Capítulo 96: Chapter 96:

"What's the deal with this mission?" Luca asked, pointing to the red-marked Pure River Town mission on the board.

The receptionist glanced at it and replied, "Ah, Pure River Town. That mission's been up for a while now.

"A lot of monsters have mysteriously appeared in that area recently, and they've been a real pain to deal with.

"The City Lord's office issued this mission some time ago, and quite a few people have gone to investigate, but with little success."

Luca nodded slightly, confirming in his mind that this was indeed the place Tia had mentioned. "I'll take it."

The receptionist hesitated for a moment. He was about to warn Luca that these City Lord missions rarely went smoothly—many adventurers had tried and failed. But then, remembering who Luca was, he swallowed his words.

Luca noticed the change in the receptionist's expression but chose to ignore it. City Lord missions might not offer high monetary rewards, but the real benefit lay in the hidden prestige they carried. The gold was just a bonus.

Besides, Luca wasn't taking the mission for the reward. He intended to use Southwind City's official channels to get to the bottom of what was happening in Pure River Town. It would save him a lot of time.

Afterward, Luca selected a few more missions, including the one to slay the Water Dragon, and accepted them all.

This caused many people who were secretly observing him to shake their heads, silently labeling him a rookie.

While accepting missions didn't require a deposit, failing to complete them lowered your completion rate.

A low completion rate would lock you out of certain higher-tier missions.

For example, high-reward missions often had a minimum completion rate requirement after being evaluated. Only those who met the threshold could take them. By accepting so many missions at once, Luca might be feeling confident now, but when it came time to maintain that rate, he'd likely regret it.

The receptionist noted down the details and processed Luca's requests.

If he didn't complete the missions within the given time frame, they would be refreshed on the association's mission board.

Luca then left the third floor, the receptionist bidding him farewell with respect.

However, he hadn't gone far before he noticed two familiar figures walking toward the association's hall.

One was a petite, cute girl with a frustrated expression; the other was a tall, muscular man who looked overly eager to please.

It was none other than Susie and Nomadey.

They both paused when they saw Luca.

"What's this guy doing here?" Nomadey thought, feeling a surge of irritation as he shot Luca a wary glance.

Ever since Luca had arrived in Southwind City, Susie's attitude toward Nomadey had only gotten worse. Nomadey blamed Luca for it all. If it weren't for this guy, Susie would at least still talk to him.

Now, she wouldn't even speak to him, treating him like he didn't exist.

"Huh, weren't you getting scolded by your aunt?" Susie looked slightly surprised.

She had clearly heard the commotion from Luca's house earlier and had been secretly laughing about it for a while.

She didn't expect Luca to still have the mood to play games.

"I'll deal with you later," Luca shot her a glare, not in the mood to engage with this trouble-making woman. She had snitched on him, causing his mom to mistakenly think he had messed around with Malina, and he had barely escaped with his legs intact.

"I didn't lie! I saw you flirting with women in the game!" Susie retorted, with absolutely no guilt for being a traitor. She put her hands on her hips and spoke as if she were defending justice.

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Nomadey quickly chimed in, "I didn't expect you to be such a scumbag, Luca, hitting on NPCs too. I'm ashamed to be in the same class as you."

Luca glanced at him briefly, then turned to the receptionist, asking, "Isn't this the Mages' Association? Why is there a knight here?"

The receptionist paused for a second before understanding. He turned to Nomadey and said firmly, "Sorry, sir, this is the Mages' Association, and we do not welcome non-mage professionals. Please leave immediately."

With that, he gestured to several association staff members.

A few of them promptly started walking toward Nomadey.

When Luca had flashed the black-gold token earlier, they had all seen it and were eager to make a good impression.

Watching several of the association guards approaching him.

Nomadey was utterly stunned.

What the hell?! Are these NPCs blind?!

Pointing to a group of players not far away, he shouted angrily, "Since when does the Mages' Association ban other professionals? Look at those people! There's a priest and a rogue over there, so why am I the only one being kicked out?"

The receptionist replied coolly, "Because you're ugly and bad for business."

"You!" Nomadey pointed his finger at the receptionist, his face turning red with anger, then pale.

But he didn't dare say more. This was, after all, the Mages' Association, filled with powerful individuals.

In the end, all he could manage was, "You're abusing your authority! I'm going to report you!"

The others in the hall could hardly suppress their laughter.

If reporting worked, why would anyone need a black-gold token?

"You had to pick the worst person to mess with," some players looked at Nomadey with pity. Word of Luca killing The World Guild's leader, Celephais, in Riverfall City had already spread throughout the Southern Territory.

If even the James family couldn't deal with Luca, what chance did a random player have?

As Nomadey was escorted out, Susie felt an odd sense of satisfaction and subconsciously lifted her chin, feeling proud.

But before she could say a word, Luca brushed past her without even a glance.

"Where do I need to go to catch the Cloudwing Airship heading to Pure River Town?" Luca asked the receptionist.

Different Cloudwing Airships had different routes, and finding the right one could be a hassle if he had to search for each one individually.

