Chapter151-Epic-grade Artifact
The euphoria from the overwhelming victory lingered for a full hour before the students gradually dispersed. It was then that Nick and Mike approached Howard with broad grins. "Boss, you're finally back," they beamed.
"Woohoo, boss, we missed you so much when you were gone!"
Whether Nick and Mike's words were sincere or not, Howard wasn't concerned at that moment. He simply chuckled and replied, "Miss me? Are you sure it's not the thought of making money that you're missing?"
"Hehe, boss, we've got the coordinates of the Butterfly Fae. We've already sent our family elders to capture them! Just waiting for the successful capture, then we can transport them to the Alliance or auction them in the major cities. Once we make the money, the three of us brothers can split it!"
The radiant smiles on Nick and Mike's faces suggested that their elders had already briefed them on the potential profits. After all, who would complain about earning too much money?
Even after splitting the rewards with Wales, Howard still had over a thousand gold coins and was equally eager to see the profits the Butterfly Fae would bring.
Beyond that, Nick and Mike's longing for Howard was also driven by a desire to leverage his status for more benefits. The points they had obtained earlier had been completely depleted after two sessions in the simulated secret realms.
In their minds, Howard, being a junior to Daniel, could surely provide them with some shortcuts.
However, before they could find an opportunity to discuss this with Howard, Ying Chan approached with a smile. "Huseband," she said playfully, "aren't you going to introduce me to this lady?"
"Huseband?"
This unusual address caught Abby, Nick, and Judy by surprise.
Howard responded with a calm demeanor, "Abby, this is Ying Chan, from the Chan family of Crimson Dragon City. Currently, she and I are engaged to be married."
Hearing Howard's words, Ying Chan nodded slightly. Even though she was betrothed to Howard by her parents and elders, she still hoped for her own recognition and acceptance. Now, it seemed Howard did not disregard her. This suggested that as long as she didn't act recklessly, Howard was likely to take good care of her.
It must be said that Ying Chan, having grown up in a top-tier family, possessed a maturity far surpassing that of Abby, Caitlin, and others. Even Margaret, a mentor who had been in society for many years, couldn't match Ying Chan in matters of personal relationships and social nuances.
Abby's breath hitched, feeling a tinge of annoyance that Howard had brought back a wife after his trip. Yet, in such a situation, she wouldn't let her dignity falter. Clasping Howard's arm and lifting her fair neck slightly, she said softly, "My name is Abby, Howard's wife!"
Ying Chan responded with a smile but didn't say much more. Both she and Abby were wise enough to know how to maintain Howard's prestige in public.
Sure enough, the other first-year students looked on with envy as they saw two stunning beauties not only devoted to Howard but also getting along harmoniously. Some were almost green with jealousy.
A few female students, upon comparing themselves with Abby and Ying Chan's appearances, initially showed a hint of dejection. However, when they noticed that both Abby and Ying Chan were not particularly endowed in the bust area, a glimmer of hope sparked in their eyes.
"This time, you all got caught up in this mess without reason," Howard said, keen to prevent Abby and Ying Chan from causing a scene. He shifted the topic, "But with my intervention this time, the senior students are unlikely to provoke our first-year students for a while."
"You all need to focus on your training during this period."
Hearing Howard's words, Lanas couldn't help but retort, "We've been working hard, but gaining experience without killing monsters is just too slow."
"And as for the Ruins... it costs a lot of points just to enter, and staying inside consumes points continuously. We simply can't keep up."
"Yeah," Maithus added, his face expressing helplessness. "Without a higher level, even with our talent skills and equipment, we can't match the attributes of those senior students."
At this, Maithus suddenly paused, a realization dawning on him. Howard had awakened around the same time as them, so how could he overwhelmingly surpass higher-level students?
"May I ask a question?" Maithus inquired cautiously, "Howard, what level are you now?"
Upon hearing this, Howard hesitated briefly but decided not to hide it from his fellow students. In a soft voice, he revealed, "I am now at level 33!"
After all, they were his peers, and if this revelation could motivate them to grind harder and level up, it would be beneficial.
