Chapter 199 Temple Nightwalker Wolf

On the Aifala Continent, the definitions of the "Transcendent Tier" and "Legendary rank" were straightforward.

If one set aside the convoluted power systems and looked solely at Class Levels, the boundaries were actually very simple.

Transcendent Tier: Level 11 through Level 20;

Legendary rank: Level 21 and above.

As long as a person broke past Level 10 in their Class Level, they became a true Transcendent Tier Class Holder.

Of course, even among Transcendent Tier Class Holders, the disparity in actual strength—driven by the accumulation of combat techniques, equipment, and class types—could be larger than the gap between Level 1 and Level 10.

But compared to anything before it, reaching that tier was an absolute qualitative leap.

Countless years had passed since the concept of "classes" first appeared in this world. The reason Basic Classes like "Warrior" and "Rogue" had spread to every corner of the continent, becoming the first choice for adventurers embarking on their professional paths, was not a mystery.

A clear progression path, an ocean of combat techniques to choose from, relatively simple requirements... these advantages had all been established.

But there was another crucial reason.

It was something one only realized after becoming a Class Holder and walking this path.

—The level cap!

This included "ranger," "barbarian," "cleric," and every other Basic Class known to the world.

Their maximum level cap was always "10."

This meant that once someone became a "Warrior," they didn't need to worry about anything else. They only needed to focus on gathering the necessary combat techniques and raising their proficiency.

Step by step, they could steadily march right up to the threshold of the Transcendent Tier.

Furthermore, if they had planned their professional path well, and the combat techniques they practiced along the way matched the requirements for their class advancement...

...then upon reaching that bottleneck, they wouldn't have to expend much effort. The advancement would happen naturally, allowing them to easily promote to the Transcendent Tier.

It was practically a matter of course.

But for obscure, niche classes like [Tidal Hunter], [Evil-Favored Knight], and even [Meteor Blade Hunter], things were different.

There was a reason they hadn't spread across the entire continent to become Basic Classes.

The harsh entry requirements were one aspect.

On the other hand, it was also because the level cap for these classes was usually only "5."

Which meant that even after they maxed out their Class Level, they were still exactly halfway away from the Level 10 required to become a Transcendent Tier!

This forced those who took up niche classes to dual-class into a different profession and start from scratch.

They had to combine two classes in a "5+5" format to meet the conditions for the Transcendent Tier.

Xia Nan was almost certain that his [Meteor Blade Hunter] class, at Level 5, was absolutely stronger than most Basic Classes at the same level.

However, those Basic Classes still had room for steady growth, while he would need to find another class to fulfill the level requirement for the Transcendent Tier.

"Sigh..."

Reaching this point in his explanation, Cash sighed again, his knife slowing as he butchered the carcass.

"Otherwise, why do you think I left the sea? It's not like there are no Adventurers' Association branches out there. Why would I travel all the way to Cloudclimb Province?"

"It's all to save up more Points, exchange them for a few suitable combat techniques, and pave the way forward."

Xia Nan didn't speak, lost in his own thoughts.

Through his Perception, Cash's aura was nowhere near Level 5. The captain was likely just preparing for a future dual-class right now.

And according to what Cash had said, since [Meteor Blade Hunter] was the most obscure of the obscure, its cap was probably also Level 5.

Once he hit max level, he would have to find another class to take on.

'Tch...'

He had to build a combat technique system, pave the way to the Transcendent Tier, and slowly accumulate the necessary Points for exchanges.

There were just too many things to consider. It was a bit of a headache.

He decided to find some time after this mission ended to properly map out a plan.

As for right now, his priority was to stay alert, complete the mission with the Sea Thorn Squad, and get paid.

Along the way, he could also ask Cash and Veris for more advanced knowledge regarding classes.

"You should be a Warrior class, right?" Cash asked seemingly casually. "Have you figured out what direction you want to take in the future?"

Xia Nan immediately grew vigilant.

He gathered his thoughts and replied ambiguously, "I'll just take it one step at a time. I don't really have any connections, so just being able to gain a Class Level is satisfying enough."

