《The Kicked Out S-rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild》 1 - CHAPTER I EXCEPTION EXAMINATOR This is the headquarters of the adventurers'' guild "Golden Eagle. Roland, a connoisseur, was summoned to the guild leader''s room on the top floor of the large stone building. He was about to be banished. Lukius, the guild leader, said to Roland, "You are about to be expelled from the guild. I am sorry to part with you, but it can''t be helped. The guild has its own circumstances. We cannot allow you to remain in the guild any longer based on your performance. It was a terrible punishment. I had used Roland''s skill "Appraisal" to gather party members. The hidden credit for the guild''s success was Roland''s skill, "Skill Appraisal. Finding and developing the hidden skills of members was Roland''s specialty. The "Golden Eagle" was once only a medium-sized guild in this city, but now it has become a large guild with more than 100 members, including many top-class warriors, mages, and healers. Whenever this guild made a breakthrough, Roland would hide in the shadows and let Lukius bring flowers to the guild. Even in situations where Roland would take the credit, he would give it to Lukius, and even in situations where Roland was about to be in the limelight, he would let Lukius have the flowers and give way so that Lukius could be promoted first, even when Roland was about to be promoted. Because of this, Rochius was promoted more and more, while Roland remained an ordinary member of the guild. Furthermore, Roland''s skill set was so specialized in "connoisseur" that his basic parameters were abnormally low, and he was unable to do even the lowest level of work as an adventurer. And yet, as soon as he was no longer needed, he was immediately discarded. Roland looked at Lukius with resentment. However, he is not good at arguing with others, so he only showed a slight expression of dissatisfaction and could not come up with the next words at once. As soon as Rochius sensed that Roland was about to rebel against him, he quickly pulled back his smiling face and adopted a stern expression. You look like you''re trying to say something," he said. But in fact, your recent grades have been dismal, haven''t they? Dianna. Dianna, tell me how he did this month. Yes, sir." Guild President." Dianna, Lucius'' secretary, steps forward with a file in her hand. She was a beautiful woman with a slender figure, but she seemed a little cold. Even now, she is giving Roland an icy cold stare. His performance in the past month was 98th out of 100 members in terms of monsters destroyed and items acquired. We are ranked 6th and 86th in quests completed." Dianna said with a chuckle. That''s right." Lukius, in a pose of dignity, rests his chin on his folded hands and glares at Roland. I don''t care if you''re a rookie," he said, "this number is impossible for a five-year veteran. I''ve been defending you for a long time, for old time''s sake. But with your dismal performance, there''s no way I can defend you any longer. If I continue to give you preferential treatment, it would be a disservice to the other members of the group, who have a very strict quota to meet. Roland had a lot to say to this as well. Lucius was clearly setting Roland up to fail. He had brought in members of the lowest class who would surely slow him down, brought in people with jobs that were clearly unsuitable for quests, and failed to provide him with necessary items at every critical moment. There was no obvious evidence of this, but it was something that Lucius could have done something about if he wanted to. Roland protested this repeatedly. Each time, however, he would say, with his characteristic smirk, "I''m sorry, Roland, but I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m in a higher position than I used to be. I have to think about the guild as a whole. I can''t just favor you. Having said that, though, he was very accommodating to his favorites. Lucius handed him a bag of gold coins. I''ll give you this as a parting gift," he said. It''s my severance package. It''s an unbelievable treatment for an incompetent like you, isn''t it? Take it and get the hell out of this guild. Dianna and the other girls around Lucius giggled. Roland left the "Golden Eagle" guild with his severance package in hand. After leaving the guild, Roland went to the quest desk, which offered jobs to adventurers. Even though he had been expelled from the guild, he couldn''t stay depressed forever. The severance package he had received would be gone in no time. I''m going to be a solo player from now on, so work won''t just fall to me from above. I have to look for work on my own. I went to the reception desk to see if there were any quests I could do, and found a former colleague, a member of the guild "Golden Eagle. Roland was startled and hid behind a pillar. He hears the bubbly voice of the receptionist. Oh, isn''t that Jill of the Golden Hawk? Thank you for all your help. We have just the right quest for you. Jill was one of Lucius'' favorite heroes. She was one of the newest adventurers of the moment. Despite her young age, she had already been certified as a "B" adventurer and showed great promise for the future. It is widely believed that the Golden Eagle will produce the first S-rank adventurer. She was one of the talents that Roland had originally discovered. However, as soon as she emerged, Lukius took her away. Nowadays, Roland could not even talk to her. The receptionist was always very cordial to her, even to the end, and even went out of her way to open the door for her when she was about to leave. He even remembered to call out to her behind her back. We look forward to seeing you again. People who were standing in front of the quest reception desk and chatting with her take one look at her and start whispering. She was the center of attention as she walked briskly with the crest of the "Golden Eagle" on her shoulder. Her fame, coupled with her flowing blonde hair and red armor, made people take notice and whisper to each other as she walked down the hallways of the Adventurers'' Association. Roland went to the quest reception desk long after she had left the door. ''Ah, hi, hi. You must be Roland the appraiser. As soon as the receptionist saw Roland, she opened her mouth with a big sigh, and responded with a very dull gesture. She was young, cute, and innocent, but she was also a girl whose emotions were overtly expressed in her demeanor. It was a far cry from her attitude toward Jill earlier. She already knew that Roland had been expelled from the Golden Eagle. Unlike when Roland was a member of the "Golden Hawk," she was blatantly salty. I wonder if there is. I wonder if there is a job suited for you. I don''t think so. I think it''s a waste of time to look for one. Do you still want to look? Yes, please. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. It can''t be helped. What a pain in the ass. She pulled out her quest list with some reluctance. Oh, that''s too bad," she said. There are no jobs for Mr. Roland. I''ve looked through the list from one end to the other with great effort, but there are no jobs at all. I''m sorry to hear that. So, I''m sorry, but could you please go home for today?As much as I''d like to give Mr. Roland a job - I have to deal with other people, too. So, I hope to see you again." She moved Roland away from the counter as if to get rid of him, as if to say, "You''re wasting my time and effort. As Roland was about to leave through the door, he heard the bouncy voice of the receptionist again. What?Are you in the skill appraisal business?There is, there is. We have a lot of quests for you to do. <> 2 - CHAPTER II Establishment of a New Guild (Hahaha. I guess you have to belong to a major guild to be able to receive quest orders.) As Roland sighs and trudges down the corridor of the quest reception area, he is approached by a tall mage. He said, "Oh, no.Mr. Roland?Are you by any chance Mr. Roland?" Oh, Lillianne." It''s been a while. Mr. Roland." She politely tucked in her skirt and bowed. Lillianne was a senior member of the guild "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The guild "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is the second largest guild after the guild "Golden Eagle. I really appreciate all the help you gave me the other day. Thanks to your help, I was able to move up to Adventurer Rank A last month. This is all thanks to you discovering my unique skill ''levitation''." Lillianne bowed deeply. In fact, she felt she owed her career to Roland. She and Roland first met when the "Golden Eagle" and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" jointly conducted a quest. From that time on, she was one of the best in town in terms of magical strength and firepower, but she was useless as a rearguard because of her low hit rate, which was the most important thing. It was then that Roland discovered her skill of "levitation. Somehow, her hit rate increased dramatically when she fired magic downward. With her original firepower and her "levitation" skill, she was a match made in heaven, and in the blink of an eye, she had achieved the status of an A-rank adventurer. Oh, no. It was your ability that made you A-ranked," she said. Roland was relieved by Lillianne''s attitude. Lillianne was a truly open-minded person who treated everyone with courtesy, regardless of their status. Lorraine was a truly inclusive person and treated everyone with courtesy, regardless of rank or status.I can''t believe that an executive of the Golden Eagle would go out of his way to accept a quest on his own. For some reason, she thought Roland was an executive of the "Golden Eagle. In reality, he was just an ordinary employee, but no matter how many times I told her, she didn''t believe me. No, actually, I don''t belong to ''Golden Hawk'' anymore. Oh, so you''re independent now?If you are as good as Mr. Roland, it would be more lucrative for you to make money independently. No, actually, I was kicked out of the ...... guild. Kicked out?Someone as good as you?" Lillianne looked shocked. ''That''s ...... what can I say?'' She was stunned for a moment, but then shook her head and regained her composure, smiling softly and kindly. It''s just about lunchtime. If you don''t mind, why don''t we go someplace calm and relax and talk?" They left the building and entered a lunch shop. I''ve been wanting to thank Mr. Roland for a long time. I''m sorry I''ve been so busy that I haven''t thanked you in a while. No, no, no. I was busy, so it can''t be helped. It''s a small token of my appreciation. Let me hold the fee for this place." Oh, no. ......, that''s okay. But you''re out of work right now, aren''t you? "Ugh, that''s just it." Will you please let me return the favor here?" Lillianne looked up pleadingly. Anyway, I want to do something for Roland, anything. That was the kind of mood she was in. Roland chuckled. I can''t go against this person. I''ll take your word for it. But why you? I thought that guild was supported by you. I always thought that as long as you were in the Golden Eagle, our guild, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, would never be able to compete with the Golden Eagle. Even Jill-san, who has been so active recently, is thanks to your skill appraisal, isn''t she? I don''t think so. Especially these days, I''ve been dragging my feet. ...... Oh, no. There must be something wrong with you. Yes, it is true that things were not going well with Lukius, the leader of the group. However, I think there were limits to what I could do as an adventurer with only skill appraisal. But isn''t your skills assessment the driving force that made the guild so successful? But your skill assessment was the driving force that propelled the guild forward. I agree. I, too, thought that Lucius valued me, and I have put his and the guild''s affairs ahead of my own. I considered him a good friend. But it seems that I was just one of many subordinates to him. Roland said in a somber voice as he looked down at the teacups on his desk. Lillianne looked at Roland with a sorry look, then clapped her hands with a snap as if she had regained her composure. Roland''s eyes widened. Lillianne smiled at him. Lillianne smiled and said, "Don''t be so downhearted. If you are not suited to be an adventurer, why don''t you try another job? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. Another job ......" Yes. For example, a production-based occupation that doesn''t go on adventures. Yes. How about an alchemists'' guild anyway?" The Alchemists'' Guild? Yes, my guild, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, was just looking for an alchemy guild that could take on a large number of Earthcraft orders. Ha ......." (So that''s why you were at the quest reception? (To order a quest from an alchemist) Mr. Roland. If you don''t mind, would you accept my request?The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" also wants to surpass the "Golden Eagle" in production-related skills, but after all, existing alchemist guilds will inevitably give priority to orders from the larger guilds, right?We, too, want a countermeasure to somehow gain an edge over the Gilded Eagle." As much as I would love to accept your request, Lillianne, I don''t have any alchemy skills. It''s all right. If you don''t have the skills, hire someone who does. You have "Skill Appraisal. With that, you can find someone who is talented in alchemist skills and hire them as an employee of the guild. I see. But I don''t know if I can do it. I don''t know if I can do a job where I have to be the boss of others. It''s all right. I''m sure you can do it. Trust me. Lillianne took Roland''s hand in hers and looked at him single-mindedly. (It''s strange. I feel like I can really do it if she tells me.) I understand. Lilianne. Let''s do it." Will you do it?" Yes, I was just thinking that I wasn''t convinced that it would end like this either. Let''s give that Lukius guy a whack together." Yeah, yeah. By all means, let''s do that." They clasped each other''s hands tightly and vowed to fight together. The next day, Roland applied to the government office for the establishment of a new alchemists'' guild and recruited guild members. The name of the guild was "Arsenal of Spirits. Since the guild was endorsed by a major guild, "Guardian of the Magic Tree," a flood of applicants came in the next day. <> 3 - CHAPTER III INTERVIEWING I''m sorry to hear that," he said. Master Lucius. Zens, a representative of the city''s best alchemists'' guild, said. This is the office of the head of the "Golden Eagle" guild. Lucius was having a business meeting with the alchemists'' guild with which he was familiar. Right now, he was trying to buy their products. We have been supplying products to the Gilded Eagle at an unbelievable price," he said. We''ve worked very hard to get the prices and delivery times you demanded. We have never once dropped a delivery. We have been working for "Golden Hawk" with all sincerity. This is a very bad way to treat us. We are still in the red, and every month we have to wait for the repayment of our loans. If we discount any more, we won''t be able to keep up. If that''s the case, fine. Let''s end our business with you today. From now on, I will order from another guild. Dianna, standing aside from Lucius, said. Lucius didn''t move his body, his eyes closed, thinking. The guild man chokes on his words. The orders from Rukius were always large, and if he were to break the contract, they would not be able to support the many members they had hired. Not only that. He also controlled the arms and hardware market, and if he were to break the contract, he would be shut out of the industry itself. Dianna looked down at the bewildered representative with disdain. She had this sadistic side to her. The representative looked at Lucius as if asking for help, and suddenly Lucius turned his chair around to face the representative. He smiled and spoke to her. "Mr. Zens. Don''t get me wrong, we don''t want to cut ties with you either. We just want you to work a little bit harder so that you can continue your relationship with us in the future. That''s all." ......" 200 gold per iron A. Will you do it?" Zens toddled home. Watching from the window, Lucius sighed. Oh dear," he said. He''s a very inscrutable man, isn''t he? He could never resist us. Quite so, sir. Dianna said flirtatiously. If you disobey Master Lucius, you won''t be able to survive in this city. They should understand that better." Lukius is not full of joy. Well," he said. What''s next?" I''m going out. I''m going out to discuss a quest with a nobleman, Count Elsen. He said that he has a request for our guild. He asked me directly. I''m not sure I want to do that. Count Elsen is desperate to have a relationship with us. However, it''s not bad to have a nobleman relying on you. Lucius gets up from his chair and puts on his cloak. He looked back at Dianna as if suddenly remembering. ''Speaking of which, how are things going with Roland?I hope you''re eliminating them from the Adventurer''s Quest?" The reason Roland was not able to find a quest was, in fact, because Lukius had his hands full. He was using the influence of a major guild to pressure the Adventurers'' Association not to give jobs to those who had left his guild. Oh, and if you are Roland, it seems that you have started your own alchemy guild. The Alchemy Guild?" Lucius frowned, then chuckled. ''Not at all. An alchemy guild of all things. You know that we have the Alchemy Guild under our control, don''t you? He''s finally gotten his jollies. Perhaps you haven''t noticed yet." "Perhaps you don''t realize yet that you are locked out of the Adventurers'' Guild. Dianna chuckled as well. We control the alchemical products section," she said. We have no money. We have no way to access the market. I don''t know how we are going to run a guild in such a situation. The guild''s name is ''The Arsenal of Spirits. Hahaha. What is an arsenal? You are going to make weapons? I wonder how you plan to sell them. (After all, who can do anything but see through other people''s qualities? (Are you just a man who can only see into other people''s qualities?) Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lucius had felt threatened by Roland, so he was relieved to learn of his shallowness. ''I assume you are planning to rely on your connection with Master Lucius to cry to him? I see. I see. That''s the line. Lucius suddenly ponders. Well, it''s for old time''s sake. If he wants to come crying to me, I''ll give him a job. But for 100 gold per piece of iron A. I won''t pay a penny more than that. Tell him that when he comes. I will be happy to help you. I will let them know. Lucius was about to leave the room when he stopped and turned to Dianna. ''Well, how about it, Dianna?Dinner tonight?" Dianna quickly retracted her cold smile and blushed. Dianna quickly withdrew her scornful smile and blushed. By all means. Then. Come to our usual place around 6:00 p.m." Lukius said that much and quickly left. Dianna sat at her desk for a while, entranced, not even bothering to organize her papers, when she suddenly remembered something important. I forgot to mention that Roland has Lillianne''s support. For a moment, Dianna thought about going after Lucius and telling him, but decided not to. Doing so would only spoil his mood. (Oh well...whatever. He controls the alchemy guild in this city anyway. I don''t have to tell him.) With that in mind, she began the task at hand, looking like she was in a million million minds. Roland was interviewing applicants for membership in the guild "Arsenal of Spirits. I thought it would be a good feeling to actually be in the position of selecting people like this. Everyone who is out of work desperately wants to be hired by you. They try to make a good impression by exaggerating their abilities. They act humble and try to lift the interviewer and the guild as much as possible. The alchemist girl that Roland is interviewing right now was also trying her best to impress Roland. She said, "I''m connected to the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree'' and I think it has great potential, and I think, after all, I''d like to do a great job with such a promising guild and its staff. I applied for the position because I was hoping to be used by such a wonderful guild under Roland''s leadership." She looked up at me flirtatiously and beamed. She was wearing a work shirt like an alchemist and carrying a hammer and other alchemical tools, but on the other hand, she was also feminine. She is a quiet girl and would not be good at such things, but she is trying to appeal with her appearance by letting her shiny brown hair, which is usually tied up, flow. She was trying to make people like her appearance, if possible. Roland thought that if people were to treat him like this, it was inevitable that he would grow up to be like Lukius. It would be tempting to choose people based on likes and dislikes rather than abilities. (But...) I don''t know. I have the skill "Appraisal") Roland used skill appraisal to activate the current skills of the alchemist he was now interviewing. The alchemy-related skills of the interviewee, alchemist Aryeh, appear as letters in the space around her. Ore Mining: E to D Ore refining: E to A Metal forming: D to C Goldsmithing: E to D Roland decided to ask a question. ''Do you have any responsibilities that you would like to apply for?'' Yes," he said. I would like to be in charge of ''metalwork. Metalsmithing is what I do best. Roland laughed inwardly. Metalsmithing was the lowest of her skill structure, both in terms of current ability and potential. Perhaps she wanted to be in charge of metalsmithing because it was a blossoming field and paid well. How about ''ore refining''?Currently, our guild is in need of an "ore refiner. When Roland asked her about it, she laughed, as if she was a little troubled. Is it ''ore refining'' ......? I''m not a bit good at it, I think I''m more of a ''goldsmith'' ....... Oh, but of course, if you''re willing to hire me, of course I''ll do it." Aryeh hurriedly rephrased her statement, fearing that she would lose her mind. Roland wrote ''Aryeh, ore refining E to A'' on the paper in his hand. ''Understood. Then I will let you know the results of the interview at home by next week." Aryeh leaves looking dejected. (I passed the interview, though.) Roland knew it would be bad if she remained disheartened, so he immediately decided to send a letter of acceptance to her address. <> 4 - CHAPTER IV Treatment of Skilled Craftsmen "Whew, I''m tired." Thank you. When Roland finishes his interview for the day and takes a break, a staff member sent by Lillianne gives him a hard time. Not only did she provide the funds and work to start up the guild, but she even sent a staff member to assist with miscellaneous tasks. I''m sure you must be exhausted," she said. You must be exhausted, interviewing 20 people in just one morning. Yes," he said. But I have to see it with my own eyes to ''appraise'' it. It can''t be helped." But why go to such lengths to have it appraised by Mr. Roland? Why not just have them self-report their current skills and narrow down the list of interviewees?" No," he said. Current skills alone don''t tell you about future growth potential and room for growth. In the long run, it is better to hire a person with his or her future potential in mind. I''m not sure I''d like that. Is that how it is? Well, I guess I''d better get going for my afternoon interview." Roland looks at the list of interviewees'' skills that he has recorded. (After all, Aryeh''s "Ore Refining" is the only talent above Skill A?) Roland looked at the note again, Aryeh "Ore Refining": E to A. The manufacture of "Earthcraft" ordered by Lilianne can be managed with the skill "Ore Refining A". Next week, the ore for "Earthcraft" should be brought to the old studio he bought as a base. (By then, I will get Aryeh''s "Ore Refining" as close to "A" as possible.) Aryeh came to her first job at the guild "Arsenal of Spirits" with a feeling of joy and sorrow. (It''s good that she passed the interview, but from the looks of it, she''ll probably be forced to do "ore refining.) Aryeh''s mind replayed bitter memories of her previous workplace. I really want to be in charge of goldsmithing. (It''s true that my goldsmithing skills aren''t great, but if you''re talking about that, I''m not so sure about ore refining (......)). She was also in charge of "ore refining" at the alchemy workshop (atelier) where she was hired before, but was soon fired. (I wonder if she will be fired soon here too. Ahhhh...) Aryeh couldn''t help but feel disheartened when she thought about it. When Aryeh came to the front of the guild''s studio, Roland was cleaning in front of the door. Good morning," Roland said. Good morning, Mr. Aryeh. Oh, good morning." Aryeh said with as much energy as she could muster. I''m the head of a guild," she said, thinking in a corner of her mind that it was odd for her to be cleaning. Well then, I''ll have you do the ''ore refining'' right away." (Ugh. I knew it was "ore refining.) She enters the refining room, almost crushed with anxiety. The truth is, we still haven''t received the materials from the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. I think they will arrive next week. So for now, I''m going to have them start with iron refining for practice. Aryeh was relieved to hear that there would be a practice period. At least I''ll get paid here until next week, I thought. ''Well then, let''s get started. This is where you''ll be working." Roland led Aryeh to the kettle room. The room, surrounded by brick walls, was already prepared for refining. The kettles were ready to be fired, coal was ready, and iron ore was laid out on a table. ''You know all the basic smelting methods, don''t you?Well, then, get on with it." Aryeh gulps and nervously arranges the iron ore on a tray. It had been a long time since she had done "ore refining. Would he be able to do it well? Aryeh placed the tray of 10 ores in the cauldron, covered it with a lid, filled it with coal, and cast a fire magic spell. Above the door of the cauldron is a small window to look inside. Through this small opening, he must keep track of the ore inside and adjust the amount of fire magic. Aryeh watched the ore turn red in the cauldron, feeling on edge. When the smelter judged that the ore was just right, it was taken out and beaten with a hammer. There, all impurities are scraped off to make pure metal from the ore. The inexperienced Aryeh, relying on his own intuition, takes out the reddish ore and taps it with a hammer. The iron that has been refined is submitted to the head of the guild. The results of Aryeh''s refining were disappointing. 9 pieces of iron E 1 iron D Iron E was unusable scrap iron. Iron D was barely usable, but it was still an inferior product. (Huh. I told you so.) Aryeh nodded disappointedly, expecting to be offended. But what came back was a surprising response. That''s great, isn''t it? "That''s great, Aryeh. I can''t believe you got an iron D on the first try. Roland said with a twinkle in his eye. Huh? I can''t believe you can already refine iron D, even though your skill in ''ore refining'' is still E." I knew you had talent. "Ha, ha." Aryeh could only reply vaguely, unable to keep up with Roland''s tension. Then, let''s move on. I''m sorry, but I can''t. Well, I''ll put this piece of scrap iron away and then I''ll go to ......." I don''t care about that," he said. You just keep on with the ''ore refining''. I''ll take care of the cleanup. What?Yes, sir. After that, Roland let Aryeh continue the "ore refining" work. Roland organized and cleaned up the iron that had been finished and had her do as much of the "ore refining" work as possible. In no time at all, the many iron ores on the shelves were disappearing and turning to scrap iron. Despite this, Roland continued to have her work. She would try to take care of the chores, but Roland never let her do it, and did all the little things for her. While she stuck to the kettle, Roland would prepare the next ore on the desk or bring it from the warehouse, clean the room, and take care of the tools. This allowed Aryeh to concentrate on the task of keeping an eye on the kettle. It was like being treated like a first-class craftsman. (Ko, we''ve wasted such a large amount of ore. Are you sure you can handle it?) Aryeh continued to make it, feeling uneasy. In the end, she consumed 30 pieces of iron ore that day and was only able to make 3 pieces of iron D. The next day, the same thing continued. Eventually, she began to recognize the subtle changes in the color of the ore burning in the cauldron. (I think I''m starting to get it, ......?) She came to recognize the subtle shades of red in iron. She has grown accustomed to Roland taking over chores. At first, Aryeh was concerned about the hierarchical relationship, but Roland treats her like a skilled craftsman so naturally that she no longer cares. Next, she began to concentrate on her work. When the fifth "refining" session was over, she no longer saw Roland''s complexion. And when she reached the tenth "refining" session, she was finally able to refine 9 pieces of iron D and 1 piece of iron C. (Yay, I did it!) Aryeh was relieved. Iron C would somehow become a saleable commodity. It was a passable line for a new alchemist. For the time being, she would be able to make it work here. I did it. "I did it, Mr. Roland. I was able to make iron C." Aryeh reported to Roland with a completely relieved look on her face. However, the answer he received was unexpected. This is no good at all. Roland threw the iron C into the trash. He said, "Huh, huh?" You should at least have all of your ore turned into Iron A." Te, iron A......" Aryeh pales again. How can you call everything iron A? Is there an alchemist in this town who can do such a thing? After that, Roland continued to give Aryeh first-class treatment and first-class pressure. Of course, Aryeh only did "ore refining. He was never allowed to do anything else. (I''ve never worked in a place where I was forced to do nothing but "ore refining" so much.) Already an unbelievable amount of ore had been consumed for one new alchemist to spend. (Spend time and money on one skill at a time. I can''t believe I wasted so much ore. This is the kind of thing I''d do unless I''m sure I have the "Ore Refining A" talent. ...... Are you serious?) Aryeh continues to pour iron into the cauldron with a single-minded determination to live up to Roland''s expectations. It has been a week now. And it was done. It''s done.) Aryeh looks at the iron on the tray in a daze. The luster of the surface, the color and gloss. You can tell just by looking at the surface. It was unmistakably only the finest iron. There were 10 pieces of iron A on the tray. Good. You did a good job. Aryeh. Yes, sir." Thank you." Aryeh was relieved to finally receive the praise, even though she was half crying. Then it''s finally time for you to fulfill the request from the "Keeper of the Magic Tree. For now, it''s 100 ''earthcrafts'' in a month." Aryeh almost fainted. Earthcraft" was a much more difficult metal to refine than iron. 5 - CHAPTER V -- TEACHER OF HEAVY KNIGHTS Roland was working just inside the entrance of the workshop. The room had only a small, low-backed desk and a crude chair. Wooden boxes and alchemist''s tools were stacked or lying in a messy pile beside it. This was the parlor and workshop of the workshop. It was a small building, after all, and there was not enough space to give a single room multiple functions. At the moment, on a low desk in front of him, there are 10 pieces of "earthcraft" that Aryeh had just refined. They consist of. Two Earth Craft A 6 Earth Craft B 1 Earth Craft C Earth Craft D 1 pc. The result was (Excellent. This would be enough to satisfy Lillianne''s request.) Lillianne''s request was for 100 "Earth Crafts" to be delivered within one month. She wanted no more than 20% of them to be inferior to D or below. At this rate, the request was likely to be accomplished. Roland packed the "Earthcraft" with blue glitter into a shipping box. After this, he would have to transport the boxes to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. Roland was doing all these chores because he wanted Aryeh to concentrate on the refining work as much as possible. How are you doing?Mr. Roland. Lillianne. As Roland was packing the products into boxes, Lillianne came into the workshop. Lillianne came into the workshop. I''ll serve you some tea now." Roland paused in his boxing and was about to invite her in, but Lillianne restrained him with her hand. ''Oh, that''s fine. You''re working on it, right?Please finish." I''m sorry. I''ll finish right away." Roland hurriedly packed the boxes. Lilianne watched him work from a distance so as not to disturb him. When Roland had finished, Aryeh came from the oven room with a tray of "Earthcraft" in her hands. Ah, guild leader," he said. We have just finished refining the "Earthcraft. You can have a look at ......, eh?Lillianne?" Aryeh. Just in time. Lillianne, the investor, has just arrived. I''d like to show her your refined version of Earthcraft." Thank you. Aryeh turned to Lilianne and beamed. Lilianne looks at her with a friendly smile. She was dressed like a craftsman. Aryeh''s brown hair was in a single braid that hung over her right shoulder. On her hands she wore gloves for kettle work, and on her face she wore glasses that dampened the light from the flames. All of these had been bought for her by Roland. There was no pretense in his appearance, and unlike during the interview, he looked natural. Oh, hello. It''s you, isn''t it? Roland told me you were a refiner. She is the one who made the "Earthcraft. Now, Aryeh. Now, Aryeh, show the finished ''Earthcraft'' to Ms. Lillianne. Yes, sir. It''s a wonderful piece of Earthcraft. Lillianne took the finished "Earth Craft" and looked at it intently. The percentage of "Earthcraft A" was even higher than before. All of it was refined by her. Well, you did this all by yourself?" Lillianne gave Aryeh a heated look. Aryeh, who was not used to this kind of treatment, was simply horrified. No, I was just following the guild leader''s instructions. It was no big deal. She was bewildered, happy, and embarrassed, as if she were a celebrity or something. Earthcraft is a special item that refines any weapon or armor. A quality earthcraft is essential for quick weapon maintenance. If you supply them to the "Guardians of the Magical Tree," the successor capabilities of parties belonging to the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" will be greatly enhanced. I look forward to your continued support." Lilianne continues to look expectantly at Aryeh. Aryeh was too honored to reply, but only nodded slightly, her face reddening. Roland activates his skill "Appraisal" and looks at the skills floating around her. Aryeh''s "Ore Refining," which had been an E, was now an A. Roland picked Lilianne up at the entrance of the workshop. ''Thank you, Lillianne, for coming all the way out here today. No, no, no. That being said, Mr. Aryeh, was that the right thing to do?" Yes, I am. It is a confidence booster for Aryeh to be recognized by someone like you. I''m sure this is a small price to pay. I was just telling the truth. Lillianne brings her face close to Roland''s as she says this. You raised her," Lillianne said. Didn''t you?" Roland was so close to her beautiful face that they were almost touching, and it was a doozy. Her eyes gazed at Roland feverishly. Roland smiled deceptively. Lillianne laughed along with him. I''ll leave you now. Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you again." My pleasure. When Jill returned, the guild''s new members and junior members all lined up to greet her. Oh, it''s Jill. Hurry up. Get out of the way." Those in the guild who saw Jill hurriedly gave way to her and dodged to either side. In the guild "Golden Hawk," hierarchy was absolute. Jill, who had won first place in last month''s adventurer rankings for monster kills, became a senior member of the guild''s Golden Eagle and one of Lukius''s closest associates, despite being a newcomer. She is now a well-known figure among adventurers. She walks from the entrance of the building down a wide, palatial hallway. On either side of her were rows of lower-ranking members with their hands on their chests and their heads slightly bowed, in a pose of loyalty to the guild. Newcomers and underachievers must do this to the senior members. She walks leisurely through them. Suddenly Jill looked at those in line. Most of them had joined the guild at the same time as Jill. Jill''s selection as a senior member was an unusual step. Given this, Jill must have mixed feelings. Jill walking down the flowery aisle, and the members at the end of the line, who are being sidelined. The difference between the two is only a little bit of luck. Thinking about it, Jill couldn''t help but wonder if she really deserved to be in the limelight so much. I''m standing here like this because of nothing else. It''s thanks to Mr. Roland.) Jill recalls her days with Roland. At the time, she was a sluggish newcomer. Branded as having no potential, she was assigned to work under Roland. But Roland changed her fate. Roland converted her from a light-armed archer to a heavy-armed knight. Gilles. You have the qualities to become a heavy-armed knight. Roland said this to her shortly after they became acquainted. Oh, no. I don''t have the strength to walk around in a dungeon wearing heavy armor. In fact, her stamina was E at the time. She said, "Don''t worry. You''ll have A stamina in the future. She followed her instructor, Roland, even though she was skeptical. The training Roland put her through was intense, but it still improved her stamina dramatically. And that''s not all. He also arranged for the guild to purchase top-of-the-line armor for her. Her defense was dramatically improved. Roland," she said. Thank you very much. Now I can contribute to the guild as a shield and defender. No," he said. No, Jill. Your role is not as a shield. You are an attacker. She could not believe her ears at Roland''s words, but he gave her a great sword. On the contrary, he pushed and screwed her into a golem-killing squad. She grew rapidly in battle, destroying three brick golems. Defeating three golems in a single dungeon infiltration was an unusual record not only for a rookie, but also for an adventurer. Most adventurers either run out of energy on the way or take too much damage and run out of potions along the way. Thus, she had inexhaustible stamina to run around the dungeon all day long while carrying her armor, defensive strength that would not be affected by being hit with a hammer, and offensive power that could reap even the hardest and most gigantic enemies. (All of it. Thanks to Mr. Roland. If he hadn''t made me change course, I would have ended up as a mediocre archer. She recalls. She remembers how he would praise her for the slightest growth and blast her if she got a little too proud. (He really had the perfect timing for praise and timing for anger.) Even when she blossomed as a heavily armed knight, Roland was not satisfied. He gave her a goal of defeating five golems a day. That goal has yet to be met. In the process, he was reassigned by Lucius to the guild''s main unit. From then on, she was in great demand and continued to work for the guild without a break. Even after becoming a mainstay, she continued to demonstrate her strength without regret. She was an excellent shield and attacker, and was able to take on any quest. With her gorgeous appearance, she was also useful as a billboard. Not only did she continue to fight on the front lines, but she was also pulled into the PR arena. Thus, she had a busy but fulfilling day, but today she finally had a day off. She could meet Roland, whom she had been estranged from for a long time recently. (I wonder what he will think when he sees how much I''ve grown...will he recognize me a little now that I''ve become a B-rank adventurer? (I wonder what he will think when he sees how much I''ve grown...or will he say I''m not ready yet?) In any case, I was going to get a lot of shagging today, back in the old days. (Oops.) She decided to get herself groomed before meeting Roland. She had recently started to pay more attention to her appearance since she was often out in public as a signer for the guild, but when she met Roland, she checked her hair more carefully than usual. Here we go." (How are you doing?) Roland must still be in a corner of the guild instructing newcomers. I apologize to the newcomers, but today I''m going to ask them to put themselves first under the senior member''s authority. (Maybe he''ll take me out to dinner tonight as a reward for growing up. (Maybe he''ll take me out to dinner tonight as a reward for growing up...) No, no, that''s not too much to hope for. I''m sure he''ll yell in my ear and beat me until I puke. Maybe they''ll make me run around until midnight. Either way, it''s a reward for me. (smh). She hurriedly retracts the grin that had momentarily appeared on her face, caught off guard, and opens the door to the new instructor. Roland?He''s gone now." What about?" The words of the newly appointed mentor made Jill look like a pigeon hit by a peashooter, not understanding for a moment what they meant. Not long ago, Master Lucius banished me. Oh, no. Why ......?" He''s had a string of blunders of late. It can''t be helped. What''s that?Jill?" Jill did not hear the instructor''s words until the end and, as if leaving the room at the speed of a gale, she rushed to the guild leader''s room. Without knocking, she opened the door and entered the room. Guild leader!I need to talk to you!" <> 6 - CHAPTER VI The Witchs Thunderstorm When Jill entered the room, Lucius was not there. The only person there was Dianna, who was frowning and crossing her arms. Jill?What the hell are you talking about?You didn''t even knock." Dianna greeted Jill''s sudden entrance with a puzzled expression. Jill scurried around the room, paying no attention to Dianna''s appearance. Where is the head of the guild? I''m on a business trip. What the hell are you talking about?Without knocking. No matter how senior a member you are, that''s just plain rude." Dianna. Why did the Guild Master expel Mr. Roland?" Roland?Oh, that connoisseur." Dianna said disinterestedly. ''Mr. Roland is ......, that man is the future of this guild. He is someone we must never lose." He seems to be getting along better with the ''keepers of the magic tree'' than we are." "Keeper of the Magic Tree"?Why on earth would ...... do that?" You know how close I got to Lillianne during our joint quest earlier?I also developed her unique skills at that time. It seems that the witch''s s*x appeal had her captivated at that time. I think she was the one who asked him to drag us down with her, and that''s what he''s been doing lately. "Oh, no. ......" It seems he not only gave that witch his skills, but also sold his loyalty to the guild. There must be some mistake," he said. Mr. Roland is not that kind of person. He has paved the way for me. He would never drag his rivals down with him, even if it meant sending salt to his rivals. Anyway!For our part, we can''t keep a traitor like that in the guild forever. And neither can you!Please be respectful in your words and actions. It is not a good example to the other members if you defend a traitor just because he has helped you. More importantly, it is bad for morale. Jill turns on her heel and tries to leave the room. Jill turns on her heel and turns to leave the room.What''s your reply?" You can''t say anything bad about ...... him to me." Jill said that much and left the room. There is the sound of a door closing. Dianna sighed. (Oh dear. I''m having trouble with her discipline, too. She got what she wanted, so why didn''t she just forget about that failed man?) Dianna suddenly smiled ruthlessly. Even if we leave it alone, it will probably go under soon anyway. But just in case, let''s take care of it. Roland continued to support Aryeh''s work as well as conduct interviews. Thanks to Aryeh, the "Earthcraft" business is getting back on track for now, but it may not go on like this forever. (Thanks to Aryeh, the "Earthcraft" business is getting off the ground for now, but it may not go on like this forever. Mineral refining" is not enough. We need to hire and place A-class people in other positions as well.) Now Roland saw a boy named Ranju in front of him for an interview. He has tanned skin, a medium height but muscular build, and is wearing a tank top shirt. He had the appearance of a miner. The sharpness of his eyes showed his fighting spirit. He asked, "So, can you tell me what kind of work you want?" Mineral mining," he said. That''s the only alchemical skill I have." Ranju scratched his cheeks in embarrassment. Roland activated his skill "Appraisal. Mineral Mining B to A (I see. Mineral Mining B" at the moment. It has the potential to become an "A" in the future. You are a clever boy who knows his stuff. But still naive) Roland proceeds to "appraise" Lange to see if he has any other skills worth mentioning. Workshop management D A Store Management E to A Mine Management C to A (This one!(Three high-potential management skills) Roland''s eyes lit up. (If we hire him and train him, he will eventually become the core of the guild.) I see. I understand. Let''s hire him as an ''ore miner. By the way, would you be willing to do administrative work?" Administration? Yes, I would be willing to double your salary if you would help me manage the workshop. ...... I''ve never managed a workshop before. Of course, we will be happy to provide guidance and support. Then I guess I''ll try ......." Ranju scratched his cheek again. It seemed to be his habit to scratch his cheeks. From that day on, Roland had Ranju handle all the administrative tasks in the workshop. He taught him how to manage the ore inventory, the ledgers, and the kettle room. At first, Ranju was awkward, but in no time at all, he was getting the hang of the work. The ores, tools, and boxes in the workshop, which had been scattered all over the place, were quickly organized and put away. From the time the ore was brought to Aryeh until it was shipped, the work became much more efficient and less wasteful. Roland saw how quickly Lange swallowed the work and how much initiative he had, and decided that this was the type of person he would be better off entrusting with the work rather than telling him in detail. So, at about the right point, he decided to give only a rough order and leave the discretion to Roland. Lange. Your mission is to make Aryeh produce as many A''s of "Earthcraft" as possible. You must set up a management system for this workshop so that Aryeh''s productivity will increase!" The effect was extraordinary. As soon as Lange saw what Aryeh was working on, he immediately began to think about how to make her work easier. He gave her ore just when she wanted it, gave her a mallet just when she wanted it, left the room when she wanted to concentrate, and provided water when she was thirsty. We arranged everything to make it easy for her to work. Soon Aryeh''s productivity increased, and she went from a limit of refining 10 pieces of "Earthcraft A" a day to 1 The company is now able to refine two pieces on a steady basis. Aryeh was pleased. It''s very helpful," she said. "Thank you, Mr. Lange. It was already too much for just the two of us. (The quintessence is Mr. Roland. I can''t believe you have such an excellent support staff.) Lange scratched his cheeks with a smile. While Roland was instructing Lange on administrative duties, the main "Golden Eagle" team was about to reach the deepest part of the dungeon that had recently appeared. The soldiers were tired, but still in high spirits. It had been a long time since a dungeon of this magnitude had been found. If cleared, it would bring in huge revenues. They knew that the troops were approaching the final barrier. The monsters had not appeared at all since a while ago. That meant that the goal of this dungeon was near. The final boss must be just beyond the hill we were now climbing. Stop!" As they crested the hill, the troop leader, Marco, ordered them to stop. Below us was a plain, with countless coffins placed on it. By Marco''s count, there were at least a hundred. Is this the coffin of the ...... skeletal swordsman?" One of my men said in surprise at the sheer number of coffins. Yeah, it looks like this is the final boss of this dungeon." Marco said with a chuckle. If we go any further, skeletal warriors will come out of those nearly 100 coffins in droves. (Not at all. (After all these years of wearing out our armor and swords, this is the last thing we need.) Marco turned to see the state of his troops. His troop was a total of 30 men, divided into six squads of five men each. The condition of the troop was terrible. Everyone was wearing out their equipment. So far in this dungeon, all we had seen were enemies and events that seemed to be aimed at equipment wear and tear, such as slime monsters that feed on oxidized mucus. If you are fighting skeletal warriors who will not stop moving until they are smashed to pieces, you can expect an intense white hand-to-hand combat. It was dangerous to fight with worn out equipment. "Squad. Report the wear and tear on your equipment! Three members of Team 2''s equipment are half destroyed. The remaining two have only minor wear and tear. Team 3, four men are half destroyed and one is slightly damaged. Team 4, also 4 half destroyed, 1 minor. Team 5 is all semi-destroyed. Team 6, also half destroyed. I see. ......" (Three members of my group were half destroyed and two suffered minor losses. (In my unit, three members were half destroyed and two were slightly damaged. 24 out of 30 members in my unit were half destroyed and six were slightly damaged. That''s it.) Marco sighed in resignation. Minor wear and tear could be fixed right here and now, but to fix half-destroyed equipment, he would need to return to the city or use "Earthcraft. We''re retreating." Ha. Are you retreating? Oh, it''s too dangerous to collide with 100 skeletal warriors in this state of wear and tear. Just knowing what the final boss was would be an accomplishment. You need to go home and get ready and come back. Go back to the Gilded Eagle headquarters and ask them to deploy the Earth Craft and the men for white combat. However,......, isn''t it a bit too passive to just retreat without doing anything? At least we''ll get one fight out of it. ...... The dungeon''s success will depend on how quickly we can prepare our white combat equipment," he said. For that reason, we cannot waste time unnecessarily. We must retreat as quickly as possible. (With 100 skeleton warriors, we need to prepare about 30 "Earthcraft", or maybe 60 just to be safe. I''ll need to do that. (And I''ll have to enlist Jill''s help again at .......) With her high defense and stamina, she would be able to single-handedly maintain the front line, act as a shield, and even break through. Even if she is surrounded by skeleton warriors alone, she will have no problem, and a single swing of her great sword is powerful enough to crush two or three skeleton warriors. In this boss battle, which is expected to be a long white-army battle, it would be best to rely on her, the strongest white-army fighter. Marco laughed bitterly. Lately, he had been in her debt all the time. He would have to do something to make up for this. At this thought, a murmur suddenly broke out among the troops. What is it?What''s going on?" Captain!New hands behind your back!" What?New hands? What the hell is that?It is the main force of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" led by Lillianne. A squad of 30 men, consisting of 20 warriors, 5 wizards, and 5 archers, passes Marco''s unit. They were heading for the top of the hill Marco had just climbed. It''s not a good idea, Captain," he said. If they get ahead of us, we''ll be in trouble. ...... Don''t worry. Their equipment is at its limits. Look at them. Marco points and shows. The white army led by Lillianne was far more heavily worn than Marco''s unit. Some of them had broken swords and their armor was peeling off. It was hard to believe that they had the strength left to fight through this boss battle. (The alchemists'' guild of "Golden Eagle" should be able to prepare 60 "Earthcraft" in a month. The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" would not be able to compete with them.) Everyone living in the city knew that the "Golden Eagle" had strong ties to the alchemy guild, and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" had strong ties to the medicine man''s guild. The "Golden Eagle" has strong ties to the alchemists'' guild. If we are too lazy, they might procure "Earthcraft" more quickly than we do.) Marco became more determined to retreat. Now that the Guardians of the Magical Tree have reached this point, we need to hurry our preparations even more. Here, if you understand, let''s go!" Marco said this to his troops and turned his back on the coffin plains. But as they began to retreat, they heard the coffin open behind them. (What?No way?) Marco turned around. Lilianne is using her skill "levitation" to get into a fighting position. Her white army had also landed on the plain. Lillianne was in the middle of the plains, "Captain," she said. They are going to fight. That''s ridiculous. It''s too reckless. Indeed, Lilianne''s firepower was tremendous. She could probably kill 10 skeleton warriors with a single blow. But on the other hand, there is a weakness. Once she fires, she enters an overheat state, so she cannot fire another spell for a while, nor can she continue to "levitate. Once down on the ground, they would have to replenish their magical power and rest, which meant that they absolutely needed the support of the ground troops. No matter how many of the 10 or 20 skeleton warriors she crushed, if the ground troops were killed, she would then come down to the ground in an overheated state and be torn to pieces by the skeleton warriors. They would be killed. (What are you going to do?) Marco and the others decided to cancel their preparations for retreat and watch the women fight. Meanwhile, the skeleton warriors awoke from their slumber, and the field was soon filled with skeleton warriors equipped with swords and shields. Lilianne gave some kind of signal in the air. This triggered the members of the team to take out their items at once. In their hands was a shiny blue stone. What is that?Earthcraft! What the hell?Nonsense. We should have the workshop that can refine "Earth Craft". Why do they have so much earthcraft? Moreover, the "earth craft" they had was of outstanding quality. They all looked like "Earthcraft A". Their equipment recovered instantly and became as good as new. The white battle began. The sound of sword fights and clashing shields rang out, and gradually the skeletal warriors crowded toward the adventurers. Lilianne, seeing the opportune moment, unleashed her lightning magic. A thunderbolt blinks, and a tremendous torrent of energy blows away about 15 skeletal warriors that are densely packed together. The line of skeletal warriors was temporarily disrupted, but new hands soon arrived and did not give the adventurers a break. Overheated, Lilianne went down to the ground in a daze, but the white army troops were in tight formation and did not allow the enemy to penetrate the area. Lilianne landed safely and resupplied. The battle lasted a long time. Soon the adventurers'' equipment began to wear out again. Marco was relieved. They would never clear that one. However, as if to mock Marco''s prediction, Lilianne''s white army unit took out their "Earth Craft" again to recover their equipment. Lilianne took to the sky again. She took a look at the battle from the sky. Her troops were not intimidated by the sturdy skeletal warriors. (What a great succession! Thanks to Mr. Roland.) A second thunderbolt rings out. This time, it dismembered the twenty or so skeletal warriors. More than 70% of the skeleton warriors have already disappeared. The white army, now outnumbered, had struck out from its positions and went on the offensive. The third lightning strike did not blink. Lilianne''s white army annihilated the skeleton warriors. Thus, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" led by Lilianne conquered the dungeon. With the boss defeated, all adventurers in the dungeon except for the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" were deported back to the city. From now on, the guild "Guardians of the Magical Tree" will have the exclusive right to collect and use all resources in the dungeon, including ores, plants, and monsters, for a period of one month before the dungeon is extinguished. According to the adventurer''s code, no one is allowed to enter the dungeon except members of the guild and those whom they have authorized to enter. Those who break this rule are subject to extreme punishment. <> 7 - CHAPTER VII MANAGEMENT OF MINE When Marco returned from the dungeon, he was summoned to the guild leader''s room. He said, "Over at ...... is a synopsis of what happened in the dungeon." Marco reported on the decisions he had made and how Lillianne had somehow been in possession of a large amount of "Earthcraft". When Lucius finished listening, he opened his closed eyes and stared at Marco. ''So this is what you mean,'' he said. You reached the bottom of the dungeon, but tried to turn back without a single fight. On the contrary, you were present at the scene where a rival guild was trying to conquer the dungeon, but you did nothing and watched with your fingers crossed. Is that what you mean?" Guild leader. With all due respect, the troops were worn out at that time. To fight 100 skeletal warriors in that state without earthcraft is ......" Don''t make excuses. Are you still a senior member of the Golden Eagle?" I''m sorry, sir. That''s enough. Back off." Marco nodded gackly and walked out of the room. Lucius sighed unhappily. (Not at all. This is why I can''t stand useless people. We''ve made connections with the nobility, and we''re on the brink of ruling this city.) Lucius looked more difficult than ever. (Count Elsen contacted us because we are the best guild in town. (Count Elsen contacted us because we are the best guild in town. What if word gets out that we''ve been kidnapped from the dungeon at a time like this?) Dianna. Marco is demoted." Yes, sir. Who is the new captain?" I guess so." Do you have anyone affordable?" How about Jill, for example?She is on a roll right now and has plenty of ability. I don''t think anyone would complain if we selected her. Jill or ......" Lucius put his hand over his mouth and thought for a moment. (As I recall, she was the one Roland raised.) No, wait. She''s not ready. Let it be someone else." ?"I understand. I''ll make a list. Mm-hmm. Please." For some time, Lukius had been trying to avoid placing people raised by Roland in high positions. If he did so, he would soon have to fill the top ranks with people who had been nurtured by Roland. If the guild''s leadership was dominated by Roland''s faction, there would soon be calls for Roland to be appointed head of the guild rather than Rukius. Roland was no longer with the guild, but even now, he was determined to ensure that the executive members were made up of members of his own faction. ''That being the case, why does the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" have "Earthcraft"?I''m sure we hold the alchemists who can refine ''earthcraft'' in the city. ......" Perhaps some alchemist guild has betrayed us." Gather the representatives of the alchemists'' guilds immediately. "Gather the representatives of the alchemists'' guilds immediately and tighten up and find out who the traitors are." Roland and Lillianne met at a coffee shop. The coffee shop was ideal for couples or business meetings, as anyone could drop in. This time, for the first time in a long time, our guild, ''The Guardians of the Magic Tree,'' was able to clear the dungeon faster than ''The Golden Eagle. It was all thanks to Roland-san. Oh, no, I didn''t do much. Last month, Jill took over the number one spot in the breakdown ranking, but I think I can manage to regain it this month. Congratulations. I heard that you defeated 35 skeleton warriors by yourself. That''s quite an accomplishment. I owe it all to Mr. Roland''s generous supply of Earthcraft. I really could have destroyed more of them, but, well, I am in a position now where I have to think about the whole unit rather than my individual performance. Lilianne sipped her tea quietly. Today Lilianne looked more beautiful than ever. She had a graceful air about her that was characteristic of a woman with a fulfilling job. It''s tough, isn''t it, to hold the title of A-rank adventurer? Yes, it is. That said, we have found a mine in the dungeon, so it looks like we will be able to acquire a lot of ore for "Earthcraft. Also, you will take care of the refining of "Earthcraft" at the "Arsenal of Spirits," won''t you? Yes, of course. Yes, of course. By the way, I have a favor to ask. "Oh, what is it?" Lillianne leaned forward suddenly when she heard that Roland had asked her for a favor. I have a member in my guild who has skills in ''ore mining'' and ''mine management. Hm. If Mr. Roland says so, he must be very talented. Would you be willing to let him join you in mining the dungeon?" I was just thinking that we need more people to help retrieve items from the dungeon," he said. If you have such personnel, we would be more than happy to oblige. Lillianne takes out a piece of paper on the spot and writes a permit to enter the dungeon. Please take it. Give this to the member and you can enter the dungeon at any time. Thank you." No, no, no. Oh, it''s already this late. I have a meeting to attend. I''ll leave you to it. Yeah, another time. Let''s begin the morning meeting. At the "Arsenal of Spirits" workshop, Lange begins the morning meeting with a board in his hand that describes the day''s schedule. He was also in charge of communicating these kinds of matters in the workshop. I will be digging for ore in the dungeon that the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" conquered the other day, so I will be out of the workshop for the entire morning. Therefore, I would like to ask the guild leader to support Aryeh-san during the morning. Yes, sir. "Ms. Aryeh''s schedule for today is to refine 30 pieces of earthcraft. Yes, sir. Let''s get on with our day. Morning meeting is over." After Ranju finishes the morning meeting, each person gets to work. Lange prepares to head for the dungeon with pickaxe in hand, Aryeh fires up the kiln, and Roland grabs ore and tools from storage and begins to prepare for smelting. Roland decides to say a few words to Ranju on his way out. Ranju, this is your chance to develop your ''mine management'' skills. Not only "mining ore," but also "mine management. Yes, sir. I''ll try." I will gather as many people as you need for mine management. You can make any requests you like. Yes, sir. Well, I''m off to inspect the mine in the dungeon right away. Lange left the workshop with his favorite pickaxe. Roland supported Aryeh and was interested in the ore warehouse that Lange had organized. (I knew I was right to leave it in Lange''s hands.) When I appraised Lange''s skills this morning, his "Workshop Management" was already a B. (He is perfect in terms of dexterity and cost control. (His dexterity and cost management are perfect, and if he can even manage human resources, I''m sure he''ll be able to handle this workshop.) Aryeh. How are you?" Roland asked as he watched Aryeh face the kiln. ''Yes,'' he said. It''s looking good. Aryeh took out the ore of "Earthcraft" from the kiln, which was not yet ready. Are you taking it out already?" Yes, sir. Once it cools down here, the quality of the ''earthcraft'' will be higher." Oh, really?" It''s going to take me a little longer. I noticed that thanks to Mr. Lange''s suggestion." I see." Aryeh tapped the ore she took out with a hammer a little and then put it back in the kiln. Now Aryeh knew when to strike the heated ore as if it were in her hand. (That''s strange. I couldn''t do this kind of thing at all before. Now I can do it easily. (It''s thanks to Mr. Roland, isn''t it?) Roland had mixed feelings when he saw Aryeh growing up. She was no longer growing beyond Roland''s grasp. Eventually, one grows beyond the nurturer''s hands. More than once he had felt saddened by that. And like all the people he had nurtured, Aryeh was about to become independent. She said, "Mr. Roland. I think it''s time for me to get the coal ready. Oops, sorry." Lost in emotion, Roland returns to reality at the sound of Aryeh''s voice. ''No good. Lately, I''ve been leaving it so much to Lange that my instincts have completely dulled." Yes, he is really great. He makes the work so much easier. I''m no match for Lange. But I guess I''m a little disappointed that Mr. Roland hasn''t been by my side more often lately." Aryeh whispered, blushing with embarrassment. Loran couldn''t hear her very well. What?What?" No, Mr. Roland. Thank you." What?Uh-huh. What''s wrong? Suddenly." Before I met Roland, I kept getting one job and then getting fired. I never thought I''d be able to develop my skills like this. It is truly thanks to you that I have been able to showcase my talents in the field of refining. Oh, no. I have merely awakened something that lies dormant within you." Mr. Roland. If you don''t mind, I''ll be at ...... tonight." At that moment, Roland noticed black smoke coming from the kiln. He said, "Hey, Aryeh. You''re burning ore. Are you okay?" What?Oh, oh, oh." Aryeh hastily turned off the fire and removed the ore. She was so depressed that she had wasted one of them. It''s no good. I knew I had to have Ranju. My presence seems to distract you. No, that''s not true." Aryeh''s face was red and she was fidgety. If it were known that she had failed because she had been thinking about Roland, she would have died of embarrassment. Aryeh then proceeded to make "Earth Crafts," but her initial failure that day had a negative impact, and she was only able to make nine "Earth Craft A" pieces. In the afternoon, Lange returned with the ore. He said, "Good work. How was it?Ranju." I got some good ore. I''ve dug a lot of different mines, but this one seems to have some pretty good ore. All right, let''s have a meeting. Roland and Lange hurriedly entered the workshop and began discussing. The size of the mine, the quality of the ore, the manpower needed. "Can you provide us with five people with a ''mining'' B or better, and five people needed for hauling?That way, we can extend Mr. Aryeh''s refined ''Earth Craft A'' to 15 pieces per day." Lange said confidently. ''Does the quality of the ore make that much difference?'' Yes, after all, the better the quality of the ore, the better the refined ''earthcraft. I see. I understand. I''ll take care of the manpower. Thank you. Aryeh''s break will be over soon. I''m going to go to the quest office and ask for a job. You go and get ready to support Aryeh. Yes, sir. As Roland was about to head out to secure personnel, he felt someone enter the front. (Who could it be?) When he went to the entrance of the workshop, he found an unexpected person there, which made Loran cringe. "Ms. Dianna, ......." How do you do? How are you?Roland." She entered the workshop with a ruthless smile on her mouth and contemptuous eyes watching Roland. <> 8 - CHAPTER VIII -- SILVER WORK EXHIBITION What a sullen little workshop you have here. Dianna looked from side to side and said in a mocking manner. Roland was almost deflated by her attitude, which reminded him of his time at the Gilded Eagle. Dianna," he said. What on earth are you doing here ......?" Oh my, what an attitude. Can''t this workshop even show proper hospitality to a guest who has come all this way? Roland stammers. He can''t argue. What''s the matter, Mr. Roland? Is something wrong? Lange makes a quick appearance. Dianna poured a cold gaze on Lange. Lange. There''s a visitor. I need to talk to her. You have tea. Roland let Dianna through to the parlor. She looked at the parlor and gave him another petulant look. She looked around the room, then folded her knees and arms, a cold smile on her mouth. Lange felt bad looking at Dianna even as he served her tea. (What the hell is this guy? (What''s with this guy? He seems to be an acquaintance of Mr. Roland''s, but what kind of a guy is he?) Ranju sat down next to Loran and stared at her with a jittery look. Roland wanted to avoid having even Ranju fall victim to her, so he told her to back off, but Ranju did not listen. On the contrary, Runge spoke to her. ''So?What business could a senior member of the Golden Eagle possibly have in our workshop?" Lange asked in a contentious tone, not even trying to hide the sharpness of his glazed eyes. She didn''t answer, only sniffed and bristled. Ranju stared at her, increasingly annoyed. Dianna," he said. What on earth do you want?" Roland asked this time, but Dianna didn''t answer him either. She looked at the refined iron in the corner of the room. It was iron D. I''d say it was a poor piece of iron, wouldn''t you?(Well, that''s what you''d expect from Roland''s workshop.) Dianna decided that this was the limit of this workshop. (The big stores won''t take it back, so they have to make do by selling shoddy goods to the small adventure guilds. Pity. This workshop will probably go out of business by the end of the month.) She concludes, then turns a strangely satisfied smile on Roland and the others. Let''s be frank. I''m willing to let you join us, the Gilded Eagle. What?" I know how hard it must be to make a living in such a rundown workshop," he said.So we thought we''d help you out." I don''t need your sympathy. Ranju said in a combative tone. Dianna ignores him without dealing with him again. (Hmph. Totally, bluster. (He can''t stand up to us anyway.) I don''t know. "I don''t know, Mr. Roland. Are you willing to do business with us?" That depends on ...... the terms, of course. ...... Lange''s face turns bitter when he hears this. It was as if to say, "I''m not convinced. Good. How about this? How about this? 100 gold for Iron A. ...... The other guilds are willing to give us wholesale iron for that. You guys would do the same for me, wouldn''t you?" She becomes intimidating here and there. (Hmmm. How''s that?(You couldn''t achieve this kind of sales price in your workshop, even if you were standing on your head, could you?) She imagined Roland and the others frantically telling her, "That''s impossible. They would beg us to somehow pay a little more for it. Finally, they would get down on their knees. Then, after much toying with them, she would push Roland''s workshop off a cliff. That''s how she and Lucius have always risen to the top. How''s it going?Mr. Roland?I wonder if we could sell Iron A for 100 gold?" Yes, fine." Roland readily agreed. I''m sure you did. I knew it was impossible. But, well, if you guys insist, I''ll pay a little more for ......, eh?No. Are you sure?" Yes, that''s fine. Roland replied smilingly. To be honest, the "Arsenal of Spirits" had no intention of competing with steel. Since the main product of the "Arsenal of Spirits" was "earthcraft," iron was becoming a hindrance that was hard to find a place for. He was impatiently waiting for Lange to decide what to do with the iron. Dianna came along just in time. No, I''ll be happy to buy it for 100 gold. Roland said with a big smile. How would you like to receive it?We are short on staff at the moment. I''d appreciate it if you could come and get it from there." Lange said bluntly. Dianna is upset. (Hey, what''s with these guys? Why are they so confident when they say they''re being bought out?