I Refused To Be Reincarnated-Chapter 658: The Humbling Truth

Arun and Asha summarised their findings about the magic system. They first mentioned the magical beast meat and vegetables consumed by even commoners.

Although they didn’t matter much in the kingdom’s eyes, the authorities readily distributed body-reinforcing techniques up to the second tier, or the D rank in their system, to any kid aged five or more. It was nothing more than a political maneuver aiming to produce a cheap yet powerful labor force.

Shepard’s eyes widened as he understood the horrifying chasm separating their two sides. Regular farmers here could become barons in their smaller countries. Even more appalling, they could shatter their acolytes’ skulls bare-handed.

He gulped, sweat covering his brows. If the difference was this vast on the lower tiers, how about his?

Asha sighed after he stuttered the question. "Arcanists are just the lower layer of the elites. But you..." She held her forehead and shook her head. "You won’t qualify for the A-rank. Listen, Shepard. Not even acolytes chant to cast spells. I can only label their physiques as tyrannical compared to yours. Even if they don’t use magic, you have no chance to strike them. As for defense? Your chances go in the negative."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I know my assessment is harsh. But I’d rather hurt your ego than see you die because of ignorance."

"T-Thank you... I guess?" Shepard’s stutter came out in a feeble murmur almost overpowered by his trembling limbs. "What rank would fit me in their system?"

Julius scratched his head, knowing the answer wouldn’t please Shepard. After all, he had stood at the pinnacle of their province—one of the only nine arcanists, second only to the three archmages and elusive magus. But here? His spells wouldn’t matter if he couldn’t see his adversaries move.

Without surprise, Arun shrugged. "You’d be amongst the weaker B-ranks, the equivalent of a mage. We don’t underestimate your prowess, Shepard. Our weaknesses are just too easy to exploit."

A tense silence weighed on Shepard’s shoulders. He didn’t speak for a second, his brow creasing into a pensive frown as he sorted his thoughts. Veiling his face in past glory wouldn’t help. He had to accept the shift in status—no, to throw it to the gutters—and focus on devouring knowledge, on refining his skills.

Dread soon faded into clear goals and plans. "The priority is to master their knowledge. I don’t need fake status or pride but strength."

Julius patted his chest, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "You’ll always be our director, Shepard. Let’s slowly learn together. If you need help training, you can count on me, Arun, or Aurelius."

Arun nodded before the last name made him roll his eyes. "Aurelius?" He patted Shepard’s shoulder, raising his palm in a fake prayer. "I hope your soul will find peace after this training maniac is done with you."

"Are you cursing me, you brat? Lower your hand before I put you to sleep!" He slapped the back of Arun’s head before he chuckled. "I’ll count on you, Julius. Who would have thought you’d teach me one day?"

"Well..." Julius scratched his head, remembering how he had enrolled in college after turning twelve. Shepard had been an untouchable existence, an arcanist he still respected, and his brother’s mentor and friend.

He chuckled. "It’s indeed an unexpected development. Alright, we’ll start after we settle."

"Right. I’ll recall the others and inform Elena. Rest until we depart." Shepard turned, waving his hand as he walked between the swaying fields back to the town.

Meanwhile, Julius’ group stepped into the lush forest. Wild plants filled their noses with an invigorating scent that melded sweetness and bitterness. Twigs cracked beneath their feet, the canopy casting refreshing shadows on their faces as distant clangs reverberated.

Soon, the ship’s hull met their eyes in the middle of a clearing. Though cleaned of the dried blood that had coated it, the battle scares remained—not for long, though.

Amidst a cacophony of welding and rains of sparks, their companions in misfortune worked to restore its past glory.

Julius passed them by, receiving their nods of approval and eager welcomes. Then, he carried Louise on the deck and turned to his friends. "Let’s compile everything we’ve read before Shepard returns."

With determined nods, they spread into their respective rooms. Quills danced on rustling paper, words turning into sentences, pages, and finally, booklets filled with the kingdom’s history, the royal family’s composition, the geographical distribution of cities, and a few weak cultivation techniques.

Satisfied with their work, they handed it to Shepard upon his return with the other teams. Yet, Julius noticed the deep ravines creasing the arcanist’s brows.

Worried but also confused since none was missing or seemed wounded, he asked, "What happened?"

Shepard pinched the bridge of his nose, not even glancing at the booklets handed to him. "The mercenary guild isn’t the only one." His eyes darted to Anya, then Brad, a sigh escaping his lips. "Scum thieves and disgusting assassins have their own organisations."

Anya chuckled behind him, flashing a piece of rough cardboard. "Hehehe. A thief noticed me use my shadows to infiltrate the town. Long story short, he invited us to their nearest branch where we can receive formal training." Her lips curled into a smug grin. "I guess our group wins this information-gathering contest."

"Humph. What are rats shuddering in the shadows worth for?" Brad snorted as he showed a golden medallion engraved with a coiling snake barring its fangs and crossed with two daggers. "We can join the assassins after passing their tests. At least we’ll learn how to kill our enemies decisively."

Shepard let his hands fall on his legs with an exasperated exhale. "What thief and assassins, you brats. We’re mages! Julius, you talk them out of their folly before more people follow their crooked paths."

He grumbled on his way to discuss the information with Elena, Gaston, Nathan, Zeph, and Maya. Though these darker guilds were influential, he had also learned about mage towers and warrior training grounds from the other groups. Of course, he favored the last two as a former director.

Meanwhile, Brad sized Julius up, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "How is the only non-mage going to convince us? I’ll take my guys to learn the assassin guild’s ways and share them with the others." freewēbnoveℓ.com

However, he almost choked on his saliva when Julius scratched his head and asked with genuine innocence. "Who are you?"

"Hahaha!" Anya slapped her leg, exploding into laughter. "You didn’t see it coming, huh? Serves you right for acting all high and mighty with your little guild."

Cheeks twitching, veins throbbing on his forehead, Brad glared at Julius like a feral beast about to pounce on prey. "I’M the strongest summoned, you fool. MY White Tiger guild ranks first in the tower conquest and craftsmanship..."

Julius cut him off, uninterested in his boasting and irrelevant achievements. "Good for you. I don’t care. Become an assassin if you want. But don’t drag the others with you, or I’ll smash your face." He raised his fist, a booming noise erupting as he clenched it between them. "Am I clear?"

As Anya laughed harder, Brad’s fists tightened. Still, he nodded, de-escalating the tension. "I never planned to. I’ll only take my core team."

"I’ll join the thief guild alone, then." Anya grinned. "My abilities are tailored to their stealth and scouting techniques. It’d be a pity not to learn them, don’t you think so, Julius?"

Julius nodded. "That’s true, but you’re misunderstanding. I approve of your personal choices, not to mention the knowledge you’ll gain will strengthen us. What I refuse to see is you forcing others to follow you. It’s as simple as that."

With his piece said and receiving their nods, he waved goodbye and returned to his room. As eager to hear about Elena’s plan tomorrow as to recover from the all-nighter, he slipped under his blankets and instantly fell asleep.

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