"Heh, then you've got pretty good luck." Cash grinned, his words carrying a pointed meaning. "Managing to take on a class at your age without any connections."

"When I was your age, I was still worrying about where my next meal would come from."

"I really am quite lucky."

Xia Nan continued to play dumb.

And so, the two of them continued to butcher the boar, probing each other under the guise of idle chatter.

By the time Veris finished checking the traps and returned to camp with a soft chuckle, leading Mint behind her, the massive wild boar had already been neatly butchered into several piles of meat.

"It's getting late. Let's eat first," Cash reminded them, sliding his wiped-clean short dagger back into its leather sheath.

"We can take a short nap. We'll head out once it gets dark."

...

Xia Nan felt like he had been scammed.

The wild boar meat tasted nowhere near as wonderful as Cash had described.

After being roasted, the meat was tough and carried an indescribably gamey stench.

It completely lacked the tender, sweet freshness of the stewed meat at the White Chickadee Tavern.

It had decent chewiness, but some parts tasted like gnawing on shoe leather.

Considering Cash had only sprinkled a little salt during the roasting process without adding any other spices, perhaps it was due to his cooking method.

Or maybe his own palate was just too picky?

After all, the others in the squad seemed quite satisfied with the pork.

Cash was holding an entire boar leg, his mouth slick with grease as he gnawed on it like it was a rare delicacy.

Mint, perfectly matching Xia Nan's impression of her as an introverted and frail girl, took tiny bites of the sliced boar meat in her bowl.

Before the meal, she had even made a few solemn gestures toward the butchered boar, as if thanking nature for its bounty.

This made Xia Nan a little confused.

A druid eating meat... that shouldn't be an issue, right?

Mint's response to this was that, for the vast majority, it didn't matter.

Aside from a few extreme circles, druids weren't opposed to eating meat.

After all, the survival of the fittest was a crucial part of the natural world.

What they truly opposed was the disruption of nature's balance.

Simply put, if you were hungry and killed an animal or two to regain your strength, no one would care.

But if you engaged in mass slaughter, wiped out an entire species, or set fire to a forest, then these guardians of nature would likely come over for a "little chat."

According to Mint, some druid circles even conducted controlled burns in specific forest areas at regular intervals to maintain their vision of natural balance, claiming it promoted the flourishing of the overall ecosystem.

Xia Nan noticed that when she mentioned this, the girl's brow noticeably furrowed, and a rare hint of resistance slipped into her tone.

In contrast, the Drow half-blood sitting nearby, Veris, had no particular reaction.

It made sense. For a group like the Drow Elves, who lived underground for long periods, dealt with all sorts of subterranean monsters, and embraced torture, murder, and slavery as their racial culture, setting a few fires and burning a few forests could hardly be called an evil act.

At that moment, Veris was holding an exquisite dagger—definitely not one of the poisoned ones—roasting a small slice of boar meat over the fire.

Her eyes, shimmering with a faint glimmer in the dark, stared quietly and cruelly at the meat on her short blade as it sizzled like a wailing cry in the flames, dripping grease as it curled and blackened.

It was as if the thing on her blade wasn't a piece of a long-dead boar, but a living, conscious creature.

Xia Nan keenly noticed that the vine and thorn-like patterns on Veris's dagger matched the dark purple tattoos visible through the cutouts in her leather armor.

However, since he lacked any knowledge on the subject, he could only guess that it might be her clan's crest, or perhaps just a design she personally liked.

"Surface dwellers always say that Drow Elves are incredibly dangerous, that even their fingernails are coated in poison."

She seemed to notice the gaze coming from the other side of the campfire.

Her slender, powerful wrist gave a gentle flick. Her thin lips parted slightly, revealing the tender pink within, as she slipped the steaming slice of meat into her mouth.

"But whenever I pick up a leather whip, there is always a group of men who get excited. Why do you think that is?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Cash burst into hearty laughter.

An off-color, vulgar joke that no one would pay attention to under normal circumstances served as a rather amusing distraction during a dull and high-pressure adventure.

He had to admit, Veris's mixed heritage had blended flawlessly.

