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Chapter 255 : Ambition as Calm as Water
Chapter 255: Ambition as Calm as Still Water (Bonus Chapter from Monthly Tickets)
The man walking toward Gauss looked to be in his thirties or forties, clad in well-fitted light armor, with the emblem of the Serpent Adventuring Party emblazoned on his chest.
His steps were steady, his presence restrained—clearly not someone of weak strength.
Gauss and the others had initially intended to turn and leave, but seeing him approach, they paused for the time being.
The man came to a stop before Gauss and his group.
W̆_е b̀ n óve l̊ Е̇ n ů m̆а̄
His gaze instantly locked onto Gauss.
「Hello, Mr. Gauss,」the man said calmly, extending a hand as he spoke.
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He immediately addressed Gauss by name, without any pretense.
「I’m William, the field director of the Serpent Adventuring Party. Our party leader noticed you all earlier and specifically asked me to come over and say hello.」
Gauss understood instantly—so that Kidd Vives from the Vives Family had been watching them.
Thinking back, the only possible link was that the Vives Family had previously extended an invitation through Adele. Could it be that, after being rejected, he—being a member of the Vives Family—was now here to vent for his kin?
Ѐ nùm̄a . і d
Though his thoughts churned, Gauss’s expression remained calm as still water.
He reached out, gave William a brief handshake, and then let go.
「Mr. William, hello. Please also give my regards to Captain Kidd.」
Even though he had his own suspicions, Gauss still maintained etiquette, curious to see what William’s true intent was.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
If Kidd had sent him over, it certainly wasn’t just to exchange pleasantries.
Sure enough, after a brief exchange of greetings, William continued speaking.
Ĕ n̊ um̂ å.і̌ d
「Our captain values talent and specifically asked me to see if you, Mr. Gauss, and your half-serpent friend would be interested in joining the official combat ranks of our Serpent Adventuring Party?」
Eh?
Just when Gauss had mentally prepared for confrontation—
What came from William’s mouth was still an invitation.
But this time, not under the name of the Vives Family—rather, from the Serpent Adventuring Party.
A different approach after being turned down once before.
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「Well...
Having learned from the last time, Gauss instinctively wanted to refuse.
He had no desire to be tied down.
「Don’t worry. While we do have some ties to the Vives Family, our Serpent Adventuring Party is not their vassal. All matters within the party are decided independently. Our captain sincerely appreciates the two of you, so please give it some thought.」
His gaze lingered on Gauss and Serandur for quite a while.
And it became clear why Captain Kidd had instructed him to issue this invitation in person.
Е̊ ň ǔ m̂à_._і̊ d
Gauss needed no explanation—just his aura and appearance alone left a strong impression. As for Serandur, it likely had to do with his half-serpent heritage.
Though both of them were still at lower levels—
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To join their official combat ranks, one had to be at least Level 5, and even then, a typical Level 5 might not pass the selection. They had to possess a unique skill. Most core combat personnel were at least Level 6.
This was part of Captain Kidd’s elite strategy: better none than subpar.
Of course, the non-core departments had much lower standards.
But correspondingly, those members received fewer rights and resources than the core teams.
Е̄ n û m а.i d
However, after he finished explaining—
He noticed Gauss frowning.
「What about these two companions of mine?」
Gauss wasn’t particularly interested in joining the Serpent Adventuring Party. He simply didn’t like that the conversation had centered solely around him and Serandur—
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Completely ignoring Shadow and Arya. That left a bad taste in his mouth.
「The entry threshold for our core combat ranks is very high.」 Faced with Gauss’s question, William didn’t answer directly.
Еṅū m̃ a
「If they do join, they’d need to go through a period of observation and internal training. Based on their strengths and capabilities, we’d assign them to the most suitable combat team. Future operations would then be coordinated by the team.」
After speaking, his gaze shifted to Arya and Shadow behind Gauss.
「As for your two teammates, Mr. Gauss, they might not currently meet the entry-level standard for our core combat division.
「If they wish to join, I can coordinate with colleagues from other branches to arrange two spots.」
The air seemed to freeze.
Arya stood there awkwardly, pursing her lips, her fingers instinctively gripping the hem of her robe, helpless.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Being evaluated face-to-face and deemed unqualified was a humiliation that made her cheeks flush.
Shadow remained expressionless—
As if this William fellow hadn’t been referring to her, but to someone unrelated.
From the corner of his eye, Gauss caught the entire scene.
The slight consideration he’d been giving the offer was instantly replaced by a firm resolve.
He didn’t hesitate, speaking with unwavering certainty.