(Do you even know where you stand?) Dianna''s original plan had been for Roland to be so pathetic that we would buy him off with a higher price. After she had completely tamed him, she would bully him again when he came to the guild, and then break the contract. Seeing him begging miserably, "Please buy me, please buy me," even Jill would give up on him. Such was the plot, and she was completely confused. What''s wrong?Ms. Dianna." You don''t look so good. Are you all right?" Roland and Ranju saw that Dianna was silent and pale, and looked into her face with concern. Their attitude upset Dianna more and more. ''Eh, yeah. I''m fine. I''m fine. I see. I''m glad. So, what are you going to do with the money?You want to buy steel from us, don''t you?" Hearing Lange''s words, Dianna''s blood rushed to her head. Nah. Isn''t that stupid?How could I buy it?Who would do business with such a shabby workshop? I don''t want to waste 100 gold on them. I''m just teasing you. Don''t get me wrong. After saying this, she left the workshop as if to escape. Roland and Lange remained silent for a while and kept looking at the place where she was sitting with a mysterious look on their faces. ''Um, Mr. Roland. What is it?" What is he doing here?You said you were going to buy it, but then you didn''t buy it or wished it away. I don''t understand. I''m sorry. I don''t understand either." Roland moved his eyes to the pile of iron in the corner of the room. They were shoddy and had a somewhat lonely dull glow to them. Dianna left the store and somehow managed to calm her agitated temper and tried to sort out what had just happened. (What the hell is this? What''s with that attitude? She was showing off her composure.) She walks down the street, pouting. The more time passed, the angrier I got. More than anything, I was angry at myself for being so distraught over people of that caliber. (How could 100 gold for iron be profitable? They must have no intention of doing business. The alchemy guild must be a front, and Roland must be Lilianne''s pimp. Lilianne pays him a lot of money, so he''s running the guild for his own amusement. Oh, no, no, no. That''s why women pay tribute to men.) Diane thought about this and tried to somehow maintain her emotional stability. On the way back from the dinner with Count Elsen, Lukius was riding in the carriage with a discouraged face. He remembered the conversation he had just had with Count Elsen. They had already dined together several times, and had continued their casual conversation and companionship, but today, Count Elsen finally got down to business. ''Actually, my daughter is getting married soon. Count Elsen said. ''Oh, congratulations on that. I wanted to prepare a special piece of silversmithing as a wedding gift. I am looking for a good alchemist, but I can''t find one. Then I heard that you are the leader of the alchemy guild in the city. Oh, no. I can''t believe I''m in a leadership position. I''m just a organizer at everyone''s request. I called you here for no other reason than that. I want your guild to participate in the silversmithing fair that I am organizing. Is the fair ......?" I''m not sure I''d like that. This is not a one-time event. We intend to make it a major event in the region, one that we will hold every year. Isn''t it wonderful? Alchemists from all over the city will get together and show their skills and their works to each other. If alchemists in the city start competing with each other, the skills of alchemists in our territory will make a great leap forward. The fair itself may become a tourist resource of the city. If that happens, my territory will become a metropolis of alchemists." Count Elsen gestured exaggeratedly with his hands outstretched as if he were describing a vision. He seemed to already have a glorious vision of the future in his mind. Hah ......" I intend to allow any alchemist, regardless of status, origin, or ability, to enter the fair. There will be many kinds of prizes, and we will give a chance to alchemists and guilds with low skills. Even alchemists who are currently out of the limelight will be excited to participate if they know they have a chance to gain fame. The event will be a great success. It may give birth to free ideas that have never existed before. Isn''t it wonderful?That''s why your guild should be invited to participate. Of course, we will offer a prize for winning. I''m looking forward to seeing your spirited work. Lucius was disappointed, thinking that "The Golden Eagle" would be endorsed by the nobility. (Not at all. That''s why they''re called nobles. They''re always doing unnecessary things for their own amusement. Even though he had united the alchemy guilds in the city. If free competition were to occur, it would be a great loss.) Lucius also did not like Count Elsen''s low opinion of him. How could he be treated as one of the participants instead of trying to give him and his guild special treatment? Lukius was grumpy the whole time he was in the carriage, but by the time he came in front of the "Golden Eagle" headquarters, he had already regained his usual composure. (Oh well. This is my chance to show you my power. I''ll show them that this town doesn''t need any guilds other than those under the Golden Eagle, and that all the guilds under my control are a bunch of pussies. If I steadily sell to Count Elsen in this way, he will eventually have no choice but to give his approval to the Golden Eagle. Once we have the approval of the nobility, it will be easy to destroy even the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. We are very close to having complete control of the city.) As soon as Lucius returned to the "Golden Eagle" headquarters, he immediately ordered the alchemy guilds under his jurisdiction to create silversmith works for a fair hosted by Count Elsen. He also ordered that no guilds should participate in the fair except under the name of the Golden Eagle. <> 9 - CHAPTER IX -- THE GIRL IN FLOWER SELLER Roland had come to the quest reception desk to get the personnel Lange wanted. He said, "Ah. Mr. Roland. Welcome. The young receptionist, who had previously treated me with arrogance, looked completely horrified and treated me with more condescension than necessary. I was sitting in a chair, but she took the trouble to get up and bow to me. She had been like this ever since Roland became the representative of the "Arsenal of Spirits. Lilianne pressured me not to disrespect Roland. The receptionist visited Roland in a panic with her boss and apologized. Although the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" was not as good as the "Golden Eagle," it was still a big customer, and the quest office could not afford to lose it. The receptionist apologized for getting carried away, even though it was a request from "The Golden Eagle," and since then she has been treating me with a completely apologetic attitude. Her apology was so desperate that Roland was almost afraid of her. What can I do for you today? Well, today I''m looking for five people with a B or higher in the skill "Ore Mining" and five people with a C or higher in the skill "Item Storage. I will be in touch with you soon. Please wait a moment. She flipped through the files with uncommon speed, looking for alchemists and item storers who met Roland''s requirements. There are five of you, sir, with the skill ''Item Holding C.''" Then arrange for an interview right away." Yes, sir. She sloppily fills out the paperwork. How about ''Mining''?" I''m not sure what to do. I am sorry. There are currently no positions available for B or above in the "Mining and Mining" department. She came to me apologizing flatly. She apologized flatly, "Oh, no, it can''t be helped if you''re not here. Raise your head. You don''t have to go that far. Roland was surprised and won her over. After that, she went beyond polite to humble in her attitude toward the customer. (But I''m weak. We can''t fulfill Lange''s request unless we have five people from "Mining and Mining B. (After all, when it comes to "Mining B" personnel, there are rarely any freelance workers, right?) As Roland left the quest reception desk and walked around, worrying about procuring personnel, the night was already falling on the town. The stores were lit up and everyone was stopping by the bars after work. (It''s been a while since I''ve been to a bar.) Roland recalled that when he was an adventurer, he always exchanged information and got hints for his adventures at the bar. He went through the western door of the tavern for the first time in a long time. Then, he bumped into someone from the alchemy guild with whom he had a chance to communicate during his "Golden Hawk" days. Isn''t that you, Mr. Roland? Mr. Zens. It''s been a long time. They hadn''t seen each other in a long time and decided to have a drink at the table together to renew old friendships. I was wondering if Roland-san is no longer a member of the Gilded Eagle? Yes, I am. I am ashamed to say that I have been expelled. I see. Then I have no problem complaining to you about Lucius. Combined with the momentum of the alcohol, Zens began to vent his frustration with Lucius. He said, "Not at all. I can''t stand it. First he wants us to deliver iron A for 200 gold, and then he wants us to suspend the smelters who can make ''earthcraft. And now they want us to make the finest wedding gifts out of silversmithing. Silversmithing? I heard that a high ranking member of a noble family is going to hold a silversmithing competition to commemorate his bride-to-be. He wants me to make a piece of work to exhibit there. Well, in short, I guess they want to use us to curry favor with the aristocrats. How in the world can they expect us to produce the finest silversmiths when they shut out high-class smelters? Zensu stirred up the ale in an untenable manner. (Is Lucius making such reckless demands? It''s tough, isn''t it, Mr. Zensu? (Even though it''s the biggest alchemy guild in this city.) Roland involuntarily felt sorry for him. It''s a big mess at the scene," he said. You know that, don''t you, Mr. Roland?How much money does it cost to rank up a skill?" Yes, of course. Skills, once acquired, don''t deteriorate easily, but it costs a good deal of money to improve a skill. Zensu must have made a reasonable up-front investment to improve the skills of his craftsmen, but all of the costs will be borne by Zensu''s guild and will not be borne by Lucius in any way. Right now, someone under Lucius'' command is monitoring our kiln," he said. The "ore refiner B" and above, who can refine "earthcraft," are not allowed to approach the kiln. Even refiners who were close to acquiring "Ore Refining A" are not allowed to train at all. By the time they came back, they had to start all over again." (Lucius is a Lucius too. No matter how many dungeons were snatched away by the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". (How can he tighten his grip like this on the alchemists of the guilds under his control?) Roland began to feel more and more sorry for Zens. Then a good idea came to him. Oh, yes. Mr. Zens. If you don''t mind, would you like to buy some of the iron we make?I don''t mind paying 100 gold for Iron A. That way, even 200 gold would be profitable, wouldn''t it? 100 gold for iron A?That would be very helpful, but, no, but are you sure?For that price." Yes, it''s nice that you made it, but, holla, that guy Lukius controls the alchemy-related market, doesn''t he? So, it''s been sitting in a warehouse, salted away, with no one to buy it. I see. No, but it''s kind of bad. We are on Lucius'' side, too. I''m sorry to say this, but would you be willing to transfer five staff members from "Ore Mining B" and above to our company?Of course, we will hold your salary. I''m not sure what you mean by that. I wouldn''t mind that at all. Zens had just been squeezed out of refining by Lucius, and he was having trouble deciding what to do with his mining staff. ''Then it''s settled,'' he said. Yes, it is. How about if the smelters who are under house arrest are transferred to our company as well? We will take care of refining materials for iron A and silversmithing. No, of course I wish that. But is that really necessary? Yes, but could you please make sure that Lucius doesn''t find out about this?Right now, I''m being watched by Lucius, and if he finds out that I''m being subcontracted by Mr. Zens, I think it will be bad for both of us. Hm. I see. There''s something going on.) Even the quintessential Zens realized that there was more to Roland''s story. However, even Zens did not expect that there was someone in the "Arsenal of Spirits" who could refine 100 pieces of "Earthcraft" per month by himself. Besides, now was not the time to be picking and choosing means. If he didn''t do something, his workshop would be saddled with tremendous costs, he would have to fire a large number of employees, and if he did it badly, he would go bankrupt. I understand. Let''s do everything according to Mr. Roland. They decided to meet tomorrow at some secluded place and work out the details. After leaving the bar, Roland felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. (Whew! I think I''ve got a good idea of where we''re going to get the manpower. We can handle the inventory, and now we can improve Lange''s management skills.) Roland had to be careful to continue to hone not only Aryeh''s but Lange''s skills as well. There was an urgent need to procure staff to develop and maintain his management skills. (The more people you hire, the more things you have to think about, totally.) With the procurement of personnel in hand and the pressure relieved, Roland began to think about his next move, a plan to give Lukius another shot in the arm. Roland stopped by a weapons shop that was open at night. Currently, most of the alchemists'' guilds are under the control of Lucius, so all the weapons in the stores in town were made by alchemists under Lucius'' control. (Cheap.) I thought as I looked at the goods. All of them were unbelievably cheap, and no matter how hard I tried, the "Arsenal of Spirits" would not be able to make weapons cheaper than this. (I suppose it could be that Lucius is buying them cheap, but I guess there is a big difference in capital and scale.) If you order a large quantity of items at one time, you get a discount. The alchemy guilds would also be able to use the large amount of cash they received to staff and equip themselves to make their products even more cheaply. The 10 alchemy guilds under Lucius have a total of over 500 talented alchemists assigned to them. Every day, these over 500 alchemists compete to find the cheapest way to make weapons in large quantities and supply them to the market. On the other hand, there are only two people in Roland''s workshop. Even if he were to procure a staff this time, he would still have less than 20 people. (This is no way to compete, no matter how hard you try to stand on your head.) In fact, Lilianne could only buy "earthcraft" from Roland, and when it came to ordinary weapons, she had to buy them from the alchemy guild under Lucius. Roland thinks. Roland wondered how he could compete with Lucius. (The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" would not necessarily order "Earthcraft" forever. ) "We have to go head-to-head in this field of weapons sooner or later," Roland said. But the size and capital are too different, so there is no way to win in a price war. The only way to do this is to create weapons that fill the gaps in the market that the guilds under the Lucius umbrella cannot create. We have to make one product that stands out from the crowd. To do so, we can''t do it with just our current staff. No matter how high the quality of the product, we cannot create the only one. We need to find staff with more idiosyncratic skills (......) As Roland walks down the path back to his room, thinking, he sees a girl selling flowers. She is talking to people on the street in a faint voice, sounding unsure of herself. Her voice is awkward and clearly not suited for a flower seller. Excuse me, sir. ......, sir. She tries to call out to a man on the street with flowers, but he doesn''t even notice the girl and quickly walks away. The girl nods in frustration. (Poor girl. Nothing in life is sadder than being forced to do a job you''re not cut out for.) Roland suddenly decided to appraise her skills. Her skills were as follows. Silversmithing" B to S Product Development D to A Product Design E to A Spiritual Addition" A to S Roland gulped. (Nope. Silversmithing, product development, and product design all have potentials above A!No, more importantly, what is this "spirit addition"?I have never seen or heard of such a skill. (This means it''s a unique skill!) Roland uses "Appraisal" to display a detailed explanation of "Spirit Addition. Spirit Addition." A skill that traps spirits in gold and silver jewelry. It is especially common to trap them in silver. The gold and silver jewel in which the spirit is trapped will have a special effect. Hey, you. Yes?" Roland unexpectedly calls out to the flower vendor girl. The girl who turned around was an elf girl with flowing silver hair, deep green eyes, and pointed ears. 10 - CHAPTER X -- THE LOVE OF A GIRL What is it?" The elf girl backed away as if wary of the man who had suddenly spoken to her. She seemed afraid of Roland. Why would an elf have alchemy skills ......?" The elf girl then huffed and looked at Roland. (Why is this man using my skills ......) For a while, they looked at each other curiously at the other. ''Um, can I help you with my daughter?'' When Roland turned toward the voice, he saw an elf who appeared to be the girl''s mother. She had a youthful appearance, as elves do, and it was hard to believe that she had children, but on the other hand, her expression and gestures conveyed a certain melancholy that is characteristic of mothers. Like her daughter, she was shy and looked at Roland with fearful eyes. I''m sorry," she said. I am the representative of an alchemy guild called "Arsenal of Spirits. Alchemy ......" I was somewhat curious about your daughter''s skills, and when I asked to have her skills appraised, I was surprised to see that she possessed a number of alchemical skills, including silversmithing, and I just had to ask her for help. I''m at ......, and by that I mean are you an appraiser?" Yes," he said. That''s unusual. I can''t believe that you have ''silversmithing'', ''product development'', and ''product design'' even though you are an elf. And it looks like you still have a lot of room to grow. (This guy ...... saw that much of this girl''s skills in a split second when we passed each other and ....... I''ve never seen such a skilled appraiser before.) Excuse me, but how on earth did your daughter come to acquire alchemy?" Here''s a little ......" She scurried around as if she was concerned about the looks she was getting from those around her. ''If you don''t mind, I''d like to talk to you in the store?'' The elf''s mother said with a bit of a laugh. It was a smile that you could tell she was forcing herself to laugh. Roland decided to follow her suggestion and go indoors. The florist owned by the elf was filled with a wide variety of flowers in all sorts of colors. Elves have the ability to communicate with nature and promote the growth of plants and trees. The flowers must have been grown by the elves, as they had a wonderful assortment of flowers. The store was filled with seasonal flowers and even flowers that should not be in bloom at this time of the year, and it seemed as if there was not a single flower that was not in bloom in the store. However, the display of merchandise and the way price tags were attached were not up to par, and it seemed as if the business was not doing well. After closing the store, the elf''s mother gave Roland a room in the back. There she again introduced herself with her daughter. Her daughter''s name is Cheal. Her mother''s name is Sils. She used to live in the cave of the dwarves when she was a child. Dwarves?How in the world? There was once a war between the elves and dwarves. Our settlement was attacked once, and in the ensuing confusion, the child was taken from us. Such is ...... the case." He was treated as a prisoner of war, so he wasn''t treated badly or violently, but somehow he learned alchemy from the dwarves he met there. That''s why I have so much alchemy skill ......" Many dwarves were skilled in alchemy because they lived in caves and made their living processing the ores that could be extracted from them. If they learned alchemy from dwarves, it is not surprising that they have such alchemical skills. The dispute with the dwarves was over and this girl was returned safely, but she seems to have been practicing alchemy in secret even after her return. When Sills said this, Cheal slumped down in embarrassment. Apparently, it was not considered very acceptable for daughters to learn alchemy in elven households. I would like her to work in my workshop, if you don''t mind.My workshop is currently looking for a good alchemist. It may be a little complicated for your parents, but if you have such great alchemical skills and qualities, I can treat you as an immediate asset right away, and I will provide you with the same treatment as an S-class silversmith." S-class ......." Sills looked a little breathless. It was a surprise, even to her, to be told that her daughter had that much talent. It would be a shame to have all these qualities and not put them to use," she said. Please, will you let me hire her at my place?" I''ll have to discuss that with my ...... husband." The elf''s mother, in the manner of an obedient wife to her husband, smiled troubledly and replied ambiguously. Roland suggested to Thial''s father that he let his daughter work in the workshop. The reply from the elf''s father, however, was curt. No!I will not allow my daughter to work in an alchemist''s workshop. Cheal''s father, Isua, was a typical stubborn old man. He, too, had a youthful appearance like an elf, but even so, he could never disguise the age that oozed from his atmosphere. When he was grumpy, the deep crease between his brows revealed the stubborn stereotypes he had developed over the years. Alchemy is the work of dwarves. I would never allow my daughter to imitate those metal-beaters in that cave. He was prejudiced against dwarves. There was a deep-seated conflict between elves and dwarves, and they hated each other. Isua was rooted in the fact that the dwarves had previously dumped mercury into the forest river in his homeland. So, with the logic of "if you hate the monk, you will hate the kesa," the elves were also prejudiced against alchemy, which many dwarves practiced for a living. Roland said that all he wanted Thial to do was silversmithing, not roughing him up, but Isua was not convinced. He said, "Besides, a workshop is a place of smoke, soot, and bad air. We elves need to be surrounded by greenery and clean water, or we will soon become suffocated. We are starved for clean air in a city like this, and we can''t let our daughter stay in an unclean space any longer." Isua was a merchant from the land of the elves. Everyone, regardless of nationality, race, or species, came to this free city to trade and explore, but Isua had come here to buy weapons. Although he has a prejudice against dwarves and alchemy, the elven nation is not immune from wars and territorial disputes, and must rely on weapons. He was sent to the city, which was a poor choice, but he was able to make ends meet by selling flowers and buying weapons for the elves'' country. Anyway. I''m not going to let my daughter work for you. You need to go home." Roland left the elf flower shop disappointed. The next day, Roland had a meeting with Lilianne at the coffee shop. The next day, Loran had a meeting with Lillianne at the coffee shop. Lillianne said, looking at the documents Roland presented. ''Yes, please. ''It will soon be time for a new dungeon to appear. We need to have Earthcraft ready for when that happens." ''Do you think you''ll be able to conquer more than two dungeons in the next month?'' It''s still tough. Last month, the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" obtained possession of one dungeon, but as for the other two dungeons, they were taken by the "Golden Eagle. In this town, three dungeons appear every month, but until last month, all three dungeons were occupied by the Golden Eagle. Therefore, the second-tier adventurers'' guilds, including the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," were able to earn money by collecting resources before the "Golden Eagle" conquered the dungeons, by completing quests, or by being allowed to participate in resource gathering after the dungeons had been cleared. This month, the main force of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" led by Lilianne managed to conquer one dungeon before the "Golden Hawk," but the remaining two dungeons were taken by the "Golden Hawk" as usual. It was not unreasonable. The basic unit of a dungeon search team is 30 people. GOLDEN EAGLE" has three units consisting of 30 elite members who can withstand deep dungeon exploration. It was impossible for other guilds to prepare that many units. Even the second largest guild in town, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," could only manage to prepare one unit of 30 elite members. I see. It must be tough for you, too, Lillianne. Yes, really. Yes, really. The pressure is enormous. Lillianne looked a little tired. ''Somehow, I hope we can build another main force. ...... ...... I see." Roland replied with a look of absentmindedness. Lillianne looked wistfully at Roland. Lillianne looked wistfully at Roland, "Have you recovered from the pain of your exile yet?) Lillianne remembers Roland when he had just been expelled from the guild. At that time, he was just like an abandoned puppy. Compared to that time, he seems to have recovered a lot. But Lilianne could see that he was still dragging his feet somewhere. Lillianne would like to see him return as an adventurer, even though Roland is now supporting her behind the scenes. And if possible, she would like Roland to create another mainstay unit of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. And if possible, he would like Roland to create another mainstay unit of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree. If that were to happen, it would not be a dream to occupy two dungeons and gain the upper hand against the "Golden Eagle. She was about to say something, but then she saw Roland''s somber expression and held her tongue. (We shouldn''t be in a hurry yet.) She smiles softly again as she watches over Roland. (Slowly wait for him to regain his confidence) Roland, on the other hand, was preoccupied with Cheal, the elf girl he met yesterday. I''m not qualified to get involved in the affairs of an elf''s family. But that girl is ......) Roland reminds her again of her skill structure. It''s not just that she has the qualities. She had an extraordinary interest and enthusiasm for alchemy. I couldn''t miss that.) Shall we leave now?" Lilianne rises from her seat as Roland is lost in thought. Loran came to himself at the sound of her voice. I shouldn''t have done that. Lillianne is right in front of him right now.) Roland put Cheal aside for a moment and returned his attention to dealing with her. I''ll walk you on the way." Oh, thank you." Lillianne beamingly accepted Roland''s offer. Lillianne smiled and accepted Roland''s offer.Count Elsen''s Silversmithing Fair." As we were walking down the street chatting and laughing, Lillianne broached the subject. Silversmithing?I seem to have heard it somewhere." (Oh, that''s what Mr. Zensu said. Some aristocrat is going to hold a silversmithing fair for his daughter''s wedding present.) I heard that," he said. I heard that a colleague of mine is in a jam because of the fair. He said he''s in trouble because Lukius is making unreasonable demands again. Why don''t you enter the "Arsenal of Spirits" as well? What?Can we exhibit our products? Count Elsen is looking for alchemists to participate in the fair, regardless of the guild''s prestige or size. It seems that he expects the alchemy industry as a whole to push forward, strengthen competitiveness, and discover talent. I see. ......" So why not join the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' as well? All you have to do is sign up at the quest office. Yes, but we have a silversmith at ....... Well, you''ll have to think about that later. By the way, ......." Lillianne smiled wickedly. ''You still can''t seem to get out of your corner, Mr. Roland. ?" A pretty girl has been giving Mr. Roland the hot eye since a few minutes ago. She glances behind her. Loran, too, looked in that direction and saw pointy ears peeking out from the shadows of the building. They were the ears of an elf. Oh, Cheal? I knew you knew Roland-san. I''ll leave you now. What?"But ......" He wants to talk to Mr. Roland. I''m sure Mr. Roland has something he wants to talk to her about, too." Lillianne said with a smile that seemed to see through everything. Loran chuckled. (I knew I couldn''t compete with this guy.) I''m sorry," he said, "....... I always make you feel so uncomfortable." No, no, no. If it allows you to concentrate on your own work, it''s a small price to pay. Lillianne suddenly turns serious eyes on Roland. Lillianne suddenly turned serious eyes on Roland. Only you can do that. Please be more confident. ''Thank you. Lilianne. Surely her talents will benefit not only the "Arsenal of Spirits," but also you and the "Guardians of the Magic Tree." Oh," he said. That''s exciting. I wonder what kind of talent Mr. Roland will develop from that child. I have high hopes for him. With that, Lillianne bowed and walked away, leaving Roland in his place. Roland approached the pointy ears peeking out from the building and spoke to them. What''s the matter?Here in the middle of nowhere." It was Cheal who was there, after all. She smiled wryly. Come here," she said. I can''t offer you much, but I can entertain you in my workshop. Roland ushered her into the parlor of his workshop. She did not speak for a long time, but when Roland broached the subject, she finally began to talk. When she relaxed, Roland cut to the chase. She said, "Chiar, your father told me that he doesn''t want you to work at the workshop, but what about yourself? Are you going to try your hand at alchemy?" When I asked her this, she looked embarrassed, but nodded her head with a small nod. I see. I see. That''s all I need to know. Cheal. The guild "Arsenal of Spirits" would like to officially recruit you as a silversmith. Will you accept? But your father is ...... I''ll be fine. I''ll convince him. The next day, a new house was built next to the elf''s flower shop. The wooden walls were covered with wood ivy and a door made of vines, just like an elf''s house itself. The inside of the house was also uninhabitable. Everything inside the house was surrounded by greenery, as if it were a forest. It was a space filled with springs of fresh water and trees growing indoors. The rooms are always filled with fresh air. All the plants were purchased from an elven florist. This is ......." Isua, who had bought the flowers from the owner of this building and came to deliver them, was puzzled by the room. It was like their hometown. In the center of the building, where the spring gushed forth, there was a small wooden desk on which were placed a minimum of metal fittings, including a hammer with a carefully crafted wooden handle, and a variety of silversmithing items. The elf girl, Cheal, sitting at the desk, is still hammering and bending silver with the metal fittings to create the silversmith''s wares. ''Excuse me,'' she said. I don''t know why. She came in on her own, and I tried to stop her, but she wouldn''t listen. Roland calls out to Isua from behind his back. ''You are ...... of the ...... alchemy guild.'' I''m Roland. You built this building?" Isua had mixed feelings. It was a state of mind that emerged from two emotions: the feeling that he now had a superior customer who bought a lot of goods from his store, and the feeling that he now had a troublesome neighbor. Look at this. Roland shows Isua a number of items made by Cheal. ''These are the things she made in this building. Ridiculous. There''s no way they could have built something this elaborate in a facility that can''t even make fire. ......" She is a silversmith with that much skill. Look at her." With a hammer, Cheal taps the silver and changes its shape at will, as if she were kneading clay. The silver is faintly reddish and emits heat. Cheal was able to manipulate the heat of the silver at will by adding a spirit to the silver. Cheal worked feverishly with a twinkle in his eye. (Amazing. I''ve never seen such high quality silver before. (I''ve never seen such high quality silver before.) It''s so easy to make it exactly the way I want it. Isua was awed by Chial''s alchemy, which exceeded her expectations. Roland spoke to Isua again just as she finished her work. Isua," he said. I would never let her work in a dark and airless cave. We will not harm your daughter''s health, and we will not make her do rough work such as refining and molding. Please let her work for us in our guild." Dad," he said. I want to work for Roland. Please. Please forgive me. Isua flinched at her daughter''s devotion. ...... do what you want." Isua says this and leaves the place early. His face was bitter, yet somewhat happy. The next day, highly refined, high quality silver is brought into the "Forest House" in large quantities. The silver brought in was turned into jewelry such as rings, necklaces, hair ornaments, brooches, earrings, and bracelets, as well as everyday items such as deep and flat plates, spoons, forks, and goblets, and delivered one after another to a warehouse outside of town. <> 11 - CHAPTER XI -- GILLS APPLICATION Roland was visiting a silversmith store with Cheal. The purpose was to develop her skills in silversmithing, product development, and product design, as well as to conduct market research. The store is filled with silverware, which is an excellent teaching tool for Cheal, on the shelves. She was simply admiring the beautiful silverware with a twinkle in her eye, oblivious to the fact that it was her job. Roland chuckled. Hey, Cheal. This is market research, you have to do your job properly." Huh, sorry." When Roland reminded him, Cheal apologized apologetically. Cheal then tightened up and became serious for a moment, but after a few moments, his eyes lit up and he was soon buoyant again. She had been forbidden to do anything related to alchemy until now, so she was more than happy to be able to look at silversmithing freely. (Oh dear. She is still a child in this respect.) Roland gave up trying to get her to study and let her do as she pleased. (But I have to show you this one thing.) Cheal. Look at this." Roland took Cheal to a shelf and pointed to a piece of silverwork. This is ......." Cheal looks at the silver plate Roland points to and freezes. It was silverwork engraved with an intricate design of a large flower. The silverwork was clearly different from the other products in the store. It was a platter made by Dorwin, the best silversmith in town. He will be your greatest rival." Cheal''s eyes darted around as if overwhelmed, and he was mesmerized by the silversmith for a while. I''m sorry," he said. I''ll take it off. Cheal walks out of the store with a heavy heart. (Is that too much to ask? Still at this level. I can''t even reach her now.) Roland sighed. In fact, although Cheal''s skill in producing silversmithing was great, the design of the product as a product was still too naive and was not in the realm of a child''s creation. He was still inexperienced when it came to meeting the standards that would allow him to put his work on display in stores. He was no match for a C-level silversmith in this regard. (However, if she is not somehow brought up to this level, she will not be able to compete with the guild led by Lucius.) As Roland ponderously walked out of the store, he saw Cheal working on something on a bench in the eaves of the building. Roland looked over and saw that she was drawing on a canvas she had brought with her. She was mumbling and mumbling and running her pen single-mindedly. Roland looked at the drawing and was shocked. There was a perfect replica of the silversmith''s work that he had just shown her. It shows the dimensions of the silversmith''s work, such as length and thickness, how to make the same piece, the production process, and even the mixing of the materials. Mr. Roland. The silversmithing you just described is amazing. I have never seen such a beautiful design. It''s an incredibly bold design, but it''s meticulously calculated without the slightest deviation. Even the slightest misstep could ruin all the fine silver, yet there is no hesitation at all. You have to be extremely confident to do something like this." Cheal continued scribbling on the drawing without stopping, looking somewhat feverish. (I can''t believe you were able to see so much in that one moment of observation. (To be able to see so much in that one moment of observation. He''s a genius. ......) When Roland appraised her skills, silversmithing, which was a B, became an A. Product Design, which was an E, was a B. Roland silently watched her work until she was finished. When Cheal''s work was finished, they headed home. When she finished copying, she was a sweet little girl again. She walked down the street hand in hand with Lorn, licking candy she had bought at a street vendor, as if she were a girl of her age. She was licking a piece of candy she had bought at a stall and walking down the street holding hands with Roland. When will my silversmithing be in your store?" I can''t ...... do that." Cheal shook his head emphatically in response to his innocent eyes as he asked. The stores in this town won''t buy anything we make in our workshop," he said. Only stores with special permission from the city could sell alchemical products. However, those stores were contracted to sell only products made by the alchemy guilds under Lucius. In fact, the alchemy guild under Lucius was the best in town, but because of this contract, the other guilds were completely shut out of the market, which was bad for business. ''So for the time being, we can''t put your wares in our store. I see. I see that the elves have many things to deal with, but it seems that the human world has many things to deal with as well. She showed an understanding that belied her age. Although she was an elf, she had spent her childhood with the dwarves and had developed a mature attitude through their quarrels. She had a good understanding of the things that made her a good person. Thank you for hiring me. What? It is thanks to Mr. Roland that I am able to engage in silversmithing in this way as a matter of course. I couldn''t have imagined this before. Cheal went on to talk about what happened before he was hired by Roland. He told of how he used to practice silversmithing in secret so that his parents would not find him. He used to make silversmithing work with poor quality silver that had been thrown away at a garbage dump. The silversmiths would throw away the silversmiths they made as soon as their father or mother found out about them. But now, I can freely make silversmithing all day long without any worries. But now I can work freely all day long without any worries, using fine silver processed by an excellent refiner. I owe it all to Mr. Roland. Oh, no. I just helped you develop your talent. I didn''t do much. No, it''s not true. You have done so much for me. Even I know that much. With that, Cheal kneeled down, despite the roadside, and with both palms crossed, offered an Elvish prayer to Loran. ''May you be blessed with the happiness that your nobility deserves. ...... chial." For a while, the two stood still as if time had stopped. A single tear flows down Cheal''s cheek. It was the habit of the elves to shed tears when they were filled with gratitude. Roland wiped her tear with his finger. Taking her hand, he helped her to stand up. I''m sure you''ll be fine, Mr. Roland.I can''t believe you can''t sell my silversmithing. You even built a workshop for me. You must have taken on a lot. ......" Cheal. You don''t have to think about that. But ...... It''s okay. In fact, Roland''s expenses for her were substantial, but he never showed any signs of bitterness. You just have to improve your skills," Roland said. You must not be satisfied with just being able to make silversmithing. You will make more and more silversmiths and become a first-class silversmith. ...... yes." She gave a tearful smile. Roland was happy. Not like when he was in The Golden Eagle. Now he was in a place of human connection and warmth. I have to protect it. For Cheal''s sake, and not only for Cheal''s sake. I must protect this guild for the sake of all the members.) At the headquarters of the Golden Eagle, in the guild leader''s room, Lucius and Jill were meeting alone. Jill has an unexplained expression on her face. She had just been handed a new assignment by Lucius. ''Is your role ...... to hand over the silverware to the bride?'' ''Yes, you heard me right.The silversmithing fair that Count Elsen is holding for his daughter-in-law. Yeah, if you want to talk about it. At the finale of the fair, they give out awards to the best silversmiths and silversmiths. The silversmith who receives the award will have the honor of presenting the silverware to the bride. And you want me to serve in that capacity?" The fair attracts not only people from the city, but also from the surrounding area and even the neighboring dignitaries," he said. What better place to promote the guild?I''d like you to do it." But the fair is an event for silversmiths, isn''t it?In that case, shouldn''t the silversmith who actually produced the silverware be given that honor rather than me?" I told you. This is a great opportunity to promote the guild." "......" An alchemist who works in a workshop and is stained with soot and smoke will not improve his image even if he is presented at a publicity event. It would be more picturesque to have a knight in a gorgeous costume presenting his silversmithing work to the daughter of a nobleman. Don''t you think so?A knight as beautiful as you are." Lukius said, trying to coax Jill. Jill stared at him without moving an eyebrow. If all goes well," he said, "we may even get some good adventurers from other cities to join our guild. In short, it is for the development of the guild. Will you do it? I am very glad to hear that. If it is for the development of the guild, I will accept your offer. However, if you are considering the development of the guild, there is one more thing I would like you to consider. How?What is it? The return of Roland the Connoisseur to the guild. Hearing the word "Roland," Lucius'' eyebrows twitched faintly. Roland?Ah, I remember such an appraiser. I haven''t seen him recently, though. So what''s up with that?What''s wrong with this Roland?" That man is indispensable to the guild. Please let him return. If you need a connoisseur, there are plenty of them in the Gilded Eagle, aren''t there?Why not take advantage of them?" No other appraiser will do. If it is not Mr. Roland, if it is not him, I will not be able to reach my full potential. Please. Please close your eyes to the minor mistakes and let Mr. Roland come back. I''m sure that even his hostile action against the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" is due to some circumstance. ......" ?"I don''t know why you are so obsessed with that man, but I have a position. I can''t afford to give special treatment to a slow learner in favor of another successful appraiser." Results!If it''s results, he has produced the most. The fact that I became a B-rank adventurer ...... and made it this far is all thanks to you, Mr. Roland." Gilles," he said. That''s overestimating him. You are a B-rank adventurer because of nothing else. It''s your ability. I don''t think so. Without Roland''s guidance, I would still be a mediocre archer ......." Anyway. Roland''s banishment is a decision. Once that decision is made, it cannot be overturned." Guild leader: ...... I''ve had enough of this. It would be a disgrace to the organization if you so readily reinstate a person who was once banished. Instead, you should concentrate on your own mission. You are not satisfied with a B rank, are you? You are the future of this guild, and there are many things you must do to become an S-class adventurer.Do you have time to spend endlessly bickering over a single appraiser?" I''m going to go to ....... I understand. I won''t ask the guild leader for this anymore." She seemed to close her eyes in disappointment, then turned and headed for the exit of the room. Wait for me. Lucius called to Jill''s back. Jill stopped without turning around. Lucius had one more thing to do for her. That was why he had summoned her at this hour, when Dianna was not around. ''This is not directly related to the mission, but ......, are you free tonight?We could have dinner if you''d like. ......" Excuse me." Jill said with a pishy grin and left the room. Lucius looked discouraged for a moment, then sighed. (I still don''t trust her. Let''s leave the captain of the main force to someone else.) Jill leaves the room and walks down the hallway with a determined look on her face. (Roland-san is not a liability. I will prove it!) The day of the fair arrived amidst the intertwined thoughts of all the participants. <> 12 - CHAPTER XII The Way We Parted The morning of the fair was indeed a perfect day for viewing. The sun was shining through a sky with just the right amount of clouds. In the courtyard of Count Elsen''s mansion, the venue of the fair, the silver works on the tables were already shining in the sunlight. Count Elsen had thoughtfully chosen to hold the fair outdoors, so that even the common people could see the items on display. As Count Elsen had intended, the common people were thrilled by the unfamiliar spectacle. Count Elsen, however, was looking around the venue with a dismayed look on his face. (They are all major guilds, aren''t they?) Looking from one end to the other at the desks given to each guild, all of the alchemy guilds were ones that everyone had seen or heard of at least once. Furthermore, next to the guild mark that symbolizes them, they are covered with the "golden eagle" crest. (It''s not like this. Not like this.) Count Elsen, who had expected the weak guild to exhibit, nodded in disappointment. Lucius, on the other hand, mistakenly believed that Count Elsen''s great disappointment was due to the quality of the goods. In fact, the silversmiths exhibited at the fair were only B-grade pieces. ''Hey, couldn''t you have prepared better silverware?'' Lucius overheard Dorwin, the "Golden Eagle" fair manager, looking annoyed. ''It can''t be helped,'' he said. We''ve been keeping the best refiners away from the kiln. Without silver A, there''s a limit to what I can do. Dorwin shrugged his shoulders. He was not too keen on this extra work he had jumped in to do. I don''t have time for this," he said. This is our chance to sell the Golden Eagle to Count Elsen. You are not the only one who is interested in getting help from the nobility, are you? Don''t you want Count Elsen''s endorsement?" If you say so, please supply us with silver A even more so. When in the world will martial law be lifted? Until we find out who is supplying "Earthcraft" to the "Keeper of the Magic Tree. As long as we keep the refiners away this month, their ''earthcraft'' should be depleted next month. Then we won''t be making Class A silversmithing until next month. "Tsk." Lukius sticks out his tongue and glares at Dorwin. Dorwin, on the other hand, is whistling like he doesn''t give a d*mn. Lucius became more and more annoyed. He had a hard time with Dorwin. The young Dwarf was so aloof that it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Lukius looked at the silversmiths in the hall with a vexed look for a while, but eventually he regained his usual composure. (Oh, well, that''s okay. Only our guilds are exhibiting. In the end, the best prize will have to be chosen from among us. If he has to choose us again and again, Count Elsen will eventually realize it. He will realize that he has no choice but to join forces with us.) Lucius chuckles. The exhibitors at the exhibition were all guilds under the "Golden Eagle" umbrella, which was a splendid sight. Both Count Elsen and Lucius believed that there were only guilds participating in the Golden Eagle, so they did not pay attention to the booth of a small guild tucked away in the corner. The booth was already covered with a cloth, so the silversmiths'' wares and the guild name were hidden from view. Roland was walking around a section of Count Elsen''s mansion with the members of the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Count Elsen had also made special arrangements for the exhibitors at the fair. The exhibitors and their guilds were allotted a carriage to take them to and from the fair, a room to rest in, and a storage space to bring in silverware, and they were allowed to walk freely in one section of the estate. As the group walked through the colonnaded corridors, each exhibitor had a different reaction. Cheal was gazing around with sparkling eyes at the huge structure he was entering for the first time, while Aryeh was anxiously looking around, wondering if she should be treated in such a manner. Lange walked with a calm demeanor, occasionally looking with interest at the fixtures and paintings on display. Mr. Roland," he said. What is that building?What is that building?" Cheal asked excitedly. She pointed to a spire on the other side of the courtyard. She said, "Oh, that''s the bell tower." The belfry?What''s a belfry?" A tower in which a bell is installed. You see the bell at the top?If you ring the bell from a high place, it will echo throughout the city. That''s how you tell time. I''m not sure I want to go back to the same place. What''s that? I want to go there. Let''s climb up. Let''s go up to the tower and see the bells. Cheal took Roland''s arm and begged him like a child. She wanted to take a good look at and study anything made of metal. I''ll be d*mned," she said. The show is about to start. Mr. Roland. I''ll take care of the display booth, and you can come up here with the two of us. Lange said good-naturedly. He was a very caring person despite his quarrelsome appearance. Really?I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to do it. Aww. I am sorry. Mr. Runge." Aryeh said in horror. No problem. One person is enough for a booth. I just need you to bring me some lunch. With that, Lange walked away toward the exhibition hall. The three of them started walking toward the bell tower. After walking along the corridor for a while, they heard a voice call out for Roland. Mr. Roland! Roland was startled by the voice. The voice sounded familiar. Fearfully, he turned around to see the person he had expected to see. It was Jill. Gilles. What are you doing here? Roland was so traumatized from his "Golden Eagle" days that he couldn''t help but get upset when he saw her. He was so upset when he saw her. "Thank goodness, Mr. Roland. I''ve wanted to see you for a long time. Jill hugged Roland. ''What?Jill?Ugh." Jill was not wearing heavy equipment for dungeon exploration, but rather light equipment with an emphasis on gleam for festivities, but even so, the lumpy protrusions of her armor hurt against her ribs when she hugged me. The force of the hug was also quite strong, so Roland felt as if he had been tackled. But what puzzled Loran more than that was the fact that she was showing her affection. He had thought she despised him. Jill began to refuse Loran''s instruction after she began to be in the limelight, and even cancelled her training schedule when Loran tried to arrange it. Finally, she passed a notice of change of instructor to Loran. At that time, she was clearly informed that she would be working as a close associate of Master Lucius from now on, so she asked him not to approach her any further. By her secretary, whom Lukius had assigned to her. This is why her attitude was so puzzling to Roland. I can''t believe I''m meeting you here. Roland-san''s stupidity. Didn''t you promise that you would thoroughly discipline me until I became an S-class adventurer? Why did you leave the guild without telling me?" Jill was so moved that she did not care that Roland was in pain, but embraced him in full body armor and tightened her steel cage and breastplate around him. He then tightens his steel cage and breastplate around Roland''s waist. Jill. It hurts. It hurts. You''re going to die. Step away from ......." Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I was so moved by our reunion that I just ...... Jill comes to her senses and moves away from Roland. Gghh, geez. I''m not sure what to do about that, Jill. Why? I thought you were avoiding me. ...... ?"What are you talking about?It''s true that I''ve been busy these days and haven''t seen you, but I''ve never avoided you. ......" Jill looked at Roland with a scowling face. Roland was surprised to see her. (No way. Lukius is behind this, too. ......) ''Yes,'' he said. That''s not what I''m talking about, Mr. Roland. Please come back to the ''Golden Eagle.''" What? Please." You are the only one who can help me reach my full potential. No, I am not. I am not the only one. There are many others who are waiting for your guidance. I will take care of the opponents in the guild. So please come back." Jill said as she clutched at him. Aryeh and Cheal paled. They wondered what would happen to them if Roland returned to the "Golden Eagle. I''m sorry," Aryeh said. I''m sorry, Jill. I can''t go back to the Golden Eagle. Roland was bitter, but he said it clearly. Oh, no. Why ......" As Jill was about to speak her next words, a cold, menacing voice interrupted her, echoing through the corridor. I would appreciate it if you wouldn''t mess with my guild, Mr. Roland." ...... lucius." When Roland looked toward the voice, he saw Lucius there. As usual, he has Dianna in tow. Roland looked at him, feeling awkward in front of Lukius. Jill tried to defend Roland. ''Guild leader. No, sir. I was the one who approached him, he was the one who ......" Jill," he said. I''m sorry, but would you mind backing off here?I have something to talk to him about." Guild President. But ......" Jill was about to say it, but stopped talking. She was frightened by Lukius. The unusual expression on his face caused Jill to be silent. When Jill fell silent, Lucius turned to Roland again. I didn''t know you were still in town. After causing so much trouble for the guild. And with the alchemy guild." Lucius said as he packed up with Roland. Because of his superior height, Lucius had an intimidating presence that made his opponents shrivel up. Aryeh and Cheal, who are short, involuntarily hid behind Roland''s back. ''I don''t think so. You are not going to participate in the fair, are you? Oh, no way," he said. I''m going to participate in the competition and try to win. I''m here to fight you and the Golden Eagle. Roland didn''t look away and said back. ''What the hell?Do you even know what you''re talking about?" I heard about it at the quest reception desk. I heard that you were working behind the scenes to keep me out of the adventurer''s business." "......" At the time, I was so fed up with everything that all I could do was run away. But now it''s different. Now I have friends to protect and a place to stay. If you try to drive me out of this town, I will fight you. I don''t care how powerful you and the Golden Eagle are. We have nothing to be ashamed of. I have no reason to be kicked out of this city! ...... Hmmm. What are you talking about? Did I put the word out to the quest receptionist office?Don''t be paranoid, Mr. Roland. Why should I do such a thing to you?Rather, you should withdraw from the fair. This is no place for people like you. I am saying this out of the kindness of my heart so that you will not be embarrassed. Will you decline?" I refuse. There is no reason why we should decline. From now on, I will fight you to the bitter end, no matter how pathetic I look. I will fight you until I destroy you and the Golden Eagle! Lucius shrugged. ''Hmph. I said that out of the kindness of my heart. You''ll regret it. Lucius turns his back on Roland and walks away. Roland also turns his back to Rochius and walks away. Roland turns his back to Rukius and walks away. Let''s go. You heard him.He is going to destroy the Golden Eagle. In other words, he is our enemy. Oh, no. ...... Jill gave Roland a pleading look, but Roland never looked back. From that day on, Roland and Lucius both walked in different directions, and after that, their goals never overlapped. There were cheers in the courtyard. People from all over the city, and even from outside the territory, were mingling to celebrate this momentous occasion. The fair was about to begin. <> 13 - CHAPTER XIII -- AUTHORIZATION OF NOBLES The alchemy guilds that participated in the fair showed off their silver crafts at their booths, and it was clear that the "Arsenal of Spirits" was the best in terms of the quality of the silver, beauty of the form, and originality. Lange was busy with the visitors who had gathered at his booth. He was busy dealing with the visitors who had gathered at his booth. What you see here is just plain water. But if you put it in this silverware like this, you can see ......." When Lange poured water into a sample silver goblet, the clear water quickly turned a murky red. A fermented-like aroma pervades the place. The onlookers were astonished. The water turned red!What is this?How the hell does it work?" More importantly, this aroma ......, you don''t think it''s grape wine?" This goblet is a silver work of wondrous wonders, possessed by a spirit that transforms water into wine. Please, everyone, come in. Take a taste. As Lange presented the goblet, the onlookers took turns dipping their mouths into the contents and passing it around. What is this?It sure tastes like grape wine." And it''s of the finest quality. I can''t believe it. Is there really a genie in the bottle?" The excitement and the mellow aroma wafted through the air, and the visitors who had been watching the other booths became curious about the "Arsenal of Spirits" booth and gathered around it. By the time Roland and the others arrived, the place was in a frenzy, and Lange was having a hard time. ''Wow, that''s a huge crowd.'' Oh, Mr. Roland. Please help me quickly. I can''t do this on my own. Lange, holding a bottle of water in his right hand and a silversmith''s goblet in his left, turned his face only toward Roland and said. Good. Aryeh, go get some water, and Cheal, maintain the silversmithing. Yes." Did you make these goblets?" One customer asked Lange. Oh, no, it wasn''t me. Is it you then?" Roland is asked next. No, it wasn''t me. Which brings us to ......." No way. ...... Roland took Cheal''s hand and held it out to the onlookers. ''Gentlemen. Let me introduce you. I am Cheal, a silversmith from the Arsenal of the Spirits. The appearance of the young girl, still at an early age, caused even more excitement among the onlookers. What a ...... girl! And they''re elves. No wonder they''re inhabited by spirits." Cheal was embarrassed by the attention, but was surprised and complimented all the same. Count Elsen watched with excitement as people gathered at the "Arsenal of Spirits" booth. This is it," he said. This is exactly what I have been looking for.) A weak alchemy guild. Unknown, but up-and-coming, with unfathomable talent. Moreover, he is an alchemist of the elf tribe. These elements satisfied his fondness for things and futurism. Lucius was stunned to see the booth of the "Arsenal of Spirits. (Stupid. How could this be ......) Ho." That girl. She''s not quite designed yet, but she seems to make a lot of sense. I didn''t know there was an alchemist like that in this town." Dorwin said, somewhat admiringly, as if he were someone else. Hey, what do you mean? Why do they own Silver A?" Lukius snarls at Dorwin. I don''t know anything about that. Why don''t you ask the Guild''s tightening officer?" d*mn." Despite Lucius'' confusion, the "Arsenal of Spirits" booth continued to thrive, and he continued to be the sole winner. In the end, "The Goblet Dwelling Spirits," created by Cheal, was selected as the best work. An award ceremony was held. Cheal kneels before Hilda, Count Elsen''s daughter, who is sitting on a chair on a temporary stage, and offers her a piece of silver work. The silver work handed to Hilda is different from the sample and more luminous. Hilda accepted the goblet and solemnly announced I award you the first prize at the First Elsen Silversmiths'' Fair. Yes, sir. I humbly accept. (Just a short time ago, I couldn''t even get close to metal. Not only have I become a silversmith, but I have also received this honor. It''s all thanks to Mr. Roland. Thank you very much.) A single tear rolled down Cheal''s cheek. Hildi was upset. What happened?He had received a commendation. What in the world is making you so sad that you are shedding tears like that?" Cheal began to speak while wiping away tears. Although I have received recognition at the fair, the "Arsenal of Spirits," to which I belong, is a weak guild. No matter how many good products I make, I can''t wholesale them to the stores, and there is no income coming in at all. At this rate, the guild would go bankrupt. If that happens, I will not be able to make any more silversmithing myself. Above all, I cannot feel sorry for the members of the guild who have supported me to get to this point. When I think of that, I cannot help but be saddened, no matter how great the prize may be. Well, such are the circumstances." Hilda turned to Count Elsen at her side. ''Father. Did you hear?" I''m not sure. I heard everything. I didn''t know there were such circumstances. It is a serious situation that a talented alchemist cannot work due to such circumstances. Immediately, in the name of the Elsen family, let''s protect the "Arsenal of Spirits. The "Arsenal of Spirits" is endorsed by the Elsen family. You will be allowed to use our family crest and name in any of your future activities. The audience cheered. Cheal was given a round of applause to congratulate him. Cheal turned to Lorang and stuck out his tongue. Roland laughed, half in admiration and half in dismay at Cheal''s worldly wisdom. (Hey, Cheal! I''m not lying, but you''re not being truthful. I''m glad Count Elsen didn''t notice.) As the hall was filled with applause, a single black flying object appeared in the sky. It was Lilianne, flying in the sky astride a broom. It seems you made it in time for the awards ceremony. Lillianne. You came?" Roland said happily. ''Yes, of course. Lilianne winks at him. Roland took Lilianne''s hand and helped her land. Lillianne ......, you mean the Class A adventurer from ''Guardian of the Magic Tree''?" Count Elsen is surprised by the unexpected intruder. ''Yes, she is an investor in our guild. She has been supporting our guild since its inception, even though we have no achievements to show for it. Congratulations on your commendation, Mr. Chial. As an investor myself, I am proud of you. Thank you." How about this? "Well, what do you think, Lillianne? Count Elsen approached Lilianne and spoke to her. She said, "I am going to invite Mr. Cheal and the members of the ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' to dinner later on. You, as an investor, would like to join us?" Oh, no?Then I will take your word for it." Lucius looked at Lillianne and finally had a look of agreement. Lillianne?Roland and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" were connected?I see. So that''s what it was about. Now I have a point. I wondered how they had managed to get the Silver A, but with the financial support of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," they had raised a refiner. And you were the one who supplied "Earthcraft" to the "Guardian of the Magical Tree"? Roland!) Lucius glares at Roland. (I thought they were just a small, weak guild, but now that it''s come to this, I can''t let them get away with it. I''m going to use all the power of the Golden Eagle to crush them. Roland!) <> 14 - CHAPTER XIV -- SPECIAL ADVISORS After the fair was over, Lucius returned to the "Golden Eagle" headquarters and immediately took action to deal with the "Arsenal of Spirits. He gathered his entourage and planned countermeasures. Dianna. Roland was connected to Lilianne. Yes, I had no idea those two were connected." Dianna said surprisingly, as if she had just learned of the fact just now. Now all the mysteries are solved. It was Roland''s guild that supplied Earthcraft to the Guardians of the Magic Tree. I was blindsided," he said. If I had known that, I would have taken countermeasures from the beginning. Dianna is a shrewd woman. If he went to the trouble of attending a silversmithing fair ......, he probably intends to make silversmithing the guild''s mainstay product. If that is the case,......, seize all mines that produce silver ore and "earthcraft" right now. No one is allowed to go near the mines in the dungeons we own, except those who are involved. Buy silver ore and "earthcraft" ore in the market without regard for gold. We want all the silver in this city under our control!" Ha! And don''t forget to put pressure on the alchemy guilds and the stores and vendors who deal in alchemical products. Threaten them that you will never do business with any guild that has dealt with the "Arsenal of Spirits" again. Ha!" After Lucius finishes his set of instructions, his entourage flutters out. Although Lucius had given these instructions for countermeasures, he still could not rest easy. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" owns a dungeon. We can''t hold back the ore produced from there. Tsk. The next time a dungeon appears, that''s when the game will be played. If we can seize all three dungeons then, we can put pressure on the "Guardian of the Magic Tree.) Lucius recalled Count Elsen''s saltiness toward him after the fair. Since Count Elsen had started associating with the "Arsenal of Spirits," future dinners with Lucius were put on the back burner. He said, "No, I''m sorry. "No, I''m sorry, Lucius. I''ll have dinner with you another time. Count Elsen said this as if he was refusing a troublesome appointment. This kind of "next time" will never come. (That son of a b*tc* Roland. He snatched away the endorsement of the nobleman I was aiming for.) From Lucius'' point of view, he felt as if the business he had been laying the groundwork for had been snatched away just in the nick of time. (Don''t think you can get away with this.) Since the fair, the members of "Arsenal of Spirits" have been busy. The booth at the fair was a great success all day long, even more so since they had won the grand prize and even received the Count''s endorsement. The workshop was constantly receiving inquiries about silversmithing, and the orders were so high that it was hard to imagine what it would have been like when he had been a small business. Despite the busyness of the workshop, Roland made it a point to hold morning meetings so that all the members could get together. Today, too, Lange announced the start of the morning meeting at the workshop. Lange was the one who announced the start of the morning meeting. Thank you for your hard work yesterday at the fair. Not only was it good publicity for us, but we also received the Count''s seal of approval, which means we''ve received a large order." Aryeh and Cheal''s expressions suddenly turn bright. Both were happy to know that their work had been recognized. We need to make 50 pieces of silversmithing this month. Fifty ......?" Fifty? Aryeh and Cheal, who were present at the morning meeting, reacted completely separately. Aryeh looked anxious at the thought of having to refine silver for 50 pieces of silversmithing. Cheal''s eyes lit up at the thought of making 50 pieces of silversmithing. Ranj. Have you already delivered the silver that Thial is going to make today to the forest workshop? Roland asked. Yes," Roland replied. I have already delivered the silver A for today''s production to the forest workshop. I wonder if it''s safe to make 50 pieces of silversmithing. Aryeh has to refine 150 pieces of "earthcraft" as well as silver. ''I''ll be fine,'' he said. I''ll be fine, Aryeh. You can do it. Roland reassured Aryeh by snapping his hand on her head. Yes, sir," he said. I''ll do my best. She said, her face a little red. Cheal stared at her. Hm?Wait a minute Ranju. Not only for direct orders, but also for the new ones you''re going to make for the store?" Roland and his team were planning to open a silversmith store in the near future. Now that they had received permission from Count Elsen, they could open a store for alchemical products without having to apply for a cumbersome permit. ''Ah, yes. So I may need a few more." No," he said. You have to make a production plan that includes that. It''s the producers who will be in trouble later. What?But we don''t know how much we''ll need yet. ......" You can at least know what you''ll get in the stores. You can find out what''s on the shelves at the other stores. Oh, I see. It can''t be helped. Let''s have a meeting later." I''m sorry, I don''t understand. I''ll leave some time. Ranju hurriedly took out his notepad and adjusted his schedule. He had a serious and mame personality contrary to his appearance. ''Well, then, as for today''s schedule, I''ll have Aryeh refine 20 earthcraft and 5 pieces of silver. Mr. Cheal will begin work on a goblet, a platter, a ring, a necklace and a brooch each. I will go to the mine later. Mr. Roland will also be outside in meetings all day today, so please support Mr. Aryeh and Mr. Cheal with the support of the group that will be sent out. ""Yes."" Those who had been sent out from Zens'' guild replied. ''Well, I guess that concludes today''s morning meeting for now. Then, please take your positions. Yes." (Oh, that?Mr. Roland. What about me?(I don''t have a head nudge?) Cheal, who had prepared himself for the same head patting he had received from Aryeh, was disappointed. Then he regretted it. I should have been as vulnerable as Aryeh, I wondered. I thought to myself, "Cheal, I should have done the same thing. Aryeh-san." Cheal came to himself when Lange called out to him. I''d like to talk to you about our future production plan. ...... Lange begins a meeting with them on the spot. Cheal unfolds the blueprint he drew yesterday and explains how much silver he will need. Lange makes arrangements for when and how much silver will be transported. Aryeh looks at it and makes plans for refining. The three of them are going through the meeting like they are in synch with each other. Roland was happy to see the members working hard and growing in harmony. Eventually, he would no longer be able to afford to be like this. Roland knew that better than anyone else. But for now, he wanted to soak up this moment of happiness. After the morning meeting, Roland and Ranju made their way to the dungeon, stopping at a silversmith store that was taking orders, and looking around to see how many items would fit on the shelves. He said, "You see. You know how many items are supposed to be on the shelves?We use that as a clue to predict how many orders we''ll get this month." I see. Ranju took notes quickly. On your way back from the dungeon, stop by the store," he said. You can get a more accurate estimate if you check how well they are selling. Yes, sir. Lange fidgeted with his notes again. Roland smiled at Lange''s busy schedule and felt sorry for him. I''m sorry, Ranju. I put too much pressure on you. But if you don''t do this much for me, I''ll be even busier in the future.) ''Well, is that okay?I turned down an order from another restaurant." Ranju asked me as I was leaving the restaurant. Ah." The "Arsenal of Spirits" was receiving not only direct orders from individuals, but also requests from retailers to let them sell their products. Roland, however, has so far refused all of them. Is it related to the Golden Eagle after all?" Ranju said inquiringly. Roland laughed bitterly. (Not at all. You''ve got good instincts.) Please talk to me. As the one who manages the workshop, I want to know too. I will never tell anyone. I can''t keep secrets from you. Roland let out a sigh and began to speak. ''I don''t think Lucius will end up like this. I think he''s probably going to put pressure on us in the future to destroy us in some way." I knew it. ...... As long as we don''t know what they will come up with, it''s dangerous to increase production down the road. This month, thanks to Lillianne, we have been able to procure ''earthcraft'' and silver ore, but there is no guarantee that the ''Guardian of the Magic Tree'' will be able to take the dungeon and procure silver ore and ''earthcraft'' again next month. So you''re saying that you''re going to limit your production just in case, and have a system in place that can easily handle any problems that may arise. Lange, too, had a keen sense that procurement of gemstones was becoming more and more difficult. The suppliers who used to be willing to sell him rough stones when he wanted to buy them were now reluctant to do business with him. Now, the sources of raw materials for the "Arsenal of Spirits" were being limited to the dungeon mines acquired by the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. This is the story. Don''t tell Aryeh and Cheal about this. I want those two to concentrate on their work and not think about anything else. Understood. Now then, you go to the mine. First of all, we need to extract as much resources as we can this month. I''m counting on you. Roland patted Lange on the back. Roland patted Lange on the back. I''m off." ''I''m sorry, but these are the guys I''m sending out on loan. We will return them to you." Zens told Roland this at the bar where they always meet. His face had taken on a cold, stern expression, a far cry from when he had so readily shared his concerns with me before. (I knew it.) That''s another sudden story. What on earth is going on?" I''m afraid Lucius has found out that I''m working with you," he said. I heard about it. I heard that Roland''s guild was supplying ''Earthcraft'' to the Guardians of the Magical Tree. "......" I don''t like it," he said. I can''t have such things coming to light. We have a large order from the Golden Eagle. If they stop doing business with us, we will not be able to survive. I have to support the many employees I have hired. Zens said with a bitter look on his face. Inwardly, he too seemed to be torn between not wanting to neglect his debt to Roland, who had saved him in his time of need, and the fact that if he did not cherish his connection with Lucius, the guild''s business would suffer. He said, "Anyway, I''m going to end my association with you once and for all. No hard feelings, please." I understand. (After all, the other alchemy guilds would rather do business with the "Golden Eagle" than with us. That''s right.) After the meeting with Zens, Roland had some free time before his next appointment, so he wandered around the alchemist''s stall. Most of the weapons displayed there were for adventurers. (To draw other alchemy guilds away from Lucius, it would be best if we could get better terms on our orders than the Golden Eagle. ......, but currently, most of the alchemists'' job is to make weapons for adventurers. In order to attract them to our side, we need to get them to order weapons from other sources than the Golden Eagle. (To do so, we would have to grow with another adventurer''s guild, such as the Guardians of the Magic Tree.) Later, Roland met with Lillianne. This is the coffee shop they always use for meetings. Lillianne said, "Congratulations on your award at the fair. It must have been quite a publicity stunt. It''s no big deal. I heard that Lillianne''s dungeon management is going well. I imagine you must be making a good profit. I would like to be able to do so, but the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" by itself cannot handle all the resources in the dungeon. This time, we have been able to collect mining permit fees from the guilds under the "Golden Hawk" umbrella, but they have a greater advantage of scale than we do. We are inevitably at a disadvantage in negotiations." I see. It''s not a simple matter. The two men fell into an awkward silence for a few moments. Lilianne said what she had been meaning to say to Roland for a long time. Lillianne said what she had been meaning to say to Roland. The Golden Eagle is finally putting pressure on us, the Guardians of the Magic Tree. Yes." ''Before, they probably thought we were an insignificant guild,'' he said. Until last month, the Golden Eagle had conquered all three dungeons that appeared every month. Although they were ostensibly competitors, the Golden Eagle and the Guardians of the Magical Tree were practically allies. But this month we conquered one dungeon, and that seems to have provoked Lucius." Although Lillianne did not dare to mention it, Roland was also the reason why the "Golden Eagle" became so hard-line against the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The Golden Eagle had implicitly threatened to stop supplying ore and other items to the Guardians of the Magical Tree and to stop providing them with manpower for resource extraction if they did not cease doing business with the Spirit Arsenal. Pressure has already been put on the "Arsenal of Spirits. The guilds that have been close to us up to now are also threatening to dissolve their business partnerships or stop doing business with us. It is getting harder and harder to procure raw stones." Was there, after all, pressure on the Arsenal of Spirits as well? This is the way of Lucius. He applies pressure from all directions to mentally shake his opponents. Ms. Lillianne." Roland looked straight at Lilianne. Lillianne stared back at him without looking away. Is the Guardian of the Magical Tree going to give in to the pressure of Lucius? Lillianne smiled softly. I would never have brought you into my group in the first place if I was going to give in to pressure here. Lillianne sipped a little from her cup, then tightened her face and turned to Roland again. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" will not yield to Lukius'' pressure and give up the "Arsenal of the Spirits. I can assure you of that." Hearing this, Roland smiled as if the tension had been released. I''m glad to hear that," he said. I am relieved to hear that. Now I too can fight Lukius without any regrets. I guess that means I''m ready. Yes. Yes, I will not back down from my fight against Lucius. I will do everything in my power to back up the Guardians of the Magical Tree so that they can gain the upper hand. I understand. However, it is certain that it is not good if things continue as they are now. Even with the backup of the "Arsenal of Spirits," it is not necessarily true that the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" will be able to win the dungeon next month. There is still a difference in the quality of adventurers between the Guardians of the Magical Tree and the Golden Eagles. Yeah, I guess so." I have a favor to ask of you, Mr. Roland. Would you be willing to serve as a special advisor to the Guardians of the Magical Tree?" Special advisor? Yes, sir. Currently, the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" has only one main unit. It is impossible to compete with the "Golden Eagle," which has three main units at any given time. The reason for this gap in strength is that all promising adventurers have joined the Golden Eagle. (Indeed. People would join the best guild in town if they were going to join anyway.) More to the point, there was a disparity in salary and treatment. Even within the same class, adventurers in the "Golden Eagle" class were paid nearly twice as much as adventurers in the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" class. As long as the quality of the adventurers who join is inferior, we have no choice but to differentiate ourselves through training. In fact, there are many adventurers in "Guardian of the Magical Tree" who are not growing. Please select two or three and train them intensively. Right now, "Guardian of the Magical Tree" needs a new ace in the hole. With your help, Roland-san, please turn these sluggish adventurers into Class-A adventurers." Certainly. It is fundamental to organize troops around aces, you know. To create a new troop, it is essential to have new A-class adventurers. ......?" Roland crosses his arms and ponders. ''Talk about a special advisor. As for me, I''m fine with it, but is it okay? I am a member of an alchemy guild. But isn''t there any opposition within the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" to my guiding adventurers? I''ll take care of that. Lillianne said decisively. The answer was immediate. Roland sensed an extraordinary determination in her. He could also sense the urgency of her kitchen situation. It seemed that every moment counted. I understand," Lillianne said. I don''t know how much I can do, but I will do it. I will do what I can to help Lillianne as much as I can. The room, located in the back of the "Golden Eagle" headquarters building, was always filled with the sound of metal and the smell of rusty iron. The room, which is located underground, has only a little light from a candle illuminating the interior space, but for a dwarf who has lived in a dark cave since birth, this level of darkness was more comfortable. Dorwin, the dwarf who owns this room, is the only alchemist in the "Golden Eagle. Not only is he an excellent silversmith, but he also possesses the skill "Metal Forming A" and is solely responsible for the repair and development of the Golden Eagle''s armors, as well as other miscellaneous alchemy-related tasks. It is to his credit that he has drastically shortened the time it takes to repair adventurers'' armor, and the utilization rate of adventurers belonging to the "Golden Hawk" has increased dramatically. Dorwin was also an excellent adventurer, and his ability to fight battles and repair equipment in the dungeon helped to improve the unit''s ability to fight in succession. Most recently, though, he had been confined to his room like this, mostly assigned to repairing damaged weapons. Dorwin, who had been repairing swords and armor with a tonkachi all morning, decided to take a break. ''Phew. More and more weapons have been damaged lately." He said in a muttered voice. (If the number of broken weapons is increasing, it means that adventurers are wearing equipment that is not suitable for their size. Or they are taking on quests that are not suitable for their size. I bet that Lucius guy is pushing them to take on absurd quotas.) Oh, yadda yadda yadda. My workload is going to increase needlessly again. This is why the Black Guild is ......" ''I see you''re still working in the dim light, Dorwin. A high-pitched female voice echoed through the room, where there should have been nothing but the echoing sound of metal. Dorwin turned toward the voice and saw Jill. Dorwin took one look in her direction, then quickly turned away and went back to repairing his armor. What do you want?Here in this place. Your armor shouldn''t break in a little while, should it? Besides, you are the hottest new adventurer of the moment. Shouldn''t you be in high demand for adventures and promotions? I wanted to talk to you about something. Jill replied, frowning at the dimness of the room and the poor air conditioning. ''Why don''t you ask for a lamp to be installed?It''s pitch-dark. It''s so dark, it''s hard to work with your hands in the dark. I don''t need to worry about it," he said. I may live in the city, but I am a dwarf. I am used to the dark. I wouldn''t make the mistake of going crazy with my hands. Besides, I like being in this environment. I see. Well, good. ......" What''s the story?" Dorwin said as he continued his work. It''s about Mr. Roland." Dorwin''s hammer stops for a moment, then starts moving again. I heard that Mr. Roland has been expelled from the Golden Eagle." Yeah, I know." I see. Then we''ll talk quickly. Would you like to protest Mr. Roland''s banishment?" Protest? Yes," he said. Thank you. This banning is not right. "......" I heard at first that Mr. Roland had committed an act of hostility, but it seems that it was just a pretext. There is also something about the attitude of the guild president that I don''t agree with. I can only think that there is something behind it. So we protested and ...... You''re not very perceptive, are you? What?" Mr. Roland was, in essence, entrapped. "Seduced?" The last time Roland was in the guild, the weapons and armor of the unit he was in charge of were sent to us for repair. They were badly damaged. He must have been assigned as a new adventurer, not given any good items, and forced to do unreasonable quests that didn''t match his rank. Then they kicked me out for being a hard ass." If you know so much, why don''t you protest? If you know so much, why don''t you protest anything? It was under Roland''s guidance that Dorwin became the city''s best alchemist. He encouraged him to participate in quests, which at the time were sluggish, and he was assigned to a unit as an alchemist adventurer, which was rare at the time. With this, he rapidly developed an understanding of the needs adventurers had for equipment. Since then, his alchemical skills have improved dramatically. Because it''s useless. Useless?" Mr. Roland is staring at Lukius. He was an eyesore to Lucius. An eyesore?" Mr. Roland, you know. He went too far." Dorwin said with a sigh of resignation. If every person you bring up like that moves up in the world, it''s tempting for the higher-ups to be wary that they might be a threat to you," Dorwin said with a resigned sigh. Even Mr. Roland had ignored the wishes of upper management and prioritized the training of newcomers over the achievement of quotas. From the perspective of upper management, in short, Lukius, Mr. Roland was an eyesore. The reason for his banishment was nothing more than an excuse. Anyway, anything was fine as long as they could get rid of him." No such ......." Are you saying that you were kicked out because you developed human resources?That''s absurd. How can you kick out someone who has contributed so much? And the others, too. Why won''t any of them work for Mr. Roland? Most of the people who make up the main force now must have benefited in some way from Mr. Roland''s appraisal skills. I don''t blame you for saying that. There is no place that pays more than here, and people can''t sacrifice their own income to cover for Mr. Lorang. Roland is Roland, too. You''ll always be an ordinary member. Of course there will be people who will be jealous of your achievements or think that your position will be threatened. I told Mr. Roland. I told Mr. Roland, "It''s not safe for you to continue as you are now. Either you go quietly. Or you should take countermeasures. There are a lot of people out there who have no idea what they are talking about, who say they can''t tolerate someone else having a higher opinion of them than they do. But that guy wouldn''t listen." You say it''s Mr. Roland''s fault." Jill said, as if she were going to bite me. I wouldn''t say that, but ......, well, I think you should have at least tried to protect yourself at the very least." So too ......, why should Mr. Roland be exiled? He hasn''t done anything wrong! Well, whatever it is, I don''t think the rift between them will ever be bridged again. It''s safer to give up on Mr. Roland''s return. That doesn''t make any sense. Why should Mr. Roland be kicked out? It''s not right! (Huh?I wonder. I don''t understand what you''re saying.) Jill tended to be a little too pure. She was insensitive to the malice and contradictions in the world. (Was it hard to understand my explanation?I tried to explain it as gently as possible so that it would be easy to understand.) Let''s protest together. Let us both protest so that the guild leader will wake up." Jill appeals feverishly. Dorwin looked at Jill with distant eyes. (Roland, you''re amazing. I can''t believe you succeeded in training such a clueless person. Well, I''m a bit of a whirlwind myself.) Anyway, I''m not going to protest or anything." Dorwin says just that, turns away, doesn''t speak, and starts sharpening his sword. Jill stares at Dorwin with jittery eyes for a moment, then turns on her heel and heads for the exit of the room. ''Enough. You ungrateful bastard. If you don''t move, I''ll handle this on my own." Jill said that much and left the room in a hurry. Dorwin let out a sigh as he heard her footsteps echoing from the hallway getting further and further away. If Roland had asked me out, I would have quit this guild and followed him anywhere. But he went away without saying a word to us, didn''t he? Roland had come to the guild headquarters of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The headquarters of the Guardians of the Magical Tree was a giant tree that grew in the city. Near the base of the trunk of the giant tree was a hollow door. On top of the myriad thick branches of the tree was a building that looked like a birdhouse. There are holes all over the trunk, and you can move freely to any of the buildings by climbing the stairs installed in the hollows inside the trunk. All kinds of fruits grew on the branches of the tree, and those who entered this magical tree could obtain the ingredients for all kinds of medicinal items essential for adventures, such as tonic to restore stamina, medicine to heal wounds, ingredients for potions, and medicines to temporarily improve status. It is said that the origin of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" dates back to a long time ago, when adventurers tried to protect the tree from an invading army of orcs who were after the tree''s fruit. Today, the role of protecting the tree has become a mere shadow of its former self, but the adventurers continue to use the tree as a base for their activities. A "tree man" grew on the trunk of the tree near the entrance door of the Magic Tree. The "tree man" was a monster that looked almost like the upper half of a human body, a parasite of the "magic tree," and served as the guild''s gatekeeper. When Roland presented his entry permit to the tree man standing in front of the door, the ivy covering the door parted to the left and right and opened. When they passed through the door, they found themselves in a lobby. Unlike the outside, which had the appearance of a tree, the inside was an ordinary wooden building. I went to the reception desk and announced my visit, and Lillianne came rushing in immediately. She said, "We''ve been expecting you. Mr. Roland." Seeing her, the people in the lobby make a commotion. How big a deal is he to have the guild''s only Class A adventurer come to the lobby to pick her up? That''s what the people staring at Roland were trying to say. Roland, looking a little uncomfortable under the strange stares, walked through the lobby and up the stairs. He was ushered into the guild leader''s room. The guild leader of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" was a man with thinning hair who had already reached middle age. He used to be one of the best A-class adventurers in town, but now that he has become the guild leader and is devoting himself to running the guild, he has lost all semblance of being an adventurer. In fact, he looks rather dazed and restless, constantly wiping the greasy sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief at the dividing line, and leaning his obese body on a luxurious-looking chair. He is sitting in a luxurious-looking chair, wiping a handkerchief on the partition, his obese body resting on the chair. I''m Roland, the appraiser. Pleased to meet you." Oh, oh. You are ......." The guild leader spoke to me in an awkward tone. He said, "Thank you for your help with ''Earthcraft. I heard that it was thanks to you that our Lilianne developed her unique skills. But you are much younger than I expected. I had no idea that you established an alchemy guild as a connoisseur. I would say that your skill is ......." The guild president greeted him politely, but he was forever regurgitating flattery and did not want to proceed with the conversation at all. Lilianne, unable to bear the sight, interrupted. The guild president. He''s a busy man. It''s time for him to give me the power of attorney for the special advisor position. Oh, yeah. Of course. But is it really good? You''re running a guild, and now you''re helping us by mentoring our adventurers. You promised me, guild leader. In exchange for extending my contract, you would appoint him as a special advisor. Did you forget that?" No, I know. I just thought maybe Mr. Roland was overreacting. ......" If you know what you''re doing, then get your power of attorney in soon. Ugh. All right." The guild president reluctantly pulled a document from his desk drawer. Roland watched the exchange between Lillianne and him and chuckled. He was completely taken aback by her. It was hard to tell which of them was the boss. Roland received a letter of attorney from the head of the guild. It clearly stated that he would be allowed to enter the public facilities belonging to the headquarters of the guild "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and that he would be entrusted with almost all of the authority regarding leadership. ''It''s not easy to convince your boss,'' he said. Roland said after he went out into the hallway and the guild president could no longer hear him. ''Yes, I do. He''s not a bad guy. He''s just indecisive. I wish he''d get his act together. Lillianne meditated melancholy and put her hands over her face, a gesture that seemed to suppress her headache. If you look closely, you can see a few dark circles under her eyes. He seemed to be a little sleep-deprived. Roland was a little worried because she always seemed to be on the energetic side. Now, this is the exercise room," Roland said. The guild members have already gathered here. Lillianne pointed to a large door and said. By then, she had shaken off her earlier tired look and was back to her usual cheerful self. Once through the large door, there was a room with walls and floors that were sturdier than the hallway and the other rooms. You could tell that it was designed to withstand combat training. Lillianne was right, there were about 30 adventurers gathered there. When Roland entered, they all turned their attention at once. The members there were all differently equipped and occupied, ranging from warriors to mages, healers, and thieves, but the one thing they all had in common was that their equipment was of C-class or lower. Lilianne was right, they seemed to be stretched. Roland quickly appraised the skills of the girl closest to him, the one with the blonde hair and wiggly head. She was in the form of a warrior equipped with armor and a sword. Long sword C to C Dagger D -> D Shield defense D -> C Currently, his abilities as a warrior are below average, and even if he reaches his talent limit, he is probably average at best. Roland also appraises other skills. Bow Shooting E to A Picking up the pace (Silent Run) D to A Hawk''s eye(Hawkeye)CS Equipment Retrieval (Steel) D to A One-hit kill E to A (I see. This is terrible.) She was not equipped with any bow and arrow, even though she had all the skills for a bowman (archer). She had no bow and arrow. This is Roland-san, who will be the special advisor of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" from today. He will be teaching you how to grow as adventurers, so please give him your full attention. When Lillianne introduced them, everyone looked at Roland nervously. Lillianne introduced Loran, and everyone looked nervously at Roland. Okay, then, let''s begin. First, you, the Warrior. You, Warrior, step forward. I''m sorry, yes. Is it me? She comes forward with a reserved look. You will be converted to an archer. Archer?I am an archer? The girl said surprisingly. Yes, you have all the qualities to be a class-A archer. (I know I said I''d crush the "Golden Eagle," ......, but in the end that''s all I can do. I will produce A-class adventurers out of this group. That''s the only fight I can do.) <> 15 - CHAPTER XV -- Tough qualities "What a bowman (archer). ...... I can''t do that. The girl, equipped for a Warrior, said in confusion. No, it''s not true," she said. You have the skill ''Hawkeye'' for archers. ...... Hey, what are you talking about? As Roland was about to explain to the Warrior girl, a young man interrupted. Monica," Roland said, "has been grooming her to be a Warrior in good order. She''s finally come this far, and now you want to turn her into an archer? Please don''t take liberties with me. Let''s see, ......, what about you?" I am Willik. I am the resident appraiser for the Keeper of the Magical Tree. "Appraiser ......" I wondered what kind of person would come because I heard he was a special advisor, and sure enough, here he is. I took my eyes off the road for a minute and here it is. I can''t believe they''re converting Monica to a bowman (archer) now. It''s no joke. Did you say Mr. Roland?I don''t know if he''s a special advisor or what. We have our own specialties that we have cultivated over the years. We can''t afford to have someone from the outside come in and do something so outrageous. He said, as if he were trying to pacify the crowd. He acted as if he were saying that without him, the guild would not be able to stand on its own. Willik. I told you. Roland is a special advisor. From now on, his guidance will take precedence over everything else. When Roland was puzzled, Lilianne said in an accusatory tone. ''Lilianne,'' he said. No, but you know what? We''ve come all this way ......" ''Willik. I know you have your own ideas. But you have been in charge of Monica for three years now. If there is no more progress, there will be nothing left for her to do. When Lillianne said this, Monica''s shoulders shook with fear. No, but, you see, ....... No matter how much you want to ...... the appraiser from the Alchemy Guild." If you insist, then see what your appraisal says about Roland''s skills. That should convince you." You want to ...... his skills?" Willik looks at Roland''s skills in the appraisal. Skill Appraisal S Human Resource Development A (Nah. Skill appraisal S and talent development A!