"It's me, nice to see you again. Have you been relieved?"
Li Fan started a casual conversation.
"No. Yes! I have been relieved," the man in yellow replied.
"With the crisis approaching, you must be earning more, right?"
"Mm, it's alright. A bit better than before. My hourly wage has increased to 95z. Little brother, you seem to have something on your mind?" the man in yellow probed tentatively.
"You could say that. I'm a bit lost about the future," Li Fan sighed.
"How unfortunate. No! How fortunate."
"Huh?"
Li Fan hadn't expected this to be linked to luck.
"Ever since I became self-aware, I've been solely focused on how to survive. I've never had the time to be lost. So, whenever I see someone lost, I envy them for being fortunate enough," the man in yellow explained, as if in his eyes, being lost meant having room for choice.
"Was your life very difficult before?"
"More than difficult. I don't know who my parents are, and no village was willing to take me in. Everything in the world seemed to want me dead, as if I shouldn't have existed in the first place."
"That's too tragic," Li Fan exclaimed.
"Heh heh, but I bravely survived," the man in yellow grinned.
"Your optimistic spirit moves me. My companions are here. Goodbye."
Seeing Eudora Dilu arrive with several strings of grilled fish, Li Fan stood up from the bench and bid farewell.
Back in his cabin, Li Fan lay on his bed and opened his 3DS. He noticed that the light on the word "Courage" had dimmed slightly.
Li Fan knew this was a consequence of his constant evasion of becoming the "Azure Star."
It was strange, he hadn't lacked the necessary courage before.
"What's going on?"
Seeing the chain hanging from the collar of his bear pajamas, Li Fan reached out and took out the Heaven-Defying Charm.
Could this charm be exerting its influence?
*Knock! Knock!*
There was a knock on the door.
"Li Fan, are you in?" Eudora asked.
"Yes, I am."
"I'm going to the training ground to customize a mechanical model of a Great Jagras. I might not be back until tonight."
"Alright."
After Eudora left, Li Fan realized that customizing a mechanical model of a Great Jagras was nonsense.
A Level 3 charged slash from the Azure Wind God Great Sword might just split it in two.
However, Li Fan still appreciated Eudora's proactive attitude towards preparation.
While this terrifying legend might not be entirely factual, it indirectly suggested that, apart from the research teams composed of scholars, the other investigation teams were truly like in the game, focusing on the construction and expansion of the Star Base.
Otherwise, even a terrifying legend wouldn't have the Great Jagras as its sole protagonist.
The daily exploration range was likely still confined to the Ancient Forest region.
Wait a minute. Thinking about it, he didn't seem to be as resistant to the New World anymore. Could it be that this Heaven-Defying Charm could even influence the wearer's will?
If this hypothesis were true, it would mean that the New World was a disaster for him, and thus the charm influenced him to retreat.
If, one day, the New World was no longer a disaster for him, or the threat was no longer as great, the influence would naturally weaken or disappear.
"I know the true use of the Heaven-Defying Charm now."
A smile appeared on Li Fan's face.
In the evening, at the deck's dining table.
"You want to start special training for going to the New World, but you're not sure if you'll go?" Eudora asked, confused.
"Yes," Li Fan confirmed.
"Wait, let me think... Is my IQ not high enough? Why does this statement make no sense to me?" Eudora couldn't understand.
"From a conventional perspective, it's hard to understand. But I have a charm that can predict good and bad fortune. Whenever I approach a disaster, it influences me to move away from it."
"This charm is amazing. But going to the New World is inherently very dangerous. If this charm intervenes, besides preventing you from going, what other use does it have?"
"I can improve myself and the monster squad, to mitigate or even reverse the disaster."
"That's possible too..."
Li Fan explained, "When the Heaven-Defying Charm is triggered, it also conveys a disaster index that varies from person to person. If my monster squad and I become strong enough to exceed this index, then the disaster will no longer be a disaster for us."
"I see. It's like facing a terrifying Great Jagras. If I encountered it alone now, I'd likely die. But if I train sufficiently and improve my strength by another level, I might stand a chance. And that Heaven-Defying Charm essentially provides a standard to aim for." Eudora expressed her understanding.
"That's roughly the idea."
