After watching the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance enter the dungeon, the members of "White Wolf" followed them with a smile on their faces.
I didn''t think they would be the first to enter the dungeon.
We were wondering how to lure the "Arsenal of Spirits" into the dungeon, but now we don''t have to make any moves.
Roland, I''m going to make up for the other day.
Now that we''re all the way bigger, it''s easier for us to attack. I''ll show you whose garden this dungeon is.
As we continued through the forest, Jeff felt uncomfortable.
(What is it? (The other guy seems to be moving slower)
Roland noticed Jeff''s dubious look and called out to him.
''What''s up Jeff?
Roland. No, it''s just that the new guys seem to be moving strangely slow. ......"
That''s how far you''ve come.
In fact, the quality of movement was visibly different between the newcomers and the existing members of the unit.
They had been steadily training under Roland''s training and gaining practical battle experience, and they were already at a level that set them apart from the average adventurers on the island.
(But when this happens, the disparity between new and existing guilds becomes a problem. (Disparity invariably leads to friction and division.)
As a commander, it was a headache.
(Well, what''s the deal?)
In order to collect fees for the use of equipment from the adventurers'' guilds that have joined the alliance, they must be allowed to acquire ore.
Not only must they collect the ore and return, but they must all return with the ore.
Naturally, the bandits would come after them.
(The first thing to do was to take the road to the mining site. (The first step was the road to the mining site, which had to be cleared with as little wear and tear as possible, and to train the newly recruited adventurers. (To prepare them for the battle with the bandits on the way back.)
The group eventually arrived at the "Metal Line," where dull-colored iron ore is everywhere.
(Now, here comes the problem...)
With as many as 100 adventurers in tow, it was not possible for all of them to advance through the dungeon''s narrow paths in unison.
The battle lines would naturally stretch long and narrow.
（The "metal line" (from the "metal line" comes the "fire dragon (Fafnir)"). (How could we defend our long, vertical line against a foe that was spraying "fire breath" at us from above?)
Roland decided to divide his troops into two.
The strongest troops will be at the front line to meet the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)".
The strategy was to use archers and thieves with high agility to gain an advantage in spotting the fire dragon and find and defeat it before it found us.
Leon!
Hmm?
Can I ask you to lead the vanguard? I want to concentrate on commanding the rear."
That''s fine. Is everything all right with me?"
I''ll be fine. For the vanguard, I have assembled the strongest adventurers in the unit, plus ......"
[Leon''s status
Command: 80-90
Your command skills have also improved considerably.
I see. Well, if you insist. ......"
I''ll protect the rear, you guys concentrate on the enemy in the front. "I will protect the rear and you guys focus on the enemy in the front. Make sure to finish off the dragon tribe only. Search for the enemy and launch as many attacks as possible from here. However, keep in close contact with the rear and don''t leave too much distance between us.
Okay.
Leon takes command in the vanguard.
(Well, I''m ......)
Roland, while leading the rear guard, gathered around him those he had decided to raise as a priority.
Among them is Carla.
(How much he could train the weak parts of his troops before the expected battle with the bandits would be the difference between victory and defeat. ) That said, they could not proceed at a leisurely pace. If we advance too slowly, we will be exhausted and may lose sight of the vanguard ahead of us. If this is the case, we need to ...... be selective. (Those who can be used and those who can''t.)
Roland selected those who seemed to grow relatively quickly and assigned them to the appropriate roles.
Archers with high arm strength (power) were made into power shooters.
Archers with high agility were assigned to cover fire.
Swordsmen with high power and toughness can be used for assaulting.
Swordsmen with high agility can jump out from behind.
Swordsmen with high shield defense skills will support swordsmen with low durability (toughness).
I think that''s about it. Now, lastly, Carla. You are ......."
Roland appraised Carla''s skills.
[Carla''s skills
Swordsmanship: C to A
Shadow Strike: D to A
Item Retrieval": E to A
Kaiten sword dance: E to S
(Hm. I''ve grown remarkably little since then.)
Carla. I''m going to need you to get behind me."
?" Yours?"
After all the arrangements were thus made, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance resumed its search for the dungeon.
Divided into a vanguard commanded by Leon and a rear guard commanded by Roland, they proceeded along a narrow mountain path while maintaining a certain distance.
As Roland was advancing while keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings, he saw three arrows shot into the sky from the vanguard.
(Signal from the vanguard! (Battle.)
Roland signaled to his troops to protect the rear of the vanguard, and he was right on the tail end of the advancing troops.
Once he had secured the rear of the vanguard, he ordered his troops to watch the rear.
