Rod’s heart twitched, and his impression of this flippant senior brother greatly improved. He answered seriously, "I understand."
"That’s great."
Rasso spread his arms, as if embracing the sun.
"Do you know? We possess talents beyond the reach of ordinary people, and most will never step into the ranks of high-level combatants like us. We are the Chosen Sons, ant to illuminate others like the sun and spread heat and warmth to the world."
He lowered his arms, looking at Rod, his smile full of radiance.
"No one can stop you from becoming stronger, except for yourself. Darkness and monsters will never rest, so carry your lethal emotions and fiercely strengthen yourself!"
"We are humanity’s hope, with Trolian right behind us, there’s no way back, no other choice but to fight."
——
Rod truly hadn’t expected that a peeping tom could hold such passionate beliefs.
After returning to the Fireplace Area, he ladled a large bowl of thick soup from the pot on the fire, the rich yellow color bubbling with the breath of life. He tilted his head back, gulping down the soup, and let out a deeply satisfied sigh. His whole body emanated a fervent aura as if he were a young man burning with youth beneath the setting sun.
"Good!!"
He shouted aloud.
"The will of the sun never extinguishes!"
He turned and dashed toward the training area.
Soron didn’t react, as if he was used to such behavior.
He served up a bowl of Soul Soup and handed it over.
"Try this."
The hot and slightly fragrant scent hit him, and just slling it made Rod feel his spirit stirring, his life filled with warmth.
The bright yellow liquid swirled in the bowl, thick yet clear, swirling around the rim without sticking to the bowl at all.
It seed quite nice.
Rod tipped his head back and emptied the bowl in one go, feeling a line of fire drop into his stomach, the rising heat rapidly spreading to every limb.
The sweet, llow flavor soaked into his spirit like a spring rain, and for a mont Rod felt as if he were in heaven.
"Wow... this is too delicious! I suddenly don’t miss that world anymore."
Soron asked in surprise, "What world?"
"Uh... a dream world without Black Fog, where one can see the sun every day, basking in the sunlight."
Soron sighed, "That must be an incredibly blissful world. Honestly, I doubt whether such a world really exists; perhaps it’s just a fantasy of humanity, simply a dream of the predecessors dying in despair. The world might have been dark from the start."
Rod smiled and said, "Professor Soron, you are a bit pessimistic. We are born in light, grow in the embers of fire, humans are destined to be the children of light, a world of brightness surely existed once, and it will definitely reappear in the future."
"Good lad."
Soron laughed and patted him on the back.
"Here you are, teaching philosophy. Let tell you, when the War God of Kosai made his na, you were still in diapers."
Rod asked curiously, "Professor, what rank of combatant are you, and what is your position in the Hall?"
Soron answered proudly, "I am an Upper Knight, a Second-Level Combatant, a standard ’inhuman’, who can enter the Inner Hall, waiting for the summons of Round Table mbers."
"Round Table mbers... are they the high ranks of the Fire Hall?"
"Yes, the Round Table Hall is the core of the Fire Hall, only the strongest and most capable sit at the side of the great Round Table. But at the mont, they’re all in battle, with Lord Dalin and five Guardians overseeing the Hall."
Rod looked at the bubbling pot and asked, "Can I have another bowl?"
Soron shook his head, "No, the first bowl of Soul Soup is like heaven, the second bowl leads to the Abyss, the third bowl causes bone-deep pain."
"Why is it like that? What’s Soul Soup made from?"
"Soul Elent and Blood Elent, Soul Red Crystals, the right amount of ashes, and so auxiliary seasonings. Every pot of Soul Soup has a different flavor; it’s a skill worth learning when you have ti."
Although Soron didn’t explain why it was like that, Rod understood just by hearing the ingredients.
Soul Essence and Blood Elent are both combat recovery potions, while the Soul Red Crystal is a spiritual potion, none of them should be consud in excess because exceeding the limits of life will cause harm.
