The Bard is Fantasizing Again

"As expected, 'the excitement of an adventure' is directly proportional to the 'rewards gained.'

Though my reputation still remains at [Obscure], and I only have 5 followers... which should be Catherine, Anbi, and a few commoners who followed along the way.

But this plan still brought me a bountiful harvest."

Although what he gained were all basic abilities, and the only spell he obtained was Vicious Mockery—a cantrip he got from cursing at a little white pig for three days straight.

He still hadn't learned a proper first-circle spell.

But the comprehensive gains still made Tang Qi feel the future was bright.

He could almost confirm that as long as he found a way to spread his reputation, he should be able to obtain higher-level rewards afterward.

As for increasing his [Fame], he currently only had a rough outline of a plan.

He'd have to wait until reaching Longgold City before trying to implement it...

"But now's not the time to think about that. I need to find a reference point first to test my level.

To confirm what tier of adventurer I've reached, so I can decide how much risk to take in the future."

Tang Qi's goal was clear. After pondering for a moment, he slapped his forehead,

"Got it!"

He quickly put away his journal and walked out of his tent, only to see Stonecrusher had just used his hammer to pound in the last ground stake of Catherine's tent.

Seeing Tang Qi rush out in a hurry, Stonecrusher couldn't help but raise an eyebrow:

"What, can't sit still after resting for just a bit? That little girl Anbi said dinner still needs a while..."

"Stonecrusher, I see you're short as hell, why don't we compare heights?"

Tang Qi abruptly interrupted, singing in a rhythmic short tune.

"..."

Tang Qi swore that he had once believed the reddest color in this world was the bright floral padded jackets worn by the old grannies at the village entrance in winter.

But now he felt it should be the face of a dwarf that suddenly flushed red after getting drunk.

Stonecrusher was a dwarf who enjoyed joking around a lot.

He was even happy to joke about his own height.

But that was limited to when he brought it up himself.

Obviously, Tang Qi's sudden, proactive mention of this point was clearly intentional mockery, and definitely not within the bounds of what he considered joking:

"Fuck, do you think we're that familiar already? Familiar enough for you to humiliate me like this?"

He showed no mercy, kicking Tang Qi's ass—

The kick wasn't too forceful, but Stonecrusher's strength was enormous to begin with. He was confident he could kick this grinning poet five feet away.

But perhaps because he was too angry, he only felt a sudden dizziness, then his legs went soft, his feet slipped, and he did the splits right in front of Tang Qi...

Tang Qi didn't dodge or evade, letting him sit right in front of him.

He realized in advance that his [Alertness] hadn't triggered at all.

"Damn you!"

Stonecrusher's face flushed to a deep purple. Feeling utterly humiliated, he couldn't help but curse loudly,

"Poet, you fucking stand there properly. Let me kick you once, and we'll call this even!"

"Or I have a better suggestion."

Tang Qi blinked,

"How about we have a fight instead?"

When people are extremely angry, they laugh.

Stonecrusher couldn't help but say:

"You're not trying to tell me the third funniest joke of your life, are you?"

Tang Qi was afraid Stonecrusher would think he was messing with him, so he quickly explained:

"No, I just learned a new spell. I want to try out its effects."

Stonecrusher suddenly realized what had happened when his head throbbed with pain and his feet slipped earlier:

"You mean just now?"

"Right."

"Cut off his goat beard! What's with you smooth-talkers—cursing people can count as spells now!?"

There weren't many wandering bards in this world who mastered spells, so no wonder Stonecrusher, a high-level adventurer, was so surprised,

"But don't think that learning some 'pixie tricks' means you can have some weird expectations about yourself.

With that little body of yours, I could punch you into a tree with one fist."

"That's why we'll stop at the first touch."

Tang Qi certainly didn't dare take one of his punches.

That was the kind of strength that could shatter Explosivewolf's plate armor...

Smashing his own head would be as easy as smashing tofu:

"Kuru, come help!"

