Rocky felt much better after drinking a few refreshment potions alongside Neatwit, straight out of the Guild Storage.

Somehow, the way Neatwit treated him now compared to before the war felt very different to Rocky, as although the Vice Guild Master of the Elites was always kind to him, he did not seem to respect Rocky before today, however, that dynamic seemed to have shifted after the war.

Although he did not bring up Rocky’s killing of the Lich, or behaved like a religious fanatic, he did seem to enjoy Rocky’s company now more than before as he viewed him as an equal, rather than a talented kid.

“Aghhh, that hits the spot for sure!” Neatwit said, as he drank the fourth consecutive low grade refreshment potion and felt all his pent up fatigue slowly melting away.

Wiping his lips, he began massaging his sore spots as he closed his eyes and lost himself to thought.

“Men are born for war, Rocky. I have no question in my mind about it….. although I’m sad whenever we lose a guild member in a war. I can’t deny the fact that I love the thrill of wars.

Not knowing which moment will be your last?

Not knowing which foe will take your life?

The battlefield makes me feel alive, like no other experience ever can” Neatwit said, as although Rocky did not fully agree with the veterans perception, he could not outright dismiss it either.

In this war, he was only shadowing the movements of War God Ravan and had not faced the difficulties of a war on his own. However, maybe because he fought the war on Easy Mode, he too somehow found it very appealing and addictive.

With his eyes still closed, Neatwit smiled softly as he continued, his voice taking on a reverent tone, reflecting the depths of his emotions tied to the battlefield.

“The chaos, the unpredictability—it’s all a game of skill and wit, Rocky. When you’re out there, surrounded by the clash of steel and the cries of the fallen, something primal awakens within you. It’s as if every sense is heightened, every decision becomes a matter of life and death. And that’s the beauty of it,” Neatwit mused, his expression distant yet intensely focused.

He shifted slightly, opening his eyes as he clapped Rocky on the shoulder with a firm grip. “Out there, in the thick of it, you’re not just fighting for survival; you’re living in the moment. Each maneuver, each tactical decision— it’s exhilarating. You feel like you’re crafting your destiny with every move you make.”

“The battlefield, Rocky, it’s the ultimate test of your mettle. It’s where heroes are made, where legends are born. Sure, it’s brutal, and it scars you, changes you in ways that nothing else can. But it also teaches you—about your limits, about your strengths, about the essence of what it really means to be alive.”

“There’s a raw truth to combat. It’s direct, it’s absolute. In those moments, clad in armor, sword in hand, you’re not just a soldier; you’re a hunter, a survivor. And that pure focus—it’s addictive.” He said, as Rocky saw his eyes bordering on the edge of insanity.

This was a look that he hadn’t seen within the Vice Guildmaster ever before and it felt slightly disturbing to Rocky.

“However, Rocky, you can only feel this way as long as you fight without any burdens, any strings.

Once you get a girl. Have kids waiting for you back home or obligations like protecting your guild, it’s not as fun anymore.

Those things truly slow down a man” Neatwit said lamenting, as he took an indirect shot at Karna.

“While we may have lost Karna today, in the future me and you can perhaps become a great team!” Neatwit said brightly, as Rocky chuckled and waved the proposal off.

Today, Rocky realized just how intense the Vice Guild Master really was. Yet, he felt relieved that Neatwit was surrounded by the True Elites Guild and friends like Karna.

With a temperament like his, there was no telling what Neatwit’s life might have been without their steadying presence, as it seemed like they were the only things keeping him centered and focused, preventing him from turning into an absolute war maniac.

“However many potions the two of you have consumed, they are coming out of your salary Neatwit….” A voice suddenly interrupted, as Karna walked into the storage room, interrupting the moment between Neatwit and Rocky.

He seemed to have regained his composure after all that kissing, however, Neatwit could not help but make fun of him still.

“Oh, Karna, there’s some pink lipstick on your lips…” Neatwit said, as Karna immediately tried wiping it off, only to realize there wasn’t anything on there in the first place.

“Hahahaha”

Both Neatwit and Rocky burst out laughing, as Karna gave them both a blank look.

“Real mature guys…. Real mature!” He said, before cracking into a smile himself.

Picking a few bottles of refreshment potions himself, he leaned against the storage wall and began drinking them with his eyes closed, as he waited for the potion to reduce the fatigue he felt.

“One war done…. One more to go-” he said, as the moment these words escaped his mouth, the relaxed expressions on the faces of all three men shifted immediately.

“A lot of the guild’s forces are injured. Plus we need to start gathering resources and formulating a plan.

We also need to confirm whether or not Riva is still inside floor21 or not” Neatwit said, as Karna nodded his head and opened his eyes to look into Rocky’s.

“I’m sorry you had to wait so long Rocky…. However, now that our obligations with the monster wave have been completed, the complete focus of the True Elites Guild in the coming days will be on rescuing Riva.

We have let one of our own suffer for too long. But we definitely won’t let her suffer no more” Karna promised, as Rocky acknowledged his resolve.

———

/// A/N – Mass Release Chapter 2 of 5 ///

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep