That night, after EeDeChi jumped into the river, the dye in her hair was washed away by the water, and it returned to its natural, smooth black short hair.

Barrett still wanted to dye her hair, but EeDeChi said she didn't want to look like a Super Saiyan. She wrapped a scarf around her face and put on a wide-brimmed felt hat to cover it up.

In the inn room, Barrett pinned the map to the wall to show Franco their future route of action, while EeDeChi explained the strong enemies the adventuring team was facing to help the new member get up to speed quickly.

"We are up against a very, very powerful enemy, a level 100 Demon Lord, Ainz Ooal Gown. He's doing everything he can to hunt us down. He has several subordinates who are just as strong as he is, and he also has an unknown number of high-level magic items," EeDeChi said seriously to Franco.

She said, "My own power is also level 100. The maximum level in this world is 100. I don't want to hide anything from you. Honestly, right now, I have zero chance of defeating them. None at all! If we get surrounded by them, we're dead for sure! If you want to leave the team, you can do so at any time. I won't force you."

"Hm…" Franco nodded lazily.

Seeing Franco's nonchalant attitude, EeDeChi felt a bit of relief. She thought, as long as he wasn't afraid, they were already one step closer to beating Ainz.

"Ainz has several level 100 subordinates. I'll introduce them one by one, though only the ones I know about. There are surely more unknown level 100 characters in the Great Tomb of Nazarick," EeDeChi said. "The first one is Sebas Tian. Sebas specializes in close combat and can transform into a Dragonman."

"Is it a woman?" Franco asked.

"No."

"The second one is Demiurge. A level 100 demon," EeDeChi continued.

"Is it a woman?" Franco asked again.

"No."

"The third one is Cocytus, also a level 100 warrior."

"Is it a woman?" Franco asked once more.

"No!" EeDeChi's fists were now clenched.

"Ah-choo~" Franco leaned back, letting out a long yawn, crossed his legs, and settled into a more comfortable position in the chair.

EeDeChi resisted the urge to smack him, and continued, "The fourth one, Albedo."

"He's not a woman, right? This is getting boring," Franco muttered, rolling his eyes.

"She is a woman," EeDeChi suppressed her irritation, reminding herself that this was a new teammate, and she wasn't familiar with him yet. She needed to be patient.

"Oh!" Franco suddenly sat up straight, his violet eyes sparkling with excitement, and asked eagerly, "Is she pretty?"

"I don't know," EeDeChi turned to Barrett. "Is she pretty?"

"Yeah, she's really pretty," Barrett replied, realizing that EeDeChi had no sense of beauty or ugliness at all.

Franco puffed out his chest, stared ahead with unwavering determination, and then asked, "Is her boobs big?"

"Big." Barrett nodded.

Franco immediately jumped up from his chair, pulled out his wand, and started climbing the window, ready to jump out.

He shouted loudly, "My sense of justice can no longer allow me to stay here! I'm going to eliminate this evil witch right now!"

"Get back here!" EeDeChi grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him back. "All actions are under command!"

"Ainz has a maid squad," Barrett said, "Although they're all below level 100, there are a lot of them, and they're still a force to be reckoned with."

"Wow! A maid squad! Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!" Franco burst into lewd laughter, flailing his arms and spinning around the room like he was dancing the tango.

Be patient, be patient... EeDeChi clenched her fists, reminding herself that this was a new teammate, a new partner, and she needed to cherish him, take care of him.

"Captain!" Franco finished his dance, taking a giant leap and landing right in front of EeDeChi. He stood straight, legs together, back straight, and saluted with absolute determination in his eyes. "Send me into battle! I'll control Albedo, and then infiltrate the Great Tomb of Nazarick all by myself!"

"Hmm, I really appreciate your proactive approach," EeDeChi nodded approvingly. Though the plan seemed a bit far-fetched, Franco's willingness to volunteer for the mission was a spirit worth encouraging.

"How do you plan to control Albedo and infiltrate the Great Tomb of Nazarick?" Barrett asked, curious.

"As I mentioned when I applied, I have body transformation abilities. I can easily pull this off thanks to that power," Franco said, full of confidence.

"What kind of animal are you planning to turn into?" EeDeChi gave him an encouraging smile.

"Oh, my body transformation ability isn't to turn into an animal, but to grow threads, spikes, and bumps on my cock." Franco explained. "We'll trick Albedo into coming out, and then…"

Before he could finish, EeDeChi suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt, slammed him to the ground, and raised her fist high in the air, as if she were hammering a nail, and brought it down hard toward his face!

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each punch landed with such force that the entire inn trembled!

After delivering over ten punches, EeDeChi kept hammering Franco's face. Each time her fist came down, blood splattered onto the floor. Franco's head had already sunk into the wooden floorboards, his once handsome face now a bloody, mangled mess, and his eyes and nose were completely unrecognizable.

"Stop! Stop! You're going to kill him!" Barrett hurried to stop her.

EeDeChi finally stopped, her fists dripping with blood.

