Mushoku Impact

With Reida taking a nap on his back, Paul slowly meandered his way through a forest on the northern side of the Donati Region. Nearly four months had passed since the start of his journey, but due to his decision to walk and their intermittent stops for training, Paul had only managed to cover a distance of around 1400km. He would be lying if he said it hadn't been an enjoyable experience, but there were times when he just wanted to bash his face into a tree.
"You guys seeing this? It's a little shit walkin' around with a dame on his back."
"You think he brought her here for us?"
"I don't give a rat's ass why he brought her here. Neither of them is going anywhere."
"That's right. Just look at the lad's face. A few swallows of grog, and he may as well be a lass."
Seeing the group of middle-aged assholes surrounding him with a bunch of poorly kept daggers and swords, an exasperated sigh escaped Paul's throat. Not because brigands were surrounding him, but because Reida had tightened her hold on him, purring, "Good luck..." instead of getting off his back.
Since the Water God Style focused on defense and counters to protect yourself and others, Reida had been making Paul fend off monsters and people while carrying her on his back. She would get off if anything truly dangerous showed up, but a bunch of peasant bandits who didn't even appear to possess Intermediate Swordsmanship might as well be inert stones on the side of the road.
"Drop the woman and take off all your clothes. Make for your sword, and me and my men will skewer you like a fucking pincushion."
"Yeah, yeah..."
A stark contrast to his casual, almost lazy-sounding words, Paul's mind was focused to its limits as he waved his hand towards the man that had spoken. The action caused the yellow-green Vision attached to his belt to pulse, thorny vines suddenly erupting from the ground to entangle the man's feet. In the same motion, Paul's somewhat malicious-looking Black Sword manifested, flying from his hand and stabbing the bewildered man in the chest before disappearing into motes of light as the latter's body collapsed without being able to fall to the ground.
"Holy shit! This bastard's a Mage! Attack! Attack! Attack!"
Despite the instantaneous loss of their leader, the group of highwaymen didn't retreat. Turning your back to a Mage was the same as asking to be struck in the back by a ranged attack, so the most common tactic to deal with them was to charge wantonly. So long as you could interrupt their chanting, Mages were often even weaker than normal people.
What the poorly educated brigands failed to consider was the fact that Paul had neither chanted nor made use of a ranged attack spell to deal with their boss. The thorny vines were the ability his Dendro Vision had granted him, and while the sword strapped to his lower back was more so a seat for Reida than anything more practical, he was most definitely not a Mage.
With his Black Sword reappearing in his hand, Paul leaned to the side in a manner that almost made it appear as though he was faltering. Instead of falling to the ground, however, he spontaneously accelerated halfway through the fall, reversing direction like a whip as he slipped past one of the men, casually slicing open his stomach in the process.
Though the act of killing had caused him to vomit and have the shakes the first couple of times, Paul had never felt guilty about it. He knew what would have happened to him if he were an ordinary person, so even if the men had wives and children waiting for them back home, Paul cut them down regardless. Those who exploited, tormented, and claimed the lives of others didn't get a free pass just because they behaved differently at home.
With the 'cooldown' of his Elemental Ability up, Paul stopped one of the three remaining assailants with his vines while casually raising the tip of his sword to intercept another's charge. The man had performed a full-force overhead swing, so Paul just needed to sidestep the attack and let gravity do the rest.
Without realizing he was essentially the only one left, the shortest of the five assailants, a man Paul was pretty sure was a Hobbit, jumped at him with daggers in hand. It was a stunning display of agility for someone so small, but Paul wasn't in the business of handing out compliments to his attackers. His enhanced kinetic vision and virtually superhuman senses, refined over years of training, allowed him to track the man's movements as if they were in slow motion. More importantly, he didn't need to pull his sword out of corpses like a normal person.&nbsp;
Raising his empty left hand towards the ostensibly suicidal Hobbit, Paul's Black Sword disappeared from his right before reappearing to impale the diminutive, middle-aged man through the chest.
Though Paul initially intended to fling the man away to prevent a possible counterattack, it proved unnecessary as a small shockwave erupted from his blade the moment it pierced into the man's body. As a result, not only was the man blasted away, but a gaping hole the size of a grapefruit ran clear through his body.
