“This thing sure can take a beating.” Caius grinned, looking at the Slaughter Wolf Demon that was now unrecognizable.
This Wolf Demon was much stronger than the last one. Even in a direct confrontation, Caius had taken seventeen or eighteen scratches. If not for his formidable physique and exceptional regenerative abilities, he might have been in pieces by now.
Fortunately, Caius was currently in peak condition.
Having just advanced, his Magic Core brimmed with free-flowing magic power, coursing through his body, enhancing his strength, and giving him the ability to overpower the Wolf Demon completely!
After catching his breath, Caius hoisted his hammer onto his shoulder and walked toward Hilda.
Once he reached her, he lifted his chin slightly. “Got any magic power left?”
Hilda blinked in a daze and nodded.
“Know any general water magic?”
Hilda nodded again.
“Use it. Rinse me off. Feels nasty being covered in all this gunk.” Caius spread his arms wide, already preparing to be doused in water.
Hearing this, Hilda was momentarily speechless, but in the end, she sighed and raised her hand. A Magic Array formed above Caius, and water rained down like a heavy shower.
Caius turned in place, scrubbing himself as he went, even peeling off his tattered shirt and tossing it aside. His well-defined muscles glistened under the water, scars old and new marking his body.
Not a trace of pain was visible on his face, as if those savage claw marks didn’t exist at all.
Once he was sufficiently rinsed, Caius gave a satisfied nod and, without another word to Hilda, turned and walked toward the corpse of the Crystalith Serpent.
Lucky find. He’d managed to stumble across a Crystalith Serpent’s remains.
The fight had been brutal, but at least his luck wasn’t bad. Even the Wolf Demon’s corpse would fetch a decent price.
Seeing that Caius wasn’t interested in conversing with her, Hilda hesitated but ultimately couldn’t hold back. “Who are you?” she asked.
“Just a passing mercenary with a kind heart,” Caius replied without looking back.
Hilda’s eyes flickered.
She had never met someone like him before.
Every other man who encountered her had either flattered her excessively or groveled at her feet.
She was well aware of the charm her face held. It had once been a source of pride, of vanity—and of trouble.
Yet, the man before her was utterly unfazed.
She pursed her lips and took the initiative. “What’s your name?”
Caius ignored her.
On purpose.
A proud Little Swan like her couldn’t be handled too easily.
What was the saying again?
Oh, right. “Playing hard to get.”
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An old trick, but tried and true.
Sure enough, when Hilda didn’t get an answer, her brows furrowed, and she quickly strode after Caius, repeating, “What’s your name?”
“Before asking someone else’s name, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?” Caius shot her a glance and spoke indifferently.
Hilda was momentarily stunned before nodding. “Hilda Kiel.”
“Caius.” With that, he reached a piece of Wolf Demon flesh—the very chunk the Slaughter Wolf Demon had torn from its own kind—and noticed a broken blade embedded in it.
He picked up the slender blade fragment and examined it. “A good sword,” he remarked, “but not suited for you.”
“You know swords?” Hilda asked.
“Mhm. I’m not just a mercenary. I’m also a blacksmith,” Caius said.
He wasn’t lying. His old man had forced him to learn smithing, and he had mastered every skill necessary.
According to the old man, “With all those muscles, you’d be wasted if you didn’t forge weapons.”
“Why isn’t it suited for me?” Hilda asked.
She had commissioned the sword at great expense, and it fit her hand perfectly. How could it not suit her?
Caius said nothing. Instead, he extended his hand toward her.
Hilda hesitated but ultimately handed over her broken sword.
As a swordswoman, she knew that one’s weapon should never leave their grasp. But the sword was already broken, and if Caius meant her harm, given his earlier display of strength, he wouldn’t need such an underhanded ploy.
Taking the broken sword, Caius studied it closely before nodding. “Your fighting style leans toward slashing and cutting, while this sword is built for piercing. They don’t match.”
“Piercing requires hardness.”
“Slashing requires flexibility.”
“This sword is too rigid and lacks resilience, which is why it ultimately broke.”
Caius paused and glanced at Hilda. “It’s a good sword, but not good enough to match its wielder.”
Hilda blinked, then the corners of her lips curled slightly, and her chin lifted just a fraction—proud yet pleased.
“You’re right.”
A blend of expertise and subtle praise had made the proud Little Swan accept his words without resistance.
So, she really was just a young girl at heart.
Caius smirked inwardly but maintained a calm facade.
He returned the broken sword to Hilda, then called for Kiki and continued toward the Crystalith Serpent.
Hilda watched in surprise as the Catfolk girl deftly leaped onto Caius’s shoulder. The contrast between the burly man and the petite girl intrigued her.
When she saw Caius begin dismantling the Crystalith Serpent, her brows knitted slightly.
That was her prey.
But he had saved her life, so she said nothing—even if she felt a little unwilling.
If only she had been stronger…
Soon, Caius retrieved the Crystalis Heart from the serpent. Then he pointed to the Wolf Demon’s corpse. “Do you need this? If not, I’ll sell it.”
Hilda shook her head. “Go ahead.”
She didn’t need the ordinary Wolf Demon’s body.
But the Slaughter Wolf Demon’s corpse was a different story. She needed to bring it back to Professor Holan for research. Such a powerful Bloody Creature was invaluable for study.
The problem was, the beast had been slain by Caius. It wasn’t hers to claim.
“Thanks,” Caius nodded and pulled out a burlap sack from his Spatial Ring, storing all the Wolf Demon corpses inside before moving on to the Slaughter Wolf Demon.
Hilda hesitated. “Can I buy that one from you?”
Caius raised a brow. “What do you need it for?”
“I have to give it to my instructor. It will help us understand Bloody Creatures better and develop potions against them,” Hilda explained seriously. Then she added, “I’m a student at Hydis Magic Academy.”
“I know. The Swan Blade Maiden, right?” Caius smirked.
Hilda’s eyes widened. “You know me?”
“Mhm.”
“Then why did you ask my name?!”
Caius chuckled, his gaze playful. “You were the one asking me. Besides, isn’t introducing oneself basic courtesy?”
Hilda’s cheeks flushed.
She had assumed he didn’t recognize her. When she realized he did, her inherent arrogance had made her unconsciously treat him like an academy student.
In the academy, everyone knew her. People always introduced themselves to her, not the other way around.
Maybe she needed to change.
She took a deep breath and nodded. “My apologies.”
Caius was a little surprised. This Little Swan actually apologized? It seemed she wasn’t the type of noble who looked down on others with an air of superiority.
One point added.
A hundred points now! Keep going, try to catch up to that Silly Mushroom with a hundred and twenty!
Because of this, his attitude improved a little. He nodded and said, “If you need this Wolf Demon’s corpse for that reason, then I won’t sell it.”
“Why?” Hilda frowned slightly. “Bloody Creatures have clearly started invading this region. This is important for the people. You—”
“Let me finish,” Caius waved his hand, a bit helpless. “I need this Wolf Demon too—I'm giving it to an Instructor at Hydis Magic Academy. So you don’t have to waste your money on it, got it?”
“Of course, if you insist on paying, I won’t mind either, hehe~”
Looking at the smile on Caius’s face, Hilda suddenly felt her face grow even hotter. She clenched her fists involuntarily.
He was clearly her savior, so why...
Why did she want to punch him so badly...?