Е̇n̆u ṁ a
「Sorry. But thank you for the offer.」
He could understand the strict standards of a large adventuring party—but understanding didn’t mean he could accept it.
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「We are a complete team. Either we join together, or none of us do.」
William’s previously confident expression suddenly stiffened.
He had believed he’d made an offer no one could refuse.
After all, a Level 4 Professional who dared to apply for core recruitment would normally be thrown out for causing trouble.
W̊ë b̃ n o vе ľ .Е̂ nǔ ṁ.а
In Sena City, the gem of the bay, the Serpent Adventuring Party held great renown. Even without factoring in future development and growth, just becoming part of the core ranks was a prestigious feat for ordinary elite Professionals.
Many dreamed of it, yet couldn’t attain it.
The calm on William’s face finally faded.
His tone grew cold, laced with disappointment, as if only now realizing Gauss’s foolishness.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
「Gauss, I hope you really think this through. Everyone must walk their own path.」
His eyes once again swept over Arya and Shadow.
Enum̆а̌ .id̂
「How about this—you all go back and talk it over. We’ll be staying in Sena City for the next few days. Ask around a bit, and you’ll probably be able to find out where we’re—」
「Thank you for your party's kind offer. However, I believe I’ve already thought this through clearly.」
William looked at Gauss, who had rejected him again, his gaze complex—there was irritation at being offended, mixed with a trace of regret and frustration at Gauss’s lack of ambition.「I understand. Farewell.」He turned to leave, but suddenly halted his steps and tilted his head to leave one final remark.
「I hope that one day, in the future, you won’t regret the choice you made today.」
With those words, William’s figure merged into the flow of the port’s crowd and vanished from sight.
After his departure, the group once again fell into a brief silence.
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Arya hesitated for a long while before finally speaking up in a small voice.
「A-Actually... it's fine if we split up...」
From the deeply conflicted tone on her face, it was clear her heart was also struggling.
「I don't think it’s a good idea.」Gauss shook his head, revealing a smile.
He had indeed weighed the options in that brief moment earlier.
After all, it’s easier to find shelter under a great tree. If the Serpent Adventuring Party had looser management, developing under their platform for a while might not be a bad thing.
Ё ň ü m̆ а. і́ d
But the facts proved—he was overthinking it.
How many organizations exist where one can enjoy benefits without any obligations?
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Let alone the notion of splitting the team up—that alone was something he couldn’t accept.
Alright... truthfully, at his core, he was a nostalgic and prideful person.
He believed that with his own 「talent」, growing stronger was only a matter of time. He wasn’t willing to compromise on too many things.
Let alone joining the Serpent Adventuring Party meant obeying their demands, reorganizing the team, and likely taking orders for all future operations.
W̆ е ḃ ǹ о̃ ṽе̊ ľ Én̈uṁ а̊
If he wanted to go on mass goblin hunts or grind numbers in the Monster Encyclopedia by killing low-tier monsters—would the rest of the team really agree?
Gauss knew right away—that was impossible.
Because it involved core interests. In the eyes of many adventurers, killing small monsters was a pointless endeavor, offering no benefits toward growing stronger—just a waste of time.
Besides, as a newcomer, he’d hold little sway. He probably wouldn’t even get a say, let alone make decisions.
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He paused, then spoke with unmistakable confidence.
「Trust me. It won’t be long before we build a far greater adventuring party—creating a far greater legacy of our own.」
Е̄ ṅ ů m̂а..i d̀
Arya caught the determination in his eyes and couldn’t help but feel moved.
Though she had said those words earlier, if they really did split up, she would be devastated.
But just thinking about William’s cold demeanor earlier, she still felt indignant.
「Then, when that time comes, we’ll just swallow up the Serpent Adventuring Party!」
She spoke with childlike bravado—clearly “triggered” by the situation.
「Alright.」Gauss nodded with a smile.
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Serandur remained silent.
From start to finish, he felt no temptation from the so-called Serpent Adventuring Party’s core ranks—he simply found them noisy.
As for Shadow, she vaguely understood Gauss and this small team even more now.
Among those present, only Captain Ferne—who had witnessed the entire exchange—had waves crashing within his heart.
That was the core ranks of the Serpent Adventuring Party!
Being active near Sena City for years, he knew exactly what that represented.
Е̊ nûm a .і̄ d̀
If it had been an ordinary adventurer, he would’ve surely thought the man had lost his mind. That “bold declaration” just now would be seen as bluster to save face.
But looking at Gauss’s expression—devoid of any jest, completely serious—
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Ferne’s heart couldn’t help but beat faster.
If it’s him, maybe... maybe he really could pull it off?
The thought had barely formed before even Ferne himself found it absurd.