Suppressing his urge to throw up, Paul's expression remained cold as he shifted his attention to the last remaining assailant. The man had noticed this and immediately ceased trying to hack away the resilient vines that had wrapped around his legs, stammering, "P-P-Please b-b-be-"
Without waiting for the man to finish asking for a mercy he would have never afforded another, Paul hurled his Black Blade through the air, its absurd sharpness allowing it to sink up to the hilt as Reida opened her eyes to remark, "You know I hate seeing you throw your sword around like that..."
Recalling the aforementioned sword to his hand, Paul promptly stored it within his Vision before turning toward the direction he was previously walking in and saying, "Rules and techniques are reserved for duels..."
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Reida decided not to press the matter and simply tightened her hold on Paul. She would have preferred it if he just stuck with the Water God Style, but Paul's use of Healing Magic and his Vision made him better suited to the North God Style. More annoyingly, his inhuman drive to achieve any goal he set for himself made him better suited to the Sword God Style than any other...
"At this rate, you'll end up becoming a Saint in all three Schools without mastering any..."
Catching Reida somewhat by surprise, Paul refuted her words, saying, "I won't stop until I reach the Rank of Emperor..."
Recovering from her momentary shock, a teasing smile developed across Reida's face as she asked, "Not God...?"
Shaking his head, Paul surprised Reida a second time as he adopted a teasing smile of his own and said, "I'm not braindead enough to be the Sword God, shameless enough to be the North God, and I like the Water God too much to see her replaced any time soon..."
"You..."
Feeling a fluttery feeling in her chest, it took a fair amount of restraint for Reida not to put Paul into a chokehold. Instead, she planted a kiss on his cheek and affirmed, "You're definitely shameless enough to be the North God..."
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With the nearly impregnable Red Dragon Mountain Range surrounding the territories of the Asura Kingdom, the only conventional method to travel to other countries was passing through the massive, fortress-like checkpoints known as the Red Dragon's Upper and Lower Jaws.
As the only routes in and out of the Asura Kingdom, the Red Dragon's Upper and Lower Jaws were exceptionally well guarded. Every person attempting to pass through would need to have their identities checked, and, in the event you were trying to enter the nation, you would need to pay a rather hefty toll.
Fortunately for Paul, Reida's status as the one and only Water God not only allowed them to stay at hostels and Inns for free, she was able to pass through virtually any checkpoint for free. After all, if she wanted to pass through, who could stop her?
"This is it, boy. From here, you just need to keep traveling Northwest, and you'll eventually reach the Sword Sanctum."
Though she was tempted to escort Paul the entire way, Reida wasn't on friendly terms with the current Sword God, Gal Farion. He was one of the people she wanted to kill more than any other, so if the two met without the King ordering it, she would either kill him or die trying.
Since Reida had revealed bits and pieces of her past to him during their travels, Paul wasn't too surprised by her words. He was a little sad, but instead of making things more difficult for them both, he adopted a smile and said, "I'll savor every moment of it..."
Though she was momentarily confused by Paul's words, it only took a few seconds for Reida to recall his comment about hating to see her go but loving to watch her leave. A smile immediately developed across her face, and, instead of slugging him in the arm like she originally intended, she half-turned away from him and said, "Burn it into your eyes, brat..." before slowly and seductively meandering her way back to the entrance of the checkpoint. When she finally passed through and looked back, she found Paul still staring at her in the distance, her heart fluttering one last time before they both turned and walked away...
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"They've finally separated..."
"Yeah, but he's no longer within the territory of the Asura Kingdom. If we follow him into the Holy Land, we'll be violating the treaty..."
"He's a ten-year-old Advanced Swordsman who received the personal tutelage of the Water God. If we let him walk away now, there's a good chance he may return as a King or an Emperor in the future. The Prince's orders could not be clearer. We are to eliminate Paul-"
Before the beautiful female assassin could finish her words, everyone in the group tensed as an overwhelming bloodlust pressed down on them like a mountain. In the very next moment, the breathtakingly beautiful figure of a woman with short black hair and cerulean blue eyes appeared in their midst, declaring, "That man is not yours to kill..." in a cold, bone-chilling tone.
Unfortunately for the group of Maid Assassins, the woman, Sword God Reida, wasn't there to give them a warning. The moment her words fell, each and every assassin within the group collapsed, their bodies sliced into neat chunks that briefly crackled with purple lightning.
