I Am Not Goblin Slayer

Chapter 393: Shocking Change

Even Gauss had to admit this idea was quite bold, yet deep down, he felt it might be possible.After all, judging by the literal meaning, this was the power of World Rules. It wasn't impossible for it to ascend to conceptual levels beyond ordinary understanding.

He suppressed the excitement in his heart and continued his tests.

He discovered that perhaps because it had been completely "accommodated" by his body, even though he couldn't understand its essence, he could still wield a portion of its might.

Objectively speaking, his current usage was far inferior to the short-term explosive power boost the goblin-like creature had displayed earlier.

But one must realize the difference between one full meal and having every meal be full.

The goblin-like creature's method was the type of last meal before execution.

It not only expended its own life force but also caused damage and harm to this [Precision] fragment.

Gauss was different. There were almost no side effects when he used it.

Currently, the role this fragment could temporarily play in Gauss's hands was a certain degree of "auto-aiming and target acquisition." At the same time, any activity he performed would become more effortless.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh again.

If the goblin-like creature hadn't consumed so much power in the end, perhaps he could have absorbed even more Divine Factor.

It might not be 2.65% now, but 3%, or even 4%.

It really deserved to die!

Gauss shook his head, growing angrier the more he thought about it.

He had just experienced the power of the Rule's force for a while, deepening his understanding of it considerably.

Clearly, for the vast majority of living beings, World Rule power should be a deadly poison.

It seemed to have an inexplicable connection with Divine Factor.

World Rule power seemed only to be usable correctly by beings like him who already possessed a certain amount of Divine Factor.

Moreover, he felt that perhaps possessing Divine Factor was just the most basic threshold.

The power of his Adventurer's Manual seemed to help him restrain and stabilize this formidable force. Otherwise, he would likely have suffered some side effects too, though probably not as severe as those manifested on the goblin-like creature leader.

"It seems I might be the person in this world most suited to collecting these Rule powers."

Gauss sat down under the tree.

If this power fell into the hands of evil individuals or monsters, it would be truly unsettling.

Power that transcends common sense often comes with a great price. He had the Adventurer's Manual to restrain the World Rule power. If other creatures were to luckily gain control of this power, what would they rely on to curb its influence?

He thought of the goblin-like creature leader's nearly insane greed in the end, as if it could offer up everything just to possess it.

Perhaps this Rule power could even twist the mind of its wielder.

Fortunately...

This [Precision] power ultimately ended up in the hands of a civilized person like him.

In a temporary camp also located within the Blackwater Town area.

Hundreds of people moved among rows of tents.

Although the presence of so many people in a valley that had now become monster territory seemed incongruous, a closer look at the unified wolf beast flags hanging around revealed this was an adventuring guild exploring the wilderness.

Moreover, it was the Fang of the Pale Wolf adventuring guild, which was somewhat famous even within Falim. While far from the deeply established top-tier guilds, its overall strength could rank within Falim's second tier. The guild had many members, with numerous strong individuals gathered within.

In the center, before the most luxurious dome tent, a male spellcaster in black and gold robes slowly lifted the tent flap.

"What brings you here?"

Sitting inside the tent, Wolf, who had met Gauss once before, saw the visitor and calmly stopped his work.

Beside him, the other deputy guild leader, Luna, and her assistant also looked at him almost simultaneously.

"Wolf, I've received some extremely valuable intelligence."

"Speak."

"Guild Leader is quite impatient. Then I won't beat around the bush. My people have discovered traces of the Red Dragon Guild."

"Red Dragon Guild..." Wolf stared intently at the man before him, Ezra Fischer.

This wasn't the first time the other had mentioned the Red Dragon Guild and Gauss in his ear. In fact, he first heard of them thanks to this intelligence captain.

"Didn't I say to stop paying attention to them?"

Ever since his close encounter with Gauss, the Guild Leader of the Red Dragon Guild, in Grayrock Town some time ago, he had realized the other's strength was extraordinary.

Investigating such a powerful adventurer, and a guild leader at that, could easily lead to conflict if discovered.

As the leader of Fang of the Pale Wolf, he naturally didn't want to add a mysterious enemy of unknown strength to the team. So, after returning, he had Fischer, who seemed very interested in Gauss, stop the investigation work on him and shift the focus to Fang of the Pale Wolf's future itinerary and several rival teams.

But he didn't expect his intelligence captain to still be investigating the Red Dragon Guild's movements.

Thinking of this, his brow subtly furrowed.

"Wolf, I believe he's worth investigating. Gauss, the Guild Leader of the Red Dragon Guild, must have undisclosed secrets to have achieved his current strength in such a short time. Even setting that aside, the Red Drake under his command is also extraordinary."

