When I stand up and stretch I feel a lot better than I normally do, after a minute I realize why. Now that I am rank six I no longer have my stats being limited, I am free. Even though it was only my strength that was being limited, having the limit gone feels glorious.

It is too bad that I couldn't get more shadow ape cores, 52 more would allow me to get to rank seven. However, now that I know what lives down there, there is no way I am going back. I would rather face two demons at once than try to fight that thing.

'That reminds me, I still have the demon's core!'

*Magic Item*

Demon Core

Rank: 5

Do you wish to absorb it? Y/N

'Good! I can still absorb demon cores at least!'

"Yes!"

Core Upgrade Progress: 72%

'A rank 5 core only gave me 25%?'

Well, it is a little ridiculous to think I could jump straight to rank seven in the first place. The fact that I am even able to rank up while taking this test is already pretty amazing. For now I am going to stop worrying about my rank and focus on completing the test.

Since I have shorted myself on rest for almost a week I go to bed and sleep until just before dawn. When I wake up I head to my troops barracks only to find my troops already in their new gear and lined up and waiting for me. Without a word I lead them on the normal run, both Shard's and Fallon's troops follow me as well.

After the run, as I am working on formations with my troops, a page comes up to me bearing a message. It is a summons to appear before the king, probably something about the demon. The summons is for tomorrow afternoon so I will just have to hope my new gear is ready by then so I don't look too bad.

In the meantime I think it is time to move on to stage two of the training. So I select the ten troops that I have noticed that have leadership qualities and name them as sergeants. Then I assign each of them four soldiers to act as their squads.

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After that I order them to go and register with the adventurer's guild and start working on missions as squads. This will get them some combat experience with the new gear and at the same time clear out the nearby monsters. They are not thrilled with the new assignment until I tell them that the quest rewards are theirs to keep.

After that they rush off with a lot more enthusiasm, after all they will still be getting paid as soldiers at the same time. It is my hope that when they have an easy time dealing with the monsters it will help their self confidence. That and experience dealing with monsters will help them deal with the coming invasion.

While they are off doing that I head over to the east side of town and walk around until I find the mason's guild. There I spend five thousand gold to hire the guild to do repairs and maintenance on the town's defenses. This is something the king should be paying for but from the look of the walls it hasn't been done for years.

After that I find and head into the leatherworker's guild and ask to talk to the best leatherworker in the guild. Unfortunately, when I meet him and show him the demon wings he tells me that he isn't good enough to work with them. Having hit a dead end with the guild I think for a minute before heading to the adventurer's guild and asking to see Zimmy.

Zimmy says "Hello, Ash. What can I do for you?"

"I am hoping you know of a master leatherworker. I tried the leatherworker's guild but their best can't do what I need."

Zimmy says "I do know of some leatherworkers who don't live in town. May I ask what you are looking for specifically?"

"I need someone who can work with the demon's wings. I want a cloak made out of them."

Zimmy says "Wow, that's a tall order. I only know of one person who might be able to do it, but she is a little strange."

"Strange how?"

Zimmy says "Well, for starters she is an elf. She doesn't like humans but I don't know how she will react to you."

"This isn't your mother is it?"

Zimmy says "No! My mother was a human, my father is an elf. Although, I have never actually met him."

"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to intrude on your personal affairs."

Zimmy says "It's fine. Here is a map leading to where the elf makes her home. It is only a few hours from here, but be careful, she might see you as a beast."

"Thank you. And don't worry, I will be fine."

After saying my goodbyes to Zimmy, I leave the guild and head out of town. Following the map I head southwest and at a run it only takes me an hour to get there. As soon as I am close to the point shown on the map I end up getting an arrow shot at me.

Luckily, I was expecting something like this so I am able to catch the arrow. As soon as I catch it I see four more already in the air and coming for me. Instead of dodging I make the extra effort to catch all of them, after that no more arrows come.

??? says "That is an impressive feat! Who and what are you?"

"My name is Ash and I am a captain in the army as well as a grade A adventurer."

??? says "An adventurer? Then did Zimmy send you?"

"That's right."

At my response an elf in leather armor and carrying a bow steps out of the undergrowth. As soon as I see her I can't help but gulp, she is amazingly beautiful. What draws my eyes the most is her armor, not only is it made at least as well as my drake armor but it is form fitting.

Raindrop says "Sorry for the rough greeting. My name is Raindrop, why are you looking for me?"