Brandishing the predominately blue and white longsword, the fierce look on Reida's face melted into a smile as she muttered, "Alley Flash...a very fitting name..."
As someone who had grown up in the slums of the Asura Kingdom, there was a time when Reida was referred to with names such as Street Urchin and Alley Rat. Now, thanks to the Vision and sword Paul had granted her, it wasn't too much of an exaggeration to say her attacks were as fast as lightning.
Allowing the longsword to dissipate and return to her Vision, Reida's eyes wandered to the Northwest as she wistfully uttered, "Come back strong, Paul..." before placing her hand on her abdomen. She would never admit it, but she was pretty sure he had reshaped her insides to be a perfect fit for his ostensibly insatiable manhood. At the very least, that's what Reida believed as, even now, she could feel Paul's lingering presence inside her abdomen, gently pulsing as a feeling skin to longing filled her bosom...
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After waiting around for a few hours, Paul was relieved to see Lynette and Rosaria appear wearing thick winter clothes and rucksacks. They wouldn't be accompanying him to the Sword Sanctum, so he at least wanted to say thanks before they traveled East to the Ranoa Magic Academy.
"Hey, I just-"
"Thirty-eight days..."
Before Paul could finish thanking the two taciturn girls for shadowing him for nearly six months, Lynette promptly interjected, her expression equal parts pouty and judgmental as she appended, "That's the amount of time we could have saved if you weren't such a horndog..."
Blinking in surprise, Paul was tempted to ask what the petite cat girl was talking about, but he was well aware of what she meant. On average, he and Reida would go at it for around six hours a day. When the conditions outside were poor, making travel inconvenient, they wouldn't even bother to leave their room...
Scratching the back of his head, Paul attempted to excuse his actions by saying, "It helps me increase my Mana capacity..."
Snorting through her nose, Lynette left Paul feeling at a loss for words as she stepped forward to give him a hug. Before he could do the same, she separated from him and said, "Hurry up and summon my...sister..."
Though she was about to say brother, Lynette corrected herself at the last moment. As for Paul, his expression softened a bit as he recalled one of his few conversations with the charming yet aloof cat girl. She told him that if he managed to summon her sister, she would let him touch her tail and legs as much as he wanted. It was a strange thing to say, but as she gradually matured into a beautiful and supple woman, Paul had started to understand why she mentioned those particular aspects of her body. Her long, slender, and remarkably toned legs, often veiled in black tights, had become increasingly alluring...
Noticing Paul's eyes stray towards her currently covered legs, Lynette's black tail flicked like a whip as she said, "No..." in her characteristically apathetic tone.
Resisting the urge to say he wasn't going to do anything, Paul shifted his attention to the ever-stoic Rosaria and said, "Good luck on your journey. And thanks for keeping watch over me all this time. I mean it..."
Returning a cut nod, Rosaria stated, "Don't go getting yourself killed..." before grabbing the straps of her backpack, turning around, and adding, "See you around...Master..."
With nothing else to say, Rosaria shifted her attention to the sun lingering overhead before immediately setting off. Lynette eventually followed suit, but only after forcing Paul to pet her head for a full five minutes. Then, at the very end, she planted a small kiss on his cheek before running off as fast as her long and beautiful legs could carry her...
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Alone for the first time in what felt like years, Paul couldn't help feeling a little melancholic as he set his sights on the inhospitable wasteland that eventually transitioned into a seemingly endless stretch of snow and ice.
The Holy Land of the Sword was situated at the Nothwesternmost tip of the Central Continent. It was one of the most barren and isolated regions in the entire world, and, for those exact reasons, the First Generation Sword God had chosen it as the place for his home, the Sword Sanctum.
One of the first tests for people wishing to study at the Sword Sanctum was crossing nearly 600kms of barren wasteland and icy tundra without any rations. The only things you were supposed to eat were the monsters and creatures you hunted along the way. If you couldn't do at least that much, the current Sword God, Gal Farion, would either turn you away or cut you down.