She inherited the exquisite facial features and perfect bodily proportions unique to Drow Elves, while her human blood diluted their excessively dark skin tone. She was also relatively tall, allowing her curves to be displayed to their fullest extent.

Under the night sky, her blurry silhouette stood in stark contrast to her silver-white hair gleaming in the moonlight, exuding a distinct and unique beauty.

Instead of being captivated, Xia Nan secretly raised his guard.

The night was deep and the fog was thick, blurring the swaying shadows beneath her.

For a Rogue who walked with shadows, this was practically the perfect combat environment.

Fortunately, his Perception was decent. If she made a move, he should be able to react instantly.

Moreover, the distance between them was quite delicate.

One step forward, and his Decapitating Longsword could sever her neck. Conversely, it would be a bit difficult for her two daggers to reach him.

With the iron-gray longsword resting diagonally beside him, Xia Nan ate the increasingly gamey boar meat and casually chatted with Veris, mentally calculating the distance between his blade and her throat.

Awooo—

Suddenly, a high-pitched, eerie wolf howl echoed from deep within the dense fog, far in the distance.

Everyone fell silent instantly. The somewhat relaxed atmosphere in the camp abruptly froze.

Although the howl was slightly muffled and indistinct due to the distance, it was clearly distinguishable from a normal wolf's cry.

The pitch was noticeably sharper and much more abrupt.

His stone spear already gripped in his hand at some unknown moment, Cash silently raised his head and glanced at the silvery crescent moon in the night sky.

"Get ready to move!"

...

Temple Nightwalker Wolf.

As the name suggested, they were a species of wolf accustomed to nocturnal activity. As for the prefix "Temple," it was a transliteration of an Elven word into Common.

It meant "dangerous pack hunters."

This species possessed an intelligence far surpassing that of ordinary beasts. While they hadn't reached the level of sapient creatures, they could execute relatively complex hunting tactics.

They were massive—almost twice the size of regular wild wolves. Their razor-sharp claws could easily shred thick, tough cowhide. Furthermore, they were agile and possessed outstanding stamina, allowing them to sprint across long distances at extreme speeds even in dense forests littered with obstacles.

Even a single one of them exceeded the bounds of a normal beast, reaching the level of a "monster."

Not to mention, they were pack animals that hunted in family units.

A pack of fifteen or more could even put an adult cave bear on their menu.

As for the elite individuals among them—the pack alphas—a more muscular and powerful build was only one aspect.

Adventurers had once witnessed an alpha-like individual face off against an injured, frenzied Manticore. The alpha had erupted with a dazzling silver light that multiplied its combat strength, buying enough time for the rest of the pack to retreat.

The Sea Thorn Squad's target for this mission was exactly this kind of Temple Nightwalker Wolf Pack, numbering around ten members.

According to the information provided by the Association, an alpha had yet to be born in this pack.

It was completely within their squad's ability to handle.

In truth, under normal circumstances, these nightwalkers rarely operated on the outskirts of the Misty Forest, let alone leave the forest to attack nearby human villages.

However, recently, alongside a beast riot of bizarre origins, there had been a massive surge of nightwalker sightings on the forest's edge.

Adventurers had also suffered numerous casualties.

And the locations of these attacks were pushing further outward, gradually approaching the safe zones where villagers frequently operated.

This was what prompted the Association to issue a Class Grade commission, hiring a professional squad to wipe them out.

Because of this, the Sea Thorn Squad had made exhaustive and thorough preparations before setting out.

This included, but was not limited to, lighting tools for night operations, specific traps, fire oil bombs, and bait.

They had also made a plan days in advance on how to act if they detected the pack's arrival via their howls, exactly like the situation right now.

Cash pulled a palm-sized pouch from his waist bag. After carefully inspecting it by the firelight to ensure it was the right one, he untied the string securing the opening and reached inside with his right hand.

When he pulled it back out, his fingertips were pinched together holding a generous pinch of blue-brown dust.

Paying no mind to the cost, he sprinkled a large amount over everyone in the squad.

He didn't stop until even the surrounding air was filled with an unshakeable, complex, and pungent scent that smelled like a mixture of pine resin and plant sap, before finally returning the powder pouch to his waist bag.

This would help mask their human scent.