"This is unregulated lawless land. If we can take them down, we're sure to gain unimaginable rewards."

"Now we have their whereabouts. We can act at any time."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but lick his lips, his gaze fixed intently on the depths of Guild Leader Wolf's eyes.

After his tempting words ended, a flicker of temptation did indeed flash in the other's eyes, but it lasted only a moment before being suppressed again by reason.

Wolf exchanged a glance with the two beside him, then shook his head.

"There's no need to complicate matters unnecessarily."

"The strength of that Red Dragon Guild Leader is not as simple as you imagine."

Hearing his proposal rejected, Zhao Zhuhuan's face paled.

"Gauss, he's too weak."

"This is just a level 7 Red Dragon Guild. The overall strength of your Fang of the Pale Wolf is much weaker than Fischer's..."

"Given the speed of his progress, if we miss this opportunity, we will definitely regret it."

Hearing Fischer still trying to persuade him, Wolf felt somewhat impatient.

"Let's not mention this matter again."

Sensing his tone sounded a bit irritable, he sighed and tried to continue in a gentler tone.

"Return to your work. Our current focus is preparing for the next expedition. Your tasks are heavy. As for now, I have matters to discuss with Luna."

"I understand." Fischer forced a smile, then bowed slightly and withdrew.

"Wolf."

After he left, Deputy Guild Leader Luna's face showed a trace of concern.

Fischer was a member who had joined Fang of the Pale Wolf only in recent years. Due to his work ability and strong strength, he quickly stood out within the guild and was currently mainly responsible for the guild's intelligence work.

Don't underestimate this position. Intelligence is crucial for any adventurer, let alone a large adventuring guild.

"Fischer seems to be getting more and more unruly lately."

This kind of acting on his own initiative wasn't the first time it had happened.

Moreover, his strength was practically the third strongest in the entire Fang of the Pale Wolf, second only to Guild Leader Wolf and herself. Anyone paying attention could perceive his undisguised ambition.

"I understand."

"However, although he is ambitious, his intelligence work is indeed impeccable. He's just sometimes too hasty. And besides, my strength is greater than his."

Wolf appeared very confident.

He was a level 10 Warrior. Furthermore, just like the origin of his Fang of the Pale Wolf adventuring guild's name, he possessed a special bloodline. Therefore, even among level 10 Warriors, he was a rather formidable existence.

Fischer had only recently broken through to level 9. Don't think it's just a one-level difference. Fischer is a spellcaster.

Wolf was a Warrior with a special bloodline. Even if an accident occurred, he was confident he could subdue the other in an extremely short time.

Ultimately, spellcasters were a profession that needed team protection, and Fang of the Pale Wolf was a team he had built with his own hands.

This was also the reason he could tolerate the other despite sensing his strong thirst for power. Ambition wasn't necessarily a derogatory term. If not for the other's eager attitude for advancement, he wouldn't have done the intelligence work so well, allowing the team to arrange and execute expeditions in an orderly manner most of the time.

"I'll talk to him again tomorrow."

Wolf quickly shifted the topic back to what they were discussing earlier.

He returned to his own tent.

Fischer quickly set up an isolation barrier.

"Captain Fischer, what was Guild Leader Wolf's reply?" Several men quickly approached.

"He refused." He shook his head, a hint of mockery appearing on his face.

"Wolf has changed. He's become too indecisive now."

"A mere youngster scared him witless."

"Originally, I remembered our past camaraderie, thinking we could plan great things together. But now, I see he is no longer fit to lead us."

"Let's act tonight."

"Yes." "Understood."

The men left.

Only then did Fischer softly say something as if talking to himself.

"I gave you a chance."

Soon, night fell.

As the night deepened, aside from the changing night watch teams, the entire Fang of the Pale Wolf camp fell into silence, with only occasional snores audible from outside the tents.

On such a calm and peaceful night.

"Ah!!!"

A furious roar suddenly shattered the camp's tranquility.

Many people instantly awoke from their sleep.

Quite a few realized this familiar roar wasn't made by anyone else—it came from the mouth of their own Fang of the Pale Wolf Guild Leader.

Something happened!

Members who realized this instantly felt a surge of intense unease.

Members hurriedly changed clothes and stepped out of their tents.

"Did something happen to the Guild Leader?"

"What situation did the Guild Leader encounter?"

"Colleagues, Deputy Guild Leader Luna, Captain Fischer, and several other captains have already gone to Guild Leader Wolf's location to assess the situation. Please remain calm and wait for news." The night watch teams quickly tried to soothe the panicked ordinary members.

Soon, the members temporarily calmed their flustered emotions upon hearing this.

As the night watch members said, several important figures had gone to check the situation. Plus, it was pitch dark now. The only thing they could do was wait for notification.