"Rua!"

Kuru, who had been concentrating on studying his spellbook in front of the tent, immediately ran over when he heard the call.

Tang Qi led the two shorties to an empty space beyond the convoy, then said to Kuru:

"Use [Mold Earth] to mark out a range for us."

Kuru and Tang Qi were quite in sync. He immediately complied, using the cantrip to push aside mud and sand, marking out an area roughly thirty feet in diameter.

Tang Qi then looked at Stonecrusher:

"Want to bet? You hold back your strength, and we'll see who can force the other out of bounds first."

Stonecrusher showed little interest: "What do you have worth betting on? I'm not interested in your hook."

"The loser fulfills one request from the winner, as long as it's reasonable."

"A request? You're not interested in my hook, are you?" Stonecrusher hesitated.

"I don't want to repeat again that I'm heterosexual."

"Not interested. What could you possibly help me with?"

"Plenty. For example, I'll have Catherine send you another barrel of wine, or I'll cover all your future expenses at the [Golden Oak]..."

"Hey, poet. You really are a genius!?"

Stonecrusher wondered if he was really that easy to read.

How could the other person hit right at his heart with just one sentence?

Tang Qi couldn't be certain he'd win, but he urgently wanted to see his own capabilities clearly, so he simply walked straight into the marked range:

"Come on, let's settle this before dinner?"

With a goal in mind, Stonecrusher didn't hesitate. He walked back to the camp, grabbed a tower shield, and stood opposite Tang Qi, then looked at the curved blade at his waist:

"I'll only use my shield and hold back. Feel free to slash at me with your blade, so you won't refuse to admit defeat afterward and claim I bullied you."

Tang Qi drew the 'Snake's Kiss' from his waist—

This was actually his most valuable gain along the way.

According to Stonecrusher, this 'Snake's Kiss' was a fine weapon Black Snake had specially commissioned someone to forge.

In terms of grade, it could be considered [Rare] level. Especially its blade tip and weight had been specially treated, making it easy to adapt to his flexible offensive style.

Catherine had no use for this curved blade and directly gifted it to Tang Qi.

With a black blade in hand, Tang Qi naturally felt more confident:

"Then Kuru will be the referee, shall we start directly?"

"[Shield Charge]!"

Without even waiting for Kuru to count down, Stonecrusher wanted to strike first.

Holding the tower shield that covered his entire body, he flicked his wrist, intending to use his signature combat technique, wrapping up the fallen leaves and mud beneath his feet into an invisible force field to blast Tang Qi flying—

"Ha, the free starberry wine is mine!"

But [Alertness] rang out, and Tang Qi immediately dove to the side.

The movement wasn't graceful, but relying on his mastery of curved blade techniques, after diving, he immediately rolled to stabilize his form.

Stonecrusher didn't expect Tang Qi to dodge so naturally.

Just three days ago, his movements when killing Huss were still so clumsy!

"Is he a genius—how could he undergo such a huge transformation in such a short time!?"

In shock and doubt, he admitted he had underestimated his opponent.

But Tang Qi wouldn't give him time to think. He stepped forward, backhand thrust, letting the pitch-black blade hide in the dim twilight, pointing straight at Stonecrusher's neck:

"I'm not surprised by your charge at all, because I know this is a bullfighting arena."

Tang Qi's singing suddenly made Stonecrusher's head ache. He realized the poet was cursing and casting spells again.

But even though he'd discovered this, the anger in his heart still wouldn't subside!

He had darkvision and could clearly see the curved blade thrust straight, about to bypass the entire tower shield and stab his shoulder. He then roared loudly:

"Who are you looking down on!?"

He gathered all his strength, wanting to raise the tower shield in front of him and directly slam it against Tang Qi's blade, using the shock to knock the 'Snake's Kiss' from his hand.

But just as he was about to make that move, he suddenly felt his center of gravity become unstable:

"Damn you—"

He slipped again!?