Adventurer of Many Professions

Hearing Sylph's revelation, Lorene gripped her magic wand tightly with both hands, her mouth falling open in shock. She couldn't find the words to respond.

During her time in the temple library, she had read about dual-class and multi-class professionals and knew just how rare they were. Dual-profession adventurers weren't just uncommon, they were practically legendary.

Her stunned reaction was exactly what Sylph had been hoping for. With a triumphant grin, she teased, "What's the matter? Never suspected that Raymond might be a dual-class professional?"

Lorene took a deep breath to compose herself before nodding. "Yeah… I never imagined…"

She turned her gaze to Raymond, her wide eyes studying him as if trying to find some outward sign of his uniqueness. But to her disappointment, he looked as unassuming as ever. Whatever made him special, she couldn't see it.

"I know, right?" Sylph said with a dramatic flourish. "When he told me, I was completely floored!"

Raymond, who was walking ahead, rolled his eyes slightly. Seeing that Sylph was about to launch into a long-winded story, he interrupted. "Let's keep moving. You can talk while we walk."

As they climbed the mountain trail, Sylph continued her excited chatter, recounting her shock when she first learned about Raymond's dual-class awakening. Lorene followed quietly, listening intently and occasionally stealing glances at Raymond.

By the time Sylph wrapped up her story, her tone was full of pride. "Hmph! If the adventurers at the guild ever found out that Raymond is a dual-class professional and both classes are combat-focused, they'd be green with envy. Imagine their faces!"

Lorene nodded eagerly, her admiration for Raymond growing. "Yeah, they would!"

Just as Sylph finished, the three of them crested a hill and spotted the entrance to the Gragman Mountain Mine. The surrounding area was quiet, except for the occasional clink of tools echoing from deeper inside.

Raymond pulled out the letter of authorization, showing it to the mine's personnel. Once their identities were confirmed, the person in charge hurried over to greet them.

Raymond, however, wasn't one to waste time. After exchanging pleasantries, he got straight to the point, asking for details about the poisonous sting wasps' behavior and the exact location of their nest. The mine workers provided everything they knew, including a rough map of the area.

Before leaving, Raymond borrowed a few useful props from the workers. Then, with their preparations complete, the three of them headed straight into the mountains, ready to face the challenge ahead.

Deep in the dense mountain forest, three figures crouched inside a small cave halfway up the slope. The faint glow of burning incense filled the space, warding off the relentless mosquitoes outside.

The three, of course, were Raymond, Sylph, and Lorene.

An hour had passed since they left the mine and ventured into the wilderness. Now, Raymond was crouched near the cave entrance, his focus entirely on the scene two kilometers away. In his hands were the 'Eagle Glasses' a rudimentary telescope borrowed from the mine workers. Peering through the lenses, his gaze locked on a conspicuous two-meter-high mound of yellow soil surrounded by buzzing movement.

That was the nest of the poisonous sting wasps.

However, the mound was only the tip of the iceberg. Underground lay the real hive, far larger and more intricate than the exposed portion above.

Raymond's grip on the glasses tightened as he spotted a black-and-yellow wasp returning to the nest. The creature was massive, easily over a meter long, not even counting the deadly stinger at the end of its tail.

The stinger itself was sleek, black, and gleamed ominously in the sunlight, a sharp 20 centimeters of pure danger.

Gripped tightly in the wasp's front legs was its latest prey: a plump, squirming bamboo rat. Without hesitation, the wasp carried its catch into the mound's opening. Moments later, another wasp flew out of the nest, taking its place in the foraging rotation.
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Raymond muttered under his breath, analyzing the pattern. "It looks like when one wasp returns from foraging, another immediately leaves. That keeps the number of wasps guarding the nest constant. The foragers, whether they find food or not, always return within ten minutes."

He adjusted the glasses, scanning the area around the hive. "From the distinct features of each one, I've counted eighteen wasps so far. But there could be more inside the hive that haven't come out yet."

Nearby, three wasps hovered in the air, patrolling the perimeter. They moved in a coordinated pattern, covering a radius of about 20 to 50 meters around the nest. These patrol wasps were sharp and vigilant. Any disturbance within 100 meters of the hive would trigger an immediate response.

'Getting close without being noticed is nearly impossible.'

"Raymond, have you figured out how many there are and how they behave yet?"