(Now, if we stop in the middle of the dungeon like this, of course ......)
Enemy attack! From behind."
A bowman (archer) who could use "far-sightedness" shouted.
''How many?
Ten goblins and five armored wolves!
Good. Deploy. Spread out to the sides so they can''t get around you. Carla, remember what I just taught you? Let''s go."
"......"
Carla recalls what Roland taught her earlier in the forest.
A rear-guard bandit (shifu)?"
I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. You have neither power nor toughness for a vanguard.
[Carla Grazia''s status].
Power: 30-40
Toughness: 20-30
In your case, it is best to learn how to fight as a rear-guard thief (sifu), using your shield well. The key to this is your skill of "Shadow Strike".
("Shadow Striking" ....... I have such a skill. ......)
Carla Grazia''s skills
Shadow Strike: D to A
Roland holds his shield in his hand and presses his body against the tree trunk.
He then attacks the enemy on the other side through his ally. Carla. Try to attack me in this state."
What?"
Imagine attacking this tree trunk from behind me and through me.
No, that''s not what they told me. ......
It doesn''t matter. Just do it.
Huh.
Carla slashes at Roland''s armor-covered back.
Then she feels the sword pass through Roland''s body.
!"
A cut was made on the tree trunk, where Loran was pressing his shield against it.
Roland is not damaged.
Carla panicked and looked at the tip of the sword.
The sword was still pressed against Roland''s back.
(Hey, what''s that feeling now? It was as if the sword had passed through Roland''s body.)
Yes," he said. I feel good. Looks like it''s done."
[Carla Grazia''s skills
Shadow Strike": C (up1)
After that, Carla practiced with Roland several times to get a feel for "Shadow Strike.
(In practice, she was able to activate "Kageuchi" almost 100% of the time. But would he be able to use it in a real battle?)
Roland catches the sword of a "goblin" that jumps at him with his shield.
Carla, now!
However, before Carla can slash at Roland''s back, the "goblin" moves away.
Carla''s slash only wears away Roland''s armor.
(Gosh, I missed.)
Roland also loses his stance and his strength is drained.
Ugh."
Oh, I''m sorry. Are you all right, Roland?"
I''m fine. Carla, step in faster! Shorten your form so that you can fire a quick slash as well."
Ugh, shut up. I know.
They''re coming. Again!"
Once again, the "goblins" slash at Roland.
(More, to make it easier for Carla.)
Roland uses his shield to block the goblin''s sword and slam his body into the enemy so that he can stay in contact with the enemy for as long as possible.
Carla, now!
Haaah!
Carla poked Roland in the back as hard as she could.
The goblin spits blood and blasts backwards.
（And it did!)
(It didn''t just do damage. He also slashed through the enemy''s armor. (Is this the true value of "Kageuchi"?)
The others in the unit finish their own battles.
Carla. It was a good battle.
Uh-oh.
Keep up the good work in the next battle. Pato!
Yes."
A patrol is called and rushes up under Roland.
Carla''s equipment is mainly thrust-oriented," he said. "Carla''s equipment is mainly for thrusting," Roland said, "but I''m going to emphasize lightness over durability. She should be able to make fewer preliminary movements.
I understand."
Pato makes a note of what Roland said.
''All right. Let''s resume our search then. Tell the previous unit that the battle is over."
Roland ordered the messenger to fire his bow and arrow.
The two separate units again climbed the mountain, maintaining a certain distance from each other.
After that, Roland continued to train Carla''s "shadow strike.
In time, Carla noticed that the damage she was inflicting on the enemy was uneven.
Sometimes she could finish off an enemy with a single blow, and other times she could inflict only minor damage.
(What? (There''s a lot of variation in power.)
Carla tilts her head.
Carla. It seems that the power of your ''shadow strike'' varies depending on the enemy''s stance."
The enemy''s stance?
Yes. If you hit the enemy with "Kageuchi" when he is out of shape, you can do a lot of damage. When the enemy is leaning toward you, in other words, when his center of gravity is off, it seems to have the same effect as a clean hit.
I see.
Watch not only my movements, but also those of my enemies.
Good. All right."
(Watch the enemy''s movements too. ......)
Carla took Roland''s advice and began to pay attention to the enemy''s movements as well.
However, she could hardly see the enemy''s movements through Roland''s back.
However, in time, she would be able to predict the enemy''s stance to some extent just by looking at the enemy''s footsteps.
(It collapsed. Now!)
Carla unleashes "Shadow Strike.
The "armored ogre" is pierced in a vital spot and dies with a single blow, despite its huge size.