"Alright, let's work hard together. If, by the time the Fifth Expedition Team departs, the charm still identifies it as a disaster, we'll make a decision then."
"Okay."
After dinner, Li Fan returned to his cabin and began drafting his special training plan.
Seeing the word "Courage" on his 3DS shining again, he regained his confidence.
It was the dimness of "Physique" that made Li Fan vaguely feel that something was wrong.
"Is it really completely dark..."
Li Fan curled his hand and pressed it against the screen, observing closely.
When completely obscured by external light, a faint glow could still be seen from the word "Physique."
"Is my physique really that weak? Never mind. Since we're preparing for the New World, we need to go all out!"
Li Fan declared grandly and began writing rapidly in his notebook.
The next morning, after half an hour of warm-up exercises, Li Fan, under Eudora's guidance, began the training method that currently yielded the most rapid increase in arm strength.
The Charged Slash Strength Training Method.
This was something Eudora accidentally discovered while practicing her Level 4 charge.
Its mechanism was to use the excessively accumulated power to repeatedly impact and tear the muscles of the arms, then repair them with the healing ability of the Super-Regenerative Disc.
Tear, repair, tear, repair...
In a high-speed, multi-cycle process, the muscle tissue in the arms was constantly strengthened.
"Li Fan, you can start with the Level 2 charged slash," Eudora instructed.
"I've been training with the Long Sword, so my arm strength has a certain foundation. Can't I do Level 3?" Li Fan asked, holding the training Great Sword.
"Theoretically, it's possible, but it's too painful for first-time practitioners. A Level 3 charge requires the body to withstand the transfer of two levels of accumulated power, while a Level 2 charge only has one. There's a full double difference. If you can't persist for ten minutes in one go, the time for the Super-Regenerative Disc today will be wasted," Eudora shared her experience.
"Then I'll start with the Level 2 charge. Dilu!"
"Ready, meow," Dilu said, opening the disc drive.
"Don't put in the wrong one."
"Don't worry, meow, this is your disc!" Dilu assured him.
The main difference between the Charged Slash Strength Training Method and a real charged slash was that this sword strike would not be unleashed. The accumulated power would be stored in the arms for an extended period.
When Li Fan didn't have enough understanding of the Great Sword, he wondered why, even if the slash missed, the Great Sword user wouldn't charge for a little longer to wait for the right attack timing.
After trying it a few times with the Great Sword, he realized that if the strike wasn't unleashed, the arms would suffer damage from the continuous impact of the power.
"Don't chew the Power Seed. Bite it directly. This way, you won't hurt your teeth when you grit them in pain." Eudora imparted her experience.
"Okay, *grrr*..." Li Fan said, placing the red, spherical fruit in his mouth and biting down tightly.
*Clack.*
The disc drive closed, and the Super-Regenerative Disc began to spin.
Li Fan held the training Great Sword to his side, behind him. After completing the first Level 3 charge, he took half a step back, changed his stance, and began charging with a strong charged slash.
In the previous charge, all the power was channeled into the sword. This time, only his body could store the accumulated power.
As the charge reached its limit, the power, with nowhere to vent, became restless and violent.
Li Fan's arm veins bulged, writhing like earthworms under his skin.
*Hiss~ Click~*
The sound of muscles tearing and bones vibrating continued. Li Fan felt as if his arms were being cut by countless blades, as if they would break at any second.
However, in reality, his arms, under the influence of super-regeneration, not only didn't break but could even be moved to adjust the slashing direction while maintaining the charging stance, as long as Li Fan endured the pain.
"Ah... ugh..."
His mouth slightly agape, the chewed Power Seed fell onto the deck.
"Dilu... is the time almost up!" Li Fan asked, struggling.
"Yes, meow! It's been 55 seconds! Just a little longer!" Dilu shouted encouragement.
"55 seconds..." Li Fan's bloodshot eyes widened. He couldn't believe how long this minute felt.
After persevering for seven minutes, Li Fan collapsed on the deck.
Eudora sprinkled Life Dust onto his steaming red arms. The super-regeneration effect hadn't worn off yet; the Life Dust's main purpose was to quickly alleviate the pain.
Dilu and Pachi each took one arm, their cat claws massaging and pressing. The extremely tightened, hardened muscles quickly relaxed.