Sylph's voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to the cave. She stood behind him, arms crossed, looking both curious and impatient.

Raymond lowered the glasses and turned to her, nodding. "I've got most of it figured out."

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "So? How many are there? And have you thought of a way to deal with them?"

Beside her, Lorene watched him intently, her dark eyes full of curiosity and worry.

Raymond sighed, rubbing his temples. "Don't put all the pressure on me to come up with a plan. You two should be thinking of solutions, too."

He then shared everything he had observed: the number of wasps, their rotation between foraging and guarding, and the strict patrol around the nest. As he explained, both Sylph and Lorene's expressions grew more serious.

"Eighteen… possibly more," Sylph muttered, her earlier confidence faltering.

"And the patrol wasps make it impossible to sneak close without being detected," Lorene added, her brow furrowing.

The three of them exchanged worried glances, the weight of the mission settling on their shoulders. The hive was more dangerous than they had anticipated. Now they had to figure out how to face it.

Raymond shook his head, deep in thought, before turning to Sylph. "Sylph, what's the maximum range you can cast explosion magic?"

Sylph glanced at him, already guessing where his thoughts were headed. "About fifty meters," she replied, but then immediately shook her head. "But it won't work. I can't avoid the patrolling poisonous sting wasps to get close enough to the hive. Blowing it up directly isn't an option."

"I see…" Raymond muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration. After a pause, he turned to Lorene. "Lorene, how many times can you cast your 'healing' spell?"

"With my magic wand, I can manage it twice… barely," Lorene said, gripping the wand tightly as she answered.

"Twice…" Raymond murmured, nodding slightly, though his expression remained pensive.

At that moment, Lorene offered a suggestion. "What if we lure the patrolling wasps away first? That would give Sylph a chance to get closer and cast her magic."

Raymond considered the idea, but after a moment of thought, he shook his head. "It's not that simple. Those patrolling wasps are incredibly alert. If we try to lure them, they'll likely signal the hive before they leave, and the rest of the wasps will come swarming out. Plus, with the foraging wasps returning every few minutes, we'd barely have time to get close, let alone set up for an attack."

He glanced at the nest again, frustration flickering across his face. If they moved too close, the patrolling wasps would spot them. If they stayed too far, they wouldn't have enough time to prepare.

"Then… should we just attack them head-on?" Sylph asked hesitantly, though she already knew the answer.

Raymond didn't even need to think. "No. That's a death sentence."

Sylph and Lorene both nodded reluctantly, knowing he was right. A full-frontal assault was out of the question. The poisonous wasps could fly faster than any of them could react and fire venomous stingers from the air. Sylph and Lorene, with their light defenses, would be sitting ducks. Even Raymond, with his strength, wouldn't stand a chance if they attacked from above. His leather armor offered little protection against sharp stingers.

Raymond exhaled slowly, then said, "Our best bet is to wait until nightfall. When their vision is weak, we can try to get closer to the nest without being spotted. At that point, Sylph, your explosion magic will need to destroy the entire hive in one strike."

Sylph's eyes lit up with excitement, and she grinned confidently. "Don't worry! I'll blow that whole nest sky-high!"

Despite her enthusiasm, Raymond still looked uneasy. After a moment of consideration, he added, "Sylph, I need you to head back to the mine and ask the person in charge for some white stones. Lorene, stay here and keep observing the wasps. Take note of any patterns or changes in their behavior."

Sylph frowned, tilting her head. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to track the foraging wasps," Raymond explained, slinging his sword over his back. "If I can ambush a few of them, it'll make things easier for us tonight. There are too many wasps right now, and I'm worried your explosion magic won't take them all out. The fewer we have to deal with, the better."

Sylph and Lorene exchanged glances, understanding his logic. Reducing the number of wasps now would minimize the risk of a swarm later.

Sylph crossed her arms. "Fine, but be careful. If it's too dangerous, don't push yourself. It's not worth it."

Lorene nodded, her dark eyes filled with concern. "Please, Raymond, don't take unnecessary risks."

Raymond chuckled softly, waving off their worries. "Relax. I'm not planning to get myself killed. I'll be fine."

With that, he secured his gear, grabbed some dry food and water from his pack, and headed off in the direction where he'd seen a wasp disappear into the forest earlier.

As Sylph and Lorene watched him go, the air felt heavy with tension. Both women silently hoped his gamble would pay off and that he'd return safely.