The Serpent Adventuring Party—one of the true behemoths at the top of Sena City’s food chain.
Wе ḃ n̊ о̄ v еl Ӗǹ um ӑ
Its official members were said to number over five hundred—not counting the even greater number of peripheral members, support staff, and employees tied to internal industries.
Captain Kidd himself was a powerful Dragonblood Warlock, his strength unfathomable, standing atop the very pyramid of Sena City.
The Serpent Adventuring Party was no longer just an adventuring party—it had already become a vital force in some of the city’s defensive operations.
Not to mention, the Serpent Adventuring Party maintained many connections with the true rulers of the city—the Vives Family.
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With deeply entrenched, intricate ties, the Serpent Adventuring Party could essentially move unchallenged through Sena City. Whether dealing with the authorities, merchant guilds, or the underworld, all had to show them respect.
The Serpent Adventuring Party was like a massive organism, with roots that extended into nearly every corner of Sena City.
Ӗ n̄ u m̊ а
With Ferne’s limited perspective, he could hardly imagine what kind of force could ever shake—let alone 「swallow」—such a behemoth.
If it really happened, it would undoubtedly be the greatest of miracles.
At that thought, he felt his mouth dry.
If that day truly came, perhaps he would be one of the few witnesses to the entire journey?
Ferne suddenly found himself yearning deeply to see that day arrive.
Gazing into Gauss’s ambition—calm as still water—his own eyes began to burn.
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「Let’s go. Time to handle our spoils.」
Gauss brushed aside the Serpent Adventuring Party from his mind once more.
One step at a time—that’s how the path must be walked. Meals, too, must be eaten one bite at a time.
As long as he kept growing stronger, all those arrogant dreams would one day come true.
Sena City, on Ninth Avenue, inside a line of luxurious carriages—
Kidd Vives leaned against a velvet-draped window, his gaze calmly sweeping over the passing street scene outside. In his serpent eyes, not a ripple of emotion could be seen.
Е̊ n̆üm̄á . і́ d̀.
「Refused? I see.」
Upon receiving the message, he merely responded flatly.
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That strikingly handsome yet chilling face remained emotionless.
There was not the slightest change upon hearing the news.
No anger, no displeasure, no surprise, not even regret—only a deep, abyss-like calm.
His decision to send the invitation had merely been a momentary whim.
Е̂ n̄ům а
Though he’d long been managing his own adventuring party from afar, he was by no means unaware of the Vives Family’s internal affairs. In fact, he was intimately familiar with most matters in the household that were even remotely noteworthy.
Of course, it wasn’t that he actively sought out the information—rather, someone within the family would take the initiative to relay it to him.
And amid his busyness, he would still make time to stay informed on intelligence and consultations from all sides.
Those in high positions were, in truth, busier than most could imagine.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Toward someone like Gauss—a low-level adventurer who had decisively rejected an investment from the family—he naturally felt a spark of curiosity.
That was why, back at the harbor, upon spotting him, he had taken the chance to casually send someone to recruit him.
Wе́b̂_n ǒv̊ е̌ ĺ Ēnū m̃ ǎ
The power of the family had nothing to do with him. The Serpent Adventuring Party was his own independent kingdom.
If he could make use of talent rejected by the family, he would find it quite amusing.
As for Serandur, he was merely included due to his bloodline.
Yes—his invitation to Gauss and Serandur had no other motive. It was purely out of interest.
So after being rejected, he didn’t have many thoughts about it.
After all, it was just a trivial episode.
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To him, the only things that truly mattered were his own strength and the size and development of the Serpent Adventuring Party.
Everything else was just noise.
「Lord Kidd, the Elder Council requests that you head to the family’s Assembly Hall upon arrival,」a beautiful attendant nearby reminded him.
「Then let’s go,」he replied, his voice still calm and without ripple.
The luxurious carriage rumbled over the smooth stone pavement, making its way toward the ancient and heavily fortified buildings at the city’s center.
The scene outside the carriage window gradually shifted from the harbor’s hustle and bustle to the somber quiet of the noble district.
W ӗb̊n̈о̂ v̇ӗl̂ Е̃ num а̃
Everywhere in sight were high walls and deep courtyards, tightly guarded.
The Vives Family’s Assembly Hall was located at the very heart of their family castle.
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On the heavy oak door were carved intricate family crests—white waves encircling an all-seeing eye—symbolizing the family's mastery over the sea and arcane secrets.
As he passed the entrance to the great hall, his gaze briefly lingered on the family crest, then the corner of his lips lifted into a faintly mocking smile before he stepped inside.
The air was thick with the scent of aged wood, sealed scrolls, and a faint trace of magical incense.