The receptionist responded respectfully, "Mr. Luca, the Cloudwing Airship bound for Pure River Town departs from Dock Nine in the southern part of the Outer District. It's been specially arranged by the City Lord's office."

It seemed the City Lord's office had enlisted quite a few people to deal with the issues in Pure River Town, even going as far as arranging a dedicated Cloudwing Airship for the mission.

Luca nodded in acknowledgment and stepped out of the Mages' Association.

Behind him, Susie, feeling ignored, called out in frustration, "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Luca ignored her. This woman needed to be given the cold shoulder for a few days.

As he reached the street, Luca hailed a carriage and said to the driver, "To Dock Nine."

Susie, seeing that Luca was really leaving, hurried to catch up, surprised. "You're not seriously mad, are you?"

Luca rolled his eyes. "No, I'm absolutely thrilled."

Susie, now feeling a bit guilty, pouted, "I'm sorry, okay? How was I supposed to know a girl would show up to see you? It's your own fault for being a flirt..."

Luca's mouth twitched. He had no desire to argue about who was right or wrong on this matter. He turned to the driver and said, "Let's go, and make it fast."

"Don't worry, I'm one of the fastest drivers in Riverfall City," the driver chuckled, and then glanced at Susie.

Susie smiled cheekily and hopped into the carriage.

Luca, trying to scare her, said, "I'm going somewhere dangerous this time. If you die, don't blame me."

Susie shrugged it off, replying confidently, "No worries, I've got Nunu to protect me!"

"Nunu?" Luca asked, confused. He then noticed a small silver-white head poking out of Susie's pocket.

Two timid purple eyes peered at him, and the creature let out a couple of squeaks before retreating back into Susie's pocket. Sёarᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"A Violet-Eyed Thunder Mouse? And it's high-tier..." Luca said, surprised.

He could sense the distinct aura of a high-tier monster coming from the little creature. He hadn't expected Susie to have such a rare opportunity.

For a Summoner to contract a monster or creature above their level was incredibly difficult.

Given Susie's current strength, contracting a Diamond-level high-tier monster was nearly as hard as when Luca had crafted his Superclass magic rune. It was no small feat.

However, Luca soon realized something was off.

Though the Thunder Mouse had the aura of a high-tier monster, it was extremely weak and had fallen to a low-tier level.

No wonder Susie had been able to successfully contract it.

Luca relaxed. With the protection of this Violet-Eyed Thunder Mouse, even if they encountered danger in Pure River Town , Susie would have enough power to defend herself.

The coachman snapped his whip, and the scaled horse pulling the carriage galloped swiftly down the street.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Nomadey stood in the middle of the road, a look of frustration and anger etched across his face.

To any onlookers, it might appear as if he had just been jilted.

"Damn that bastard! Don't think you can take Susie from me! I will never give up!" he muttered through gritted teeth. Determined, he hailed a carriage and followed after them, resolved to show Susie his unwavering commitment.

The carriage sped along, with the scenery outside the window rapidly shifting.

Before long, Luca and Susie arrived at Dock Nine in Southwind City.

Located on the outermost edge of the Outer District, the dock was vast. Though the facilities were rather basic, the place was packed with people. Long lines stretched out from every ticket booth, and in the distance, Cloudwing Airships could be seen docked on platforms, while others flew overhead, taking off and landing at regular intervals.

A separate, cordoned-off area on the platform was reserved for larger, more luxurious airships, and the passengers boarding them were clearly dressed in much finer attire than those in the regular zone.

With the help of the service staff, Luca quickly located the Cloudwing Airship arranged by the City Lord's office in the Noble District.

The airship was massive, easily two to three hundred meters long, its white hull bearing the crest of Southwind City's Hi-montain insignia. It gleamed with an opulence befitting its purpose, and attendants were stationed at the boarding ramp, ready to assist passengers.

Luca presented his credentials from the Mages' Association.

After verifying them with a crystal orb, the attendant allowed Luca and Susie to board the ship.

Upon entering the ship's grand hall, adorned with luxurious golden decor, Luca noticed that many others had already arrived.

He quickly scanned the room, sizing up the passengers out of habit.

There was a cold, sinister-looking elder, a charming woman in a red dress, a burly man with a scarred face, and a noble-looking young man with red hair—about a hundred people in total, each exuding an impressive aura. The fact that they were here meant they had all been chosen for the City Lord's mission—clearly capable individuals.

The other passengers, in turn, were sizing up Luca.

His youth, combined with the presence of the delicate and adorable Susie beside him, made them curious—clearly, this was no ordinary duo.

Luca, however, paid no mind to their stares and found a seat for himself and Susie.

But shortly after sitting down, Luca frowned.

He turned his head slightly to the side, looking toward a scarred man seated behind him, who was staring at Luca with a faint, mocking smile.

The man wasn't hiding his murderous intent in the slightest.

Luca's gaze fell on the man's thick neck, where a tattoo of a bloodied hand gripping a dagger stood out clearly.

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