Just as Ellie had said, Lin Mo didn't have to wait long. About half an hour later, she returned to the association with a middle-aged man around fifty years old, clad in iron armor.
At that mont, Lin Mo was chatting with Lena, making the catgirl giggle uncontrollably.
"You're the one who wants to join our team?"
The middle-aged man slightly frowned, walking directly up to Lin Mo and giving him a thorough once-over with a sowhat scrutinizing gaze.
"Ellie, are you sure this kid is a professional?"
It was no wonder he doubted. Alden had been an adventurer for half his life before finally achieving promotion a few years ago. Having walked this path, he knew exactly how difficult it was to beco a professional and how much effort it required.
But this kid before him looked to be at most eighteen or nineteen—still wet behind the ears. How could he possibly be a professional?
Lin Mo wasn't angry, just smiled lightly and took the initiative to greet him: "Hello, Mister..."
"Alden."
"Mr. Alden, I presu you're Ellie's team leader? I'm Lin Mo, and I'd like to temporarily join your team."
Alden didn't shake his hand, still looking at him with suspicion: "If you're truly a professional, then you're naturally very welco. So, where's your professional badge?"
Professional badge?
Lin Mo froze for a mont. There was such a thing?
Seeing Lin Mo's expression, Alden's frown deepened: "Kid, you should know that adventurers' ti is precious. We don't have ti to waste on your nonsense."
Lin Mo spread his hands: "I only recently started as an adventurer and just got promoted in the last couple of days, so I genuinely didn't know about the professional badge. But I'm not wasting your ti, and I'm not joking either."
Alden nearly laughed in frustration. You just started as an adventurer recently, and now you claim to have been promoted?
"Since you say that, then we'll just have to test it out."
He pointed to the training room next to the association, cracking his knuckles.
Adventurers lived lives of blood and fire. While they could mostly maintain rationality, there were always monts when impulses took over.
Especially for those with straightforward temperants—once their temper flared up, it was hard to suppress.
In such cases, diversion was better than suppression, so the association had specifically built a training room next to the main hall to provide a suitable venue for these situations and prevent damage to the association's facilities.
"Fine by ."
Lin Mo nodded. Exchanging blows directly was currently the best way to prove his strength.
And... although he knew the other party probably ant no harm, his tone was indeed quite unpleasant.
To be honest, he was also itching to throw a couple of punches at the guy.
"What's going on? Sothing interesting to watch?"
Hearing the tension here, nearby adventurers were drawn to look over, and the association instantly grew lively.
"Um... Mr. Lin Mo, Mr. Alden, please don't be impulsive..."
Lena looked like she was about to cry from anxiety, softly trying to dissuade them.
"Yeah, team leader, Lin Mo did just get promoted after all..."
"Don't worry, Ellie. I'll go easy on him. If he really is a professional, even if he just got promoted, he should at least be able to withstand a few moves from , right?"
But Alden had clearly made up his mind to teach this kid a lesson: "Consider this your team entry assessnt. If you can withstand five moves from , I'll acknowledge your strength and give you an equal share of the mission rewards!"
"Ooooh—It's actually Mr. Alden?"
As a veteran adventurer of over twenty years and a professional, Alden had so reputation in the association, and soone quickly recognized him.
"I rember last ti Mr. Alden had a conflict with another professional and knocked the guy's teeth out."
"Haha, I rember that! Those two professionals fought for over ten minutes—it was aweso to watch!"
"Those who didn't co to the association today are going to miss quite a show..."
With the atmosphere already hyped up like this, Ellie couldn't say much more and could only throw Lin Mo an apologetic look. As for Lena, her voice had long been drowned out by the crowd.
Lin Mo turned his head and smiled at Lena, saying: "Don't worry."
His voice was covered by the cheering adventurers, but from his lip movents, Lena could still make out what he said.
Yet instead of being reassured, the catgirl grew even more worried...
Becoming a professional was the endpoint for low-level adventurers, but only the beginning for formal adventurers. The difference in strength between professionals was often greater than that between professionals and non-professionals.
And Mr. Alden had beco a professional about four or five years ago. With such a gap in experience and training, would everything really be okay?
But no matter how worried she was, this duel was clearly unavoidable.
Amid the cheers of the adventurers, both parties entered the approximately twenty-ter square training ground, surrounded by a crowd of spectating adventurers.
Ellie stood in the front row, also looking at Lin Mo with curious eyes.
To be honest, she was also sowhat curious to know exactly how strong this young man was—soone around her age who had been promoted even earlier than her.
Since this was just a sparring match, neither side used their proper weapons, instead opting for wooden swords from the training ground and wearing protective armor.
This way, even if soone accidentally slipped up, they wouldn't be too badly injured, but it also ant both sides could fight without holding back, freely unleashing their full strength.
"Get ready, kid! Here I co!"
Alden stretched his body, not attacking imdiately but kindly reminding Lin Mo first.
"Please enlighten ."
Lin Mo steadied his stance, standing ready for battle.
Although he had so confidence in his own strength, the person before him was after all also a professional, and one who had been promoted several years ago at that.
Lin Mo had never seen other professionals fight before, so he wasn't too clear on exactly how strong they were, and naturally didn't dare to be careless.
"Ha!"
Alden stepped forward, attacking Lin Mo with his wooden sword.
Lin Mo also struck out, slashing with his sword.
Without the boost from his Wolf Bone Sword and not using any skills, this strike of his only had 14 points of strength.
The two wooden swords collided with a cracking sound. Feeling the force transmitted through his arm, Lin Mo's eyes showed a trace of surprise.
In his expectations, the pressure should have been stronger than this.
Judging just from this move, Alden wasn't particularly strong in terms of power—weaker than him, probably around 13 points or even lower.
And also...
So slow.
Alden's movents just now seed to Lin Mo like they were in slow motion—every tiny motion of exertion was clearly visible to him.
Compared to Lin Mo's relaxed ease, Alden's expression darkened, his eyes showing disbelief.
This kid...
"Mr. Alden?"
Before he could recover from his shock, Lin Mo spoke up with a puzzled expression: "No need to hold back. Let's both go all out."
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