Chapter 1043 - 499: Interviewer Gauss

Aside from bringing a brief period of peace, that battle also allowed the humans to capture a massive amount of equipment. The towering wall-scaling vehicles and other siege engines could not be entirely evacuated during the retreat. While a fraction had been hastily destroyed by powerful Demons, the rest were hauled back as human spoils of war.

For the few days following the great battle, the Green Dragon Army remained completely quiet. Even the relentless, small-scale skirmishes of the past had ceased. The silence was so uncharacteristic that if the human intelligence Scouts hidden in the forest hadn’t been sending back a steady stream of reports, one might have assumed the Green Dragon Army had sounded the retreat.

Taking advantage of the lull in the monsters’ attacks, the human defense forces repaired the breached walls. With reinforcements from other cities finally arriving, the once-crumbling defensive line was impregnable once more.

Those who had participated in that night’s battle continuously recounted their experiences to newcomers at the frontlines, as well as to those who had fallen into a deep slumber from the mysterious illness that night.

Gauss also took a rare few days of rest, using the time to familiarize himself with his newly enhanced strength after breaking through his level. As an Adventurer, you must always be intimately aware of your own capabilities. Only then can you make the right choices before a crisis strikes—or, at the very least, be mentally prepared before making a rather unwise decision.

During these past few days, the number of members in Gauss’s Red Dragon Team had skyrocketed from two hundred to four hundred, effectively doubling in size. In fact, if Gauss hadn’t raised the entry requirements, that number would likely be far higher than four hundred. The new standard was highly complex, factoring in current strength, Profession composition, background, age, Talent potential, and more.

Fortunately, Gauss didn’t need to handle the interviews personally. The majority of the screening was delegated to specialized members; otherwise, even if he possessed a Clone Technique, he could never finish the evaluations. Only the names of exceptionally powerful applicants were placed in his hands.

Right now, for instance, Gauss was personally evaluating a three-person Master Level Professional squad.

Spencer, a human male and Level 8 Tracker, possessed an agile physique and excelled with both the bow and Short Blade.

The Tracker was a subclass Profession among Rangers. Compared to the nimble Ranger, the Tracker boasted superior agility and Perception. They could utilize specialized Tracker Magic and Sight Magic to hunt down enemies, and they were far more adept at setting traps and ambushes. At the same time, they were capable of rapid-fire archery, much like a Ranger. It was essentially a middle ground between a Ranger and a Wanderer.

Sabrina Delany, a human female and Level 8 Earth Lizard Knight, rode a massive Earth Lizard and fought with a Knight’s Lance. Her Earth Lizard could cast simple Rock Magic to trap or delay enemies in combat, creating opportunities for lethal strikes through their telepathic coordination.

Byron, a Dwarf male and Level 7 Bard, specialized in playing musical instruments, capable of emitting various aura buffs and healing teammates. He was the sole healing Profession in the squad.

At this moment, in a specially chosen clearing, the scorching sun baked the earth. The ground was parched and cracked, completely devoid of any sheltering trees.

Earth Lizard Knight Sabrina rode the massive lizard, its body covered in a layer of rock, charging directly toward Gauss. The earth trembled slightly under the behemoth’s sudden assault. One could easily imagine the terrifying consequences if such a rampaging beast were to collide with an ordinary person.

"Watch out, Lord Gauss!" her voice echoed from a distance.

As she made her move, Tracker Spencer had already slipped silently into Gauss’s blind spot, quietly waiting for an opening. Meanwhile, the Dwarf Minstrel strummed his Harp in the clearing behind Sabrina, humming a beautiful melody that completely belied his appearance.

Surrounded by the three of them, Gauss merely swept a nonchalant gaze over his surroundings. He paid little mind to Sabrina’s warning. Given his current strength, facing such a Master Level squad, there was absolutely no chance of suffering an unexpected defeat.

If he weren’t conducting an evaluation for the Red Dragon Team, he would only need to unleash Bigby’s Hand to neutralize all their attacks and subdue them with a flip of his wrist in a matter of seconds. But the entire point of the evaluation was to let them fully demonstrate their capabilities, so Gauss refrained from doing so.

He even intentionally withdrew the aura of his Dragon King’s bloodline deep into his body, ensuring not a single trace leaked out. Otherwise, that Earth Lizard mount would likely lose the courage to charge at him.

"Good coordination," Gauss remarked. He noted that all three had reacted swiftly from the moment the fight began, which was a very positive sign.

In the brief moment of his encouragement, the two-meter-tall giant lizard sprinted up to Gauss with the crushing momentum of an avalanche.

BOOM!

The ground beneath Gauss exploded. He cast a glance downward. Several curved spikes erupted from the earth, thrusting simultaneously toward his thighs in a clear attempt to pin him firmly in place.

Meanwhile, riding on the Earth Lizard’s back, Sabrina used the speed of her mount’s charge to tuck the Knight’s Lance tightly under her arm. Her weapon, hands, arms, and torso melded into one cohesive unit, perfectly channeling her power into the tip of the lance. An earthen-yellow glow shrouded both the weapon and her body. The tip of her lance aimed dead center at Gauss’s heart.

Behind Gauss, Tracker Spencer—who had been lurking behind a rock to avoid tipping his hand—also leaped out from cover.