Recruiting Teammates

Alani slowly opened his eyes.

Above him… there was no ceiling, only a gray, overcast sky, so low it felt like he could reach up and touch the heavy layers of clouds.

A searing pain shot through his shoulder, as if the muscles there had been torn into shreds like spicy hand-shredded chicken.

Alani scrambled to his feet, patting himself down to check if anything was missing. To his relief, nothing was gone—not even the sword he had drained his wealth to auction off, a blade sharp enough to cleave iron, still intact and strapped to his back.

Alani breathed a sigh of relief. It was with this very sword that he had split the thick, tough hide of that earth dragon. To him, this blade was a treasure worth more than his own life.

Who was that bastard from yesterday?

Why had he beaten him up for no reason, yet taken nothing?

Alani gave himself another thorough once-over, confirming that aside from the blow to his shoulder, he had sustained no other injuries.

“Damn scumbag…” Alani muttered under his breath, wincing as the curse aggravated his shoulder wound. Though losing nothing was a silver lining in misfortune, getting beaten up for no reason still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Rumble—

A peal of thunder rolled across the sky, snapping Alani back to reality.

No wonder the sky was so dark—a heavy rain was about to pour down.

Alani sniffed the air, catching the distinct, earthy scent of damp soil.

Soon, raindrops as big as beans began to fall. After a moment’s thought, Alani retraced his steps back to the tavern.

When he had left the tavern, it had been dusk… now it seemed to be the next day. He had lain in that deserted alley all night.

Actually, it had been quite cold outside. If not for the fact that he was a warrior with a constitution far surpassing ordinary people, he would have likely caught a chill.

Inside, the tavern had changed considerably since he’d left. It was nearly empty, with only a few tables still occupied by groggy drunks passed out from the night before. One particularly sorry soul was slumped over a table smeared with his own vomit, emitting a sour, pungent stench that made passersby instinctively cover their noses.

Alani glanced at the wall clock. It was still morning.

Outside, the rain was lashing down in torrents, the wind whipping the rain into countless transparent lashes that cracked against the window glass with sharp, rattling sounds.

One by one, more people dashed into the tavern to take shelter, shaking off droplets and muttering curses at the wretched weather. The sudden downpour had caught them completely off guard.

The burly tavern owner, built like a bear, grabbed the drunk slumped in his own vomit by the scruff of the neck, hauling him away like a sack of trash to a corner.

The drunks, jolted awake by the rough treatment, looked around in dazed confusion. Some wisely shrunk back and crawled into a corner, while others scrambled out into the rain with their tails between their legs.

None of them dared to pick a fight with the tavern owner, whose chest scar was nearly as long as his own forearm.

Every tavern owner worth his salt had a fearsome demeanor to keep unruly adventurers in line.

Soon, a freckled, comely waitress in an apron hurried over, quickly and nimbly wiping down and cleaning the soiled tables.

Working here offered a sense of safety—few dared to harass her… though the owner looked fierce, he was actually a decent man.

The rain had trapped everyone indoors, and boredom was beginning to set in.

Soon, someone organized a card game, while others huddled in small groups, chatting idly.

Amidst the rising murmur, the tavern door swung open again, and another figure in a black robe pushed through the curtain of rain, stepping inside. The crowd glanced over out of habit, then quickly looked away.

A black robe, a hood obscuring the face.

Alani’s pupils contracted. The outfit was identical to the one worn by the stranger he had encountered last night.

But he didn’t overthink it, nor did he go ask questions. Such attire was standard among adventurers who wanted to keep a low profile—in any given tavern, about half the patrons dressed just like that.

Hmm… the height and build were quite similar too.

Probably a coincidence.

Xia Lun naturally noticed Alani’s gaze but paid it no mind, simply finding a seat and sitting down.

Yesterday, I was a bit impulsive… he thought to himself. I just didn’t want that fool to go rushing to his death, that’s all—I was helping him face reality.

Alani looked away, staring back at the rain-blurred world outside the window. Though he had hastily applied some ointment, the pain still lingered. Peeling back his clothes, he saw a patch of dark purple bruising.

That bastard really hit hard… Alani couldn’t help but recall the mysterious figure from last night.

Who was that guy? His strength was terrifying. Sure, I was caught off guard, but anyone who can take me down in an instant can’t be weaker than me.

If someone like that could become my teammate and join me in slaying the Demon King…

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning in the darkness, igniting his thoughts.

Yes, a teammate.

Alani’s eyes lit up.

He had always been a lone wolf, and that was why he lacked suitable companions.

Alani was a very ordinary man in his ambitions.

He longed to achieve great feats and make a name for himself, and the time was ripe for it. If he could slay the Demon King, everything else would fall into place.

But he was also a blindly overconfident fellow. Hailing from a knightly family, he was considered a prodigy blessed with extraordinary talent, bathed in exaggerated praise from those around him… After leaving home, things had gone smoothly for him, since he rarely encountered overly powerful monsters.

After slaying a vicious earth dragon and earning the title “Dragon Slayer,” his confidence had soared to unprecedented heights.

Even the Demon King, Alani believed, could be cut down, so long as he recruited a few capable teammates.

Alani shot up from his seat with a screech, the wooden chair legs scraping against the floor in a sharp, grating sound that drew the attention of nearly everyone in the tavern.

He scanned the room, took a deep breath, and announced in the loudest, most confident voice he could muster: “Is anyone willing to join me in slaying the Demon King?”

All around him, people stared at him with looks of astonishment or disbelief. Alani rather enjoyed the attention.

Though most were probably thinking the guy must be crazy.

No one stepped forward to answer his call.

“A bunch of cowards,” Alani sneered.

Just then, he felt someone approaching from behind.

A calm, emotionless voice spoke behind him:

“Count me in.”