Returning to the camp, it was already the beginning of the afternoon when all elite porters started returning one group after another.

Lining up in front of Nora, Theo and others were listening to her.

"We still entered into the top 10 groups among the "Red horses" and top 100 groups among all elite groups," said Nora, looking at her subordinate, "Not a bad for today, but you all know that we have to aim higher if we want to get more merits. Each of you has got 100 merit points by the way."

"You are all free till tomorrow, don't be late to the evening ruler," said Nora, leaving the field with carriages.

Theo and other water porters saluted to their captain before starting to slowly disappear from the field.

"So, where would we go?"

"Let's start with the bath first," said the scout leader.

"Hey! Let's meet at that place," proposed another member with a lewd smile on his lips.

Robin, Bell, and Ryan also left to different places and only Theo and Leonardo stayed in their places.

"Where would we go?" asked Leonardo, dressed in the brown uniform.

"Let's visit training fields, Nora was talking about, and then visit those shops where we can exchange merit points in exchange for resources,"

"Good, let's go then," said Leonardo, leaving the open field with hundreds of carriages from which they took water back when they were candidates.

While they were slowly leaving the field, more and more carriages and elite water porters returned with their cargo before organizing it and preparing for ordinary water porters.

***

Passing through the arch, Theo and Leonardo ended up at the training field Nora was talking about.

Just a glance was enough to see many people training, running, meditating, and doing other stuff in there.

Some were polishing their techniques while others created one spell after another. In short, both magic and battle energy users were training here.

At first, Theo and Leonardo just walked through the training fields, watching after all the functions it had and watching after the training people.

However, they soon noticed a small crowd near several training fields.

Throwing his glance, Theo quickly noticed several men in army uniform, standing near the edge of the platform and watching after the training battle at the platform.

There were around fifty people, dressed in the brown uniform of water porters, and only four, dressed in the grey army uniform.

All of them watched after one of the water porters that was now fighting against a sword puppet at the platform.

It was his 1st time when Theo and Leonardo saw such a thing, and there was nothing strange that it picked their interest.

Approaching the platform and other water porters, they saw how a sword puppet initiated its counter-attack, and moments later, the water porter failed to block it and was sent to the flight from the platform.

Rising from the ground, the water porter ripped off his clothes from the dust and earth before releasing a disappointed sigh and looking at the 4 army instructors that came to choose recruits for the expedition army.

The four instructors shook their heads before signaling another candidate to enter the arena and fight with the puppet.

After watching this short scene, Theo already had some ideas about what was happening here, but unlike him, it was the 1st time Leonardo was in the army camp and he didn't understand why others gathered here.

So, it didn't take long for him to approach one of the waiting members.

"Hey! What's happening here?" asked Leonardo, looking at the tall guy that was standing near to him.

That guy turned and looked at Leonardo before noticing his arms and guessing his background.

"It's recruitment. Expedition army gives chance for all the support and auxiliary personnel to get into the army bypassing the simple training battle against that puppet," said the guy, pointing at the platform.

"They just ask to win that puppet without any other challenges or tests?" asked Leonardo with a dumbfounded expression on his face, "Isn't it too easy for the recruitment exam?"

The youth smirked and looked at Leonardo, understanding that he was most likely one of the newbies that joined the "Red horses".

"It's not a puppet that you saw back at the arena where squad members could fight against weak puppets which can only be compared to squires and adepts in terms of prowess. Even if you lose, but show your talents and unique abilities, instructors might still accept you to the army," explained the guy, pointing at the sword puppet that has just dodged its opponent's attack, "Look, that puppet has just easily dodged an attack from the 5th rank squire and literally pushing him to the edge of the platform."

"It's a basic puppet on par with an ordinary knight, it can learn from its mistakes every time it gets destroyed. To this moment, it has already battled with hundreds of mages and knights and gathered enough experience and polished its skills to easily finish with ten of you," said the guy before throwing a disdainful glance at Leonardo and leaving closer to the platform.

At the same time as that guy left Theo and Leonardo, the sword puppet finished its counter-attack by sending another candidate out of the platform.

Leonardo seemed shocked when he saw how the puppet was fighting, if he didn't know that it was a puppet, and judged based on its skills, he would have never thought that it was a puppet. Its skills were polished, fast, and had no traits, he saw in the puppets he met till today.

Theo who noticed the change in his friend was quick to pat him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Leonardo, there would be a day when such puppet and people similar to that guy wouldn't be even a small problem for us," said Theo with an encouraging smile on his lips.

Thanks to Theo, Leonardo recovered from his shock and looked at Theo.

"I have never seen such skillful and fast puppet. Now, I get why he talked so disdainfully about puppets I saw at the arena," said Leonardo, releasing a sigh.

"It's incorrect to compare them, those puppets at the arena were at most created by the beginning alchemists. They are weak, slow, and ineffective while the puppet at the platform is most likely made by an already experienced alchemist. That alchemist most likely spent much more resources to make that puppet win against an ordinary knight."

Just as Theo finished talking another candidate entered the platform and a new battle started.

"Come, we still have things to do," said Theo, patting Leonardo at the shoulder and moving further.

***

A short time later, both Theo and Leonardo entered the meditation platform where other squad members were busy, gathering mana.

The water porter's duty helped them to strain their bodies and gave them a lot of physical work. As a result, physical strain helped them to slowly gather battle energy and helped them to become stronger. So, both youths decided to concentrate on their magic which they didn't train since the day they entered the expedition camp.