Fortunately for Paul, one of the effects of his Dendro Vision was stamina regeneration. Ever since he had obtained it, he only needed to sleep for a few hours each night. More importantly, he could press forwards for days on end without any rest whosoever, so the 600kms wasn't as daunting to him as it was for others. Combine that with the fact he had recently shed around 55kgs of additional people and baggage, and Paul was feeling as light as a feather...
Smacking himself in his somewhat tender and frozen cheeks, Paul's expression became serious as he psyched himself up and said, "Let's fuckin' do this...!" in a resolute tone.
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Using a standing mirror that she had requisitioned from a local tailor, Reida's complexion became increasingly pale as she scrutinized her naked figure from numerous angles. The usually clear definition of her abdominal muscles had faded in the weeks since her separation from Paul, and, though it was very faint, she had the distinct impression her belly was beginning to inflate.
Though she had initially tried to convince herself she was imagining things, Reida had been waking up feeling a bit nauseous as of late. Her breasts had been feeling increasingly tender, and if she squeezed them hard enough, a bit of clear discharge would come out. These were some pretty tell-tale signs, so, even though she didn't want to admit it, Reida knew the truth; she was pregnant. There was also only a single person the child could belong to...
Exhaling a sigh, Reida carefully laid on her bed before staring up at the ceiling with a listless look on her face. Counting miscarriages, this was her tenth pregnancy, so she was pretty familiar with the symptoms. All the signs pointed to her being between three and four months pregnant. It had only been twenty-seven days since her separation from Paul, so she must have gotten pregnant somewhere around the halfway point of their journey. She just hadn't noticed it because she spent most of the day riding on Paul's back and nearly a quarter of it being gouged by his dick...
"That damn brat went and did it..."
Despite the relative harshness of her words, a faint smile marred Reida's face as she covered her eyes with her forearm. She didn't actually mind that Paul had knocked her up. If she did, she wouldn't have taught Paul a few 'tricks' that would increase the chances of conception when teaching him how to pleasure a woman properly.
Ever since her sudden and unexpected period, a small yet growing part of Reida had wanted Paul to impregnate her. Not just because he was so much more capable and kinder than the fathers of her other children, but because she would feel even guiltier about killing him if he was unable to leave a legacy behind.&nbsp;
Though there was a roughly 30% chance the child would die in her womb or during its first year of life, Reida believed in the potency of the Greyrat genes. Her greatest concern was finding a way to carry the child to term without too many people noticing. The simplest method was to disappear for a year or two, but then the King would ask her where she had been. If it became known she had given birth to Paul's son, the First Prince would either take it hostage or kill it outright.
While thinking of solutions, the image of Ningguang abruptly surfaced within Reida's mind. She had only met the peculiar white-haired girl a few times, but Reida would be lying if she said the otherwordly beauty didn't leave an impression.&nbsp;
Reida's intuition and senses were so sharp that she could detect even minute changes in a person's intent and emotional state. When she met with Ningguang, however, it was like observing the surface of a lake on a moonlight night. It was astonishingly calm and serene on the surface but impossible to see through...
While the First Prince and his faction were eager to either obtain or kill Zhongli, the person Reida viewed as the greatest threat was Ningguang. She couldn't be certain, but she suspected that Ningguang was the true mastermind behind the sudden and rather drastic changes in the Milbots Region. Her disappearance prior to the Royal Inquisition's arrival all but confirmed this.
Believing she could buy herself some time by reporting to the King that she was in pursuit of the 'perpetrator' of the suspected rebellion, Reida sat up and began penning a letter. She really was going to try and hunt down Ningguang, not to kill her, but to warn her to keep Paul away from the Asura Kingdom. As for her and Paul's child, she would try and leave it in the care of House Notos.&nbsp;
As far as Reida could tell, Paul and his parents were remarkably close. If they knew the child belonged to Paul, Reida was pretty sure they would take it in. If they refused, well, she would just have to think about that when the time came. If she were the type of woman to plan ahead, she wouldn't be carrying the child of someone thirty-seven years her junior...
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After nearly a month of walking, camping out in the wilderness, and hunting to survive, Paul found himself at the foot of a mountain that appeared to have had its upper half cleaved away. A set of stairs that could better be described as a ladder led up its side, but the thing that stood out the most, at least to Paul, was how distinctly Japanese the architecture was.