"Sustaining it for 7 minutes in your first training session is already very impressive," Eudora praised.
"Hoo... Do you have to do this kind of training every day?" Li Fan exhaled and asked.
"Yes, the Super-Regenerative Disc is too powerful as a training tool. If I don't use it for a day, I feel like I'm losing out," Eudora informed him.
"Then why didn't you suggest I practice before?"
"Because it's very painful. With the usual setup of a two-person team, having one person charge forward is enough, and there are so many monster companions to assist," Eudora explained.
"The pain... it's quite acceptable. Next time you train, remember to call me. I'll assist you," Li Fan realized that Eudora had been considerate of him all along.
"If your arms reach a certain level of strength and can withstand the impact of Level 2 charges for a long time, to achieve better results, you'll have to enter the next stage..."
"Training with Level 3 charges?" Li Fan swallowed.
"Yes."
"It's fine. I've had plenty of injuries before. This pain is nothing... Dilu, help me up, let's go have breakfast."
The announcement for the recruitment of the Fifth Expedition Team was soon distributed to various village branches. After the receptionists posted the announcement, which occupied a quarter of the small notice board, it quickly became the focus of discussion among hunter teams.
"Only Guild-certified four-star hunters or three-star hunters with declared special talents can participate in the selection. Isn't this standard too strict?"
"Contract completion rate must be above 70%. We're doomed."
"I get seasick. Can't I swim there?"
"They're recruiting a total of 500 hunters. How much food will be consumed daily?"
There was strong support from all sides for this Fifth Expedition Team recruitment. After all, the New World was a new world that had barely begun to be explored. The discovery of any ecosystem or new species could overturn existing knowledge systems and bring new opportunities for human development. Hunters were filled with yearning for the opportunity to hunt and adventure in the New World. However, the Guild's strict requirements for selection caused widespread complaints. Among them, the recommendation system for outstanding hunters, which allowed direct selection, made many envious. Five days passed, and Li Fan, through Level 2 charge training, could now last for the full 10-minute duration of the Super-Regenerative Disc. The faint glow emanating from "Physique" could now be observed without any external light.
Early in the morning, in the lecture hall of the East Dondruma Guild Headquarters, the team was invited to attend a training course on the New World. Scholars took turns explaining the importance of exploring the New World. Then, Zuda took the stage and introduced the achievements of the previous four expedition teams, and the floor plan of the Star Base was unveiled for the first time.
"Wirebugs... the way they explore the New World is so novel," Eudora exclaimed.
"Gokou is saying hello," Li Fan reminded her.
"Hmph, ignore him," Eudora chose to ignore him and turned her face away.
"This is the first training course regarding the New World. It will be opened to more hunters later, and there's a mentor recommendation session. Although the invited individuals this time are all top hunters, and the number of people needed isn't large, we have prepared some individuals with top-tier weapon proficiency for everyone to choose from." Zuda finished and made a gesture.
Gokou, Deus, Hoover, Semika, and Pazhiji took to the stage. Long Sword, Dual Blades, Lance, Heavy Bowgun, and Hammer. These five top hunters represented the best users of the five weapon types in the Hunter's Guild. If one could become a mentor, even for a short training period, it would undoubtedly be immensely beneficial. Soon, many trainees came on stage and began choosing their preferred mentors. Li Fan really wanted to learn from Gokou about using the Long Sword with its explosive aerial attacks. After all, the spheres produced by the Magnamalo were much larger than those activated by the Magnamalo armor. However, his customized monster squad special training was scheduled to begin tomorrow, and there was no overlap in time. Furthermore, Gokou was extremely popular as a mentor, so Li Fan decided not to join the crowd.
"Apologies, everyone, I'm late." With an apology, a blond, muscular man wearing only shorts walked onto the stage.
"Li Fan, did he carry a giant marlin on his back?" Eudora asked uncertainly.
"To be precise... that's a Great Sword called the Frozen Marlin," Li Fan informed her.
Seeing the man, Zuda sighed helplessly, "I thought you wouldn't come. Let me introduce everyone, this is also a top hunter of the Guild, and a recommended mentor for this training, known as the 'Peak Hunter,' Papar."