Chapter 996: Reuniting at the Rear Lines


    ?


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    After sending a message to Alfaera that he was on his way to the frontlines, Valyr began to move through the streets of Astarto, pushing his agility to its limits as he passed through buildings in a blur.


    ''Though she said I shouldn''t rush, it''s still better to be there as soon as possible,'' the young man thought to himself, only for his eyes to widen in surprise as he nced to his side.


    Although the woman named ire did give him a brief overview of what was currently happening outside the town walls, the part about her apanying him to the monster tide was something he felt was unlikely to happen.


    After all, even though he was already at the peak of Rank 3, his stats were moreparable to someone that around the Rank 4 to Rank 5 level.


    Yet, against all odds, the woman named ire was catching up to him no problem, darting through the streets at more or less the same pace as him.


    "So, what do you n on doing the moment you get to the frontlines?" Oblivious to what was going on inside Valyr''s mind, ire briefly nced at him as she asked him a question.


    "I''ll probably get some food first before heading outside the walls," said Valyr in response, feeling his stomach faintly rumble amidst all the running he was doing. "But more importantly, how are you catching up to me?"


    In response, ire let out a bit ofughter. "Out of all the questions you could ask me, that''s the first one you have in mind?"


    "Well, you did say you were Alfaera''s secretary," replied Valyr, his gaze switching between ire and what was before them from time to time. "Secretaries usually don''t focus on improving their agility, no?"


    "Ah." At those words, ire briefly adorned a nk expression, only to look back at Valyr with a slight smile.


    Then, without hesitation, she tore off the clothing she was wearing earlier, revealing the sleek battle armor she was wearing underneath.


    "Though it''d be easier to call myself a secretary, I guess Mayor Astarto''s right-hand woman would be a more suitable title." Noticing the shock on Valyr''s face from her suddenly changing her clothes, ire had an expression of amusement as she exined herself.


    "I do help out Mayor Astarto in her tasks from time to time, but I''m more of a personal guard of hers than her secretary."


    "...I see." Though he was indeed left at a loss for words when ire tore off her clothes all of a sudden, it did not take long for Valyr to recover himself, listening to her words as he examined her once more.


    With a set of battle armor now equipped, Valyr immediately felt the slight incongruence he sensed from ire immediately disappear, prompting him to understand that ire was telling him the truth.


    After all, from what he could sense, she was currently suppressing a great portion of her aura in order to keep up her previous facade.


    Because of that, he had a feeling that ire''sbat power was far greater than he initially thought, prompting him to wonder whether it was at the level of Tristan or Myst.


    Briefly admiring the harmonious appearance ire had as her dark battle armor entuated her dark hair and eyes, Valyr quickly snapped out of it as a question came to mind.


    "Now that I think about it, have you been acting as Alfaera''s personal guard even before Astarto became a town?"


    "Who knows?" replied ire with a grin, looking back at the young man with a slightly teasing gaze. "Perhaps you know the answer to that question yourself... Tidebreaker."


    "Tidebreaker..." Hearing one of his early titles leave her mouth, silence briefly covered the young man. "Am I correct in my assumption, then?"


    At those words, ire merely smiled in response, remaining silent as Valyr''s curiosity at the answer continued to gnaw at him.


    In the end, the young man was forced to push the thought aside forter, letting out a faint sigh in annoyance as he arrived alongside ire at the rear lines a few minutester.


    ...


    "Woah."


    Stepping foot at the part of the town that acted as their rear lines during the monster tide, Valyr looked around his surroundings with slight interest, immediately noticing how much things have greatly improved since thest time he participated in a monster tide.


    From a dining area that used to give out meals that were enough to fill the stomach, the young man noticed that the dining area had greatly expanded in size and quality, now giving out meals that both satiated the body and the mind.


    Making his way to the dining area to grab a te, he also took notice of the various people that were currently eating at the dining area, immediately sensing the drastic difference inbat strength when hepared it to those protecting the vige back then. ''Most of them are already at the peak of Rank 2,'' Valyr surmised as he grabbed a slightly hearty meal for himself. ''Some of them have even broken through Rank 3.''


    Of course, as a cksmith, he also took note of the equipment the people wearing. Unsurprisingly, the young man smiled in satisfaction, getting the feeling that the cksmith Guild Tristan was leading had something to do with the current situation.


    Receiving the meal he''d asked for after some time, Valyr looked back at ire and asked her if she was going to eat something, only to get a response from thetter that she was going to head to the frontlines to meet up with Alfaera.


    Having a faint idea of what ire had in mind, the young man decided to wish her safety as the two eventually separated ways.


    ''Now, is there some ce I could sit... hmm?'' Moving towards the various tables making up


    the dining area, Valyr looked around to see if there was any vacant spot, only to find a set of familiar faces he hadn''t seen in a very long time.


    "Leon! Jonas! Louie!"