Howard had a premonition that the otherworldly beings might soon launch a severe assault. If the students didn't dedicate themselves to rigorous training, they could very well perish in the upcoming battles.
"What the fuck?!"
"What? You've reached level 33 already?"
"No wonder, those students are only around level 40 or so. If your equipment grade is also ahead of theirs, it indeed makes sense that you could surpass them in attributes."
"Ah, how do you level up so fast? Why is your leveling speed so much quicker?"
"Exactly, even after going through two assessments, I'm only at level 18!"
"My family is part of the Alliance's major clans, and I had high-level players guide me right after my awakening, but I'm only at level 23 now."
Upon hearing Howard's level, the new students erupted into a frenzy. The highest level among them was only around 25. While it might only seem like an 8-level difference, bridging that gap would take at least two to three months of intensive effort. And it wasn't as if Howard would stop leveling up while they worked on catching up.
In all likelihood, Howard would continue to stay ahead of them.
Observing this, both Abby and Ying Chan couldn't help but exhibit a sense of pride. This was the man they had chosen – truly outstanding!
"As for leveling up, it's definitely essential to focus on monster hunting. I suggest that whenever you have spare time, head out into the wilderness and hunt monsters, but of course, ensure your safety first."
Howard wasn't lying. The reason behind his rapid leveling up was his Supreme Synthesis talent, which allowed him to obtain numerous low-level, high-grade equipment and skills. This enabled him to kill monsters continuously without taking any damage.
The average awakened person had to rest for a considerable time after each monster hunting session. In contrast, Howard hardly ever took breaks. Moreover, after every monster kill, he didn't pause but immediately plunged into the next battle.
As a result, the actual number of monsters Howard had slain far exceeded that of other awakened individuals. With more monster kills, it was only natural that his leveling speed was exceptionally fast.
"Let's do it! From now on, every weekend holiday, we'll form groups and hunt monsters."
"Absolutely right. Howard has already defeated the higher-level students for us and earned us respect. We need to work hard too."
"Yeah, otherwise, if other senior students call us weak, wouldn't that be smearing Howard's name?"
With this resolve, many players clenched their teeth in determination.
Hearing this, the corners of Howard's mouth lifted slightly. He was pleased to see their enthusiasm for improvement, and moreover, if the students all went out, it would give Howard a perfect excuse to request leave and return to Saint City to explore the Castle of Vampires again.
That was a legendary creature, acknowledged even by Daniel in terms of strength. Naturally, Howard was eager to unravel everything within the Ruins. Who knew, those Ruins might bring significant enhancements to him.
Unbeknownst to the poor students, they were being unwittingly utilized by Howard.
While the students were merrily chatting, Caitlin, Glyn, and Aisha approached. Seeing the trio, the group of students initially thought they were coming to cause trouble and quickly surrounded them.
Howard hastily intervened, reminding them that these three were his teammates and friends. Besides, with Caitlin's notable talent, Howard had been thinking about bringing them into his fold. Building a good relationship with them was essential.
"Howard, I'm really sorry about what happened this time. Aisha and I were in a secret realm and had no idea about Dougton and the others' actions," Caitlin said, biting her lip and speaking cautiously, "Can you please not be angry?"
Hearing her words and noting her expression, Ying Chan's eyebrows shot up. Even a fool could see that Caitlin had feelings for Howard.
Howard chuckled softly, "I'm not angry. They've already paid the price for their actions, and besides, we are friends, aren't we? I wouldn't let some strangers affect our relationship."
Hearing this, Caitlin let out a sigh of relief, and Glyn and Aisha also relaxed their tensed nerves. Of course, Glyn and Aisha's concerns weren't about romantic feelings for Howard, but rather their desire to explore the Castle of Vampires Ruins with him again. They didn't want to be on bad terms with Howard.
"Oh, by the way, Howard, this is a gift I got for you at the last auction. I hope you like it!" Caitlin suddenly pulled out a blue diamond ring from her pocket and handed it to Howard.
"Huh?! An Epic-grade artifact!" exclaimed Ying Chan in amazement.
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