Soron served himself a second bowl, drank it down with relish, and said with a smile, "This is the privilege of the strong. When your life and soul are strong enough, only then can you partake in a second bowl... Wow, this taste is truly moreish. Ah, the pepper is just right; this pot must have been prepared by Professor Barrett."
"Who is he?"
"A historical scholar of the Golden Rose School and a first level combatant. You’ll et him eventually. He is a living legend."
Rod noted down his na and then asked, "Teacher Soron, do you know what kind of threat the Hall will assign to ?"
Soron laughed and said, "The Hall usually categorizes threats into four levels: first level, second level, third level, and a special disaster level. Only the third level threats will be assigned to you."
Out of curiosity Rod asked, "How are the threat levels calculated?"
"A single strong monster of high rank or below, without any special abilities, or more than two hundred high rank fierce level monsters in a normal environnt, create a gap in combat power—that’s a third level threat."
"All the threats you’ve encountered in Star Town are third level threats. According to custom, high rank combatants are supposed to be dispatched for support, it was just that at that ti there was the King’s decree and also obstruction from the Elder Council."
Soron paused for a mont before continuing.
"But even so, we had eyes on that place. Once the situation beca urgent, we would still send support."
Rod frowned and asked, "Doesn’t that an my expedition mission failed?"
Soron laughed, "Not at all. As soon as the Fire of Star Town was ignited, you were destined for success. The Royal City would not give up a territory that belongs to us. What you’ve done thereafter is to strike at the political power of the Elder Council. You have been so successful that they were pushed out of the decision-making process for the campaign."
"Exactly, exactly."
A logistics officer ca over attentively and said, "Mr. Rod, you have no idea how annoying those old fellows can be. Without them, we’ve had such peace and quiet, it’s been great!"
Another logistics officer added, "And the way you cleared the Upper City area was simply magnificent. We’re all very grateful to you."
A group of logistics personnel maintaining the Fireplace Area gathered around, chattering away, until they were shooed away by an impatient Soron.
Rod cleared his throat and asked again, "Teacher, what about the second level threats?"
"Multiple strong monsters of high rank or below, with special abilities, that create a gap in combat power in a dangerous or urgent environnt, constitute a second level threat," Soron replied.
"And the first level threats?"
Soron replied succinctly, "Super rank strong monsters."
Perplexed, Rod asked, "Are super rank... strong very powerful?"
Soron replied solemnly, "Extrely powerful, suprely strong. The Abyss Giant Snake we once killed is a super rank strong. Its threat level is almost limitless and under certain circumstances, it can even escalate to a special disaster level threat."
Rod shivered inwardly; he was very familiar with the power of the Abyss Giant Snake—for it required the formation of a battle group with two Guardians to not even succeed in killing it, and it was only defeated after Theodore possessed soone once more.
Theodore was a forr Fire Son; his power, even if not comparable to the current Fire Son, was not much less.
The fact that it required so many to join forces to kill the Abyss Giant Snake spoke volus about its formidable strength.
Rod blinked and asked his final question, "What about the special disaster level threats?"
Soron uttered just two words.
"King level."
Startled, Rod asked, "King level monsters?"
"Yes."
Soron answered tersely.
"Moving disasters, hopeless doomsdays, terrible calamities. This is the ultimate form of a monster’s evolution, the strongest state that each category of monster can achieve. Every ti it descends, all the power of the Royal City will be employed, the Fire Hall will enter the highest order of combat readiness, and the mightiest among us—the Fire Son—will erge."
"This is the greatest threat we face."
"White Tower dedicates half its energy to observing any King level monsters within three thousand miles, the Investigation Legion devotes a third of its power to monitoring their every move, and the Fire Hall must always reserve a portion of the highest power to respond to their arrival."
Rod said with alarm, "Do we have many King level monsters nearby?"
Soron flashed an inscrutable smile.
"Many, but not too many. That’s not sothing you should concern yourself with now; the battle against King level monsters is not one you will participate in."
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