(That''s quite a feat, isn''t it? He has already learned to fight through the use of a shield.)
Roland is inwardly wagging his tongue at how quickly Carla has mastered it.
（She has defeated both goblins and orcs. She is unstoppable with her toughness, stamina, and power. All that remains is to finish off the wolf tribe with high agility and the lizardmen (......).
Pato was also watching from behind and really sensed the change in Carla.
(Carla''s movements, getting sharper and sharper. (Carla''s movements are getting sharper and sharper.)
In the meantime, Roland''s desired opponent arrived.
It was the Lizardman.
The Lizardman takes small steps and slashes at Roland with his coastal scimitar.
（d*mn, it''s hard to catch them.)
Roland was frustrated because he could not hit the "Lizard Warrior (Lizardman)" with his body.
His armor was reaching its limits.
His endurance (toughness) and stamina (stamina) were also running out.
On the other hand, Carla''s nerves were sharpening.
（Roland is failing to catch the enemy, they are moving too fast. Be sharper, anticipate the opponent''s movement ......)
Carla, following behind Roland like a shadow, is now even more poised and ready to take advantage of the moment.
The Lizardman''s sword misses Roland''s shield, knocking him out of position.
Roland dives into the Lizard Man''s pocket and slams his body into it.
Roland jumped into the Lizardman''s pocket and hit him with his body. Now ......"
Before Roland could finish all he had to say, Carla had stepped in.
She activated her "Shadow Strike" and flicked the "Lizard Man''s" sword away.
(Another blow ......)
However, it was faster for the "Lizard Warrior (Lizardman)" to let go of his body.
''Roland, the switch!
Carla jumps over Roland''s shoulder and slashes at the "Lizard Warrior (Lizardman)".
After striking a blow, she spun around and delivered a series of blows.
She slashes the "Lizard Man" to pieces.
Carla was surprised at her own skill.
（What was that? (Is this my skill?)
(Carla''s slash now. It''s not just an ordinary "swordsmanship". Perhaps a unique skill, "Kaiten Sword Dance"!)
Skill and Status of Carla Grazia
Swordsmanship: B (up1)
Shadow Strike: B (up1)
Kaiten sword dance: C (up2)
Agility: 60 (up20)-70 (up20)
(Have you learned to fight over a shield user and have your skills and stats blossomed at once? This will be enough to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming battle against bandits. Carla Grazia. (You passed!)
Good. Good job, Carla."
Roland pats Carla on the shoulder.
''Oh, ah......''
You must be tired. Take a break and ....... Hmm? Is that new!"
After the battle, Roland and his men were attacked by a new army of monsters.
Carla was about to ready her sword again when she felt a strange sensation in her leg.
(! My leg is ......)
[Status of Carla Grazia
Agility: 10 (↓50) - 70
(Status unstable in reaction to rapid rise in stats)
（Oh no, we''ll be surrounded if we don''t do something.)
Cold sweat breaks out on Carla''s forehead.
It''s all right, Carla. You just rest like this."
What?
Carla didn''t need to ask back.
The two were surrounded by adventurers who followed them.
They were other adventurers selected by Roland.
I''m the biggest one," Roland said. Sam, Trevor. Hold the left and right flanks.
Okay.
I''m on it.
Noah. There''s a guy in the enemy group that''s aiming at us from behind. Bow fire."
Okay, here we go.
Carla was not the only one who had grown.
The adventurers selected by Roland showed no signs of fatigue despite the continuous battle, working together to subdue the new monsters in the blink of an eye.
"Good. We''ve conquered the enemy.
We''re looking good, aren''t we?"
"Yeah, this equipment is easy to use."
It also helps that the commander''s instructions are clear."
Carla was stunned by the scene.
Never before had she seen local adventurers fight so bravely.
(How could they have grown so many adventurers in such a short period of time?)
Carla looks at Roland in awe.
(This guy could really make a "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" ......)
''Roland, I''d like to discuss a few things with you about your equipment: ......
"Roland, about scouting for the enemy: ......"
Oh, well, then ......"
Adventurers, who have learned the joy of growth, one after another demonstrate their ambition to improve and ask Roland to teach them.
Roland responds in kind.
Roland responded, "Okay, I''m ready. That''s about it. Carla. You can rest now. You must be tired."
"...... yeah."
(Dangerous)
Carla looks at Roland''s back with steady eyes as he rallies the troops.
（This guy is too dangerous. We have to eliminate him now.)
Carla secretly grips the hilt of her sword so that Roland will not notice.