(It''s as if they put everything into finding and developing talent: ......) Although Wirik could only see the top four skills and did not know their limits, he could still tell that Roland was a much better appraiser than himself. But he immediately smiled sarcastically. He said, "Pfft. I''m afraid you''re a skill appraiser S, aren''t you? But even if you have such skills, it means nothing if you choose the wrong aptitude, doesn''t it? ?"What do you mean?" Lilianne asks dubiously. Willik explained. The background that made Monica a Warrior (Warrior). Why she is not a good archer. Is she less ''agile''?" Yes, it is. Monica has only a below average level of agility among her stats. Even with training, she is probably a C at best. Such as ......" In other words, he is not a good bowman (archer). The bowman (archer) is, above all, a job that requires mobility to take advantageous positions. She is not suited for it because of her lack of agility." Willik said crisply. Monica turned her head down. She, too, had wanted to be an archer. However, her low agility and inability to take an advantageous position in a real battle disqualified her from being an archer, and she was forced to convert to a warrior. (Certainly, agility is the most important aspect of archery. Without it, they could be at a great disadvantage. I wonder what Mr. Roland is going to do about it.) On the other hand, they excel in arm strength (power) and endurance (toughness). So her aptitude is not as an archer but as a warrior in the vanguard. While Wirik was saying such things with a wistful look on his face, Roland was completing his skill appraisal at Roland. Skill appraisal C to C Status appraisal B -> B (I see. What "skill appraisal" lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in "status appraisal. But he does not see it. Monica''s unique skill, "Hawk Eye," is not visible to him. I''m fine," he said. Monica. You have skills that make up for your lack of agility." A skill that compensates for low agility?Do I have that skill?" Monica looks at Roland in surprise. Wirik was about to say something, but Roland spoke first and took the initiative. Wirik. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to leave this to me. She gets confused when two leaders say different things at the same time. Did you hear that, Willik?Mr. Roland has some ideas. Let''s leave it to him here. Then our presence here any longer will only be a hindrance to Mr. Roland. Wirik, I have something else I need to ask of you, so why don''t you come with me?" Lillianne then tries to physically take Willik out. ''....... I don''t know about this. I don''t care what happens. Willik says this in frustration, then opens the door roughly and leaves the exercise room. (Lillianne. Thank you.) Loran thanked Lilianne in his mind and bowed lightly, and Lilianne sneakily winked at Loran as she walked through the entrance door. Roland turned to the adventurers once again as they left. Lillianne winked at Loran as they left, and turned to the adventurers once again. I want to evaluate each one of you and see if you have any hidden skills or qualities. Loran lined everyone up side by side, looked at each person''s face, and appraised their skills. As a result, he found two other potential aces besides Monica. One was an attack mage named Shakuma. She was a petite girl with short-cut black hair and a weeping black spot over her left eye. Flame magic C to C Lightning magic D to C Rock magic -> C -> C (Attack mage, huh? But that''s hardly enough to match the firepower of an A-class mage.) Roland explores other skills as well. Crust magic E to A Phantom magic E A Attack grant D to A Defensive D to A Hm. You seem to be better suited for supportive magic skills. Why did you become an offensive mage?" No." "No," he said. I used to hone my supportive mage skills too. ......" Shakuma scratched his head in embarrassment and explained why he converted to an offensive mage. Support mages are supposed to cover their troops from the rearguard, but she had a habit of moving forward when the battle started. I tried everything to cure my habit, but in the end I couldn''t. When I hear a yell or the sound of a weapon being fired, I can''t help but want to move forward. And every time I did that, the enemy would target me and drag my unit down." I see. That''s certainly a nuisance. (But...) (But...) How can you not develop skills that can be developed? Shakuma. It''s not that you don''t like support magic, is it?" Yes, I love support magic! Shakuma said with a carefree smile. I''m sure we can work out your quirks," Shakuma said with a carefree smile. Let''s try to develop your support mage skills again." Yes, sir. Please do." The other person was a girl dressed as a Warrior, just like Monica. Like Monica, she too was dressed in armor and a sword and made to play the role of a shield, even though her qualities as a Warrior were only average. It seems that Wirik, when he could not find a suitable occupation, would use her as a shield for the time being. One-person recovery magic B A Wide area recovery magic C -> A (Warrior (Warrior) despite C for extensive recovery recovery magic and A in the future?Why on earth ......) I see that you are not a healer, despite the fact that you have a wide range of healing magic. You have developed your skills accordingly, but why on earth?I don''t see anything wrong with your status, either. When Roland examined her status, he found that her agility (agility) and magic power were fine, and her qualities as a healer (healer) did not seem to be in question. She said, "I was told that my hit rate was too low and therefore I was not qualified to be a healer." (Oh, that one.) Roland hastily appraised her status and sure enough, her hit rate was terrible. In this world, healers (healers) were also required to have a hit rate. When activating healing magic, the range of the target to be healed must be specified, and the hit rate must be high in order to correctly match the range of the target to his or her allies. I used to apply healing magic to heal an ally, but it did the opposite and healed the monster. ...... That put my troops in danger. Since then I have been banned from entering dungeons as a healer." Yuffine said in a matter-of-fact tone, without a hint of sadness. She did not seem to be the type to show much emotion. I understand. But it is impossible to leave such a powerful skill unused. I''ll find a way to make the most of it. I''m going to ask you to convert to a healer. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. For now, Roland decided to concentrate on developing Monica, Shakuma, and Yufine as ace candidates. As for the others, he did not make any drastic conversions, but only gave them a little advice. He did not make any major changes in the others, but just gave them a little advice. Thank you for your hard work. I want you to complete the tasks I just mentioned by next week. After Roland finished appraising everyone and giving advice, he handed down the details of the training and dismissed the gathering. After appraising nearly 30 adventurers, Roland sat down on the spot and went limp. (Phew. I''m tired, indeed.) Even for an S-class appraiser, appraising this many people at once was a painstaking task. However, Roland still had more work to do. (Converting is not enough. What was needed to make them A-class adventurers? (It''s the right equipment and the right quests.) After leaving "Keeper of the Magic Tree," Roland headed for the quest office on his feet. He asked, "Are you okay for a minute? Lillianne. She''s a crazy person." Willik appealed to Lillianne with the training plan submitted by Roland in hand. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine are useless in this profession, so I went to the trouble of converting them all. They were just beginning to take shape, but now they''re back to where they started. It''s okay," he said. Mr. Roland has successfully trained people with difficult qualities many times. Besides, ......" (If you don''t do something as bold as this, you can''t beat the "Golden Eagle". We can only rely on Mr. Roland''s skills now. (Let''s trust Mr. Roland''s intuition as a connoisseur.) While Roland was appointed as a special advisor at "Guardian of the Magic Tree," a general meeting for investors was being held at the "Golden Eagle" headquarters. The most prominent members of the city''s most prominent landowners, bankers, and representatives of various guilds gathered there. These investors are the driving force behind the growth of "Golden Hawk" into the city''s number one guild. With their capital power on its side, the current "Golden Hawk" has established a monopoly on the guild, including the high level of salaries paid to guild members and the alchemy guild''s control system. The Gilded Eagle" was able to receive ample funds in this way, but on the other hand, the guild''s representative was required to give a monthly report on the guild''s performance at the general meeting. Lukius gathered the investors and explained the results of the last month as usual, but from the very beginning of the meeting, the investors asked tough questions. The investors mainly pointed out that the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" had conquered one of the dungeons. ''What in the world does that mean?How could they take one dungeon?" It''s a serious blunder. You told me that the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" were in the grips of a dying breed, and that they were almost under the control of the "Golden Eagle. Why are you lagging behind a guild that is almost as good as an affiliate?It''s crazy, isn''t it?" If they take another dungeon next month, this is your responsibility. Don''t worry. We have already determined the cause of the problem and are taking steps to remedy it. Lukius suppressed his inner irritation, smiling and feigning unconcern. I know exactly why we didn''t get a single dungeon this month," he said. It was due to an error in judgment on the part of Marco, the unit leader. He made the mistake of retreating while the dungeon boss was right in front of him. This mistake was caused by Marco''s passive decision. The guild has already demoted him and is in the process of appointing a new, qualified troop leader." Appointed?"Hasn''t that been decided yet?" One of the investors asked with a frown. Our guild has a lot of talent," he said. You all know that. Lukius maintained his composure. What about Jill, the heavily armed knight, and Dorwin, the alchemist?You said they were class A caliber. Isn''t it about time you appointed them troop leaders?" When one of the investors said this, Lucius'' eyebrows twitched. It was a quirk that manifested itself when his irritation level rose one notch. It''s premature to make them the head of a unit," he said. They are still young. Now is still the time to focus on individual performance. It''s premature. I don''t know how much longer these two are going to be in B class. What''s the development officer doing? Yeah, it''s really not worth it. I am going to blast the training staff. I''m going to tell them to get more fired up ......." The dungeon was taken," he said. Then what is your excuse for the fair hosted by Count Elsen?" Lukius'' eyebrows twitched again. The matter of Count Elsen was the last thing he wanted to be touched on at the moment. This time, it was not just his eyes that twitched, but also his cheeks, and his face scrunched up. Oh, yes. I believe you were talking about bringing Count Elsen into the fold as an investor, right? What happened to that? With Count Elsen''s capital offer, the leading adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" will be drawn out and completely enclosed. That was the arrangement, as I recall. I heard it was snatched away by another guild for the top prize at a fair. The fair?What the hell are you talking about?" The silversmith competition was held under the auspices of Count Elsen. The guild that submitted the best silversmith work received an award, and it seems that the guild that received the award and approached Count Elsen was the ''Arsenal of Spirits. The Arsenal of Spirits?I''ve never heard of it." It''s not a guild under the umbrella of the Golden Eagle. A guild of unknown origin has snatched the prize?You have all the alchemy guilds in the city under your control?Lucius!What are you doing?Hmm?" Lucius looked down with a somber look on his face for a few moments. It looked like he was depressed after being scolded, and he seemed to be suppressing his anger. The investors watched his reaction. Eventually, Lucius looked up. By then, he had completely regained his usual spare smile. He said, "Don''t worry, sir. The "Arsenal of Spirits" is just a small guild. We have already taken steps to block the ore distribution route and put pressure on the cooperative guilds. It is only a matter of time before the "Arsenal of Spirits" dries up. Eventually, they will cry out for us to take them under our wing. Well, if you say so, I guess it doesn''t matter. But you know what I mean. If we fall behind again next month against the Guardians of the Magical Tree, ......, your career will be in jeopardy. I am very much aware of that. The investors still looked unconvinced, but they were reluctant to pursue the story any further and remained silent. Lukius patted his chest with relief in his heart. (I was pursued a little too persistently, but I seem to be able to get through it somehow. Oh dear.) Is that all the questions?With that, the general meeting is adjourned. ......" Wait for me." One of the investors, a nervous-looking man with glasses, raises his hand. Here. I see that you''ve expelled one of your appraisers. ......" Lucius makes a straight face. That was the last thing he wanted to be pointed out right now. ''The severance paid when they banished him. Isn''t this somewhat wasteful?" He said, pointing to the financial documents at hand. Lucius was relieved of his nervousness when he learned that the banishment itself was not being challenged. Oh, you mean the expulsion of the appraiser," he said, "because he was so badly mistreated. If we had continued to employ him, he would have contributed to the demoralization of the guild as a whole. So I had no choice but to expel him. I''m not so sure about that. Why don''t you just keep him until his contract expires without bothering to retire him?There are so many ways to use them, such as converting them into shields or whatever and using them up. This kind of wasteful expense loosens the strings of the organization and says ......" Afterward he lectured Lukius endlessly about how important it was to cut costs. His attitude was as if to say, "I have to teach you everything from the beginning to the end, or you will never understand. For a while, Lucius had to listen to his lectures, which went on and on. He was so tired that he could not even hear himself say, "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Your carriage home and souvenirs are waiting for you. After the general meeting, Dianna escorts the investors to the exit. She greeted them amiably and escorted them to the exit. The investors walked down the corridor to the exit, their shoulders hunched and their posture huge, as if to say, "We are the investors. Lucius is left alone in the conference room. When no one is around, he takes the sword on the shelf and slashes at the chairs where the investors are sitting, taking it out on them. He slashes at the chairs where the investors are sitting and takes it out on them. Those pigs! They''ve been interfering in every single thing I do because of a single dungeon failure! When Lucius finishes slashing all the chairs, he finally sheathes his sword and throws it at the shelf. ''That''s it, Roland!It''s his fault. He is a mere appraiser, and he has the nerve to get in my way! Lucius kicks away the chair he just smashed. But that didn''t stop him from getting angry. Watch me now," he said. Roland. I''ll make sure this humiliation will be avenged. Oh, Mr. Roland. Welcome. At the quest reception desk, Claria, the receptionist, greeted Roland with a beaming smile. She had been timid toward Roland for a while, but as soon as she got to know his personality (when Roland told her, "You don''t have to be so humble"), she took to him and now she was like a well-informed customer. Hey," he said. Hello, Claria." Thank you for everything. How can I help you today?" That''s the thing, it''s a bit of a crowded subject today. ...... I will be happy to help you. Please come into this private room. She stood up and led Roland to a private room. As soon as they moved into the private room, Roland began to talk about his requirements. I have a request for an adventurer''s quest. For adventurers?Is it about alchemical items?" No, no. It is a quest for archers, support mages, and healers. What?So then ...... Roland, you''re an adventurer?" I''m an adventurer, but I''m a trainer. Roland said shyly. I''ve been made a special advisor to the Guardians of the Magical Tree." ''Well. So you have risen in the world, then. Congratulations. Haha. Thank you. Well, that''s why I need you to let me know when quests for archers, support mages, and healers appear. Roland gave her his contact information. ''Yes, sir,'' she said. I''ll be sure to let you know as soon as I can. After the interview, Loran was politely escorted to the exit by Claria. (Well, now that we''re ready for the quest, all that''s left is the equipment. (Now that we''re ready for the quest, all we need now is the equipment.) After seeing Loran off, Claria, the receptionist, wrote down the request and put it at the top priority place on her list of jobs. (Wind. You''re a good man, Roland. Well, well. A new dungeon will appear soon, and I have to prepare for Roland-san. I was rude to him before, so I have to make up for it.) As Claria is filing the paperwork, someone comes to the reception desk again. Welcome. ......? Hello Claria. You''re as beautiful on all sides as ever. Di, Miss Dianna. Long time no see. It''s been a while. It''s very rare. I can''t believe you''re here at the quest reception desk. Ha ha." Claria begins to break out in a cold sweat as if she is upset to see Dianna''s face. It was understandable that she was frightened. In fact, even though Dianna is smiling, there is something intimidating and cowering about her smile. That was Roland you were talking to in the private room just now, wasn''t it? What?Eh, yeah well. Yes, it is. Ha ha." I''m not terrible, Claria. You broke your promise to us and introduced your quest to Roland. I guess that means you guys are better off with Roland than with us now. No, no, no. No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Dianna is a very important customer. We at the Quest Reception Center value our relationship with the Golden Eagle more than anything else. Claria said, slurred. Yes," she said. That''s good to know. Dianna smiled. To Claria, that smile was more frightening than anything else. ''So you''ll tell me, won''t you?What in the world did Roland come here to do for his quest? What did he talk about here? I want the whole story. Uh-uh. Although the quest receptionist office was bound by confidentiality agreements not to divulge the details of consultations with clients, Claria had no choice. She had no choice. I can''t believe I''m a special advisor. Tensions between the "Golden Eagle" and the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" are growing even now. Lillianne has done a bold thing. Dianna left the quest reception desk with a look of disappointment on her face. Well, okay," she said. Now we''ve found a way to destroy Roland. If the training plan fails, the relationship between Roland and the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" will be cracked. This situation. We can''t afford not to take advantage of it.) Dianna left the quest office and immediately went to Lucius to tell him about it. Rukius begins to organize a unit to destroy Roland''s training plan. <> 16 - CHAPTER XVI -- Cultivation of Bowman In the kiln room of the "Arsenal of Spirits," refiners were busy at work today. Aryeh gives instructions to the workers under her charge, while keeping a close eye on the ore being refined in the kiln. When she first came to the "Arsenal of the Spirits," she had no special talents, but now she is a first-rate smelter who manages five kilns and five alchemists. Please shut down kilns No. 1 and No. 2. When Aryeh gave the order, those working in front of the kiln hurriedly turned off the fire, took out the ore, and brought it to Aryeh. (This is only going to be silver B now. (This one is going to be silver A.) I''ve already refined this one to the last, since it will only turn into silver B. This one will be silver A, so I will train it." Aryeh instructed the ores that were likely to become silver A to be scraped and beaten with metal fittings to remove excess impurities, and then put them back into the kiln. When the refining process is finished, a fine "silver A" is extracted. The workers were amazed at the high quality of the finished silver. Oh," said one of the workers. Silver A again. I think we''ve already gotten more than ten today alone." I can''t compete with him after all. I can''t compete with Aryeh-san. Yeah, it''s too bad I have to go back to the guild for that. I wanted to learn more from Mr. Aryeh. Aryeh looked at the view with some wonder. Even though they were all well-known alchemists in the city, seconded from major guilds, none of them could do what he could do. (After all, no one could refine better than me. So this is what a major alchemy guild is like.) Aryeh had been somewhat out of touch, but now that she was working with them, she was finally realizing that she had become the best refiner in town. How''s the refining going?" It''s going well. Aryeh is as steady as ever. Roland was discussing with Lange in the waiting room. Looking over the production results submitted by Lange, it seemed that he was right, the production of "Silver A" and "Earthcraft" was going well. Hmmm. As expected of Aryeh." However, we expect a delay in production starting next week because the people sent from Mr. Zens'' guild will be leaving. Do you think you will be able to procure staff?" I''ve approached a few workshops and they''ve said they''ll send a refiner and a miner out on loan. At any rate, I think we can get the right number of people. Really?Good." Lange was relieved. Lukius had banned his alchemy guilds from collaborating with the "Arsenal of Spirits," but the effect did not extend to the small guilds at the end of the line. The guilds under the direct control of the "Golden Hawk" would have no choice but to submit to the decree, but the small guilds that were on the verge of collapse had nothing to worry about. The reason they were going under in the first place was also due to excessive buying by Lucius. The quality is indeed lower than the people sent from Zens'' guild, but can they make it? I''ll be fine. As long as I can get the manpower, I''ll see what I can do. Thank you. I''m really glad you''re here. Roland thus decided to turn his back on his career and concentrate on his duties as a special advisor. Lilianne had submitted a budget application for the next month to the head of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" guild. The head of the guild. Here is the budget for next month''s troops. I hope you approve it. Lillianne," he said. I''d like to talk to you about your special advisor. The guild president began to speak in his usual ostentatious tone. I still think we should follow Lukius'' request," he said. According to the report from Wirik, Roland''s skill in training is also questionable. And I still don''t think it''s a good idea to have a head-on confrontation with the Golden Eagle. ...... Guild President!" Lillianne leaned forward, banging on her desk. The guild president freaked out. ''We have no choice but to focus on nurturing now, you know?If we give up Mr. Roland here, we will forever lose our advantage against the ''Golden Eagle''." Ugh, but you''re right. ...... If you insist on letting go of Mr. Roland, please fire me first. Then I will start up the Adventurers'' Guild with Mr. Roland." Ugh. I understand. Let''s see how things go for a while longer. Lillianne left the guild leader''s room and sighed. (Oh dear. All this just for appointing Mr. Roland as a special advisor. I can''t imagine what''s going to happen next.) Lilianne is stuck leaning against the wall. She was a little sleep-deprived because she had been going around to all the relevant places and laying the groundwork. She was a little sleep-deprived because she had been making the rounds to all the parties involved, but if she didn''t work hard here, all her efforts would be for naught. I have to support Mr. Roland.) Lillianne closed her eyes for a bit to rest, then got back into the swing of things and back away from the wall. A new month had begun. Three new dungeons appear on the outskirts of the city. One is the "Forest Dungeon" where beasts live, one is the "Mine Dungeon" where the dead live, and one is the "Demon Dungeon" where demons live. Adventurers rushed to the quest office to find a tasty quest that suited their rank, and those who wanted an item requested a quest for the item from the quest office. While some quests were open to the public, others were for guilds. Most of the tasty quests were released first to the "Golden Eagle" and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," which split the city''s power in two. The two guilds began to organize their forces, examining the dungeons and quests that appeared. The main force commanded exclusively by Lilianne in "The Guardian of the Magic Tree" discussed which of the three dungeons that appeared would be attacked. In addition to the executives of the Guardians of the Magical Tree, Roland, the special advisor, also attended the dungeon strategy meeting. I intend to attack the "Mining Dungeon. Lilianne said. Our goal at the moment is to increase the size of the ''Arsenal of the Spirits. All we need is access to ore. To that end, we must ensure that we conquer the ''mining dungeon,'' where a large number of ores can be found in the dungeon." (Indeed, now that Lukius has tightened up the routes for obtaining ore, it would be the end if the "Golden Hawk" took away the dungeon where ore can be extracted. (Surely, now that Lucius has closed the routes for obtaining ore, if the "Golden Hawk" takes away the dungeon where ore can be extracted, we are finished. (But of course, that''s what Lucius must be thinking) What do you think, Mr. Roland?" While Roland was pondering, Lillianne came over to talk to him. ''Yes, I too think it would be best to take the mine. But the "Golden Eagle" knows that. It will probably be a fierce battle, you know?" I''m prepared for that." Lillianne smiled somewhat tremendously. I see." (If Lillianne says so, then I guess I have to believe her.) Then I will concentrate on nurturing. I''ll take the sluggish group to the ''Forest Dungeon'' ......" I''m sorry. Do you have a minute?" Roland was about to tell us about his plans when Willik interrupted him and raised his hand. ''...... what is it?'' ''I still think,'' he said. I wonder if I can leave all of the training to Mr. Roland, who came out of nowhere. No, I don''t think so. I meant that it is not good to put too much pressure on Mr. Roland. Willik. I thought we were done talking about that, right?Mr. Roland is ......" So, yes. I think. I think that we should split the responsibility half and half, me and Roland." Not caring that Lillianne interrupted him, Willik continued his story and made a suggestion. ''What do you mean?'' In other words. In other words, I and Mr. Roland will take care of the sluggish group half by half. Let''s see who''s better at teaching. Whoever wins will take the lead in the guild''s future training policy. That''s good. That''s good. The guild leader, who had just been wiping the sweat from his forehead, suddenly expressed his approval. When Lilianne glared at the guild leader, he quickly looked away. However, he did not withdraw his offer. As a matter of fact, this proposal was based on a prior agreement between Willik and the guild leader. The intention was as follows. If Roland wins and the guild is strengthened, that would be good, and if Wirik wins, that would create the fact that he treated Roland coldly and maintain the relationship with the "Golden Eagle. Either way, the guild would be safe. Furthermore, it was also meant to be a check on Lillianne. Lillianne is getting too aggressive these days. (Lilianne is getting too aggressive these days.) "Fine." Roland said simply. Oh, could you say that, Mr. Roland? But please don''t let the members know that there has ostensibly been such a contest.I don''t want to put extra pressure on them, as they are even just growing." Thus, it was agreed between Roland and Wirik that they would each divide the adventurers they were responsible for teaching in half, and that they would compete based on how well each had grown during the month, with the loser following the policy of the winner. While the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" were finalizing their dungeon strategy and training policy, the "Golden Eagle" was also holding a dungeon strategy meeting. Only A-rank adventurers and troop leaders were allowed to participate in the dungeon strategy meetings of the Golden Eagle, which were in effect the highest decision-making body. After the defeat of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" last month, the members were eager to conquer all three dungeons this month, but the meeting was in chaos from the outset. Lucius, what in the world is going on? Arik, an A-rank adventurer and captain of the first "Golden Hawk" unit, was questioning Lukius about his troop formation plan. What do you have to complain about?" There''s nothing to complain about," he said, "I can''t believe they would uproot B-rated archers, support mages, and healers from the main force. Are you asking us to attack a dungeon with C-rank riflemen, support staff, and healers? As for the B-rank archers, support mages, and healers, they have another important mission. Important mission?There are no more important missions than dungeon crawling. ......" Arik. Since when are you in a position to interfere in troop personnel matters?" "......" You only have to think about conquering the dungeon," he said. In the first place. You are too much dependent on the organizational power of the Gilded Eagle these days, aren''t you?" What? I''ve always been backed up, and it''s easy to make the mistake of thinking that we can just whisk away B-Class adventurers and the like. You guys can''t even conquer a dungeon without a squad of B-Class adventurers?If you are the commander of the "Golden Eagle," you can train your men while attacking dungeons. Let me try to do at least that." Yes," he said. Alik. What are you scared of?" Sebasta, another A-rank adventurer and unit leader, slumped in his chair. I''m not scared ......," he said. Just be more careful. ...... The main force of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is also a mixed B- and C-class unit, except for Lillianne. They are not much of a threat." ......" Or what?Shall my second unit take charge of the ''mining dungeon'' for you?" ......." Sebasta was an A-rank adventurer in terms of ability, but he was a bit overconfident. He had a sense of rivalry with Alik and immediately tried to mount him. Alik, for his part, could not afford to back down from such a blatant challenge. Is there anyone else who has an objection?No?Well then, that''s all for the dungeon strategy meeting. Each of you will strive to live up to the name "Golden Eagle. Taking advantage of Alik''s silence, Lucius ends the meeting. Alik still had something to say, but he had to bite his teeth. Lately, Arik had been getting more and more of a hard time from these two. In the past, he had been able to bring it to a two-for-two situation because Marco had been more cautious. Thus the two guilds would begin their search for the dungeon, with both camps feeling conflicted and uneasy. Roland had come before the "Forest Dungeon" to lead one of the units of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree". The three ace candidates, Monica, Shakuma, and Yufine, were also there. These three were asked to gather prior to the troop assembly. Roland saw that the three had gathered and began to explain. ''Alright. I''ll explain then. The purpose of this dungeon search is not to conquer the dungeon, but to train the troops. More specifically, the training of you three. The three of them all looked nervous. I think you three have what it takes to be Class A adventurers. Of course, at this stage, it is only a possibility. The three of them still didn''t seem to have a clue. (Not unreasonably. I''ve been in D class all this time. We''ll just have to build up our confidence little by little.) Roland decided to start by unsettling the three of them for the time being. For now," he said, "it''s been a long time since all three of us have been in this profession. Let''s start with a review of each of your professions. Monica. What is the role of an archer? Yes, I am. There are three main roles of an archer. Reduction of enemy forces in the firefight before the white combat. Intercepting enemies attacking from the air. And to provide covering fire during the white combat. She gave a slurred, exemplary answer despite her sudden conversion. Perhaps she had prepared and reviewed for this day. She seemed to be a serious person. (But ...... I can''t do cover fire, can I? I don''t have agility (agility), so I can''t always get a dominant position ......) Monica thinks so and feels gloomy. ''Yeah. That''s right. But you don''t have agility. So you''ll have to abandon covering fire and intercept the air power. I will ask you to focus on these two points. What? I have also prepared equipment for that purpose. Here." Roland hands Monica a bow and arrow. It was a huge iron bow as long as she was tall. This is an ''iron-breaking bow''!It''s also a limited edition model made by Dorwin. ......" I had to work hard to get it." Roland had to run around the city to stores to get his hands on an "iron-breaking bow. (Heavy) When Monica held the "iron-breaking bow," it felt heavier than an ordinary bow and arrow. Even she, with her high arm strength (power), felt the weight. She said, "Agility has little to do with frontal firefighting and anti-aircraft firefighting. Instead, firepower, range, and rapid-fire performance come into play. The "iron-breaking bow" is perfect for demonstrating all of these things. Monica looked at Roland curiously and seriously. (I can''t believe you''re throwing away your covering fire. I''ve never seen anyone teach like this.) While this was going on, the members of the troop gathered. In addition to the members of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," there were also those who had been hired temporarily for the occasion. It looks like the other members have gathered as well. Well, then, time is running out. Let''s go to the dungeon right away. Monica entered the dungeon and proceeded, protected by Warrior shields on both sides. Even if a monster appeared from the flanks and took her by surprise, the people on both sides would respond. This allowed her to focus on the enemy in front of her without worrying about her agility disadvantage. Monica recalled what Roland had told her as they advanced through the forest. ''First of all, concentrate only on shooting your bows. Hit the enemies in the front with arrows. That''s all you need to do." Roland first tried to get Monica to develop her bow-shooting skills. Other than that, he would not let her use her stamina for anything else. (Are you serious?I can''t believe they wouldn''t let a bowman (archer) provide cover fire (......). Monica still remains skeptical as she continues through the dungeon. At that moment, a monster appeared in front of the group. It was three goblins. The distance was about 50 meters. They seemed to have noticed Monica and the others. They were running toward us, weapons at the ready. Warriors on both sides readied their weapons. Monica grabbed an arrow from her bow and aimed it at the goblin. Monica grabs an arrow from her bow and aims it at the goblin. It''s hard!) Monica draws the arrow, feeling the hardness of the string and the strength of the recoil, which she has not felt in a long time. She takes aim and releases the arrow. It misses. The arrow passes by one of the goblins. The second one. This time it hit. The goblin, hit in the shoulder, falls on its back and struggles. The combination of Monica''s power and the elasticity of the "iron-breaking bow" was powerful enough to stop the goblin''s advance. Monica continued to fire arrow after arrow. The second one hit her in the knee. The goblin cowered, holding its knees. The third one was already right under her nose. There was no time to pierce it. Monica lowers her bow and steps back. The rest is the work of the White Guard. The position she was in was taken by the Warrior, who was waiting behind her to respond. The Warrior people effortlessly subdue and defeat the goblin. They also toddle the two goblins that are rolling around with arrows. Monica breathes a sigh of relief when she finishes the job. She is relieved that her work is done. Monica. Mr. Roland. Two out of four hits. Isn''t that good for your first real fight in a while?" Thank you." Monica was relieved by Roland''s words. I wondered what kind of a tough quota they would set for me since they said I could become a class A archer, but it was surprisingly normal. I think I can handle this. I''m glad. (Mr. Roland is a sensible person.) Monica, who had been inwardly worried about the future, was relieved for the time being that she would be able to follow Roland''s guidance for the time being. But eventually you will have to improve your accuracy, rate of fire, and range. Yes." I''m going to use this formation for a while so that you can regain your sense of real combat as an archer and get used to the ''iron-breaking bow. Focus on these two things. Yes, sir. As the group proceeded, ten goblins appeared. Deploy the White Guard!Don''t let them get around you. Roland shouted, and the white troops spread out in a horizontal line so that the enemy could not get around their flanks. Monica readied her bow and arrow. She fired an arrow and hit two more, disabling them in battle. This time it took three arrows to do it, but that was as far as she got. The goblins were caught in between. Monica dropped to the rear guard. The rest would have to be left to the white army troops. The bowman''s (archer''s) attacks are linear, so if she moves to the rear guard, there is nothing more she can do. If they shoot their arrows badly, they will hit their allies in the vanguard. Therefore, you should go around to the flanks and shoot to cover them. ...... The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure if it''s really okay. I don''t have to do anything. Monica said as she and Roland watched from the back as the white army troops fought. ''Yeah. We''ll leave the rest to them." But ......" This exploration is about developing your skills. You are not to use your stamina for anything other than honing your ''bow-shooting'' skills. Understood?" Ugh. Yes. There is still room for improvement in your bow shooting. I agree. ......" Roland gave Monica some advice. Aim at the nearest enemy in front of you, make your initial movement as fast as possible before you ready your arrow (so that you are aware of your center of gravity while advancing), and be aware that you can immediately nock another arrow after you have released it. That''s about it for now. I understand. I''ll give it a try. My immediate goal is to hit all four of them before the white soldiers." Yes." In the meantime, the white army unit had killed all the goblins. The troops proceeded through the dungeon again, with Monica in the lead. Monica continued to fire arrows at the enemies ahead. (She really just keeps shooting arrows. I''ve never concentrated so much on shooting. But ......) Monica grabbed an arrow from her bow and took aim at the goblin. Again, 10 goblins appeared. However, three of them had already fallen prey to Monica''s arrows. There was still some distance to go before they came in contact. (This is not so difficult. (This is not difficult at all.) Monica''s arrow hits the goblin in the face. The goblin fell on its back. (It was done.) The goblin fell on its back. I was able to hit 4 goblins with arrows before I came in contact with them. ...... Really, I''m an A-class archer? She almost believed it for a moment. (No way. I''m dreaming too much just because I changed my equipment a little. This is not going to work in a deeper dungeon.) The group moves deeper into the dungeon, with Monica at the head of the group. <> 17 - CHAPTER XVII Hawk Eye As we proceeded through the dungeon and battle after battle, one of the white army troops made a suggestion. Instead of deploying in a horizontal line, he suggested that we deploy in a V-shape, with both wings raised. We would place Monica (Archer) at the bottom of the V-shape to keep her far away from the enemy, and if the enemy came into the V-shape, we would pincer them from both wings. If the enemy enters into the V-shape, you should fire from both wings. This way, you can check the enemy entering into the center, and the shooting time of Monica (archer) will be longer than when she is in a horizontal line. Roland, who wanted to extend Monica''s "bow shooting" skills as much as possible, immediately adopted this idea. Ten goblins appeared shortly thereafter. As indicated, the troops formed a V-shape formation with both wings advancing and the center concave, in essence a crane-wing formation. Seeing this, the goblins, however low in intelligence, hesitated to rush into a quicksand. If they jumped into the center poorly, they would be surrounded by both wings. But that was just what Roland and his men wanted. The goblins who stopped were easy prey for Monica. In the blink of an eye, the goblins were felled by bows and arrows. The goblins rushed to attack the tips of both wings. However, both wings repeatedly retreated after stacking their swords appropriately. Then Monica''s bow and arrows were hurled at them. In the end, all ten goblins were hit by arrows. The white army unit finished the battle by simply putting the finishing touches on the goblins that had been shot and left for dead. Roland decided to adopt this as one of the ideal forms. (If we are too lazy, we won''t make it in time. (The formation of the troops would be decided as they proceeded.) When Roland appraised Monica''s skills, her bow shooting was up to a C. After the battle was over, Loran pulled the arrows that Monica had shot out of the monster''s corpse and retrieved those that were still usable. In this regard, too, Loran was thorough in not allowing her to do anything other than shoot. Monica, looking a little funny, accepts Roland''s recovered arrows. (Really weird guy. I can''t believe you went to this much trouble for me.) Mr. Roland. Come here for a moment." A member of the white army called out for Roland. Apparently, some of the men had suffered significant wear and tear on their equipment in the battle that had just taken place. Roland rushed over to the worn-out man and checked his condition. Currently, Roland and his team''s unit composition is as follows. 30 men in all. Monica (archer), Shakuma (support mage), Yuffine (healer), 20 white soldiers (5 of them as shields), 3 archers (archers), and an attack magician. 3 people. Roland, with his low status, led the troops with light equipment, wearing only the minimum amount of protective gear. The overburdened white army was divided into two groups of ten men each, with the vanguard and the rear guard taking turns at the end of each battle. While Roland was checking on the condition of the white army troops, Monica decided to check on the condition of her own equipment. Without an arrow attached, she pulled the string and heard the "iron-breaking bow" creak. It was only minor wear and tear. Monica let out a sigh. I''ve already shot more than a hundred arrows," she said.(Is the stone getting rattled?) It had been almost 24 hours since the unit had entered the dungeon. The dungeon itself did not distinguish between day and night, so as long as their stamina lasted, they could go all day without getting drowsy, but they could not prevent their weapons from wearing out. When Monica tried to consult with Roland, he realized his intentions without any need for her to speak and handed her the "Earthcraft". Use this." What? Are you sure?" Monica glanced at the troop. There were members of the troop who were far more depleted of their weapons than she was. The "Guardians of the Magical Tree" had close ties to the Medicine Guild, so they could get any number of potions to restore stamina for free, but items like "Earthcraft" that were produced from minerals were supposed to be valuable. But now, the top priority is to develop your ''bow-shooting'' skill." ...... yes." (Is it okay? I''ve gotten so much special treatment.) Monica had never been trained intensively like this, so she felt itchy to be treated like an ace, which she was still not used to, and used "Earthcraft" with trepidation. After making sure she was fully equipped, Roland reorganized the troops, moving those who had been lost in the white army to the rear guard, and proceeded through the dungeon again. Meanwhile, Roland was carefully observing Monica to determine when to put pressure on her. In this short time, he had discerned that while she was serious, she also had a skeptical, low self-esteem side. (Eventually, he would put pressure on her. (I will pressure her eventually, but not now. (I''ll put pressure on her eventually, but it''s not now, and I''ll have to be very careful about the timing.) Roland decided to continue observing her for a while now. The troops continued to refine their battle formation and advanced through the dungeon at a breakneck pace. In the meantime, the group arrived at the first transition base. This base of operations is a sacred corner of the temple where monsters do not appear, and is located at each level of the dungeon. Adventurers can use items to create a magic circle in this area. By entering this magic circle, adventurers can advance to the next level of the hierarchy. Roland and his team proceeded to the second level by diving through the transfer magic circle. A wide variety of monsters appeared on the second level, and the equipment worn by the monsters was far better equipped than on the first level. As Roland and his team advanced through the forest, they soon encountered a group of monsters. The pack consisted of five armed goblins (hobgoblins), four large-clawed wolves (crow wolves), and a sharp-beaked pigeon (beak pigeon). Roland''s troops, nervous and braced against a different enemy than before, deployed in a V-shape formation. The four highly agile, large-clawed wolves (Crow Wolves) immediately split to the left and right, trying to flank the flanks. Without hesitation, Monica ignored the wolves on her flanks and fired an arrow at the armed goblins (hobgoblins) in front of her. The "iron-breaking bow" pierced through the goblins'' iron armor and inflicted damage. Monica stepped back and shot them down, then resumed shooting at the goblins. Monica felt a flurry of white troops moving on both sides. Monica thought that Roland was probably dealing with both wings of the battle line vertically to prevent the large clawed wolves (Crow Wolves) from getting around him. At this point, Monica''s trust in Roland was growing. (I only have to keep shooting at the enemy in front of me. Roland will take care of the rest.) She continued to fire at the enemy in front. On the flanks, Roland was successfully dealing with a large clawed wolf (Crow Wolf), just as Monica had imagined. He brought in rear replacement personnel to extend the line of fire vertically and horizontally to prevent the flanks from being flanked. Roland was directing the troops while observing Monica, who continued to fire at the center of the line. (I''m getting much better at concentrating on shooting.) Monica was about to fire an arrow at the last of the armed goblins (hobgoblins) when she noticed a spot of light on the body of one of the armed goblins (hobgoblins). (What?(That light is ......) Monica squints suspiciously and shoots an arrow toward the point of light. The arrow hit the point of light beautifully. Then the body of the armed goblin (hobgoblin) explodes. Monica was startled. What?What? It''s the skill ''one-hit-kill.'' Roland, who had somehow come to her side, explained. Apparently, she had finished dealing with the big clawed wolf (Crow Wolf). Is it a ''one-hit kill''......?" It''s a skill that can kill an enemy with a single blow if the attack hits a vital spot." (The enemy''s vital point. Then those dots of light floating on the goblin''s body just now were the enemy''s kryptonite.) It seems that as your ''bow shooting'' skills improved, your ''one-hit-kill'' skills naturally blossomed as well. Roland appraises her skills. She already has a B in "bow shooting" and a C in "one-hit kill. (With this, there may be no problem to go to the next level. She is now at the stage of using her unique skill "Hawk Eye"). Roland and his team easily devised a strategy for the second level''s difficult enemies, the large-clawed wolf (Crow Wolf) and the armed imp (Hobgoblin), and continued to progress through the second level dungeon without difficulty, eventually reaching the transition base. They proceeded to the third level. The third level was a dungeon of ruins spread out in the forest. It was densely packed with stone houses and structures that seemed to have been inhabited by ancient humans. Ivy and tree roots crawled around every building. It was a ruined civilization destined to be swallowed up by the forest eventually. But for monsters, it was the perfect place to wait for humans. (Ugh. At last we have come to it. The stage of ruins. (I''m not good at this.) Monica anxiously puts her hand on her chest. Even though the civilization had already been destroyed, its buildings were still standing. Some of the buildings contained large spaces, and in such buildings, cliques of monsters lived in groups, and when they went hunting, they acted in large groups, so the number of monsters encountered in a single battle was incomparably greater than in the previous two levels. In addition, the buildings were often densely packed together, and the roads between them were incomparably narrower than the open land they had just occupied, with only four or five people able to move forward in a single file. In addition, towers, bell towers, and other high-rise buildings could be seen here and there, and aerial corridors bridged the space between buildings. Because of this complex mixture of three-dimensional buildings, there were countless points of fire from high places, and troops had to explore the dungeon while exposing themselves to shots from high places. Therefore, archers were required to take advantageous shooting positions before the enemy. If the enemy took an advantageous shooting position and shot at them unilaterally, the troops would be exhausted, and one wrong move would result in their destruction. In short, this stage was a devil''s gate for Monica. (I always end up dragging everyone down here, don''t I?) Monica was getting dizzy just looking at the buildings of the ruins and the narrow path between them. (I think you should give up trying to ace me now. What are you going to do, Mr. Roland?) She looks at Roland as if to say, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Roland smiles gently at Monica. Don''t worry, Monica. I''ve thought of a countermeasure." Really?" Oh, Monica. I''m going to use the skill ''Hawk-Eye'' from here." Is it ''Hawkeye'' ......?" Monica is a bit of a kook. She has no idea that she has such a skill. Roland chuckled. No wonder she didn''t know. Unique skills can only be found by an S-class appraiser. Monica. Hawk Eye'' is a skill that allows you to look at the dungeon from a bird''s eye view, as if you were looking down on the stage from above. Have you ever had that experience of being able to look down on yourself from above? Yes," he said. You can get that perspective if you stop blinking and unfocus your eyes. ...... But what does that matter?" Roland almost chuckles again. It was often the case that an act or ability that one performed thinking it was nothing was a tremendous skill. So, let''s try activating the Hawk Eye anyway. Yes, sir. Monica stopped blinking and unfocused her eyes. Her eyes begin to glow gold. A viewpoint spread out before her, looking down on her from directly above, as if she had switched the camera in a game. She now had a bird''s eye view of herself, the members of her unit, the buildings and the road, like an aerial photograph. Monica. Can you hear me?" "...... yes." Then keep going, shift your viewpoint to the ruins. Psst." Monica shifted her viewpoint with a slightly pained frown. This was the first time she had consciously shifted her perspective in this way. I never thought I would be able to do this. Which is the tallest building in the area? ...... that building. Let''s say the enemy was on the top floor of that building. "Now, let''s say the enemy is on the top floor of that building, and they are targeting troops passing that way through the windows. What position would you be in that would allow you to attack the enemy?" Let''s see. ...... You know the range of the ''iron-breaking bow,'' don''t you?You should be back to your senses as a bowman (archer). Working backwards from the enemy''s position, and taking into account the change in range due to shields and height differences, from where can you fire at the enemy?" Monica shakily points to a building. ...... right over there." I''ll be right back," he said. Okay. You can deactivate Hawkeye." ...... Monica crumples to her knees. She puts her hand to her forehead to keep the headache at bay. She asks, "Are you okay?" Roland hands Monica a potion. ''Excuse me. Thank you." That''s good enough. This is fast enough for real-world use." Are you going to use this ...... in a real battle?" If you are attacked from a height by the enemy, you must, at all costs, step back and activate your ''hawk eye. Then you take out the enemy firing squad." Roland selected two of the best men from the white army unit and assigned them to escort her. The troops were reorganized and proceeded through the dungeon of the ruins. Monica was anxiously making her way through the ruins. (Are we really going to be okay? I can''t believe we''re relying on these skills to go through the stages of the ruins. ......) The unit was still advancing through the stage of the ruins, led by Monica and the shieldmen on either side of her. Suddenly, an arrow hit the helmet of the warrior shieldman next to Monica. The man who was hit cowered, holding his head. Here he comes. A preemptive attack from the enemy!) Tension ran through Monica. Tension ran through the unit as well. Monica looks in the direction the arrow came from. She sees armed goblins (hobgoblins) with bows and arrows high up in the building. ''To the left. Bow and arrow squads and shield squads, deploy to the left!" Roland shouts, and all the bowmen (archers) except Monica deploy with the shield squad to the left of the troop. At the same time, a mixed unit of wolves with large claws (Crow Wolves) and armed goblins (Hobgoblins) appear from the front end and attack. The archers fired their bows and arrows at the enemy archers'' troops to check them. The armed goblins (hobgoblins) hid behind a building to avoid the arrows, and then fired again. The shield squads held up their large shields in the air, but they could not block all the arrows, and some of them were hit. The white troops hit the enemy in front of them. The enemy suddenly appeared at the end of the road, so Monica had to fall back before she had time to fire her bow and arrow, and the white army was also lagging behind because the shield unit, which normally protects the enemy''s first attack, was deployed on the left and the enemy took the high ground and rained down bows and arrows. This was the first time Roland''s unit had fallen into a difficult situation during the search. Under attack from the enemy, the unit was forced to retreat backwards. Monica. It''s ''Hawkeye. Follow the instructions I just gave you. Yes, sir. Monica activates her "Hawk Eye" and takes a bird''s eye view of her surroundings. (The position from which she can snipe both the enemy bow and arrow troops and the white army troops is ....... There it is!) Monica''s "Hawk Eye" captured the perfect position. She was in a position higher than the enemy archers, out of reach of their arrows, and within range of her "iron-breaking bow". Monica, with two or three guards, bypassed the enemy-free area and ran to the target building. The others patiently withstood the enemy fire until Monica was in position. Since the enemy''s bows were not as powerful as the "iron-breaking bows," the arrows did not pierce armor or helmets, but if they still hit, the armor and helmets would be damaged and dented, and the impact would be a blow that would cause damage to the body. Although the white army was outnumbered, they could not take advantage of their numerical superiority because the battlefield was unfortunately a narrow path, and only five men at most were allowed in the vanguard. The white army units managed to maintain the front line by replacing the vanguard members whenever they were wounded (when a vanguard member fainted, the rear members had to drag him back to take his place), but unfortunately, the enemy, who could take advantage of the covering fire, had the advantage and kept pushing us all the way. Within a few dozen minutes, the troops were visibly buoyed up. However, if they withdrew at this point, everything would go up in smoke. Roland tried to inspire his troops to somehow hold the line. As the troops began to show signs of fatigue and there were no more uninjured soldiers left, it looked as if the battle was finally over when an enemy bowman screamed. Monica fired an arrow from a higher vantage point than the enemy. The situation was reversed. The enemy archers were now being shot at from below and above, from the front and flanks, and from both sides, with nowhere to hide and no way out. Monica wiped out the enemy archers with "bow fire" and "one-hit-kill," and now she fired a volley of arrows at their white army. The enemy is visibly dismayed, floats away, and begins to flee. The longer they stayed where they were, the more they fell prey to Monica''s "iron-breaking bow" and "one-hit-kill". On the contrary, Roland''s white army suddenly began to gain momentum. Warriors, who had been reluctant to fight until then, regained their courage and joyously slashed at their enemies. Finally, the monster unit, unable to hold out any longer, turned its back on Roland and his men and began to flee in defeat. Roland and his men attacked the monster troop from behind with their swords, and when their swords could no longer reach them, the archers shot arrows to kill the enemy, and after a scattered chase, they annihilated the enemy. Monica was the first bowman (archer) to successfully provide covering fire. (I could have done it. Cover Fire ....... With "Hawk-Eye," even I can fire a covering shot ......) After collecting the loot, Roland joins Monica. She says, "Well done. Monica. Now that''s how to use the Hawk-Eye. Even if the enemy makes the first move, you secure an advantageous position and win in the end. This is how your unit fights. Yes, sir. (This will work. We can make Monica a class A archer. And even build a formation around her!) Roland looked convinced. After that, every time Roland and his team were attacked, they struck back using Monica''s "Hawk-Eye". After repeated attempts, the unit gained confidence, and Monica responded by activating "Hawk-Eye" as soon as the enemy attacked. The troops came to trust her to hold the line, and she never seemed to get carried away. At one point, when the unit reached a terrain of buildings, Monica stopped and had a hunch. There they are. There''s an enemy up ahead!) Monica?What the hell is going on......" Roland stopped talking as he was about to say it. He noticed that she had activated her Hawk-Eye. (Monica. You didn''t find the enemy, did you?) Mr. Roland. Ten minutes after I start running, take your troops along the road. The enemy will be ahead of you." Monica pointed to the road ahead, said that much, and walked away without a sound. Roland did as she instructed, pausing the troop''s advance and beginning to advance ten minutes later. Monica reached the firing point. An armed goblin (hobgoblin) could be seen. Armed with bows and arrows, they are waiting for the troops to pass through the bottleneck. (They cannot see me over there. There is a view that only I can see. This is the power of the Hawk-Eye! Monica quietly nocked the arrow so that they could not hear even the squeak of the strings. Armed with bows and arrows, the hobgoblins watched from above the building as the troop entered the bottleneck and laughed. From their point of view, Roland and his troop were summer insects that flew into the fire. The armed goblins (hobgoblins) took arrows to their bows and tried to take aim at the troop. But then an arrow pierced his head and his head exploded. The other armed goblins (hobgoblins) who were standing by were startled and looked in the direction of the arrow to see Monica holding up her "iron-breaking bow". The angry goblins fired arrows at her, but she was in a better position. The goblins were wiped out without a trace. At the same time, a battle started in the narrow passage. The monsters, expecting to be covered by the bow and arrow unit, were so upset that instead of arrows falling on the enemy, they were falling on themselves, and they collapsed easily. (Yes, we did it. We made it. We were able to get into a better position than the enemy before they attacked us first. ......) Monica joined Roland and the others, stunned at what she had done. ''Well done, Monica. Lo, Mr. Loran ......, I ...... Repeat that and you''ll be a class A archer." (Can I be ...... a class A archer (archer)?(Really ......) Roland also observed her progress in Roland. (Sounds good to me. He read from the terrain that the enemy was waiting for her and made the first move. He applied "Hawk-Eye" to his fighting style. Moreover, she also used "Silent Run" at the same time. A combination of two skills for covert combat. Above all, this time she acted voluntarily without being instructed by anyone.) Roland looked at Monica, who was shivering with anxiety. She still couldn''t believe what she had done. (Shall we turn up the pressure a gear?) As Roland thought about this and was about to call out to Monica, she suddenly became dizzy and gagged. Psst!" Roland hurriedly grabbed her hand and held her shoulder for support. Monica?What''s wrong?" I''m sorry. I''m a little dizzy. When Roland appraised her status, he found that her stamina was severely depleted. She was fine. She will recover soon with a potion. Monica tried to drink the potion, but Roland stopped her. Drinking potions could instantly restore stamina in any amount, allowing adventurers to stay active for hours or days, but drinking too much was bad for one''s health. It simply causes water to build up in the stomach and intestines, making it impossible to fight properly. So after drinking a potion, it is better not to drink another one for a few hours. Monica had just drank a potion. Roland let out a sigh. (It''s still too early to put pressure on her.) If they are forced to do too much in a state lacking in stamina, it will lead to serious consequences. (After she is able to use "Hawk-Eye" continuously for one level. That''s when we will put pressure on her.) Roland made that judgment. Monica. That''s it for once. You''ve done well. Get some rest." Mr. Roland. But ......" At this juncture, I think I''m on to something. Her eyes seemed to be appealing to me. She had been treated as a liability all her life, and this was her one chance to redeem herself. Monica. This is an order. Rest." ...... yes." Roland said in a stern tone, and she withdrew with a sigh. The time was right, as they had just found the transition gate and were nearing the end of the stage of the ruins. Shakuma. You''re up." Roland said, looking back to the rear of the troop. ''We''ve been waiting for you.'' Shakuma, dressed as a support mage, leaps to the front of the unit, looking as if he can''t wait to get started. Until a few moments ago, Shakuma and Yuffine had been placed in the rear of the unit to keep them from participating in the battle. Instead of Shakuma coming forward, Monika is lowered to the rear. From now on, we will proceed with you at the center of the troop." Yes, sir. Let me show you the power of supportive magic to help your allies fight and hinder your enemies! <> 18 - CHAPTER XVIII -- SUPPORT MAGAZINE AND ARMOR Cheal was working diligently in the "forest workshop. The blueprints for the "Iron Breaking Bow" were placed in front of him. He was looking at the blueprint of the "iron-breaking bow" in front of him. As expected of Mr. Dorwin. It''s a great design. She was now working on developing a weapon. Roland''s assignment this month was to develop a weapon that would surpass the "iron-breaking bow. Cheal was repeatedly drawing lines on the blueprints, crossing them out, and re-drawing them over and over again. But I''ll get it over the hump," he said. But it''s too hard. Ughhhh! Cheal held his head down with one hand while he continued to draw lines with a pencil. He had been suffering from a fever of wisdom for some time now. Nevertheless, her work was progressing slowly but steadily, little by little. Roland and his team had reached the fourth level after going through the shifting magic circle. The scenery had returned from the streets of the ruins to a forest sparsely dotted with trees. Roland was meeting with her to organize the troops around Shakuma. Roland was meeting with Shakuma to form a unit centered on Shakuma. What is the role of the support mage? Yes, I am. The role of the support mage is to minimize the wear and tear on the unit. Roland was surprised to receive an answer that was unexpectedly precise. It was the very essence of a support mage. (You''re a smarter boy than I thought. But then, if you know so much, why were you branded as a disqualified support mage?) He said, "All right. You pass. Then show me how to fight first. You can command your troops as you please." Yes, sir. Roland decided to observe Shakuma''s fighting style once. She did not see any major problems in terms of skills or status. If there were fatal problems in other areas, he would have to confirm them in actual combat. Roland and his team proceeded through the dungeon in three lines, with the archers in the front row. After advancing for a while, they heard an atmospheric roar coming from deep in the forest. It was the cry of a great ogre (orc). From the fourth level, there were also Orcs, many times taller and more powerful than the goblins. As Roland and the others waited nervously, monsters soon appeared out of nowhere and attacked Roland and the others. This time, there were five large ogres (orcs) and 25 armed hobgoblins. The ogres (orcs) had axes, and the armed hobgoblins were variously armed with bows and arrows, clubs, swords, etc. The hobgoblins were armed with a variety of weapons, including a bow and arrow, a club, and a sword. But for Roland, they were the perfect opponents to measure Shakuma''s strength. (Monsters of various armaments. It was the perfect opponent to test the judgment of a support mage. Let''s see your qualities as a support mage, Shakuma!) The support mage needed to have a tactical eye to properly grasp the war situation. Currently, there are archers at the head of the line. Should they continue to use archers to reduce the enemy force, deploy shield units to defend, or charge in and engage in a hand-to-hand combat? Shakuma quickly confirmed the composition and formation of the enemy. The enemy force had a large ogre (orc) in the center, with goblins on both wings, and was coming in for an assault. From this, Shakuma saw that the enemy was simply going to break through the center with brute force. He said, "Archers, please shift to the right side. Shield team, take your place. Deploy and stop the enemy orcs. I''m coming. "Defend!" When Shakuma chanted "Defensive Grant," those in the shield squad were enveloped in a blue light and their defenses increased. The giant ogre (orc), with its huge body and arm strength, rushes at the shield squad. The sound of huge heavy objects colliding with metal echoed through the air. The ogres (orcs) thought they could easily blow away humans smaller than themselves with a single blow, but the shield unit firmly received the ogre (orc)''s assault without a scratch. The axe that followed was also easily blocked. This was the effect of the "defense grant. Next, on both wings of the enemy, armed hobgoblins tried to attack the shield unit from both sides, but the white army responded by hitting them. At that time, there was an archery unit on the right flank, which was able to reduce the enemy''s strength a little. Thus, the battle stretched sideways around the clash between the big ogre and the shield troops, forming a battle line that filled the entire road. Shakuma continued to keep an eye on the battle line in the rear guard. He was wondering whether he should aim to break through the flanks with his "attack grant" to the white troops, or prepare to apply his "defense grant" again in case the shield troops'' "defense grant" wears off. In fact, the shield units were in an unpredictable state. The shield unit seemed to have held off the attack at one point, but after that, the orcs relentlessly repeated body blows and axe attacks. The blue light surrounding the shield unit was gradually fading, and if this continued, it looked as if it would soon be broken through by the orcs. The two wings were still evenly matched in the battle, and just because they had been given the "attack grant" did not necessarily mean that they would be able to break through immediately. "Attacking mages, please attack the orcs!" Shakuma decided to place the attacking mages behind the shield troops for now and let them attack the giant ogre (orcs) with fire magic. Attack mages can attack enemies over their allies. The attacking mages showered fire magic on the orcs. A magic circle develops at the feet of the orc, and fire erupts from it. The ogres (orcs) exposed to the flames visibly lost their momentum. The flames produced by the attack mages, who were only D class or so, burned through the thick skin of the orcs, and although they did not inflict mortal damage, they were enough to hinder their attacks. Even the most powerful orc was forced to retreat, lowering his axe once, when flames suddenly burst out from under his feet during an attack. Shakuma, seeing this, was convinced that the shield unit would be able to hold out, and gave the right-wing white-armor unit an "attack grant". The five members of the white troops who had been given the "attack grant" glowed red and blew away the enemies who had been evenly matched with a single blow, were able to cut through the armor of the enemies who could not be cut before, and kicked them aside. (Good sense. Reading that the breakthrough of the great ogre (orc) could be stopped by the "defense-granted" shield troops, they chose to form a battle line rather than reduce their forces or break through. The shield troops and attacking mages with "defense-enhanced" armor would stop the enemy''s strong arm strength (power), while the archers and white army troops with "attack-enhanced" armor would aim to break through the enemy''s weak arm strength by assaulting it. It is a solid battle command. (So far, he looks excellent, not just up to par as a support mage. ......) The right wing white army unit was destroying the enemy. If the white army troops could break through the armed kobold (hobgoblin) troops and get around to the flanks and rear of the big ogres (orcs), they could annihilate the enemy. In the center and on the left flank, the enemy is unable to attack. It looked as if victory would roll in Roland''s favor. However, ...... Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa. Just when victory seemed imminent, Shakuma suddenly plunged into the front line. The light of reason that had been in her eyes just a moment before was completely gone, and her blazing eyes were like those of a beast. Shakuma joined the front line on the right flank and struck one of the goblins with her staff, and then, without regard for the battle lines, she moved forward, penetrating deep into the midst of the enemy. Soon she is surrounded by armed hobgoblins and knocked unconscious by a severe blow to the head. The panicked troops of white soldiers who were fighting nearby were the only ones who could help. Shakuma was going to be beaten to a pulp if nothing was done. They had to charge in formation, rescue Shakuma, and carry her, still unconscious, to the rear of the line. The battle, which seemed to end easily, dragged on unexpectedly, and although they somehow succeeded in repelling the enemy, the troops were more exhausted than they needed to be. (I see. This is a bit tricky.) Roland chuckled as he looked down at Shakuma, who was passed out and rolling his eyes. Are you all right?Shakuma." Ugh, I''m so sorry." Shakuma had recovered from his coma after receiving Yuffine''s "single recovery magic," but his usual cheerful demeanor had vanished, and he was now completely depressed and nodding his head. I''m getting into bad habits again," he said. When I hear the sounds of battle, I can''t help but get into a good mood. ...... I know that if I don''t fix it, I will be disqualified as a support mage,....... What. Don''t worry about it. There are good ways to overcome it. Really?" Shakuma''s downcast face brightened and he looked at Roland. It seemed that he had recovered quickly. I''ve got some good equipment. Roland approached one of the attack mages (who also had the "item possession" skill) and had him take out his armor. ''What''s this?'' It''s heavy knight''s armor." It was the same model of heavy knight''s armor that Jill was wearing. Next time you are in battle, equip yourself with this armor before using support magic. I see. If I wear this armor, I will feel safe even if I run into the enemy camp. But after the battle starts?Do you not equip them during a normal march?" Yes, so always keep an item bearer close by so that when the battle starts, you can equip yourself immediately. ?"Huh. I understand." Shakuma, with an unexplained look on his face, honestly followed Roland''s lead. Once again, Roland and his team returned to their search. They proceeded in formation, with the shield squad in the lead, ready to deploy immediately in the event of a monster attack. Monsters would appear again. It was the same configuration as before, with five large ogres (orcs) and 25 armed kobolds (hobgoblins). The enemy''s strategy was exactly the same, with a central breakthrough by the giant ogres (orcs) and flanking support by armed kobolds (hobgoblins) in a hand-to-hand battle. The large shield units immediately deployed to suppress the giant ogres (orcs). Other white army units also spread out to form a battle line. This time, the enemy on the left side was a little far away, so the archers were shifted to the left flank. And this time again, the archers moved back only to cut down the enemy force a little. Shakuma put on his heavy knight''s armor. He said, "Come on. I''m going this time. "Defense Granted!" Shakuma casts a spell, and the large shield unit is enveloped in blue light. (Good. Next, "Grant Attack" to the left wing. ......!) Ugh. What is this?" Shakuma noticed something was wrong and moaned. I can''t move. To be precise, her agility was severely impaired. The equipment of the heavily armed knight was too heavy for her arm strength (power), and she could only move as slowly as a turtle. She could only move as slowly as a tortoise. I can''t move. (Well, you don''t think this is a countermeasure?(Certainly this won''t plunge you into the front lines ......, but this will ......) She looked at the distance to the left flank. She wanted to cast an "attack granting" spell on the white troops, but the distance was too far for them to get into magic range. Shakuma desperately tried to get to the left flank, but her speed was too slow. At last, he came into close contact with the monster and the battle began. The sound of swords and shields, axes and armor, baskets and clubs clashing with each other echoed through the air, and the cries of the people could be heard echoing through the air. Normally, Shakuma would have lost his senses at this point and charged, but now he could only move slowly. (Ugh. This is no way to respond flexibly to the situation, Mr. Roland.) Loran chuckled as he watched her move at a snail''s pace. (Certainly not ideal, but still better than the troops being drained senselessly. The primary mission of a support mage is to prevent the troops from being depleted.) She approached the desired location on tiptoe, and finally, nearly 10 minutes after the battle had begun, she reached the rear of the left flank and "gave the attack". When the left flank white troops were enveloped in a red glow, the battle, which had been almost evenly fought until then, quickly turned into a push and shove, kicking the enemy to the curb and flanking the central large orc unit, disrupting the enemy''s line of fire. When the enemy was defeated, the attacking mages and archers (archers) joined the attack, pursuing and hunting down every last one of them. After that, they fought in the same way, and under the support of Shakuma''s support magic, the troops reached the transition base of this level with minimal wear and tear. By that time, Shakuma''s "Attack Grant" and "Defense Grant" were both at B. Roland and his team went through the transition magic circle and reached the fifth level. It was not a labyrinth in the forest as before, but in a building somewhere. For some reason, this level was a rest point (save point), which is always found in dungeons. The walls were covered with hieroglyphics and murals. The room was a rectangular space lined with columns like a temple, and at the back of the room, there was a water basin like an altar. The watering hole was filled with water, and on either side of the watering hole, there was one transitional magic circle. One was a transition magic circle to go to the next level, and the other was a magic circle to return to the city. Behind the fountain, on an altar on a shelf, is a ring. It was an item to shortcut from the entrance to this place the next time one dived into this dungeon. Up to 30 people could be transferred to this place by using this item. Roland decided to check the wear and tear on his troops. The white army unit was missing equipment here and there, and there were only a few potions and other items left. So Roland decided to take the ring in hand and return home at once. He had achieved his goal of training his troops to some extent, and he had reached the save point in the dungeon, so he felt that he was done for. Roland put the ring in his hand, and passed through the transfer magic circle for his return. Back in town, he checked the time and found that 72 hours had passed since he had entered the dungeon. Since they were back in normal space with day and night, the group was instantly struck by intense sleepiness. Roland informed the members of the troop of the next scheduled date for exploring the dungeon and instructed them to repair their equipment and stock up on items before then, and then disbanded the troop. Roland then returned to his home and collapsed on his bed, falling into a deep sleep as if he were sinking into a bottomless swamp. <> 19 - CHAPTER XIX QUEST AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATORS When Roland woke up, it had been exactly 24 hours since he had returned to the city. It was always like this when he returned from the dungeon. He would sleep soundly for an entire day. Roland got up from his bed, relaxing his body, which was stiff here and there from too much sleep. He had to hurry and finish his errands. There was no time to spare before he had to dive into the dungeon again. After leaving his home, Roland decided to visit the workshop first. He was worried about whether Ranju and the others were doing well on their own in his absence. When Roland showed up at the workshop, the day''s production activities had already begun. The workers were working hard in their assigned positions. It was the first time he had been in the workshop in three days, but the atmosphere was the same as before. Roland checked the inventory, equipment, and paperwork in the workshop, but did not find anything suspicious. The inventory of raw materials and products was organized in such a way that it was easy to see how much was left, and all the supplies were stored in the right places so that they could be retrieved when needed. All processes were well planned, from receiving to manufacturing to shipping. (That''s what I''d expect from Lange. (It''s very well managed.) Ranju arrived when Roland had finished checking everything. Mr. Roland. Welcome back." I''m home. I see things are going well at the workshop." The two men entered the waiting room to start a meeting without even greeting each other to reopen the meeting. They enter the anteroom and begin to confer. Yes," he said. Everything is proceeding as planned. How''s it going in Cheal?" Everything is going well. I expect to have the thing ready by tomorrow. I see. At last. The original weapon will be completed. Oh. Also, you received a letter from someone named Claria at the quest office. !"You came. Let me see." Roland cut the seal on the mail from Claria and took out the documents inside. It contained information on quests for archers, support mages, and healers. (Good. Just as ordered. If we complete these, it will help them grow even more.) The next day came, the day of the second dungeon exploration. When Roland arrived at the entrance to the dungeon, the members of his unit had already gathered. Mr. Roland. All the troops are here. Monica, who saw Roland, reported. I see. Good. Okay, everyone, listen up. I''m going to explain about the dungeon search. This time, we''re going to try to conquer the quest. When Roland said this, Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine all tensed up. Unlike the previous troop activities, each of them was tested on the individual level regarding their respective professions. For Monika, Shakuma, and Yuffine, we will set individual tasks and goals. First, Monika. Yes! Last time we only reduced enemy forces and intercepted anti-aircraft forces before the white battle, but this time we''re going to give them more orders." Order ......?" Whenever you encounter an enemy, you must always kill the strongest monster first. And always defeat at least 10 of them." Monica felt her heart being squeezed. The pressure was turned up a notch.) The other members of the unit gulped and spat at Roland''s high demands. If more than ten archers were to be killed in a single encounter, and in order of strength, there would be no bowman (archer) in the city who could do the same. Next is Shakuma. Your goal is to use three or more support spells in one battle. More than three ......?" Of course, we must not prolong the battle or wear out our troops." (With more than three, the speed we have been using is far from enough. (If there are more than three, it is not fast enough.) Shakuma looked difficult. Finally, Yuffine. Your goal is to reduce to zero the number of recovery items your troops use in combat." ...... zero." Currently, Yuffine was only recovering wounded members of the team with a single recovery spell. Single recovery magic cannot cover all members injured in battle. Those who could not recover in time with Yuffine''s single recovery magic were compensating by drinking potions in between battles. (When it comes to covering the entire troop without using potions, ......, single recovery magic cannot make it in time. You have to use ''wide-area recovery magic. (Even though the hit rate of wide-range recovery magic is still not stable.) Of course, we know these are very high and demanding goals. They will not be easy to achieve. But I am confident that you will achieve them. Roland briefly described the goals and challenges for each of the other three members. Although not as strict as the three of us, we still demanded a higher level of quality than the previous one and obliged them to improve. As for the members of the white combat team, those with relatively high defensive capabilities were made to equip themselves with shields. This was because the main means of attack in this unit was shooting and support magic by archers. When all the members of the unit had been informed of the tasks and goals, Lange and Cheal arrived with the item holders. Oops. It looks like you got it. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine. I have a special gift for you. Present?" The item holder brought by Lange took out a silver bow, silver armor, and a silver staff from a bag. Monica. It''s a silver iron-breaking bow. It''s your exclusive weapon. My own equipment: ......" It was a silver bow and arrow made with silversmithing techniques. The design was very similar to the "iron-breaking bow," but because it was made of silver, it was made with incomparably more time and effort. Try it on. Upon receiving the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow," Monica actually set her sights on it and tried it out to see how it felt in her hands. (It is even heavier than the "Iron Breaking Bow. But it feels good.) What do you think? How does the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" feel?" Yes," he said. It feels very comfortable and at home in my body." ''Yes, it is,'' he said. Cheal." Roland looked back at Cheal and said. Cheal beamed at the praise. You made this for me?" ''Yes, sir. I adjusted it millimeter by millimeter to fit Monica''s height and arm length. Thank you. I will take good care of it. Monica bent down to be at the same eye level as Cheal and thanked him. Cheal''s cheeks blushed with embarrassment. Monica, the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" is much more powerful, ranged, continuous-firing, and durable than the previous "Iron Breaking Bow. It should be a reassuring ally in your quests." Yes, I am. Thank you." Shakuma was wearing silver armor. Oh?" he said.This armor is much lighter than the old one. The spirit in the armor is now working its magic to make it heavier. Ugh. Is it still going to be heavy? Once the equipment was checked and fitted, Roland and his team dived back into the dungeon. Using a shortcut ring, they had the entire troop transferred to the fifth level. ''All right. Let''s go. We''ll start with the quest to take down the "Hagane Eagle" on the eighth level. From the sixth level, the monsters became incomparably tougher than before. Most of the ogres on the sixth level are armored ogres (armored orcs). Armed kobolds (hobgoblins) were in charge of bows and arrows up to the fifth level, but from this point on, the bowman is also a great ogre (orc). Since the power of the orcs is much higher than that of the goblins, the range of their bows and arrows is much longer. Only archers equipped with "silver iron-breaking bows" and "iron-breaking bows" were able to counter the range of armored orcs in Roland''s troops. In other words, the shooting battle rested entirely on Monica''s shoulders. The team advanced with Monica equipped with the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" and the archer equipped with the "Iron Breaking Bow" in the front row. As Roland and his team were advancing through the forest dungeon to conquer the quest, the monster''s yells echoed through the forest. The screams were much louder and more ominous than before. This was the signal for a swarm of monsters to appear. The spearhead of the monsters was, of course, an armored ogre equipped with a bow and arrow. The five orcs tried to get within range of Roland and his troop, hoping to spray them with arrows. Monica, however, was quicker to fire her arrows. The "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" had a much longer range than the large bow the orcs were equipped with, and she was able to kill them before the orcs had even set up their bows. Monica''s arrow pierced through the sturdy armor of the armored orc (armored orc), and she also activated her "one-hit kill" skill, destroying five orcs in the blink of an eye. Next came the armored wolf. Unlike the previous wolves, the armored wolves are not only fast, but also have excellent offensive and defensive capabilities. Five armored wolves split up to the left and right and flanked the attackers, and a little later, 20 armored orcs charged with great axes and swords. But Roland and his men were also well prepared. The number of warriors equipped with shields, which had been five last time, had increased to 15, and the defensive strength of the entire force had risen dramatically. Among the shield squad, those with high speed deployed to the left and right, while those with much higher defensive strength stood firm in the center. Monica continued to fire until the enemy was just about to approach, and after taking out five more armored ogres (armored orcs), she dropped back to the rear guard. The white armored battle begins. Armor on armor, weapons on weapons clashed against each other, and a violent metallic sound rang out. Fierce battles began on all fronts, but those on the left wing who were not yet accustomed to handling shields struggled and gradually began to be pushed aside. Yuffine used her newly equipped silver staff to cast a recovery spell. This staff was imbued with a spirit that increased the hit rate, which greatly increased Yuffine''s hit rate. (I can''t heal everyone in the unit, but I can heal one wing of the unit.) Let''s go. "Wide-area recovery magic!" As Yuffine casts the spell, light emanates from the tip of her wand and a magic circle appears all around. Most of the magic circles floated in misplaced places, but one appeared precisely at the feet of the shield team deployed on the left flank. In no time at all, their fresh wounds disappear, their strength is restored, and they push the wolves back. (After all, it''s all they can do to cover one wing, isn''t it?) Roland looks at the magic circle that Yuffine removed and keeps a check on her hit rate. Shakma, on the other hand, bristled under the weight of her armor. She had already cast a "defense granting" spell on the central shield team, but there she was unable to cast an "attack granting" spell on the attacking troops because of the weight of her own armor. (Uggghh.... If I could cast "Grant Attack" on the right wing now, I could decide the game.) In fact, the wolves that had been attacking our right flank for some time now were not only struggling to attack, but were also worn out from a series of failed assaults. If we applied the "attack grant" to their right flank now, they could easily break through. "Attack force, get close to Shakuma. "Attack force, get close to Shakuma and receive the magic of ''Attack Grant''! As Roland gives this order, the warriors equipped with long swords in the rear guard rush to Shakuma''s side. Oh, I see. If you can''t move, let them come to you.) Shakuma, who had assumed in his mind that support mages were supposed to move around in the rear guard, felt as if he were seeing things through his eyes when he realized this simple fact. Thank you, Mr. Roland. I''m going to go. Attack! When Shakuma casts the "Grant Attack" spell, the five members of the attack force are covered with a red glow. They joined the right wing and kicked away the enemy while receiving support from the shield squad. The enemy line collapsed, and soon the enemy turned their backs and began to run away. Roland and his team left the pursuit of the fleeing enemy behind and returned to exploring the dungeon. The main objective this time was to capture the quest rather than to improve their skills. Roland praised Monica and Yuffine for successfully completing the task in the earlier battle, and gave advice to Shakuma, who was unable to complete the task. He also had the three of them discuss and deepen their understanding of cooperation among the troops before resuming the search for the dungeon. Okay, we are almost to the 8th level, the nest of the "Hagane Eagle." The "Hagane Eagle" was a monster unlike any flying monster I had ever seen. Its wings shined silver and were as hard as steel. In addition, "Hagane Eagle" attacked by flying each of its wings. Until now, flying monsters have attacked adventurers from the sky only with melee attacks using their claws and beaks, but the Hagane Eagle attacks at long range from far above. Therefore, swords and spears could not be used to kill them, and only the power of the archer was really relied upon. If you killed the eagle and brought its feather to the quest office, you would be considered a C-class archer and would be introduced to A-class quests. (Actually, it doesn''t matter if it''s a B class quest.) Roland appraises Monica''s skill set. Bow Shooting" B A One-hit kill" B to A Hawkeye" B to S Silent Run" C to A Technically, he was already comparable to a B-class bowman (archer). (But she is the type that goes with steady experience. With all these qualities, I would really like to see her work harder as an ace, but she is not the type who can carry the whole unit by herself. Don''t be in a hurry. Let''s wait and see how she develops.) Roland and his team advanced through the dungeon, defeating enemies while improving coordination and tactics, and quickly reached the nest of "Hagane Eagle" on the eighth level. However, by the time they arrived there, the nest was already empty. Roland and his team then headed for the nest of the red oak and the nest of the great rainbow to try to conquer another quest, but both the red oak and the great rainbow had already been hunted. What is it?Every quest I''ve targeted has been preempted by another guild?(What the hell is this? ......) Mr. Roland. Isn''t this indeed strange?" Yuffine said with a dubious look on her face. ''Everywhere we go, the monsters we were after are being hunted. It''s as if they know we are after this quest and are getting ahead of us." Roland looked at Yuffine''s face. She, too, stared back at him. I can only assume it is the work of a very high level guild to get ahead of us like this," she said. For example, the ''Golden Eagle'' class ...... A week earlier, the "Golden Eagle" had finished making the final decisions on the formation of each unit, and each member had been notified. There were smiles and disappointment on their faces. Some were happy to be included in the main unit, some were disappointed to be left out of the main unit, some were relieved, and some had expressions of resignation on their faces. The three Cooter brothers were on the disappointed side. They said, "Huh. We''ve been eliminated from the main force this time, too, huh? We''ve been like this for a year now. The three were a B-class archer, a support mage, and a healer, but their chances of making it into the main force were always precariously on the line. Their hope was to establish themselves in the main force as soon as possible. In "Golden Hawk," there was such a big difference in treatment depending on whether or not they could join the main force. It''s time to go. I have to go now." Ha. Another day, another salute to the main force, huh?" As they were twilighting, Dianna entered the waiting room. Oh, Ms. Dianna. Hi. They hurriedly stood up and saluted. It was a well-known fact that Dianna was Lukius'' mistress, and that if they displeased her, their career path within the guild would be cut off. Oh, I''ve been looking for you. I''ve been looking for you. Lucius wants to see you." What?Us?" The three looked at each other. What in the world did Lucius want with them that he couldn''t get them into the main force? "Oh, you''ve come. Oh, you''re here, all three of you. Well, have a seat first. Lukius was very gracious to them when they came to the Commander''s office. The three Cooter brothers sat nervously in the soft chairs reserved for visitors. I invited you here for no other reason than that," said Lukius. I wanted you here on a very special mission. What?" Are you on a special mission ......?" Oh. Have you heard of the recent escalation of conflict between the Guardians of the Magical Tree and our guild?" Yeah, well, ...... Rumor has it that ...... It seems they intend to raise another main force against us. We will do everything in our power to thwart their attempts. Haa......" So ''Golden Eagle'' decided to form a new unit. It is a unit to obstruct the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" from training a new unit. I want you to take charge of it. What?Us? I have heard of your many contributions to the guild. I thought it was time to give you a role of some importance. Yes, sir. I didn''t realize you thought so highly of me. I''m honored beyond measure. It''s not so hard to sabotage the troops; you just have to get ahead of the quest they''re after at level 10 or below." I see. That would prevent me from rising in the Adventurer ranks. But how do I know what quests they''re after? ...... I already have information about the quests they are after. What?How in the world did you do that? ...... That''s the part you don''t have to think about too much. Uh, yes. Excuse me. I believe you guys can do it. Will you do it?" Yes, sir. By all means! I will certainly live up to your expectations. After leaving the guild leader''s room, the three brothers looked at each other with joy on their faces. We did it! We got a special mission directly from the guild leader. And it''s what I''ve always wanted, to lead a unit. If I succeed in this, I can dream of becoming a close associate of the guild leader. Good. Well, now that we know that, let''s get on with it. The three men left the place in high spirits and began preparing for their mission. We''re happy with that, aren''t we?Mr. Willik?" Lucius called out to a corner of the room, out of sight of the three siblings, where a partition separated them from the rest of the room. ''Yes, Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine are having problems as a bowman (archer), support mage, and healer, respectively. With the help of the B-class adventurers belonging to the Golden Eagle, they should be able to prevent us from conquering the quest without any difficulty. Willik said smugly. You''re sure they can''t get beyond the tenth level, aren''t you?" Dianna asks as she offers Willik a drink. It was she, of all people, who turned Willik in. When she heard that Roland had been appointed Special Advisor, she thought Wirik was dissatisfied and approached him to inform on the matter. She said, "Oh, thank you. Yes, I did. They converted him because they couldn''t even get to the 10th level in the first place. But that appraiser Roland and the others.... It''s not good for them. I don''t think so," he said. No, we''ve had our hands full with him." Lucius said in agreement. He has achieved a certain amount of success as a cultivator only because he has the backing of a major guild, the Golden Eagle," he said. I''m sorry, that came off as whiny. No, no, I understand exactly how you feel. I can''t just stand by and watch him do whatever he wants any longer," he said. You will continue to cooperate with us, won''t you?" Yes, sir. I can act as a spy for the Golden Eagle, right?" I don''t like to be called a spy. Could you call me an informant?This is an activity for both guilds to continue to work well together. Please don''t misunderstand that." Oh, I beg your pardon. Anyway, there is no way those three can become a C-class archer, support mage, or healer, let alone a B-class archer. It is enough to crush the C class quests. All that is left is to successfully train the C-Class Warrior I am currently working on, and then Roland will be under my tutelage. After that, you are free to boil or bake him as you wish, Lukius-san. Willik then sipped the coffee offered to him. Lukius nodded in satisfaction. I have high hopes for you," he said. If you successfully expel Roland from the Guardians of the Magical Tree, I promise you a position as special advisor to the Golden Eagle. Oh. Such a ...... as I am." Willik was amused. As long as I can join the Golden Eagle, I have no more use for the Guardians of the Magical Tree. ) "Let''s get rid of them and make history as the best connoisseur in town with the biggest guild. Willik already felt as if he had his future post in hand and dreamed of all the fame that would be available to him. Mr. Lukius. I will do my best in this job. I will make sure it succeeds. Willik smiled carefree and shook hands firmly with Lukius. Back in time to the present. Roland, suspicious that the targets of his quests were all being hunted before him, had returned to the city. He visited the quest reception office and asked to see Claria. When they were alone in a private room, Roland questioned Claria about the quest. For some reason, the quests on the list you gave me have been conquered by someone else before me. What is going on? I can only assume that the information is leaked from somewhere. Do you have any idea what it could be? If you know something, please tell us, because depending on what happens, not only you but also the authority of the quest reception office will be at stake. When I questioned Claria sternly in this way, she began to speak, tears streaming down her cheeks. As a matter of fact, after the meeting with Roland in the example, a woman named Dianna visited me and threatened me to tell her the contents of the meeting without any concealment. She told me that she would not take up the matter with her superiors, but rather told me that if I offended a superior like the "golden hawk," it would be your responsibility to do so. It was difficult to resist these pressures in my position, and I ended up giving up the information Dianna requested as she asked for it. After hearing the above from Claria, Roland immediately rushed to the court and filed a complaint. The court, taking a serious view of the situation, accepted Roland''s accusations. Roland had to spend two days going through these procedures. d*mn," he said. I don''t have time for this!" After changing his responsibilities at the quest reception office and ending his retrospect, Loran was introduced to the quests again, then joined his troops and returned to the dungeon. With a map in hand of the new quests that had been generated in the past few days, he rushed to the location of his prey. A few days later, the court fines Claria three months'' salary for breach of duty of secrecy and obstruction of business, and "The Golden Eagle" is fined the same amount. <> 20 - CHAPTER XX -- TRUE TALENT Alik, the leader of the main "Golden Hawk" team, was hurrying ahead to reach the 10th level of the "Mine Dungeon". Hurry up! Don''t fall behind the Guardians of the Magical Tree! Alik was leading his troops with an exasperated proclamation. He usually commands a unit composed of only B-class or higher personnel, but he was struggling to lead a mixed unit with C-class personnel, which he was not accustomed to. He was struggling to lead a mixed unit of C-class people, which he was not accustomed to. You don''t have to defeat all the monsters. Just make a breakthrough and leave the rest alone. If they take some damage, we can heal them later." Captain!Team 3 is running behind. Tsk. Again. Arik looked back at him irritably. Team 3 was a group of C-class adventurers. The decision was made based on the idea that it would be easier to work together if the classes were as unified as possible, but so far it had backfired. The C class adventurers wanted to improve their class rather than advance beyond the dungeon, and this was often the cause of discord and conflict within the unit. In the "Golden Hawk," for example, where strict quotas were required, they preferred their own convenience to that of the troop. From their point of view, even if they conquered a dungeon, if they did not fulfill their quota, their reputation would not be enhanced. The excessive performance-oriented approach of the "Golden Eagles" was even interfering with the operational level of the unit. (d*mn it. That Lukius guy. He''s forcing me to conquer dungeons while training them. Lilianne''s squad is made up entirely of B-class troops. If we''re too slow, she''ll beat us to it.) Arik looked at the C-class adventurers who were dragging their feet with disgust, but he could not abandon them, and he continued to lead them in their slow progress in the dungeon search, biting his teeth. While Arik was giving instructions to rescue the third team, which was lagging behind, he was startled to see a heavy lightning strike ahead. It was Lilianne''s lightning magic!d*mn. (I must have fallen completely behind.) Captain, that''s Lillianne''s ......." I know!Hurry up to rescue Team 3. After the rescue, speed is the top priority at all costs. We''ll make a comeback for sure! (but what the hell do I do ......) Alik was a versatile mage with A-class skills in all offensive, support, and healing magic, but he did not have the same firepower as Lillianne. She was able to kick out more than 10 enemies with a single blow, but he was unable to keep up with her. Arik had no choice but to sit back and watch as Lilianne continued to advance while his own unit was held back by discord among its members. At that moment, Jill jumps out of Arik''s unit and begins to move ahead on her own. Jill!What on earth are you ......" I will now proceed alone to the tenth level of the dungeon to obtain the shortcut ring. The captain should prioritize the training of C-class members and the acquisition of items. I will meet you again at the entrance of the dungeon in 48 hours when I am ready to re-explore the dungeon. With that said, Jill proceeded through the dungeon on her own. d*mn. Surely there is no other way to conquer a dungeon with C-class adventurers? I am sure you are okay with this, Captain. Leave her to explore the dungeon on her own. It is unavoidable. For the next 24 hours from now, I will concentrate on training C-Class adventurers, then return to the city to rest and join Jill." Jill, freed from the care of her unit, pushed forward through the dungeon at breakneck speed. Pushing aside even the orcs and mini-golems that stood in his way, he continued onward. The monsters hurled spears, arrows, projectiles, and attack magic at the heavily armed knight who ignored them, but they failed to inflict a single wound on her. Jill ran for several hours, and in the blink of an eye, she approached Lilianne''s troop, which was far away. As they passed each other, Jill and Lillianne locked eyes. (Lilianne. The witch who pulled out Mr. Roland) Jill looks at Lillianne with regret. If only she didn''t have this guy, she thought. Jill takes one look at her and walks past. (For now, the priority is to conquer the dungeon.) In the blink of an eye, Jill overtakes Lilianne''s troop and pulls away. Lillianne''s unit was in the air, and she was pulling away from him. What a guy. He''s kicking the crap out of a bunch of monsters all by himself. He''s already that far ......" One of the Warriors in Lillianne''s unit sneered at her. Let''s calm down. There is nothing we can do now. Even she would have difficulty advancing through more than ten levels by herself. If she wants to turn things around, that''s when she will." (Although, it''s a mental blow to have a lead that you''ve worked so hard to earn reeled back in like this.) Lillianne looked at Jill with mixed feelings. (Jill. The potential to conquer a dungeon alone, i.e., the qualities of an S-class adventurer. Probably the best adventurer that Roland-san raised ......) Lilianne bit her lip for a moment, then quickly regained her composure and concentrated on commanding the troops again. Changing places, Roland and his team returned to the dungeon, with Lukius'' special unit behind them. They were no longer able to know in advance which quest Roland and his team were aiming for, and they were trying to sabotage the quest by following closely behind the unit. Because the two troops were advancing in such close proximity, skirmishes often occurred, but neither side was able to cause any further problems. If the adventurers blatantly interfered with each other''s quests, it would be considered obstruction of business and could violate the adventurers'' code. Still, there were times when Shakuma, unable to contain his irritation, went to complain. Hey you guys!Please, enough is enough. You''re sticking right behind us, just to show off. Why don''t you develop your own skills instead of getting in other people''s way?" Don''t be so crabby." Miss." One of the three Cooter brothers said with a grin. ''Yes, yes. You''re ruining your pretty face. We''re not standing in your way. We just happen to be going to the same place as you. Let''s get along. We''ll take down any enemies that come up behind us. Shakuma continued to complain about them, but they never took him seriously. They kept complaining about him, but he would not listen to them. They''re so eager to get going. They''re so eager to take over the quest when it''s right in front of them. Shakuma grunted in frustration. Be patient," Shakuma grumbled in frustration. It''s a waste of time to complain to them. I don''t care. Yuffine said calmly. (though ......) Yuffine glanced at their armaments. A troop composed mainly of archers, support mages, and healers. And all of them are B class or above. Clearly, the formation was made with the intention of interfering with our training strategy. This might be a little troublesome.) Roland''s team advanced through the dungeon under pressure with the "Golden Eagle" behind them. After several hours of advancing, the group arrived at the nest of "Hagane Eagle. It was a new Hagane Eagle, different from the quests that had appeared before. The nest of the "Hagane Eagle" was located at the top of a large, towering tree, surrounded by stone buildings. They are ugly, dilapidated buildings reinforced with poorly worked rock and wood. Inside, orcs and other monsters probably lurk. The eagle is usually in a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding monsters, and those who take on the quest to defeat the eagle must target the eagle while fighting the monsters around it. It is important to secure a shooting position in order to shoot down the eagle. ) Using "Hawkeye," you can easily secure a position to shoot down the eagle. (The problem is ......) Roland glances toward Monica. (I wonder if she can withstand the pressure from the "Golden Eagle.") Monica is looking down anxiously with her lips pursed from earlier. Roland and his team''s quest attack has begun. Monica''s arrow, which has the longest range, strikes a large tree in "Hagane Eagle. Despite the slenderness of the arrow from the "Silver Iron Breaker Bow," it gouged the trunk of the tree and shook the nest at the top. The three Cooter brothers were astonished by the power of the "Silver Steel Breaking Bow. What is the power and range of that thing? The ''iron-breaking bow''!No, or no. You don''t mean to tell me it''s exclusive, original equipment!" Tsk. She''s not even in C class, and she''s so cocky!" Starting with the attack by Roland and the others, monsters came out from the buildings and dens around the big tree and attacked with a yell. The sound of swords and shields clashing echoed throughout the area. Roland left the white combat to Shakuma and Yuffine, and instructed Monica to enter the firing point. (Not many chances. The moment the eagles leave the nest. The moment when the eagles leave the nest, that is, when they attack us and when they run away from the nest. It''s too late to do anything until we have wiped out the enemy''s ground forces.) Monica. It''s Hawkeye. Secure a firing point while calculating the flight and escape routes of the eagle! Yes, sir. Monica''s eyes glow gold. The viewpoint switches to looking down from above. There they are. There''s an eagle over the nest. It is hiding in the shadow of the nest. Is it trying to find the right moment to attack?) Monica envisions the eagle''s range, our position, and several flight routes, and then derives her range and optimal shooting point. (There it is. That building. That''s the highest point.) Monica started running as soon as she found the best shooting point. At that moment, the "Golden Eagle" troop started to move. They began to attack the flank of the white army unit that Roland and his men were fighting. What?Why?Why?) Even as Monica was upset, they were defeating armored orcs and armored wolves. Roland and his men were fighting in a defensive posture to prevent the hagane eagles from escaping, prolonging the battle, but contrary to Roland and his men, they were trying to decide the game early. It must have been their intention to let Hagane Eagle go. You guys! ...... Yuffine surely glared at the healer of the three coater brothers. What is it?I''m only helping you because you''re all being so lazy. I''m not trying to hinder you. It''s more of a support. It''s not uncommon for guilds to cooperate with each other (or even intercept each other''s prey in the name of cooperation), right?" They said it with a nonchalant smirk on their faces. d*mn." Yuffine gnashed her teeth, but she could not say anything more because it was certainly not an act that could be called criminal. (Even so, Monica, as she is now, should be able to finish off the hagane-washi with a single blow using her "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" and "One Strike Kill" skill). Roland looked at Monica again. Monica hurried to the shooting point, suppressing her impatience. (Quickly. If I don''t go fast, the eagle will run away.) Five archers, including a cooter equipped with a bow, pass by Monica as she runs frantically. (!(Fast!) They were all archers with much more agility than Monica. (An orthodox archer. Highly agile unlike me ......) The complex that had almost been forgotten in Monica''s mind reared its head again and attacked her. They gather at a nearby rock and begin preparing to fire. (What?In that place?) According to Monica''s calculation, the place where they were now holding their bows was out of reach of the "Hagane Eagle" even with the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow". However, Monica had lost all confidence and was unable to make normal judgments due to the pressure and the upset caused by the mobility they had shown her. (Was my measurement wrong?(No, even if I was right, my speed might not be fast enough for the eagle to take off in time.) Monica hesitated and eventually decided to follow them. (Let''s not overconfidence ourselves. Besides, they were B-class archers with more experience than me. I took up a position near the small rock they were climbing, and took up a shooting position myself. Meanwhile, the white army was moving to cut down a large tree after annihilating the ground troops of the monsters. The eagle spreads its wings and takes flight. The archers, who had been waiting for the eagle, fired their arrows at once. However, none of the arrows reached "Hagane Eagle" and it fell just in front of them. The eagle flew off into the distance. (Failed ......) Monica looks in the direction where "Hagane Eagle" flew away, stunned. Oh dear," she said. I must have missed. Well, we got what we came for, so let''s be happy about that. The archers of the Gilded Hawk Special Forces relaxed their shoulders and laughed with each other. Monica stumbled back to Roland. I''m sorry," she said. Mr. Roland. No, it''s okay. More importantly, Monica. When you went for the position, you changed where you were going on the way, didn''t you?Why didn''t you follow the answers you derived in ''Hawkeye''?" ''Ugh, it''s ......, they''re quicker ....... So, you know, I got upset. ......" You play with precision instead of agility. All your previous training should have been to build that style. It is meaningless if you change your style at the critical point. Isn''t that right?" Yes, I am. ...... sorry." If you fail your next quest, I will have to remove you from the unit." What? You should already be on par with a B-class archer in terms of skill. If you can''t even kill an eagle in spite of that, it''s solely because of your mental weakness. ......" I have treated you well so far. You know that. If you can''t produce results in spite of that, I don''t have the time to spend on someone who has no chance. If you can''t be counted as an asset, then I have to bring up other A-class candidates." Son nna ......" Monica. Can you trust your own talent?" Ugh. ...... Next time, if you lose your fight, that''s it. "......" I will succeed in my next quest. Okay?" Yes, sir. Monica answered clearly with tears in her eyes. Roland and his team continued to move through the dungeon to conquer the quest again. As usual, the sabotage unit of the "Golden Eagle" was following closely behind them. Roland''s troops were trapped in anxiety. Even if they continued to wander around the dungeon, would it be a waste of time without being able to conquer a single quest if they kept following them? After all, we could never defeat the "Golden Eagle," could we? Sensing this atmosphere, Yuffine went to Roland''s side and advised him. Roland," she said. Considering our strength, it would be disadvantageous for us to confront them head-on. Wouldn''t it be better to retreat and reestablish countermeasures? It''s not a disadvantage!" Roland yelled loudly. Euphine was startled by the unexpected yell. ''We''re going to conquer the quest, no matter what!Consider yourself not allowed to leave until you conquer it!" The members of the unit were surprised by the unusual behavior of the normally calm commander, but at the same time understood that the commander was very determined. Naturally, the hearts of the members of the team moved in the direction of strengthening their resolve, despite their fear of uncertainty. Roland glanced at Monica. She had been marching with a tragic expression on her face for some time now. (I''m sorry, Monica. I really didn''t mean to pressure you like this. I wanted to take my time in bringing you up if I could. But if I was going to put pressure on you, this is the only place to do it. If we run away from fighting the Golden Eagle head-on, we will continue to run away from him for a long time to come. That would be meaningless.) Roland stares at Monica''s profile with itchy teeth. Roland looked at Monica''s profile and said, "You are no longer inferior to those guys in terms of skills, stats, and equipment. The rest is a battle against yourself. (You know that, don''t you?). Roland and his party fought their fears and proceeded to the nest for the archer''s quest to defeat the "Stormbird. The three Cooter brothers were suspicious as they followed Roland and his group. They had been going on and on for some time, but there was no sign of encountering any quests. What on earth are they trying to challenge? Hey," he said. Is the wind getting stronger?" No way. Are they on their way to the nest of the Storm Bird? I''m not sure what to expect. Stormbirds?Isn''t this a quest for A-class archers? Yarrow. You licked me. The Stormbird, as its name suggests, is a bird monster that can cause a storm simply by flapping its wings. Its wings can also be used as an item by a mage to control the weather. Stormbird feathers are one of the most expensive items on the market today. The stormbird is one of the most powerful of all the bird and beast monsters, and there are few adventurers who have ever killed one. (It is fortunate that there are monsters in this low level that even B-class archers cannot defeat. ) This way, no matter how many of them there are, they can''t easily get in the way. (The rest can be found at ......) Roland glances at Monica. (Now we just have to see if Monica can conquer the Class A quest.) The two units were exposed to increasingly fierce winds as they advanced. If they did not step forward and stay low, they could have been blown away like paper. Debris and tree branches had been flying at them incessantly since a few minutes before. The troops had to hide in the shadows of the shield squads to move forward. This meant that the "storm bird" was almost upon them. Soon, the nest of "Stormbirds" came into view in front of both units. A large tree, entangled in layers, rises high into the sky. Armored orcs and armored wolves crawl out from their holes in the ground and attack the adventurers as they approach. They are probably monsters under the control of the Storm Bird. The adventurers were forced to defend themselves. Thanks to the strong winds of the stormbirds, the range of their arrows was extended and they were able to move forward quickly, giving them momentum in the hand-to-hand combat. On the other hand, the adventurers'' arrows had reduced range and power, putting them at a disadvantage in the hand-to-hand combat. The only one who seemed to be able to play an active role in this situation was Monica, who was equipped with a "silver iron-breaking bow," but since she had the role of shooting down "stormbirds," she stayed in the back of the pack. The adventurers were having a tough time, but they were still slowly moving closer and closer to the nest of the "storm bird," and they were almost within range of the nest. Seeing this, the "Golden Eagle" team, which had been standing by in the rear, could not stand idly by and joined the battle. It was just as Roland had hoped. If he could get them to help him in the battle, he would be able to hold out for a while even if he had to fight A-class monsters. The "stormbirds," impatient with the approaching adventurers, flew out of their nests and attacked the adventurers. Roland caught a glimpse of the stormbird from the shadow of his shield. Is that the Stormbird? It was a beautiful bird clad in light blue feathers. A white whirlwind was constantly whirling around its wings. The "storm bird" attacked from above the unit, and it was the archer''s best chance to defeat it. The archers of both units immediately moved to a better shooting position, supported by the shields. Monica used "Hawkeye" to determine the most appropriate shooting position. The highest point in the vicinity. However, it was already occupied by the archers of the "Golden Hawk". (What to do?(What to do: ......) The "Storm Bird" is attacking. Flapping its wings, it hurls wind pressure at the troops from above. The dense mass of air became like a bullet and rained down on the troops. Shields and armor were destroyed, and those who caught them with their shields were easily blown away. The enemy ground troops immediately attacked. The two units, clustered together with those who could move, gathered all their strength and somehow managed to repel the enemy''s attack. However, it was clear to everyone that the front was approaching its limits. Meanwhile, the archers continued to shoot arrows, but they were all easily repelled by the winds of the "Storm Bird". No use. It doesn''t work. Let''s retreat. If we don''t, we''ll be wiped out." The "Golden Eagle" troops begin to lean toward the retreat theory. Monica became impatient. If the "Golden Eagle" withdrew, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" would have to fight the "Storm Bird" and the ground troops alone. That meant the failure of the quest. Monica desperately searched for clues using Hawkeye. Please, Hawkeye," she said. I don''t want to quit yet. I still want to continue the adventure with you guys. I will never lose my fighting style again. So please, show me some chance one more time.) The winds around the area were against the wind, and the cry of the "Storm Bird" echoed through the air. It seemed to be moving on to its next attack. This would probably be the last chance to finish off the "Stormbird. After being hit once more by the wind projectiles, the troops did not have the strength to continue the fight. Monica continued to search for clues as if she were praying. At that moment, she suddenly saw what looked like a flowing blue river in her view. The river covered the sky like a carpet. Although it was a river, it was transparent and its flow could be captured more delicately than the surface of the water, as if countless threads were spun together to form a single stream. The river is winding back and forth around the "storm-bird. (This is ...... style!) Monica''s "Hawk-Eye" was able to visualize and capture wind currents. (This is the real power of "Hawkeye.") She had the very view of a hawk in the sky. She could see the flow of the wind. Maybe how to fly higher and more powerfully. She sees a red torrent coming from the distance. (A gust of wind!) The red torrent is about to collide with the blue current created by the Storm Bird. Monica drew her bow and prepared for the gust. I don''t believe in my talent. (I don''t believe in my talent.) The two winds mix and for a moment there is no wind. (I can believe ...... what you say, Roland.) Roland told me himself. He told me that he had the talent to become an A-class archer. Monica''s arrow, carried by a gust of wind, pierced one of the wings of the stormbird without the slightest momentum. The "Stormbird," which until then had never wavered in its posture no matter what the wind storms threw at it, swayed for the first time in the sky. Monica''s eyes caught the spot of light on the "Stormbird''s" body, a spot that would kill it with a single blow. She quickly plucks the next arrow. She was able to make the shot more quickly than any other archer present. Roland assessed the skills of the Golden Eagle''s archers. All of them have "B" bow marksmanship and "B" agility, which are certainly sufficient skills and status for an archer. But they are still honor students.) Roland then appraised Monica''s skills. Her "Hawkeye" was at the S class. (Any speculation, intrigue, or pressure ......) Roland looks confidently toward Monica. (You can never cloud true talent!) Monica''s arrow pierced through the vital point of the "Storm Bird" without missing a beat. The Stormbird exploded, sending sparkling light blue feathers flying all around. <> 21 - CHAPTER XXI -- THE WORRY OF ALIK The three Cooter brothers were stunned to see the Stormbird shattered into pieces. They could not believe what they had just witnessed. ''This is ridiculous, there are Class A archers out there,'' said the brothers. I didn''t hear anything about that." What are we going to do? What are we going to do? We can''t report this kind of thing to the head of the guild. What am I going to do? What do you mean, what do we do? ...... They were simply cringing at the unforeseen circumstances that had suddenly presented themselves. Monica sat down on the spot when she saw that her arrow had struck down the stormbird. The sadness and tension she had felt earlier were gone, and she felt a rush of exhaustion. As she did so, she saw a shimmering object fall toward her. It was a bundle of stormbird feathers. The wind force it generated brought it down to Monica''s lap as if it were returning to its master. Monica wrapped the bundle of stormbird feathers in the palm of her hand and held it close to her chest. (Thank God. Now I won''t be out of the troop yet.) Roland instructed Euphine to check the damage to the unit, then rushed to Monica''s side. Monica, are you okay?" Mr. Roland. Yes, sir. I am fine." Monica finally looked at him, relieved that Roland''s voice to her was as gentle as before. ''I see. Well done anyway. Now you''re a class-A archer." Oh, I see. Stormbird was a class-A quest." I said, "Yes, you did. Did you forget? Yes, I did. Anyway, I wanted to stay in the unit. I wanted to stay with Mr. Roland. That was all I could do. You really ...... are ....... Well, whatever it is, it''s just the beginning, because it''s hard to get to Class A, but it''s also hard to keep it." Yes, sir. Are you okay?Do you want to get some rest?" Roland looked at Monica, who was sitting there forever, and called out to her with concern. She said, "Yes, yes. I''m fine. Monica stood up as soon as she said that. (Even though Mr. Roland had evaluated her so highly. (After all, Mr. Roland had given me such a high evaluation.) Good. Then drink the potion. I''ll be running soon." Mr. Roland. I have the status of the damage to your unit at ......." At the right moment, Euphine rushes over to report. Good. All are allowed to use ''earthcraft'' and potions. Restore your equipment and strength, then run. Roland''s troops left the scene at full speed after recovering by repairing their equipment with "Earthcraft" and drinking potions. The three Coater brothers were forced to hurriedly confer about the future. The three Cooter brothers were forced to hurriedly discuss what to do next. What are you going to do? The guild leader''s order was to prevent them from moving up in class. Archer''s in class A, but there''s still time for the support mages and healers. We''ll stop them at least. The three brothers'' unit somehow managed to put together a force that had been battered by the stormbirds and, unable to even regain their strength, followed Roland and his men. While Roland and his men were defeating the stormbirds, a strategy meeting was being held again at the "Golden Hawk" by the captains of the main units who had returned from the dungeon. The captains of the main "Golden Hawk" team had a quota of reaching the 10th level within two weeks of the dungeon''s appearance. The captains successfully reached the 10th level within two weeks, but from that point on, the monsters became much more diverse and stronger than before, requiring a stronger and more appropriate formation. So there was a competition for budget and manpower, which is characteristic of large organizations. Each captain knew that even if he declared the necessary budget honestly, it would not be passed nine times out of ten, so he declared the necessary amount excessively. Since the guild would have exceeded its capacity if it had complied with the requests of all the troop leaders, Lukius was forced to hold a strategy meeting and convened the troop leaders and group leaders. Holding a dungeon strategy meeting to coordinate requests among units had become a kind of regular event in "Golden Hawk". It was also a regular event for the meeting to get into a dispute and get into a mess. At the meeting, they would discuss how the difficulties facing their unit were greater than those of other units, how their unit was making greater efforts and sacrifices than other units, and how their unit was being disadvantaged compared to other units in terms of supply and deployment. We had to exaggerate and argue with each other. First, Jill and Dorwin fought over placement. Even though these two are still B-class adventurers, they are extremely useful, and every unit wanted them. After that, decisions were made on the deployment of other B-class adventurers, the distribution of equipment, the distribution of items, and the distribution of budgets, one by one. The result was that the company was unable to make a decision on the next step. They would even drag up past cases, saying which units had been given preferential treatment in the past, or that their own units had provided them with favors in the past, and they would even push each other for loans and debts. The meeting was a dance, but no progress was made. Arik attended the meeting with a bitter look on his face. He was not very good at exaggerating his predicament or playing the victim, even to the point of lying. (Not at all. How can these people waste so much time every time? If they would cooperate with each other a little, we wouldn''t have to have these useless meetings.) However, even he had to be serious about the meeting, even though he knew it was a waste of money, because it would affect his budget and manpower to attack the dungeon and, by extension, his position in the guild and the assessment of his adventurer class. Although Arik had been given time by Jill to train C class adventurers, he had not been able to train B class adventurers. It was obvious that he would have a hard time if he attempted the 10th level and beyond with his team as it was and in competition with Lilianne''s team. (But what could we do about it? ....... Hmm?(Wait a minute.) A good idea flashed through Arik''s mind. Yes," he said. Everyone. How about this? How about asking for the help of Roland the appraiser? Those attending the meeting looked puzzled at the appearance of the new proposal. Arik did not notice that Lukius'' eyebrows twitched in disapproval for a moment. ''The power of Roland the Connoisseur?Why are you doing that again ......" Sebasta, the unit leader, said with a suspicious frown. He should be able to see the adventurers'' current skills and stats, and even their potential, and assign them to the right quests. Don''t you think that fits the purpose of this meeting?" Dianna sighed as she held her forehead in annoyance at Alik''s apparent good idea. Dianna sighed, holding her hands in annoyance. Roland the appraiser is no longer a member of the Golden Eagle. What? Arik said, shocked. ''Roland isn''t ...... here?Such ....... Why on earth?" He''s been banished." Exiled!Roland?Oh no, why on earth would ......" I don''t know. Anyway, Roland''s record before his banishment was abysmal. Maybe he was deliberately dragging the Golden Eagle down for some reason. So ......?" Such a thing. No, what a ...... shame that is." Arik looked upset and stunned. He had a history of taking advice from Roland when he had hit a wall as a mage. He was proud to say that even without Roland, he would have eventually become a Class A adventurer, but even so, his career would have been much slower than it is now. For this reason, Arik was grateful to Roland, and he also appreciated Roland. What? What does it matter if one or two appraisers disappear? An adventurer who has to rely on an appraiser is a second-rate adventurer after all. Sebasta, the troop leader, who had been quick to see that Lucius was in a bad mood, quickly began to mount a mount against Arik as soon as he gained a point. In fact, he had benefited greatly from Roland''s guidance, much more so than Arik, and it was almost entirely thanks to Roland that he had been able to become a Class A adventurer, but he was completely convinced that he had reached his current position entirely due to his own abilities. He was convinced that he was a good person. Nevertheless, this statement satisfied Lucius. Mm-hmm. Sebasta is right. Arik. If you are an A-class adventurer belonging to the Golden Eagle, you must stop thinking so softly about relying on appraisers. A first-rate person should be able to figure out his or her own abilities on his or her own, without anyone telling him or her what to do. Or what is it?Are you implying that you can''t even conquer a single dungeon without the help of a connoisseur?" I''ve been working on this for a while now. I''m not saying that ......, I''m just saying that we are short of B class archers, support mages, and healers, and we need to train new ones. ...... The reason we are short on manpower in the first place is because you have left B class archers and support mages out of the main force. When is this special mission that requires them to be mobilized going to end? I don''t need to tell you about ...... special missions, and it''s not your place to tell me. All you have to think about is conquering the dungeon. You said, "That''s not what I meant. ...... No, it''s nothing. You''re right. Let''s continue the meeting." Arik swallowed the words he was about to say, and then he put them back down in his throat. He realized that any more excuses would only make his position worse. In the end, the meeting ended in Sebasta''s favor. Sebasta''s requests were given preferential treatment in the allocation of units, budget, and items, and Arik''s requests were given a backseat. While the strategy meeting was being held at the Golden Eagle, Roland and his team had reached the 10th level. They activated the transfer magic circle in the sanctuary on the ninth level to open the door to the next level. The transfer magic circle showed a complicated pattern that was clearly different from the usual one. The pattern indicated that there was a save point and a guardian of the hierarchy ahead. (After all, the Guardian of the Hierarchy is waiting for us on the 10th level this time, too. It was customary in the dungeons that appeared recently for the Guardian to be waiting for adventurers at the rest stop (save point) on the tenth level of the dungeon. Even if you were lucky enough to reach this point without encountering any monsters, the inevitable battle with a powerful enemy awaited you on the tenth level. It was said that whether or not one could make it past the 10th level was the turning point in whether or not one could become a regular B class adventurer. It was said to be the turning point in whether or not one could become a B class student. All of you. We are now going to fight against the Guardians. Let''s go, and keep our heads up." When Roland said this, Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine all looked down with a lack of confidence. ?What''s wrong?" No," he said. We always manage to get to this point somehow. But from here on, we just can''t seem to beat the Guardian. Shakuma began to speak bashfully. The troops are worn out, and wouldn''t it be better if Shakuma and I conquered the C-class quest first?" Yuffine, who normally does not show her emotions, expressed her anxiety as she offered her advice. Roland laughed. A class A archer, a support mage with class B skills, and a healer were all afraid of a 10th level guardian. The white army is also much more powerful than when they dived into the dungeon. From Roland''s point of view, there was no element of defeat. Experience complex is a terrible thing, Roland thought again. I''ll be fine. Don''t worry, you guys can beat a 10th level Guardian with a little time to spare. The three of them were in a daze. The three of them were all in a daze. Let''s go. The men in the unit, puzzled by their commander''s confidence, were pushed along and dived into the magic circle leading to the 10th level. The three Cauter brothers arrived at this location belatedly and were astonished to see Roland''s troops heading for the tenth level. They were astonished to see Roland''s troops heading up to the 10th level. According to the report from the top, they are not supposed to go to the tenth level. Stupid. They have A-class archers with them now, so going to the tenth level is nothing. The three Cooter brothers'' unit had to watch impatiently as Roland''s unit challenged the Guardians. A battle elephant awaited Roland and his men in the long, wide corridor of the 10th level. With ivory tusks as sharp as spears, a long snout that could exert monstrous strength, and a huge body weighing many tons, the elephant was a formidable opponent for the Guardians. Clad in armor and armors, they attacked the troop from the back of the long corridor with ample aids. Behind them are armored wolves and armored orcs. Monica finished off the battle elephant with a single blow. Her arrow easily penetrates the heavy armor of the battle elephant and hits the vital spot. The battle elephant''s huge body and its equipment collapsed in the middle of the corridor, unable to be touched by the troops. After that, it was a battle of the troops. Under Shakuma''s support magic, the white army troops defeated the battle-hardened armored wolves and armored orcs one by one. Monica also rode on top of a battle elephant and sprayed arrows at the monsters from a height. The monsters charged with their last strength, but in the end they could not defeat Roland and his shield squad and were defeated. The three of them were stunned by the sheer stupidity of the battle. What is going on? The Guardian is not responding very well this time, is it? Shakuma said with an unaccountable expression. ''I didn''t even do anything. Yuffine, who had not used magic once during the battle, said boredly, "I''m sorry, but I''m not going to do it. That''s how strong we all are." Roland laughed at that. At the end of the corridor was a fountain, two transfer magic circles, and a shelf equipped with shortcut rings. The group returned to the city to replenish their supplies and prepare for the search for the next 10 levels and beyond. <> 22 - CHAPTER XXII Monica Holidays Upon returning from the dungeon, Monica visited the quest reception office after 24 hours of sleep. When Monica announces her visit at the reception desk, Amira, the receptionist in charge, appears. She was Claria''s replacement, the receptionist in charge of all of Roland''s troops, not just Monica. She was the receptionist in charge of all of Roland''s troops as well as Monica''s. "Welcome, Monica. This way please." With these words, Amira let Monica through to a private room. As soon as she entered the private room, Amira immediately bowed her head. I am very sorry for the trouble I caused you with Claria. We will make every effort to prevent such an incident from happening in the future, and we ask for your continued support. No, no. It''s over now." Monica said, a little nervous. She was a little nervous, because Amira was a powerful and beautiful woman. Her hair, which was mostly up in the forelock with just a tuft of hair hanging down, gave her a clean look befitting a receptionist. She had a deep bridge of the nose and powerful eyes that seemed to be shooting at us. Her beauty gave her a kind of dignity. Monica, who was apologizing for her behavior, was more than a little embarrassed in front of her. However, I had a sense of security that she would be able to handle the job well. Her confident attitude and demeanor, her quick and efficient paperwork, and the way she spoke made her seem like a first-class person from all perspectives. In fact, she was an ace in the hole. She was a very nice person, and she was very friendly and helpful. Yes, I am. I''d like to report on my quest attack and certify my adventurer class at ......." I will be happy to help you. Now tell me about your quest. Yes, sir. The stormbirds are being hunted down. Monica takes out a "Stormbird Feather Bundle" from the bag in her hand. She takes out the "Stormbird''s Feather Bundle" from the bag in her hand. A stormbird. This is great. This is the first time I''ve seen a ''stormbird feather bundle'' myself. Amira received the bundle of feathers and said in admiration. ''Now please wait a moment so that we may verify its authenticity. When she received the "Stormbird Feather Bundle," she activated her skill "Item Appraisal. Item Appraisal" was able to determine the authenticity, quality, performance, and even the circumstances of the item''s acquisition. Amira reads the memories contained in the "Stormbird''s Feather Bundle. The "Stormbird''s Feather Bundle" told the story of how it had been defeated. In Amira''s mind, the image of Monica''s heroic defeat of the stormbird flashed before her eyes. After looking at the "Stormbird''s Feather Bundle" from various angles, Amira closed her eyes and deactivated the "Item Appraisal" function, as if she was satisfied. Hm. Certainly, this bundle of feathers is definitely the one that Monica-sama obtained. Yes." When Amira finished her appraisal, she turned to Monica. Yes, sir," she said. Am I correct in assuming that you will deliver this bundle of feathers to the quest office as proof of your success in the quest? Yes." I will be happy to help you. Then we will grant you a reward for the successful completion of the quest and certification as a Class A Adventurer. The certification and registration process should be completed by next week. She takes out a letter on the spot and adds her name and Monica''s name. Here is your provisional certificate as a Class A Adventurer. We will send you this certificate as soon as it is issued, in due course. Is it correct that the quest reward should be paid to the guild ''Keeper of the Magic Tree''?" Yes. Thank you for your cooperation. I will be happy to help you. You will now attend a training session for Class A adventurers. I apologize for the inconvenience, but please stay with us a little longer. Monica was moved to another room to take the training for Class A adventurers. There, she was taught the work ethic and benefits of being a Class A adventurer, as well as the monthly quota for maintaining the class. Class A adventurers are entitled to special quests that are not publicized to other adventurers. He also explained that as part of the quota for maintaining their class, they had to prove that they had reached the 10th level of the dungeon each month, and that they had to successfully complete a class B quest. At the same time that Monica was receiving her Class A certification, at the headquarters of the "Guardian of the Magical Tree," Wirik was busy checking the reports submitted by Roland and spying on him. Wirik was tilting his head when he saw the report from Roland. It stated that Monica had defeated the Stormbird and was now a class A archer, that Shakuma and Yufine''s skills were developing well and they would probably be at least class B adventurers by the end of the month, and that since they had defeated the Guardian, they would now be The report included such matters as exploring deeper than the 10th level. (Monica is in A class?What is this guy talking about?