"Soron’s selection, perfect for watching in the dead of the night."
Rod instantly understood and shook his head, "I am a man of high moral standards; I never watch such things."
Soron whispered, "There’s a new release from Olivia, and also Teresa’s home series."
Rod silently stuffed the Recording Crystal into his chest.
Soron said softly, "Little Rod, if anyone ever asks you about your training at the secret base, make sure to emphasize how much I cared for and guided you."
Rod smiled, "Don’t worry, Teacher Soron, my achievements today wouldn’t be possible without your care and guidance."
The compliment made every muscle in Soron’s face relax.
For the next while, the two of them enjoyed a pleasant conversation.
Soron briefly described the current situation of the secret branch.
The base was running smoothly, and the whole troop was on the right track; the only regret was that the battle at Star Town ended too quickly, which disrupted their rotational battle plan. Only two batches of people had gone there.
Teresa, who had just broken through to the Seventh Level Characteristic, hadn’t even managed to get there in time, and Kashan was still training at the base, unable to realize her dream of fighting alongside Rod, which left the girl quite disappointed.
As they were talking, they happened to see Kashan, now the new team’s senior sister, leading a training session.
Rod raised his hand to wave.
When that head of blonde hair turned around, a familiar, delicate face appeared before him, and her blue eyes suddenly brimmed with tears.
Kashan quickly covered her eyes and ran off.
When she returned, only reddened eyes remained.
She said with a smile, her blue eyes twinkling like a lake reflecting light.
"I’m so happy to see you again, congratulations on becoming Trolian’s new hero."
Rod said nothing, just stepped forward and gave her a big hug.
Kashan struggled, "Don’t..."
"Sorry," Rod said softly, "for not letting you come to Star Town to see my heroic battle."
Tears shimmered in Kashan’s eyes again, but she was smiling.
"I know, but there will be other chances."
She broke free from Rod’s hug and shook her little fist.
Rod knew she had ignited a new Fire Spark after acquiring Theodore’s Relic.
"Power of Fury": The angrier, the stronger.
"How strong have you become?" Rod asked curiously.
Kashan said proudly, "The Fire Spark has reached Perfection, I can fully control it."
Soron laughed, "Why not give it a try?"
Rod lifted his hand, and white Star Lines flew from his fingertips, rapidly weaving into a shield.
"If you can penetrate it, I’ll admit you’re very strong."
Soron, smiling, took the Star Shield from Rod’s hand, placed it on a nearby dummy, and said, "Kashan, Rod is getting married."
Kashan clenched her fists, gathering her strength.
Rod blinked and laughed, "The bride isn’t you."
Soron urgently shouted, "Wait..."
But it was too late, a big burst of red energy exploded from Kashan, and a powerful punch landed hard on the shield.
The gale forced Rod to squint, and white dust swirled all around.
Soron clutched his forehead, "Rod, what were you thinking?"
As the dust settled, Rod was shocked to find half of the base gone, and the Star Shield, along with the dummy, was nowhere to be seen.
Soron sighed, "Looks like we have to rebuild the base again, and you’re paying the fine."
Rod readily agreed, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Kashan, as if seeing a treasure.
Indeed, this girl could also join my Black Battle Group.
Rod immediately thought of countless wicked ways to provoke her anger.
Ha-ha-ha, she’d definitely be a great asset to my team.
The destruction of the base drew many onlookers, but their expressions were all too familiar, clearly indicating that this was not a rare occurrence.
In the crowd, Rod saw another old acquaintance.
The shimmering Valkyrie, Teresa.
She had helped him a lot before, and her combat skills were very proficient; back then, Rod had thought her almost unbeatable.
Of course, now Rod and Teresa had a substantial gap in their Spiritual Energy.
Rod went up to greet her warmly.
Teresa was happy too; there was no hint of jealousy about Rod surpassing her, only joy and smiles.
"Not bad, little Rod, you’ve reached this far. You must save us in the future."
"Of course," Rod replied confidently, looking around and asking, "Where are Anna’s sisters?"
He was referring to a circle of stunning beauties in the Top Class, all with the Characteristic "Magic Release," the powerful sisters Anna always talked about.
Rod had some interactions with them, but not many.
Teresa smiled, "They’ve already joined the preparatory team of the Fire Hall. For them, the secret branch was only a brief stop—they are naturally destined to be strong."
Rod nodded, planning to meet them later.
To see where their strength lay and why Anna was so envious and always complaining about feeling inadequate.
"I’ll be joining the Fire Hall shortly too."
Teresa sincerely expressed her admiration for his growth and was delighted for him.
After saying goodbye to them, Rod headed to the last stop on his trip.
The most significant prophetic institution in Royal City—the White Tower.