Beside a long rectangular council table, several aged figures were already seated—both men and women.
Ẃ е̃ b̃ n̈ ö v̄ е̂ l Е n̊ u̇_m̀а
Each one present was a real powerholder in the Vives Family—in other words, the true rulers of Sena City.
Some were in charge of the family's finances and industries, others oversaw intelligence and certain “special” affairs.
Still others handled the family’s military, magical research, and core interests in the Adventurer’s Guild.
With Kidd’s arrival, all eyes immediately turned to him.
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「Kidd, your recent actions have become a bit too conspicuous.」
The elder at the head, with white hair and beard, was named Lawrence Vives. He was referring to the Serpent Adventuring Party’s relentless expansion and Kidd’s increasingly unilateral conduct in certain matters.
È ṅüm̆ а. і̇ d
「The Elder Council hopes you’ll rein in your subordinates.」
「I’ll do my best.」
「And those sea-folk—don’t tell me you can’t control them?」 Lawrence slapped the table. His tone wasn’t one of inquiry, but interrogation.
The so-called “sea-folk” were humans with partial sea-folk bloodlines.
Due to their heritage, some of them with beneficial mutations possessed talents superior to ordinary humans.
But their mixed bloodlines also made them more prone to “bloodline diseases,” drastically increasing the risk of them going out of control.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Recently, the city had already seen several large-scale bloody clashes between sea-folk and ordinary humans.
「The ones involved in those incidents weren’t mine,」Kidd calmly shook his head.
Lawrence simply fixed his gaze on him, saying nothing for a long time.
「I don’t care if they were yours or not. I only care about the outcome,」Lawrence snorted coldly.
「Understood,」Kidd lowered his head slightly.
「Also, you’d best remove some of those sea-folk from your party. When it comes to those with impure bloodlines, I trust I don’t need to remind you how to deal with them.」
E̊ ñ ü ṁа.і̃ d̊
Elder Lawrence locked onto Kidd like a hawk, his fingers tapping the table in a rhythmic beat, as if exerting pressure on him.
「Don’t forget, Kidd—you are first and foremost the second heir of the Vives Family, and then the leader of the Serpent Adventuring Party.」
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The implication was clear: though the party was Kidd’s own force, it could not operate without the family. They had plenty of means to bring the organization to a halt.
For the first time, Kidd’s face showed a hint of expression.
He took a deep breath.
Only after a long while did he finally speak.
Ẁ е̌ b̈ñov̄ е l̇ E_ṅ ŭ mа
「Elder Lawrence, I believe what the family needs is a serpent that can bite and tear into its prey, not a docile and harmless sheep.」
「Can you control them? Or are you raising a pack of beasts that will one day turn on you? These recent incidents—even if you didn’t directly order them—are inseparable from your indulgent attitude! Sena City needs stability, not chaos!」Another voice spoke—Madam Marjorie, the female elder in charge of intelligence, said coldly.
Beasts, huh...
Kidd’s gaze swept across each of the elders present.
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Then he chuckled softly.
「I understand.」
W̃ ёb̊n̊o ve.l̈ Е n ù.m̈_а
He rose to his feet—his towering figure casting a long shadow under the magic lamp like a serpent coiled to strike.
「Since this is the unanimous decision of the Elder Council—I’ll take care of it.」
With that, he didn’t spare another glance at any of the elders. He turned and walked toward the great door, his steps as steady as ever.
After he left—
Elder Lawrence and Elder Marjorie exchanged a glance.
「He’s becoming more and more difficult to control.」
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
「If this continues, I fear some in the city will come to know only the Serpent Kidd—and forget the name Vives.」
「By the way, I just received word—Kidd secretly sent someone to approach that Gauss again the moment he landed, trying to recruit him.」
If Gauss had been here, he likely would’ve been stunned. After all, barely any time had passed since he left the harbor, yet the intelligence had already flown to the very core of the Vives Family’s decision-making.
「Did he agree?」
「No. That kid rejected him.」
「Then forget it. That person has already taken notice of him—we cannot go against that person’s will.」
Е̄n̂um̄ã. іḋ
「Another impure-blooded freak... Never mind. Even if he can’t serve the family, at least he won’t become another venomous snake we failed to raise.」
Her tone seemed contemptuous, but the slight pause and subtle gesture betrayed the truth behind her words.
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It made her sound a bit sour.
Everyone present knew—the weight of that person’s favor was not something she could undermine with just a few words.
So no one else responded, and the Assembly Hall soon fell silent.
「Meeting adjourned.」
W eb̌ n̆_o̊v еl̈ Ӗ n ù_m̂ã
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