(Of course that''s impossible.) Willik sighed as if feeling sorry for Roland. (It''s tough, isn''t it, Roland? I can''t believe you''re trying to cover up your results with a false report like this. Well, now that he has seen the reality of the situation, I''m sure. (Starting next month, he will be under my supervision, and you will be guiding him according to the reality.) Willik crushed the report from Roland and threw it in the trash. Of course, this information was never passed on to Lucius. Monica had visited the workshop of the "Arsenal of the Spirits" after visiting the quest reception station. Since she had two days off after returning from the dungeon, she decided to have Thial do some maintenance work on her "Silver Iron Breaking Bow. After receiving the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" from Monica, Cheal put it on the pedestal and checked its wear and tear. He asked, "How''s it doing?Cheal-chan. Is there anything wrong with my ''Silver Steel Breaking Bow''?" Hm. The strings are a little weak. Perhaps Monica-san is holding back on how hard she pulls the strings?" Yes, that''s right. I wanted to pull harder, but I was afraid that if I pulled too hard, it would break. I knew it. Then I will make the tension of the strings stronger so that it will be easier for you to use. I''m not sure. Yes. Please. (Monica-san''s string pulling force is stronger than I expected. (Monica''s pull on the strings is stronger than expected.) Monica, is there anything else that is inconvenient for you? I don''t know if there''s anything else ...... special about it. Cheal''s ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow'' is very easy to use. Mmm. Is it that much? Cheal feels proud and embarrassed to be praised for the weapon he has made. Yes," he said. So make sure you maintain it well. I''ll leave it to you. I''m sure I''ll make it even more perfect than before. Cheal, perhaps happy to be treated like one by Monica, is elated and makes a show of rolling up his thin arms and making a big fist. Monica watched him with a smile. While Cheal was maintaining the bow with hammers and metal fittings, Monica sat in a chair in the corner of the room and watched her work. (That''s great. Chiaru-chan. I can''t believe you''re the ace of the alchemy guild even though you''re so small. (When I was your age, I couldn''t do anything yet.) That being said, I wonder if Mr. Roland will be here today?" Monica asked a little huskily. ''Mr. Roland hasn''t arrived yet. He''s a busy businessman and he lives alone, so he has a lot of things to do. He usually comes here before noon. I see. That must be tough. Yes, that''s right. Roland is single. I could take care of him, but for some reason he won''t let me in. Cheal crosses his arms and makes a difficult face. He looks at me with a difficult look on his face. I see." Monica laughed at Cheal''s innocence. Even though he is a silversmith, he is still a child. He is probably at that age where he thinks he can do anything, not knowing anything about adult life. (But I see. Roland, you live alone.) Monica, who had somehow assumed that Roland was married, felt her feelings for him change slightly when she heard that he was single. It was as if something she had been secretly hoping for deep down inside had suddenly become a reality. (Maybe next time I''ll bring you something to eat...). Roland passed Monica and went to the workshop to hear Lange''s report as usual. As usual, Lange was taking good care of the workshop, and there was no delay. Everything seems to be fine for now. Yes, I just wanted to talk to you about a few business matters. Lange said, his voice a little hushed. Roland sensed that Ranju was in a difficult situation. I understand. Let''s have a meeting. Roland and Runge entered the conference room, which was separated from the workshop, where they could not be overheard by the workers. Roland and Lange were in the conference room, separated from the workmen. Yes," he said. It has been tough before, but now it is getting tougher and tougher. At this rate, we may not even last this week, let alone this month. Even this week?Are you that short?" There are three reasons. Let''s go through it step by step. First, we spent more silver than expected on custom-made weapons, including the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow. Ugh, I knew it. Roland looked bitter. He knew that it was an urgent matter that had not been originally planned, and that it was an unreasonable request to have all parts made of silver. We''ll probably have to use ''Silver A'' for maintenance, too." Yes," he said. If we are to maintain the quality of the weapons as they are.'' I understand. Any other causes?" The second cause is Mr. Cheal. Because of Cheal?Why on earth?" As I mentioned, I was about to run out of silver A, so I decided to have her make me some silverware out of silver B or silver C. But when I finally took the silver to her, she started saying, ''I don''t want to use this inferior silver.'' '' I had to go to Ms. Aryeh to complain." I see." ...... That''s what happened." I was able to intervene and save the day. ......, I hate to say it like this, but this time around, Mr. Cheal was not too helpful. I''m not saying that Aryeh is wrong. I''m not sure how much you can expect me to do, but if you keep using silver A''s, you won''t be able to run a workshop. Lange said in a chagrinned tone. In fact, Cheal has been growing lately, and his selfishness has been unacceptable. It''s true," he said. I may have spoiled him a little too much. That''s why they still won''t make any products other than silver A." "The situation is the same as ever. So now, the workshop is not refining any silver ore that will not turn into silver A. If we make silver B or silver C, it will only increase our inventory." I see. ...... understand." I''ll take care of the thial on my end. What''s the last problem?" Here it is. Lange held out a letter. It was a letter from Count Elsen. ''What''s this?'' A nobleman I know is in need of a large quantity of silverware, and he wants me to make it for him." At this point in time?" Roland pressed his hand to his forehead in distress. Yes," he said. Even though we don''t have enough silver to fulfill the current orders, we can''t handle another large order of silverware like this. So, we don''t have enough silver ore, craftsmen won''t make silverware except for silver A, and additional orders are being placed. We will run out of silver as early as this week. We have to come up with some countermeasures." I see." Roland crossed his arms for a while and thought about it. I understand," he said. I have an idea." What do you mean?" ''I''ll talk to Count Elsen. I''ll see if I can''t find a supplier for the silver ore. Lange looked bitter. ''Mr. Roland. I don''t know how difficult it is to run a business, but if you''re asking customers to help you do this side of the business, how''s that for a store?" I know I''m being unreasonable," he said. But even Count Elsen wants silverware, and I am sure he would like to support and nurture the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Even so, Lange looked unconvinced and dissatisfied. Roland chuckled. His earnestness, his single-mindedness, and his youth. Don''t look at me like that," he said. You know what they say: ''Where there''s a god, there''s a god.I used to think I had to do everything on my own, and I used to drive myself crazy. However, surprisingly, there are people who will help you if you confide in them that you are in trouble. (Just like Lillianne helped me when I was in need.) Roland responded to the letter to Count Elsen. Regarding the order for new silverware, I am in a bit of a difficult situation and cannot reply immediately. I have a matter that I would like to discuss with you, and I was wondering if you would be willing to meet with me. After that, Roland immediately went to the "Forest Workshop" to persuade Cheal. When Cheal sees Roland, he innocently bursts into laughter and hugs him with a big smile on his face, revealing his joy at being reunited with Roland. Cheal. I hear you refuse to make silverware with silver B and C." With that, Cheal quickly hides his smile, distances himself, and goes into a state of alert. He was saying that he had no intention of giving in on that matter, no matter how much he and Roland might have wanted to. Yes," he said. Don''t be alarmed. Don''t you think Silver B and Silver C are useless until you see this silverware?" Roland pulls out a piece of silverware from his bag. It was a piece of silver C combined with iron, rubies, and other precious stones. (This is ......) As soon as Cheal saw the silverware, he forgot all about his previous vigilance and gazed at it intently. It was something that anyone who saw it could tell at a glance was made of inferior silver. However, the dull color of the inferior silver enhanced the beauty of the jewelry. (I have only ever thought of using the best silver in the best shape. But this one dares to do what the finest silver can''t by using inferior silver.) Once he realized this, Cheal forgot all about his earlier obsession, sat down at his desk, and began to draw blueprints. There was no longer a childishly spoiled little girl, but a craftsman. Roland was satisfied with what he saw. (I guess it''s best to show a craftsman the real thing, right? (I guess that solves Cheal''s problem for now.) When Roland solved the problem with Cheal, he wrote a letter to Lange at the refining workshop, telling him to resume production of silver B and silver C because Cheal had written a blueprint using inferior silverware, and to prepare the other necessary metals as soon as he received her blueprints. He instructed them to do so, among other things. As for metals other than silver, there is no particular tightening up of the market, so we will be able to obtain them without any difficulty. After completing these tasks, Roland went back to the quest office. After settling the workshop issue, Roland now had the task of acting as a special advisor. He had to assemble a unit to explore the 10th level as soon as possible. He would not let his team''s training be hindered any longer. (We must overwhelm the enemy with our speed and shake them off before they can get their systems in place!) <> 23 - CHAPTER XXIII -- THE RECOVERY MAGICAL STREET When Roland recruited new members through the quest office, a crowd of skilled people came who had heard rumors about Monica. The claim of being able to explore dungeons with A-class adventurers had such an impact. Although the official announcement had not yet been made by the quest office, adventurers with a keen ear heard about the birth of the A-class adventurers and volunteered to join the troop, hoping to take advantage of the opportunity to explore dungeons with A-class adventurers. Roland interviewed each of them after assessing their current skills and asked them what they wanted to be paid. Some wanted to increase their adventurer rank, others simply wanted money, and still others wanted to acquire specific items. The circumstances varied. Some had left town when the dungeon appeared and missed the attack, others joined the guild because they believed that their guild would not be able to reach the 10th level or higher this time, and still others joined the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" unit out of resentment toward the "Golden Eagle. There were also After several days of gathering members, we were able to assemble a group of members who were all B-class equivalent in ability, both in terms of white army units and attack mages. After deploying the new members, Roland encouraged the members of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" who had dropped out by giving them challenges, goals, and advice, and then led his troops back to the dungeon entrance. Soon after, a scout who had been keeping an eye on Roland''s movements delivered a message to the three Coater brothers. The Cooters hurriedly gathered their troops and followed Roland and his men. While Roland was steadily preparing his troops, the three Coter brothers were not simply wasting their time doing nothing. They requested Lukius to deploy additional forces in order to increase the strength of their unit in preparation for the upcoming search for the 10th level and beyond. They told Lukius honestly what had happened in the dungeon. One of the archers in Roland''s unit had conquered a Class A quest. Furthermore, they had already conquered the Guardian and reached the 10th level. So it is expected that the 10th level will be the main battleground from now on. In order to accomplish the mission, I want you to deploy a B-class shield squad and a white army under yourselves as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will not be able to track Roland''s troops, or even maintain troop strength against the monsters in the 10th level, and will not even be able to move around the dungeon properly. At this stage, Lucius finally began to doubt Wirik''s story. (An A-class archer in Roland''s unit?Nonsense. That''s not what you said.) If we were to deploy a B-class shield corps and a white army unit in a special unit, it would affect the organization of other units that are currently working on dungeon attacks. The strategy had to be fundamentally rethought. Lucius called Willik over and questioned him about this. Roland is lying," he said. Willik said knowingly. Lies?However, Cauter and his team report that Roland''s unit has a Class A archer ......" If it were that easy to raise A-class archers, no one would have any trouble. As I predicted, Loran is not doing well in his training. It''s disgraceful that he even made false reports to cover up his achievements. Really?"But if something is wrong and what the coaters are saying is true, ......" That''s another of Roland''s tricks," he said. He''s trying to distract us with false information. Or what?Are you saying you don''t trust me?Then that''s enough. From now on, I will not give any information about the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" to Mr. Lukius. I will let this relationship end as well. Please waste your budget on false information from Roland." Lucius could not doubt Willik''s confidence any longer, so he instructed the three Coter brothers as follows. The guild cannot afford to allocate additional resources and budget. Continue to pursue Roland''s forces as before with the forces you have, and prevent them from capturing the quest. The coaters were astonished to hear this order and tried to request another troop reinforcement, but Loran did not give them time to do so, and they finished organizing their troops and dug into the dungeon. The co-takers were left with no way to defend themselves, and they followed Roland with their fragile vanguard units. The 11th level was the first ruin stage in a long time. From here, some of the buildings were too massive to be inhabited by humans, while others contained cavernous passages that were too narrow for humans to pass through. This was the best proof of the existence of "giant ogres," monsters much taller and stronger than orcs, and "goblins with wisdom (kobold goblins)," monsters with the knowledge and dexterity to remodel buildings. Because they were much stronger and smarter than the monsters of the 10th level and earlier, they were able to take on a large number of henchmen, and they were able to transform the ruins that had originally been inhabited by humans into buildings that were more livable for them and easier for them to intercept humans. He even went so far as to remodel it. When Roland''s and Coater''s troops reached the 11th level with the shortcut rings, everyone braced themselves, sensing from the dungeon''s air that they were facing a much stronger enemy than before. Monica. Get me ''Hawkeye. Yes, sir." As soon as Roland ordered, Monica switched her perspective to "Hawkeye. Now an S-class woman, her "Hawkeye" could see everything on this level. In addition to a map from the entrance to the exit, she could see which monsters were roaming around and which route would allow her to reach the exit without encountering a monster, or even to encounter the monster she was looking for. She could even see the flow of the wind, and through the stagnation she could even spot monsters hiding in the buildings. A Kobold goblin holding a bow and arrow or blowgun out of a window toward the street. An ogre trying to jump down from the upper floor onto the road. She could even pinpoint the angles and points at which she could shoot at these monsters. (Awesome. This is the real power of "Hawkeye. I could see the movements of the monsters hiding in the dungeon as if I could see them in my hand. With this, I can attack the dungeon according to my own plan.) Monica. How are you doing?Do you see a route to the exit?" Yes," he said. There are three main routes to the exit. One is the route where you don''t encounter any monsters. The other is a route where you encounter a very large number of monsters. The other is a route with a very large number of monsters lurking. They spoke in hushed tones, keeping their faces close together so that the cohort troops behind them could not hear them. Good. Good job Monica. Once you know that, you''ve conquered the dungeon. Now can I ask you something a little more difficult? Yes, sir. What is it? I don''t want to just take on the dungeon, I want to scatter the guys behind it. To do that, we need to stop them in their tracks. Is there a route that will allow us to successfully hit the monsters only in the rear?" Please wait. I''ll look for it." Monica switches her perspective to "Hawkeye" again and explores the route. There it was. If you follow one of the three routes with the most lurking monsters, you can expect monsters to surprise you from behind at several points. If you run out at those points or ......" I said, "All right. Well done." Roland patted Monica on the shoulder. ''...... yes.'' Monica turned over, her cheeks a little red, and replied. Now a new motivation was forming in her. To be useful to Roland and to get stronger recognition. That was her small happiness now. (If I work harder and am more useful, I wonder if Mr. Roland will look at me too.) Oooh. It''s the captain. How long are you whispering? Your energy is being drained while you wait like this. Let''s just move on. One of the newly recruited members complained. ''Oh, sorry to keep you waiting. Let''s move on then. Monica. Yes." Monica suddenly held her bow and arrow high in the air and fired in a curving motion. Her arrow parabolized and hit a Kobold Goblin on the other side of the dungeon entrance gate, just a stone''s throw away from the troop. The Kobold Goblin was killed by the blow and fell to the ground, revealing itself to the troop with a poisoned spear in its hand. All those present turned blue. (A "Wise Goblin (Kobold Goblin)" with a poisoned spear at the entrance of a dungeon? That''s just outrageous. If we had been careless, at least one of us would have fallen prey to that poisonous spear. ......) (No, more importantly, this woman finished off an enemy who was lurking in a complete blind spot with a single blow. (Is this the skill of a class A archer?) The newcomers were fearful of both the goblins lurking at the entrance and of Monica. Then, let''s go. I will lead the way. Follow me, everyone. Monica declared in high spirits and led her troops through the dungeon. The unit advanced quietly and solemnly. As long as Monica was moving forward, they continued walking, and when she stopped, the troop stopped as well. When she stopped, she would suddenly raise an arrow and shoot the enemies lurking in the shadows and inside the buildings. When she could not kill the enemy with her arrows, she would tell the shield team where the enemy was and let them advance with their shields up, hunting down the monster and killing it. Everything was done at her discretion. The other people in the unit merely followed her instructions. At one point, Monica caught a hawk-eye of about five Kobolds bypassing the building into the shadows and coming around the flank of the troop. (!The Kobolds moved. They''re trying to get around us!) They are equipped with bows and arrows and poison arrows. Mr. Roland. Please continue on your way." Monica left the troop on a "silent run" after saying just that, and went ahead of the Kobolds where they were about to take up position, and swept them up. He then rejoined the troop without incident. Thus the troop proceeded steadily through the dungeon, eerily uneventful. In this route with so many ambush soldiers, basically only firefighting was sufficient, but there was one place where white combat was inevitable. This was the Tryon Gate. This huge gate, which stood beyond the plaza, was engraved with a huge ogre''s emblem, clearly indicating what was waiting for them ahead. Monica fired arrows beyond the gate in a curved shot, but it seemed that the enemy had a shield, and no matter how many arrows she threw at them, they did not open the gate and come out shooting. Monica. Do you know the composition of the enemy?" Yes, sir. Just a moment, please." Monica checked with "Hawkeye" and found that the enemy consisted of 3 ogres, 15 orcs, and werewolves (not only do they have excellent agility, but they also walk on two legs and use weapons when attacking). 10, 5 shield-plucking bulls (which not only rush forward to inflict damage, but also have a high probability of blowing away shield-bearers and disrupting the battle line), 5 gale eagles (whose wings flap at a rate of three to three times), and 5 shield-plucking bulls (whose wings flap at a rate of three to three times). The five archers were to create a strong wind that would blow once in every two hours, immobilizing the troops and deflecting arrows fired by the bowman. Particularly troublesome were the giant ogres and the bulls that could repel shields (rush bulls). The shield-jumping bulls would disrupt the line of battle by rushing forward, and if they were not stopped by support magic such as illusion magic or crust magic, they might be directly attacked by the mages and archers in the rear guard. The shield-repelling bulls (rush bulls) had the habit of rushing in as a single mass, so Shakuma''s support magic could deal with them, but the three ogres were feared to attack separately. The ogre''s attack power was off the charts, and not only could it attack two or three at once, but it could also drastically reduce the health of a fully equipped warrior with a single blow. Even a B-class warrior with a shield would lose more than half of his strength. In other words, to defeat the ogre, a healer who could cast recovery magic over a wide area was desperately needed. Roland had countermeasures for this as well. Yuffine. Let''s try that thing we were discussing." Yes." Although we gave Yuffine a "silver staff," the improvement in hit rate was limited, and in the end, we could not find a way to heal the entire troop at once. Therefore, we decided to change our thinking and try a method in which, instead of applying recovery magic to the white army troops in battle, the white army troops would take up positions in the magic circle of recovery magic that had been activated in advance. Since Yuffine''s magical power itself has a capacity that far exceeds that of an ordinary person, she never ran out of magical power even when she was activating recovery magic during the battle. In other words, the white army troops should be able to fight while recovering at all times during the battle. The remaining concern was whether the wide-range recovery magic that was activated would be able to form a clean battle line. Roland and his troops stepped into the plaza and advanced toward the gate, ready to take on the white army. Halfway through the plaza, the gate suddenly opened and monsters rushed in. The troops deployed quickly, looking at the composition of the enemy and the battle line. The monsters that came out were of the same composition as Monica had told us beforehand. The spearhead was a shield-playing bull (rush bull). As expected, the five of them clumped together and rushed toward the right flank. Next were the ogres. The three ogres with their heavy shields came through the gate, spread out, and attacked the right, center, and left flanks, respectively. Behind them were the werewolves (werewolves), armored orcs, and gale eagles (gale eagles). Shakuma, deploy ''crust magic'' on the right wing!The White Guard form a battle line along with Yuffine''s recovery magic!Monica, you''re on anti-aircraft intercept!" Yes! As Roland gives orders in rapid succession, the members of the unit change their positions one after another and faithfully carry out their orders. Shakuma stood at the head of the right wing and activated his "crust magic. Crust magic" is a magic that causes the ground to rise and a redoubt to appear. The plan to halt Rush Bull''s advance with "crust magic" worked without any particular adverse effects. The rush bulls, which had forward propulsion but could not stop once they started running, slammed into the front of the redoubt and fell down on the spot, stopping even the monsters behind them and causing a traffic jam. With Shakuma thus occupied on the right wing, the fate of the center and left flanks rested in the hands of the newly revamped shield corps and Yuffine''s recovery magic. Let''s go," said Shakuma. "Wide-area recovery magic! Yuffine launched a recovery magic circle large enough to cover the entire unit. However, the dozens of magic lines that had been generated were in disparate positions and did not even form a proper line. Tension ran high among the white army units. At this rate, they would have to face the attack of the ogre without the support of recovery magic. (d*mn. No good.) Yuffine bit her teeth. Again!" Roland shouted encouragement. Roland shouted encouragement. Wide Area Healing Magic! (Please. If your hit rate is so bad, at least get in line.) Yuffine prayed and emitted magic from the tip of her wand. Her wand glowed and numerous magic circles were scattered on the ground. This time, dozens of magic circles lined up neatly, overlapping each other and forming a band. (There were only one or two that were triggered in completely misplaced places.) This would allow them to form a battle line while receiving recovery magic. Good. Go!" On Roland''s signal, the shield-carrying warriors (Warriors) occupied the recovery magic circle, receiving the benefits of recovery themselves while preventing the benefits of recovery from being passed on to the enemy. The ogre swung a huge club at the shield squad. The sound of metal clashing violently with metal was heard, and the shield-bearers (warriors) who were hit by the ogre''s attack received pressure in their internal organs and were shocked to the point of vomiting blood, but they did not nearly die and soon recovered fully through recovery magic. Next, the ogre tried to dislodge the shield team from the magic circle by hitting them with his shield, but the shield team members took the attack with the weight of the ogre in a three-man team and stayed where they were. In the meantime, the attacking mages fed the ogre with high firepower magic. The ogre was frightened when it was hit by the blast flame, and when the shield team hurled a spear at it, it fell to its knees and had no choice but to back away. Monsters other than the ogre rushed into the line of fire, but the shield team, blessed with recovery magic, repelled all attacks from the monsters. (Good. I can do it.) Roland was convinced that this was a tactic that would allow him to make the most effective use of Yuffine''s recovery magic. (Tactics are not fixed. (Tactics are not fixed. We derive the best tactics according to the skills of each member. (This is my way.) Shakuma was feeling impatient when he blocked the advance of a shield-playing bull (rush bull) on his right wing. Because she had invoked "crust magic," her armor had become heavy again, and she was unable to move. (d*mn. If she could apply "Illusion Magic" now, she could have Rush Bull rush toward the enemy. Her armor got heavy again and she couldn''t move. Should I have activated the "illusion magic" first? (No, but that would have made it too late for the assault.) Again, it is unlikely that Roland''s requirement of activating three types of support magic at once can be met. While Shakuma was pondering the composition of his skills, warriors equipped with swords came running up to him. Shakuma has no choice but to stop thinking and cast attack support magic on them. Those who were casted with attack support magic glowed red as they cut through the weakest part of the enemy. After all the attacks by the ground troops had failed, the monsters turned to the airborne attack by the Gale Eagle as their last resort, but Monica easily intercepted the Gale Eagle (the Gale Eagle flaps its wings once every three times). (Strong winds can be created, crippling troops and deflecting arrows fired by archers, but this was no problem for Monica, who can use "Hawkeye"). After that, they rode on top of the redoubt that appeared with Shakuma''s "crust magic" (Shakuma kept invoking his "crust magic" while Monica was shooting down the Gale Eagle, and now the redoubt was as high as one floor of a building. The redoubt merely showed a towering wall against the enemy side, but the wall on the friendly side had a staircase to climb to the ceiling), and after killing the Rush Bull one by one, they also killed the Ogre one by one. After that, the shield team also drew their swords and swept away the remaining monsters such as orcs and werewolves, wiping out the enemy. Having won the white hand-to-hand combat, which had been the bottleneck of the dungeon, Roland and his men again proceeded through the dungeon, but this time they came under increasing obstruction from the three Cooter brothers. They were on the march, but they were doing things that were bordering on the illegal, such as slamming into the tail end of Roland''s troop, yelling abuse, and picking fights. They were impatient to see how Roland and his men had just fought. Roland''s troops are much better equipped than before. It seemed only a matter of time before they could conquer a C- or B-class quest. The only thing to do now was to at least slow down the progress of the march and drain their strength. Some of the new members were annoyed by their blatant interference and went to complain, but each time Roland urged them to restrain themselves. At one point, suddenly, Monica gave the signal, and Roland''s troops stopped walking as slowly as they had been and started running at full speed. In a panic, Cooter''s troop tried to follow, but at that moment, they were suddenly attacked from behind by a monster. They were upset and confused, as they had been on the front foot trying to catch up with Roland and his group, when they were suddenly attacked from behind. The coaters somehow managed to control the situation and get their troops to regain their composure, but the enemy included werewolves, which they could not seem to shake off, so they had no choice but to deploy their troops to return fire. While the coaters were fighting in this way, Roland and his troops advanced through the dungeon at full speed and pulled away from the enemy troops. After defeating the enemy, Cooter''s unit tried to march as fast as possible in order to somehow follow Roland and his unit, but unlike before, they were no longer protected by Monica''s "Hawkeye" and were unable to respond to surprise attacks or ambush soldiers, so they marched a little further and were repeatedly beaten back by the enemy, delaying their march. The Above all, they were afraid of the ogre. If they were to encounter an ogre in their fragile unit, the shield squadron would be defeated with a single blow, and they would be forced to retreat. Fear slowed them down, and impatience sapped their strength. Roland and his men, with Monica''s lead and blessing, steadily advanced through the dungeon unscathed, so that by the time they reached the exit of this level, they were almost a kilometer away from the cohort''s troops. Roland and his team opened a transfer magic circle to the 12th level and proceeded beyond it. It had been 24 hours since they had infiltrated the dungeon. <> 24 - CHAPTER XXIV -- BENEFITS OF SECTIONALISM The 12th level was again in the forest. Since it was a plain, the road was wide and flat, but both sides were forested with groves of trees. Forced to change the formation of his troops after Yuffine''s awakening, Roland decided to review his tactics again. Using the "battle line of recovery magic," he could win against most enemies, but constantly activating magic throughout the battle was also a way of fighting that consumed excessive amounts of magic power. No matter how much magic power Yufine has, she cannot use it every time. Items to recover magic power also need to be procured. Fortunately, Monica used "Hawkeye" to quickly find a place in this hierarchy where "magic cherries" (cherries that can recover magic power if placed in the mouth) were growing in clusters, and Roland set that place as his first target. The formation was set up as follows. Monica will continue to deal with the enemy who will surprise us with "Hawkeye". Yuffine will use "Battle Line of Recovery Magic" only when enemies with high attack power, such as giant ogres, appear. In all other situations, Shakuma will use support magic to get through the battle in the shortest possible time while minimizing the wear and tear on the troops. (The problem is Shakuma. To go up one more level, the way we have been doing is not good enough. If that''s the case, then ......) "Shakuma, will you be in charge of command from here on out?" I am!Are you sure?It''s certainly not unusual for a support mage to assume command of a unit. ......" He said, "Yeah, you''re the only person in this unit who can keep an eye on the whole thing. Will you do it?" Yes, sir. Please let me do it. I will do it. I knew you would say that." Roland saw that Shakuma was the type of person who would become more motivated and powerful the more responsibility and authority he was given. Once in this department, Loran checked the quest information provided by the quest reception office. (The unit already has enough strength to compete with the main force of the "Golden Eagle. But not yet. This unit can still grow. (We will promote Shakuma and Yufine to at least B class by the end of this month for the upcoming decisive battle against the "Golden Hawk"!) According to the quest information, there is a quest for support mages on the 13th level, a quest to defeat "Fox who uses summoning magic (wizard)", and on the 14th level, a quest for healers There was a B-class quest to defeat "Hippopotamus, the hippopotamus that spits blizzards. Both of these quests, if accomplished, would earn the B-Class certification. After confirming each other''s roles and discussing the promises of unit management, the three were given their new assignments and began marching at full speed toward their goal. !"Enemy coming from the right!Five lizardmen!Cover me, please." Monica, who had caught the enemy in "Hawkeye," shouted sharply. She was quick to leave the troop and run to a possible shooting position. Soon Roland could see the "Lizardmen" running through the woods. It was running parallel to the troop''s advance. The Lizardmen were lightly armed monsters with shields and swords. With its sharp sword and thick hide, it was a nasty monster, boasting not only high attack and defense capabilities, but also high speed. Shakuma tried to gather his thoughts as he caught the "Lizardman" out of the corner of his eye. (The key is how to deploy the troops against the "Lizardman" or ...... an enemy with high agility. The support magic we use is ......) You''re late!" Roland yelled. Shakuma freaked out. ''A support mage is all about quickness of judgment. Move your troops before you think!" I''m sorry, yes. White troops, please attack the enemy." Shakuma hurriedly gave the order, but before the white army could attack, Monica, who was standing in a shooting position to hold the enemy''s head, fired an arrow. The arrow did not kill the "lizardmen," but pierced the round shield they were holding. Sensing that they were no match, the "Lizardmen" retreated before shifting to white combat. (Gosh, did they escape?) Shakuma, as I said during the battle, your judgment is slow. Even though Monica told us the type and number of enemies, it is too late to start thinking when we see enemy shadows. Uh, sorry." (The pressure from Mr. Roland is getting tougher. (Does this mean we can''t keep going like this?) Roland gave Shakuma a stern talking-to, while praising Monica. Monica. That was a good move you made earlier. Yes, sir." Thank you." (Monica is an honor student after all. Once she gets over the wall, she''s excellent.) You''re good in that way," he said. "You can fight that way," he said, "but you have to get to the firing point before the enemy does. I''ll be looking forward to seeing you next time. Yes, sir." Monica could not suppress the excitement in her heart at Roland''s praise. It even led to a kind of deep thought. (Roland-san, you''ve been so strict with Shakuma and everyone else, but you seem to be kind only to me?) Roland was merely praising Monica for meeting his order, but regardless of that, Monica''s faint hopes for the future continued to grow. (Roland, why are you being so nice to me?Is there a reason?(Hey, Mr. Loran, please look at me more.) Monica sneaks a glance at Roland''s profile, and then feverishly, but his dark eyes, staring beyond the dungeon, tell her nothing. When Roland and his friends reached a place where many "magic cherries" were growing, they just took the ones they could get and rushed to the 13th level. The 13th level was again a stage of ruins. After one level of intense pressure on Shakuma, her judgment was sharpened. If a monster with high agility appeared, she would deploy early and take up a pursuit position, if the wind direction was in our favor, she would use "illusion magic" to generate fog in advance, and if she wanted to create height, she would use "crust magic" to build a redoubt. Roland was appraising Shakuma''s skills from time to time to check the degree of his growth. When he decided that the time was ripe, he headed out to defeat the "Fox that uses summoning magic (wizard). Thanks to Monica''s "Hawkeye," which enabled her to see the entire map, Roland and his team were able to reach the bottom of the "Wizard Fox" with minimal encounters along the way. The "Wizard Fox" was a bipedal fox dressed as a mage and carrying a staff. It summoned monsters one after another with summoning magic, so it was a monster that could only be defeated by a support mage with quick decision-making abilities. It was a monster that could be defeated in one blow by a B-class or higher warrior because of its low physical strength and defense, but it was cunning and fast on the run, making it difficult to catch. The "Wizard Fox" would run around the narrow paths and crevices between buildings against Roland and his men, summoning "Red Orcs" (which could only be damaged by "Attack Support Magic") and "Blue Orcs" (which could only be damaged by "Defensive Support Magic"), while running away from the Roland and his men. (Orcs that cannot be damaged unless they are Roland and his team responded with a white army unit that was given Shakuma''s "Attack Granting Magic" and "Defense Granting Magic," while relying on Monica''s "Hawkeye" to track down the "Wizard Fox" and eventually cornered it in a square in the dungeon (the remains in the dungeon would eventually lead the enemy to a cul-de-sac if pursued correctly). (They are designed to be cornered). The place was surrounded by tall buildings on all sides, and there was no escape route other than the one that Roland and his men had taken. "You finally cornered them," he said. You''re giving me a hard time." Two members of the white army said, their breath hitching on their shoulders. Wizard Fox," who was waiting at the far end of the square, smiled wryly when he saw Roland and the others. He raised his staff and deployed a magic circle. Roland and his men had cornered Wizard Fox in a place from which there was no escape, but for Wizard Fox, this large space was a perfect place to deploy his many magic circles and slaughter the adventurers. Soon "Red Orc" and "Blue Orc" appeared from the magic circle deployed by "Wizard Fox. Monica fired an arrow at the Wizard Fox, but the Red Oak stood in her way and easily caught it. The red orc is immune to any attack unless it is covered by attack support magic. The arrow that hit the Red Oak''s arm bounced off and rolled on the ground. Shakuma made a quick decision. The enemy''s position, the terrain and wind direction, our position, and the support magic to be used. (The enemy is 5 "Red Orcs" and 5 "Blue Orcs". The wind direction is from right to left. Since the wind direction is even, there is no "illusion magic" for the first move. Then, should we cast "Attack Support Magic" and "Defense Support Magic" on the white army to defeat the orcs?(Or do we use ''crust magic'' to create height?) Shakuma takes everything into consideration, reads two or three moves ahead, and makes a decision. (There is no guarantee that you will be able to defeat the orcs even if you use "attack support magic" or "defense support magic. On the contrary, they might fall behind and miss the "Wizard Fox". Then we have no choice but to create height with "Crust Magic" and finish them off with our archer skills!The key is to buy time and not let the enemy get away!) Shield team, please hold off the enemy orcs. Attack mages, cover the retreat of the ''Wizard Fox''!Archers, follow me." Shakuma rushed out with arrow after arrow of instructions. (Unlike ordinary support mages, I cannot change my position frequently. (Unlike ordinary support mages, I can''t change my position frequently, so I have no choice but to take up a position where I can cast all my support magic as quickly as possible!) Shakuma took up a position in the center of the square and used "crust magic" to construct a redoubt. Once on top of this, the archers should be able to strike any enemy anywhere in the square. As Shakuma began to build the redoubt, the orcs attacked Shakuma and the redoubt in an attempt to sabotage it. The shields rushed to hold off the orcs and protect Shakuma and the redoubt. The battle between the orcs and the shields began on both sides of the redoubt that was steadily being built. The shieldmen cannot damage the orcs, but they succeed in holding them down with their shields and stopping their movement. In the meantime, Shakuma was steadily building a redoubt. The "Wizard Fox" was in no hurry to see this, and he never lost the eerie smile that clung to his fox face. It was as if he was mocking the little girl''s cleverness. Roland and his men could not approach toward "Wizard Fox" any more carelessly for the convenience of defending Shakuma and the redoubt, and the orcs could not break through the shield squadron with only about 10 of them. The two sides stalemated for a time, with neither side being able to make a decisive move. (If they kept on dicking around, they would just get worn out.) One attack mage, numb, unleashed an explosive flame magic against "Wizard Fox. The "Wizard Fox" remained seated without moving an eyebrow even as the flame exploded in front of him. (d*mn it, he doesn''t even change his color even though there is an explosion of flame right in front of him. (They''ve completely seen through our range, haven''t they?) The attacking mage clicked his tongue. (Now we just have to trust that our support mage''s readings are correct.) While Shakuma is making a redoubt, "Wizard Fox" makes another magic circle and adds ten more orcs. This is how "Wizard Fox" always summoned the orcs and made the orcs pry open the escape route, and then escaped while the enemy was fighting the orcs. But by that time, Shakuma''s "crust magic" had also completed a redoubt one floor high. ''Everyone on the left flank, please retreat ten paces. Shakuma activated "illusion magic" at the same time he gave the instruction. As the shield squads on the left flank retreated, the "red orcs" advanced and chased after them. There, a mist blew out from the tip of Shakuma''s staff, and riding on a sideways breeze, the mist began to cover the place where the shield squad had just taken up position and where the "Red Orcs" were now. The fog that quickly fills the area becomes as thick and dense as a wall. The "Red Oak" suddenly loses sight of its enemies and, caught in a vision, begins to fight amongst itself. Freed from the skirmish with the orcs, the left flank''s white army bypasses the fog wall and flanks the "Wizard Fox". The archers climb the steps of the retaining wall and aim at "Wizard Fox" from a high vantage point. Here, the "Wizard Fox"''s expression begins to show signs of impatience. If this continues, he will be attacked from two directions. Wizard Fox hurriedly calls the newly summoned orc back to him. Monica, who had received the "attack support magic," stood on top of the redoubt and fired an arrow at "Wizard Fox. Wizard Fox" let "Blue Oak" catch it. But soon after, the blue-glowing archer, cloaked in blue light from the "Defensive Support Magic," took aim with an arrow. The "Wizard Fox" makes the "Red Oak" catch it. Now "Wizard Fox" was visibly dismayed. While he was debating whether to move the orcs or summon new orcs, the attacking mage, who was within range, unleashed a blazing fire magic that obliterated the Wizard Fox without a trace. The wizard Fox''s staff broke into pieces, and only the Orc Summoning Stone, which had been embedded in the end of the staff, rolled on the ground. The orcs disappeared as if in a cloud. Roland picks up the orc summoning stone. (Good. Now Shakuma is class B.) While Roland and his team were steadily completing their quest, the co-takers were miserable. Ten hours after Roland and his team, the cooters managed to reach the 13th level, where they finally encountered a huge ogre. They fought hard with healing magic and defensive support magic, but their fragile vanguard could not withstand the ogre''s attack, and they had to retreat without a fight. It was just then that Sebasta''s unit, which had been exploring this dungeon, spotted them from a distance. Sebasta and his group, who had reached the 15th level before anyone else, decided that there was no guild that could compete with us, and put the dungeon attack on the back burner in order to start on the quest to win a large sum of money on the 13th level. The first time I saw the "M" in the name of the "M" was in the middle of the day. Sebasta frowned when he saw the coaters. "Hey, aren''t those cooters?" Sebasta asked his second-in-command at his side. It''s true," Sebastian replied. What in the world is he doing here? Hey, you. Go ask them what they are doing. Upon Sebasta''s order, the deputy went to the coaters. Upon the arrival of Sebasta''s second-in-command, the coaters turned from their exhaustion to joy. If they could get Sebasta''s assistance, they would be able to pursue Roland. They were honest about their plight. They had come to this level for a special mission, but they were having trouble breaking through the giant ogre due to the fragility of their troops and poor supply. Please, Sebasta''s unit will assist us. When Sebasta heard this, he was furious. How can a force other than ours be wandering around this dungeon on a mission?Wasn''t this dungeon under the jurisdiction of our Sebasta Corps? A special mission!You''ve got to be kidding me!I didn''t ask for that." Sebasta was a territorial man. It was outrageous and intolerable to him that other units than his own would be wandering around in the same dungeon for reasons that were beyond his control. Sebasta did not help Coter''s troops, but rather demanded that they hand over the items in their possession. Upon receiving this notice, the coaters were surprised and perplexed, explaining. We have no intention of taking credit for Sebasta''s work. They were sent to sabotage the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" unit. Sebasta did not listen to any of their excuses. Don''t be ridiculous," Sebasta said. If you want to sabotage the activities of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree," all you need is for us to attack the dungeon!I have never heard of two units from the same guild working in the same dungeon without coordination. First of all, interfering with another guild''s activities is illegal and against the adventurer''s code!Everything you say is a contradiction in terms. We can only think that you are trying to deceive us and seize the credit. If you continue to talk nonsense, we will attack you immediately!Just because we belong to the same guild, you can expect no mercy!" Sebasta, who had no idea of Roland and Wirik''s struggle for leadership in the guild or the reckless behavior of Lucius, who did not understand the plight of the people in the field, had no idea of the complex conspiracy surrounding the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Golden Eagle. In the end, rather than being rescued, the coaters were left with only the potions they needed to return home, stripped of their clothes, and left on the spot. Thus, while the "Golden Eagles" were struggling amongst themselves, Roland and his team arrived at the 14th level. The order among the units was switched, and Roland and his team were now at the head of the dungeon attack. No one was aware of this. <> 25 - CHAPTER XXV -- The Mysterious World Roland and his friends were walking in the snowy mountains, a silver world as far as the eye could see. (It''s cold.) Monica exhaled white breath and warmed her hands. Although she was wearing the coat, boots, and gloves that Roland had prepared for her in anticipation of the quest to defeat the blizzard-breathing hippopotamus, her body was screaming at the difference in temperature, having been suddenly thrown out of the mild climate and into the snowy mountains. ''There he is!It''s a blizzard-spitting hippopotamus." The Warrior (Warrior) next to Monica shouted sharply. Suddenly, the soldiers around them began to clank their weapons and prepare for battle. This time we will finish them off!" Recognizing the blizzard-spewing hippopotamus at the top of the mountain, the Warriors drew their swords and ran up the snow-covered mountain to close the distance. Hurry up," said the Warrior. Close the distance before the enemy breathes his ''frost breath''! The warriors (warriors) run up the sloping slope, their legs caught in the snow. Just as they were about to close in, Blizzard Hippopotamus opened its large mouth and let out a breath of "frost breath," a mixture of snow, ice, and water. Stop for a moment!Wide-area recovery magic!" Yuffine casts a recovery magic spell and deploys a "recovery magic battle line". A furious storm of snow and ice hits the area, robbing them of their vision. Snowmen (Yeti), who had been hiding in the snow, emerged and attacked the adventurers. Just in time, the adventurers stood on top of the magic circle. The Yeti attacked with their clubs, but soon recovered their strength with restorative magic. The blizzard, which had reached an extreme density, deprived the adventurers of strength, and even whitewashed out their vision. The adventurers were trapped in a white darkness, unable to distinguish friend from foe. Meanwhile, the Yeti were able to strike the adventurers with precision. For a while, the Yeti and the blizzard were one-sidedly torturing the adventurers, but as the blizzard cleared and visibility improved, they began to counterattack. Eventually, the Yeti were defeated. By that time, however, Blizzard Hippopotamus, despite its short legs, had left the battle zone with surprising agility. d*mn. We missed it. We''ll have to start all over again." This is a 14-level snowfield area. The dungeon was basically green and lush with early summer weather, but this was the work of a blizzard-spewing hippopotamus. Roland and his team arrived at the 14th level and challenged the quest to defeat the blizzard-spewing hippopotamus. As its name suggests, the blizzard-spewing hippopotamus was a troublesome monster that always breathed "freezing breath. Wherever the Blizzard Hippopotamus was located, the whole area would be covered in snow. Only cold-tolerant monsters can live around this monster. In front of Blizzard Hippopotamus'' "Frozen Breath," armor and shields were useless. No matter how hard they were protected, the icy breath would cause frostbite on the skin of the adventurers, stopping the function of their blood vessels and eventually causing necrosis throughout their bodies. Moreover, the Blizzard Hippopotamus was constantly surrounded by snowmen (Yeti), who were harmless even after being hit by the "freezing breath," and they protected the Blizzard Hippopotamus. Although the Yeti has no armor or sword, it is a troublesome monster with thick hair, a muscular physique, and eyes that can see everything around it even in a dense snowstorm. Adventurers had to fight the Yeti while receiving "freezing breath," which in essence meant that they needed to constantly recover. This is the reason why the quest to defeat the Blizzard Hippopotamus was considered a quest for healers. So now, Roland and his troops were actually chasing around the Blizzard Hippopotamus, relying on their "battle line of recovery magic," but they were unable to make a decisive victory. They do well up to the point of fighting off the Yetis, but in the meantime, the all-important Blizzard Hippopotamus escapes. The Yetis were also repelled, but not to the point of death. They would retreat before they lost all their strength, dig out nuts that had been stored in advance throughout the snowy mountains, recover, and then come back to face them again. Roland and his men lacked decisive moves against the enemy''s guerrilla warfare, and they were slowly losing strength and depleting their items. But the troops fought hard. Undeterred by the monsters'' relentless hit-and-away tactics, they steadily drove the enemy into the corners of the dungeon. Despite Blizzard Hippopotamus'' "freezing breath" and the heavy snowfall that obstructed their vision, Monica''s "Hawkeye" prevented surprise attacks by the enemy, and Yufine recovered her troops with "wide-range recovery magic" whenever the enemy came toward them, steadily hunting down the snow men (Yeti) and Blizzard Hippopotamus. Only while the troops were recovering with "Wide Area Recovery Magic," they were free from the cold and felt as warm as if they were by a bonfire. During the march, the members of the troop were so eager to benefit from the "wide-range recovery magic" that they were secretly hoping that the monsters would come at them soon. After eliminating the Yeti inhabiting the vicinity, Roland and his team finally cornered the main blizzard-spewing hippopotamus (Hippopotamus) at the edge of the snowfield. Blizzard Hippopotamus kept the troops in check by releasing cold air that was even stronger than the previous ones. The troops were unable to escape from Yuffine''s "wide-area recovery magic" while Blizzard Hippopotamus was emitting cold air. Gghh. What kind of cold air is that? I can''t move forward. In the face of the intense cold air of Blizzard Hippopotamus, the men of the white army swore involuntarily. But that didn''t stop any of them from making weak noises. It never stopped the troops from advancing. They endured the enemy''s attacks, and every time the Blizzard Hippopotamus stopped breathing cold air, they moved a little closer to the enemy, scraping through the snow. Even now, another opportunity was about to present itself. Blizzard Hippopotamus closed its large mouth once and stored the cold air in its mouth. Soon another breath of ice would be pouring down, but it would be another chance to close the distance. If they are caught in range of Monica, they can decide the match. But to do so, they must first deploy Yuffine''s "Battle Line of Recovery Magic". (It was no longer safe to take "Frozen Breath" seriously without recovery magic) Yuffine. It''s recovery magic. Move the battle line forward." When Roland gave the order, Yuffine activated "wide-area recovery magic. However, the magic circle is scattered in pieces. (Tsk, another misstep.) Roland inwardly clicked his tongue. The hit rate of Yuffine''s recovery magic was as low as ever, and she was only able to form a proper battle line about once every three times. It could be said that she had been missing out on many opportunities to win because of this. (After all, this low hit rate is not good enough for a professional healer. ) However, I was afraid of being attacked directly by the rear guard without forming a battle line. We just have to keep trying until we succeed.) Yuffine. Can you do the recovery spell again, ...... Yufine?" Yuffine continued to release magic even though the recovery magic had missed. (Yufine?(What the hell) In the meantime, Blizzard Hippopotamus is about to exhale cold air. If they falter, the troops will suffer catastrophic damage. "Yuffine," he said, "I''ve got to go. What''s wrong?We need to move fast. ......" Mr. Roland. I ......, the magic circle is ......" Roland was surprised when Yuffine said so. Her magic circle was moving, not staying where it was. (The magic circle is moving?Once a magic circle is activated, it should not be able to be moved from that location, so why?No way!) Roland appraised Yuffine''s skills. Her "wide area recovery magic" was A. (She can move her magic circle at will. (Is this the A level of "wide area recovery magic"?) She was able to move her deployed magic circle at will. Roland''s invented tactic of continuously activating recovery magic not only compensated for her low hit rate, but also accidentally triggered the awakening of her true power. The circular magic circles, which had been triggered in disparate positions, were connected by her manipulations in a bead-like pattern, forming a battle line. Not only that, she created a magical path toward the location of Blizzard Hippopotamus. Blizzard Hippopotamus opens its big mouth and spits out a mouthful of cold air. Monica!One-hit-kill!" Yes!" Roland and Monica communicated only through this exchange. Monica ran through the magic circle and shot Blizzard Hippopotamus at point-blank range with a "one-hit kill," despite the blizzard of cold air. Blizzard Hippopotamus shattered like ice and fell apart. The light blue tusk of Blizzard Hippopotamus, the item "Ivory of Cold Air," comes to Yuffine''s hand by itself. (Good. Now Yuffine is in class B.) Roland looked again at Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine. (Now all they have to do is conquer the quests for the A class and they will be at the limit of their growth. My mission is complete ......?) After conquering Blizzard Hippopotamus, Roland and his team reached the 15th level in the shortest distance, using Monica''s "Hawkeye" to pick up energy recovery items. The 15th level was a rest point (save point). All right," said Roland. All teams, please report back to me. Roland called out to them, and each group began to report. Team 2, no problems. Team 3, no problem. Team 4 is short of potions. Please start with the group that has more. Team 5, please wait a moment while I restore your magic. Yuffine said as she took out her "Magic Cherry. ''It''s not too worn out, and I''m fully stocked up on items. You don''t mean to tell me you''re coming home, do you?" Mr. Roland. We can still explore." Monica and Shakuma struck a fighting pose with both fists in front of them as if to indicate that they could still do it. Roland chuckled at the low attrition of his troops. (It''s been 10 levels and up, no big deal. ......? That''s true, too. With Monica''s "Hawkeye," Shakuma''s support magic, and Yuffine''s recovery magic, we can clear any dungeon.) I agree. We can still explore." (But ......, that''s as far as you go.) Listen up, everyone." Roland called out to them and they all paid attention. You''ve done very well so far. From now on, we will finally be in the "God''s domain" after the 16th level. However, there is nothing to fear. There are A-class archers in this unit. Shakuma and Yufine can be considered to already have the equivalent of an A-class ability. The rest of the members are also elite, comparable to B class. Even the monsters that live in the "Shinto realm" should be no match for you." The members of the unit all looked satisfied, and their faces were filled with joy. The dungeon may be more difficult to conquer this time," he said. At the pace at which they have been conquering dungeons in the past, the second main unit of the "Golden Eagle", the Sebasta unit, should have reached the deepest part of the dungeon by now. Soon, this dungeon will be off limits to all but the Golden Eagle. However, there is still time. I want you to advance as far as you can, conquer the quests, and get as close as you can to the dungeon''s deepest point while you still can." (What about you guys?) Monica was sensitive to Roland''s tricky phrasing. ''Monica, Shakma, Yuffine. Take this to ......." The three receive the quest information distributed by Roland. This is the quest you are to pursue. Complete as much as you can before the dungeon is invaded by the Golden Eagle." Mr. Loran. ....... Mr. Roland isn''t coming with us?" Monica said inconsolably. Roland shook his head sadly. My skills, my status, and my equipment are limited here," Roland said. As a matter of fact, it''s all I can do to keep up with you guys. Roland laughed with a resigned look on his face. While all the members of his unit were wearing B-class equivalent equipment, Roland was still wearing D-class equivalent equipment. For Roland, who had decided to specialize in appraisal skills, reaching the deepest level of the dungeon was a dream he had given up long ago. If I follow you any further, I''ll be dragging you down," he said. Besides, in time, your students will leave your hands and leave the nest. Roland said sadly. You should be able to explore the dungeon without me now. No, perhaps it was too late to let you go off on your own. It''s been a while since I''ve been entrusted with the responsibility of leading adventurers, and I''m so happy about it that I''ve gotten carried away. Roland looked sad with a huff. (Mr. Roland ......) Monica could tell from Roland''s expression that there was a hint of sadness behind him, a hint of his past, a hint of the painful experiences he had had in the past. And that his wounds had not yet healed. Perhaps he had been through something much more painful than she had experienced in her own life. Monica felt choked up. Somehow she wanted to share in Roland''s grief and pain. She wanted to be his support, but she was frustrated that she could not. Roland looked at Monica''s wistful face and curiously scowled. Monica, what''s wrong with your face? Mr. Roland, I ...... couldn''t be by your side because I couldn''t ...... be by Mr. Roland''s." I''m just going away for a little while," he said. You''ll see each other again eventually when the dungeon is conquered." No, it''s not. I''m ...... I mean, that''s not what I''m ...... trying to say." Now, look forward. You''re an ace and you need to get your act together. From here on out, you''ll never make it in your lifetime as an ordinary adventurer. It must have been your dream, too. And now you are qualified to open the door to your dream. You have to go forward with your heart held high. Ugh. Hi." Roland hugged Monica and cheered her up. He said a few words to Shakuma, Yuffine, and the others. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine. From now on, you are in command of this unit, and the three of you will consult with each other as you move through the dungeon. Good bye." Roland said that much and climbed on top of the "magic circle of return. Roland-san. Until we meet again. Shakuma waved Loran off with an exaggerated wave. Roland waved back. Soon, light surrounded Roland. The magic circle carried Roland to the city. Monica, with her heart full of the feelings she had failed to convey, regained her composure and turned to face the transition magic circle that would take her to the 16th level. Yufinee popped the bunch of "magic cherries" she had finished eating with a pinch of her finger and threw them away. The bunch of "magic cherries" falls to the floor. Good. The magic is restored!Anytime." Yuffine said in a crisp tone that seemed to shake off the pungent odor. She maintained her dry side, not showing her emotions even in such a situation. The prepared troops took up positions on the transition magic line to the 16th floor. The members of the troop could not contain their excitement as they faced the transition to the 16th level. It''s the 16th level! Oh." Hey, have you ever been to the sixteenth level?" No, this is my first time." They couldn''t wait to face the door to the new adventure that was looming ahead of them. After the troops had gone through the transitional magic circle, they found themselves in a mysterious world. The overgrown trees, growing plants, and hanging fruits were all shining like jewels. The creatures, the plants, the ground, and the air were all dimly luminous white. There was nothing in this place that did not shine. (...... beautiful) Monica gasped at the sheer beauty of the world. There were no ordinary monsters there anymore. Only monsters called "divine beasts," the messengers of the gods, were allowed to live there. Monica stepped out of the magic circle and onto the 16th level. She was now, without a doubt, about to venture into the "Divine Realm" on her own. A few hours after Monica and the others stepped onto the 16th level, Sebasta and the others, who had taken the items from the cooter''s unit, arrived at the 15th level. ''Oh dear,'' said Sebasta, ''we''re going to have to go back up. I''ve wasted so much time on these cooters. Sebasta crossed the room at the save point with a chagrinned look on his shoulders. But I don''t understand. What in the world were they doing there? Even they must have known that they would not be able to explore beyond the tenth level with such a weak unit and equipment. Sebasta''s second-in-command wondered. Hmmm," Sebasta''s second-in-command said curiously. Most likely, they thought they could outmaneuver us, and in their greed, misjudged their own capabilities. They''re stupid. Hm. Well, I guess that''s that. I don''t care about the coaters. It''s more about the future. Sebasta sat down on the edge of the fountain and glared at the troops. We are now about to enter the 16th level, the "sanctuary. You must get back into the swing of things. For now, let''s see how exhausted each group is. ...... Captain!Captain!Oh, my God! What a surprise. What''s the matter with you? Why don''t you calm down a little? Sebasta frowned when he saw one of his deputies rush forward. Look at this. The second-in-command points a thin, stem-like object in his hand in front of Sebasta''s eyes. This is ......." We think it''s a bunch of ''magic cherries. What the hell is ......?" We don''t consume ''magic cherries'' here. That is, ......." It means someone other than us got here." Sebasta''s face turns grim. ''Nonsense. Who else but us could be in this hierarchy?" Calm down. We''ll figure it out through item appraisal." One of Sebasta''s unit, who has the skill of "item appraisal," appraises a bunch of "magic cherries. In his mind''s eye, he could clearly see Yuffine dumping a bunch of "magic cherries" on the floor. He could also see the emblem of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" engraved on the breast of her dress. How''s that?What did you find out?" Yes, I could see it clearly, Captain. The person who dumped this bunch of ''magic cherries'' here. That person is an adventurer belonging to the Guardians of the Magic Tree. Curse you!You have conspired against us!" Sebasta''s eyes widened with a snap and he stood up as if he had been played. He grabbed his beloved axe and announced to all the troops. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree"! You are a ''guardian of the magic tree,''" he said. All of you take up arms. We''re going after them right now. You will pay for your crime of outwitting us!) <> 26 - CHAPTER XXVI -- S-CLASS ADVENTORS A golden horse with wings on its back, Pegasus, attempts to trample the adventurers with its hooves from above the troop. Monica fires an arrow, but it is consumed by Pegasus'' magic. Monica quickly fires a custom-made arrow made of silver. This time it pierced her leg without burning, but it was not enough to finish her off with a single blow. The pegasus flees into the forest bushes. She can use recovery magic and will come back as soon as her wounds heal. ''Haa haa. Kuku." Monica breathed on her shoulder, but there was no time to rest. She immediately switched her viewpoint to "Hawkeye" and prepared for the next enemy. Soon a group of centaurs can be seen from the forest on the right. Enemy attack!A squad of centaurs is coming from the right. Those in the White Guard should hurry up and get ready. What?Are they still coming?" We''re too busy dealing with the enemy in front of us! Swearing comes from those in the white army. They were busy dealing with the swarms of chimera in front of them. (d*mn, what should I do?) Monica. Let''s deal with the newcomers only with the rear guard. Even if we can''t fight them off, we should be able to at least slow them down." I got it." Monica and Shakuma, accompanied by a squad of bowmen (archers) and attack mages, headed to check the enemy on the flank. Fortunately, this time we were able to fire a burst of flame magic and arrows at the enemy before they noticed our approach, so the group of centaurs stopped advancing. However, they did not retreat completely, but hid behind trees and bushes to seek a chance to attack. (Successful checks and balances. But will they retreat? ......) Monica looks toward the white army unit with "Hawkeye". Fortunately, the white army unit seemed to be almost ready to put away the chimera. Shakuma, it looks like the white army is almost done. There seems to be no more need for checks and balances. Monica gave Shakuma an earful. I understand. Then let''s meet up with the vanguard unit." After Shakuma created a fog with his "illusion magic" to block the centaurs'' path, they all hurried to join the vanguard unit. In the meantime, Monica''s "Hawkeye" caught another new hand. "!Shakuma, another new hand is coming. This time from behind the troop!" Heck, new moves keep coming one after the other. As soon as Shakuma and his team met up with the vanguard unit, they gave the order to leave immediately. The unit ran to fend off the new enemies without even a moment to catch their breath. (This is the 16th level "sacred space. We can''t let our guard down even for a moment.) Monica bites her lip at the different level of enemies. Since a while ago, she had been unable to defeat most of the monsters and had to do her best just to get by. The reason for the struggle was not only the strength of the monsters in the "sanctuary. Monica and her team felt the size of the hole that Roland had left. Even though he was useless as a combatant, his quick judgment and instructions, thoughtful follow-up, first-step movements, sense of the big picture, maintenance of morale, and above all, the sense of security backed by his high level of experience, in short, his significance as a spiritual pillar was immense. Now that these were gone, the troops were momentarily lost in everything they did, and the precision of their judgment and coordination was slowing down. The toughness of the enemy in the "sacred area" is quite different from the enemy in the "sacred area". Shakuma said. Hey," Shakuma said. Still, don''t you feel a strange sense of pressure from earlier?" Yuffine said doubtfully. That''s because it''s a ''sanctuary'' ......." Monica said. ''I still think the encoutrement rate is too high. ''If you ask me, it''s true. Monsters keep popping up, no matter what we do. Hey, maybe we''re at the head of the attack?" What?Well then ......" If we keep going, we may reach the deepest part of this dungeon before the Golden Eagle does. At that moment, Monica''s "Hawkeye" caught sight of another unit marching a few kilometers behind them. (A heavily armed contingent, with every man from the vanguard to the rear guard in full armor. That''s ...... the second main force of the "Golden Hawk Eye", the Sebasta Corps!) Monica, what''s wrong?" Sebasta Squadron is ...... behind ...... Sebasta Squad! Isn''t that the main force of the Golden Eagle? Then I knew it. We''re in the lead now." What do we do now?Our goal is not to conquer dungeons. There have been too many encounters since the beginning, and I''d give up the lead if I could, but ...... I guess I can''t say that." Euphine glances toward the forest bushes. Another group of centaurs emerged from the forest. We just have to keep going. Monica and her team felt the pressure of being chased by the "golden hawk" as they proceeded to explore the dungeon. (Since a while ago, I can''t stop sweating even though it is never hot. (It''s not hot, but I can''t stop sweating, and it''s not cold, but I can''t stop getting goosebumps. Is this the pressure of being the first team to attack?) Monica bit her lip. Her heart was beating faster than ever. The attacking gods and beasts were formidable, but the pressure of Sebasta''s team coming up behind them was far greater. I had never imagined that being chased from behind could be so terrifying. And was it my imagination? Monica felt something like a murderous intent coming from behind her. Perhaps she was being overly concerned, but that was how wildly Sebasta and the others were advancing. Monica frequently checked the position of Sebasta and the others with "Hawkeye" as they advanced. (They''re getting a little closer again. ......) Monica felt as if her heart had been squeezed tight. Monica. I see a fork in the road. Which way should I go?" Shakuma asked. ''Go to ...... to the right.'' Monica was so taken aback that she chose the road less obstructed rather than heading for her destination. (Faster. We need to move forward faster.) Let''s hurry up and keep going. Everyone please run." The troop, faithful to her instructions, proceeded at the speed of its march. From the way they looked, Monica realized that the rest of them felt the same way. A bad feeling was approaching from behind. However, after advancing some distance through the 17th level, the presence of the monsters suddenly stopped. (What?What the hell is it this time?) Monica thought with an agitated yet strangely awake mind. She tried scanning the area with Hawkeye, but the area was hazy and indistinct, as if enveloped in a haze. He asked, "Is this ......?" The enemy''s presence has disappeared. A few tens of seconds after Monica, Shakuma and Yufine also seemed to have noticed the unusual situation. Hey," she said. Monica. Can''t you see anything in Hawkeye? I don''t know. I can''t see. I can''t see anything!" Monica said, panicking a little. She was on the edge of her seat, too tense from earlier. Oh," she said. The guardian of the magic tree. That''s an unusual one, isn''t it? Monica and the others were startled by the sudden sound of a man''s voice. When they turned around, they saw a man sitting there, dressed in black with only one long sword on his back. I thought for sure that the "golden hawk" would be the first to attack this time as well," he said. I thought the ''golden hawk'' would be the first to attack this time. Monica looked at the man as if he were a fox. What is this man? Is he human?How did you get to the ''sanctuary'' (......) alone? Um, you are ......" I am Yugan, a swordsman belonging to the guild ''Knights of the Crescent Moon. Yugan!When you say Yugan, you don''t mean that Mr. Yugan, do you?" "Shakuma, do you know?" I don''t know anything about him, but he''s an S-class adventurer, Mr. Yugan. Class S! That''s right. That''s right, I''m Yugan, an S-class adventurer. The man smiles wryly, stands up, and approaches Monica and the others. (This man is an S-class adventurer. (This is an S-class adventurer, someone who can reach the deepest part of the dungeon by playing solo. We finally got here with thirty people and a great deal of ingenuity in our organization, but ......, this man got here with a single sword.) Monica forgot about her earlier near-panic state and observed the S-class adventurer in front of her with a serious look. He was indeed slender at first glance, but his behavior was flawless, and the garb he wore and the long sword he held radiated an unbelievable magical power. Monica felt that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to surpass him. ''How did an S-class adventurer end up in a place like this?'' Shakuma asked. I heard a rumor that a Turtle Dragon appears in this dungeon. I came all the way to this town on good authority, and it seems the rumors were correct. Yugan points with his thumb to a small hill at the end of the road, a place shrouded in a white haze that makes it impossible to see. He was just up ahead. The boss of the dungeon. The boss of the dungeon! So you''re saying this is the deepest part of the dungeon?" The humans in the unit buzzed. We had finally reached the place where we were the boss. We''ve reached the deepest part before we knew it.) Monica was stunned, not knowing what to make of this fact. She said, "Normally, I''d be the one to attack it myself. ......" Yugan looked bitter. The battle elephant that''s with me is in the way," he said. It''s a little tough to attack alone. So I have a suggestion: why don''t we join forces?" Team up? I''ll join your squad. What? We''ll form a joint front and together we''ll take down the boss down the road. The management of the dungeon will be handed over to you, the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree''. In exchange, I will take all the items dropped by the monsters. What do you think?I don''t think that''s a bad deal." Monica and the others looked at each other. Their expressions showed clear confusion. Yugan ran his eyes over Monica and her unit. As far as I can see your party is ......, oh, it''s just 29 of you. You are just one person short of the maximum number of 30 in your troop. That''s good. No need to get into trouble. As Yugan said this, he tilted his head inwardly when he saw the organization of Monica and the others'' unit. (What is it?Their unit. There are so many shield bearers. The rear guard may be the main attackers, but even so, there is too much bias. And the lineup of these guys. I thought they were Lilianne''s unit because they were called "Guardians of the Magic Tree," but ......, they are all faces I''ve never seen before. (Is this a newly established unit?) Yugan wonders, but smiles wryly. Well, that''s more convenient for me.) Monica and the others looked at each other. The three of them looked at each other and their faces showed their feelings of hesitation. I''m telling you, the boss is a tough nut to crack, even for an S-class adventurer like me," said Monica, "and it''s going to be tough to take him on by yourself. From the looks of it, it seems that your team has a lot of shields and a high level of defense, but I''m not sure about the attack, am I?If you''re going to take on the boss, I think it would be in your best interest to include me in your team." Um, actually, we''re not here to attack dungeons. An?What''s that? We were just about to try a quest to improve our skills and adventurer ranks in ...... this level, respectively. Huh?What''s that? You''ve come this far and your goal is to advance your adventurer class?" Yes, I am. I''m an appraiser at ...... under the direction of the person who is teaching us. ......" What''s an appraiser, you ......?" Yugan said in dismay. (Are these guys for real? They''ve come to the deepest part of the dungeon and they listen to what the appraiser says? How did these guys make it this far? They''re not even newbies. (Or are they ...... rookies ......?) From what Yugan could see, there were some veterans mixed in among those in the white army unit, but upon closer inspection, Monica and Eufine still had that teenage primness that is characteristic of teenagers. Shakuma looked like a student at a training school (the equivalent of a modern junior high school student). I had to somehow convince them to take on the boss. ......) Yugan frowned at the unexpected challenge. He had been a solo player all these years and was not good at this kind of consensus-building process, let alone negotiating. Suddenly, from behind him, he heard angry shouts, yells, and the sound of metal clanging in battle. What now?" When Yuffine turned around, she saw Sebasta''s group fighting a pack of human-faced lions (sphinxes). They were coming toward us, coming at us wildly. It was obvious to everyone that they were furious. What is that?Sebasta Squad!" Um, ......, aren''t those people kind of angry?" Shakuma said, squinting. ''Ahhhh. They''re furious because they think they got the credit. Yugan said it as if it were someone else''s problem. Intercept?" They think we''ve already conquered the dungeon they''ve been trying to conquer. If things continue as they are, there may be a battle. Oh, no. We didn''t mean to ...... What do you mean by "battle?" ....... No matter how many adventurers are in a dungeon, it is not legal for adventurers to get into a fight with other adventurers. Shakma said in exultation. ''I wish I could get through to those guys. Yugan put his arms behind his head in a "good grief" attitude. Sebasta is famous for being a hardcore, brainy, single-celled guy," he said. "Sebasta is known to be hard-core, brainy, and single-minded. Sebasta and the others acknowledged the presence of Monica and the others. Captain!There''s a squad over there that''s not ours!" I see you!Take assault formation!We must strike first before the enemy is ready." Monica and the others are upset. What are we going to do? They''re in an assault formation. Euphine said in dismay. We can fight them. Fight them or fight the boss? It''s one of two things. Yugan said pleasantly. What is it? Those guys. They''re going to do it? I''m in! Come on if you''re coming!I''ll be your partner." Two of the warriors (warriors) said in a bloodthirsty tone. Some of them seemed to agree with them. Hey, hey, hey, you guys wanna do this here?Give me a break. I don''t want any trouble. Yugan said in a troublesome manner. ''Hey. Let''s just attack the dungeon already." Yuffine said. They seem to be ready to fight. Even if we win in court, it won''t be worth it if they get seriously injured. Then let''s just clear the dungeon, get the management rights, and get them out of here. Sure thing. That seems like the best plan to me. Shakma agreed. They look at Monica. ''Ugh, okay. If you two say so. ......" Monica turns to Yugan. She looks at him and says, "Mr. Yugan. Will you sign a contract with us?" That''s the way it''s got to be. Yugan broke into a smile. He said, "I''ll take the drop items you get from defeating the boss, ......, is that correct?" Yes, sir." In exchange we will take management rights." Okay," he said. We have a deal. Monica and Yugan exchanged the guild emblems on each other''s clothing. This is an abbreviated form of contract between adventurers. The boss is just beyond this haze. Follow me! Yugan ran toward the haze. Monica and the others hurriedly followed Yugan. (Kuku. Once we get into the boss battle, we''re in control. We can change the contract as much as we want.) Yugan smiled wryly. Monica and the others could not see the expression on his face. Soon, all the people in the troop went into the haze. Then the place where Monica and the others were just a moment ago is also enveloped in a deep haze, as if a door is closing, and it closes. Sebasta and the others followed Monica and the others into the haze, but for some reason, their sense of direction was confused, and no matter how straight they went through the haze, they were returned to where they had been. They continued toward the haze, and before they knew it, they were standing in a long, wide corridor lined with colonnades. The light shining through the columns was a blood-red evening sun. There was no ceiling, and the colonnades stretched as far as the eye could see toward the sky. Through the gaps between the columns, we could catch a glimpse of the stages of the dungeons we have been adventuring in. From this vantage point, it was obvious at a glance that each level of the dungeon was multi-layered, and it was a view that made sense that this was the structure of the dungeon. But there was no time to admire the view. At the end of the corridor, there is a throne, and in front of it, there are 11 magic circles drawn as if to protect the throne. Behind it was the haze that we had just passed through. The magic circle at the back of the cloister shines strongly. It indicated that the boss would appear soon. He''s coming!" Yugan shouted shortly. The magic circle glowed brightly and ten battle elephants were summoned. The battle elephant immediately started running. It rushed toward the adventurers with sharp spears attached to both sides of its snout. Behind the battle elephant, a shell-clad dragon (Turtle Dragon) emerges from a magic circle with a long diameter. Yugan rushes out. Mr. Yugan! I''ll take the Turtle Dragon!You guys take care of the battle elephants." (Well, I wouldn''t hold out much hope.) While the battle elephants are attracted to Monica and her group, the Turtle Dragon is defeated. Yugan''s plan was to help Monica and the others, who were having trouble with the battle elephants, to extract more rewards. I''ll take the items and the dungeon management rights!) Yugan leaped with a running start and lightly leaped higher than the battle elephant''s head. He passed over the battle elephant with his hands on its back like a jumping box. The battle elephant, which has a hard time stopping once it starts running, runs past Yugan and runs toward Monica and the others. Monica and the others counterattacked by forming a battle line. The battle elephants, not caring about the battle line, used their weight to blow away the shield squads, laying waste to the troops. Yugan looked at Monica and the others as he ran toward the Turtle Dragon. (Uh-oh. How dare they foolishly form a line of battle against the battle elephants. You''re not good at this, the way you fight.) Yugan felt like covering his eyes at the poor fighting style of Monica and the others, even though he was a stranger to them. A cloud of dust was rising from where Monica and the others had been. By now, they must have been crushed one by one by the battle elephants. This is no time to be idle. If I am to defeat the Battle Elephant, I must quickly defeat the Turtle Dragon.) While he was thinking about this, a bladed tail was shot down toward Yugan. It was the tail of a turtle dragon. Despite the blow from a monster that weighs many times more than Yugan, Yugan easily parries the blow with his long, thin sword, and not only that, he repels it. He also dealt with the attack by the tail with sword again as if it was a normal kumite, moved into the gap, and slashed at the Turtle Dragon''s neck. The Turtle Dragon quickly retracted its head and settled into its shell. Yugan''s sword ended up only slightly carving the shell. The Turtle Dragon spun around and tried to crush Yugan at close range with the weight of its shell and the force of its rotation. However, Yugan easily repelled even that with his sword. The Turtle Dragon was blown away and slammed into one of the pillars. The column collapsed, sending a cloud of dust into the surrounding area. However, the Turtle Dragon itself stuck its head out and looked unconcerned. It did not seem to have sustained much damage. (Tsk. This is it. The Turtle Dragon''s high defense makes it a nuisance. If we take our time, we can definitely defeat it, but we have to hurry. It''s hard to deal with Battle Elephant''s rush while dealing with this thing. (What''s going on with those guys?) While trying not to divert his attention from the Turtle Dragon, Yugan looked sideways in the direction of Monica and the others, and his eyes widened. There was an incredible sight. Yugan had hoped to at least buy some time, if not to defeat the battle elephants, but what he saw was a troop fighting on unscathed and two fallen battle elephants. (Stupid ....... Unharmed by the rush of the battle elephants!On the contrary, how could you kill two battle elephants in such a short time?How on earth did you ......?) Yugan continues to observe Monica and the others while fighting off the bladed tail of a Turtle Dragon that is coming down on him. The battle elephants were once again forming up to charge. The shield team also formed up in a tight block. The long, vertical blocks were made so that more than one could strike at a single animal. Protect Yuffine!As long as we protect her, no matter how much damage she takes, we can rise again and again!" One of the men in the shield squad shouted. The shield team takes the assault of the battle elephants, and although they are blown away, they succeed in changing the direction of the battle elephants so that they do not go toward Yuffine. (Now I can move the magic circle at will!) Yuffine manipulates her wand to move the magic circle. The recovery magic was already in effect. Under Yuffine''s manipulation, the magic circle that was under the person who was blown away followed the person who was blown away and made him recover. (A moving magic circle......?) Yugan''s eyes widen in astonishment. When the battle elephants reach the end of the corridor, they turn again and attempt to charge. They had no other ability but to keep up this one-patterned attack instead of their high attack, defense, and physical strength. I got it!" At that opportune moment when the body was changing direction, the attacking mage shot an explosive flame. One battle elephant screeched and stamped its feet. Monica takes advantage of this opportunity to kill another one with a "one-hit kill. The battle elephants again rush in, but once again, they are evaded by the skillful blocking of the shield squads and are unable to sink their tusks into the rear guard. In the meantime, Shakuma found a perfect firing point that was not exposed to the battle elephants, but still had range over the entire corridor. There it is!) Shakuma dived into the space between the columns and behind the fallen battle elephant and built a redoubt with "crust magic. In no time at all, a high plateau was formed. Monica!It''s okay." As Shakuma said this, Monica ran up the stairs and stood on top of the raised platform. Monica looked around the cloister from the top of the raised platform. (You can see the entire cloister. That''s Shakuma. (He made a perfect shooting point.) With the entire corridor in her sights, Monica took out the battle elephants one by one. Monica, who had already been given "attack granting magic" by Shakuma, was able to kill the battle elephants with a single blow. The last of the battle elephants rushes into the shield squad''s block with the last of its strength. The Battle Elephant''s spear and the Warrior''s (Warrior''s) shield collided so violently that the spear broke and flew through the air. The spear flew toward Shakuma and hit his armor. Shakuma is blown away by the impact and rolls to the ground, his armor slipping off his body with the bounce. Shakuma!" Yuffine turned pale. (This is not good. If Shakuma runs out on me now, ......) Someone. Seize Shakuma!" ''It''s all right. Yuffine." Shakuma stands up, relying on his cane, while turning his hand toward Yuffine to restrain her. Shakuma?" ''Mr. Roland taught me. The true role of a support mage is ....... Now I no longer lose myself and abandon my role." Shakuma, freed from the weight of his armor, squeezes his eyes to suppress his raging emotions and runs up the redoubt stairs at a run. Monica finishes off the last of the battle elephants. That''s the last one!" All that''s left is the Turtle Dragon. Shakuma comes up next to Monica and looks toward the Turtle Dragon, which is still going head-to-head with Yugan. He then casts "illusion magic. (Tsk. They''ve already defeated the battle elephant. Our positions are completely opposite, aren''t they? I was going to use them and sell my gratitude to them, but on the contrary, I''m being used to buy time.) While confronting the Turtle Dragon, Yugan could feel the fog coming in around him. (Is this "illusion magic"?That little support mage is doing it!) Monica was about to unleash a one-hit kill toward the Turtle Dragon. (No good. The light spot didn''t emerge. (No, it doesn''t appear.) She still hasn''t accumulated enough damage, I guess. But if only Shakuma''s illusion magic would work (......) Thus, the fog thickened and the Turtle Dragon fell into a state of delirium. It begins to beat its own head against the columns. Yugan looks at the Turtle Dragon behind the fog, frustrated. (A chance to finish off the Turtle Dragon ......, but the fog is too thick. You can''t even get close to it or aim a bow and arrow at it.) (Still ......, I have "Hawkeye") Monica switched her viewpoint to "Hawkeye. The fog completely blocked the Turtle Dragon from all sides, but it was clearly visible from above. Monica''s arrow hit the Turtle Dragon in the neck. The Turtle Dragon gasped in pain. The Turtle Dragon gasped in pain. The light spot from "One Strike, One Kill".) (That woman. She''s shooting arrows into the mist. She can see the enemy in this thick fog?) Yugan''s face contorted in astonishment. (What the hell is it with these guys? Their unbalanced composition, peculiar tactics, and unparalleled skill level. Above all, they are archers, support mages, and healers with skills equivalent to A-class. Why were these troops unknown until now?