His gaze once again fell upon the half-buried window glass of the "Cave Tavern" underground.
"Tuck" hoped to catch sight of the person he was waiting for today.
The guy was already an hour late.
However, after Tuck's eyes searched the dimly lit street, he did not catch a glimpse of the person he was awaiting.
Outside on the street, there wasn't even a ghost's shadow.
"Could it be that the guy absconded with the money?"
Tuck rubbed his temples.
"After all, that guy is an assassin. When we faced danger during our last adventure, the speed at which that guy ran away was outstandingly swift!"
But after giving it some thought, Tuck dismissed that possibility.
This place was the [Land of Ashes], and it was during the "Gray Night."
The "Ramore Tower City-State" was the safest and most protective territory within a hundred miles.
Unless the assassin was willing to squeeze in with the Kobolds in the cave passages to huddle for warmth.
Otherwise, it was impossible for that guy to escape before the next "Gray Day" arrived.
"Most likely, he's been delayed by something!"
The thing the assassin was bringing was crucial to Tuck.
It was the key to allowing the "System" to have a significant impact in the future.
Still, reason allowed Tuck's initially uptight heart to gradually relax.
His eyes swept around the interior of the "Cave Tavern."
Aside from a few adventurers who had missed the "Gray Day" window and were now drowning their sorrows in alcohol.
There were also a few local drunks, dead drunk to the world.
No one bothered him.
Tuck changed his sitting posture, then... continued to wait.
About three months ago.
"Li Ta" got drunk during a company team-building event.
When he awoke.
Li Ta found himself in this bizarre transcendent world with a peculiar survival environment, Steam Roaring vibrant, Transcendent Sequence standing tall, and death and Evil Gods lurking in the shadows.
Others get drunk during a team-building event, wake up with a sore bottom, and it's understandable.
I get drunk, wake up, and go straight through, what the heck?
As his memories slowly digested.
"Li Ta" gradually accepted the fact that he had crossed over into the dangerous Transcendent World and had become the Apprentice Wizard "Tuck."
Back to being sixteen!
With a brand new life.
And possibly, in the future, the chance to admire the sleeping face of a young senior at four o'clock in the morning.
All trajectories were developing in a good direction.
Full of ambition, Tuck was prepared to showcase his talents and greet his new life.
But!
After going hungry for three days in nine meals.
Tuck came to terms with reality.
He was just an orphan in this world, whose parents died in the "Undercurrent."
The only thing left to him by his parents was a "Cave House."
Although he was a Level 5 [Apprentice Wizard].
Such Level apprentice transcendents were a dime a dozen in the Ramore Tower City-State.
Luckily, the traveler's benefits arrived before Tuck starved to death.
[Steady Growth System]
This was Tuck's ace up his sleeve.
It could anchor a special region, gain experience, special resources, among other things, for a long-term, steady growth.
With the System set up for his survival, Tuck was instantly at ease.
During the time that followed, Tuck utilized the System to embark on his steady journey of growth.
In just three short months,
Tuck had increased his level from the original Level 5 to the current Level 9.
At the same time, several of Tuck's transcendent skills also received substantial enhancements.
Although Tuck now had some strength,
He was clear.
The regions he had anchored previously were all "Ordinary regions" accessible to any normal person.
He received nothing but ordinary resources.
Tuck was in urgent need of anchoring a rare region rich in Origin Energy and filled with danger.
He had obtained the "rare resource" that could truly transform him.
And today, in the Cave Tavern.
Tuck was waiting for just such an opportunity.
"Clang!"
The heavy door of the Cave Tavern was flung open.
With a chill that penetrated to the bone, a silhouette darted in, and just as quickly closed the tavern door behind them.
The newcomer was around seventeen or eighteen years old, with blue short hair, dressed in silver-white leather armor with a linen cloak over it, and the hint of a short sword could be glimpsed beneath it.
The originally handsome and fair face was slightly distorted and pale from the excessive cold.
"This damned ghostly weather, it's too cold."
The young assassin shivered, his teeth chattering, then he made his way to the bartender.
"Give me a glass of Varochi Shochu."
Varochi Shochu was the favorite liquor of adventurers in the Land of Ashes.
Cheap, plentiful, and warming!
Soon, a warmed glass of Varochi Shochu was pushed in front of the young assassin.
After drinking half the glass in one gulp, a bit of a rosy glow finally appeared on the young assassin's face.
"If you hadn't come soon, I would have thought you'd taken the money and run!"
"Besides, you're already an hour and a half late, Carlos."
Tuck spoke with his usual calm expression, his voice smooth and steady.
Carlos, who belonged to the [Assassin] Transcendent Sequence, turned and looked at Tuck.
He did not underestimate Tuck despite being younger and his own Sequence being his nemesis.
In the last adventure, Tuck's performance within the team was nothing short of a pillar of strength.
Fast, accurate, steady, and ruthless!
If it weren't for Tuck's critical interventions at key moments, the team most certainly would have sustained losses on the way back.
What's more, when they last faced danger, his speed in fleeing was in no way slower than Carlos's.
Damn it, Tuck is a wizard who isn't even known for speed!
Carlos had also heard.
On Gray Day, Tuck's participation in ventures had yielded rich rewards.
Several members of street gangs had set their sights on Tuck.
But as a result, the bodies of those guys were found in the depths of the cave passage by the necromancer, already gnawed beyond recognition by the Black Mice.
And Tuck, unscathed!
"What are you joking about? How could I take the money and run?"
"If I dared to take your money, you would probably want my life!"
Carlos laughed sheepishly, naturally not daring to say the latter part out loud.
"When I was getting ready to come here, my sister stopped me." Carlos spread his hands.
"You know, the last place we went to was incredibly dangerous."
"And my sister's temper…"
Carlos trailed off intermittently.
This made Tuck somewhat envious of Carlos for having such a good sister.
Carlos's sister, an assembly of talent and beauty, was highly regarded by the Ramore Wizard Earl.
And moreover, she was a sister who fiercely protected her brother!
Soon, the Varochi Shochu was emptied.
"Is the item ready?" Tuck lowered his voice.
"Yes!"
Carlos nodded solemnly.
"Are you sure you really want to go there?"
"That place is one of the forbidden lands of the Ramore Tower City-State."
"If something goes wrong, being banished is the least of your worries, I'm afraid you might lose your life there."
"You can choose not to go!"
Tuck responded indifferently.
"Haha... remember, you promised me that if you found..."
At this point, Carlos looked around cautiously.
Although the other patrons in the tavern were not paying attention to their conversation, Carlos wisely chose not to continue.
"Let's set off!"
Tuck stood up, his peripheral vision glancing over an unoccupied corner of the Cave Tavern, then walked towards the entrance.
Carlos followed closely behind.