Seeing Nina watching Lauren with anticipation, Vicente sighed and said. "Nina, go to college. You're already on time and you shouldn't miss your classes."",

The youngest Fuller girl looked at Vicente for a moment, her fists clenched and her mind on her older sister.

"You'll have time to talk to Lauren later. Besides, you need to get ready to hunt your pentagram. I'll take care of a few things and in about three days, I'll help you get a good essence."

Hearing her older brother's sensible comment, Nina sighed in defeat and agreed that she couldn't waste her time.

She was currently in the middle of her third year at Seidel Magic College, the penultimate year before graduation. When she finished her studies, she could finally become an expert in the kingdom and act more individually, going out into the battlefield and helping the community fight the monsters.

She longed to be by her older sister's side, but for years, Nina's greatest wish had been to awaken her powers and one day help her older brother fight his enemies.

What Vicente had most now were powerful enemies, so the urgency to become stronger was even greater in Nina's heart than it had been before her magical awakening.

With a sigh, she grabbed her things and made her way to the college building, leaving her family behind.

Casey engaged in conversation with Vicente and the two women for a brief period before departing for Millfall.

Eve would stay behind to look after Lauren and deal with family matters, while Nova and Vicente would leave together shortly after Casey's departure.

"What have your men been doing in the city lately to keep this place safe?" Vicente asked.

The day before, he had done practically nothing in this city, except to meet with his friends and family, look after Nova and rest. Today would be his first day to learn more about the situation in his city, so as soon as he was at Nova's side, he brought up this important topic.

"We fight monsters that are too close to the city limits. We help our warriors who have to hunt pentagrams, and we shoot down specific targets. Sometimes there are monster corpses on the tracks, so we have to help clear the railroads to prevent accidents and delays." She summarized what her group did on a weekly basis.

"How are your numbers?"

"The allied forces of Metal City currently have 35 Sovereigns, of which 7 are Sky Sovereigns and 28 are Earth Sovereigns. We also have 2,500 Mages, the vast majority of whom are Low-level Mages, like Nina.

We currently use the Low-level Mages to maintain public order within the city, and with the High-level Mages and Sovereigns, we deal with threats beyond our borders."

"What happened to the 4th and 5th stage Dark Path beasts I sent to this area?"

Nova smiled bitterly. "We didn't know they were actually our allies until Rory's return, so I suppose they're acting independently in the province. But I've already alerted my groups to keep an eye out for Dark Path creatures to help us try to make more direct contact."

Vicente had expected something like that, so he wasn't really surprised.

"All right. Get our men ready for tomorrow. I'll take care of some things in the city today, and early tomorrow morning, I'll set out to conquer a security area for the city."

"Okay." She agreed before parting from her now fianc and heading to the royal army post in the city.

Vicente went to the building of the Blacksmiths' Association, from where he could feel the aura of Benson and several old acquaintances from the Saltstar City Blacksmiths' Association.

In five minutes, they would arrive at this place, where the key members of the association were waiting for the new leader of this continental organization.

"Leader of the association, welcome to our humble post." Said the former strongest elder of the Saltstar City association post, while Vicente's master in the forging, Benson, stood right there, smiling with satisfaction as he massaged his own beard.

Seeing his student back in this city after years, Benson couldn't help but feel a great sense of pride and happiness in his heart.

He had seen the armor and weapons Vicente had recently developed through Rory's group, which had quickly passed through Metal City.

Aware Vicente had taken some of his dreams to the extreme, the 4th stage man couldn't help but look at the black-haired young man and feel his eyes light up.

"Vicente, it's good to have you back safely." Benson said as he patted one of his student's shoulders.

"Master." Vicente smiled at the old man with the white hair and beard, grateful to the man who had taught him so many things that had made his current situation possible.

"You are the leader of the association now, Vicente. You don't have to call me that." Benson said with a genuine smile on his face.

Vicente had been chosen as the new leader of the association after the organization's headquarters stopped responding to requests and questions from outposts across the continent, a sign that the strongest blacksmiths of Polaris Realm were likely dead.

Since then, as Vicente passed through the various units of the association, more and more blacksmiths proclaimed his name as the name of the group's new leader.

With no one to challenge him for the title of association leader, Vicente was now the recognized leader of this influential group throughout the southern region!

Even in states he had never visited, he was now considered the top figure among blacksmiths across the continent!

Vicente had obviously accepted this position for the benefits it could bring, but his humility was the same as ever.

"That's nothing, master. Without you, I wouldn't be the strongest blacksmith on the continent." Vicente said without false modesty.

Benson laughed when he heard this, while the 4th stage blacksmiths were eager to get their first orders from their new leader, but also to get their chance to learn more from this genius.