She grabbed Franco by the collar, yanked him up, and shouted, "If you say any more disgusting things, I'll rip your tongue out!"

With that, EeDeChi furiously drew her giant sword, planted it into the ground, and muttered under her breath, "If Gods Deny Salvation's Hand, With Sacred Blade I'll Reprimand!"

In an instant, golden light spread across the ground, and a warm current flowed in all directions. Franco's injuries immediately healed, and his face, which had been smashed to a pulp by EeDeChi's punches, returned to its original handsome state.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Ow, that hurts," Franco rubbed his face, pulling out a mirror to check if his face was ruined.

"From now on, you'll follow my orders!" EeDeChi pointed a finger at his nose.

"Fine," Franco grumbled. "You're such a stubborn girl, not cute at all."

Cheeko, sitting on the windowsill, watched the new team member with bright, glossy eyes. The sight of EeDeChi pounding Franco had startled the little creature.

Franco glanced at Cheeko, picked it up, and said in surprise, "This pig looks like a cat."

Cheeko, annoyed, swung its claws fiercely, slapping Franco's face with its pudgy paws. Franco immediately tossed it onto the bed.

"It's called Cheeko, it's a cat," Barrett corrected.

"I know, a magical pet. I've always wanted to have an owl as a magical pet," Franco said, using the tip of his wand to conjure up a fluffy pom-pom like a cat toy, trying to tease Cheeko.

"By the way," Franco asked, "You said I'm the fourth member. So, besides you two, who's the other one?"

"Cheeko is the third member," EeDeChi replied, still looking at the map without lifting her head.

"Are you kidding?" Franco's violet eyes widened in disbelief. "This is ridiculous. There's no way I'm letting a cat ride on my head!"

He lunged at Cheeko like a fox, and Cheeko immediately tried to jump with its short little legs. Franco grabbed its sky-blue tail and dangled it upside down in his hand. Cheeko's four legs flailed wildly in the air, helpless, and pitiful.

"Ha! Gotcha. As expected, cats should just behave as pets," Franco said, holding the cat with one hand and resting his chin in the other. "How should I deal with this? Hmm... Maybe giving it to a girl will win me some points..."

A chill of terror suddenly rose in Franco's heart, making his back tingle. It felt as though a massive, towering demon was looming over him. A powerful grip clamped around the back of his neck, and his feet left the ground.

EeDeChi was holding Franco, and Franco was holding Cheeko, forming a bizarre, conjoined sculpture. Barrett, standing nearby, watched the rather ridiculous scene and, even with his usual composure, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

…

Half a minute later…

Franco was kneeling on the ground, and EeDeChi stared at him, her eyes cold. Cheeko crouched in front of Franco. Franco lowered his body, pressing his forehead deeply to the ground, and bowed to the cat, saying, "Sorry, Senior Cat. I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Cheeko let out a soft "meow," raising its right paw and gently pressing it onto Franco's obedient golden hair, signaling that it accepted his apology.

"Let's first check out the local Adventurer's Guild, then head to the adventurer's tavern to gather some information," Barrett said.

The tavern next to the Adventurer's Guild hall was a gathering place for all kinds of "talents" from all walks of life. Adventurers mixed with employers, brokers, and merchants, creating a hotbed of rumors. It was the place where information flowed most freely.

Hidden goods and unreliable rumors swirled like a vortex, but experienced people could still sort through the chaos, discerning the truth hidden like nuggets of gold.

Barrett was confident that he had that ability. He pinned his Mithril badge to his chest. EeDeChi also took out her Orichalcum badge. The metallic badges, symbols of strength and status, were like a solid pass in areas where adventurers gathered.

Franco also reached into his pocket, but only pulled out a heart-shaped brooch studded with diamonds. Unwilling to give up, he said, "Sirs, I too need a badge that proves my noble status!"

"You haven't registered as an adventurer yet," EeDeChi realized. "Our team can't have anyone without an official identity. Let's go. I'll take you to register at the Adventurer's Guild."

…

After leaving the inn, the four of them hired a carriage and quickly arrived at the local Adventurer's Guild hall.

The guild hall was nearly empty, with only a few people inside. Before Barrett, the experienced adventurer, could speak, Franco quickly stepped up and started chatting with the girl behind the counter as if they were old friends.

…

Facing Franco's handsome features, the young girl responsible for handling affairs at the Adventurer's Guild blushed deeply, her face turning red as she wore a shy, innocent expression.

She had no idea what kind of person Franco truly was. After chatting for just a few sentences, she had already shared her birthday, home address, and love life without hesitation.

Just as Franco was about to invite the girl for a drink, Barrett knocked on the table from the side. The magician, who typically thought with his lower half, finally remembered the purpose of coming to the Adventurer's Guild hall.

He explained his intent, and the girl recorded his information in a ledger. Then, she reached into a drawer, rummaged around, and handed him a dull copper badge.

Adventurer ranks are divided from the bottom up as: Copper, Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Mithril, Orichalcum, and Adamantite.

The copper badge is the lowest rank, and doesn't even have the adventurer's name carved on it.

