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The name of the gangster is Lex, a professional fighter at level 21.
Originally a soldier in the palace, Lex was expelled due to a minor mistake. He claimed to have some brothers who still worked within the palace. After contemplating the idea of becoming an adventurer, his resolve shattered during his first venture when he witnessed a companion die right before his eyes. This traumatic experience led him to abandon that path.
In a state of aimlessness, Lex crossed paths with the leader of a gang and fell into this current life, one he felt was simply waiting for death. Once handsome, his looks had deteriorated; he grew a beard and became disheveled, embodying the decay of his spirit.
He believed this would be his existence until he met Jason today.
At this moment, Lex watched in horror as the gangsters fell victim to Raphtalia's sword, his face paling. He never anticipated that life as a gangster would be more perilous than adventuring.
"You should know that if word gets to the old king about our deal, I don't care. After all, I'm a quit powerful, and you… that old man likely won't let you off easily."
Jason regarded Lex, who was kneeling before him, his expression one of fright and uncertainty.
"Y-yes, Sir Shield Hero, you are absolutely right! Thank you for considering my situation."
Although Lex appeared timid and frail, he was certainly not foolish. He quickly grasped the implication behind Jason's words.
If the king discovered that he was spying, it would undoubtedly lead to his demise. As a mere gangster now, even former soldiers were seen as disposable in the king's eyes, easily crushed without hesitation.
"Good, you understand. This will be beneficial because you will be assisting me in the future. Here are 10 silver coins. Take this for now. If you can bring me more valuable information, I will ensure that you are adequately rewarded."
Jason produced 10 silver coins from his purse and tossed them in front of Lex.
Jason understood that to motivate others to work for him, sheer threats wouldn't suffice—he needed to offer some incentive, to sweeten the deal so people would be more inclined to help him.
"Thank you… Thank you, Lord Shield Hero!" Lex exclaimed, his excitement evident as he picked up the silver coins from the ground.
While 10 silver coins were trivial for Jason, for Lex, it was a significant amount. Ordinary food cost mere copper coins, and a decent meal at a restaurant required over ten copper coins.
"Do your best. If you have any news, head to that weapon shop and find me!" Jason instructed as he stepped forward. As for the fallen gangsters, it mattered little if they were left unattended; patrol soldiers would soon arrive to clear the scene.
They wouldn't investigate the gangsters, as corruption was deeply rooted in this country, and the authorities would not engage in laborious tasks that bore no benefit. Moreover, a new wave of disaster was looming, leaving them little time for trivial matters.
At most, they'd send a notice for the families to collect the bodies; if no one came, they would simply find a place to bury them.
...
"Brother Shield Hero, have you managed to escape and return?" the owner of the weapon shop exclaimed upon seeing Jason enter, his surprise evident as he noted that Jason certainly looked like someone who had just come back from a harrowing experience.
"Relax! I'm not at my lowest yet. I've just been either hunting monsters or traveling to hunt monsters, leaving little time for equipment changes. I may look a bit worse for wear, yet I can assure you I have grown significantly stronger—I'm not the same as before."
Jason waved his hand dismissively, akin to shooing away flies, but he wasn't lying. His level had reached an impressive 31, and his attributes had increased substantially.
[Jason]: Human.
[LV]: Level 7 → 31
[HP]: 1520 → 2310
[SP]: 370 → 630
[Strength]: 70 → 95 (Ordinary 5)
[Agility]: 64 → 125 (+3)
[Defense]: 136 → 305 (+5)
[Spirit]: 41 → 90 (+1)
[Luck]: XX
Although he hadn't made any system selections during this period, the upgrades from leveling had increased his Garp template to 15%. His defense had surged past 300, a statistic that Jason didn't give much thought. After forcing Raphtalia to attack him previously, he noted even her weakest strikes failed to leave a scratch on him—indicating that his defense was extraordinarily high.
But just how extraordinary was it?
Jason didn't quite understand his own abilities. Despite his remarkable defense, he had never faced a monster capable of injuring him, which left him unsure about the extent of his power.
Of course, it wasn't just his defense that had improved; both his strength and agility had seen significant enhancement as well. However, his mind hadn't fully adapted to the capabilities of his newfound body, which meant he wasn't able to utilize his full strength. After a period of training, though, Jason felt confident in his ability to wield the full extent of his attributes. In certain extraordinary circumstances, he believed he could even surpass them.
Simply put, Jason's combat prowess was far beyond what the numbers indicated.
Additionally, Jason had learned defensive skills such as Aura Shield and Shield Prison, though he found little interest in these. After all, a tank that neglects attack power isn't a good tank at all.
"Huh~~~ I haven't seen you in a while, but you're completely different! She's grown into a beautiful young lady," the weapon shop owner remarked, noticing Raphtalia stepping in behind Jason.
"Thank you, boss, for the compliment!" Raphtalia responded, nodding slightly. Under Jason's guidance, she had become much more composed and graceful compared to her former self.
"Yes… my figure has improved too. I'm quite different from the skinny girl I used to be," she added, a hint of pride in her voice.
The shop owner couldn't help but gaze at her for a moment, displaying a smile of satisfaction. However, Raphtalia, sensing his lingering gaze, marched up to him and pressed two fingers lightly on his eyelids.
"Ah! What are you doing?!" the owner yelped, covering his eyes with his hands. Despite her actions not being deadly, they still stung enough to garner a reaction.
"It's very rude to stare at others so indiscriminately. If I didn't consider you a good boss, I would have dealt with you as a hooligan already," Raphtalia scolded, turning her head and letting her long hair dance with the movement.
"Hooligan? You're dressed so modestly; what could I possibly see?" the owner retorted while rubbing his eyes. Once his vision cleared, he sighed deeply. "Compared to this boldness, I preferred the timid character you had before. Shield Hero Brother, what have you done to her?"
"Haha… it seems I might have influenced her a bit too much. I apologize on her behalf," Jason said, motioning for Raphtalia to return to his side. "Come back, Raphtalia; the boss means no harm."
Immediately, Raphtalia complied, stepping back obediently behind Jason, adopting an air of innocence as if to show she was well-mannered.
Jason then approached the counter and turned his attention to the shop owner. "Alright, let's get down to business. The disaster wave is approaching quickly, and I need equipment!"
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