Chapter 3 — The Adventurers of Blackrock City(英文版)
The morning sunlight illuminated Blackrock City.
The streets slowly came to life.
The sound of hammering echoed from the blacksmith shops, merchants began setting up their stalls, and adventurers headed toward the guild to accept quests.
Meanwhile, at the training grounds in the corner of the city—
BOOM!!
A massive greatsword slammed into the ground, sending dust flying everywhere.
“Again!!”
Bodi swung his giant sword while drenched in sweat.
Even after arriving in Blackrock City, he continued training every single day.
Weightlifting, sword practice, long-distance running, and combat drills.
He barely rested at all.
Nearby adventurers stared at him in disbelief.
“How does that guy even have that much stamina…?”
“Didn’t he just fight monsters yesterday?”
But Bodi only grinned.
“It’s still not enough!”
“I’m going to become stronger!”
Meanwhile—
Xiongyu was in the workshop district of Blackrock City.
Various ores and tools were spread across the table.
He carefully examined a dark gray piece of metal.
“The hardness is decent… but it’s still lacking.”
Since arriving in Blackrock City, Xiongyu had been investigating rare mineral veins hidden within nearby forests and caves.
Because he wanted to forge a stronger shield.
A shield truly capable of protecting his companions.
“If I can find Azure Crystal Ore… it should work.”
It was a rare mineral found only in the deep caves of Blackrock Forest.
Extremely durable.
And extremely difficult to find.
Elsewhere—
Botanuowei had gone alone to the forest outside Blackrock City.
Compared to the noisy city, he preferred quiet places.
A gentle breeze flowed through the trees.
As he passed near a stream—
A gray-white figure suddenly landed on a nearby rock.
It was a small bird.
Its feathers carried a faint silver glow, and its eyes looked unusually intelligent.
The bird did not run away.
Instead, it quietly stared at Botanuowei.
“…You’re not afraid of humans?”
Botanuowei looked surprised.
The bird lightly flapped its wings—
Then flew directly onto his shoulder.
He froze for a moment before revealing a faint smile.
“You’re a strange little thing.”
From that day onward—
The bird often stayed by his side.
Botanuowei named it “Little Gray.”
Several days later—
The three gathered once again at the Adventurers Guild.
The quest board was crowded with adventurers.
Some discussed monster subjugation missions, while others prepared to gather resources from the forest.
Bodi excitedly stared at the quest sheets.
“So which one are we taking this time!?”
Xiongyu pointed at one of the requests.
“Blackrock Forest Cave Investigation.”
“It says monster activity has increased recently, and a rare mineral vein was also discovered.”
Bodi’s eyes instantly lit up.
“That sounds awesome!”
Botanuowei quietly nodded.
Little Gray chirped softly from his shoulder.
And so—
The trio’s very first official party mission began.
Deep within Blackrock Forest—
Towering trees blocked out the sky.
The air was colder than in the city.
Bodi walked at the front with excitement written all over his face.
“This feels like there’ll be some really strong monsters!”
Xiongyu sighed helplessly.
“Your brain really only thinks about fighting…”
Botanuowei carefully observed the surroundings.
Suddenly, Little Gray flew upward.
After circling several times in the air, it cried out toward a certain direction.
“Something’s coming.”
Botanuowei immediately warned the others.
The next second—
The bushes shook violently.
Several Rockshell Beasts burst out from the forest.
Their bodies were covered in hardened armor, yet they moved with incredible speed.
Bodi instantly grinned.
“Here they come!!”
BOOM!!
He charged forward.
His greatsword collided heavily with a Rockshell Beast.
Xiongyu immediately raised his shield to block another attack from the side.
Meanwhile, Botanuowei swiftly moved through the trees, providing precise support.
Their teamwork was not perfect yet.
But their coordination was gradually improving.
Not long after—
The final Rockshell Beast fell.
Bodi panted heavily, yet smiled brightly.
“Fighting as a party is way more fun than fighting alone!”
Xiongyu looked deeper into the cave.
Inside the rocky wall—
A faint blue glow shimmered softly.
His eyes widened.
“That’s… Azure Crystal Ore.”
Little Gray chirped softly from Botanuowei’s shoulder.
The sunset slowly shined through the forest.
And the trio’s adventure had finally begun to move onto its true path.
Beyond Blackrock City—
Even greater unknown challenges were waiting for them.