"Total monsters killed: 368"

"Goblins killed: 241"

Gauss looked at the scattered limbs covering the ground and let out a long sigh.

To be honest, clearing out an entire goblin village alone was somewhat exhausting.

Killing one or two didn't feel like much, but when the numbers reached double digits and climbed to fifty or sixty, things became different.

After the initial excitement came a numbing fatigue of both body and mind.

Fortunately, his [Energy Storage Gland] seemed to sense his condition and suddenly became highly active.

It felt like with just a thought, the accumulated energy inside could surge forth.

"Let's test it out."

Gauss wasn't completely exhausted, but this seemed like a good opportunity to test his upgraded talent's effects.

As the thought crossed his mind,

the Energy Storage Gland opened like floodgates, rapidly releasing its warm internal energy.

Gauss chose to convert half into magic power and half into physical stamina.

A brief wave of heat flowed through his entire body.

Every part of him felt immersed in a hot yet comfortable hot spring, with pleasure reaching straight to his cerebral cortex.

Within a few breaths, his slightly panting rhythm completely stabilized.

Meanwhile, his magic power recovered from a small amount to about one-quarter full.

After briefly enjoying the sensation, Gauss assessed his magic reserves and began thinking.

"So under normal circumstances, if I used it all for magic recovery, I could probably restore about half.

That means my effective magic capacity has increased by 50% out of thin air.

And the Energy Storage Gland can keep growing stronger, increasing its capacity."

Gauss nodded, now even more convinced of this talent's value after experiencing it firsthand.

Returning to the goblin village,

Kevin and the other two had obediently stayed hidden in the goblins' storage building without taking a single step outside.

Only after hearing Gauss's call did they cautiously emerge from the rickety wooden structure.

"You're safe now."

Hearing Gauss's declaration and feeling the sunlight on their skin,

Kevin and the others finally relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted.

They even felt reborn.

Recalling the past day's ordeal, they still felt somewhat dazed.

Life was like this—full of unexpected ups and downs, never knowing what might happen next.

Not long ago they had resigned themselves to death, only hoping it wouldn't be too painful. Now they had survived unscathed.

Thinking this, their gazes toward Gauss held more awe mixed with worship.

The young man before them was their junior in age, but the overwhelming power he'd displayed against monsters was beyond their reach.

Even standing near him made breathing difficult.

With the battle over, Gauss began collecting loot as usual.

This time with three helpers gathering scattered arrows, swords and other weapons, saving considerable time.

Kevin's group had volunteered, feeling they had no money to repay Gauss for saving their lives, so helping pack supplies was the least they could do.

Many hands make light work, and soon Gauss had thoroughly combed through the entire goblin village.

He packed the loot into bundles.

Some crude wooden weapons were left behind as Gauss couldn't carry them all.

Seeing this, Kevin's group selected some extra wooden spears, bows and arrows.

For novice adventurers, starting with ranged weapons was a decent choice—though it required practice.

Bows needed significant training to achieve power and accuracy.

The three armed themselves with wooden bows and wore crude vine armor woven by goblins.

Seeing their pitiful appearance—like oversized goblins—even poorer than when he first started adventuring, Gauss offered them steel weapons from the loot.

But all three declined firmly, insisting the wooden weapons were enough.

Wooden bows, spears and vine armor looked ridiculous and worthless, but with training could become viable weapons.

"Then we'll part ways here."

Gauss led them out of the woods back to open plains.

Kevin's group planned to return home first, rest a few days, then head to Grayrock Town to officially begin their adventuring careers.

"Be safe on your journey, Mr. Gauss."

"You too. Maybe we'll meet again in Grayrock Town."

Watching the plant-armored trio wave goodbye as they disappeared into the distance, Gauss turned away.

Though dangers might await them,

neither he nor they suggested he escort them home.

Their paths diverged, and Gauss wasn't their nanny—they'd face many solo dangers as adventurers.

Life's road must ultimately be walked alone.

Shouldering his pack, Gauss began his return to Grayrock Town.

He'd completed all three trial quests.

After submitting them, he'd officially rise from a no-rank bottom-tier adventurer to a respectable Bronze-rank.

The thought made his steps lighter,

the heavy pack on his back seeming weightless.

But psychological relief wasn't reality, and after some distance his pace slowed again.

The return trip proved harder than the journey out.

Gauss discovered a downside to his upgraded talent—

his appetite had increased.

Where simply filling his stomach sufficed before, now he needed extra to replenish the Energy Storage Gland's reserves.

Having shared some food with Kevin's group, his supplies dwindled fast.

Thankfully he'd hunted small game along the way, avoiding complete depletion.

This reminded him to seek higher-calorie travel rations upon returning.

Adventurers Guild Outpost.

Gauss looked up at the sword-shield-staff banner fluttering overhead before striding energetically inside.

The Adventurers Hall remained lively as ever,

always bustling with faces both familiar and new.

Some might be fresh recruits, others itinerant adventurers from nearby towns.

For adventurers, working multiple towns was common—

when one area's quest board filled with undesirable low-profit jobs during "slow seasons," moving elsewhere made sense.

"Next."

After queuing briefly at Petra's counter,

his turn came.

Petra's face lit up in surprise upon seeing him.

"You? Didn't other receptionists tell you high-rankers don't need to queue?"

"They did. But since this might be my last time queuing here, I thought I'd experience it once more."

Understanding flashed across Petra's face at his casual words.

"Mission accomplished?"

"Yes."

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

Her joyful smile was genuine—

for most adventurers, rising from no-rank to Bronze represented their most meaningful promotion,

marking their transition from replaceable nobodies to respected figures.

An invisible class leap, one might say.

Calling a colleague to cover her station,

Petra led Gauss to the inner offices.

At the same warlock's door as before,

Petra knocked.