Becoming a god starts with enhancing fire arrows.

Not long after Rhodes came out, he saw Paril and Avira emerge from the simulated battlefield at the same time.

Avira took two steps to stand in front of him, staring intently at him with her large golden eyes.

"We're not on the battlefield anymore. If you make another move, I'll really kill myself."

Rhodes looked at the elf, who was almost as tall as him, and made a joke to lighten the mood.

Seeing this, Avira silently found a chair, sat down, and sulked.

Rhodes pulled out a Strike Bracelet and tossed it to her: "This is for you. Besides increasing your running speed, it also has an equipment skill."

Avira put the bracelet aside and didn't look at him.

Rhodes continued, "I've booked the afternoon session too. We'll grab some food later and then have a practice session in the afternoon."

Avira remained silent.

Rhodes thought for a moment: "I came across a dagger while browsing the guild shop just now, and guess what?"

"This dagger is only of ordinary quality, yet it costs one gold coin."

As he spoke, he pulled out a dagger.

Avira was clearly drawn to the dagger, her gaze falling on it as she examined it closely.

Then he scoffed, "This is just an ordinary dagger."

Rhodes gave him a look that said, "You know nothing," and said, "You can try how hard it is."

Avira immediately stood up, gently picked up the bracelet, and returned to the simulated battlefield.

She tossed the question mark dagger high into the air, then swung the greatsword down hard at the dagger's blade.

With a clang, the dagger was knocked away.

Rhodes picked up the dagger and examined it closely.

No marks were left on the blade of the dagger.

"Would normal metals have this effect?"

"As far as I know, there shouldn't be any; it's more like some kind of magical power."

Avira was also somewhat surprised. After thinking for a moment, she suggested, "Since the craftsmen in Phil town don't know, we should ask the senior scholars or the dwarves who live underground."

"Their forging techniques are second to none on the entire continent."

Rhodes carefully put the dagger away and silently kept the matter in mind.

During lunch, Rhodes took the opportunity to talk about Yuxi Village.

Avira said: I didn't want to go, but I'm almost at the threshold of becoming a mid-level warrior, so I might as well experience a few more battles to improve myself.

A consensus was subsequently reached.

The afternoon's simulated battle ended around four or five o'clock. Rhodes suggested that they take a break and not overtrain, as it would interfere with tomorrow's plans.

So he said goodbye to Avira and returned to his room to meditate and rest.

The fatigue of the battle quietly faded away.

......

There are seven days left until the allied forces attack.

Outside the town of Phil.

Following the map, Rhodes and his party quickly arrived at Fish West Village in the east.

It's not far from the town of Phil here.

The village sits beside a river, and as Barnaby noted, it has a desolate feel to it.

Entering from the village entrance, you can't see anyone at all.

Most of the houses along the roadside are abandoned, and many of the doors and windows are broken, half-open and occasionally creaking and shaking.

Some even collapsed on a large scale, exposing broken beams covered with a thick layer of dust.

A patch of lush, green weeds grew beside the house.

"How could a human village be so desolate?" Avira asked, looking around in confusion.

"Judging from the size of the village, it used to be a village that could accommodate several hundred people, but now there are only twenty or thirty people left, so it has naturally been abandoned." Rhodes sighed, his tone somewhat somber.

As we arrived at the riverbank, a fish basket with a large hole lay carelessly discarded beside a small wooden bridge, while half of a tattered fishing net was deeply embedded in the mud.

Beside the small wooden bridge, a hemp rope hung between two wooden poles nailed to the ground, with several faded clothes swaying in the air from the rope.

A young woman dressed in an apprentice's robe was looking around when she saw Rhodes and his group, and her eyes lit up.

"Mr. Rhodes, the old...teacher is waiting for you in the center of the village."

This was one of the three apprentices who had followed Barnaby yesterday, and he looked somewhat reserved when he saw Rhodes.

"Please lead the way." Rhodes followed the female apprentice calmly.

The female apprentice dared not walk too fast, and kept looking back to make sure the three of them were keeping up.

She only breathed a sigh of relief when she arrived at the circular square in the center of the village.

Is it really that much pressure for you to lead the way for me?

Rhodes muttered to himself as he looked up and surveyed his surroundings.

Although the bricks and tiles of the houses are still dilapidated, there are significantly fewer weeds, and the square shows signs of having been cleaned.

It looks a bit more human.

"Mr. Rhodes, over here."

Upon entering a house, they saw the figure of the bald sorcerer Barnaby.

He rose to greet him with delight: "Mr. Rhodes, you are indeed a mage of high moral character."

He then gave a slight nod to Avira and Paril who were following behind.

The group sat down around the round wooden table. Avira removed her heavy helmet, surprising Barnaby: "Your companion is actually a pure elf."

Why would the elves help humans fight the lizardmen? Are they mercenaries hired by Rhodes?

However, her demeanor was unlike that of those crude mercenaries. Although she was a warrior, her every move was as elegant as Rhodes'.

Yes, it's only right that Rhodes, as a mage, is elegant.

Rhodes nodded: "That's right, she is that elite warrior."

Avira ignored their conversation, her haughty gaze sweeping around as if nothing concerned her.

During the conversation, an elderly woman with a haggard appearance and a thin build poured hot water for everyone using a kettle and a few simple cups.

"Ah, this is Mrs. Esme, the owner of this house."

Barnaby accepted the kettle and cup as a thank you.

He picked up his cup, took a sip of hot water, and continued, "Mrs. Esme and her husband lived in Fish West Village their whole lives. They were our neighbors and witnessed both the prosperity and the suffering of Fish West Village."

"That's why they're unwilling to leave the village for Phil town."

"Don't Mrs. Esme and her husband have any children?" Paril, who was holding her teacup obediently, suddenly asked.

"So it did exist..." Barnaby sighed.

"Their son Archie was a guard in the town and was recently killed in the goblin invasion."

Paris looked sorrowful upon hearing this.

Barnaby continued, "Actually, the rest of the villagers are just like Mrs. Esme. They could have left and lived in Phil, but they all chose to stay in the village."

"Holding onto the last vestige of hope."

Rhodes looked at Mrs. Esme's thin back and said, "Perhaps for them, Fish West Village is their whole life."

"That's why I can't tolerate these damned aliens," Barnaby said angrily. "And I can't tolerate this idea of ​​treating humans as resources."

His voice immediately lowered again.

"Unfortunately, I am too weak. I have studied magic my whole life, but in the end I am only an elite-level mage."

"I wonder which school of magic Mr. Barnaby belongs to?" Rhodes asked, continuing the conversation.

"I don't have a specific job title; I just focus on researching magic markings."

Barnaby shook his head and handed over the magic mark that had been promised to Rhodes.