Chapter 104: In for a Penny, In for a Pound

A moment later, the portal of light opened, a cold gleam flashed by, and the Gale Squad appeared once again on the outskirts of the Land of Tears—this time, a bit farther out—riding their Death Dragonflies in spectacular fashion. In a swift, coordinated sweep, the line of Death Dragonflies dove, completed another hunt, and then soared back through the portal, leaving behind a crowd of bystanders utterly dumbstruck.

“Stop right there!”

Just as Royong, the last of his team, was about to enter the portal, a figure shot toward him at breakneck speed. From its trajectory, it was clear this person also came from the Fearless Company, flying through the air unaided, relying solely on his own ability. That several people could soar like this—by that alone, the strength of the Fearless Company was undeniable.

“I don’t speak with anyone who’s not a higher level than me,” Royong said coldly, watching the approaching figure.

“Huh?” The newcomer faltered, wanting to ask, “Then how have you been communicating—sign language? Telepathy?”

“I’m Hansome Brad, leader of the Fearless Company. In terms of level, I’m higher than you,” the man said, coming to a halt in front of Royong and his Death Dragonfly, his expression blank. “Where is my subordinate, Steward Bairn?”

“Hansome Brad? The legendary Dashing Bro? Who gave you a name like that…” Royong muttered under his breath, then retorted, “Your subordinate—why are you asking me? Surely you’re mistaken?”

“I just saw you both enter the Land of Tears, but now you’ve returned alone and he hasn’t. Isn’t that suspicious?” Hansome pressed.

“Do you have any proof?” Royong spread his hands in feigned innocence.

“Proof? Plenty of people saw it just now—doesn’t that count?” Hansome snorted. “If you won’t give me an explanation, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.”

“Used to pushing people around, aren’t you?” Royong snapped. “Dashing Bro, huh? Want me to knock some sense into you?”

“What did you just say?” Hansome stared at him, confusion written all over his face, as if he didn’t understand a word.

“I said, if you’re not happy, then fight—what’s with all the talk?” Royong brandished a tactical scroll.

“Oh?” Hansome narrowed his eyes, finally understanding the source of the explosion in the Land of Tears, and realizing that his steward, having faced such a blast at close range, was most likely done for.

“Despicable! How ruthless of you!”

“Ruthless?!” Royong bristled. “That bastard tried to kill me just now, thinking I wouldn’t know. I showed mercy, didn’t finish him off—if not for that, things would be different. You and your Fearless Company had better rein it in from now on, or don’t blame me for being merciless!”

“And another thing—you lot had best leave my teammates alone, or suffer the consequences!”

Royong rattled off his tirade without giving the other a chance to interject—like a certain overpowered mascot in an anime flattening every foe with a single outburst.

“You…” Hansome’s face twitched, his expression shifting before he finally sneered, “Fine. Very well. It’s been a long time since anyone dared speak to me like that.”

“Quit the act. If you want to fight, just try it—I’ll blow you up!” Royong held a tactical scroll in each hand, ready to activate them at any moment. At this close distance, even the leader of the Fearless Company dared not make a reckless move.

“Hmph. Ignorant and arrogant!” Hansome sneered, a sudden gust of wind swirling at his side as he darted away, circling Royong effortlessly.

“You think a few tactical scrolls make you untouchable? Naive! Against true power, your tricks are a joke!”

“Careful with your boasts!” Royong maneuvered his Death Dragonfly to keep facing Hansome, the Wind’s Favored Son.

At the same time, he recognized that Hansome lived up to his reputation. To master wind magic to this extent, to command an entire company—such skill must have required endless effort. This was practically a martial technique in itself. But as a deep-pocketed player, Royong was no pushover. Even if his current level was only 5, even if his true combat power was just 10, and even if his tactical scrolls might not even hit the target… ahem.

Hansome was at least at level 20, on the verge of a breakthrough, perhaps. As the elven lady had said, he’d likely improved his physique, drunk secret elixirs, and greatly enhanced his fighting power. Among his peers, few could match him.

At this point, Royong didn’t have much to rely on besides his tactical scrolls.

“Getting dizzy from circling me? Are you going to fight or not?” Royong called out impatiently to Hansome, who kept orbiting him. Each time Hansome feinted a charge, he’d pull back, or even retreat farther, as if sensing some unseen threat.

“You’re carrying something dangerous—some item that makes me uneasy,” Hansome said, stopping at a distance, his face grim.

“You think I’ll tell you?” With a flick of his wrist, a flash of light, and a tiny dragonfly landed on Royong’s shoulder.

“What’s that?” Hansome squinted, trying to see, but it was too far, and whatever it was seemed to veil itself from sight.

“Crafty bastard, you sure have plenty of gear!” Hansome spat, already considering retreat. Though Royong’s base strength was low, that mysterious item was enough to pose a real threat. If it came to a head-on fight, neither side would win.

“If you’re not going to fight, then get lost!” Royong raised his middle finger in farewell.

“Hmph, we’ll see about that!” Hansome’s form blurred as he summoned the wind, gliding back toward the Fearless Company.

“Are you alright, Captain?”

“Why not just kill that brat and put him in his place?”

“Captain, we—”

“Enough! All of you, be quiet!” Hansome snapped, shooting a glare at his sycophantic followers—useless now that it mattered.

“Orlan, go file a complaint with the Mage’s Guild—say that Royong, captain of the Gale Squad, murdered our steward, Bairn!”

“What? Bairn is dead?!” Orlan gasped.

“Just do as you’re told! Less talk, more action—move!” Hansome snarled, and with a wave, a whirlwind swept Orlan away.

…

Royong had intended to avoid trouble, but neither did he wish to back down. If the other man truly attacked, he would have no choice but to fight to the end. Still, he hadn’t expected the Fearless Company’s captain to swallow his anger and hold back.

They say barking dogs seldom bite.

Yet Royong felt a surge of unease. Today, the Gale Squad had certainly made a name for themselves, but now they were on the Fearless Company’s radar. Who knew when trouble would next come? Royong had his own powerful items, but his teammates were not yet strong enough to hold their own…

With that thought, he decided he might as well go all the way.

He guided his Death Dragonfly to a distance and waited quietly.

Moments later, a level 15 Death Dragonfly landed before him. Under the watchful eyes of many, Royong took out a contract scroll and completed the bond.

A brilliant flash, and another Death Dragonfly became his mount.

The requirements for this contract were low—much like tossing a Pokéball to catch a monster, with no real limit on quantity.

So Royong, heedless and relentless, kept contracting more, making onlookers green with envy.

“Three… five… eight… fifteen…”

“Ah! I can’t take it—how is he catching Death Dragonflies so easily?!”

“It makes no sense! I was going to say—the Death Dragonfly is notoriously violent. Others have tried to contract them before, but—”

“Either they failed, or suffered terrible backlash—mental damage, even…”

“In short, no one has ever succeeded!”

“So why Royong? Is the captain of the Gale Squad the chosen one of Lady Luck?”

“Why isn’t he suffering any backlash?!”

“And his teammates too, all perfectly fine!”

“Something’s off—maybe the Death Dragonflies have mutated, and don’t backlash against contractors anymore. Did this bastard just get lucky?!”

Envy was thick in the air. By now, Royong had assembled a force of twenty Death Dragonflies in formation.

“Wow! Captain, what are you doing—are you planning to clear out the Land of Tears?” Aria cried out as she emerged from the portal, flying to Royong’s side.

“Why contract so many? Can you even use them all?”

“Captain…”

“What’s going on?”

His female teammates surrounded him, voicing their questions.

“The Fearless Company’s captain just tried to pick a fight—guess that’s a full-blown grudge now,” Royong sighed, shrugging. “I’m not afraid of him, but they have numbers. I’m worried about you all.”

“Then I’ll contract a few more myself!” While the others fumed, thinking the Fearless Company deserved worse, perhaps Bairn should have been killed outright or even buried alive…

The Storm Sorceress was the most decisive, grabbing a contract scroll straight from Royong and slapping it onto a freshly arrived Death Dragonfly, sealing the bond.

“I may have lost my Storm Bear, but I’ve gained a Death Dragonfly!”