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Chapter 100: Barbarian Bloodlines Are This Terrifying

Before long, Ashura strode into the adventurers’ tavern first, with the big oaf Rock trailing behind him wearing a silly grin.

When Ashura reached the table, he pointed to his left and shouted to a nearby waiter, “Add a chair here!”

The waiter briskly fetched a chair and set it down, because the food and drink ordered at this table were the finest and far exceeded what those mercenaries sipping the cheapest swill could afford, so he served them with extra enthusiasm.

The other team members could roughly guess Ashura’s intention; while they kept silent, displeasure showed on their faces, especially the beauty Jella on his left, who quietly scooted farther away.

After Ashura sat back in his previous seat, he pointed at the chair beside him and said to Rock behind him, “Sit.”

Rock hesitated and dared not step forward, thinking a pauper like him had no right to sit at this table, but Ashura lazily tossed out, “If my words carry no weight, then get lost right now!”

“Thunk!” Rock plopped down in panic, nearly smashing the chair beneath him; his body even trembled slightly as he realized he had just done something stupid by hesitating over the young master’s order.

Once he was seated, Ashura addressed the group, “From the recruitment notice I saw, a 7-man party is required; given the strength requirements we may not find a seventh member quickly, so allow me to introduce the follower I just accepted, Rock… he possesses 2nd-stage Martial Master strength and knows the Beast Forest, so let him be our seventh.”

“As for his sub-par strength, you need not worry; I will walk at the very front with him, and I guarantee he will not drag down the team’s overall power. Therefore, regarding my proposal, who is in favor and who against it?”

Everyone looked at one another after hearing this, yet no one voiced outright opposition.

The team’s strongest member at present, Clay, even slapped the table and said, “I trust you, Ashura. Then our 7-man squad is established. We will divide spoils according to contribution, and if anyone is dissatisfied, we settle it by vote.”

“Tomorrow we rest for one day; the day after, we meet here again and head straight into the Beast Forest, so make sure you prepare all necessary supplies tomorrow.”

As the strongest member, Clay had vaguely become the team leader; his distribution plan was fair, and no one objected, so once the decision was made everyone resumed eating and drinking.

Rock sat beside Ashura a little awkwardly; the young master’s earlier words had moved him deeply, for the young master did not treat him as a servant but placed him on equal footing with the others.

Clenching his fists, Rock swore silently that once they entered the Beast Forest he would not let the young master down and would protect him even at the cost of his life.

Rock dared not look at the delicacies and fine wine on the table; since childhood he had never eaten his fill because his appetite was simply too enormous.

The tempting aroma wafting from the dishes might make him lose his composure, and he could not disgrace the young master.

Just as he was desperately suppressing his hunger, he heard the young master at his side summon the waiter again and flick two gold coins to him, saying, “Bring this big fellow meat and bread until he is full.”

Rock froze, staring in disbelief at the young master who had just spoken, until the beaming waiter placed a heaping platter of meat before him and he finally came to his senses.

Ashura did not look at him and only said indifferently, “Eat until you are full; I want you in peak condition when we enter the Beast Forest.”

Rock hurriedly lowered his head, afraid the tears in his eyes would fall, then grabbed the meat and tore into it in huge bites.

Gais beside him even chuckled softly at his eating manners, but when the waiter brought over a ninth platter of meat, even Gais looked utterly stunned, for this giant had eaten nearly half a month of his own food in one sitting.

After finishing the ninth platter, Rock shyly waved at the shocked waiter to indicate he was full.

It was the first time in his life he had eaten his fill, and with meat no less; he could clearly feel his body grow sturdier.

The look he gave Ashura brimmed with gratitude and reverence.

Still basking in the contentment of a full belly, Rock’s expression suddenly changed; Ashura noticed the oddity and immediately asked, “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Rock inched toward Ashura’s ear somewhat embarrassed and whispered, “Young master, I… I think I just advanced to 2nd-stage Martial Master.”

Now it was Ashura’s turn to be dumbfounded; so terrifying were Barbarian bloodlines that a single full meal could trigger advancement… where did that leave the self-proclaimed genius’ pride?

Rock’s prodigious appetite also made some team members willing to talk to him, especially the lively Jella, who kept asking whether Rock could finish an entire wild bull or down a whole oak barrel of rum…

Finally, amid cheerful chatter, everyone returned to their lodgings to rest, and Ashura also booked a room for Rock at the inn.

Rock’s gigantic frame left half his body hanging off the bed with his legs dangling to the floor, yet he still felt indescribably happy; it was the first time he had ever slept in a bed, for he had always slept on the floor.

Early the next morning, just after dawn, Ashura emerged from meditation and opened the door intending to find breakfast, only to see Rock standing guard like a sentinel outside his room, greeting him respectfully with a good-morning.

Ashura did not say much; he simply shook his head with a smile and said, “Follow me.”

He first took Rock for breakfast, and Rock ate just as much as before, only this time he did not gain another level, which made Ashura secretly breathe a sigh of relief… if Barbarian bloodlines leveled up from every full meal, it would crush his confidence in cultivation.

Ashura then took a storage pouch from his storage belt and gave it to Rock; it was loot he had obtained during the Pagoda Palace battle.

He also handed him 100 gold coins and told him to buy food and water later and fill the pouch to the brim.

Rock treasured it like a priceless gift and tucked it close to his body.

Next, he brought Rock to a tailor and ordered several warrior uniforms, all custom-sized of course, and with ample payment they would be ready that very day.

He then escorted Rock to a weapons and armor shop, but none of the armor, regardless of style, fit Rock’s size, and even with extra payment it could not be made in a few days.

Just as Ashura was about to give up, he looked up and saw a warrior statue at the shop entrance: a towering stone figure clad in dark-red armor and holding a long-handled great-axe.

After noting that the statue’s height was almost the same as Rock’s, Ashura immediately proposed buying the statue’s entire set of equipment, which put the shop owner in a difficult position.

Only when Ashura offered a price he could not refuse did the warrior statue at the door stand naked in carved stone, while a fully armed burly warrior beside it radiated even more oppressive aura than the statue had.

Ashura still worried the gear might be too heavy and hamper Rock’s movements, but when Rock happily picked up that giant axe and swung it as easily as a tree branch, Ashura kept a straight face yet died of envy inside.

Had he just recruited a humanoid tyrannosaur as a follower?

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