Chapter 151 Conditions and Unexpected Events

Class Holders.

To ordinary commoners who would never encounter transcendent power in their lifetimes, they seemed no different from regular adventurers.

They wore the same heavy, expensive armor, fought the same dangerous monsters, and earned the same lucrative incomes a commoner couldn't make in years.

One could only vaguely sense the difference between the two when those aloof adventurers—who acted as if they didn't even care about the knight lords in their castles—showed envy and awe at the mention of the term.

But when a person threw down their hoe, picked up a longsword, faced the warm breath of a roaring monster up close, and felt the sticky blood dripping down their cheeks; when they watched teammates they spent day and night with get torn to shreds by beasts, and spent their hard-earned gold coins on overpriced alcohol just to numb their nerves—then they would finally understand what being a "Class Holder" truly meant.

Compared to the uncertainty of bottom-tier adventurers, at least for the Vast Majority of Organizations on the Aifala Continent, if a person gained a Class Level, the increase in their strength was just the most insignificant part.

More importantly, they had achieved a breakthrough from zero to one on the transcendent path.

To some extent, becoming a Class Holder—even at the foundational Level 1—represented a relatively stable, bright future within reach.

It also meant they were truly worth nurturing.

As a behemoth spanning the entire continent with an absurdly wide sphere of influence, the Adventurers' Association naturally attracted a massive number of adventurers due to its unique organizational nature.

For the individuals among them who had outstanding aptitude, or simply good luck, and obtained a Class Level, the Association provided a certain degree of encouragement and support.

"Practical and effective high-level combat techniques, high-quality yet inexpensive alchemy potions, classified information that is normally difficult to obtain, and even incredibly precious Magic Equipment—"

"After gaining a Class Level as an Association member, corresponding exchange channels will be opened to you as a benefit," the short-haired blonde receptionist, Molly, said with a serious expression.

At this moment, the usually listless girl—who always looked completely exhausted every second of her shift—sat up straight, full of energy and without a trace of sleepiness.

It was as if she had turned into a completely different person while introducing the Adventurers' Association's generous perks to Xia Nan now that he was a Class Holder.

They were no longer in the crowded Association hall; they had moved to a quiet room inside the building that resembled a small conference room.

As for her original desk duties, another staff member had been called in to temporarily cover for her.

Xia Nan sat across the table, his thoughts turning.

It was pretty much as he had guessed.

For adventurers like him who had just obtained their Class Level, the Association wouldn't directly provide a massive amount of resources, but rather offer a clear upward trajectory.

This made sense.

After all, given the scale of the Adventurers' Association and the nature of its faction and operational model, it didn't desperately need to replenish its fighting force like other small and medium-sized organizations did. Naturally, there was no need to boost its appeal through handouts.

The name "Adventurers' Association" and everything it represented were more than enough.

Of course, by the same token, while the Association wouldn't give Class Holders many direct rewards, it also didn't impose many restrictions.

It wouldn't dictate who you had to fight, what you couldn't do, or who you had to kneel to.

To a certain extent, it operated more like a "platform."

Adventurers earned gold coins, combat techniques, and a path for professional advancement through quests issued by the Association, while the Association expanded and increased its influence through its countless adventurers.

"Please rest assured, it isn't the kind of deep binding where you need to sign a contract or swear an oath," Molly quickly added. Seeing Xia Nan sitting in silence, she was worried she hadn't explained clearly and had caused a misunderstanding.

"The benefits I mentioned earlier are provided to Class Holders in the Association entirely for free, as long as you meet the conditions required for the exchange."

After all, in the vast majority of cases, it was perfectly normal for a high-level Class Holder to hold multiple identities across different spheres at the same time.

A Legendary rank adventurer renowned across the continent might also be a zealot of some deity, holding an important position in the Church while simultaneously being a member of some fishing enthusiast club.

As the most famous neutral organization on the continent, the Adventurers' Association didn't place any bindings on its Class Holders. Often, it was just the most inconspicuous part of a person's background.

The Association itself even maintained cooperative relationships with organizations from many different factions.

For a simple example, during the Hunting Day that ended a few days ago, the bounty for goblins was raised to five silver coins each, entirely funded by the Servia Kingdom.

Many high-ranking officials in the kingdom actually originated from the Association.

In their youth, they had also hacked at goblins in the Misty Forest, earned two or three gold coins, and bragged in the taverns of Rivervale Town.

Even so, it didn't stop them from joining the kingdom's faction after growing strong through the Association's resources. As their strength grew and their mindsets shifted, they would even turn around and endlessly argue over cooperation terms with the high-level executives of the Association's branch.

The more one wanted, the more restrictions there were, and the harsher the conditions became.

Of course, the Adventurers' Association didn't consist solely of free members from other factions.

It also had a substantial number of core internal personnel; otherwise, it would be impossible to support such a massive organizational structure.

It was just that these things were still very far away for the current Xia Nan.