"This is the Adamantite-level badge?" Franco proudly pinned the copper badge onto his mage robe. "From now on, I'm an elite adventurer."

"Sorry…" the girl said. "This is the lowest-tier copper badge. Every newly registered adventurer starts with a copper badge. Please do your best, and when you earn achievements, we'll naturally upgrade your rank."

"I am a noble prince! The great lord admired by the Goddess of Magic! The guiding light for lost girls! The comforter of lonely housewives! Master of Cuckolding Others…"

Franco said confidently, "I should be an Adamantite-level adventurer—someone of the highest strength, virtue, and power!"

The young girl behind the counter was left dazed by this long list of titles. Taking advantage of her distraction, Franco slid his wand out from his robe, preparing to cast a "Mind Control" spell on the girl to get her to give him an Adamantite badge.

EeDeChi grabbed his wand tightly. "What kind of trick are you trying to pull? Be careful, your Justice Value is currently at 2. If it drops into the negatives, I'll kick you out of the team."

Barrett had Cheeko perched on his shoulder, with a shiny Mithril badge pinned to his chest. EeDeChi wore a gleaming Orichalcum badge on hers, while Franco was stuck with a dull copper badge.

The three of them and the cat, the Last Defender of the Way adventurer team, marched out of the Adventurer's Guild hall, stepping onto a long and uncertain journey.

…

"I'm going with Barrett to the market to buy some supplies for the road. You take Cheeko and hang out at the adventurer's tavern. Remember, protect it well, or you'll regret it."

EeDeChi handed the light blue cat over to Franco, who quickly took it in his arms, cradling it carefully.

"Humph, this cat's got some serious backup." Franco mumbled, but didn't dare to do anything to Cheeko.

They decided to split up for now. After all, EeDeChi's bounty was still posted in the Adventurer's Guild hall, and it was better not to draw too much attention.

Franco looked at the map, turned a couple of corners, and walked into the adventurer-filled tavern. The clamor of voices and the sound of clinking glasses rushed toward him like a tidal wave. With a quick glance, he spotted the most beautiful woman among the chaos of rowdy drinkers and busy servers.

She was a noblewoman, wearing a lotus-patterned hooded cloak and a light red mink fur coat. The cloak covered her beautiful golden hair, and the loose mink coat couldn't hide her graceful figure.

The only downside was that her face was veiled, obscuring her exact features. But just the faint outline of her face was enough to tell that she was a beauty.

The blonde woman sat alone at an empty table, holding a tall wine glass filled with white wine, sipping it delicately.

"The mission calls!"

Franco's eyes were fixed, staring straight ahead as if locked onto the noblewoman. He tossed Cheeko aside, adjusted his lavish mage's robe, cleared his throat, and gracefully made his way toward the lady.

He hadn't considered why, in such a chaotic tavern, no one had tried to harass the defenseless beauty sitting alone. She was like a peony blooming in the mud, completely out of place, an oddity in this disordered environment.

After ordering a glass of red wine, Franco sat down directly at the lady's table. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "I must say, this wine here doesn't quite suit your status. A fine white wine should leave a crisp, lively taste on the palate..."

The blonde woman gazed at the suave, pretentious man, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips beneath her veil.

A tall figure in a black tailcoat approached, placing a leather suitcase at the lady's feet. "Miss, I've retrieved the items you requested."

The speaker appeared to be an elderly butler, his hair and eyebrows both white yet neatly groomed. His face, though not old, had sharp features, with a high nose bridge and a defined jawline, exuding an elegant, refined aura.

The old butler's sharp eyes gleamed like an eagle's, and his presence was imposing. He cast a cold, assessing glance at Franco and then turned to the blonde woman. "Miss, shall I ask this uninvited guest to leave?"

"No need." The lady smiled slightly, her lips curving beneath the veil. "It's been a while since I've encountered such an interesting 'prey.'"

Who's the hunter, and who's the prey? That's something that can only be determined after a battle in the bedroom, Franco thought, straightening himself and preparing to make his move.

"Since you finds this amusing, I won't disturb you further," the butler said coldly, shooting Franco another glance before turning to leave.

…

EeDeChi and Barrett walked into the adventurer's tavern. The light blue cat, Cheeko, scampered over, rubbing against EeDeChi's pants and meowing, "Meow~ Meow~". Barrett quickly picked it up, worried that someone in the noisy tavern might step on it.

"Where's that kid, Franco?" EeDeChi fumed, scanning the room. She quickly spotted the blonde man, deep in conversation with the beautiful woman at the edge of the tavern.

EeDeChi stormed over with determined steps. But a solid, black tailcoat figure blocked her path, and a deep, magnetic voice spoke:

"Sir, are you here for my young lady?"

"Old man, get out of my way." EeDeChi half-lifted the brim of her wide felt hat, looking up to see the person blocking her.

The moment their eyes met, both the old butler and EeDeChi froze.

The man in the black tailcoat standing before her was none other than Sebas Tian, the house steward of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.