Taking a certain potion from his space ring, Theo drank one before giving another to Leonardo.

"Drink it, it can increase your mana gathering effectiveness," said Theo, stretching potion to his friend.

At first, Leonardo wanted to find an excuse to decline, but Theo read what his friend was thinking about and put it into his hands.

"Don't worry, it didn't cost me much, just drink and train. It's much better to have a reliable comrade in case of emergency," said Theo with a cheering smile.

Though Leonardo got the potion, he still looked unconvinced.

"You can return the favor at the future if you think that it's too precious," said Theo, closing his eyes.

Leonardo released a tired sigh and nodded before throwing a grateful glance at his comrade.

His father always taught him to return the good with good and evil with evil, so he mentally noted this day before drinking the potion and closing his eyes.

***

Several hours later, Theo and Leonardo opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

Both Theo and Leonardo made quite good progress in their mana gathering, Theo finished gathering 1/4 of the mana needed for his breakthrough, while Leonardo almost filled his mana heart, approaching the breakthrough to the 3rd rank.

After finishing with training, it didn't take long for the two youth to leave the training fields and enter the rear camp, moving in a certain direction.

Passing through several buildings and streets the duo ended up entering the shop they learned after asking several water porters.

The shop was made of few basic materials like stone, and it was obvious that the building was created using magic. So, there was nothing special in its appearance except for the signboard with several small pictures of pills, weapons, and other things.

Entering the building, the 1st thing that they noticed was the stand with the set of black armor on the stand together with the spear, short sword, and other stuff.

Just a glance was enough to see that it was a high-quality product, and there was nothing strange when Leonardo concentrated on it, unable to move his glance from it.

Spending several moments, and watching at the stand, they were interrupted by the soft voice.

"Greetings, dear customers," said the young woman around 18-years old in the tight leather outfit and a deep neckline that underlined her big bosom.

Moving his glance at the woman with long black hair, and brown eyes, Theo smiled and nodded.

"Greetings, we want to take a look at the goods we can buy in exchange for our merit points,"

The woman spent several moments, analyzing her customers and smiled when she heard Theo's words.

"Follow me, please, I will show you them,"

Theo turned to look at Leonardo whose face reddened a bit before following after the woman.

They continued to move through the shop, listening to the woman that showed them different goods, beginning from the armor and finishing with training pills and potions.

Finishing showing other basic goods to Theo and Leonardo, the woman turned and smiled, looking at them.

"And now, it's time to show you our best products we were lucky to get," said woman, climbing up the ladders.

Several moments later, Theo, Leonardo, and the woman entered the 2nd floor that looked much better in comparison to the 1st floor.

Some fewer people walked here unlike the 1st floor, the goods were much valuable, and a musician was playing on the violin.

Just a glance was enough to see the difference!

Theo didn't say anything and just continued to follow after the woman while Leonardo moved his surprised glance from one object to another before sighing when he looked at their price.

However, even Theo couldn't keep himself indifferent when his glance landed at several certain objects.

Just a glance was enough for him to recognize affinity improving resources!

There was a set of 4 different-looking resources.

One was red-colored, another was blue, the next was brown and the last was green.

"These are the affinity-improving resources that can increase one's affinity to a certain element," explained the woman with a smile on her lips, "There are four of them, one to each element. Each of these resources can be sold in exchange for merit points."

"How much for "Ice essence" and "Wind leaf," asked Theo without spending any time.

"25 000 merit points for "Ice essence" and 20 000 for "Wind leaf," said the woman with a smile on her lips.

"I see," said Theo with an indifferent expression on his face while Leonardo paled a bit when he heard about the sum.

"What about usage method, can your shop transform them into the potion?" asked Theo with a serious expression on his face.

The woman also momentaneously became serious when she heard his question. Only those who already dealt with such resources knew about certain drawbacks of their usage and only an experienced customer would ask such a question Theo asked.

"Of course, dear customer, but 5000 more merit points would be needed in exchange for such procedure," explained the woman, concentrating her glance at Theo.

Theo nodded to her explanation as if it was an ordinary thing for him.

"How many people have already shown interest in these products and how long is it here in your shop?"

"We got them several days ago, and only around 30 people showed interest towards them," said the woman with a smile on her lips.

"I see," said Theo before turning and looking at Leonardo.

"Come, we have to talk," said Theo before looking at the woman, "Thank you for the tour, we will return after these resources,"

Leaving the shop and passing several meters from the shop, Theo stopped and looked at Leonardo.

"We have to get them!"

"Theo, you saw their prices, it would take months for us to get them at such rate," said Leonardo.

"I know it," said Theo, "So, we have to find another work in exchange for merit points here in the rear camp,"

"But ..." started Leonardo, but got interrupted by Theo.

"No buts, Leonardo, don't you see that it's a chance to strengthen our weak affinities and become dual-elemental mages in the future?" asked Theo, looking at him.

"I noticed how you looked at the "Wind leaf", I also need "Ice essence" because of the similar problem," explained Theo, looking at him, "We should at least get one of those resources while we are here,"

"The main forces would most likely stay here for the next week or more, so it's a chance we can't lose," said Theo with a serious expression on his face.

"I get it," said Leonardo with a serious and determined expression on his face, "What do you suggest?"

"Let's talk with Nora first, and ask our captain for advice, and then we will start looking for the work for our free time," said Theo, turning and moving in a certain direction.