When Renar first heard about the butcher's plan about taking down two Adept rankers by himself while he was barely in the Ace rank at the time, suffice to say that he was rather skeptical.
Yet the mad lad pressed ahead and killed two entities from two powerful organizations. All so he could make them fight with each other and forget about his Ronny identity that he had burned long ago.
Renar had also realized that he and Viper had indirectly benefited from Eren pulling off such a feat. Since the two organizations were busy with each other, they couldn't care less about the rankers who were with Ronny that day too. This allowed them to travel through the two duchies without any problem.
The butcher smirked when he heard the news about the two cultist organizations. He couldn't help thinking about Jules and Lady Zee when he thought about the Illuminati.
'I have to meet them.'
Eren narrowed his eyes when he thought about this. He then sent his mana sense into his storage space to check on a unique potion.
'Soon.'
Eren thought to himself and flashed a cunning smile. He then let go of his thoughts and retrieved another vial of potion from his storage.
"Renar, this is for you."
With a puzzled expression on his face, Renar caught what Eren casually tossed his way. It was a green-colored potion that looked like it would have fizzled once he uncorked the vial.
"What is…"
Renar was going to ask him about the content in the vial. But then something struck him and he felt like a jolt had passed through his body. He asked with a shaky voice to confirm.
"Is this the potion to fix my mana core?"
Eren nodded at Renar's question while he smoked his Sativa. This was something he had concocted for Renar himself after referring to the potion book he had received from Purgatory.
With the solid Ace rank, Eren found it a bit easier to concoct potions like these. Now he had better control over his Ace rank mana and enough to imbue materials with. They had made the concoction of Ace rank potions relatively easy.
The butcher didn't stop there.
"Viper. Renar. Here are your ranking techniques till the Adept rank."
Eren provided Renar and Viper with their respective ranking techniques that were also tweaked by Layla. Unlike Agatha, Renar and Viper weren't half-bloods but therianthropes. So they didn't need the potion's assistance.
The technique that they had been given also supported their progression to the Adept rank. Plus, now they didn't need therianthrope-specific spells. Because their current techniques allowed them to cast normal spells according to their elements without worrying about compatibility issues. As such, both of them didn't need to worry about any hurdles placed in their ranking journeys anytime soon.
Eren knew he and his newfound guild were only allowed to metaphorically stand at the start line at this point. They needed a strong start from the get-go to even think about surviving in the big boys' game.
That's why Eren was doing everything in his power to strengthen his teammates however he can. The efforts he had invested in the academy and his methods of training his classmates also stemmed from this plan. All so that he could have the start he wanted.
"Eren, what happened between us in the past. Due to that, I still have a scar on my psyche. And maybe I'll never really get it out of my head. But as a ranker, I understand the reason behind your actions.
The help and the opportunities you have offered us are too many to count. I have watched you when you were no more than a brat when I first met you. And now I see you as a young man with overwhelmingly grand ambitions. The difference between the two is huge.
Whatever happens in the future, I believe you deserve to rise to the top. Even if I am nobody right now and my words don't hold much sway, I believe my statement to be true.
As such, I will say this with the utmost honesty. That I completely accept you as my leader. I don't know how else to thank you for the things you have done for us."
Eren smiled after hearing Renar's emotional speech. He coughed and responded.
"Well, you can always pay me in Extols if you want to repay me."
Renar and Viper were stunned when they heard that. This was the first time in their life that they witnessed a leader asking money from his subordinates for something he had done for them. Only Agatha was seen laughing as if she expected Eren to say that.
"You thrifty-ass broke guild master, we didn't get paid for all the work we had put in while coming to the Nightshade duchy.
Not only do we not get any reward for that but we also have to pay for something you supposedly do for your own gains? Where's the logic in that?
Don't expect any dime from me, you hear me?
I'm goddamn broke."
Renar pulled his hair in frustration as he said that. Instead of pacifying his guild member or sympathizing with him, the butcher did the only thing we wanted to do at the time. Roast Renar some more.
"Look at that, Agatha. A broke Renar! Also found in the kingdom of Edinburgh!
It's like seeing a virgin hooker."
Agatha and Viper couldn't help but laugh at Eren's pun. They laughed and cackled at each other while teasing Renar some more.
Renar was pissed, to say the least when he heard Eren's comment. It was as if all his childhood traumas had come back to bite him. So he charged at Eren intending to punch in his gut, only to be hit by the consequences of his binding contract.
The group's talk and antics continued as they continued walking through the bustling city. Eren and the rest made their way through a very active crowd of rankers and mortals alike and found themselves in front of a carriage rental service's outlet.
They were traveling outside the city of New Beginnings. It was a four-day ride from their current place.
They were going to visit their guild's land.