Like the stairs leading up to a Japanese Shrine, several large torii gates lined the path. There were even a few snow-covered statues resembling creatures like tanuki and foxes littered about, hidden among a forest of aromatic evergreen trees.&nbsp;
Further emphasizing the possibility that the first generation Sword God had been Isekai'd from Japan, a group of people wearing insulated black bodysuits and white gi approached the moment he reached the first step. One was a young man with a strange, mushroom-shaped hairstyle, while the other was an even younger woman with long black hair fastened into a loose ponytail.
Upon reaching Paul, the duo cupped their hands in a manner reminiscent of a Karateka as the young woman said, "Well met, brother. My name is Linus, and this is my good friend, Jordan. You've done well to make it this far at such a tender age. Come, we've been tasked with showing you the facilities and where you'll be staying."
Blinking in surprise, Paul asked, "You knew I was coming?"
Answering in place of his companion, the red-headed Jordan explained, "Our Master, the great Sword God Gal Farion, often ventures out into the Holy Land to observe prospective recruits. He returned a few hours ago and told us that a young boy would be arriving before sunset."
"Ah...I see..."
Though he was a little creeped out by the possibility Gal had been spying on him, it wasn't too difficult to believe. Given how long he and Reida had been traveling together, Paul imagined that someone had informed Gal of his arrival. The real question was whether or not Gal would give him crap for being a practitioner of the Water God Style...
After following the duo to a distinctly Japanese-style compound, Paul was asked to take off his shoes and turn over most of his equipment to a middle-aged woman wearing a black leather jacket with a thick fur lining. Paul recognized this as the jacket bestowed exclusively to Sword Kings, so he didn't even think to protest when she turned over his rucksack and confiscated his money. Such things were considered unnecessary within the Sword Sanctuary, so everything but his journal, a small portrait of his mother, and his Vision were confiscated.
Once most of his possessions had been stripped away, clothing included, Paul was issued three insulated bodysuits and a stack of seven gi. Within the Sword Sanctuary, only those Ranked Saint and higher had the right to wear apparel that distinguished themselves from others. Everyone else, regardless of their age or status in the outside world, was forced to wear the same outfit and live under the same conditions. If you wanted better conditions, you needed to prove yourself. Any attempts to curry favor or use your status to compel others would result in expulsion and, in many cases, death.
As annoying as these conditions sounded, Paul was looking forward to his time within the Sword Sanctum. He still needed to find a way to get Barbara and the others out, but they had already prepared themselves for the possibility he might not be able to. If that happened, he promised they would be the ones to accompany him on his journey to the Begaritt Continent. Until then, Paul's main focus was increasing his strength and reaching Sword Saint before the age of 15...the same age Gal Farion was when he became a Saint...
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Though their late-night activities prevented them from making as much headway as they could have, Paul and Reida managed to reach a town large enough to support an Adventurer's Guild after twenty-six days of travel. It should have taken around eighteen, but neither Reida nor Paul were in a particular hurry.
"Don't go getting yourself killed the moment I take my eyes off of you, okay? And if anyone gives you trouble, make sure they regret it for the rest of their life. Understood?"
Resisting the urge to answer, "Yes, mom." Paul nodded his head and said, "Sure. I'll see you back at the Inn."
Noticing Paul's subtle and unintentional eye roll, Reida squinted her own before smacking him in the head with her right fist and saying, "Take this seriously, brat. You might be considered an adult, but don't think you're a man just yet. One slip up is all it will take before you're nothing more than a footnote in your family's history..."
Sobering up more as a result of Reida's words than the pain in his head, Paul's expression became serious as he affirmed, "I know. Trust me...I am well aware of what's at stake..."
Surprised by the rather drastic change in Paul's demeanor, Reida found herself at a momentary loss before answering, "Good...so long as you're aware, then it's fine..."
Feeling as though she may have gone a little overboard previously, Reida punctuated her words by smiling and ruffling Paul's hair. Then, with a soft, "See ya around..." she turned on her heels, raised her hand as a gesture of farewell, and made her way towards the Inn.
Exhaling a sigh, Paul took a moment to fix his hair before making his way into the small, single-receptionist Guild Hall. The Milbots Region was one of the safest in the Asura Kingdom, so, while there were branches of the Adventurer's Guild interspaced throughout it, there might not even be a single Adventurer within the town.
