Translator: CinderTL Regarding the Cave Pollution Cleanup For nearly half a month, the water quality of Blackstone Town’s backup water source has deteriorated significantly, accompanied by an unusual odor.
Preliminary investigation has confirmed the presence of slime within an abandoned cave along the underground river route of the backup water source.
Their secretions are the primary cause of the pollution.
To ensure the safety and health of Blackstone Town residents’ drinking water, we are recruiting reliable and efficient adventurer teams to undertake the following mission in the abandoned cave: Mission Level: Ordinary Mission Objectives: * Eliminate all slime within the abandoned cave and investigate the specific circumstances.
Reward: * Three silver coins per slime, with slime magic cores serving as proof of completion.
Adventurer’s Association Notes: * The abandoned cave is dark and damp.
Please ensure you have adequate lighting equipment.
“Not bad.
I’ll take this one,” Zellier nodded in agreement.
slime posed a manageable threat, and he had recently learned the illumination spell, which would come in handy.
“Speaking of which,” Zellier suddenly remembered, “is it just the two of us for this mission?
Isn’t that a bit risky?” “Then count me in,” a familiar voice chimed in.
Half-Elf Ranger Vales had also arrived at the Adventurer’s Association.
He carried his longbow slung across his back, his expression as unapproachable as ever.
Still, Zellier respected Vales’s skill and character.
He’s cold on the outside but kind at heart, Zellier thought.
Even Gray, whom Vales clearly dislikes, would receive his healing.
He’d never leave someone to die.
“So, there’ll be three of us,” Marcus mused, glancing between Zellier and Vales.
“Should we recruit more teammates?” “That should be enough, right?” Vales said.
“slime aren’t particularly dangerous.
Bringing more people would be a waste.” Zellier nodded in agreement.
After all, the mission wasn’t particularly dangerous.
And with fewer people, the share of the reward would be larger.
“Speaking of which, where’s Gray?” Zellier asked.
“Have you seen him lately?” “I saw him last night outside the tavern,” Vales replied with a snort.
“That guy’s constitution is like an ox.
Bandages all over his chest and shoulders, but his spirit is still going strong.
Even injured like that, he can’t forget about his old flames.” “Gray can’t sit still.
Making him stay put is as good as killing him.” Marcus shook his head.
“Then it’ll just be the three of us for this mission.” low-tier warrior Marcus, low-tier ranger Vales, and magic apprentice Zellier.
After confirming the team, Marcus led them to the Adventurer’s Association counter to accept the mission.
The team would gather at the Blackstone Town gate the next morning.
Leaving the Adventurer’s Association, Zellier began preparing for the assignment.
Though he was a mage, he hadn’t yet reached the point where he could casually fling low-tier spells and layer himself with protective magic.
He still needed to purchase some essential equipment to avoid capsizing in a shallow ditch.
Zellier wasn’t very familiar with Blackstone Town yet, but finding the blacksmith’s shop was no trouble at all.
He simply followed the rhythmic clang, clang, clang of the hammer.
On a street not far from the Night Blossom Inn, Zellier selected a blacksmith’s shop.
The shop was open-fronted, like a stone grotto with only three walls, revealing the fiery scene within without reservation.
Even standing at the entrance, Zellier could feel a wave of scorching, metallic heat wash over him.
Flames roared from the furnace’s mouth, distorting the surrounding air with their intense heat.
A bare-chested man was pumping the bellows, sweat glistening on his muscular frame, radiating a primal, savage beauty.
“I’m Brown, the shopkeeper,” the man’s rough voice boomed.
“Buying equipment or commissioning custom work?” “Uh…
buying equipment,” Zellier stammered, slightly overwhelmed by the intensity of the scene.
“Finished pieces are all here.
Tell me what catches your eye, and I’ll get it down for you to try on.” Brown gestured to the right-hand room.
“Browse at your leisure.” The room was divided into two sections: the front half displayed armor, while the rear half showcased weapons.
Zellier’s goal was to find a suitable set of protective gear and a weapon that felt right in his hand.
As for armor, he immediately ruled out cloth armor.
Cloth armor offered insufficient protection, and given Zellier’s affinity for fire magic, he risked self-immolation with even a slight miscalculation.
Chainmail was too expensive and unnecessary; he wasn’t a vanguard meant to absorb damage.
After careful consideration, Zellier chose a studded leather breastplate.
The main body was made of hardened oxhide, boiled and waxed for durability, reinforced with riveted iron plates that provided decent protection against slashing attacks.
For a weapon, Zellier selected a rapier.
Its light weight made it easy to wield, even without formal swordsmanship training.
This allowed him to handle situations where casting magic wasn’t required.
The two items cost him a total of eighty silver coins.
As he left the blacksmith’s shop, Zellier glanced at his increasingly empty coin pouch, feeling a pang of melancholy.
He now had barely a dozen silver coins left.
How did I run out of money so quickly?
I didn’t even buy much!
Mage life truly burns through gold…
The biggest expense these past few days had been the ashwood for his magic wand, which had cost him three gold coins outright.
And even that was just a component of the finished wand.
Zellier sighed.
Time to buckle down and take on more quests to earn money.
The next day at noon, Zellier arrived punctually at the rendezvous point.
Marcus and Vales were already waiting.
During their previous mission, Marcus’s small round shield and war blade had been destroyed.
This time, Marcus had upgraded his equipment, replacing his small round shield with a larger, one-handed shield and purchasing a better war blade.
Vales retained his usual setup: a curved scimitar at his hip and a bow slung across his back.
With the team assembled, they set off toward the abandoned cave.
According to the map provided with the commission, the mission site wasn’t far from town—about a three- or four-hour walk.
If they moved quickly, they might even be back in Blackstone Town for dinner after completing the task.
The journey was uneventful.
After passing through a sparse forest, Marcus finally spotted the outline of the abandoned cave.
“This is it,” Marcus said, folding up the map.
Directly ahead lay a dark, cavernous entrance, roughly three to four meters high and wide enough for several people to walk abreast.
The terrain wouldn’t restrict their combat effectiveness.
The cave’s outer walls were covered in slippery, dark green moss, while the rock surfaces beneath glowed a deep crimson, creating an eerie contrast.
Vales crouched down to examine the ground closely.
“What are you looking at?” Zellier asked, squatting beside him.
“slime trails,” Vales replied, pointing to the glistening streaks on the ground.
“slime leave these trails when they move.
By analyzing them, we can estimate how many there are.” Following Vales’s guidance, Zellier carefully observed the ground.
Sure enough, there were numerous viscous trails, all leading into the cave.
(End of the Chapter) —————————————————— What happens next?
Find out on CinderTL (just search it on Google!).
You can read the free chapters up to [Ch66] without even needing to sign up, or unlock up to [Ch188] by becoming a member.
Details can be found on our site.
Go to CinderTL for more details.
🏆Giveaway Grand Prize: 2 Months UNLIMITED Reading + Download and 25 More slots.