"Don't be so quick to refuse, I haven't finished my conditions yet…"
"I refuse."
"Aside from the normal commission split, I'll give you an additional 50 silver coins every month…"
"I refuse."
"I'm about to be promoted to a Silver-rank Adventurer."
"…"
"Alright, alright."
Butler shrugged his bear-like broad shoulders, spread his hands, looking somewhat helpless.
The Sword Saintess was unyielding.
"I don't know what charm this young man possesses to make you so devoted."
"In that case…"
Butler stared down at Naruto, his gaze like a torch, his expression grim.
"It seems the silver coins in the money bag are mine for the taking; I can't return empty-handed!"
"It's not shameful to return empty-handed," Naruto said with a slight smile.
Before they even made a move, the invisible aura between the two began to clash.
Butler's five fingers gripping the greatsword loosened one by one to stretch, then tightened again.
Naruto's expression was normal, and he didn't strike any pose.
He seemed like a complete amateur, standing opposite Butler, relaxed and completely unguarded.
Butler frowned, feeling ridiculous for looking like he was facing a formidable enemy.
"Am I being too cautious?"
"I thought the adventurer Alicia favored was incredibly strong; it seems he's just a kid who eliminates Goblins."
Butler thought to himself, preparing for a quick resolution.
"Stop!"
At this moment, a sharp shout rang out.
The Counter Lady, like a lioness guarding her territory, slapped the table and stood up, her eyes wide, pointing at the door and scolding: "If you want to fight, go outside! Fighting is forbidden in the Adventurers' Guild!"
"Alright."
Naruto put his hands in his pockets, turned first, and left the Adventurers' Guild.
"Quick, follow him."
"This kid isn't going to run, is he?"
"Let's go, let's go, let's go take a look."
"What's there to see? Butler will definitely crush Naruto; there's no suspense at all."
A crowd of adventurers followed him in a bustling mass.
"Let's go too."
The Sword Saintess said to the Witch.
"You, not at all, worried?"
The Witch, holding a wooden staff taller than herself, asked curiously.
The Sword Saintess shook her head, her eyes flickering slightly, and the scene of Naruto eliminating Goblins in Iron Water Village appeared in her mind.
"He's even more powerful than you imagine."
"How interesting."
The Witch smiled sweetly.
Next to the Adventurers' Guild was a complex building housing a tavern and an inn.
Between the two buildings, there was actually an empty plot of land that had been sold but not yet developed.
Naruto and Butler stood in the middle of the empty lot, surrounded by adventurers.
The atmosphere was lively, not as tense as expected.
Because everyone was there to watch a show, and they didn't think this was an evenly matched fight.
"Let's begin!"
"Let's end this farce."
Butler spoke carelessly, raising his silver greatsword.
"It's already over."
A cold voice came from behind Butler.
"Hmm?"
Butler froze.
He realized that the Naruto in front of him had, at some unknown point, vanished into thin air.
At the same time, a sharp ninja sword was placed against his neck.
Butler stiffly turned his head, his eyes meeting Naruto's cold blue gaze.
Killing intent!
He actually sensed killing intent from a young man.
"This… this guy…"
"He's really going to kill me!?"
Cold sweat seeped from Butler's forehead.
There was always a voice in his heart, constantly reminding him not to act rashly, or he would die.
Similar to Butler, the surrounding adventurers were also completely bewildered, looking at each other, not knowing what had just happened.
"Who knows what's going on?"
"What the hell, it's over before it even started!"
"Hey, hey, is this magic or a miracle?"
"Did Butler lose?!"
The adventurers voiced their doubts and shock.
"Young man, I wasn't ready yet…"
Butler forced a smile.
"Are you trying to renege?"
Naruto slightly pressed down the ninja sword in his hand.
He clearly had no interest in performing again.
Noticing the sharp blade about to cut his neck, Butler's smile instantly froze, his heart struggled for a moment, and he quickly said: "Wait! It's… it's me who lost!!"
"Boom"
The surrounding adventurers burst into an uproar.
"Butler surrendered, is that true or false?"
"This must be an act, right?"
"Unlikely. Butler has a considerable reputation in town; he wouldn't need to sacrifice his reputation to make a new adventurer famous."
The adventurers present were discussing animatedly when a not-too-loud but clear voice from behind the crowd echoed in everyone's ears.
"That young man is very powerful, Butler; you didn't lose unfairly."
Everyone looked back and saw a heroic young woman with short purple hair cut to her ears and sharp red eyes.
She wore a cinched leather skirt, her top proudly displayed, but her two slender arms wore armguards, with layers of interlocking plates and sharp, thorn-like spikes along the edges. She wore knee-high combat boots and held a long spear.
The spearhead was long and red, like it was polished from blood crystal.
However.
What was most eye-catching was the golden tag she wore on her chest.
Gold-Grade Adventurer!
It was precisely because of such powerful strength that she could clearly see Naruto's zero-frame startup, a quick step to get behind Butler, drawing his ninja sword, and placing it against Butler's neck.
"Look, everyone, it's… it's a Gold-Grade Adventurer!"
"Oh, great supreme god, why would a Gold-Grade Adventurer appear in a Border Town of the kingdom?"
"If only I could become her teammate, no, no, even if she taught me a few moves, I could walk sideways in the Border Town."
Everyone erupted again.
They were even more excited and shocked than before.
You must know that Silver Rank is already the limit for civilian adventurers.
Gold-Grade adventurers are extremely rare, without exception, they are geniuses with extraordinary talent, or darlings favored by the supreme god.
They truly possess the strength to fight a hundred, slaughter powerful "unpraying ones" like evil dragons and giants!
The bards of the Water Capital sang: "In the years without Platinum-Grade, Gold-Grade adventurers are the strongest humans; they slaughter evil dragons, slay giants, destroy demon lords…"
All of this illustrates the strength of Gold-Grade adventurers.
And before them, there was a Gold-Grade Adventurer.
She looked so young, probably around fifteen or sixteen years old.
"Oh, that caused quite a stir."
The purple-haired long-spear girl stuck out her tongue, heroic one second, mischievous the next.
"Alright, I have things to do, see you if there's a chance."
Without knowing who she was speaking to, the purple-haired long-spear girl waved her hand, hoisted her blood-red spear, and swaggered away.
"…"
"She… she just left?"
"I heard that the Capital of Fire produced the youngest spear god in history; it wouldn't be her, would it?!"
Besides the Royal Capital, the kingdom also has four major capitals, named after "Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth."
The Sword Saintess will be the Archbishop of the Supreme Temple in the Water Capital in the future, ranking as a second-tier (Gold-Grade) Adventurer!