Since it was mid-afternoon, Paul was unsurprised to find the tavern-like hall empty. The Receptionist, a young woman with red hair and an ample bosom, was even in the midst of a nap. She had her head leaning against the wall, and, though it was very faint, Paul could hear her snoring before a soft ringing sound promptly awoke her.
"Jackson...?"
As there was only a single Adventurer away on missions at the present moment, the young Receptionist thought the sound of the bell chiming was her friend returning. When she saw Paul, her eyes briefly became as round as saucers as she tentatively inquired, "Can I...help you...?"
Seeing how neat and tidy Paul's appearance was, at least compared to the average commoner, the young Receptionist wasn't sure if she should address him as Sir or an even higher title. Fortunately, Paul made things a lot easier for her by raising his hand, smiling, and saying, "I stopped by to register with the Guild. Can you help with that...?"
"Uh...one moment, please..."
Though she was still a little nervous, the young Receptionist calmed down a lot after Paul's casual greeting. By the time she returned from the back room carrying a large, flat, and transparent piece of crystal, she had even regained a professional smile as she cheerfully inquired, "Is this your first time registering with the Guild? If so, I'll need you to fill out a form. If you can't read or write, I can help you."
Maintaining his smile, Paul casually replied, "I should be able to handle it, thanks."
Accepting the linen parchment the girl handed him, Paul left her slack-jawed by dipping the provided quill into an ink well and writing out his information with smooth and elegant handwriting. He nearly made the mistake of including Notos in his name but managed to fix it at the last moment by making it a simple initial.
"Paul N. Greyrat? Does that mean...are you-"
Raising his hand to silence the girl's murmurings, Paul maintained a relaxed smile as he said, "Please check the paperwork so we can move on with the registration. I have a companion waiting up for me, and I'd rather not keep her too long."
Unable to respond, the young Receptionist just nodded before checking over the information Paul provided. Seeing no obvious issues, she placed the piece of paper on the table before setting the crystalline slab on top of it. Once that was finished, she pulled out a thin, palm-sized, dull metal card before placing another piece of paper in front of Paul and muttering, "Please read this carefully..."
Staring down at the piece of paper labeled 'Code of Conduct', Paul took a moment to read through its relatively few contents while the Receptionist stared at him like he was some sort of exotic animal...
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Code of Conduct(I borrowed this from the Wiki) 1. Use of the Adventurer's Guild
If one registers with the Adventurer's Guild, they will receive services available to Adventurers.
2. Service Content
All Adventurer's Guilds throughout the world offer these services: job offerings, delivery of compensation and rewards, purchase of raw materials, and exchange of currency.
3. Registration Information
Adventurers receive a card with their own information under their control upon registering for the Adventurer's Guild. It is possible to re-issue it if lost, but rank will be reset to F. Also, each area has it's own fine for it.
4. Withdrawal from the Adventurer's Guild
If you request it, withdrawal from the guild is possible.
Re-registration is possible, but rank will restart at F.
5. Prohibited Conduct
The below actions are considered prohibited.
Actions which go against a countries laws. Actions which disgrace and cause the reliability of the guild to fall. Actions which interfere or obstruct other Adventurers jobs. Buying, selling, and trading of jobs. If prohibited actions are discovered, a fine will be applied and Adventurers guild qualifications will be revoked.
6. Breach of Contract Compensation
If you fail a job you have accepted you must pay compensation for the breach of contract, two times the amount of the job reward compensation. Repayment period is half a year. If compensation is not paid, Adventurers guild qualification will be revoked.
7. Rank
There are seven ranks from F to S based on Adventurers proven skills. As a general rule of thumb, you can only take jobs within one above or below your current rank.
8. Rank Promotions and Demotions
It is possible to raise your rank by succeeding a regulated number of jobs. However, if you feel that your ability isn't up to standard it is possible to remain at your current rank as well. Also, if you fail a certain number of jobs in succession, your rank will be demoted by one.
9. Obligation
In the case that a country is under attack by monsters and a request for assistance is made from the guild, you have an obligation to obey.
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After committing the more essential details to memory, Paul uttered a soft, "Neat." before meeting the Receptionist's gaze and asked, "Are we about done here?"
