the owner said.
Asker and Medea looked at each other.
“This…” Medea looked at the black sesame seeds on the surface of the ice cream, suddenly feeling nauseous. “You eat it.”
“Hehe.” Asker didn’t mind. What haven’t I seen before? He took the ice cream and started eating.
After a few bites, Medea suddenly reached out and snatched the ice cream back from Asker.
“What?”
“You licked the sesame seeds clean, now I can eat it,” Medea said matter-of-factly, starting to lick it delicately, her eyes narrowed like a fox.
“Wow, that woman is so annoying!” From the corner behind them, Peggy’s hands gripped the edge of the wall, her pretty face pale with jealousy.
“So, why did I follow you out…” Beside her, Nuo covered her eyes speechlessly.
“Aren’t you jealous?” Peggy glared at her.
“I do feel a little uncomfortable,” Nuo said honestly. “But, it’s nothing serious.”
“Anyway, Asker definitely won’t choose her.”
“Why?” Peggy asked suspiciously.
“Ah, nothing.” Nuo realized she had misspoken. “You can ask him yourself.”
Peggy’s eyes widened, a thousand grievances welling up in her heart.
Why, why do you know his secrets too?! Even I don’t know!
I was here first!
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