Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Let me thoroughly check if this succubus has any issues
[Location: Tino Adventurer Guild · Office]
"Hans, I appointed you as the head of Tino’s Adventurer Guild. Do you think I did that just for you to slack off?"
Bang!
Accompanied by a roar from the Magic Communication Crystal Ball, the middle-aged man in front of the orb instinctively shrank his neck and laughed awkwardly.
From the other side of the Crystal Ball came a barrage of scolding—
"The Ense Empire is such a colossal entity, ranking in the top five dominions across the entire Star Continent."
"And now you’re saying not even the Imperial Capital can gather enough high-quality fresh blood?"
"Do you know that for 10 consecutive years, no adventurer from the Southern Continent has been crowned with a ’title’?"
"Hans, many have told me before that you aren’t a competent guild leader."
"But I believe you have the talent."
"That’s why I entrusted you with managing the Ense Empire Adventurer Guild, to let your achievements speak for themselves. Is this how you repay me?"
Hans, the president of the Ense Empire Adventurer Guild, wanted to explain but hesitated, finally saying with a bitter tone:
"Next year, surely next year, we’ll achieve results. We have a promising young talent this year."
The burly figure on the other side of the Crystal Ball snorted:
"With good talent, shouldn’t you, as a senior in the adventuring field, guide them well?"
"Why are you still communicating with me!"
A round of harsh criticism followed.
Hans was sweating profusely.
"Aren’t you the one constantly urging me?"
"Besides, the reason for fewer titled strongmen in the Southern Continent these years, you know as well, boss."
"Even Ense relocated its capital decades ago..."
He had grievances he couldn’t voice.
Indeed, the Ense Empire is strong.
Talents are numerous like carp crossing the river.
But it doesn’t mean they will join the Adventurer Guild.
The edge of the Fallen Star Sea is staffing, the larger the empire, the harder it is for the Adventurer Association to poach people from their official postings.
After all... the benefits they offer are truly excessive!
Hans felt a bit helpless.
As a Warrior of professional level 19, Hans is regarded as someone notable across the continent.
Twenty years ago, he even participated in the campaign to slay the evil dragon that plagued the Fallen Star Sea, earning him notable battle achievements, and a subsequent promotion to the management of the Adventurer Guild, granting him the title ’Red Ghost.’
However, since taking on a managerial role these years, Hans felt a bit overwhelmed.
The Adventurer Guild, as a neutral organization spanning various countries on the continent, bases its continuation on titled strongmen.
That is a title independent of the five foundational systems of adventurers, usually exclusive to Auriate Adventurers.
But it doesn’t mean that Auriate Adventurers are titled strongmen.
You must accomplish a battle worthy of being extolled by countless people to earn the guild’s title.
And "worthy of being extolled" is often directly associated with "strong enemies."
Thus, below Auriate Adventurer, it’s practically impossible for anyone to achieve this feat.
The Adventurer Guild places great importance on the output of titled strongmen.
As a neutral institution, without enough titled strongmen to build a reputation, it’s hard to continue expanding influence locally.
The number of newcomers joining the guild will decrease.
The potential for producing titled strongmen is also lower.
Ultimately, a negative cycle could downgrade it to a low tier force within the city.
So nearly every regional manager places utmost importance on title output.
Even more so for him.
After all... the president who berated him head-to-toe through the Crystal Ball is his own older brother.
There’s gossip in the guild saying it was his older brother’s help that got him into the dragon-slaying campaign.
Hans dismissed such remarks.
When that evil dragon wreaked havoc, the bounty orders from surrounding countries issued by the guild were as plentiful as snowflakes in the sky.
How many were actually willing to take up the mission?
That was an achievement he gambled his life for.
"Troublesome, if it weren’t for my big brother becoming the head of headquarters, there wouldn’t be so much gossip..."
"But since I’m your brother, sigh, yet you’re right, I should at least leave some trace of my presence on this land of Ense, shouldn’t I?"
Hans scratched his slightly thinning hair, then looked at his deputy:
"What is our great genius up to now? Off hunting alone again?"
The deputy flipped through a task list and said:
"No, today she submitted a request at the front desk to form a novice adventurer group."
Hans: ???
He was furious!
"Isn’t she the one who hates leading newcomers the most? Previously, when I asked her to lead a newcomer, she said if I insisted, she’d chop me."
Hans felt his already thinning hair seemed to be falling out more.
What irked him more was seeing his deputy laughing.
This job is impossible to do.
"Forget it, let the young lady do what she wants. This year’s performance in promoting promising newcomers still depends on her."
Hans patted his deputy’s shoulder: "Handle today’s affairs well, cultivate the ability to work independently."
Deputy: ???
Soon the deputy suddenly realized: "President is going to Charming Street again today?"
Hans coughed lightly: "What nonsense, I heard there’s a batch of succubi that recently arrived at Charming Street.
As a righteous adventurer, it’s necessary to inspect if these succubi pose any risks!"
He then added one more reminder:
"Do your best to cooperate with whatever the Ashford family’s young lady wants to do. By the way, what’s the name of the adventurer group she just formed?"
Deputy: "Moonlight Cat Cat Group."
Hans scratched his ear: "What the heck?"
"Moonlight, Cat Cat Group."
Hans wore a speechless expression: "This really doesn’t match her temperament."
The deputy hesitated before speaking.
The Moonlight Cat Cat Group was a deregistered adventurer group.
The young lady of the Ashford family wasn’t always solitary.
A few years ago, she joined another team.
Then...
After that, most of that group was lost in a safe zone.
A sense of fate manifested in the deputy’s mind, he glanced down at the list and said:
"The adventurer group added two newcomers. One named William Sean, an 11th level Iron Guard..."
Hans, who was about to swiftly proceed to the phase where he discovers "the charm of succubi," halted in his steps:
"What is this? Exemplar level? Newcomer?"
The deputy earnestly said: "A genuine adventurer newcomer."
"The adventurer new recruit having a professional level stronger than the group leader, right? So classic. What’s the other one?"
"Gaius Julius Caesar, a young 3rd level warrior."
"A somewhat unfamiliar name, could it be some noble’s eldest son?" Hans shook his head, "So she took on the task of leading two newcomers?"
The deputy said: "Yes, a porcelain level task ’Hunting Tree Demon.’
Hans scratched his head: "It seems like she’s not too happy, trying to drive the newcomers away, huh?"
Hans felt his scalp itching again, could it be he was about to grow a brain?
Even an 11th level Iron Guard, in the Imperial Capital, would be considered the backbone of soldiers, the mid-level management of various forces.
Being dispatched to take care of a 3rd level warrior, couldn’t imagine how many succubi this newcomer can handle.
Yet, the porcelain-level tasks that new adventurers needed to handle varied greatly in difficulty.
Just look at the kill requirements to know.
Tasks among newcomers are limited to porcelain-level tasks such as—
Task: Hunt Slimes (0/20)
Task: Hunt Giant Sewer Rats (0/10)
Task: Hunt Goblins (0/5)
...
Task: Hunt Tree Demon (0/1)
The Hunt Tree Demon task only requires one because, compared to other magical creatures, the strength and danger of the Tree Demon have significantly risen by two notches.
Among monsters challenging at the 3rd level, the Tree Demon’s persistence is overwhelming, especially for melee professions.
Facing such monsters is still too risky for newcomers.
"Remind her at the front desk not to overdo it."