Though she was a little startled when Paul looked up at her after only a few seconds had passed, the bewildered Receptionist managed to force a smile as she answered, "Y-Yes. So long as you understand and accept the rules, I just need to issue your Guild Card..."
Placing the flimsy-looking piece of metal on the crystalline tablet, the complex magical formation engraved upon its surface briefly lit up. Then, as if there were a laser engraver within the glistening, rainbow-hued crystal, the surface of the card was promptly inscribed with all of Paul's information.
Once the card was finished being engraved, the marginally less nervous Receptionist proffered it toward Paul, smiling as she said, "Work hard, but don't jeopardize your life trying to increase your Rank quickly. If you end up crippled or lose your life in the process, it doesn't matter if you were F or S-Rank...the most important thing is making it back to the people who care about you at the end of the day. Okay...?"
Accepting the card, Paul nodded in both affirmation and approval as he said, "Excellent advice. I'll be sure to remember it...miss?"
"R-Rufina..."
Nodding his head a second time, Paul surprised Rufina by producing an Asuran Gold Coin and saying, "Keep the change...buy yourself and the people you care about something nice..."
More sure than ever that the handsome boy before her was a Noble, Rufina folded her hands over her lap with the intent to bow, but Paul had already turned to depart, emulating Reida's casual gesture of farewell as he said, "Take care of yourself, Ms. Rufina..."
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"You're earlier than expected. I figured you would walk around town and try to meet up with those two girls that have been tailing us."
Though he was unsurprised by Reida's words, Paul's smile turned wry as he asked, "You noticed them...?"
Giving Paul an 'are you serious?' kind of look, Reida decided to ignore his question and question, "Why not ask them to travel with us? I'm starting to feel a little self-conscious having that little cat girl spying on us all the time..."
Understanding that Reida was talking about Lynette, Paul's smile became even wrier as he said, "Yeah...that one, Lynette, can be a bit of a handful. Still, she and Rosaria are the types that operate better in the shadows. If we were to travel together, they wouldn't be able to move as freely."
Feeling as though she had just lost her scapegoats, a soft sigh escaped Reida's throat as she began to peel away her clothes. Now that she and Paul were alone, she had no delusions about what came next. Since the day they had met nearly two months ago, the only time they hadn't had sex was when she was on her period.
As it had been nearly three years since her last period, Reida had been more than a little surprised by its sudden resurgence. When she asked Paul about it, he hesitated for a moment before revealing that the Visions had the rather ridiculous side-effect of maintaining a person's 'prime' for as long as their ambitions remained. In other words, so long as she never lost sight of herself or her goals, she could offset the effects of aging by years, potentially even decades.
Since she could sense when Paul was telling the truth, Reida would be lying if she said she wasn't a little shaken by the revelation. At the same time, however, she felt excitement comparable to the moment she first entered the realm of Saints. Her age was something that had concerned her for years, not because she was afraid of dying but because she was fearful of atrophying and becoming weak.
Unlike male swordsmen, who could hold the title of Emperor or God for decades, the path of even the most talented female swordswomen went down the drain once they started menopause. If Paul hadn't given her a Vision, Reida knew she only had another five, maybe six years before her physical condition began to deteriorate on a daily basis. Instead, she got to maintain her beauty and physique for as long as she continued trying to improve her swordsmanship.
As grateful as she was for Paul giving her a Vision, Reida also knew it was only a matter of time before the King asked her the glowing purple crystal on her hip. When he did, she would have no choice but to reveal the details due to the magical contract that bound her. She didn't like it, but as the sworn-protector of the King, there wasn't much Reida could do until he killed over.
Fortunately, Paul didn't seem to care in the slightest when Reida warned him about revealing too much information. Instead, he actually thanked her for being honest with him before jokingly saying that if she were ever tasked to kill him, to do it after they were finished making love. In Paul's own words, he had said, "I think I could die with a smile on my face if it were after making love to a beautiful woman..."
In the days following Paul's joking, Reida willfully became a little more proactive whenever the two of them had sex. Before, she just let Paul do her from behind since it was meant to be a way for him to release stress after carrying her for half the day. Now, when she wasn't riding on top of him, Reida allowed Paul to pin her beneath him, her nails digging into his hair and back as he forced her to climax over, and over, and over again...
...
..
.

Chapter 52: MI52: Separation