(No, wait.) Monica released an arrow. The arrow pierces the Turtle Dragon''s vital spot without missing a beat. (I''ve heard of this. Lillianne of "The Guardian of the Magic Tree" became an A-class student in a short period of time because of the existence of a skilled trainer and an S-class appraiser. No way, these guys too (......). The Turtle Dragon ran out of strength and collapsed and broke. The view of the corridor changed drastically. The color of the sky, which had been sunset, changed, and morning came with a white light. The throne disappeared and a hidden treasure chest appeared in its place. A new coat of arms appeared on the far wall. It was the emblem of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Knight of the Crescent Moon. From the sky, the sound of bells ringing in praise of the victors rang out loudly. At the same time, the dungeon visible from between the columns had also changed. Signs of the conquest appeared at every location in the dungeon. The changes in the "sanctuary" were particularly dramatic. The mists were blown away, the luster of the trees and fruits seemed to melt away, and freshness was restored. Insects began to sing, birds chirped, and wild flowers and trees were full of life. Immortality is gone, and life and death are coming. Immortality is gone, and cycles are coming. All the monsters living in the "sanctuary," upon learning that the master of the dungeon had fallen, dispersed and left the dungeon. They will never visit this dungeon again. The world cheerfully celebrated the birth of the new ruler. <> 27 - CHAPTER XXV -- SPIRITES On the 17th level of the "Forest Dungeon," Sebasta''s men were desperately trying to stop him as he was about to plunge into the deepest part of the dungeon. He was about to plunge into the deepest level of the dungeon. Let go of me! Let go of me! That''s not how it works. Please calm down, Captain! How can this be calm?You''ve been given a head start on the dungeon attack. The "Guardians of the Magical Tree"!We, the Sebasta Corps!This can''t be happening!Absolutely not!" But what are you going to do if you go to the deepest part now? It''s a known fact. We will put to death the thieves who have taken our credit. If you do that, the quest office won''t stand idly by. Even free dungeons forbid private fights between adventurers," he said. If, to top it off, they refuse to leave the dungeon after the attack or assault the attacker, ...... even we cannot escape severe punishment. You could face the maximum penalty. You think they''re the attackers?Don''t be silly. What are you, an attacker!You''re using such cowardly tactics to snatch the credit!You think those guys are the attackers?Heaven may forgive you for that, but I won''t!" If you think so. I think you should return to the city. Shouldn''t we be looking for ways to expose them for the fraud they are? You will only make things worse for yourself if you throw a tantrum here and lay out more charges. Gnu. Gnu. Sebasta''s face turned red and he shushed for a moment, then shook off his men''s hands. Let go of me!No, no, no. Every one of them!" Captain!Where are you going?" I''m going back to the city. I''m going back to the city, and I''m going to find out everything they''re up to. Sebasta said this and began to backtrack through the dungeon, his footsteps rough. His men followed him, relieved. After defeating the boss, Monica and her men were cleaning up the mess. As promised, they handed the item "Turtle Dragon''s Shell" to Yugan. And the management rights would belong to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". Yugan chanted a spell against the crest of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" engraved on the wall. The emblem instantly disappears. Monica retrieved the "Ring of the Dungeon" from the treasure chest. It is a ring that controls all the comings and goings of the dungeon. With this, the dungeon became the property of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" in both name and reality. Are you sure? I''m taking the Turtle Dragon''s shell. Yes," he said. That was the deal in the beginning. Monica handed the item to Yugan without question. ...... I see." The two returned the emblems they had exchanged with each other. It was a sign of termination of the contract between the guilds. ''Yes!Dungeon attack!" Banzai!"Banzai for the Guardian of the Magical Tree! Some of the members were already in a celebratory mood. Some of them were clasping their hands and shoulders and doing little leaps. Monica. The magic circle of return has appeared! Now you can go back to the city." Yufine and Shakuma both waved at Monica. A magic circle of return was set up at their feet. Then, Mr. Yugan," said Monica. We''ll leave you to it. Are you leaving?" Yes, we were able to conquer the dungeon, and there is someone who needs to be the first to tell you about it. So you''re the ...... appraiser?" Yes. He is the one who has always guided us. I think it''s my way of repaying him by showing him that I''ve grown, even if just a little." Monica''s eyes were pure and unclouded as she said this. It was something that Yugan had long ago cut off. Phew." (What kind of appraiser is adored by A-class adventurers? What kind of a guy is he?) Yugan had to laugh. ''Mr. Yugan? No, it''s nothing. I heard you are very good at what you do. That appraiser." Yes, I am. I''d love to learn from you. How about this? Why don''t you come down to the Guardian of the Magical Tree when you''re done sleeping?" I like that. We have come to know each other in this way. Please come. The Guardians of the Magical Tree will welcome you with open arms. Shakuma was also eager to get on board. No," he said. My work here is done. I have to go to the next town. I see." Monica looked a little sad. ''Ah, what the hell. Give my regards to that appraiser guy." Yes, sir." I''ll let him know that thanks to Mr. Yugan, we were able to conquer the boss. Oh, for God''s sake." Moniker. We have to go quickly. I''m going to leave you! Oh, I''m coming. Good bye, Mr. Yugan. Until we meet again. Yeah, see you." The group returned to the city and each went back to their homes or guild headquarters. Yugan headed out of town. As soon as Yugan reached the outskirts of town, a huge circling bird landed beside him. (Those guys had great skills, but their status was flawed. If they had raised it to A class in a short period of time, it would have been ....... Totally. There was a hell of a guy. In such a small town ......) The world is a big place." Yugan said in a muttered voice. (I haven''t had a party in a while either, huh?(Kuk) Yugan jumped on the circling bird. The circling bird flew off into nowhere. Twenty-four hours earlier, Roland had awakened after the rebound sleep characteristic of returning from the dungeon. He headed for the quest reception station to see if the dungeon had been cleared, just in case. He said, "Good afternoon. How can I help you today?" I''d like to check the status of the dungeon at ......." I will be in touch with you soon. Let''s go to the Astrology Department. Once ushered into the Astrology Department, the astrologer checked the condition of the dungeon. He was able to verify all information about the dungeon through the view from the crystal. He could see which quests had been completed, new quests, and whether the dungeon had been conquered. As of ......, the highest level of the forest dungeon is 17, which is the highest level that adventurers have reached. Which means ...... You haven''t been cleared yet. (Hmm. The dungeon hasn''t been cleared yet. I thought it would have been cleared by now. ......) Is there anything else you would like to ask?" No, thank you." Roland left the quest reception area and headed for the "Arsenal of Spirits. (Well, well. Now comes the moment of truth.) When Roland turned up at the workshop, as expected, Lange was running around looking busy. Oh, Mr. Roland. Welcome back. Ranju. Status: ......" The end of this week is the limit." Lange responded immediately. It''s ......, isn''t it?" ''It''s today, isn''t it? Dinner with Count Elsen." Yeah. Yeah." Good luck. Oh. I''ll do my best." Roland was getting nervous. It is always nerve-wracking to meet with great people. But this one thing Roland had to do on his own. I''m already the head of this workshop. I can''t do it just by being nice. For the sake of the workshop, I have to do the dirty work as well.) When Roland arrived at Count Elsen''s mansion, he was shown into the drawing room. They were going to have dinner with us. He said, "Hi. "Hi, Roland. Long time no see. I''m not sure if that''s a good thing or not. It''s been a while. No, no, no, it''s okay. Please sit down. We got some nice fish today. And wine. Count Elsen continued to talk incoherently like an aristocrat until the meal was ready. He would talk about how his daughter was doing, or about a hunting trip he had taken earlier in the day. Roland was stiff and stiffened by the unfamiliarity of dining with clients. When should he broach the subject? He wasn''t even sure if his behavior was appropriate for the occasion. After a while, the wine and food arrived. The wine was poured into silverware. Oh, this is ....... ''It''s silverware that just came up from your guild the other day. I try to serve it whenever I have visitors, and it''s been well received." Thank you. We aristocrats have a lot of socializing to do. We want to have the best furnishings possible. By the end of this year, I intend to have all the silverware in this house made in the Arsenal of the Spirits. It''s ...... a real honor." I''m sure your silversmith is getting better and better," he said.In the past, it was largely due to the quality of the silver, but nowadays the designs are becoming more sophisticated. Count Elsen squints at the silverware and the wine in it. He has a good eye. The topic of conversation turned to food. Count Elsen showed off his knowledge of the subject. From time to time, he would ask the butler about his knowledge of wine. Then, after the dishes were finished, he finally got down to business. So, about that silverware fair, you''ll join us, right? That''s what ...... is for." Not enough silver?" Yes," he said. I''m embarrassed to say this. ......" So you''re saying you can''t participate? Yeah, I''m not going to let this happen." Count Elsen looked visibly disappointed. I don''t know if this is a good time to ask this, but I was wondering if you know of any silver ore holdings on Count Elsen''s side? I''m not sure I''m supposed to say that. ...... I don''t know anything about alchemy either. That''s why I''m relying on you guys. I''m not sure what you mean by that. Yes, that''s right." Can''t you do something about it?" Count Elsen sighed when he saw Roland toddling home. The dinner had turned out to be rather awkward after that. Count Elsen''s eyes pleaded with Roland to do something about it, and Roland looked apologetic. Silence reigned from beginning to end, and no conversation blossomed. The only relief was that it was after they had finished their meal. (Oh dear. This is the difficulty of a small guild. They are so inflexible.) Count Elsen rang the bell and summoned the butler. "You wanted to see me, master?" Letter. What is the name of the person to whom the letter is addressed? It''s Lucius. While Roland was dining with Count Elsen, the competition between Lilianne and Arik to conquer the "Mine Dungeon" was fierce. They were in a dead heat, overtaking and overtaking each other, until they finally reached the 22nd level. But that was not the deepest part of the dungeon. (Is it still going on?) Lillianne pours down her throat for who knows how many more bottles of potion. Arik, too, is fed up with the depth of the dungeon, which could end at any moment, but he continues on with his troop. I''ve never been in a dungeon this long before.) Even Alik, a seasoned adventurer, could not hide his fatigue. It had already been more than a week since he had dived into the dungeon. His fatigue was reaching its limit. d*mn it! How long is this going to last?) But Arik did not let up. Or rather, he could not. Originally, the quality of Lilianne''s unit and Arik''s unit were too different. Moreover, since they had been weakened by Lukius (Jill, who had been assigned to them at the beginning, was reassigned to another unit), the gap between Lilianne''s unit and Arik''s was widening. Arik had adopted the strategy of following closely behind Lilianne as a desperate measure, but he was approaching the end of his rope. The distance between him and Lilianne was gradually growing. (So much for ......) But the end comes abruptly. When we reached the 24th level, something unusual happened. The monster''s presence disappeared! Lillianne used her skill "levitation" and went up into the sky to look around. Indeed, there were no monsters. Arik also noticed this. (The monsters are gone!) But looking back at the troops, no one had any strength left. We would not be able to break into Lilianne''s troop now and snatch the boss fight. (No?) Arik is about to give up. But Lilianne, after looking across the hill in the air, never wants to take on the boss fight. She starts talking to the members of her troop about something. (What?) Suspiciously, Arik catches up with Lilianne. There he too could see the other side of the hill. At the foot of the other side of the hill, he could see fluffy floating armor, shields, and swords. They were wandering around the plain as if they were equipped by a human being, maintaining the arrangement of the armor in the center, the basket hand on the arm, the sword in the right hand, and the shield in the left hand, but there was no body there. They were armored ghosts. They were silent dead men possessed by armor. "Is that ...... an armored ghost? I''d say there are about 50 of them. ...... Normal attacks are ineffective against armored ghosts. That''s why Lilianne was stalling.) Ghosts in armor (armored ghosts) could only be damaged by weapons with spirit attributes. Unfortunately, neither unit had the items to change the weapon to a spirit attribute. (Saved ......?) Arik patted his chest as he realized that he had just received a reprieve from an already decided loss. But there was no time to be relieved. Alik, too, was unable to defeat the armored ghost. He had to hurry and procure the item "Reikoishi" (a stone that temporarily gives a weapon a spiritual attribute). But to do so, he had to return to the city once. Rozian. Please deliver this to Mr. Roland." Lilianne gave the "Ring of Shortcuts" and a message to the archer who had learned the skill "Silent Run". ''Please explain to Mr. Roland. The last boss is ''Armored Ghost. To defeat him, I need more than 50 ''Reiko-ishi'' (spirit stones) as soon as possible. So, please hurry up and bring them here." Yes, sir. After being entrusted with the ring, Rozian immediately turned back the way he had just come in a great hurry, taking care not to encounter any monsters by using "silent run. Arik''s unit immediately noticed this move. Captain Arik. Look at that! That''s Rozhian. That''s Lothian, and that''s Silent Run! Most of the monsters in this dungeon detect enemy positions with their ears rather than their eyes. Therefore, by using "Silent Run," we could return to the return magic circle without being detected by the monsters. I see. So the idea was to let one of them get ahead of the others and then quickly turn back. It is true that we can procure the spirit light stone more quickly that way. If we wait in the dungeon, we can save time for rebound sleep. (That was a bold move.) After some hesitation, Arik made his decision. (No time to dawdle. Since we can''t come up with any good ideas, we have no choice but to go along with the other party''s plan.) Arik also instructed those who could use "Silent Run" to hurry and turn back. Arik bit his teeth when he saw that Rosian was ahead of those he had sent out. (Ee-aye. (Oh, no, we''re always on the back foot. Even the largest guild in town means nothing if it doesn''t function!) The day after his dinner with Count Elsen, Roland went to work at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. At the reception desk, he was surprised to hear that Monica and her colleagues had conquered the "Forest Dungeon. Monica and her friends conquered the dungeon!And Miss Lillianne hasn''t returned yet?" Yes," he said. That''s right." It''s all over the guild. (Great. I never thought I''d be able to conquer a dungeon.) I had thought that Monica and her team were capable of conquering the dungeon, but I did not expect them to do it this time. (I thought for sure Sebasta would take it this time. ......, did something happen with the "Golden Eagle?") Where are Monica and the others now?" He is sleeping in the napping room of the guardian of the magic tree. He just came back from the dungeon, so I don''t think he will wake up for a while." At that moment, a guild member entered the entrance breathlessly. Mr. Roland," he said. Thank God. You found me right away." You''re ...... in Lillianne''s unit, I believe. My name is Rosian. In fact, for some reason or another, I''ve been asked to join ......." He described what happened in the dungeon. That the boss was "Armored Ghost". He needed 50 Reiko-ishi (spirit light stones). Lilianne''s team is still in the dungeon. 50 Lingang Stones...... Roland ran off. When Rozian finished telling Roland what he needed to tell him, he collapsed on the spot and fell asleep. (Probably there is no stock of 50 spirit stones in the city. Then ......, there is no time!(I have to make it in a hurry) Fortunately, the "Spirit Arsenal" had the best refiner in town. At the same time, news of what had happened in the two dungeons was brought to the "Golden Eagle" guild leader''s room. What?The Guardian of the Magical Tree has invaded the Forest Dungeon!" Lucius was furious. ''What the hell is Sebasta doing!Cooter and the others!" Lukius called representatives of the two units to question them, but neither was able to find out the truth at all, as both sides just shifted the blame to each other. He called the representatives of the two units and questioned them, but neither of them could tell the truth. Enough!Anyway, now it''s the ''mining dungeon''!I will not tolerate any more blunders. Let''s go get the dungeon with the full might of the Gilded Eagle!" Lukius ordered both units to prepare to launch, and then called in the alchemy guild to procure and refine the "spirit light stone. At the same time, he also arranged for the "Arsenal of Spirits" to be locked down to prevent the spread of "Reikoishi" and its raw materials. This time, however, Roland was quicker. By the time Lukius''s order came through, Roland had already finished procuring the necessary amount of "Reikoishi" and rushed into the workshop. I''m sorry. Lange. I have to jump in. More than 50 ''Reikoishi'' as soon as possible!" <> 28 - CHAPTER XXVIII CHOICE In the workshop, where the production plan had to be changed suddenly, Lange was busy adjusting the kettles. Since they were going to refine silver that day, they had to change everything, including the kiln temperature. Aryeh, on the other hand, was sorting the raw materials for the "Reiko-ishi" (spiritual light stone). She sorted the raw materials for the "Reikoishi" according to the level of each worker. She takes out one of the raw materials of "Yeonggwangseok" from each box and checks its texture by lightly heating it or tapping it with a hammer. (This one is class B. This one is class A. This one is class B. (This one is class B. This one is only class C.) This one is class A, so I have to do everything myself.) The selected "Reiko-ishi" were then sorted according to the level of each worker. The kiln is ready, Mr. Aryeh. Lange, who had changed the kiln settings from silver to "Reikoishi," came running into the room. I''m ready too. We will start refining immediately. Aryeh led the workers in refining 50 pieces of "Reikoishi" that day. The "Reiko Stones" were completed without losing any of their potential. The next day, when Roland and his team brought the "Spirit Light Stones" to the front of the dungeon, they found a unit of "Guardians of the Magic Tree" already prepared and waiting for them. Mr. Roland. I have heard your story. Preparations for the dungeon search are complete! I''m sorry, guys. We just got back from the dungeon. No," he said. If we can take two dungeons, we can strike a blow to the Golden Eagle. You don''t often get a chance like this. Let''s let the Golden Eagle have its fill. Shakuma said triumphantly. Listen to me, Mr. Roland. Those Sebasta Corps guys, they were going to attack us directly! Euphine said, unusually indignant. I can''t let it go on like this. We have to give them a good scolding! Haha. Yes, that''s right. I''m going to go to ......." Roland walked over to the girl, who even at a time like this seemed to be quiet in the back of the room, and called out to her. Monica, I heard you conquered the ''forest dungeon. Yes, sir." Somehow." No, I underestimated your abilities. I didn''t expect you to conquer it before Sebasta and the others. It''s amazing." We only managed to capture it with such ...... magre." Monica showed a blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. Roland," she said. We are ready. Euphine, who had finished allocating the "spirit light stones" to the item holders, said, "I''m going to give them to the item holders. Good. I''ll tell you the plan then. Roland opened the meeting on the spot. This time, the objective is to support Lilianne''s team. Everything depends on speed. So we need to organize a unit with the minimum number of people who can protect the item holders and still make it through the dungeon, with an emphasis on speed. That is what I have called this team here today. We are to deliver the "Spirit Light Stone" to Lilianne''s team in the shortest possible distance, ignoring quests and monsters as much as possible. Roland had organized the unit in advance, selecting members who were more interested in search speed than in combat power. This time, based on the members who were active in the "Forest Dungeon," he kept Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine, the aces, and excluded those with relatively low agility, and added a support mage who could use "agility grant" and Rosiane from Lilianne''s squad. The equipment is also lighter overall. However, the balance has not been lost. This should have made for the fastest dungeon dive possible. Roland routinely made a list of available adventurers and their skills, stats, and equipment, and thought of various formation patterns according to their uses so that he would be able to respond immediately in an emergency. The basic tactics remained the same. "The basic tactic remains the same: Monica''s ''Hawkeye'' to choose the best path, and Shakuma and Yufine to provide combat support. Is that clear?" ""Yes."" Good. Go on then. I''m counting on you." Monica and her colleagues immediately went into the "mining dungeon. I will show you the way. This is the shortest way to the transfer magic circle. Rosiane, who had already explored the dungeon as Lillianne''s troop, said as she pointed to the path the troop had taken earlier. The 21st level was the stage of the ruins. ''No, this way is faster. Monica pointed out a different path than Rosian. The troop proceeded as Monica had said, as a matter of course. Rosian panicked. Hey, that''s a road that hasn''t been explored yet," she said. It is dangerous to proceed on a hunch at a time like this. If you hit a dead end by mistake, you will lose time. I don''t care. Do as Monica says. Euphine said in a tone of admonishment. The troop entered the intricate and complicated path. Rozhian followed them, bewildered, and soon they came to a familiar road. (I didn''t know such a route existed. This is the power of the unique skill "Hawkeye" (......) Monica and her team quickly made it one-third of the way through the 21 levels. A few hours earlier, Lukius had received word that a support unit of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" had infiltrated the dungeon after completing the procurement of "spirit light stones. Lucius was astonished. What? You mean to say that preparations have already been completed?" (Nonsense. (How could they have completed their preparations before we did?) However, none of the workshops could immediately respond to Rukius'' sudden request, and in fact, they all showed reluctance to do so. Rukius, using his size and authority, forced his guild to stop all its current operations and devote all its resources to refining the "Spirit Light Stone," but in terms of footwork, it fell behind the "Arsenal of Spirits. But the "Spirit Arsenal" was lagging behind in terms of footwork. They are all useless!How can we fall behind a newly formed guild? Lucius breathed out pneumatics in the conference room. (If this happens, we have no choice but to overwhelm them with the speed of dungeon exploration!) This is a battle we cannot lose. If we fall behind the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" here, it will ruin the name of the "Golden Eagle"!We have to get our strongest members together and do whatever it takes to get there first!" Lukius'' idea of the strongest members was simple and clear. Thirty members were chosen in order, beginning with those with the highest adventurer ranks. This included Sebasta, a Class A adventurer, Jill, who had just returned from the "Dungeon of the Demon World" (where she had performed remarkably well), Dorwin, who usually worked in a corner of the headquarters tapping hardware, and the three Coater brothers. The It was truly an all-star affair, but in doing so, no consideration was given to the importance of speed, the chemistry of the combination, or the balance of equipment. Thus, the "Golden Hawk" strongest team dived into the dungeon with a heavy nose, but their march was extremely slow. Originally, it was a hastily created mixed force that ignored coordination, but this was compounded by the rekindled feud between Sebasta and the three Coater brothers, which had been born in the "forest dungeon. The members argued and wrangled over details ranging from formation placement and the paths to choose, to tactics and item possession ratios. Jill became impatient and frustrated. (How long are these guys going to continue this kind of infighting when the enemy is ahead of us? (How long are they going to continue this kind of internal squabble when they are ahead of the enemy?) Jill glared sharply at the end of the dungeon. The stage of the ruins was cluttered with buildings, and tall buildings stood in front of her. ''Hey, what are you doing?Jill?" Dorwin looked at her suspiciously. Sebasta also looked at her askance. Jill!What are you doing out of formation? The road is this way. Don''t act like you don''t know what you''re doing! I''ll make my way." (Don''t be fooled by appearances. It''s just a lump of dirt. If you can reap what you sow, you are no different from a golem!) Jill raises her sword toward the building. Jill raises her sword at the building. Hey, no way. ......" ''Everyone follow me!Whoa, whoa, whoa!" The sword swung down. With a thunderous roar, the walls of the building were shattered. Jill blasted her way to the back of the dungeon, ignoring the debris that fell on her. He continued on, destroying every wall that stood in his path. Oh, no," she said. They''re so reckless. Who do you think is going to fix your equipment? That''s why you''re such a brainiac. ...... Dorwin was disgusted and walked down the path she had made, complaining. Wow." Everyone follow Jill!" Suddenly energized, the troops begin to follow Jill''s lead. "Tsk. That was unnecessary. Sebasta, who for some reason did not want to go too fast, followed Jill and Dorwin ahead with a bitter look on his face. While advancing, Monica sensed something approaching from the rear at great speed. (Did the wind change direction?(No, was it the building behind them that changed?) When I checked behind me with "Hawkeye," I saw a heavily armed knight literally moving straight through the dungeon, destroying buildings as he went. There was no one to stop them. Even the monsters in the dungeon fled in fear in the face of Jill''s furious advance. The dead from the land of the dead, the golem, a puppet with only a soul and no will, and even the orcs were startled by the sound of the building''s destruction and fled the scene. What is this? What''s this guy? He''s going straight ahead while destroying buildings. ...... Is this possible?) In a blink of an eye, Jill caught up with Monica and the others. Monica and Jill ran side by side on the wide street and recognized each other. A shiver ran through the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. What is that?Jill Irwin of The Golden Eagle!" A heavily armed knight with S-class potential!" Jill passed a squad of "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and climbed to the second floor of a nearby building, destroying the steeple and scattering debris in the path of Monica and the others. What the hell, he''s in our path! Euphine''s lips twisted. She said, "d*mn it. What do we do?Do you want me to move the debris out of the way?Or do we go around?" Shakma asked Monica. Let''s go around. There''s a path off to the side that the troops can take." (There is more than one path. But ...... that way is better in speed. How can I counter ...... such a thing?) He said, "Oh, no. Such a blatant blockage of the road. It''s illegal for adventurers to obstruct each other''s exploration. Do you understand?" Dorwin, who had followed behind Jill, said dismissively. I just destroyed a building. I had no intention of interfering with other adventurers." Again with that kind of quibbling ......." I''ve broken my sword. Fix it." Yes, yes. I knew this would happen. Dorwin took out a kiln on the spot and reforged the sword with fire magic. Monica and the others marched in troops through the bottleneck. (I''ve got it!(There''s an ambush lurking over there.) From my high vantage point with Jill, I could see corpses (zombie archers) equipped with bows and arrows running into the buildings on either side of the narrow aisle. Sure enough, arrows rained down on them as they proceeded down the road. Yuffine!Please!" Ok. Wide-area recovery magic! As Yuffine casts the spell, a magical path is created, and the troops proceed through the arrow sliding doors, recovering. Furthermore, the magic circle moves forward as the troops advance. What is that magic circle?It''s moving! Jill and Dorwin looked at each other. (That healer''s skills?I can''t believe they could develop a skill like that (......). (It''s not just about skills. Troop composition optimized for the mission, taking into account status and equipment as well. No doubt. I built that troop: ......) ((It''s Mr. Roland!)) The two sensitively sensed Roland''s shadow. Tch. What is Sebasta doing!I''ve gone to the trouble of making a path for you. Still can''t catch up?" Jill looked irritably back behind her. Sebasta was still marching slowly, far in the rear. Sebasta''s mission this time was to carry the item owners to the deepest level!No matter how far ahead I am, it is meaningless if the entire unit does not move forward. If I don''t do this, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" will get ahead of me again!) Dorwin!You too, quickly. ......" Here you go. It''s fixed. "Whoa." Dorwin hands the sword to Jill, who has completed the repair before long. I''ve also made it easier to destroy the building." ''...... what''s up with you all of a sudden. You''re more motivated than ever." Nothing. It''s the mission. Besides, it''s ......." (It''s not my intention to be seen as if I''m slowing down in front of Mr. Roland''s troops.) All right. Let''s go!" Jill brushes the dust from her hair, readies her sword, and tries to make her way again. ''Wait a minute, you two! Jill was about to raise her sword to destroy the wall when a voice came from behind her. Jill turned around with a startled look and saw a spirit. ''Is this the ...... skill ''astral projection''?'' Dorwin muttered as he looked quizzically at the spirit. He was a person whose soul was summoned into the dungeon by the "astral projection" skill. Astral projection" is a skill that allows one to access acquaintances in the dungeon under certain conditions. The skill can only be activated if the user knows where he or she is in the dungeon and has talked to the person at least 100 times. Jill frowned at the spirit. ''You are ...... surely a member of the guild leader''s entourage. How on earth did you end up here?" ''I have a message from Mr. Lucius. I''m ordering both Jill and Dorwin. Return to the Gilded Eagle headquarters immediately. What?" Jill''s eyes widened in surprise. Why on earth! I don''t know why. But this is a strict order!Both of you must give top priority to returning home, no matter what." But ......" What''s the matter with you guys? What are you arguing about? As Jill was about to object, Sebasta, who had caught up behind her, joined the conversation. ''Hmm?You are a member of the guild leader''s entourage, aren''t you? What are you doing here?" In fact, I was ordered by Master Lucius to bring back Jill and Dorwin ......." What?Is that so?Then you should go back as soon as possible. Jill!Dorwin!What are you waiting for? But!We have a mission to deliver the ''Spirit Light Stone'' to Arik''s unit. ......" What are you talking about? The guild leader has personally ordered you to return, hasn''t he?If that is the case, then that should be the priority no matter what. If you disobey the order here, the bonds of the organization will be at stake. Return home immediately." I''m sorry, sir. ...... "Yeah, yeah, yeah!While we are waiting, the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" is moving on!If you don''t want to hinder the mission, this is not the time for such a sterile argument, especially if you don''t want to hinder the mission. Why don''t you two get the hell out of here! Reluctantly, they turn back the way they came and return to the city. (Huh?) Monica, who had been proceeding through the dungeon, noticed something unusual. Monica?What''s wrong?" Something about the pressure from behind me seems to have lessened. ...... After Jill and Dorwin left, Sebasta, who did not want Arik to take credit, had blatantly slowed the speed at which the troops were advancing, as if this were a good thing. The distance between the two units, which had been shrinking, began to slowly open up again. After returning from the dungeon, Jill and Dorwin were made to change into formal attire and packed into a carriage without a moment''s rest. It was not until some time after the carriage had left the city that they were told that they were now going to see Count Elsen. Lucius was smiling as he sat in the carriage with the letter from Count Elsen in his pocket. The letter said that he wanted to consult with him about the silversmith and alchemy guilds. (Finally, he was willing to rely on us. (Does this mean that Roland is no longer of any use to us?In any case, as long as we can get Count Elsen''s support, we''re done with that nagging investor.) Lukius naturally felt a surge of joy at the thought of not having to be any more reserved with the investors who were holding him down. As soon as the group''s carriage arrived at the mansion, they were called to the dinner table. Rukius invited Jill and Dorwin to join him. Count Elsen took one look at Jill and gasped at her beauty. ''Who is she?'' Let me introduce you. She is Jill Irwin, a Class B adventurer belonging to the Golden Eagle. As it is, Count Elsen takes a serious look at Jill. I see. So this is Jill Irwin, the famous female knight. I can see why Lukius likes her. She is certainly an attractive woman. In fact, there are probably no two women in the world as beautiful as she is. It is hard to believe that she is not an adventurer who has been through many monster-infested dungeons. (In my younger days, I might have been willing to give up everything to get her.) Not only that, but now that I am older, I could have given her everything if only I had the slightest impetus. Jill''s beauty had that kind of gravitational pull. She was discouraged, but that did not diminish her beauty. When Jill stared at him, Count Elsen coughed hurriedly. Lucius saw the look on Count Elsen''s face and chuckled. I thought we had a deal now," he said. I called you here because of one thing," Count Elsen said. I''m actually in a bit of a bind regarding alchemy. I wanted to ask for your help, since you have a strong influence over the alchemy guilds in the city. But then, why didn''t you ask the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' a company highly regarded by Hakaru as well? Of course, I would have approached them in the first place. But apparently, their guild is short of silver at the moment. I''m not sure I''d like that. Is that so? Lucius smiled inwardly, knowing that his strategy was working. Even though they are an up-and-coming guild, they are still a weak guild. They seem to be lax in procuring materials. That''s where ......" I see. That''s a common mistake made by weak guilds. Even if they can temporarily attract the public''s interest by making eccentric products, they are unable to formulate a stable business plan because they are lax in procuring and managing raw materials." Mm. As the leader of the city''s largest guild, he understands the importance of planning. So, in anticipation of your wealth of expertise, I''m going to ......." Yes," he said. Stability is what makes a first-class guild. Too many guilds these days start out a little and then quickly get stuck and go out of business. They wreak havoc on the market and never take responsibility for the trouble they cause. To be honest, we are also troubled by the existence of such guilds. On the other hand, we are relieved. We deal only with reliable guilds and run our business solidly, so there is no way that the guild''s foundation will collapse in the slightest. Mm-hmm. As the leader of the city''s largest guild, he understands the importance of connections. That''s a big deal. So, in anticipation of your connections, I have decided to use ......." No, no, no. This is no big deal. It''s just that there are too many people who can''t take things for granted. I see. Very wise words. Count Elsen was slightly fed up with Lukius, who had just interrupted him to make a blatant appeal, but he persevered and continued to maintain his aristocratic, hawkish attitude. He was a little fed up with Lucius interrupting him earlier and making a blatant appeal to him, but he put up with it and kept up a hawkish attitude typical of the aristocracy. It will not be an open one like before, where even citizens can participate, but a private one among nobles, and the person with the title will introduce one silversmith per person. So I would like to enter one silversmith in the competition ......" I''ll leave it to you. In that case, Dorwin here will be happy to prepare some exquisite silversmithing for you. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. Is this Dorwin? I hear he''s the best alchemist in town. ...... That''s right. That''s right. In his hands, even a scrap of iron can be turned into a treasured sword. That''s great. But according to Roland, there is a shortage of silver in the city. Is everything all right in your part of town? Yes. We have alchemy guilds all over the city. We have more than enough silver in our warehouses. Oh, I see. That''s good to know." Count Elsen''s face fell as if he were relieved. I thought this would solve the problem at hand. Then I will ask you again. Yes, sir. Anything you need. I want you to support the ''Arsenal of Spirits. Supply them with silver. Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you. ...... What? "Oh, will you do it?" I''m sure you''re thinking, "Well, ......, wait a minute. Did you say ...... to supply the "Arsenal of Spirits" with silver?" Yeah, that''s right. And that''s what we''re going to do?" I don''t feel sorry for you," he said. It''s a guild that''s just starting to grow. It''s not going to do well because it doesn''t have the right ingredients. Um, no, but ...... Lucius was at a loss for words at the unexpected turn of events. Hm?What''s wrong?" No, how should I put it? We have a lot on our plate. ......" What''s that?Are you guys not getting along by any chance?" Oh, no, it was never like that. ...... If that''s the case. That''s good. Help him out. "No, but ...... there are, you know, industry ties or ...... You have plenty of silver, don''t you? It''s ......, yes. Well, that''s good. Uh, yes. At the same time, in the dungeon, Monica and her friends had reached the deepest part of the dungeon and rushed to Lilianne''s side. Lilianne successfully received 50 spirit stones, defeated the boss "Armored Ghost," and conquered the dungeon. The "Mine Dungeon" became the property of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. <> 29 - CHAPTER XXIX -- AFTER A BEVERAGE The day after Lillianne conquered the "Mine Dungeon," Roland was again summoned to Count Elsen''s mansion. Roland went to Count Elsen''s mansion, tilting his head to see what was going on, but was surprised to see Lucius at the dinner table. Oh, you''ve come, Mr. Roland. Count Elsen, what the hell is this? I am sure you will be pleased, Mr. Roland. Lucius has agreed to supply silver for your guild." What?The Golden Eagle? Mm. Well, have a seat. Roland sat down at Count Elsen''s suggestion and shared a table with Lucius. The food was brought to the table. It was strange to be dining with one''s arch-enemy, and Roland couldn''t help but feel uncomfortable throughout the meal. I have heard of the quarrels between you," he said. Count Elsen said this, which made Roland and Lucius cringe. He said, "It seems that you have split the city''s alchemy guilds in half, and they are in violent conflict with each other. They''re also causing trouble for the city''s suppliers or something." "......" I''m sure both sides have their points of view. But why don''t you both cool your heads, sheathe your swords, and cooperate with each other for the development of the city and alchemy?" I will not refuse the Count''s request. Our guild, the Golden Eagle, will let bygones be bygones and join hands with the Arsenal of Spirits for the development of the city. Lucius took the initiative to show Count Elsen his auspiciousness. Count Elsen looked at Roland. I have no particular objection to ...... supplying you with silver ore if you supply me with it. ''Mm-hmm. Well, then, we''ve come to an agreement. From now on, we will cooperate with each other in the distribution of resources. Roland and Lucius signed the document in front of Count Elsen. The document stipulated that if either party was suffering from a shortage of ore, they would supply each other with ore at an appropriate price according to each other''s market value. The two men shook hands firmly, concealing their inner hostility and plastering a fake smile on their faces, and signed a tentative first agreement. No, I''m glad. I''m glad you two made peace. Now the alchemy of this city will be further developed. Count Elsen nodded his head in satisfaction, unaware of their inner feelings. Now the "Arsenal of the Spirits" can participate in the silversmithing fair," Count Elsen said. Originally, only one silversmith from the territory was allowed to participate in the competition, but this time, they were allowed to exhibit their silversmith''s work as a collaboration. I am going to have Cheal, who belongs to the "Arsenal of Spirits," and Dorwin, who belongs to the "Golden Eagle," exhibit their work together. I expect both guilds and both of you to be very determined and fight hard to make the fair a success. The next day, silver ore began to be supplied to the "Spirit Arsenal," and the workshop began to operate as usual. Just as the snowy mountains that had been buried in heavy snow melted and wildflowers appeared, the truth that had been hidden until then was eventually revealed, and the information that had been mixed up until that point was brought to a conclusion. The quest office announced that the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" had conquered the "Forest Dungeon" and the "Mine Dungeon. At the same time, it was also announced that a new Class A adventurer had been born. (silly ......) Willik was stunned in front of the bulletin board at the quest reception desk. On the bulletin board was a sign announcing that Monica Vermale, an archer, had been promoted to an A-class adventurer. (That''s impossible. (How is this possible? She had been a dropout archer with low agility. There must be some mistake. This ...... shouldn''t be happening.) It was officially decided that Roland would be in charge of the instructional staff at the Guardian of the Magic Tree. At the same time, he will also become the executive director of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree". Wirik will work under Roland. Of course, the prior agreement with Lukius to be a special advisor to the "Golden Eagle" was also cancelled. Rukius never contacted Willik again. I will not allow this!) Having lost the big showdown to Roland, and having been completely defeated and abandoned by Lukius, Wirik left the city because he did not want to admit defeat. After that, no one knows Wirik''s whereabouts. The adventurers'' town was abuzz with talk of "The Guardian of the Magic Tree. Those with a good ear in the city quickly discovered that the driving force behind this month''s breakthrough of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" was the three rapidly growing members, Monika, Shakuma, and Yufine. Monica was already an A-class archer, and it soon became common knowledge that it was only a matter of time before Shakuma and Yuffine would be promoted to A-class as well. The three of them had gone from being unknown newcomers to suddenly being in the limelight as some of the city''s leading adventurers. The three were soon sought after everywhere. Wherever they went in the city, people wanted to shake their hands and talk with them. Bards sang songs of praise for their valor throughout the city, painters painted imaginative pictures of their heroism, and orators told stories of their exploits to the people. Alchemy guilds offered to make weapons for them, and adventurers were eager to connect with them. However, the existence of the connoisseur behind the girls'' rapid growth and the existence of a skilled trainer who had recently joined the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" were only rumored by a few. Then, in celebration of this dungeon conquest, let''s have a party. Shakuma raised his sake cup and merrily led the toast. Kampai This is a bar in town. The "Keeper of the Magic Tree" had reserved a room in the bar for a party to celebrate the dungeon attack. Invited to the party were the regular members of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree," as well as adventurers from outside the company who had been temporarily assigned to the dungeon attack team, and Roland and other members of the "Arsenal of Spirits. Roland was sitting and drinking with the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits. We''ll drink to that, Mr. Roland. Cheal offers Roland a goblet. Hey! You''re over here." Lange took the liquor away from Cheal and pushed the juice at him. He said, "Ehhh. I can drink alcohol too. Please give it back to me, Mr. Ranju. If I let you drink, the guild will be punished. I mean, elves are strictly forbidden to drink. Ugh. I want a drink too. Cheal. I think the food''s here." Roland pointed to the meat dishes being brought in. ''Eh?Wow. Meat." Cheal completely forgot about the alcohol and shifted his attention to the food. But is it okay? But is it okay for us to intrude on the celebration of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree"? Aryeh asked Roland in a reserved manner. It''s all right. This dungeon attack was a result of everyone''s hard work. Besides, from now on, the "Arsenal of Spirits" will be more and more connected with the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. It''s meaningful for everyone to hear what adventurers have to say, and I''m sure there are many people on the adventurer side who would like to interact with this kind of alchemy guild. Here we are. Mr. Roland. Thank you for your assistance during the dungeon attack." Those who belonged to Roland''s unit come to greet him with sake cups in hand. Cheal," he said. I didn''t know you were here. Monica!" Cheal and Monica immediately begin talking in a friendly manner. Roland. Where is she?" Someone from Lilianne''s unit asks Roland quizzically. ''She''s the one who made Monica, Shakma, and Yuffine''s silver weapons. What a surprise! She is the creator of the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow''?" Soon Cheal was surrounded by those interested in silver weapons. Roland made sure that other members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" could also interact with the adventurers. She is Aryeh, the one in charge of refining the ''spirit light stone'' this time. He said, "Oh, well. You are the one who made the ''spiritual light stone''? We have heard about your skill. We have heard that you have prepared the "Spirit Light Stone" faster than the "Golden Eagle". Aryeh is the best refiner in town. It is no exaggeration to say that he is the heart of the Arsenal of Spirits. I''m not sure I want to do that. That''s not true! Aryeh was embarrassed, but not too full of it. Roland did not need to be introduced to Lange, who was crossing swords with a cup in his hand with a group of strong men from the warrior class and a thousand adventurers from all over the world. Hey," he said. I heard that your guild made a ''silver iron-breaking bow. You should make me a silver weapon, too." Our weapons are expensive. Our weapons are expensive. Wow. I can''t afford that. You could buy a little carriage. What do you say, young man? How about a drink? I like that. If we win, you make us weapons for free. Yes, I''ll do it. But if I win, you''ll have to buy a million gold weapons. Stop. Stop. Let''s just drink normally." Hey, you''re a real pussy." The place erupts in laughter. After Roland made sure that all the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" were properly integrated into the party, he headed for Lillianne''s table. Lillianne," Roland said. Thank you very much for inviting me. Oh, Mr. Roland. You don''t have to be such a stranger. You are already a member of the Guardians of the Magic Tree. Lillianne''s cheeks were slightly red, but her tone was clear. She did not seem to be drunk. She had hardly had a drink since a few minutes ago and only sipped a little when offered. Perhaps because of her position as a superior, like Roland, she seemed to be more concerned about making sure others enjoyed themselves than herself. She said, "Thank you. However, I also have a status as an ''arsenal of spirits. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. You are in a lot of trouble, aren''t you? You have so many different titles. Lillianne giggled. They sat next to each other for a while and talked. It was the day they had vowed to defeat the "Golden Eagle" together. From the launch of the "Arsenal of Spirits," to the fair, to Roland''s appointment as special advisor. Looking back, it has been a long time since we got here. Lillianne said as if lamenting the distant past. Yes," she said. But there is still a long way to go. I don''t think the Gilded Eagle will be able to go on being beaten like this. I agree. We have to keep our heads up from now on." After they had been talking for a while, Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine came over. They are Monica, Shakuma, and Yufineh. I heard that you have been officially appointed as the instructor of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". Congratulations." One by one, the three brought a bottle of sake and poured it into Roland''s cup in gratitude, then sat down beside him. Lorin was unexpectedly surrounded by four envious young women. Roland asked, "Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Roland?What?You haven''t been drinking at all. I need to drink more. Shakuma came to Loran, looking completely out of tune. It looked like he was already pretty much finished. He suddenly hugged Roland, pressed the sake cup to his mouth, and nuzzled him like a dog. Shakuma. It looks like it''s already pretty well done. I don''t think so. I am not drunk at all. Shakuma suddenly began to weep as he said this. Ugh. Roland! What''s the matter? You''re crying all of a sudden." I am grateful to you," he said. I wasn''t sure if I could make it as an adventurer, but thanks to you, I was promoted to B class. You really are a goddess of victory, you are!" To me, you guys are the winners." Blessings and kisses to the goddess." Shakuma kisses Roland on the cheek. To Roland, however, Shakuma''s kiss felt like a puppy licking his cheek. Her petite frame made it feel even more so. Roland stroked her head and the other three watched them with lukewarm eyes. ''Ugh, Roland-saaan!'' Shakuma then said the same thing over and over again and continued to cling to Loran. Meanwhile, Yufine was chivvying and drinking without expression, and Monica was maturely smiling in the back, as if she were in trouble. After a while, Shakuma became so drunk that he fell asleep with Roland''s lap as a pillow. He was so drunk that he fell asleep with Roland''s lap as a pillow. Oh, my God. He''s my boss. I''m sorry for being rude. I''m sorry. Can I borrow your blanket? Yuffine pulls Shakuma away from Roland and takes care of him. She pulled Shakuma off of Roland and took him into her arms.The ceiling is down and the floor is up?That''s strange. The world is upside down. Shakuma grumbled as he lay on the couch. Monica, come here. When Roland asked her to do so, Monica sat down next to Roland without hesitation. The three of you are amazing," Roland said. I can''t believe you three managed to conquer the dungeon." No, no, it''s all thanks to you, Mr. Roland." You topped the Turtle Dragon, didn''t you?" I''m thinking, "Yes, but I''m not sure that''s a good idea. I''m not sure if it''s okay that I''m being lifted up like this. It''s mostly because of you. I don''t think so. You conquered the dungeon because of your effort and ability. You have done something worthy of being honored. You should be more proud of yourself. I wonder if "so ....... But if you say so, I will. Oh, you may still be confused by the changes in your surroundings, but eventually you will feel right at home. Just wait until then." Mr. Roland. Congratulations once again on your appointment to the executive ranks." Yuffine, who moved Shakma out of the way and came to sit next to Roland, said. Yuffine moved closer to Roland''s side until their shoulders and knees were almost touching. From the beginning, I''ve always preferred Roland to Wirik," Yuffine said. He''s so ordinary, Willik, he''s so ordinary. And he ran away without admitting defeat. It''s so disgraceful. Compared to that, Mr. Roland''s manly spirit..." Ha, ha. Thank you. Hey, Mr. Roland. You already have a plan for next month''s training, don''t you?" Euphine looked into Roland''s eyes with a probing look. ''Now, ...... what makes you think that?'' I expect the conflict with the ''Golden Eagle'' to intensify in the future." It is hard to believe that someone as good as Mr. Roland has no idea what to expect. Isn''t he thinking of many things, from strengthening existing units to creating new ones?" I can''t keep secrets from you. That''s right. I have a lot on my mind. I knew it. What exactly do you have planned? I can''t tell you that yet. I can''t tell you that yet, partly because I haven''t worked out the details yet, and partly because it''s not the right time or the right place for you to hear it. I''m just saying that I''m trying to set things up. He said, "Well, I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. That''s good. Let''s hear it. Euphine took Roland''s arm and said in a slightly indulgent tone. It was an unusual gesture for her, who usually displays a dry attitude toward everyone. No," she said. There are adult circumstances. I''m an adult now, too. Do you want to try it? Euphine is getting more and more attached to Roland, her arms more and more entwined and close together. Her breasts casually pressed against Roland''s arms. Roland chuckled. ''Ha ha. That''s not what I meant. It''s not that I think of you as a child. It''s a managerial matter. There are confidentiality obligations, and there are some things that are better left to my subordinates. I wouldn''t want you to be distracted from your own work because of what I have to say about management. I''ll be fine. I don''t neglect my own work when I hear about management issues. I can help you on the management side while also pursuing your results as an adventurer. I see. You may be right. But, yes. If you want to be a part of that kind of talk, you first have to become an executive of the Guardians of the Magical Tree. You''re so boring, Mr. Roland. Why don''t you at least tell us a little bit about yourself? What''s wrong?You are getting involved in some strange way. It''s not like you. So, Mr. Roland, let me ask you straight out, can I be a Class A healer?" I''m not sure I want to do that. Yes, I can. Really?I''m so happy!" I''d rather you be that good. Then, please make my development a priority next month. I trained Monica intensively this month." Of course, you''re going to have to work harder than that. From now on, the competition with the "Golden Eagle" is going to be more intense. I need you to work harder than ever. Yes, I am. I will do my best. Eventually, I hope to become a unit leader like Lilianne and eventually become Roland''s right-hand man! I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. That''s the spirit. Mr. Roland. I''ve been exploring the dungeon this time and have a few questions about troop operations. Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. As long as I can answer. Monica felt bothered while Roland and Yuffine were talking. Since a few minutes ago, Roland has been preoccupied with Yuffine. I didn''t realize that Yuffine was such an appealing girl. She wanted to talk to Roland, but she couldn''t be as aggressive and appealing as Yuffine. (If this is the case, I should have talked to Cheal all along.) Monica continued to listen to their conversation for a while with a teasingly gloomy expression. Then, as for the formation in the high and low lands, ...... I think the archer''s operation is more important when there is a difference in elevation. But I would rather have Monica explain that to you than me. Monica, can you explain it to me?" Monica''s face lights up when Roland talks to her. For her, being approached by Roland was a blessing in disguise, a drop of water in the desert, a ray of light in a dark cave, a slice of bread given to the hungry. Immediately, she begins to speak, her breath rushing out of her. Yes," he said. In a land of varying elevations, the things to watch out for when operating an archer are sunlight, wind direction, building structure, distance from the enemy, and distance from your allies. However, no matter how high you occupy, if you are isolated from the ground troops, you will be an easy target for the enemy. Haha. You don''t have to speak so hastily." Oh, I''m sorry. I was just ......." Monica blushed and turned her head down. I''ll hear you out," she said. Speak slowly. Yes. ...... (Mr. Roland. (Mr. Roland, you really cared about me. You are a kind man after all.) Monica then leaned forward and joined the conversation, competing with Eufine. Roland balanced between the two of them and made sure that no mistakes were made. Lilianne, on the other hand, stayed out of the conversation the whole time, swaying her glass of grape wine and watching the two girls try to get Roland''s attention with a relaxed air. Lillianne was watching the two girls trying to get Roland''s attention with an air of reserve. Where''s the shadowy hero of the show, the connoisseur Roland?" One drunken man shouted loudly. He was a Warrior man. This triggered the crowd at the center of the revelry to start looking for Roland. Oh," he said, "you''ve been sitting around here doing nothing. That''s no good. You have to make some noise, too. Come on, come here. Here''s to our connoisseur! Keep up the good work. Roland is pulled by a group of large men who smack him in the middle, pull him around, and rub him down with alcohol. ''Oh no, this is getting to me. I''m not much of a drinker. Roland was drunk and inebriated and heard the sound of children laughing and thumping on his desk. Cheal was running on the desk with an upturned face, and Lange seemed to be chasing him. He said, "Hey, you! Wait for me, you little brat. You drank after all. Cahahahahaha." Those around them look at the two of them and burst out laughing with a thud. Most of them were amused and moved plates and bottles of liquor out of the way for Cheal. Roland was a little rough around the edges, but he was finally enjoying the happiness of being recognized and rewarded for what he had done. It was the happiness of finally finding a place where he belonged. Eventually, the party was at its peak, but it was time to break up. Among the participants, there were those who were pleasantly drunk, those who were inebriated, and those who were in good spirits. The more energetic ones took care of the intoxicated ones and headed home. Roland and Lilianne, the organizers of the party, stayed behind to make sure that everyone was on their way home so that no one would fall asleep on the side of the road. Monica and three others, as well as Lange and three others, were asked to leave first. As for the ones who were drunk, I let them stay with me for a while in the night breeze until they recovered. After seeing to it that everyone left to the end, Roland decided to take Lilianne home. ''That was fun,'' she said. Mr. Roland." Yeah. Oops. Oh, are you all right?" Lillianne lent a shoulder to the staggering Roland. She was tall, and she was just the right support for Roland. I''m sorry," Lillianne said. I think I had a little too much to drink. I''m not sure I''d like that. It''s okay. Let''s go home like this. The two walked down the street at night, shoulder to shoulder. Are you all right?Are you feeling all right?" Yes, it''s rather nice to be able to get drunk and rowdy with people I can call my friends for the first time in a long time. I was surrounded by young girls," he said. They are all pretty girls, and I''m sure Roland wasn''t too happy about it. Hahaha. That''s not true. Now, Mr. Roland, you have a lot to choose from, don''t you?" I don''t like it. They are my subordinates. There''s no need for them to get all bent out of shape." They reached Lillianne''s home. Lillianne said, "Thank you very much for your help today. Now I''m off to ......." Oh, it''s dangerous." Lillianne took Roland''s hand and supported him again. I''m sorry," she said. I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have done that. I''m always getting you into trouble. It''s all right. I''d rather you rely on me more. I can''t say that," he said. I''m already in a position to be in charge of others. You have to be more firm. You are stoic, aren''t you? But are you all right?You won''t make it home with a gait like that, will you?Wouldn''t it be better for you to get some rest?" Yes, that''s right. I''ll just sit by the side of the road in that area and enjoy the night breeze for a bit before heading home." I don''t have to stay out here in this cold weather. What do you think?Why don''t you come up here to my house?" What? Roland involuntarily looked at Lilianne. Her face was closer than he had expected. Her eyes, staring at him feverishly, plunged into his own. Before she knew it, she had her own arm entwined with Roland''s. She comes to rest her body against Roland as it is. Even through her clothes, I could feel the fullness and softness of her body. It was the body of an adult woman, different from that of a girl like Yuffine or Shakma. Just a slight movement of his face would touch her lips. Roland reflexively turned his face away. She said, "Hey, Mr. Roland. Please stay the night. Wouldn''t that be nice?" No, Lillianne. You and I are not compatible. You say things like that again. You have made me too strong, and I have been carrying the heavy responsibility all by myself. Only one person has carried the weight of Class A. ......" Lillianne, ......" I''d be happy if you gave me a little reward for my hard work. Right, sir?" Roland was cracking up when Lillianne called him ''teacher. She still remembered that she had taught him, and she had always been grateful and respected him. And so, she said, she would now devote herself to me, body and soul. Her mind is the same as it was when she was a student, and her body has grown more feminine. Roland was so happy with the happiness that spread out before his eyes that he was knocked back and forth. She leads him through the door and up to the bed. The door of the house that let them in did not open until the next morning. <> 30 - CHAPTER XV -- Naked A-Class Adventurer Roland woke up to soft sunlight leaking through the curtains. The intensity and warmth of the sunlight showed that the sun had already risen. (Is it noon already?) Roland looked over to see Lillianne sleeping soundly in her sleep, without a stitch of clothing on. Lillianne was sleeping soundly, not a stitch on her. Roland-san ...... mnya." She slept with the peaceful expression of a newborn baby. At this rate, she wasn''t going to wake up yet. Roland thought it was understandable. Last night she had made love to him passionately. Thanks to that, Roland slept as if he had sunk to the bottom of the bed, exhausted. And it seemed that she was exhausted as well. Now she was in the middle of finally getting a decent sleep after being released from the hard work and tension of the day. Her face was wrapped in bliss. Roland watched her sleeping face and felt his heart gradually fill with happiness. At the headquarters of "The Golden Eagle," Lukius was being squeezed by the investors. The investors demanded an explanation from Rukius for the dungeon being taken by the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" once again. They then pressed him hard about his mistake. What do you mean?Lucius." Why do you have so many Class A adventurers, yet lag behind the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree''?" Why are there so many new Class A candidates in the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" but no new ones from the "Golden Eagle"?" What exactly is the temporary budget set aside for this special unit?" They blamed Lucius for his mistake based on the ledger, but he was as good as an amateur when it came to dungeon exploitation. When it came to the details of troop formation, personnel allocation, procurement of items and equipment, and training of adventurers, Rukius'' hand-wringing and mouth-wringing made it impossible for them to pursue the matter in depth. However, even with Rukius''s good words, the fact that two dungeons had been captured, and the resulting decline in profits, was too much for him to ignore, so he had no choice but to admit his fault. It''s your responsibility," he said. How on earth are you going to make up this loss? Lucius promised to take a pay cut and restructure the guild members to protect the interests of his investors. While the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" were enjoying the springtime of this world, the atmosphere at the "Golden Eagle" was as gloomy as a wake. Rumors of restructuring were already spreading among the members. Everyone, from the veterans to the newcomers, was dreading the possibility that they would be decapitated. It was as if the ground that had seemed to exist forever had suddenly begun to wobble and crumble. In the midst of all this, Jill was complaining to Dorwin. I told you," he said. I told you it would be a bad idea to expel Mr. Roland. Dorwin looks at her with a dismayed look on his face. Now the dominance of the Gilded Eagle is shaken. They had been able to get all three dungeons before, but now they can only get one, and the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree'' have taken two dungeons. And that''s not all. If Mr. Roland continues to strengthen the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," the "Golden Eagle" will not be able to get a single dungeon, and will eventually fall to a small to medium-sized guild. Dorwin places the broken sword on the anvil to begin working on it. Jill grabbed Dorwin by the shoulders and shook him. Hey, hey," Dorwin said. Are you listening to me?Dorwin. Dorwin. Shut up." There''s nothing to be picky about!What the hell does he ...... and Lukius want in the first place? He''s always giving orders to the troops to drag them down. If only he hadn''t given those strange instructions, we wouldn''t still be in the game. What the hell is he thinking?" I don''t think Lucius knows what he wants either. Huh?What do you mean you don''t know what you want to do?" Dorwin sighed. ''The "Golden Eagle" has grown too big,'' he said. We''ve grown so large, with so many people, divisions, units, and budgets, that it''s impossible to keep an eye on everything. On top of that, Lucius has investors, clients, and other external relationships. It''s hard to pay attention to the internal relationships and circumstances. At times like this, it would be nice if the representative could just focus on the outside work and leave the inside to someone else. He wants to do everything himself, you know. I guess he doesn''t trust anyone but himself. ......" If that''s the case, we need Mr. Roland even more. I''m sure Mr. Roland will be able to efficiently distribute the right personnel to the right places and use his wisdom to organize the troops. But, he said, it is a matter of honor for the organization to bring back a person who has been expelled. In the first place, Lukius doesn''t like Mr. Roland. How many times do I have to tell you? I don''t have time for this. If we don''t do something, the people in the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" will be brought up by Mr. Roland more and more, and he will forget about us. Dorwin. Don''t you think anything of it?Hey, Dorwin. I don''t know why you would say that. What do you want me to do? Let''s appeal directly to Lucius. "Let''s appeal directly to Lukius to pull Mr. Roland back now. If we all bow down and show our sincerity by offering a large sum of money, I am sure that Roland will remember our old friendship. In any case, let''s do whatever it takes to bring Mr. Roland back. That is the only way. If we don''t hurry, we won''t make it in time. It''s too late if the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" becomes bigger and the "Golden Eagle''s" financial advantage is shaken. Dorwin sighed for the umpteenth time today. I''m telling you," he said, "that''s why Lukius won''t bow down to Roland. If you want to be under Roland''s tutelage so badly, why don''t you just quit the Golden Eagle and go to the Guardian of the Magic Tree? Why are you still stuck in the Golden Eagle?" Why should I pay Lukius to leave?" Jill said bitingly. Senior members like Jill had a contract with the guild for approximately five-year increments, and if they left the guild, they had to pay a penalty of one year''s salary. ''Well, that''s how it works,'' he said. No matter how much I cry or scream, I have to keep working for this guild until my contract expires. Even if I don''t get any guidance from my beloved Roland-san, I''ll just have to put up with it." Dorwin turns away when he says that much and starts pounding his sword with a hammer. Jill stares at Dorwin with jittery eyes for a while, then suddenly starts to depress. I see. I see. In other words, Lukius has no intention of bringing Mr. Roland back no matter what happens, no matter how much the guild leans. Is that what you''re saying? I guess that''s what I''m saying. Jill nodded her head in agreement, then smiled as if she had suddenly blown it. In short, the whole problem is Lukius. Because of him, the troops get all sorts of strange orders, and Mr. Roland can''t come back to the guild. ...... Well, I guess that''s it." In other words, if only Lucius ...... would expel him from the guild, the whole problem would be solved. Is that what you''re saying?" What? Dorwin involuntarily looked at Jill''s face. Then he saw the wicked smile on her face and was surprised. I see. I understand very well. Thank you, Dorwin. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Jill gets up and turns to leave the room. Jill stood up and started to walk out of the room. What are you going to do? You''ll find out soon enough. With that, Jill closed the door and left the room. While everyone on the "Golden Eagle" staff was drooping their heads and dreading tomorrow''s uncertainties, there was one person who seemed to be optimistic. Sebasta, a Class A adventurer. While most people were working in fear of the future (no matter how precarious their status, they had to fulfill quotas set by the guild), he was the only one walking down the corridor of the headquarters, humming a tune. Hey. What''s up? You look gloomy." Oh, Mr. Sebasta. Sebasta tapped one of the nodding members on the shoulder and called out. ''You''ll only let your luck slip away if you look so gloomy. Wahahahahaha." Sebasta walks away with a hearty laugh. The member who was tapped on the shoulder looks at Sebasta''s back. Sebasta''s back is looking at the member who is tapping him on the shoulder. You are in a good mood. Even though the guild is in such a state. He''s an A-class adventurer. Unlike us, he probably doesn''t have to worry about restructuring. With that, they walked down the hallway, their shoulders slumping more and more. In fact, Sebasta was optimistic about his own future. Although his contract expires next year, he assumed that it would be renewed without any problems, and that he could even get an increase. Mr. Sebasta. The legal department would like to see you. "Oh, you''re here." Sitting in the lobby, Sebasta roused his obese body with great ceremony when the attendant summoned him. He entered the legal department with an excited heart. (Now, how much is the guild going to increase my salary?If you want to keep this contract with me, you''re going to have to increase it by at least a million gold a month.) Sebasta arrived at the negotiating table with thoughts of the new luxuries he could enjoy with his increased salary. But when Sebasta saw the new contract he was presented with, his large face turned red and pale, and he stormed out of the room. Lucius!" Sebasta opens the door to the guild leader''s room with a bang and enters, shoulders heaving. Lucius, who had been looking at the account book and holding his head in his hands, was startled. He hastily hid the ledger under his desk. What is it, Sebasta? What''s the matter with you, Sebasta? Why don''t you at least knock?" I don''t care about that!It''s more than that!What is this contract?Let''s hear you explain what the hell is going on." What is it?What the hell is wrong with you?" I''m not a "what''s the big deal" kind of guy. What the hell is going on here that you''re cutting my salary by 500,000 gold!" Sebasta slammed the contract on Lucius'' desk. ''What the hell is that?'' Lucius sits back in his chair, looking tired. ''I assume you''ve heard about the management efficiencies?Because of your screw-up in the dungeon, I''m now in the money business. I had a steady stream of income coming in every month, and now it''s been cut off." All you have to do is cut the salaries of lower-level employees or fire them to pay for the expenses! That''s not enough for me, so I''m drawing your salary." Lucius said, annoyed. ''If that''s all you''ve got to talk about, I suggest you leave now. As I said before, I am busy." Sebasta, however, was not convinced and continued to protest to Lucius. Finally fed up, Lucius decided to threaten him. If you persist in this insubordination, I will consider it treason and I will punish you for it! However, Sebasta continued to passionately explain how he had worked so hard and devoted himself to the guild, and so Lucius did indeed apply the penalties. Sebasta was ordered to serve house arrest along with the payment of a fine of 200,000 gold. Get him out of here." Sebasta is forcibly removed from the room by Lucius'' aides. He is forced out of the room by Lucius''s aides. If that''s what you intend to do, I have a plan of my own. Sebasta stormed the guild leader''s room again and slammed his resignation down on Lukius. You again," Sebasta said. What the hell do you think you''re doing? As you can see." Sebasta grinned wickedly. If you do not offer me another contract, I will resign from this guild. I see. Then I will accept this letter of resignation." Lukius resolutely took the letter of resignation and put it in his desk drawer. Nah." Sebasta wandered and shivered. What''s wrong?Now you have nothing more to do with the Golden Eagle. You can go wherever you want. However, you will be required to pay the penalty fee. Sebasta still had one more year left on his contract, so if he quit now, he would be obligated to pay the penalty. Sebasta''s face turned red, but he quickly retracted his anger and grinned wickedly. He grinned wickedly. Don''t be barking at me later. Sebasta says just that and leaves "The Golden Eagle". As a matter of fact, they were thinking exactly the same thing at this time. (They would soon get in trouble and bow down from the other side anyway) What''s the point of being a class-A adventurer if you don''t know what you''re talking about? Can you get people together without the guild''s help?Can you organize a unit?Can you provide items?Can you provide the equipment?You can''t even pay the penalty in the first place. Who do you think is raising the money so you can eat as an adventurer?It is utterly ridiculous. You''ve forgotten how much I owe you for bringing me up, and you''ve gone over the top." Lucius said as much to Sebasta''s resignation letter on his desk, and then pulled out his account book again to ponder over how to raise the money. Sebasta left the "Golden Eagle" and headed for the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. (Lukius. You are so stubborn. But if you want to do it, I''ve got an idea of my own. I''ll join the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and feed the "Golden Eagle" a full meal. The Keeper of the Magical Tree can pay my penalty.) In fact, it was a widely accepted practice among the adventurers'' guilds to pay a penalty on behalf of the recruiter to replace the transfer fee when recruiting personnel from one guild to another. (A second-rate guild like the Guardians of the Magical Tree would no doubt be very grateful to accept an A-class adventurer like me. It is unbearable to have to join a second-rate guild, but it is unavoidable. For now, I will endure the disappointment and accept the slander of being a second-rate guild member. And wait until Lucius apologizes and offers better terms.) Sebasta then rushed to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" in high spirits, but the guild leader of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" was taken aback when he heard Sebasta''s story. The guild leader thought Sebasta was a messenger from Lucius. However, when he actually heard what Sebasta had to say, he found out that Sebasta had already left the Golden Eagle and was trying to get Lukius to eat his fill. (No kidding. I can''t let things with the Golden Eagle get any more complicated than they already are.) This month, the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" had gained ground on the "Golden Eagle''s" rapid advance, but the guild leader was still afraid of the "Golden Eagle" and Lukius, so he refused Sebasta''s offer and sent him back as politely as he had come. He sent him back as politely as he had come.What''s with that attitude of theirs!You are a second-rate guild, and you treat my offer with such disdain!" But being angry does not help. If we don''t do something, Lucius will charge us a penalty fee, and we will be stuck with him. Sebasta, fed up with the situation, decides to turn the tables on Lucius. He sent a proclamation to those who were related to Sebasta''s corps, cursing Lukius'' oppressive rule and urging them to rise up. They all went on strike, demanding that Lucius improve their treatment and reinstate Sebasta. However, not a single person took Sebasta''s invitation. Sebasta''s former subordinates only replied as follows As long as we belong to the Golden Eagle, we must follow the guild''s orders. Sebasta is neither a member of the Golden Eagle nor our boss. Therefore, we cannot follow your orders, and moreover, we cannot give priority to your instructions over those of the guild. I ask for your kind understanding." No, no, no, no. Sebasta was both outraged and appalled that none of his former subordinates were following him. Sebasta''s subordinates were ostensibly beholden to him because of the hierarchical nature of the organization, but secretly they were fed up with appeasing his selfishness on every assignment. Even the occasional time he took them out for a drink, they felt that even this was power harassment. Sebasta''s bloated ego was no longer anything but a nuisance to his subordinates. (d*mn these guys. I had taken such good care of them. I never thought they were such ungrateful people.) Sebasta, in a state of deep regret, finally came up with an ingenious idea after much worrying. Yes, that''s right. Roland. He owed me a favor. He might be able to do something for me.) In reality, Roland was the one who gave Sebasta, who was sluggish at the time, a chance to make a breakthrough, but in Sebasta''s mind, he was the one who took care of Roland. Sebasta went to Roland''s home. ''Roland!Roland!It''s me. It''s Sebasta. I took care of you when you were with the Golden Eagle. We need to talk. Roland. Come on out. However, no matter how hard I knocked on the door of the house, Roland did not answer. At that time, Roland was in the middle of enjoying the continuation of the sweet time between lovers at Lilianne''s house. It was not until noon that Lilianne finally started to wake up and began to spoil Loran again. Lily. I have to go to work soon." It''s okay, at least for today. While everyone else is in a hurry, just the two of us can take our time and enjoy ourselves. Let''s go." I''m a woman who can''t help herself at all. It''s just for today. Yes. Lillianne puts her arms around Roland''s neck and kisses him. Loran wraps his arms around Lilianne''s white porcelain back and embraces her. The luster and softness of her skin was a pleasant stimulant for Loran. Lillianne''s skin is soft and smooth, and her eyes are bright and beautiful. They''re all mocking me. Sebasta?If I may ask, are you Sebasta, a Class A adventurer?" Who is it? Who''s calling my name? Sebasta turned around and saw a strange man. He said, "Thank God. I knew it was you, Sebasta. I have been sent by the court. A court of law?What the hell do the courts want with me?" We have received a complaint for breach of contract from Mr. Golden Eagle. You have violated the contract between the guild and the adventurers, yet you have not responded to the guild and have not been compensated. Therefore, we request that you appear in court to arbitrate the matter, and that a fair judgment be rendered. Therefore, the court requests that if a settlement is not reached between the two parties, Mr. Sebasta also appear in court with his own attorney. ......" I have no right to sue you! Wait, Mr. Sebasta, what?Guhah." Sebasta escaped the situation by punching a court dispatcher. This resulted in Sebasta being wanted for obstruction of justice. Unable to pay the penalty to the guild and hunted by the police, Sebasta left the adventurer''s town that day with nothing but his clothes on. This scandal, in which an A-class adventurer committed a crime against the guild and then fled, sent shockwaves through "The Golden Eagle. <> 31 - CHAPTER XXI -- DRAWING Lucius was visiting a high-end restaurant frequented by the wealthy. This was the place where the city''s wealthy and big merchants used to hold secret meetings and business negotiations with large transaction amounts. (Not at all. What in the world do you want at this busy time? I just explained to you my future business plan.) Lucius was called to this place by a banker, one of the investors in "The Golden Eagle". When Lucius entered the store, the banker who had already arrived was smoking a cigar. He said, "My apologies. I''ve kept you waiting. ''No, no, I''m enjoying myself first. Let''s move on to the business meeting, shall we? The banker pushed his cigar into the ashtray. What did he say?" Lucius was aghast at the cruel notice he had just been confronted with by the banker. The banker sat deep in his chair without moving an eyebrow and kept looking at Lucius. He said, "They want to withdraw their funds from the ''Golden Eagle'' at the end of this season. ...... Oh no!Why?Why on earth would you want to ...... at this time?" It''s that simple. It''s because I no longer find your business attractive." The banker said, puffing cigar smoke. Purple smoke filled the room. ''Oh no. ...... wait. It''s true that this month we fell behind the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". But we are still better than them in terms of overall strength. Give us another chance ......." Roland the Appraiser: ......" The banker muttered. Lukius''s face tensed up. ''The city''s only S-class appraiser and training specialist. He has trained many adventurers in the Golden Eagle. I''m sorry, but I had to look it up. I heard that he is the one who trained Jill and Dorwin. Arik and Sebasta were also trained by him. Also, since you and Roland joined the Golden Eagle, it has grown rapidly. You can say that he has made a great contribution to the company. Despite this, Roland was somehow expelled from "The Golden Eagle" the other day. By your hand, of all people. And now he is employed by the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" as a special advisor. At the same time he joined, the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" conquered two dungeons and produced an A-class adventurer. On the other hand, "Golden Eagle" stopped promoting its members and lost two dungeons to its rivals." You mean to say this? Roland is the one who is responsible for Gilded Eagle becoming the best guild in the city. I was just an incompetent who took advantage of Roland''s achievement. No, no, I don''t mean to go that far. But, appraiser Roland, wasn''t it a mistake, from a managerial point of view, to expel him?" ......" Roland was one of the driving forces behind your rise as head of the guild, a comrade, or rather, even a close friend, wasn''t he?Why did you oust him?" ......" ''Well, if you don''t want to answer, that''s fine too. Anyway, as for me, I''m not going to continue to fund your business any longer. Now, if you''ll excuse me. Wait!" Lucius grabbed the banker''s hand as he was leaving with the receipt. ''I haven''t finished talking to you yet, sir. I have nothing to say to you. ...... I have. The banker was easily intimidated by Lukius'' desperate swashbuckling. Would you be so kind as to sit down again? The banker took his seat again, unable to stop himself. Roland may indeed have had some minor involvement in the training of Class A adventurers," he said. But so what? No matter how many Class A adventurers and candidates he raised, Arik, Sebasta, Jill and Dorwin, they are now in my hands." ......" Yes," he said. If he wants to raise Class A adventurers, we can buy them up. In terms of financial strength, "Golden Eagle" is still better than us. If we pull out those three who played a leading role in the dungeon attack this time, we will once again have the upper hand. Hm. I see. That may be true. But in that case, why don''t we just pull Roland out?What is the point of keeping Roland as a member of the Guardians of the Magical Tree?" No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! That makes no sense. It makes sense to let Roland stay with the "Keeper of the Magical Tree" and let the "Keeper of the Magical Tree" shoulder the cost of his upbringing. ......" If you bring him back, that alone will cost you a ridiculous amount of money," he said. Yes. That''s right. It was. After all, we expelled him because it would cost a lot of money that was not worth the results. The guild can''t be run if we just follow his demands and give him money. You don''t know that. While Jill and Dorwin were making their mark, you don''t know how much money was wasted on new adventurers who were not getting anywhere! They must be doing the same thing with the Guardians of the Magical Tree anyway." Hm. Is that so?" Yes, it is. After all, he just poured a lot of money into newcomers and picked up those who happened to be budding. It''s not profitable to do that. I''m not sure I''d like that. Well, if you insist, I''ll leave it to you. ......" Excuse me. Guild President." While they were talking, Dianna came over and whispered something into Lucius'' ear. What?Is that true?" Lucius'' eyes widen in astonishment. Yes, I have solid information. What''s wrong?" The banker asked suspiciously. ''No, it''s no big deal, sir. Lukius smiled and flashed a smirk. Inwardly, however, he was completely impatient. I''m afraid that''s all we have to talk about for now. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." Rukius got up from his seat and left the restaurant with a sneak peek. After we get to a place where the bankers can''t hear us, we discuss what Dianna and I have been overhearing. ''I ask you again, is what you just said true?I can''t believe Sebasta skipped town after a violent incident. ......" Yes, the police have come to the guild. They want to interview you." (Tch. Sebasta''s a b*tc*. He''s got us in a bad spot.) As soon as Lucius returned to the headquarters of the "Golden Eagle," he had to make a statement to all concerned. Sebasta and the Golden Eagle had terminated their contractual relationship and no longer had anything to do with each other. Therefore, the Golden Eagle had nothing to do with the violence. Lucius was forced to work for several days to put out the fire of the incident. (Ee-ee........ They''re always getting in my way. I''m going to have to ...... do whatever it takes to get them out of my way.) In the lobby of the headquarters of the "Guardian of the Magical Tree," members were hanging out, waiting for each other. They were all standing around in the lobby talking and glancing restlessly at the entrance, checking out the visitors. Finally, the person they were looking for arrived. It was Roland. Oh, it''s Mr. Roland. Mr. Roland. Good morning." Roland was suddenly surrounded by guild members. Mr. Roland. Please appraise my skills as well. Mr. Roland. I have some advice for you. Everyone was trying to connect with Roland here and there. If they could get him on their side, they would be on their way to becoming A-class adventurers. Wait a minute. I have to go to work first. ...... They did not back down when Roland said so. ''Please. I''m sure we can find you some good skills." Is it true that you are creating a new unit?If so, please include me. I''m sure I''ll be useful! I''m sorry. I have a meeting. I''ll get back to you later about the skill appraisals and training plans for each of you. Roland somehow managed to wave them off with that remark. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine watched from a corner of the lobby. You''re very popular, Mr. Roland." Yuffine said, crossing her arms. Of course," Yuffine said, crossing her arms. In fact, it is thanks to you that we have been promoted. Shakuma said proudly. Shakuma said proudly, "Yes, I''ve learned a lot from you in terms of troop operations. I will have to ask you to continue to guide me. Haaaaah." Monica let out a grand sigh next to them. ''What''s wrong Monica?'' Euphine looks at Monica curiously. Nothing," she said. Nothing. She said this with a depressed and unfaithful look on her face. I don''t know.I hope so. ......" Oh, it''s already late. I have to do the PR work the guild is asking me to do." Shakuma said, looking at the clock on the wall. ''Oh, I was also told to do an interview with a newspaper or something today. Monica, what about you?" I''m also going to have an artist paint a picture for me: ......" Well, then, I guess the three of us will have to split up. See you at lunch. I''m not sure. Yes." Monica nodded and left them. What''s wrong with that girl?" Well?" Monica''s sinking point was none other than the fact that it happened yesterday. Roland and Lilianne had come to work at the guild together. Their homes were supposed to be in different directions. They called each other "Lily" and "Roland" and seemed to be on good terms with each other. Seeing this, Monica completely understood what had happened between them. She realized that the faint feeling that had been growing inside her was over before it had even begun. (That''s right. Lillianne is beautiful. She''s smart. If she''s as good as Roland-san, she''s sure to be courted by many beautiful women. Ha.) She felt more than just a boss toward Roland, who was both kind and strict toward her. (I thought he was the one. But he wasn''t. ......) She would secretly shed tears where no one was watching. Although he had recovered from the night, the problem was that Roland would continue to be his own boss. He would endlessly flicker in front of me what I could not have. Nothing was more painful than that. The thought of it made her feel disgustingly melancholy. (Haaaaah.... Maybe I should quit being an adventurer.) In the training room of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," Roland was checking the skills and stats of Monica and the other three. Good. Each one of you has acquired the right equipment. I''m going to give you a ''skills evaluation. Relax, relax. When Roland said this, the three closed their eyes and relaxed from their bodies. Roland activates "Skill Appraisal" and "Status Appraisal. YUFINE. Wide Area Healing Magic" S S Single-person recovery magic" A to A (Skills not dulled. The status shows that he is fully motivated. It seems his ambition is not false.) Good. Yuffine. It''s okay." Yes, sir. Thank you very much. How was it? My skills and stats." I''m in perfect shape. At this rate, I may have to up the training load a bit." Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you. (Okay. At least it''s a successful appeal.) Euphine is gut-punched to be able to show Roland a good point. (Okay, now for Monica''s skills and stats: ...... Monica?) Roland''s face turns grim. ''What''s wrong, Monica?Your status is showing some irregularities." Monica freaks out. Ugh, I''m sorry." A disturbed status is a sign of physical and mental illness," he said. Hawkeye'' is a skill that can severely deplete one''s physical strength. You know better than anyone the importance of taking care of your physical condition." Yes. ...... Are you having ...... any troubles?" Roland looked into Monica''s face with concern. Monica stared at Roland, stumped for words. It was an expression that could be interpreted as a complaint or a request for help. Monica? No, it''s nothing. I''ll take care of myself." Monica hid her expression by keeping her face down. ?" ...... I see. That''s fine then. I''ll go train today then." Roland looked anxiously at Monica as she trained. (She doesn''t seem to be in good shape after all. I wonder what''s wrong. She''s the kind of girl who usually asks for advice right away. I wonder if she''s okay.) Monica felt self-loathing as she sensed that Roland was watching her. (Ugh. Roland-san was angry with me. I can''t take it anymore.) After handing down the assignment to the three, Roland attended a management meeting of "The Guardian of the Magic Tree. Since he had become an executive, he showed up at these meetings and participated in important decisions within the guild. ''Now, I would like to discuss the establishment of a new unit. Following the first unit led by Lilianne and the second unit led by Roland, we have received a proposal to establish a third unit. If you have any suggestions for the captain and the organization of the unit, please let me know." For now, I think Monica should be the captain of the third unit," he said. She''s already a class A. I don''t think anyone would object if I entrusted her to head the unit." The fat guild leader said, wiping the sweat from his balding forehead. Wait a minute. It''s still too early to entrust her with the command of the troops." Roland objected. She may be a Class A student, but she''s still a rookie. It is easy to get carried away and lose your footing, especially at this time of year when you have just become a Class A student. Already they are showing signs of mental slackness, conceit, and disorder. As for Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine, I don''t think we should hold them responsible for the unit just yet. I think it is better to keep them in my unit. I agree. Then let''s put a hold on the captain of the new unit. Then let''s move on to the next item on the agenda. As soon as Lillianne heard Roland''s opinion, she moved on to the next item on the agenda. It was as if Liliane had said that hearing only Roland''s opinion was enough. The next item on the agenda was the acquisition of new recruits. ''You''re going to hold off on setting up a new unit, aren''t you? Maybe we don''t need to get new recruits for a while." The guild president said. ''No, let''s take new recruits.'' Roland said. As I mentioned earlier, Monica and the other three show the characteristic slackness seen in those who have moved up a significant amount in class. There is no need to put pressure on them, but they do need to tighten up. We need to acquire new archers, support mages, and healers with talent comparable to theirs to show them that the competition is not over yet and that there are plenty of threats to their position. I agree. Then, Mr. Roland. May I leave the interviewing and hiring of new recruits to you? Lilianne said in a slightly indulgent tone. Yes, of course. Yes, of course. Roland replied with a fresh smile. (Ugh. Lilianne. You''ve just reinforced Roland''s authority.) The guild president looked as if he was biting a bitter bug. After that, Roland and Lilianne''s opinions were taken into account in all major agenda items. The guild president''s proposals were all rejected. (d*mn. This is no position for me, the guild leader. If only Wirik had won against Roland, none of this would have happened!) Monica was surrounded by painters in a room at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" headquarters. They were all people who had offered to paint Monica''s picture even if they had to pay for it (by contract, her portrait belonged to the guild). If they could paint her well, they were sure to become the most fashionable painters of the day. The more successful and famous she became, the more valuable their paintings would be. Monica was completely stiffened by the campus and the painters. Monica was completely stiffened by the campus and the painters. Are you nervous? One of the painters called out to him. Monica laughed, as if she were troubled. Yes, I''ve never experienced anything like this before. There is no need for you to be nervous. We want to see you as you normally are. Please just relax and be at ease. Huh. I don''t know if I''m supposed to act like a normal person.) While Monica was looking troubled, someone came thudding into the room. It was the head of the guild. Monica, may I have a word with you?" The guild president?What the hell is going on?" There''s a visitor here who wants to see you. I''m sorry, but you''ll have to deal with him." The guild president pulls Monica''s hand and tries to take her halfway. He said, "Hey. I''m still in the middle of painting. The guild leader took the bewildered and puzzled Monica away from the painters'' protests. Monica arrives at the parlor and rolls her eyes at the figure waiting there. There was Lucius. <> 32 - CHAPTER XXII -- MORE THAN MONEY Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lucius, the head of the guild of the Golden Eagle." Hi. Nice to meet you. Lucius smiled at Monica. ''...... hi.'' Monica looked at Lukius seriously. (This is Mr. Lukius. He is the head of the "Golden Eagle" guild. ......) I could see that he was a representative of a guild, and his clothes and mannerisms were refined and smart, as if he were a business manager. On the other hand, Monica felt that there was something fake about his demeanor. Ramon, the head of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" guild, was relieved that he was able to bring the two together without Roland and Lilianne finding out. The two were now out and away. (If he was going to transfer Monica, he would have to get things done while those two were gone.) Monica. Mr. Lucius took the trouble to take the time to see you. Let''s see. Why did the guild leader of the Golden Eagle join the Guardians of the Magic Tree?" Monica backed away in alarm. ''Well, sit down anyway. Mr. Lucius will explain everything in person." Monica sat down in the chair at the guild president''s urging. She came face to face with Lucius. Let me be frank," he said. I would like to recruit you as a senior member of the Golden Eagle. What?Scout ......?" I have heard about your activities in the "Forest Dungeon. I''ve heard about your work in the ''Forest Dungeon,'' and I''d love to work with you. Lucius said smilingly. ''haha ......'' If you are willing to transfer to my guild, The Golden Eagle, I will sign a contract for 12 million gold per year." 12 million gold a year? Monica made a funny sound when she heard the amount of money offered. Lucius chuckled inwardly. Of course, we will pay for any penalties arising from the contract with the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. But that''s not all. If you transfer to us, we''ll give you a lot more than just a salary. If there is any equipment you want, we will provide it, and if there is any skill you want, we will support you in developing it. Ha, ha. Eventually, I''d like to make you the commander of the second squadron of the Golden Eagle. Is the unit leader ......? I don''t know.Do you intend to transfer or not?" Um, ...... That''s a good story, Monica. Ramon interjected. ''It''s doubtful you''ll make troop leader in "Guardian of the Magic Tree". Roland is going to keep you in his unit, after all. What?"Is that so?" Yeah, you might not make troop leader under Roland anytime soon. What?That is not a good thing to hear. How can a member of such distinction be kept a part of the force for so long? Mr. Lucius is offering you a chance for advancement. I think it''s a unique opportunity. Lukius and Ramon said this with the intention of moving Monica''s heart, but another thought occupied her mind. (Mr. Roland is trying to keep me in his unit. He needs me.) Monica looks at Lucius. ''Um, Mr. Lucius. I am very grateful for your kind words, but may I ask you to wait a moment to respond to ......?I still think I prefer ''Guardian of the Magic Tree.''" What? Wait a minute. Then how about this? How about starting next month, or even right now, I''ll appoint you as a troop leader?" Monica is horrified. Monica was taken aback.That is impossible for me. Even if I could, I would have a hard time without Mr. Roland in the "sanctuary. (I can''t be responsible for the troops when I''m so occupied with myself.) Monica, who had already experienced firsthand the difficulties of commanding a unit, was intimidated by Lucius'' suggestion. (If Mr. Roland is going to keep me in the unit, I might as well keep working with the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" for a while, right? If I transferred badly and was entrusted with a job that wasn''t suitable for my stature, I''d have to go to ......) You are given a job with heavy responsibility under a boss, subordinate, or staff member who knows nothing about you. It was a work environment that made me shudder just to think about it. Is there something about our proposal that you disapprove of?" Lukius, in his usual habit, smiles and applies pressure. Monica sensed danger. ''Um, excuse me, but I must leave you for today. I have the painters waiting." Hey, wait a minute. No, excuse me." Monica said nothing more and quickly ran out of the room. (Mr. Roland took me to his unit. You still need me. Can I assume that, Mr. Roland?) Monica''s mind was occupied only with that fact. For her, meeting Roland was a change from a depressing event to one that filled her with hope and anticipation. After Monica left, there was an awkward atmosphere in the room where she left them. Lukius glared at Ramon. Mr. Ramon. We are not talking about the same thing. I thought you said that you were ready to let go of Monica Vermeerle as the guardian of the magic tree. Yeah, yeah. Of course, we had every intention of doing so. Ramon takes out a handkerchief and wipes the sweat from his forehead. But the truth is, she didn''t nod her head and left the room as if to run away. Are you really going to transfer her?" Yes, of course. If so, why did she run off like that?" I''m sure you''re right. Oh, maybe I shouldn''t have said I was going to appoint you as a unit leader. The unit commander?Why on earth would ......" She has a timid streak that doesn''t match her ability. When she heard that she was going to be appointed as a unit leader, she may have been intimidated. Hm. I see. (Despite being a class-A adventurer, he lacks self-confidence. (So the guts of belonging to a guild that was ranked second all the time is hard to recover from.) I understand. Let''s talk about Monica Vermale later for now. First, I will negotiate with the other two, Shakma Hakim and Yuffine Reyes. As for the two of them, I will make sure they shake their heads. Is that clear?" Lukius gives Ramon a frightening look. Ramon says, "Yeah, yeah. Of course. Of course. Then I would like you to bring one of them to me, quickly, right now." Ramon rushed out of the room. He said, "Well. He wants to scout me." Shakma said in front of Lukius. She had a much more positive attitude toward the negotiations than Monica. (This is a nice touch. Maybe we can pull this off.) Lucius was pleased to see that Shakuma responded as he had hoped. ''Oh, I would very much like to welcome you as a senior member of the "Golden Eagle."'' (Have I finally reached the point where I''m being pulled into the best guild in town? It is painful to leave Mr. Roland, but if I can join the best guild in town, it may be possible, depending on how I am treated.) I appreciate the offer. I would be happy to consider it positively. So, what kind of treatment are you willing to offer?" I''m not sure I''d like that. If you join the Gilded Eagle, I will offer you a salary of 12 million gold per year. What else?" Shakuma asked, his eyes shining with anticipation. Lukius was a little cautious. He had just frightened the girl Monica by putting her under too much pressure," he said. Let''s be careful not to put too much pressure on this girl.) I agree. For now, you will be assigned to the 1st Unit as a member, and you will learn the basics of unit operation from scratch under Arik. ...... Shakuma was disappointed to hear what Lukius said. (Nah. I guess they''re not going to make me a unit commander. Is that the extent of the "Golden Hawk''s" evaluation of me? Huh.) Shakuma had already received an informal offer from Roland to mentor him on the premise that he would become a unit leader. (I guess it would be more interesting to stay on as Mr. Roland''s subordinate in the "Guardian of the Magic Tree.") Excuse me, but may I have a moment to think about it?" Shakuma ended up only responding vaguely to a number of proposals made by Lukius. Lukius'' negotiations were again unsuccessful. If you want, I can promise you a position as a unit leader right away, or you can start out as a member of the unit and work your way up. I will give you what you want. Lukius made an impassioned speech in front of Yuffine. (After failing to extract Monica and Shakuma, he must succeed at all costs, but not Yuffine.) Lucius was impatient. Yuffine stared at Rukius with emotionless eyes. This was an attitude she often adopted toward people she had never met before. Yuffine''s attitude disturbed Rukius, who was already in a hurry. There was not a single person who had refused her invitation to join the "Golden Eagle" in recent times. Among them, Lucius had always been the one to test, never the one to be tested. For the first time in a long time, Rukius felt an unpleasant perspiration running down his forehead as he was exposed to a gaze that was judging him. Euphine, on the other hand, grew increasingly calm. Silence reigned in the room for a while. "If ...... Yuffine muttered a potty mouth. Lukius and Ramon braced themselves. What happens if I become a Class A healer?" What is ...... going to happen?" Lucius looked into her eyes as if he was desperate to devour her, trying to somehow read her mind. For example, will I get a raise in salary or benefits?" Of course. If you make it to the A level, I promise to pay you even more. Lucius answered immediately. Yuffine thinks about it. (If I''m going to be treated better as an A-class employee, it would be more beneficial to have Mr. Roland make me an A-class employee and then transfer me to a new position.) I''m sorry," he said. I can''t give you an answer right now. Could you please wait a little longer?" All attempts to extract Lucius failed. Back at "The Guardian of the Magic Tree," Roland was walking down the hallway, thinking. He had been visiting the "Arsenal of Spirits" to discuss dungeon management, and had been asked for advice by some of the other alchemy guild members who had been visiting on occasion. I haven''t heard from the ''Golden Eagle'' for a long time. A member of the visiting alchemy guild said so. The dungeon has just been conquered and it''s time to write a book, but when I went to talk to him, he just said that the person in charge is currently out of the office. It seems that the "Golden Eagle" is in some kind of a mess over Sebasta. The Sebasta thing?I''m sorry, I''ve been busy and am not familiar with the situation in the city. Did something happen to Sebasta?" Apparently, he had a dispute with Lucius and left the Golden Eagle. Sebasta left the group?That''s not ......" Anyway, the "Golden Eagle" never contacted us at all. They are the ones who are organizing us, so we have no choice but to follow them. If you don''t hurry up, we''ll be out of food. Hey, Roland, have you heard anything?You''ve made your peace with the Gilded Eagle, haven''t you?" He looked completely exhausted. (The fact that the alchemy guild under the "Golden Hawk" is asking for advice from us means that Lukius''s centripetal force is finally declining.) Roland felt that this was a chance to cut the alchemy guild under the "Golden Hawk" umbrella. (But why?I was sure they were going to use the Alchemy Guild to harass me again.) Roland!" Roland was startled by a voice calling him from behind. He was still being bothered by members who wanted to have their skills appraised. He even made it a point to return to the guild at a time when the streets were less crowded. However, he was relieved when he confirmed that the voice was Lillianne. What is it, Lily? What''s the matter with you? Roland. It seems that the head of the guild is trying to get Monica and the others transferred to the Gilded Eagle without our knowledge. What the hell? Roland was aghast. No," he said. They are the guild''s most prominent members. They are important pillars that will support the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" in the future. I''m not sure. No way. I can''t believe the head of the guild would do something like that. d*mn. What the hell were you thinking? It seems that Lucius has already visited the building several times and is negotiating with them. Lillianne looked completely flustered. (That Lucius guy. I thought he was being strangely quiet. I guess that''s what he''s after.) Anyway. Now that we know that the head of the guild is in league with the enemy, we have no choice but to take countermeasures. Let''s raise the salaries, penalties, and contract years of the three so that Lucius can''t get his hands on them. I agree. It''s the best thing to do. Lillianne immediately set to work. Lilianne visited the guild president''s office with the newly drawn up contract in hand. Lilianne went to the guild president''s office with a newly drawn contract in her hand. Could you please sign it?" I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. I''ll look over it later." Now, please sign right away." Lilianne smiled and said in a tone of voice that said with or without a smile. Ramon laughed deceptively. Nothing so urgent ......." No," he said. If we are too slow, the Golden Eagle may take them away from us. Ramon was stumped. You don''t think I''m going to sell them to the Golden Eagle for a little money, do you? Lillianne smiled and moved her face closer to the guild leader as if to exert pressure. The guild leader smiled deceptively at Lilianne, as if pressuring her. No, but you know what? You say so, but Roland is charging us a huge amount of money for the equipment for the three of us. And now he''s going to raise their salaries. If things continue as they are, our funding will come to a standstill. If you want to retain them, you''ll have to come up with some other way to raise the money. Do you have any ideas?" ''Guild President, isn''t it your job to raise funds?It is true that Mr. Roland spent a lot of money to train them, but the results were worth it, weren''t they? Now it is the guild president''s turn to prepare rewards commensurate with the efforts of Mr. Roland and the girls. No, but that being said, money matters ......." We produced Class A adventurers. Why don''t you go to a bank, a wealthy person''s place, or wherever and draw out an investment? Anyway, we must hurry to offer these women a new contract. Hurry up and sign this contract." Lilianne held out the contract to the guild director and pressed him to sign it. Uh-uh." The guild president was forced to sign the contract offered by Lilianne. The new terms for the three were a five-year contract with an annual salary of 10 million gold. The penalty was to be the number of years remaining on the contract multiplied by the annual salary. This meant that Lukius would have to come up with 50 million gold for each of the girls if he wanted to pull them out of the deal. Roland then presented the three with a new contract to negotiate. Despite the slightly lower salaries than those offered by the Gilded Eagle, the three signed the new contracts easily, in contrast to Lukius. The next day, Roland invited Monica out to lunch during a break. The next day, Roland invited Monica to join him for lunch during his break, which happened to coincide with their free time. I''m glad," Roland said. You seem to be feeling better. What? Status, back to normal." Oh, so that''s how it is. Yes, that''s what I meant. I''m sorry for worrying you. (I can''t keep messing up my status forever, you know...) Monica thought to herself with a bitter smile. ''I see you''ve signed the new contract. Yes." Why?Didn''t The Gilded Eagle offer you a lot more?" I wanted to learn more under ...... Mr. Roland. I see. Thank you." Um, can I ask you something? Yes. I''ll answer any questions I can. The guild leader said. Mr. Roland still wants to keep me under his command. I''m not sure. Yes. Why? I can get more out of you. I think I can bring out more of you. Will you stay with me for a while? What?Yes." Roland took Monica in front of the bulletin board at the quest reception desk. Monica was looking at the board, and she saw a few things: "Monsters defeated, items acquired, quests cleared, and quest rankings. "There is no archer''s name in the first place of any of the rankings. That''s true. But I''m sure you can get one of these. I know I can. Am I ......?" Yes, archers are currently considered a support attack position, and are actually operated as such. Roland''s eyes became distant and staring. It was a gesture Monica had seen many times while in the dungeon. ''I think the role of the bowman (archer) is underrated. I think the role of the archer is underestimated, but with you I can change that. I have a feeling we can change that. (Mr. Roland. You really only think of me as your subordinate) Monica felt sadness in her heart. I want to aim higher. To do that, I need your help. Monica, will you aim with me?" ...... yes." (Even if my thoughts don''t reach you, I will grow under you. (Because I want to be proud of myself to you at least) <> 33 - Art. 33. Reunion What do you mean, Mr. Ramon?" When Lukius heard the news of Monica and the others'' contract renewal, he was questioning Ramon with an intimidating stare. Ramon simply wiped the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief, looking uncomfortable. ''I can''t believe they renewed the contract and hung the penalty on us. I''m going to transfer them to the "Golden Eagle. You said so clearly, didn''t you? No, of course not. That''s what I was going to do. But there was talk from within the guild that we should reward these women for their contributions now. I couldn''t disagree with that, and I''m not going to ......" Ramon busily darted his gaze from side to side to escape Lukius'' pursuit. (Tsk. Fifty million gold each. The three of us together are worth 150 million gold. Even for a "golden hawk," that''s not an amount of money you can just casually throw around.) No matter how ample the financial resources of the "Golden Eagle," it was not possible for Lukius to allocate 50 million gold just on his own. He had to obtain permission from the investors. But we can''t give up just yet. We have already promised the bankers that we will pull Monica and the others out of the deal. We can''t just back out and say, ''Yes, I see.) Lucius decided to go around to each of the investors and persuade them. I understand," he said. Mr. Ramon, we''ll come up with the 150 million gold somehow. Oh, really? Thank you. Ramon was delighted by the unexpected boon from the shelf. However!This time I will definitely get the girls to agree to the transfer. Is that clear?" Yeah, yeah. Of course I will keep my word, as long as I have the 150 million gold. I''ll tell you this, though. Lukius moves his face closer to Ramon''s, making him look even more fierce. Roland will definitely threaten your position. If you want to retain your position, you must expel Roland as soon as possible. Is that clear?" Ramon simply shook his head at Lukius'' swashbuckling. After that, Lucius set about persuading his investors. It was a difficult task just to arrange their schedules, as they were all very busy. In the end, it took a week to persuade each of the investors. In the meantime, various problems within "Golden Hawk" were left unattended. Monica was drawing a bow and arrow at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" training ground. She nocked an arrow and fired it at a target on the far side of the field. The arrow not only hit the center of the target without any deviation, but also penetrated through the target to the target behind it. In the end, the arrow hit the seventh target and stopped. (Seventh arrow, huh?). I guess the attack power is 60-69 ......?) As Monica measured the power of the attack she had just made, she remembered a new assignment Roland had given her the other day. ''Is it enhanced arm strength (power) ......?'' Yes, you are not very agile for an archer. However, you still have a lot of room to grow in terms of power and stamina. You need to acquire the power to kill an ogre with a single blow and the stamina to withstand the continuous use of "Hawkeye. That is your next challenge. "Ogre in one ...... blow." If you do that, you could be the first archer to be ranked number one in the number of archers defeated." Monica''s lips were pursed in anxiety. Roland spoke gently to her. Don''t worry. I''m sure you can do it. I will do my best to support you. Yes, sir. Yes, please! Monica draws her bow and aims at the newly installed target. Roland appraises Monica''s status from a short distance away. Monica Vermale. Arm strength (power): 60-70 to (90-100) Endurance (toughness): 50-60 (55-65) Agility: 30-40 to (30-40) Stamina: 100-110 (120-110) 130) (Looks like you''re back in full form. (Status is regaining stability.) The other day, my arm strength (power) was unstable at 40-70, but now it''s up to 60-70. It had recovered. Status fluctuates from moment to moment, depending on the state of mind and body, but it is said to be in good shape if the fluctuation is within 10. Monica''s current status is within a margin of error of 10 or less, so she is in good shape. (The status has recovered even though no particular physical change was observed. So, ...... is the cause of her poor performance a mental problem after all? What the hell was she worried about?) Roland twisted his head. (Well, okay. The problem seems to be solved. Let''s not think too much about it.) Roland regained his composure and checked Monica''s condition (status). (She is physically and mentally well. Then I guess we can move on to the next stage. I''m going to increase the load to one level and concentrate on arm strength (power) and stamina (stamina). Monica. Yes." When called by Roland, Monica stopped shooting her bow and turned to Roland. ''Starting today, I''m going to add a list and one more set of running.'' Yes, sir." I understand." Despite the added training, Monica was still determined to go to the facility to work on her wrist and running. (Loran is watching me grow. That''s how I know I''m getting better.) Monica''s previous melancholy was gone, and she was upbeat and excited about her training. Although the pain and sadness still visited her from time to time, this time, this time alone, when she was receiving instruction from Roland, was her own. When Monica''s arm strength (power) and stamina (stamina) increased, I would have Cheal increase the weight and power of the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow". That''s about it as far as Monica is concerned. (Well, I was supposed to meet Lily after this.) Roland left the training hall and headed to a private room inside the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" where he was meeting Lilianne. ''Is Lucius'' centripetal force waning? Yes," he said. I see signs of it everywhere." Roland and Lillianne were alone in the waiting room of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" discussing the situation. Lately, they had been talking more and more about the management policy of the "Keeper of the Magical Tree" in such a way that no one could hear them. Lately, people from alchemy guilds have been coming to the "Arsenal of Spirits" one after another to discuss dungeon management. Even though they belong to a guild under the ''Golden Eagle'' umbrella. This has never happened before." Hmm." Lillianne put her hand over her mouth in a thoughtful gesture. ''I too had thought that the "Golden Eagle" was acting a little strange. Normally, they would have come to negotiate over the policy of dungeon management by now. The allocation of resources and entrance fees to dungeons is always a point of contention between the guilds. Since the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" do not have the capacity to manage the "Mining Dungeon" on their own, they should be able to negotiate favorable conditions for the collection of resources in the dungeon. But for some reason, nothing has been heard from them this quarter." I think there is no doubt that there is a loosening of control within the Golden Eagle. If so, it could certainly be an opportunity. But can''t you think of it this way?The reason Lukius is not coming to negotiate is because he is waiting to see how we come out. In other words, the other side still has the advantage of having all the alchemy guilds in the city under their umbrella. They dare to leave us without doing anything, and wait until we make some concession. That is certainly a possibility. However, it is difficult to imagine that Lucius would wait for us to make a move because of his character. If he were to try to extract favorable terms from us, he would take a more aggressive approach. For example, he might tighten up the alchemy guild or threaten us. But so far, he hasn''t reacted in any way except to bribe Monica and the others." I see. That certainly doesn''t sound like him. Even if it is an attempt to draw out Monica and her team this time, something about the actions of ...... Lukius shows a hint of impatience. I don''t know how much it is too forceful or ....... I''m not sure what to expect, but I''m not sure what to expect either. So, this is a chance to cut down the alchemy guild ......? Yes." Lillianne crosses her arms and ponders. But then, as if she had made up her mind, she opened her eyes and looked straight at Roland. I understand. Then let''s take this opportunity to bring in the alchemy guilds in the city. We will proceed with the dungeon management without the Golden Eagle. The "Arsenal of Spirits" should act accordingly. Lillianne said decisively. Lillianne said decisively, "Yes. Thank you. I knew Lily would say so. So how exactly do you plan to proceed?" That''s the point, isn''t it? Even though the control of the "Golden Eagle" is loosening, I still see hesitation on the part of the alchemy guild. Even if we urge them to secede from the "Golden Hawk," I wonder how many guilds will really follow us. ...... I see. I see. So you are lacking a decisive blow. Lillianne crosses her arms again and meditates. For now, why don''t we gather all the major alchemy guilds in one place?" All together?" Yes, all in one place. For example, hold some kind of seminar. A seminar is not an act of betrayal, so people can attend with a light heart, right?That''s where you see the reaction. Maybe we can distinguish between friend and foe and determine how many people will turn to our side." I see. If it looks like there are a lot of guilds that are going to side with us, then let''s go ahead and do it all at once." I understand. I''ll see what I can come up with. I''m sure we can find a place to hold the seminar," he said. We can provide the facilities owned by the "Keeper of the Magic Tree. Oops, it''s almost time to go. Lillianne said, looking at the clock propped up on the wall. Yes, I must be on my way. Roland-san, were you interviewing new member applicants after this? Yes," he said. It is essential to build a new unit. After that, I plan to visit the ''Spirit Arsenal. You''re a busy man. You''re the one. You''re working late again today, aren''t you?" Yes, this is where we have to step up to the plate. The two were even busier than before. They had to make time between jobs to spend time together. They promised to meet here again tomorrow and parted ways for the day. This way," he said. Everything is already prepared. The interview preparer then led Roland to the interview room. The paper on the desk will serve as the profile of today''s applicant. Thank you. I''ll look it over. (Create another new unit that can withstand the dungeon attack. (To do so, we need to find new class-A adventurers to lead the new troop.) Roland looks over the resumes of the applicants. There must be a future Class-A adventurer among them. I''ll find them!) Having conquered two dungeons this season and produced an A-class adventurer, "Keeper of the Magical Tree" had more applicants than ever before for new job interviews. In particular, the archer, support mage, and healer positions were filled by high-level applicants who had already achieved good results at the training school or had already established a certain career path as adventurers. Roland quickly discovered the first A-class candidate. Rick Dyer. Swordsmanship: C to A Shield Defense: C to A Agility grant: E A Total healing: E to A (Found it!(Qualities of a Class A Mage Knight!) My name is Rick Dyer. I just recently graduated from the training school. At the training school, I trained in ''swordsmanship'' and ''shield defense. I hope to play vanguard." The tall, honest-looking boy said clearly. I see. It is true that you are highly skilled in ''swordsmanship'' and ''shield defense. Yes, sir. I have confidence in my vanguard. I see that you have promise as a vanguard. How about support and healing magic?" Is it supportive magic and healing magic at ......?" Yes, as far as I can tell, you have some good elementary skills in supportive and healing magic as well. No, that ......, I''m not very confident in my magical abilities. Hm. Then let me appraise your status as well. Rick Dyer Status Magic: 10-10 to (100-11) (0) It''s all right. If you come to us, we can increase your magic to 100. What?Magic up to 100? Yes," he said. What do you want to do?If you are willing to practice support and healing magic, I would be happy to hire you right now." Ha. I understand. I''ll give it a try. The second was a shadowy bowman boy with long bangs that brushed his eyes. My name is Lelio Santana. My name is Lelio Santana, and I want to be a bowman (archer). Roland appraised Lelio''s skills and status. Lelio Santana Bow Shooting: C to A One-hit kill: C to A Arm strength (power): 35-55 to (70-80) Agility: 40-60 to (90-10) 0) (Both power and agility. Is he a good enough bowman (archer)? But as a rival to Monica, I''d like to see one more thing.) Roland will explore if there are any other skills or stats worth mentioning. Status Appraisal: E to A Command: 10-10 to (100-11) 0) (This is. In addition to having the skill "Status Appraisal", his command status is very high. If trained, he could be a captain.) Hm. The ''command'' item in your status seems low. ......" Lelio laughed awkwardly as he said this. He smiled awkwardly. I''m not very good at ''command,'' and my teacher at the training school told me I should give it up. ...... I see. Very well. I will hire you as an archer. But I think you also have talent as a commander. ?"Is that so?" (You''re a funny guy. I''m telling you that "command" status is low.) Lelio nodded his head curiously. The third was a little chatty girl. She said, "My name is Marina Fortuna. I trained as an attack mage at the training school. My specialty is ''blast magic. Blast magic is cool, don''t you think?As soon as I activated it, the wind started to blow. The color of the wind is beautiful. When you successfully invoke it, you can ......" Roland activated his skill appraisal as he listened to her talk. Marina Fortuna. Blast magic: C to A Ore holding: E to A Equipment possession: E to A Medicine (potion) possession: E to A Hm. You seem to be an excellent item possessor. What?Is that so?" Yes," he said. You passed the interview. If it''s possible, I''d like you to start training with the guild tomorrow. ......" Really?Yes, sir. I''ll do anything to get into The Keepers of the Magical Tree!" (Okay. We now have three new adventurers with Class A qualifications. If we include the existing strength, the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" now has seven A-class candidates. The quality of our adventurers will overwhelm the Golden Eagle!) I''m not sure what to expect. It''s been a while since I''ve had any free time." In the town''s central square, Jill stands tall. Her mood was as sunny as that of a prisoner who has just completed his sentence. As Roland had imagined, the inside of "Golden Eagle" was in a disastrous state. Lukius was busy raising funds to extract the guild, so he left everything inside the guild to his close aide, Dianna. However, there was no way that she could manage such a large organization as the "Golden Eagle," and she neglected every problem. She had to deal with the problem of finding a replacement for the captain of the second unit left vacant by Sebasta''s escape, as well as issues related to the management of the dungeon. Thanks to these problems, no one knew what to do or how to do it, and all operations came to a standstill, no matter who called on whom or what. But just because the organization was dysfunctional, no one could restrain people''s desire for honor, power, and boredom. Instead of working hard at their jobs, the members were busy plotting and scheming. A power struggle was waged for the vacant post of commander of the second unit. In an attempt to take this opportunity to replace Sebasta, or to replace him with someone of their own choosing, people began to actively campaign, forming cliques and secretly consulting with each other in the shadows. Jill was almost caught up in the power struggles within the guild (there were many who wanted her on their side as a close and powerful associate of Lucius), but so far she had turned down every offer she was offered and kept her distance from all these movements. In fact, she had just popped up, disgusted with such an atmosphere within the guild. Her PR work had also been drastically reduced since her popularity had shifted to Monica and her team, so it was the perfect time for her to take a day off. (I guess it''s nice to have a day off. (It''s nice to have a day off, isn''t it? Sometimes I just want to walk around town without any worries.) She was now walking around town with her trademark beautiful hair hidden by a hat, wearing a plain brown cloak, and covering her mouth with a gable, so as not to be bothered by her official status. However, to the untrained eye, her appearance was that of a celebrity on a personal errand. (After all, it is nice to be able to walk around town without worrying about the stares of others.) Jill was enjoying the freedom of walking through the city''s shopping district without worrying about anyone''s eyes on her. Hey," she said. Isn''t that girl cute?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. It''s true. I love your style. Jill, who was looking at the flower shop, heard a voice whispering this behind her, and she cringed. When she turned around, she saw a pair of men glancing at her. Although she was wearing a disguise, her tall, well-stylized figure and aura could not be concealed, and she became the center of attention just by walking down the street. "Do you want me to call out to him?" What''s that?"But I think I''ve seen that guy somewhere before. ......" Sensing that she was about to get into trouble, Jill hurriedly ran into a back street. (Phew. Oh dear. I wonder why everyone is paying so much attention to me.) And that''s ......." Jill realized that she had unknowingly entered a deserted street behind the downtown area. There, small workshops lined the street. (I miss this place. When I was a novice adventurer, I used to go around these streets looking for a store that would make weapons at a reasonable price.) Nowadays, however, I don''t have to visit arms shops like this anymore because the guilds do all the procurement of weapons for me. (Cheap weapons break easily, so I used to look around for a store that would repair them at a reasonable price.) Jill walked down the back streets, feeling completely like a rookie. Eventually, she found one alchemy guild. It was a small workshop with the emblem of a spirit on its sign. (Yes, yes. I used to frequent such a small workshop. Let''s go in.) When Jill entered the store, she was surprised to find that it had a full line of silverware. (Surprising. (It is surprising that such a small workshop deals in silverware for the wealthy.) Jill looked around the store. (I wonder if they make weapons?) After looking around the store like that for a while, I heard two young men''s voices coming from the back of the store. They said, "Are you at the seminar ......?" Yeah, we''ll see how many people we can get to flirt with this side of ......." Oh, excuse me. Can I come back later?I think we have a guest. Oh, yeah. Welcome. Mr. Roland?" Jill looked at Roland, the man who came out of the back of the room, with eyes like a fox. Roland was also staring at her. "Are you ...... Jill by any chance?" <> 34 - CHAPTER XXIV -- CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF Dungeon MANAGEMENT Here you go." Lange serves tea to Gilles. Oh, hi," she says. Don''t mind if I do." ......" Gilles was ushered into the parlor of the workshop. Roland was wondering what to say to Jill, whom he had not seen for a long time. She was supposed to belong to the "Golden Hawk," but what in the world was her purpose for coming to the "Arsenal of Spirits"? Was she a spy?No, there is no need for us to go to such lengths now to probe into our home. If so, did you really come here by accident?) I''ll tell them that no one is to stop by here for a while, so you two can take your time and talk." Lange took such care to leave the parlor. The room is left alone with Roland and Gilles. Roland decided to explore. (Hopefully, he could find out the inner workings of the "Golden Eagle.") It''s been a long time. Jill." Jill shivered as if scared of something. How is the Golden Eagle these days? It''s already ...... a terrible mess." Jill began to talk about the current state of "Golden Eagle" too easily. Despite the urgent issues at hand, everyone is thinking only of self-preservation and career advancement, and suspicion and doubt are spreading. (After all, the "Golden Eagle" is in a state of considerable confusion right now, isn''t it?) Roland confirmed that his prediction was right on the money and reminded himself that the time to move was now. Excuse me, Mr. Roland? Jill suddenly sounded impassioned. She kneels on her knees on the floor and strikes a pose looking up at Loran. I didn''t visit Roland until now, not because I forgot how much I owe him, but because I was busy with that ....... Please understand that. ...... Anyway, I''m sorry! Jill puts her hands on the floor and tries to beg for forgiveness as if she is about to get down on her knees. Roland was more flustered by this. Hey, Jill," Roland said. It''s okay. You don''t have to go that far. But ......" I''m glad you remembered me. Just knowing that makes me feel better. Mr. Roland ...... Now, please, sit in the chair. I''m sorry about that. I''m sorry I left the guild without saying anything to you. I was too busy taking care of myself. Mr. Roland ......" Jill looked at Loran with tears in her eyes. She looked at Jill, tears welling up in her eyes. Could you tell me a little more about it? Tell me a little more about what''s going on with the Golden Eagle right now. Yes." Jill sat back in her chair at Roland''s urging and began to talk about the inner workings of "The Golden Eagle. Most of Jill''s talk was a complaint against Lucius. First, Jill spoke about the injustice of Lukius''s banishment of Roland, and then she discussed the harm that has been done to the guild because of Roland''s disappearance, and how Lukius himself has become a blight on the guild. It''s terrible," he said. Even when we used to sneak into the ''mining dungeon'' ......" Jill continues to rub this in Lucius'' face. (After all, Rukius seems to be spinning his wheels quite a bit, doesn''t he? (It seems that Rukius is spinning his wheels, after all. (If it wasn''t so, the overwhelming dominance of the "Golden Hawk" wouldn''t have suddenly collapsed, would it?) There''s more. I have more complaints about the guy from Lukius. Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry for complaining so much even though we just met again. No, it''s okay. I was just wondering how things were going with the Golden Eagle. Jill was relieved by Roland''s attitude. He is still as gentle and caring as before, and he makes it a priority to listen to what we have to say. His eyes were full of tenderness, and there was a part of her that wanted to be pampered when he gazed at her. Jill was impatient. She could only complain about the guild even though she was able to meet Roland in this way. If it were true, she would have hugged him right now to show her affection. If I couldn''t do that, I wanted him to at least give me guidance like he used to. Finally, I couldn''t hold back and said something. Excuse me, Mr. Roland. If you don''t mind, would you train me? What?By "training," you mean I''m training you? Yes, I am. Actually, I''ve been doing a lot of PR work lately, and to be honest, I''ve been feeling a little tired. ...... Hmmm, sure ...... Jill Irwin Arm strength (power): 60-100 Endurance (toughness): 70-120 Agility: 70-100 Physical strength (stamina): 150-200 (All of the basic stats are high enough to reach the highest value of 100, but all of the stats are between 30 and 50. Error. (Even though the adventuring business is on hiatus, this is terrible.) By the way, if we talk about the standard of status, 50 is average, 70-80 is excellent, 90 ?to 100 is extremely excellent, 30-40 is low, 10 ?The number of the "20" to "20" is extremely low. I know I am asking an unreasonable amount of you. But I''m no longer satisfied unless I''m under your guidance, Roland. ......" Jill ......" As for Loran, he always regretted Jill. Even though she was now a member of a guild that was practically hostile to him, she was still his student whom he had trained and trained hard. She had the potential to be a masterpiece. I wanted to train her somehow and make her an S-class adventurer. If there was anything I could do, I would do it. So, could you please do something for me? Jill sits down and bows her head. As much as I''d like to do something about you, ...... Then ......" Jill''s eyes sparkle with anticipation. I''m a member of the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree'' now. I can''t do anything to disadvantage my guild by training you, even if you are a member of the Golden Eagle. Jill''s shoulders slumped when she heard this. ''So ...... is it? I knew it." (Should we transfer her to "Guardian of the Magical Tree"?No, I can''t. There was no way they could afford such a transfer fee, even though the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" was in a difficult financial situation right now. I don''t know what to do. ...... Oh, that''s right.) "Jill, can you be a speaker at the seminar?" "You''re speaking at a seminar at ......?" Jill asks back with a scowling face. Yes," she replied. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" has asked the "Arsenal of Spirits" to manage a "mining dungeon," but it is a little too much for the "Arsenal of Spirits" to manage a dungeon by itself. I''m thinking of holding a seminar on dungeon management for the alchemy guilds in town and recruiting guilds that would be willing to cooperate. You see, I''m still a young man, and I''m not sure if I can get everyone to follow me. So I could use a celebrity like you to give us a push. ......" I''ll do it!" Jill responded immediately. She knew nothing about the battle between the "Golden Eagle" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" over the city''s alchemy guild. ''Are you sure you want to ......?'' You''re just going to stand on a platform and talk, aren''t you?I would be totally willing to do something like that. It''s a small price to pay for the guidance of Mr. Roland. I see. Will you do it? Then it''s a quick conversation. I''ll talk to the guild and see if I can get permission. Yes, sir. Yes, by all means. Jill left the "Arsenal of Spirits" in a cheerful mood, as if her recent depression was a lie. She felt as if her life had become rosy just by knowing that she would be mentored by Roland again. (It''s kind of depressing, isn''t it? (I feel like I''m cheating him.) Roland watched Jill walk away, feeling a little guilty. I see. I''ll ask Jill-san to help us." Yes, I''ve had a good talk with her and I''m sure of it. After all, the inside of the Gilded Eagle seems to be in a mess right now. Roland and Lillianne were again talking in a private room. If she participates in the seminar organized by the "Arsenal of the Spirits," she will be able to show that the conflict with the "Golden Hawk" has been resolved, and the people in the alchemy guilds who have been hesitant because of fear of the "Golden Hawk" will join the "Arsenal of the Spirits" initiative to manage dungeons. So instead of asking Jill to come up to the podium, you''re going to train her? Yes. Yes, training her would increase the strength of the Golden Eagle, but it would still have a good chance of bringing the city''s alchemy guilds over to our side. It would be a gamble, but I think it''s worth a try." Are you all right?" From the way she talks, I can tell she is quite dissatisfied with Lukius. So I don''t think it''s likely that she would betray us. No, I''m not talking about whether or not Ms. Jill will betray you, I''m asking if you''re okay, Roland, I''m asking about you." What? You''re a former student of mine, aren''t you?If you ask her to cooperate with you in that way, even temporarily, doesn''t that put her in a very difficult position inside the "Golden Eagle"?Are you okay with that, Mr. Roland?" Roland squeezed his eyes shut as if conflicted. ''It certainly pains me to use her in this way. But now I am a member of the Guardians of the Magic Tree. I have no choice but to do so in order to destroy the Golden Eagle." Lillianne let out a satisfied laugh when she heard this. I was relieved to hear that," she said. If you are willing to go that far for us, I have nothing more to say. If you are willing to go that far for us, then we have nothing more to say to you. We will go along with it." The two parted ways after a detailed discussion about the seminar. Roland, wait for me. After his meeting with Lilianne, Roland was walking down the hallway when he was approached from behind. It was the voice of Ramon, the head of the guild. Hey, wait, Roland. I''m calling you. Why don''t you stop?Hey, Roland." Roland kept walking fast when he was called out. The relationship between Roland and the guild leader had completely cooled since the incident of Monica and the others being pulled out of the guild. Roland was upset that Ramon had tried to sell Monica and the others without his permission, and Ramon was bitter because he felt he had been unnecessarily interrupted in the transfer negotiations. The two no longer cooperated with each other, but instead worked together on their own. Even when there were matters of concern that overlapped each other''s responsibilities, they ignored each other as a matter of course. Hey, wait up! Ramon grabbed Roland''s shoulder. Having no choice, Roland kept pace with Ramon. Roland, about the transfer of Monica and the others," Ramon said, "I''ve been thinking about it. I was wondering if you could encourage them to reconsider their transfer. If that is the case, I have already declined your offer. Besides, if that''s what you want to talk about, why don''t you just ignore me and approach them directly again, as you did before? Roland put it in a spiky way. ''Of course, I was going to do the same. They didn''t take me seriously. Ramon again tried to convince Monica and the others to transfer to the "Golden Eagle," but as soon as Monica was about to be talked into it by Ramon, she said, "Excuse me. I have been warned by Mr. Roland not to get involved in such a talk. I''ll leave such talk to Mr. Roland," and she quickly ran away. Shakuma and Yuffine were treated in a similar manner. They seem to be taking you into consideration and are holding back," he said. So you have to persuade them to come. I decline. They are at a critical time. This is not the time to bother their minds with such talk. Roland, I understand what you are saying. I understand what you are saying, Roland, but guilds have their own financial situations. Without money, the organization cannot run. I have no jurisdiction over financial matters. In the first place, we conquered the dungeon and produced A-class adventurers. Shouldn''t we be able to handle the financial situation? I don''t know what to say to that. Monica and the others will not receive their portrait rights income until next month, and we can''t manage the dungeon without the help of the Golden Eagle. That is none of my business. With that, Roland waved Ramon off and walked away. He walked away. You young fool. You''re getting carried away just because I gave you a little credit. (Ugh, my stomach is in knots. ......) Ramon held his stomach. Lately, he had been suffering from stress-related stomach pains. The day of the seminar for alchemy guilds sponsored by the "Arsenal of Spirits" arrived. The name of the seminar was "A Meeting to Think about the Future of Dungeon Management. Roland wrote on the pamphlet he had distributed, "I have an important announcement to make regarding dungeon management for this term. The alchemy guild members took this "important announcement" to mean that the "Golden Eagle" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" had reached some sort of agreement, and that there would be an explanation for this. Therefore, most of the major alchemy guilds in town were to attend. The seminar was held in the auditorium of the facility owned by the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. Roland climbed up on the stage to make a speech. (Wind. I''m nervous as a rock.) Roland began speaking, a little nervous at the unaccustomed act of standing in front of an audience. He began, a little nervous. First of all, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to gather here for this seminar. Today is a fine day for ......" The members of the Alchemy Guild listened attentively to Roland''s story, which was anything but simpering. Roland''s speech was vague and indescribable: "In the future, the Arsenal of Spirits will not only be the guild of the Guardian of the Magic Tree, but also the guild that will lead the alchemy guilds in the city," "The alchemy guild should make weapons more freely without asking the guild of adventurers'' opinions," and so on. The content was all over the place. This created an atmosphere of indescribable frustration in the hall. Everyone was impatiently waiting for the big announcement to be made. After making them wait as long as they could, Roland pulled Jill up to the podium. He said, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, I have a big announcement to make. Now I''m going to ask my friend and former colleague, Jill Irwin, to speak with us about the future of dungeon management." Instead of Roland stepping aside from the podium, Jill takes the stage. The audience was buzzing at the appearance of the senior member of the Gilded Eagle. Many people took her to be the representative of the Golden Eagle at the seminar. Uh, everyone," she said. My name is Jill Irwin, a senior member of the Golden Eagle. I would like to thank you, the esteemed Ms. Roland, for giving me the opportunity to address you here. It is a great pleasure for a young person like me to be able to speak before you in this way." Not a few people looked surprised. It was unusual for the "Golden Eagle" to be so poorly received by a guild of alchemists in such a public forum. Jill said that she was happy that the cooperation between the "Golden Hawk" and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" was deepening. She also congratulated the "Arsenal of Spirits" for its development and the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" for their dungeon attack. He also made it clear that he would be happy if the alchemy guilds in the city would participate in the dungeon management led by the "Arsenal of Spirits. The alchemy guilds took Jill''s words as a sign of approval from the "Golden Eagle" for dungeon management led by the "Guardian of the Magical Tree. Some of them even took it as a sign that the long era of the Golden Eagle''s dominance was over and that the era of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" had arrived. I will now conclude my speech. Jill bowed and left the podium. Thank you very much. Now we will turn to Ms. Lillianne, the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," to speak. Lillianne came up on the stage when Roland said so. ''Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for your continued support. My name is Lillianne, a senior member of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. I am here today to share with you the thoughts of the Guardians of the Magical Tree about dungeon management, which you are always thinking about. Lillianne smiled as she said this. As you all know, the Guardians of the Magic Tree and the Arsenal of Spirits are guilds that have a capital tie-up. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" have always helped each other. The "Keeper of the Magical Tree" entrusts the "Arsenal of Spirits" and all the alchemy guilds that follow them with full authority and will do its best to support them in this dungeon management. Therefore, we would like to offer a discount on dungeon entrance fees to those guilds that sign a dungeon management contract with the "Arsenal of Spirits" today. We look forward to your signing! The audience cheered. It was impossible under the oppressive rule of the "Golden Eagle" that the entrance fee to the dungeon, which was being raised year by year, would be discounted. The people were the first in line to sign contracts with the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Only the alchemy guild of Zens left the venue to avoid being seen without signing a contract. At any rate, the management of the "Mining Dungeon" was now under the leadership of the "Arsenal of Spirits. In lieu of "The Gilded Eagle. 35 - Art. 35. Developing New Adventurers Under the leadership of the "Arsenal of Spirits," the alchemy guild began to manage the dungeon. Alchemists with shovels and pickaxes lined up and entered the dungeon one after another. Lunge. Here is the skill list of each alchemist. Roland handed Ranju a revised list of skills submitted by each alchemy guild. ''Quite a quintessence. Lange looked at the list handed to him by Roland and marveled. ''How''s the mine prep going?'' It''s perfect. Lange unfolded a map he had prepared in advance and showed it to them. There is an ''earthcraft'' mine on the eighth level of the dungeon, an iron mine on the twelfth level, and a silver mine on the fourteenth level. These are the three with the largest ore deposits in the dungeon. In this dungeon management, I will mainly dig these three dungeons." Good. All right." Roland looks over the map to see if there is anything suspicious, then returns it to Lange. Lange, this time our goal is not to make a profit but to draw the alchemy guild members into our camp. Let them make money while we pursue profit in moderation. I understand. What about the Adventurers'' Guild? I''ve made arrangements. They should be here by now. ...... Oh, you''re here." Roland caught sight of his unit approaching, led by Monica. In addition to the regular troopers, three newcomers were following them, Rick, Lelio, and Marina. The three newcomers came to the entrance of the dungeon looking nervous before their first mission. Ugh," they said. I''m so nervous! Marina said anxiously. Me too," she said. I never thought I would suddenly join the main force of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree. Lelio said in agreement. All three of them had achieved enough to graduate from the training school, but they did not expect to be hired by a major guild like the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" with average grades. They had already been the object of the jealous and envious glances of their peers in one way or another. ''Hey, boys, don''t waste your time talking. We''re about to enter the dungeon." Rick said in a completely leader-like manner. His willingness to take the initiative in everything he did made him a leader of the three newcomers. (I get to train with the main unit. This is an opportunity. If I can get the captain''s approval here, I may be on my way to becoming a famous adventurer in one fell swoop.) Rick was marching along the back of the line with more enthusiasm than most people. Stop!Line up!" Monica, after getting the troops in line, rushed up under Roland. ''Mr. Roland. Troop muster is complete." Yeah. Thank you. (Oh, this is the guy who was interviewing me.) Lelio looked at Loran curiously. (Looks like he''s an appraiser. ......, is he going into the dungeon too?I mean, what the hell kind of ...... is this guy?) Rick tilted his head, too. (Monica, a Class A adventurer, was the first to greet him. Is this guy really that great?) While the three of us were in a daze, the other members of the team greeted Roland one by one. Excuse me, sir. What in the world is that man ......?I see you are an appraiser. ......" Rick asked the veteran troopers. ''Yeah, that guy. ......'' Hey, what are you guys doing? Euphine spoke sharply, as if to rebuke Rick and the others. This is Mr. Roland, the captain of the second unit of our "Guardians of the Magic Tree". ""What? What? The three of them shouted in unison. You''re the newcomers, so you''re the ones who have to say hello. I beg your pardon. Rick quickly bows his head. The other two followed suit. (Huh?