However, even so, many people's gazes turned towards the center of the camp.

There, an ominous aura seemed to be rising, almost as if a powerful monster had descended.

Simultaneously, bursts of roars and strange screams rang out.

What on earth was happening?

Fortunately, after several intense fluctuations of aura, everything suddenly fell quiet.

"Is it over?"

"Was the enemy killed?"

"Did the Guild Leader and the others win?"

Although it felt somewhat eerie, seeing the commotion had ceased, the peripheral members couldn't help but guess in a positive direction.

At least for the moment, they weren't under attack, and everything seemed to have settled.

They didn't have to speculate for long.

Soon, the entire team was called to assemble before the large command tent.

Intelligence Captain Fischer stood before the large tent with a grave expression. Looking at the crowd whose eyes were fixed on him, his face displayed just the right amount of sorrow and hesitation. As if after a long mental struggle, he finally let out a long sigh and announced in a heavy tone.

"Everyone, it is with great regret that I must inform you of unfortunate news."

"Guild Leader Wolf has been killed."

Almost instantly, the entire team erupted in an uproar.

"The Guild Leader is dead??"

"Sir Guild Leader's strength was so great. How could he die so suddenly?"

"This can't be!"

The adventuring guild members who heard this news couldn't stop their pupils from contracting.

Although the earlier commotion was strange, it was far from the level of a battle intense enough to kill a powerhouse like the Guild Leader.

In their view, if the Guild Leader was killed by an external enemy, the entire camp should have been utterly destroyed, not remain almost intact as it was now.

"Although I also find it hard to believe, this has truly happened." Fischer ordered people to carefully carry Wolf's body out on a stretcher.

They saw that tall figure now lying motionless on the stretcher, his entire body pale without a trace of blood.

Some senior members stepped forward to check Wolf's vital signs and indeed found no signs of life.

He was really dead.

"The perpetrator was Luna. By the time we arrived here, the Guild Leader had already been killed. She, along with several traitors, has already fled in fear of punishment."

Fischer continued to add.

"Deputy Guild Leader Luna has been following Guild Leader Wolf since long ago. How could it be her?"

Some people raised doubts.

"It was indeed her who acted."

This time, before Fischer could speak, one of the other captains beside him spoke up.

"When I arrived, I also saw her casting Fly to escape."

"It's a pity we were a step too slow."

The other captains also nodded in confirmation.

In the crowd, someone seemed to want to raise an objection but was quickly held back by a companion.

Of course, more members wore expressions of confusion and helplessness. Many didn't understand the upper echelons' relationships within the guild. But with so many high-ranking officials testifying unanimously, it must have been Deputy Guild Leader Luna who acted.

"Brothers, the most important thing right now is to avenge Guild Leader Wolf."

"But a group cannot be without a leader for a single day. Captain Fischer is the strongest among us. I nominate him to be our new Guild Leader." A captain proactively spoke up.

As soon as his words fell, voices of agreement immediately rose from the crowd.

"I agree."

"Sir Fischer is powerful. He saved my life. I wholeheartedly accept him as Guild Leader."

...

"All of you..." Fischer slightly raised his head, his eyes red, as if engaged in intense mental struggle.

"Since everyone holds me in such high esteem, then... I will temporarily shoulder this responsibility. But I must make it clear, this position is only temporary."

"Once we find those traitors, Luna and the others, and avenge the Guild Leader, if there is someone more suitable within the guild at that time, I am willing to step down."

As he spoke, his peripheral gaze swept over the few impassive faces in the team, silently noting their names in his mind.

At least for now, Fang of the Pale Wolf was finally under his command.

His thoughts couldn't help but drift to Gauss, the culprit who caused Wolf's death.

But before formally taking action, he needed to deal with those escaped senior members first, and then go find that Gauss.

He was truly curious about what secrets the other was hiding.

Of course, no matter what secrets the other harbored, he believed the one laughing last would be himself.

Simply because, if Gauss was a monster killer, then the ability he mastered was enough to become the killer of monster killers, the other's natural Bane.

"Ha—"

Gauss yawned as he walked out of the house.

"Didn't sleep well?"

"Probably used too much mana in yesterday's battle." Gauss shook his head.

"Guild Leader, would you like a Calming Potion?" Ivan squeezed out from somewhere and considerately handed him a vial of potion.

"Thank you."

Gauss didn't stand on ceremony either.

This was the benefit of having a pharmacist in the team. Most low-level potions could be consumed freely.

After this operation concludes, it's time to procure some higher-level recipes for Ivan again.

With the effect of the [Proof of Leadership] feat in place, he wasn't worried about investing in Ivan only for him to abscond with the funds later.

Moreover, he trusted his own judgment of character.