67: Green's solid choice

After several rounds of drinks and dishes,

Adler, tipsy, asked,

"Green..."

"Mentor Jordan asked me to ask you, are you ready? When are you going out to perform combat missions?"

"He’s been waiting for several years and hasn’t heard from you."

"Uh..."

Green was a bit at a loss.

Mentor Jordan?!

Waiting for my preparation?

What’s the rush?

Don’t you know that in the adult world, no response means rejection?

Everyone’s time is precious, and Green doesn’t have time to waste on them...

"Adler..."

"Go back and tell Mentor Jordan that I'm not ready yet. When I am ready, I will definitely let him know in advance."

"My strength is still insufficient now. Going out on missions still carries too much risk."

"Once I’ve prepared thoroughly, mastered my sorcery, and prepared some life-saving items, then I’ll go out and see what a Black Wizard looks like."

Green patted Adler’s big arm and smiled.

"Green, what else do you need to prepare?"

"I feel your strength is even greater than mine. What danger could there be? Look, I've been out there for several years and nothing bad has happened."

"Green, let me tell you, the Black Wizards out there aren't really that terrifying."

"Don't listen to their exaggerations. I'm telling you, I've killed at least eight, if not ten, Black Wizards these past few years."

"And one of them was an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice," Adler said confidently, patting his chest.

"Hmm..."

"You've even killed a Black Wizard?"

"Adler, quickly, tell me what it feels like to fight a Black Wizard. Are they particularly difficult to deal with? Do they have many unpredictable methods?"

Green’s big eyes were full of curiosity. He wanted to understand what real Black Wizards were like.

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.

"Green, you're overthinking it."

"Ordinary Black Wizards aren't as terrifying as you imagine. They are also human, and their methods are very limited. Although they are quite bloody and strange, their power can only be considered decent. We are not without the ability to fight back."

Oakes saw Green’s apprehensive reaction to the mention of "black" and explained to him with a smile.

"The truly terrifying ones are those Intermediate and Advanced Wizard Apprentices who can survive for a long time in Black Wizard territory and even snatch resources to advance. Every one of them has a few tricks up their sleeve and should not be underestimated."

"That's right, Green."

Adler echoed.

"Most of the ones I killed were Low-level Wizard Apprentices or the Black Knights they trained."

"Intermediate Wizard Apprentices are indeed very powerful. The injury I sustained this time was caused by the immolation sorcery that Black Wizard cast before he died."

"These wolf cubs are ruthless to others, and even more ruthless to themselves."

"They even install immolation sorcery in their own bodies, wanting to give us a hard blow even in death."

...Hearing their explanations, Green was even less inclined to go out.

What if he encountered such a ruthless person?

During the Wizard Apprentice stage, without reliable protective measures, even a Low-level Sorcery could potentially take the life of an Advanced Wizard Apprentice.

Life is so fragile, and one only has one.

Unless absolutely necessary, Green would not voluntarily leave the safe zone.

"Alright, after hearing you two talk about how formidable they are, I know I'm definitely no match for them."

"What if I have bad luck..."

"And during a mission, I accidentally run into a Black Wizard, and an Advanced Wizard Apprentice at that."

"Then what? You'll just be attending my funeral."

..."It can't be that unlucky, can it?"

"The probability is too small."

"How many Advanced Wizard Apprentices are there among all five pirate groups combined? At most, two or three hundred."

"Think about it, in the vast Mist Islands, an island group spanning over ten million square kilometers, what's the probability of you running into them?"

Oakes started doing the math for Green.

"That's right, Green."

"I've been on over a hundred missions outside, and I've never encountered an Advanced Wizard Apprentice like you mentioned."

Adler added.

"Hmph..."

"I'll just ask one thing: is there such a possibility?" Green interrupted their explanation.

"Uh..."

"That certainly is objectively possible..."

"Well, there you have it. Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, I can't take the risk."

Green said firmly. This wasn't cowardice; it was taking responsibility for his own life...

Throughout history,

How many geniuses have been born, and how many prodigies have shone brightly?

But how many can truly make it to the end?

Most have fallen on the path forward.

Green didn't expect to complete the entire journey or reach the pinnacle of life.

But at least, he had to go further, didn't he?

The experiences of countless time traveler (transmigrator) predecessors told Green that when it’s time to back down, back down; when it’s time to play the subordinate, play the subordinate.

A hundred years from now, a thousand years from now...

When I'm dancing on your grave and beating up your grandchildren, you'll know who the winner in life is...

"Alright then..."

"I'll tell Mentor Jordan that."

Adler saw Green's resolute expression, knew he couldn't change his decision, and stopped trying to persuade him.

"Oh, right, Adler."

"I've made great progress in practicing sorcery these past two years and want to find someone to spar with."

"Do you think your team could take on this sparring mission?"

Green suddenly realized that his practical combat experience with sorcery was basically zero.

Finding someone to spar with beforehand, to see how sorcery is used in actual combat, would also benefit Green's combat system setup. After all, knowledge gained from books is ultimately shallow; real-world combat exploration is necessary.

Adler's team happened to be resting. Green had heard that their team was a veteran combat team, very experienced, and had fought Black Wizards more than once or twice, making them perfect for Green to practice with.

"Alright, Green..."

"I'll go back and ask the captain. He should be very happy to earn this easy extra money."

"However, you can't offer too low a price. If it's too low, it won't even cover our equipment wear and tear."

Adler knew Green's stinginess and was afraid that even if Green had money, he would still be petty, which would put Adler in an awkward position...

"Adler, this is what I'm thinking."

"I will definitely be fighting Black Wizards in the future, won't I?"

"But my understanding of the outside world is limited to what's described in books, so this is what I'm thinking."

"First, you give me a few practical combat theory lessons, explaining the details you need to pay attention to when fighting outside."

"Then, give me a systematic explanation of how you deal with Black Wizards."

"Finally, we'll have a few simulated drills and sorcery duels."

"Package these into a course, and then we can discuss the price. If it's suitable, I'll definitely choose your team."

Green slowly articulated his thoughts.

To shed less blood on the battlefield, one must put in more effort, train more, and gain more experience in peacetime.

What's a little money? Is life more important, or is money more important?

Green could distinguish between the two...

"Alright, I understand what you mean."

"We've offered this kind of course before, but that was at the academy's request, for large classes for lower-grade Wizard Apprentices."

"Yours is a VIP custom-made one, so I'll have to ask the captain."

"Don't worry, I'll notify you as soon as I have news," Adler promised, patting his chest.

"Thanks then..."

"Come on, let's keep toasting..."

"Tonight, we drink until we drop..."