"Regarding the detailed information on this... although I know a little, I am restricted by regulations and really can't reveal too much. You will need to go upstairs and ask the corresponding staff for specifics. I am incredibly sorry," Molly explained cautiously, weighing her words.

At the same time, she stared unblinkingly at Xia Nan across from her, observing his expression as if terrified that he would get angry.

Xia Nan didn't feel offended by this.

Right now, he was thinking that according to what she had said, if he wanted more resources tilted in his favor in the future, or even to be absorbed into the organization's core, he would have to demonstrate his potential and value, and sign relevant contracts to prove his loyalty.

But on one hand, he had transmigrated to this world less than two hundred days ago in total. He had come into contact with too few people and factions, and he didn't want to bind himself to a specific camp too early.

On the other hand, he had just obtained his Class Level and hadn't made any special contributions. He was still a long way from being actively recruited by the Association, so there was no rush at all.

So he just nodded to indicate he understood her meaning and cut straight to the point, "So, to go up to the Association Second Floor, I don't need to sign any sort of contract with you, right?"

"That is correct, Mr. Xia Nan!"

"Then..." His eyes shifting with a hint of doubt, Xia Nan's gaze swept over the conference room they were in.

Seeing this, Molly's expression immediately turned a little awkward. She coughed dryly, and as her lips parted, she recited the speech she had already memorized by heart: "Er, esteemed Class—Lord Xia Nan, the Adventurers' Association has always upheld the cooperative principle of 'Equal Radiance of Rights and Responsibilities.' Just as a blade must be carefully measured to perfectly fit its scabbard, a practical test is a necessary procedure to ensure you understand the parity of a Class Holder's rights and responsibilities. It is not merely an assessment of privileges, nor is it a questioning of your aptitude. This is exactly—"

The strong sense of déjà vu from this official corporate jargon suddenly made Xia Nan's expression slightly strange.

On the outside, he still appeared very polite, listening carefully to the script she had clearly struggled to memorize; internally, however, he automatically filtered out the useless fluff and quickly extracted the key information.

It wasn't until Molly finished reciting the whole thing that he spoke up again, asking, "To sum it up, you mean that before I can officially go up to the second floor as a Class Holder, I still need to complete a quest. Is that right?"

"Yes, yes!" Molly nodded repeatedly, looking surprised that Xia Nan had understood her meaning immediately, right when she was wondering if she should summarize it again.

"The difficulty generally won't be too high. Even Class Holders whose initial abilities are slightly lacking can complete it easily."

"It's just that because a minor issue came up during the recent Hunting Day, the staff member responsible for issuing these specific quests isn't in Rivervale Town right now. So you'll probably need to wait about three or four days."

Seeing Molly's apologetic expression, Xia Nan waved his hand, signaling her not to worry about it.

Having just advanced to a Class Holder, he had wanted to rest for a while anyway to get proficient with his newly mastered combat techniques.

For him, three or four days was actually a bit short.

However, since she said it was a quest even the most ordinary Class Holder could complete, it shouldn't be a big problem given his current, obviously "overpowered" stats.

"Then I'll come back in five days," Xia Nan said, standing up to leave.

Seeing him being so accommodating, Molly's previously tense heart couldn't help but relax.

As if remembering something, she glanced left and right guiltily—even though there was no one else in the room—and leaned in to whisper a reminder: "Mr. Xia Nan, although the specific details of the quest are still unclear, based on the news I've heard these past few days, the location of the quest can roughly be confirmed."

"Oh? Go ahead."

"It should be... Nym."

Outside the Adventurers' Association, on the bustling street.

It was nearing evening.

Xia Nan was walking on the road toward the White Chickadee Tavern, his mind recalling the conversation he just had with the Association receptionist, Molly.

"Five days... Nym."

Speaking of which, he had long heard of this largest city near Rivervale Town.

He had been thinking about when to go over and see the world, but because of the endless stream of quests, he hadn't had the chance.

Now, taking advantage of this "business trip," he could consider his small wish fulfilled.

Amid his thoughts, a sudden clamor drifted over from the side of the road.

He subconsciously looked over.

He saw a slightly plump woman with curly hair and Rimless Glasses resting on her nose standing on the side of the street, a look of fury on her face.

She was gripping a long ladle in her hand, thick liquid dripping from it.

"Lady Edwina?"

Xia Nan immediately recognized the owner of the Green Grass Crucible.

He felt a bit puzzled.

In his impression, although Lady Edwina was fond of strong alcohol, her personality was famously gentle. The various ointments and patches sold in her shop were much cheaper than those in the alchemists' stalls inside the Association.

Her reputation among adventurers was quite good.

For her to be this angry right now...

Following the direction of her furious glare, he instantly understood.

He saw the middle-aged man who had been chased out of the blacksmith shop by "Rockhammer" Barn standing wretchedly in front of the lady, constantly backing away with a small bundle on his back.