(But was there a stone monument in the dungeon attack named Roland?) Lelio twisted his head inwardly as he bowed his head. Members who conquer dungeons are inscribed on a stone monument in the quest reception area as inductees into the Hall of Fame. Anyone in town could view it. The man said, "Ha-ha-ha. It''s okay, it''s okay. I should have told you first. I''m the captain. Well, at any rate, we are all here now. I''ll explain. Listen up, everyone. Roland raises his voice to everyone. The mission is to support and escort the alchemy guild. Everyone is asked to help the alchemists work more efficiently. Dungeon management is also a chance to maintain and improve their status during the holidays. Each of you will be given an assignment, so be sure to complete it well. Yes." The members of the unit enter the dungeon in groups. Most of them were in high spirits, but the three newcomers entered the dungeon with a sense of disappointment at having made a bad impression on the captain. The newcomers took the bait right away, Mr. Roland. Shakuma said teasingly. I''m going to have to give them a stern talking-to later. Yuffine said. I don''t know. I''m not that dignified, am I? Roland said slightly dejectedly, putting his hand over his face. Ha-ha-ha." Monica chuckled. ''Don''t worry about it,'' she said. We know what you are really capable of. They will find out sooner or later. Shakuma said in a matter-of-fact tone. Even after the dungeon boss had been defeated and the monsters at the lowest level had left the area, small fry monsters would appear and interfere with the activities of the humans on a whim, and if they were careless, their possessions or lives could be taken away. For this reason, the escort of adventurers was indispensable to dungeon management. For the alchemy guilds, adventurers had to guard them from monsters, clear roads, fence in key places, and in some cases, build walls. ''All right. I''ll give you today''s assignment, then. Rick, Lelio, and Marina, step forward." The three of them step forward at Roland''s call. Rick is to bring 50 stones to the construction site to be used as materials for the walls. Lelio is to take 200 potions to the warehouse. Marina is to take 100 fire magic stones (which reduce magic power just by possessing them) to the warehouse. Of course, she must do this while wearing her equipment." The three were all nervous in anticipation of the tough assignment Roland had given them. The guild''s training is different from that of the training center, after all. The training camps at the most had us marching with armaments,......, but marching while carrying stones for the city walls,....... (It will cut down on your status considerably). Do you have any questions?No?Okay, then, next. Monica." Yes! You are to take 100 stones for the walls to the construction site. Shakuma and Yufine are to bring 200 magic stones to the warehouse. Of course, you will keep your equipment on and intercept the enemy when monsters appear, protect the newcomers and the alchemists. You will also take command of your own squad." ""Yes."" (What, you''re doing twice as much as us while also fighting and commanding?What kind of crazy thing did this guy do?) Rick was appalled by Roland''s instructions. He was also stunned by Monica and the others who followed them obediently. Loran then proceeded to give the other members of the unit assignments according to their status and goals. Roland then gave the other members of the unit assignments according to their statuses and goals. All of you have been given your assignments. Then let''s get to work. Roland''s unit began its mission to support the alchemists. Koo-hoo-hoo!" Rick somehow manages to keep up with the troops while pulling on a string tied to a stone for a castle wall. The alchemists walked onward, unconcerned with the burden the adventurers were carrying. Monica passes by Rick''s side. She was carrying two stones on her back, but she was light on her feet, alert to her surroundings and keeping an eye on the troopers'' activities. Are you okay?" Yes, sir. Somehow. Rick, however, was already halfway there and seemed to be at his limit. He should take it easy." No, I don''t know what this is. ...... I''m already out of breath. This is a monster-free zone, so you should rest for now. There you go. I''ll take those rocks with me. Monica takes the stones for the ramparts away from Rick. I''m sorry. Rick crumpled down on the spot and decided to rest for a while until his status was restored. As Monica is advancing again, keeping Rick safe, Lelio quickly passes by next to him. Instead of being in charge of carrying lighter items like potions, he had to be fast in his hauling. (We need to carry them faster. We won''t make it to 200 by the end of the day.) Lelio moves ahead in no time. (Fast!Agility (agility) 50-60 is about right (......) He''ll eventually get to 100 in agility." Oh, Mr. Roland. ...... Monica turns to Roland, who has been next to her for some time. He is probably going to make a name for himself as a legitimate archer." ......" Are you okay?" Monica looked a little conflicted but smiled robustly. She smiled robustly. I have my own way of fighting. Even if I can''t become a legitimate archer, I won''t be depressed anymore. I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. Well said. That''s what I wanted to hear. Roland said, satisfied. Oh, there are about ten goblins approaching. Monica caught the approaching enemy in Hawkeye. ''I guess I''ll go intercept them. With that, Monica lowered the string that was tied to the stone and went to her firing position. ''Whew! I can''t walk anymore. At the back of the line, Marina is whining weakly. You haven''t even carried five magic stones yet!We''re going to have to make ten round trips after this, so get walking." Yuffine poked Marina with her cane and forced her to walk. After several round trips to the castle walls, potions, and transporting magic stones, Monica and the others had finished their assignments by the time lunchtime rolled around. Meanwhile, the three newcomers were giving up at about 60% progress. Gosh, it''s too hard." I can''t take another step. ......" Oh, dear. Already exhausted? You haven''t even accomplished 60% of your assignment yet." Roland said in dismay. ''You seem to have completely exhausted your energy. You''re so sloppy." Ha-ha-ha. While Rick and the other three were running out of energy, Monica and the other three had finished their assignments and still had energy left over. d*mn these people. They''re working twice as hard as we are. How much energy do they have?) Lelio rubbed his swollen leg and looked at Monica and the others with a disappointed expression. Roland appraises Rick''s status. Rick. Arm strength (power): 1-50 Endurance (toughness): 1-60 Agility: 1-30 Physical strength (stamina): 1-50 (The minimum value of all basic statuses is 1. Oh dear. I can''t help but notice that my power, toughness, and stamina are all drained, but the fact that my agility is also depleted is proof that I''m still not good enough to use my body. Roland also used status appraisals on both Lelio and Marina. Both of them, like Rick, had all kinds of status exhaustion. (Tomorrow, after they recover, we will appraise their statuses again. They''ll have to learn how to use their bodies first.) All right. That''s all for today. Get some rest for tomorrow." Roland told each of the three to take a potion that would enhance the status they wanted to improve, and then left. Monica," he said. Are you guys okay? Yes, sir. Yes, I''m still fine. Oh, but could you do a status evaluation just in case?" Oh, yes. When Roland appraised the status of Monica and the others, it was clear that they still had some strength left in them. Roland''s evaluation of Monica''s and Monica''s status showed that they did indeed still have some strength. I think we''re going to be okay. We''re going to go train on our own now. I see. I''m going to take the three newcomers back to the city. I''m going to take the three newcomers back to the city. You should finish up in moderation. Yes, sir. Take care, Mr. Roland. (Okay, now for Jill''s training.) Roland returned to town and took the newcomers back to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" dormitory, and then headed for Jill''s training, which was actually the thing he was looking forward to the most today. He was meeting her at the "Arsenal of Spirits. <> 36 - CHAPTER 36 ENHANCEMENT OF STATUS What the hell? When Dianna heard Zens'' report in the office of the "Golden Eagle," she was astonished. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" is proceeding with dungeon management without permission!And you''re telling me that Jill is cooperating with the "Guardians of the Magical Tree?" Yes, it is." Zens told Dianna in a lowly manner, as if he were a subject. He had been working for the Golden Eagle for so many years that he had developed an attitude of humility. Didn''t you know? Of course. I didn''t know. No, I knew it. No, I thought it was strange. We didn''t hear anything from them, and then all of a sudden it was announced like that. "Tsk." (At a time like this, of all times, when Lucius is not around. That Roland guy ...... is doing it for me.) I''ve been boiled by Roland once myself. That''s why I thought it might be his trick this time, too. I''m glad to hear that. I was able to tell you before it became a big deal. Zens looked upward at Dianna as if expecting a reward. It was an indescribable, despicable attitude. Dianna gives Zens a cold glance. ''Ugh. ......'' ''I''m well aware that Roland has been a bit of a potty-mouth. So what?What the hell were you doing during that seminar or whatever it was called?" "Eh ...... no, it''s that ......" You couldn''t have just stood by and watched ...... and done nothing, could you?" Zens choked on his words, then mumbled something inaudible and nodded his head. Dianna let out a sigh of exasperation when she saw that Zens had completely shrunk, and finally removed her shooting gaze. ''Well, okay. Anyway, we need to give the guys at the alchemy guild a hot bath. Zens, you''re going to help me, of course?" Ha, hi." Zens is completely relieved to be free of Dianna''s cold stare and readily agrees. Dianna was pleased to see that. (Although, this is a little out of my hands, isn''t it? (However, this is a little out of my hands, and if I do nothing, I''ll get a bad impression from Lucius. ......, I''ll have to make a sacrifice.) Dianna decided to put the blame on the appropriate person. ''Zens, I understand perfectly well. Thanks for letting me know. The person in charge will contact you shortly for a response. In the meantime, you can stand by. But don''t betray us. "Ha, hi." After watching Zens leave, Dianna pulls out a document from Lukius'' desk drawer. It was Jill''s guild contract. (Even if you leave the alchemy guild guys to other people, ....... Jill, I''ve got to do something about this girl.) What a mess." She stared at Jill''s portrait hanging on the wall and muttered bitterly. Hello, I am Dorwin, alchemist of the Golden Eagle. Lange looks at Dorwin, a visitor to the workshop, with a slightly stinky look. What is the alchemist of the "Golden Hawk" doing at our place? I haven''t heard from you about the joint production, so I came here while you were away. Oh, you mean the fair. ...... Oh, um, hello, Mr. Dorwin. Cheal nervously greeted Dorwin. It was as if he was in front of someone he admired. You must be the silversmith from the ''Arsenal of the Spirits. Dorwin huffed a gentle smile. He bent down and adjusted his eyes to the same level as Cheal''s. Yes, sir. I had a chance to see the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow. It was a magnificent piece of work." Yes, sir." Thank you very much. Um, that was in reference to Mr. Dorwin''s "Iron Breaking Bow," and I was wondering if you could take a look at it later, um, if you don''t mind?" Yeah, sure. What is it?Your attitude is more auspicious than ever. You''re usually such a tomboy. Oh, Mr. Runge!Please don''t say anything unnecessary." Cheal smacked Lange''s foot. With a hammer. Hey, itch. Don''t you wield that metal thing! Hello. Roland says ......, eh!Dorwin! Jill opens the door and walks in, and is startled to see Dorwin. What''s that?It''s Jill. Why are you here?" "Oh, you''re the one, why are you here?" I''m with the fair. ...... (I feel like ...... suddenly outsiders are coming in and out of our guild.) Lange watched Jill and Dorwin arguing with each other in an indescribable mood. (The fact that the "Golden Hawk" guys are hanging around doesn''t bother me in any way, but I wonder...) A short time after Dorwin and Jill''s visit, Roland also came to the "Arsenal of Spirits. Ah, Mr. Roland, welcome back." Cheal calls out to Roland upon his return. Cheal says to Roland, "Oh, I''m home. What''s that?Dorwin?Why are you here?" Oh, Mr. Roland, hi. Dorwin and Cheal had already started production. Prototypes and blueprints were scattered all over the workbench. We are here to discuss a joint production project requested by Count Elsen. I see. That''s what we talked about. I had forgotten all about it. I mustn''t, mustn''t. I''ve been so busy lately that I tend to forget the little things. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m allowed to use the facilities without permission. I''m just going to say, "Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay. Train our guys. Yes, sir. Dorwin was relieved to see that Roland''s attitude had not changed. Oh, Mr. Roland. Welcome back. Aryeh comes stumbling out of the kettle room. Aryeh, I''m home." Gilles is here. She''s already in the backyard getting ready. I see. I''m on my way." Roland suppressed his emotions and headed for the backyard where Jill was. When Roland reached the backyard, Jill was already running in. ''You are an enthusiastic person, aren''t you? I suggested that she wait in the parlor until Mr. Roland arrived, but she has been running for over an hour now because she wanted to get a good workout in before her training. I see. ......" Roland appraised Jill''s status. Arm strength (power): 80-100 Endurance (toughness): 90-120 Agility: 80-100 Physical strength (stamina): 170-200 (I see. It sure looks like you''ve prepared well. The status that used to have a margin of error of 30-50 has tightened to 20-30. The result is that the (But still not enough.) Mr. Roland!" Jill notices Loran and comes running up to him. Her cheeks are upturned and she is already sweating profusely, indicating that she has run a considerable distance. Jill," Roland said. I heard you have been running for a long time. Yes, sir. I wanted to make sure I was well prepared before I went through Roland''s training. ...... I see. ....... But it''s still not enough." Roland said sternly. ''Shall we run twice as fast as we were just now? (What?(Twice as fast as you just did!) Aryeh, who was listening by her side, was startled. Yes! Jill answered immediately. (What? !(Instant answer!?) Immediately, Jill starts running twice as fast as before. She had been running at a speed that was too fast to be called an endurance run. At twice this speed, it was no different than running at full speed. I wonder if she will be all right. She has already run quite a distance. ...... Yeah, because he has unusual physical fitness. If I don''t push her that hard, she''d rather have more energy and come to me complaining. Roland said with a hint of dismay in his voice. I see. (I see...so that''s the kind of person who becomes an S-class adventurer...) Aryeh looked at Jill, who was running with a slight pull. As for Jill, the important thing was that she felt joy spreading in her heart even as she ran frantically. (Hmph. As expected of Mr. Roland. He ordered such severe training from the very beginning. I wonder what kind of harsh training awaits us after this. ...... Oh, no, no, no. I can''t help but drool. No, but I''m looking forward to it. ......) Roland decided to chat with Dorwin until Jill''s training was over. ''So, I guess the "Golden Eagle" is in quite a mess right now? Yes, I''m afraid I can''t do my job very well. Dorwin shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "Oh dear. So you''ve run away here, too. Roland said, a little teasingly. Yes, you are absolutely right. Dorwin didn''t even crack a smile, he said disgustedly. I can''t believe I let Dorwin, who is so easygoing, get so carried away. The "Golden Eagle" must really be in a bad way right now.) And yet ......" Dorwin looked around the workshop. It''s a nice workshop," he said. Everyone here is working with a lot of vitality." It''s nice to hear you, the best alchemist in town, say that. No, no, I don''t mean to flatter you or anything, really. Dorwin said with a downcast look on his face. Roland''s heart ached. Dorwin. I can''t do anything for you right now, but you can come visit me anytime you want. If you ever have a bad day again, come to me anytime. Yes, thank you." Dorwin said with a slight smile. ''By the way, ...... Roland looked at Cheal, who was working diligently. ''What are you guys working on right now?'' It''s an S-class weapon. Cheal holds out an unidentifiable substance to Roland. It is an S-class weapon ....... What the hell is that ......?" Oh, I''m sorry. I was working with Cheal and we got so excited that we got sidetracked and before we knew it, we were talking about making an S-class weapon. We got into a conversation about making an S-class weapon, and we decided that in order to make an S-class weapon, we had to develop it at the material level. Working with Mr. Dorwin convinced me. With the two of us working together, I am sure we can make an S-class weapon! Yes, yes. Roland accepted the material offered by Cheal. It was a piece of metal of indescribable color, somewhere between black and silver. He asked, "Is this a mixture of ...... iron and silver?" Roland said as he appraised the item. ''I see. You tried to combine the hardness of iron with the softness and rust resistance of silver. But it''s still a work in progress. When Roland strokes the material, it falls apart, brittle and shattered. He continues, "We''re experimenting with mixing metals, adjusting ratios, and so on." I will surely develop the best material! Ummm, yes. Good luck." (I wonder if it''s okay. (I wonder if it''s okay to just go ahead with this.) About 10 minutes before Jill''s runnin'' was to end, Roland appeared in the backyard again. Jill was just finishing her run. She had finished her run ahead of schedule because she had run the long distance not twice as fast, but more than twice as fast. She finished her run ahead of schedule. Roland-san, I finished running. Jill came to Roland out of breath. Jill, good night." Roland placed the potion on the table by his side. Oh, thank you." Jill tries to reach for the potion. Who said you could sip the potion? What? Immediately after, an armor is thrown in front of Jill''s eyes. It was crude and heavy armor. ''Well, ......, Mr. Roland, what''s this?'' Now go and complete the citadel-building quest," he said. The deadline is within a week. What, building a fortress?And a week? Yeah, and then you can drink the potion." Citadel building is literally a quest to build a fortress out of chipped rock to prevent monsters from invading the base. The work was extremely demanding and difficult to complete in a week, even for a few adults. It was a difficult task, and even with several adults working around the clock for seven days, it was doubtful that Jill would be able to complete it in less than a week. (d*mn. I''m exhausted after a long, long run, and you want me to do a fortress-building quest for a week without sleep or rest, without drinking any potions and with heavy armor on my back. I can''t believe I gave him such an egregious task. ......You know what you''re doing!) I understand. I was the one who asked for guidance. Since I asked for it myself, no matter how unreasonable it may be, it makes sense for me to finish the job ......." Jill stood up, dizzy, and glared accusingly at Roland. I ask you again, Mr. Roland. You really want me to do the citadel building quest now?" Oh. Now!Don''t make me repeat it." Jill''s body shook at the unexpectedly cold voice, and after painfully squeezing her eyes shut, she put the potion she had just been about to sip on the table and put on her armor. Then, she put down the potion she had just been about to sip, put on her armor, and started running toward the "dungeon of the demon world" as if she were crying. (Well, let''s just leave Jill alone for a while. Let''s get back to the dungeon management.) Roland returned to the "Mine Dungeon. ''Ha, ha, I did it. Fifty stones for the ramparts, and we''re done hauling them in." Rick finishes putting the last stone in place, and then he gut-punches it. Lelio and Marina, who had finished delivering potions and magic stones to the warehouse, also rush into the temporarily set up main camp. Two hundred potions have been delivered. I''ve finished carrying 100 magic stones as well. This means that all the newcomers have completed Roland''s assignment. This was three days after the assignment was handed down. Monica and the others watched in amazement. (It''s only been three days since the assignment was handed down, but I can''t believe they all completed it. ...... When we were new, it took us at least three months to learn the proper moves for our status. ......) (No matter how precise the assignment given by Mr. Roland was, the speed of growth was too fast.) At first, it seemed as if it would take the three of them an inordinate amount of time to complete the task, but as they learned how to run and use their bodies by watching and imitating the higher-status adventurers in the same unit, they soon learned how to move optimally. Roland-san is the best. I never thought he could develop those three so quickly. We can''t wait to see what he can do. Shakuma said with rivalry on his face. Monica and Euphine felt the same way. Oh, you three have completed your assignments? Roland appeared in a flash to check on the work of the three. Yes, we managed." When you said 50 wall stones, I wasn''t sure what was going to happen, but somehow we managed to accomplish it. I''m so tired! The three sat down on the ground. Their faces were filled with a sense of fulfillment. Roland appraised Rick''s status. Rick Dyer. Arm strength (power): 40-50 Toughness: 50-60 Agility: 20-30 Physical strength (stamina): 40-50 (All stats are within a margin of error of 10. (At least you''ve learned how to use your body to demonstrate your stats.) As for Lelio and Marina''s status, they were within 10 errors as well as Rick''s. (It''s a good thing they don''t need to be managed, because they grow just by throwing them in the unit. As I thought, if they are placed in a high-level environment, they will grow faster. All three of them are using their statuses in a way that is hard to believe for newcomers. (Thanks to Monica and the others for making us stronger.) It was the soil of the guild. It was truly a value that money could not buy. It''s a value that money can''t buy.) Roland looked at Monica and the other three with deep emotion. But there was no time to be deep in emotion. He still had work to do. Rick and the others were already relaxing and taking it easy. They seemed to think that they had already achieved the standard set for newcomers. (Here comes the training to improve their status.) Rick, Lelio, and Marina, you did a great job." Well, it was a tough assignment, but somehow I managed to accomplish it." I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. I guess we''ve passed the first step for now. What? "Yeah, phase one?" I''ll give each of you your next assignment. First, Rick. Yes, sir. "The 50 wall stones per day will be increased to 60 tomorrow, and in addition, you must carry 50 magic stones. Fifty magic stones? (Nonsense. My magic power is only 10. It''s impossible for me to get 50 magic stones.) Marina. You used to have 100 magic stones, but from now on you will have 120. And from now on, you will also be responsible for transporting ores, potions, and equipment. Oh, yeah, that much?" (Marina''s skills "ore possession," "equipment possession," and "medicine (potion) possession" can also be cultivated in dungeon management situations.) Um, Captain, am I ......?" Lelio asked timidly. You are on the special menu. You''ll be helping me with my work." You work for Mr. Roland?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. My job. (Extend Lelio''s status appraisal for troop operations.) "Excuse me, Mr. Roland. Can we move up the reinforcement of the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow"?" Monica asked impatiently. ''''Bring it forward?" Yes, sir. I figured the sooner the better. ''You must be tired from the assignment.Wouldn''t it be better to rest?" I''m fine. I''m totally fine. Let me do it! I see. I understand. If you insist that much. ...... Mr. Roland, let me help you with your work. Oh, I can help you, too. Yuffine and Shakuma also crowded in to appeal to Roland. I understand," he said. Let''s rearrange our schedules." (Are the three aces starting to get impatient, motivated by the growth of the newcomers? (A good trend.) In "The Dungeon of the Demon World," Jill felt fulfilled as she pulled heavy rocks. (My arms hurt, my legs are heavy. My whole body is screaming. My throat is parched. But since it was Roland''s order, there was no way she was going to give up halfway through. I had to give it my all. This is it. This is what I''ve been looking for. Ahhh, it''s the best!) With a look of amusement on her face, she piled the heavy boulders onto the base of the fortress. <> 37 - Art. 37. Development of Commanders After completing the citadel building quest, Jill returned to Roland exhausted. Her armor was in tatters, her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her left arm, which had been so overworked that it no longer obeyed her, was held up by her right hand, and she was dizzy and unsteady on her feet. On the other hand, on the other hand, his face was somewhat satisfied that he had completed his task, and his cheeks were stained bright red, but the reason for this seemed to be due to something other than the strenuous exercise, and although he was breathing heavily, there was a somewhat troubled breath in his voice. He was breathing heavily, but with a somewhat troubled breath. I just returned. Jill was dizzy, but somehow managed to stand erect and immobile in front of Roland. Good night," Roland said. "Good day, Jill. I''ll give you a ''status evaluation. Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you. (Phew. At one point I wondered what would happen with the impossible task, but somehow I managed to do it. After all this whipping my body into shape, I''m sure my status is getting tighter. This should be enough to convince even Mr. Roland (......). Loran appraised Jill''s status. Arm strength (power): 90-100 Endurance (toughness): 110-120 Agility: 90-100 Physical strength (stamina): 190-200 Yeah. All the errors are within 10. Thank you." But this isn''t good enough at all, is it?" Huh?" Jill looks at Roland''s face, momentarily unsure of the meaning of what was said. ''At the very least, we need to keep the status within a margin of error of 5. Anything more than that and we''re not talking. What, within a margin of error of five ......? Yeah, within five. No problem, right?" Roland said in a normal tone of voice, neither angry nor animated. It was as if a margin of error of less than five was nothing. (A margin of error of within five is nothing; it takes tireless daily training just to get it within 10. And he had done it in one week while vomiting blood.) Jill was astonished to learn that her efforts had not been recognized at all. This is nothing more than an unreasonable shibboleth!But that''s the point!) I understand. If Mr. Roland insists on going, I, for my part, have no choice but to go." Let''s go on a bridge-building quest next." Yes, sir." Jill''s face showed her frustration at not being recognized for her efforts, but for all that, she made a brisk dash back to the dungeon. Roland and Aryeh watched her run away with blank expressions on their faces. ''You were pleased, Jill-san.'' Aryeh said in a muttered voice. ''...... yeah.'' Why is she so happy to be forced into such a hard role?" I wonder why. Actually, I don''t really know either." ...... I see." Aryeh decided to no longer think too deeply. Inside the workshop, Cheal and Dorwin were developing. Now, this new material, refined by Aryeh with 3 iron, 6 silver, and 1 dianite (a material that enhances the properties of metals while strengthening their bonds), and forged by me. How well will it perform?" Dorwin swung his "obsidian hammer" at the new material. A rattling sound was heard, and a strong load was transmitted to the new material on the anvil. The new material sat there without a single piece missing or moving a millimeter. Oh, it''s a success." Cheal gazes at the new material with a twinkle in his eye. Cheal''s eyes sparkled as he gazed at the new material. At least we''ve cleared the hardness issue. The biggest problem is ......." Cheal tries to lift the new material, which has a rectangular shape like a brick, with both hands. Ngg, ngggggiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" Cheal tried to lift the new material somehow, but her arm strength could not lift it in any way. No," she said. I can''t lift it." I''m sorry," he said. I guess so. As for hardness, I could have pursued the highest quality, but it became too heavy. Even if we made a weapon like this, there is no one who can use it. ...... Hey, how''s the development of the S-class weapons coming along?" As the two men crossed their arms in contemplation, Roland entered the workroom. Oh, Mr. Roland." Mr. Roland, I''m just about to hit the wall and was wondering if you would be willing to consult with me. I''m fine. What do you want to talk about? I see. This is certainly too heavy. Roland tried lifting it with Lange, but even with the two of them working together, they could only lift it for a few seconds. It''s hard enough to process it," he said. Lange said with a frown. It''s too costly to have four or five people just to carry it. Mass production seems impossible. I doubt you''ll get your money''s worth even if it''s custom-made. How much do you need? I see. Wait a minute." Lange unfolded a calculation sheet on the spot and made a trial calculation. If I were to make a profit on this, I would need a sales price of roughly 10 million gold. Hmmm," he said. That''s tough. There''s also the matter of cost: ......" Dorwin interjects. He said, "I wonder if any adventurers can handle such heavy weapons in the first place." ...... ''Indeed. A weapon made of this much material would require a base stats of 100 or more. It is truly an S-class adventurer''s weapon. I doubt even the "Keepers of the Magical Tree" would buy this. It''s unprofitable. I''m sorry, but this new material is going in the bin. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I want to make a weapon with this material. Cheal said in a spoiled voice. You can use it again when you find some other use for it. This isn''t the only idea I have for new materials. Dorwin says soothingly. Boo." Cheal puffs out one cheek. Cheal. It''s time for you to get back to your day job. Ranju said as if in a hurry. Yeah," Ranju said hurriedly. I still want to develop with Mr. Dorwin." No," he said. I''ve got a lot of work to do. Mmm." Cheal. I''ll be back tomorrow." Dorwin said soothingly. Yes. Cheal reluctantly set to work on his silversmithing. Roland continued to appraise items for new materials. (If you are an S class adventurer ......, the possibility is Jill. But I don''t think I can prepare 10 million gold, no matter how much it''s Jill. I wonder what we can do about that. ......) "Agility Grant." A green light cloaks Lelio''s body as Rick casts the spell. Oh!" How do you feel?" I don''t know, maybe I feel a little lighter." Lelio jumps vertically and runs lightly on the spot. Lelio said, "Yes. He is clearly faster than usual. Rick, try me." Marina comes at me. Marina urges, "Wait a minute. I need to recover my magic first. Here you go. Marina takes out a magic cherry from a bag in her pocket. Oh, thank God. ...... Ugh, sour. I still don''t like the taste. Rick!" Hurry up and ''agility grant'' me!" Well, wait a minute. Don''t be in such a hurry. "Agility." Rick casts the spell while pointing his wand at Marina, and Marina is also granted "agility. Marina is also affected by the spell. Light. My body is overwhelmingly light. I feel like I can fly! Marina runs around the area more quickly than usual with her arms outstretched like wings. Lelio tries to use "Status Appraisal" on Marina. Marina Fortuna. Agility: 60 (10) - 70 (1) 0) (I see. Marina''s Agility, which is usually 50-60, is now 60-60. The number has gone up to 70. (Is this the effect of the "Agility Grant"?) No, but I never thought I''d end up using support magic." Rick chuckles and looks at his staff for support magic. Rick wants to be in the vanguard, right? Yeah, I wondered what would happen when Mr. Roland told me to become a mage swordsman, but I didn''t expect that I would really learn it so easily." I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it," he said. It''s great, isn''t it, Mr. Roland? At first I wondered why an appraiser was the captain. ......" Yeah, his instruction is a lot different than the training at the training school." Well, whatever it is, it helps. This way I can finish Mr. Roland''s assignment quickly." Yes, that''s right. With this, accomplishing my assignments will be a piece of cake. No, not as much as an easy win. ...... I don''t get it. I''m growing rapidly right now. Maybe if I continue to develop my ''agility granting'' skills. ...... Rick grips his cane tightly in both hands and stares at it with an ambitious, fearless smile. He was now totally on board. Rick. "Rick, can''t you try to cast a support spell on yourself?" Oh, yes. Let''s try it on myself. ......." Rick gets a headache and holds the back of his head. Rick?" What''s wrong? I don''t know. It seems like it''s hard to produce magic ....... That''s strange. I just ate a magic cherry. I''ll be back in a minute. I''ll check the status." Lelio takes a look at Rick''s status. Rick Dyer. Magic: 1-30 (I see. The lowest value of magical power is 1, indicating that the status is worn out. Until he recovers naturally, it won''t matter how much magic he recovers. (......) While thinking about this, Lelio also began to feel dizzy. What''s the matter, Lelio? Would you like some ''magic cherries''?" No, this is probably ......" Rick, Lelio, Marina. There you are." Roland showed up. Oh, Mr. Roland. Hm. All three of you are running out of magic. ("Status Appraisal," ....... You''re fast indeed.) Lelio was amazed at the speed of Roland''s appraisal, who instantly identified the status of the three men. Huh? Come to think of it, I''m starting to feel kind of weak too." Marina flops down on the ground. Equipment, ores, potions, and other items were pouring out of her item bag. Lelio and Rick hurriedly picked up the items. Lelio and Rick hurriedly picked up the items. "You three, don''t overuse your newly acquired skills until you get used to them," Marina said. Roland said as he helped pick up the items. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make you help me. It''s okay. This much. That''s all right, Lelio. When you''re done here, come to my tent. Lelio and Roland headed for the captain''s tent. Rick and Marina watched the scene curiously. ''What''s with that guy, isn''t he getting called out by Mr. Roland a lot these days? Yes, it is. Something to do with Lelio''s skills, it seems." What in the world is the skill ...... doing here?" Rick and Marina twisted their necks in thought. Here''s what we got from the status report today. Lelio submits the form with the status to Roland. Hm. Let''s see. Roland takes it and checks Rick and Marina''s numbers. (As I thought, the parts of the body that have not been stretched before are growing fast. They are all growing exceptionally fast.) (I''m kind of uncomfortable with this. (I don''t feel comfortable doing this without telling you two.) For Lelio, this mission was an uncomfortable one, although he was forced to do it at Roland''s behest. Rick''s magic has reached its highest value of 30 and Marina''s has reached its highest value of 80," he said. "Rick''s magic power has reached its maximum of 30, and Marina''s has reached its maximum of 80. I guess it''s time to move on. Roland looked over all the figures and turned to Lelio. No, thank you," he said. It''s not easy for me to evaluate everyone''s status by myself. Huh." (You''re not going to become a scullery maid by any chance, are you? I''m an aspiring adventurer.) All right. Lelio. Call everyone to the front of the walled entrance. Upon receiving the order from Roland, Lelio ran among the members of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" to convey the order to convene. The members of the team stopped what they were doing and gathered under Roland, tilting their heads at the sudden summons. ''From today on, you will be trained in troop operations, not in individual assignments. (Unit Operations ......) Rick and the others were uniformly nervous. At last, they would be able to participate in dungeon attack training alongside the main force. There were basically no monster-related quests for dungeon management, but there was one quest that involved training for troop operations. It was a quest to defeat the flesh-eating ghouls. Ghouls are monsters that scavenge the dead flesh of humans, animals, and monsters. Moreover, since they basically act in groups of five, they were ideal as opponents for five people, the basic unit for team activities. Because of their habit of collecting shiny things, they hoard treasures in their nests. With the walls and roads completed, the alchemists'' support was largely complete, and now we would go on a quest to defeat the ghouls. Ghouls are monsters that can only be defeated by a group because they move in groups. Each of you should demonstrate your own abilities and enhance cooperation." Those who participated in dungeon management were uniformly nervous. They knew what they were doing. They knew that unlike their previous training, this quest was to select the main force for the next dungeon attack. The first thing we need to do now is to divide the group. Team 1 will be led by Monica, with Ryan and Gareth ......, followed by Shakuma, Rick, and Elmo ......, and then Team 2, with Shakuma, Rick, and Elmo ......, and then Team 3, with Monica as the leader. Team 3 is Yufine, Marina ......." Yuffine was keenly searching for the meaning of Roland''s division of the groups. (He is putting the newcomers in the ace squad. I see. So you want the newcomer and the ace to be paired together so that they can stimulate each other. Huh?(But what about Lelio?) Mr. Roland. I''m ......." Lelio asks coyly, as he is not called forever. Lelio. You are the group leader. You''ll be in charge of Team Six. What? (Commander? Lelio?) Euphine''s eyebrows twitch. Rick was also stunned. (What, Lelio''s guy was selected as the commander?(When did that guy ......) A rustle occurs among the troops. It''s amazing," he said. He''s suddenly in command, even if it''s on a squad basis. No, but is it safe? I''m not sure if it''s safe to put a rookie in command. I''m sorry. Mr. Roland. "Well, Mr. Roland, isn''t it a bit of a ...... disaster to suddenly put a rookie in command?" Monica said, speaking for all of us. Why?" Lelio has only just graduated from training school, and he''s still getting used to troop movements in an actual dungeon. ...... Monica. I''m not trying to give Lelio any special treatment. I''m just trying to find the right placement for each of them. Huh. Lelio will be the group leader. This is a decision. Is that clear? Umm, if Mr. Roland says so. ...... Monica shrugged and withdrew. Monica pulled back and said, "Well then, I want each group to get ready for their quests. Call in as soon as you''re ready." Lelio looked fearfully in the direction where everyone was. As expected, he was met with a piercing stare. (Ugh, it still hurts to look at them.) Rick looks unconvinced. Euphine looked at Lelio uncomfortably. Shakma is burning with rivalry. All three of them were aspiring troop leaders. (Oh dear. I can''t believe I''m suddenly under this kind of pressure. Mr. Roland could have been a little more considerate.) The quota for each team is five ghouls'' nests. Each team is to strive hard to acquire items. Let''s go! Roland gave the order, and the groups rushed toward the ghouls'' nests. (Oh, my God. Roland-san is such a bad person.) Yuffine swore in her mind as she hurried ahead. (He told me and Shakuma that he could be the captain, and then he blatantly gave preferential treatment to such a new girl. Fine. I''m going to prove that I''m more qualified to be the captain in this quest.) Rick was also struggling to get his troops to act. (d*mn. Why? Why was Lelio the only one chosen as the squad leader? I''ve completed Roland''s tasks as well as Lelio''s. (No, I''m sure my growth rate is higher than Lelio''s, just based on my simple status.) Shakuma was a fighter. (This is a test to narrow down the candidates for the captain of the new unit. I took it that way, Mr. Roland.) Thus began the quest to defeat the ghouls. A swarm of ghouls crawled out of a den as they struck their weapons in front of it. Lelio catches the enemy in his sights and activates his status appraisal. ("Status Appraisal" activated!) In addition to the monster''s appearance, its status emerges in Lelio''s eyes. Even though the monsters looked the same at first glance, each individual had a different status. Some had more power, some more toughness, some more agility. Conversely, those with low power, low toughness, and low agility could also be detected by using the status appraisal. (I see. (I see. So this is one way to use "Status Appraisal".) Marcus, you deal with the one on the far right. Nicola is the enemy in the middle. Celes is second from the left. I''ll deal with the one on the far left. Lelio took the shield-bearer against the monsters with strong attack power among the enemies, those with low defense power against those with high attack power here, and hit the monsters with high agility himself to check them out. Lelio''s team successfully wins the battle. Lelio returned to Roland with the items he had acquired. Roland-san, the second nest has been conquered. Hmm. Thank you for your hard work. Let''s go to this nest next. Roland points to a nest on the map. Yes." (Whew. I wondered what would happen when I was suddenly appointed commander, but things are going well for now.) Lelio is relieved. Roland appraised Lelio''s status. Lelio Santana. Command 50-60 (Command 50-60, huh? (Command 50-60, huh? (But it''s still not enough.) Lelio, the next ghouls will be at the intermediate level. It''s going to be different from what we''ve seen so far, so brace yourself." Yes, sir. Team 6 clanked their weapons in front of the hole, which was clearly larger than before. A swarm of ghouls emerges. Lelio activates his status appraisal as usual. Arm strength (power): 70-80 Endurance (toughness): 50-70 Agility: 50-80 (Nah! None of the basic stats are above the minimum of 50?(No obvious weaknesses ......) We couldn''t win with our current strength. d*mn, what should I do?) What''s up, Lelio? Give me instructions. The men in the unit ask for instructions. I said, "Give me instructions. How do I do this ......) d*mn. It''s no use. Marcus. Take the leftmost one. Nick, you take the one in the middle. Lelio directed them to take advantage of their status advantage as much as possible. However, unable to support or defeat the enemy''s attacks, Lelio''s troops were quickly depleted. It''s no use. At this rate, we will be wiped out. We''ll get you back on your feet with a potion." The humans in the unit somehow managed to win the battle, but they had depleted their potions more than expected. Ten potions were consumed. I''m sorry. ...... There is a fixed number of potions that can be supplied in a day. You''ll have to fight with a little less to keep up. (Even if you say so, you can''t do anything about it because the enemy status is the status.) I''ll hit another enemy of about the same strength next time. Be ready." "...... yes." Lelio''s troops went into battle again, but again they struggled. (Kuso. What am I supposed to do with this troop?) Lelio swore inwardly as he frantically commanded his crumbling troops. Oh, no. We''re running out of potions. Captain, what are you going to do?" What do you mean, what do I do? ...... (Is this level too hard for you?) Roland was watching Lelio fight from the top of a small hill and wondering whether he should help or not. In the meantime, the unit was about to collapse. (It can''t be helped. Let''s save them.) Shakuma. "Shakuma, help Lelio''s unit. Yes, sir. (Chance.) Rick, who was a member of Shakuma''s unit, inwardly rejoiced at this chance. (If he could show Mr. Roland his power here, his reputation would be turned around in a flash.) Rick rushed to Lelio''s aid with great vigor. "Stand back. I''ll be your shield." Rick replaced the struggling vanguard human on the front line. Facing two monsters, he was attacked but held his ground. Oh!" Rick''s the guy, ain''t he?" My endurance (toughness) is already over 70. I can withstand an attack like this.) Oooohhhh!" Rick not only withstood the attack, he bounced back. He also casts an "agility-enhancing" spell on himself and pursues the enemy. The enemy was kicked away without a trace. How''s that?Did you see that? Rick strikes a gut-punching pose and lets out a heroic yell. Thank God! That was a close one. (Huh. I made it.) Lelio is relieved to be out of mortal danger. On the other hand, he had mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was relieved that his life was not in danger, but on the other hand, he had mixed feelings. He can take the lead and raise the morale of his allies ....... He''s definitely better suited for the job than I am. Huh.) In the end, Lelio''s unit was the only one that failed to meet its quota that day. That night, Lelio came to talk directly to Roland. What is it? What do you want to talk about? He said, "Well, I''ve already decided I want to get out of command training. ...... I''d rather do something else." What do you want to do? Yes, sir. I want to train my power and be able to handle the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow'' like Monica. (I see. I see.) Roland ponders. His arm strength (power) is limited to 70-80 even if he trained hard enough. No matter how much he trains, he can''t compete with Monica.) Roland thought inwardly, but decided not to say so. He said, "Lelio, Monica has already established an absolute position as a firepower bowman (archer). You have room to work on your power, but you will never reach Monica''s power by the next dungeon." But still, ......" I''m not going to put a half-assed firepower archer in my main force right now." ......" You have potential in your command ability. Why don''t you give it a little more of a shot?" Um, Mr. Roland. May I have a word?" Monica visits under Roland. She says, "Oh. Lelio. I''m sorry. We''ll talk about it another time. Lelio withdrew reluctantly. Roland was also frustrated that he could not spend more time with Lelio. I''m sorry, Lelio. (I''m sorry, Lelio. I''d love to spend time and effort on your training, but I can''t give you preferential treatment over Monica.) It was obvious that Ace would become unfaithful if he kept on caring about the newcomer. There was no point in bringing up a newcomer if the ace was going to be out of shape. (That''s the difficulty with newcomers, isn''t it? Instead of enjoying an excellent environment from the start, they are exposed to competition with existing strong members. It is a different kind of difficulty from that of Monica and her colleagues, who joined the team from scratch. But I can''t put your training ahead of Monica''s consultation. You''ll just have to make it on your own somehow.) (d*mn. Another enemy with a minimum value of 50+.) Lelio clicked his tongue as he appraised the status of the ghouls. Once again, Lelio''s troops were encountering powerful enemies. (...... What to do?) Lelio desperately tried to think of an answer, but could not find one. No matter what he thought, he had no choice but to wear down his troops and defeat them. In addition, Roland forbade the excessive use of potions. (We can''t let Rick help us again, ......) Lelio''s anxiety was contagious to his troops. Hey, Lelio. What are we going to do?" The enemy''s gonna be tough. What are we going to do? Hey, Lelio! Lelio grits his teeth. (d*mn. I can''t do this anymore.) Stand down." What about? With this force, we are no match for the enemy. So we must retreat." Hey, what are you talking about? Even though our performance lags behind that of the other squads. ...... The enemy is right under our noses! Just retreat! I''ll cover your retreat." Lelio stood in the hall of the troop and checked the pursuing ghouls by shooting at them. (Huh?) Lelio felt a sense of discomfort as he retreated a little and then struck the bow, and then retreated a little and then struck the bow. (Are the enemy pursuing too slowly?). Even though some of the monsters had high agility, they did not pursue us at full speed, but intentionally slowed down to pursue us. (Why?If they chase after us at full speed, they''ll have a chance to chase us down. ...... (Oh, wait) Lelio did a status appraisal. As expected, the agility of each monster was different. (I see. ....... If they ran at full speed, they would be isolated from each other and would be the perfect prey for individual attacks. So we had to run with the slowest one on our side to keep them apart.) After that, the monsters were unable to catch up, only becoming targets for Lelio''s shooting. Eventually, the monsters gave up the chase and retreated. What the hell?Monsters. They''re running away." Did I win ......?" (I see. I didn''t know there was such a way to fight ......) You noticed. (On tactical retreat.) Watching Lelio fight from a distance, Roland did not miss a glimpse of the new commander''s solid growth. (Ghouls have no means of long-range attack. So when they pursue a retreating enemy, they can''t handle a firefight. That means tactical retreat is effective. If you have a bowman (archer) with high agility (......), that is.) (If the enemy can''t handle our tactical retreat, then ...... wait) Lelio tried to build a formation based on the assumption of a retreat in the next battle. He dared to put the shield-bearer in the rear and the swordsman with high agility (agility) in the front. The first attack is to attack the most agile individual of the enemy, and then retreat. If the enemy leaps forward, destroy them individually. If the enemy retreats, we pursue. Lelio''s team successfully defeated the enemy who was superior to them in status. They were able to do it. (Defeating the enemy.) (Defeating the enemy.) (It is not only the role of a commander to fight bravely at the front. It is also the role of a commander to be prepared for any emergency. This is the true quality required of a commander. It is the ability to judge when to retreat.) (Even if I encounter an enemy stronger than I am, can my command ability overturn the difference in status?) (Another high commanding archer, different from the high firepower archers like Monica. (At this rate, he''ll be a thing by the time the next dungeon appears.) Roland appraised Lelio''s status and found his command to be 50-80. <> 38 - Art. 38. Return of Lucius The killing of ghouls continued. (The killing of ghouls was not registered at the quest office, but it was considered the moral responsibility of the adventurers to hunt them when they were found, as they would eventually become undead or vampires if nurtured.) Some of Roland''s troops trained voluntarily after they had finished defeating the ghouls. Rick was one of them. ''Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!'' Rick shows 100 castle wall stones carried in the morning. He had been voluntarily training to improve his power while on a quest to defeat ghouls. Rick piles up a pile of stones in front of Roland. He is a little surprised. That''s great, Rick." Marina, who had been watching by Roland''s side, expressed her amazement. ''How''s it going?Mr. Roland, we carried 100 wall stones in one day. That''s the same amount as Monica. I was so impressed with the quality of the products that I was surprised that they were so expensive. Wow, that''s great. And that''s it? Rick jerked at the word. Nah. Who says it''s over? We were just about to start piling it up. Rick runs off again to collect more wall stones. It''s almost dinner time, isn''t it? Roland looked at his watch and muttered. Marina, let everyone know it''s almost dinner time. Roland calls out to her, who has been standing by the entire time. Roland calls out to her, who has been standing by all the time. Everyone," Roland said. It''s dinner time! Stop your training and gather in the mess hall. Marina repeats the same words and touches everyone. (I see. (I see... Marina, who is very talkative, is used as a speaker to communicate with all the members of the unit.) Lelio was standing at the other end of the room, observing Roland''s approach. Since learning to conduct tactical retreats, Lelio''s enthusiasm for command had increased dramatically. Even now, he is tirelessly observing Roland, trying to steal as much of Roland''s skill as possible. Lelio," he said, "you should take a rest, too. I''ll take care of this. Yes." Loran appraised his status when he parted ways with Lelio. Command: 60-90 (90, the highest value. That''s good. Now all I need to make up the margin of error is some actual battle experience.) Roland also did a status appraisal on Rick and Marina. Rick Dyer. Arm strength (power): 70-80 Endurance (toughness): 70-80 Agility: 20-30 Physical strength (stamina): 70-80 Magic: 70-80 Marina Fortuna Blast magic: C to A Ore possession: B to A Equipment possession: B A Medicine (potion) possession: B to A Rick to 70-80 except for agility. Marina''s ore, equipment, and drug (potion) holdings are all B''s. She can be counted on to be a major force multiplier!) Roland was pleased with the newcomer''s progress. After receiving permission from the investors to spend the 150 million gold, Lucius returned to the "Golden Eagle. (Oh dear. Somehow, he managed to get the investors'' consent. With this, we will be able to pull them out of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". (They are giving me a lot of trouble.) Lucius is fed up with the inconvenience of spending other people''s money. (But now the game is as good as decided. No matter how much resistance there may be to the transfer, 50 million gold per person is enough to make anyone shake their head. (If push comes to shove, we can spend all 150 million on one person.) If you can get one person to transfer, the other two will begin to regret that they really should have refused. Furthermore, the next time around, they will feel less guilty about the transfer. There will be a lot of awkwardness among the main force over the transfer, and the damage done to "The Guardian of the Magical Tree" will be immeasurable. (With this, the issue of the transfer has been settled. Now, it''s been a long time since I''ve been back. (I hope those who are away from home are doing well?) Lucius entered the guild leader''s room in a good mood for the first time in a long time, free from his recent troubles. However, as soon as he overheard the report from his subordinate about the events during his absence, he immediately became furious, a blue streak appearing on his forehead. The alchemy guild is rebelling?The "Keeper of the Magic Tree" is starting to manage dungeons on his own?Is Jill in league with the "Guardians of the Magic Tree"?You idiot!What the hell are you people doing? Lucius shouted at those who came to report. Dianna was not among those being yelled at. She was again standing next to Lucius with a clear face, as if she had no control over such matters. Dianna was skillfully manipulating information. First, she suppressed the report from Zens without telling anyone. Then, through other people, she leaked the problem to the people she had chosen as her sacrifices. As they scrambled to solve the problem, they somehow became the ones in charge and were put in the role of reporting to Lucius. The reporters who are being yelled at don''t think it is Dianna''s fault that they are being yelled at. After being yelled at by Lukius, they were told that they would be downgraded as guild members and ordered to leave the room. ''Totally. I''ve been gone for a while, and this is what I get. I am sorry. I had no idea this was happening underwater." Dianna!You are you, too. You didn''t notice anything when the problem was getting so big. I had been aware of Jill''s suspicious behavior for some time. I have already taken measures based on my own investigation. What?Really?...... I see. I didn''t think so. I''m sorry I yelled at you. No," he said. I don''t mind. Dianna smiles and shows her smile. You''re not like the rest of them, after all. Thank you, sir. And?What exactly are these measures?Let''s hear it now." Lucius listened to her investigative report, completely regaining his good mood. However, when he finished listening to her report, he turned pale again and angrily said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. He said, "Gilles is under the tutelage of ...... Roland?" It was an uncomfortable feeling, as if one''s property were being tampered with and altered by others without one''s permission. Get Jill up here right now!" Jill had returned to town from the dungeon after completing a quest to build a bridge. Roland had gone to the entrance of the dungeon to pick up Jill. When they met up, the night was already falling. ''Hahaha. Roland. I''m back. Jill was exhausted from the quicksand. She was exhausted. Good work." (Was I too hard on him, indeed?) Roland feels a little guilty when he sees how worn out Jill is. She had worked hard for nearly two weeks, drinking no potions and subsisting on river water and berries. Hahahaha. So, Mr. Roland. What kind of punishment will you order me to do next? What?Punishment?" Oh, no, I made a mistake. What kind of training will you be assigning me next?" Oh, yeah. I guess I misspoke." (Well, ......, glad to see you''re doing well anyway) Roland was relieved for now to find that his fears were unfounded. Heck, so what?What kind of rigorous training are you going to put me through next? I''ll be back in a minute. I''ll look at your status first." Roland appraised Jill''s status. Power: 105-110 Toughness: 115-120 Agility: 100-105 Physical strength (stamina): 195-200 Yes, what do you think, Mr. Roland? Jill looked at Loran with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. ''No, it''s great. Jill, congratulations." What?" Roland undid the clasps on Jill''s armor and disarmed her. Jill was freed from the weight that restrained her and instantly felt lighter. She would be wearing only a simple inner garment. All her basic stats are above the minimum of 100 and within a margin of error of five." Okay then. ...... Oh, you already have the status of an S-class adventurer," he said. There is nothing more I can teach you. You can go as deep as you want in any place called a dungeon, and you will be able to defeat any enemy. Mr. Roland!" Jill was so moved that she hugged Loran. Jill?" ''Thank you. We''ve made it this far. It is thanks to Mr. Roland''s stern rebuke, coldly pushing me away, irresponsibly leaving me alone, and verbally abusing me. Thank you so much. Uh-huh. (It''s kind of different to thank him for that content. ......) And anyway. Let''s rest." Roland draped his own jacket over her and led her to a nearby bench. Now I have nothing more to teach you," he said. You''ve worked hard to get this far. Yes, it''s just that I won''t be under Mr. Roland''s tutelage any longer. It makes me a little sad to think about that." "Jill ......" Mr. Roland!" Suddenly, Jill turns her serious gaze toward Loran. What is it?" I am going to fight Lucius now. What?But that''s ......" Yes, sir. It is against the contract. You will be punished. You may not be able to stay in this city like Sebasta. But I will still fight. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!Something else you can do: ......" Jill shook her head. Jill ......" ''I can''t work for him any longer. Besides, I''ve been complicit with Mr. Roland to this point. I will be held accountable one way or another." Roland choked up. Even if it goes against reason and the rules, I can no longer follow the ways of Lucius, ...... and I can no longer follow Lucius, who has banished you. So I will fight." <> 39 - Art. 39. Rebellion of Jill Jill was in the lobby of the "Golden Eagle" feeling like she was sitting on a needle in a haystack. It seemed that everyone already knew that she had displeased Lucius. Every time people walked by, they would look at her curiously. She closed her eyes and mentally unified herself as she endured the stares of those around her. Suddenly, she thought she heard the sound of shoes, and Dianna''s cold voice came down on her. ''Jill. The head of the guild wants to see you. Come to my room." Jill opens her eyes and looks at Dianna. ''You know why you''ve been summoned here, don''t you, Jill? I don''t know. I have no idea. I see. Then I''ll tell you. Dianna. Yes, sir. Dianna presented Jill with hard evidence of her attendance at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" seminar, her access to the workshop of the "Arsenal of Spirits," and her mentorship of Roland. If. . you''re not happy with this, we have witnesses. Shall I call them for you?" Jill flicked a bell that summoned Zens, who was standing by. What the hell is this all about?Numerous acts of hostility. No matter how much I admire you, I can''t let you get away with this." What do you mean?That''s what I''d like to hear." What? You!Do you sit in such a splendid seat and yet see nothing?The Gilded Eagle has changed completely. The prestige of the city''s most prestigious guild has vanished, its members have forgotten all about bravery, and are more intent on pulling each other down for their own protection than exploring the dungeons. At a time when the guild is being outnumbered by the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and the guild''s very foundations are being shaken, not a single person is willing to sacrifice himself or herself to reverse the situation!You are responsible for all of this, for making decisions based on likes and dislikes rather than on competence, on flattery rather than admonition!It is your fault that the Gilded Eagle is on a tilt!" Jill said, impeaching Lucius. ''I can''t stand by and watch the guild go crazy because of you any longer! You ......" ''Anyway, I will not follow your orders any longer. That is what I came here today to say. Now then." Dianna panicked. ''Don''t do this. Jill. Do you know what you''re talking about? If you want to punish me, fine. Be my guest. Excuse me." Jill turns around and is about to leave the room. Jill turns around and starts to walk out of the room. Where are you going?" I''m under Mr. Roland. I have to undergo training. With these words, Jill gallantly left Lukius'' room. Lukius was furious, but Jill''s comment was quickly circulated throughout the guild, and many agreed with her. ''Yes, that''s right. Jill is right!" Lucius must be held accountable!" A faction called the "Jill Faction" quickly formed within the guild, and those who were dissatisfied with Lukius took this opportunity to gather and occupy a room in the guild building to show their opposition to Lukius. <> 40 - Art. 40. The Fall of Ramon "d*mn that woman!I spoiled him, and he grew up." Lukius raised his voice and revealed his anger. ''Tell Jill!If you don''t change your attitude now, I will expel you from the guild for breach of contract, fine you, and even suspend your qualification as an adventurer so that you cannot operate in this city! Wait. No, Lukius." Dianna hurried to stop him. It''s not a good idea to come at her so hard right now. What?" ''Have you forgotten what happened with Sebasta?What if she runs out of town?It would be a great loss if Jill were to leave now. Ggghh......" Jill was the main reason why investors invested in "Golden Eagle. As long as she became an S-class adventurer, she could sell to other guilds at any price and attract new investment from outside the city. This was also why Lucius had Jill in his entourage and made her the guild''s signboard. Let''s just pocket her here." But then the strings of the organization would ...... ''It''s unavoidable. Even just a troublesome situation has occurred and the whole guild is upset. With Sebasta gone, we can''t afford to lose any more capable adventurers. ......" It''s just for now," he said. You''ve made arrangements to headhunt A-level adventurers for the Guardians of the Magical Tree, haven''t you?" Yeah, that''s right. Then you''ll be fine. As long as the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" are destroyed, there will be only one major adventurer''s guild in this city. Then no adventurer will be able to resist us. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about us at ....... Let''s find a way to get Jill to go along with our plan. Jill, this way. Come quickly! I''ll be right there. Don''t rush me. Cheal pulls Jill by the arm and takes her to a room in the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Jill was visiting the "Arsenal of Spirits" to receive instruction from Roland. Unfortunately, Roland was on his way to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," so she had no choice but to wait for him, and Cheal caught her. Mr. Jill, look at this. This is the new material that Mr. Dorwin and I developed. Heh. This is ......." Jill takes the new material that Cheal shows her in her hand. It sure is heavy. Saying this, Jill lifts the new material with one hand. Isn''t it?But the hardness is second to none! Indeed. With this, I''m sure you could make some pretty powerful equipment." Yes, that''s right. It''s just that the development costs are high. ...... How. How much?" ...... is roughly 20 million gold. Cheal said with difficulty. I see," he said, "I see. That''s a little high indeed." Jill!" Cheal clutched at Jill''s leg. ''Please. Please buy her. If you don''t buy her, she will go into storage." No, that''s not what they told me. ...... Hey. Please. Please buy, buy, buy. Ah, ahaha. I''m in trouble." Hey, what the hell are you doing? Ranju comes into the room with a frown on his face. Geez. Mr. Runge." Oh, Cheal, you haven''t given up on that new material yet, have you?" What? I told you it was unprofitable. Don''t embarrass Mr. Gilles. Now, get back to work. You still have one blueprint and one piece of silversmithing to do today. Uh, yes." Cheal left the room dejectedly. I''m sorry," he said. "I''m sorry, Mr. Jill. I''m sorry for the inconvenience. No, it''s okay. I didn''t have time to do anything until Mr. Roland came. I learned a lot. While they were chatting and laughing, they heard a noisy clattering sound and the neighing of horses from outside. What is it?" Jill looks doubtful. Lange frowned, too. A carriage?It''s strange. There shouldn''t be any aristocrats or wealthy people scheduled to visit the store today." As the two men were talking, armed men began to sneak into the store. What the hell are you guys?The Golden Eagle?" Ranju said when he saw the emblems they were wearing. The men crowded in as soon as they saw Jill''s figure. ''Jill Irwin, right?You will accompany us." What if I say no to ......?" Jill glares at them sharply, and the men look at each other hesitantly. I knew you were here, Jill. Dianna slips out from behind the men and dances. Dianna ...... what the hell is this? Jill. The head of the guild has called us all here. Come." The head of the guild?What the hell does the head of the guild want with me? The Guild Master is willing to compromise with you. A compromise? Yeah. Yes. If you don''t accept even that, it will really mean expulsion from the guild and disciplinary action. You know what I mean? "......" "Will you come down to Lucius, Jill?" Hey. You''re here." Lukius greeted Jill with a smiling face that was a complete change from before. He said, "...... can I help you with something?" Jill said without losing her distant attitude. Don''t be so hard. Don''t be so hard, Jill," he said. It''s a promotion. A promotion? Yes, it has been decided that you will be appointed as the head of the unit. I''m so happy for you, Jill. Now you''ll get a raise in salary." Jill looked at them both silently. They were both smiling and seemed to feel like they had Jill completely locked up. (Haaah. You two don''t get it, do you? That''s not what I''m looking for.) Jill looked at Lucius with pity. (Lukius, I see that in the end you failed to understand what I want.) I understand. I respectfully accept your offer." "Oh, will you do it?" Lucius leans forward. ''Well said, Jill. Dianna said to set the tone. However!" Jill held her palms out in front of her to stop them from leaning forward. There is a condition." Conditions?" Yes, sir. First, you must assign Dorwin the Alchemist to my unit." What''s that all about? That''s a lot of money. In addition, I would like you to set aside 20 million gold as a special appropriation. 20 Million Gold ......" Lucius looked bitter. With two dungeons taken, the "Golden Eagle" was still in a difficult financial situation, as its income had plummeted. If you say it''s impossible, fine. I''ll pretend we never had this conversation. Wait. All right, I''ll find a way to get you 20 million gold. In exchange, I want you to make sure that the faction calling itself the "Zille Faction," which is making a lot of noise right now, is disbanded. I understand. I will do my best to disband them. Thus, Jill became the head of the unit and declared the conflict with Lucius resolved. This disappointed those who had been planning to bring down Lukius as the "Jill faction," and the momentum for bringing down Lukius rapidly cooled. Jill ordered new weapons from the "Spirit Arsenal" with the 20 million gold she had obtained. This is not good. (This is not good. ...... soon a new dungeon will appear) While Lucius was busy dealing with Jill, Ramon was also getting impatient. His relationship with Roland remained cold. He was supposed to sell Monica and the others to the "Golden Eagle" to obtain funds, but there was no sign of improvement in his relationship with Roland. (It''s only now that Monica and her team can sell for a higher price. There''s no guarantee that the next month''s goods will still have the same price tag on them.) Out of necessity, Ramon decided to call a "special executive meeting. The "extraordinary executive meeting" was a meeting that only key personnel of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" could attend. The members of the guild must abide by the decisions made at this meeting. They must not refuse to do so for any reason. Ramon spoke passionately at the meeting, emphasizing the need for unity. Now is not the time for personal disputes within the guild for the future of the guild!We should all work together immediately to raise the funds." Ramon asked Roland and Lilianne for help. But Roland and Lilianne refused. On the contrary, they demanded that Ramon step down. The guild''s finances have fallen so far because of the guild president''s repeated failures. I hereby declare my distrust of Ramon. Lilianne so declared, and a vote of no confidence was passed on the spot. The requirements for a vote of no confidence in the head of the guild were that two-thirds of the executives be present at the meeting and that three-fourths or more vote in favor. After a majority vote, it was unanimously decided that Ramon should step down. Some of those present at the meeting had Ramon''s breath in their veins, but seeing that the Lilianne Rolland faction had the upper hand, they betrayed him at the last minute. Ramon had once made a great contribution as an A-class adventurer in the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," but as guild leader, he had not made a splash, and in the end, he was forced out and left the guild. Lilianne became the new head of the guild. The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" had a new leader at the top, but Liliane faced a difficult problem as soon as she took office. Not enough money?" Yes, I do." Roland and Lillianne were talking in the private room again. Their relationship had not changed since Lilianne became head of the guild; in fact, Lilianne consulted Roland on many more matters than before. It was true that Ramon was having financial difficulties. Was that so? Roland, who had thought the financial difficulties were an excuse to sell Monica and the others, felt a little surprised. ''I just couldn''t help but come up about 10 million gold short of this month''s payment. ...... It''s strange, isn''t it? You''ve taken two dungeons. There''s a bit of a time lag between the dungeon management revenues coming in to the guild, you know." And no loans from banks or capitalists?" Yes, I''ve been to a few banks, but they seem to already consider the adventuring business in this city a red ocean. I see. ...... Only about three dungeons appeared in this city per month. Despite this, the number of A-class adventurers was growing wildly, the number of troops available to attack dungeons was increasing, and the competition to capture dungeons was intensifying. If this trend continues, the cost of organizing troops will continue to increase, and the amount of money that goes into a guild will continue to decrease. (Certainly, from the investor''s point of view, there would be no merit in investing any more money.) So, Mr. Roland, I was wondering if I could ask you to become an investor in the "Arsenal of Spirits. Is the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' an investor in ......?" Yes," he said. Can I ask you to do something for me? "Of course we want to help the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree,'' ...... the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' but 10 million gold or ....... Hmmm... I wonder if I can afford it. Roland recalled the financial ledger of the "Arsenal of Spirits" and wondered if he could raise that much money. He would have to ask Ranju for the details, but he had a feeling that it would just barely be enough. ''I have an idea.'' An idea?" Yes, sir. First of all, I''m going to ask the bank to invest in the "Arsenal of Spirits. After that, the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' will invest in the ''Guardian of the Magic Tree. I see. So the "Spirit Arsenal" stands between the bank and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. Yes. The silversmith business at the Arsenal of Spirits is currently growing, and I think the bank would be willing to invest in the company. I see. It certainly might be worth a try. Roland thought for a moment, then turned to Lillianne. I understand. Let''s give it a try. Thank you." When Roland went to the bank and asked for a loan with the above details, the bank manager shook his head surprisingly easily. The banker shook his head. Are you sure?" Yes. The Arsenal of Spirits is one of the fastest growing guilds in the city. (The "Arsenal of Spirits" has Count Elsen''s endorsement. (The "Arsenal of Spirits" has Count Elsen''s endorsement, so even if the company goes under, it will not be taken away from them.) In the end, "Arsenal of Spirits" received a 100 million gold investment from the bank. Roland was named as an investor in "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and became a member of the board of directors. Lillianne got a dollar box called "Arsenal of the Spirits". With the ability to pull in financial resources, Lillianne became an absolute powerhouse in the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. People in all departments were required to ask for her permission to do everything in order to get the budget passed through to her. Thus, the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" faced the emergence of a new dungeon with the "Golden Eagle" overwhelmed in every aspect, from dungeon management, reinforcement of new forces, status adjustment, troop organization, items and equipment, and fundraising. 41 - Art. 41. The Distress of Lucius The startling news came to Lucius at the headquarters of the Golden Eagle. Just when he thought that the problems concerning Jill had been settled, he received a startling news. What?Ramon has been expelled from the ''Guardians of the Magic Tree''!" (d*mn. We had gone to a great deal of effort and time to prepare the funds to pull Monica out. (After all the hard work and time we put in to prepare the funds to get Monica out, now that Ramon has been expelled, it''s as if the channel for negotiation has been severed.) From now on, we must negotiate directly with Roland and Lilianne. The attempt to extract him from the company was as good as failed. (d*mn. Why is everything going so wrong?) Lukius was in over his head. It was not only Monica and the others that were bothering him. Jill was already showing signs of rebellion again. The other day, when Lukius had instructed her to submit a plan for the next dungeon, she had rebelled. He said, "I was only asked to assume the position of unit leader, and I don''t recall saying I would follow your orders!" Tensions between Lucius and Jill continued. Furthermore, Gilles seemed to be planning to reinstate Roland. The Golden Eagle" had gone crazy only after Roland''s expulsion. If we welcome him back, the Golden Eagle will be reborn as a healthy guild that focuses on nurturing. Jill was steadily laying the groundwork for Roland''s return by infusing those who had antipathy toward Lukius with such a message. At first, Jill''s activities were not well understood, but gradually people began to remember Roland, and they said, "Yes, that''s right. He was certainly a good guy," or "He was certainly capable. Why did Lukius expel Roland? Because of this, a group calling itself the Roland faction was steadily forming to replace the Gilles faction. Rukius was annoyed by Jill''s behavior, but he could not do anything wrong because of the situation. If this issue were to become public now, the investors of the "Golden Eagle" would finally take a hard look at the company. They fear risk more than anything else. Lukius, out of necessity, promised Jill that Roland would return to the company as a temporary measure. However, Gilles said that he would never give his word to Lucius until Roland was really back in the game. There was no way that Roland would ever return. For Lukius, the series of troubles related to Jill was becoming a problem with no end in sight. He again pressured the city''s alchemy guild to stop doing business with the "Arsenal of the Spirits," but this was also met with opposition. Already fed up with Lucius'' methods, they rebelled in unison. ''Screw you!I won''t be pushed around any more!" The more Lukius ordered them to be more overbearing, the more they rebelled, and the more they adhered to their contractual relationship with the "Arsenal of the Spirits. (Somehow, someway, we must do something about it. ......) Tomorrow, the bankers were to come to Lucius to inquire about the success or failure of the pullout operation. If he could not show some kind of success there, Rukius'' position would be in jeopardy. Roland went to the quest office for the dungeon attack. (This time, we have to prepare not only Monica''s quest, but also Rick''s.) Oh dear. It''s not easy when there are more people.) Mr. Roland?"Aren''t you Mr. Roland?" Yes?"Yes, sir?" I knew it. It''s been a long time. That voice, is that Claria by any chance? Yes, I am." Roland could not believe his eyes at the sight of Claria. The glamour of the past had completely disappeared, and she was now a dreary figure. Her clothes were shabby, her hair was shaggy, and she could have been mistaken for a tramp. What''s wrong?You look like that." That''s the thing, Mr. Roland, listen to me! Claria clung to Roland and tearfully began to tell him what had happened. She had been fired as a receptionist after being accused by Roland. She was also fined three months'' salary by the court and her property was seized. She was fired from her previous job and was unable to find a new one, and she could no longer afford to pay her rent, so she was forced to live in the gutter. I was fired from my job and had to pay a fine, so I couldn''t make any progress, and the other day I was evicted from the inn," he said. You said you were kicked out of the inn. ......, you didn''t have any savings or anything, did you?You didn''t do ......." Roland recalled her appearance when she was a receptionist, and the overly expensive ornaments that a receptionist would wear. Since she wore such things, she must have been living an extravagant lifestyle as well. I haven''t had a bath or eaten anything decent for several days now. I see. I''m sorry to hear that. Oh, yes. I have an urgent matter to attend to. I''ll see you later. Wait! Claria grabs Roland''s arm firmly. I heard about this, Mr. Roland. I heard that you have become an investor in The Guardian of the Magical Tree. Yeah, yeah. Well." Please hire me." What?You? It''s not fair that only Mr. Roland gets a promotion. Please help me, too. I''m not asking you to help me. ...... Roland appraised Claria on her skills. Item appraisal B -> B Skill appraisal C to C (Ummm, umm ......, subtle ......) Claria. I''m sorry, but with your skills ......" Wow." "Wow. Please. Please don''t abandon me." Claria clung to Roland more and more. Wait, Claria! People on the street look at Loran and Claria and start whispering to each other. Clinging to the young woman who had lost her body, with her pleas for help, this made it look like Roland had done her a terrible disservice. I was just following my boss''s orders, and to be stifled like this, isn''t it too much? Calm down. I understand. I understand. Roland calms her down and pulls her away from his body. She continues to sit on the ground and cry mesotically. ''Ugh. ......'' Um, so do you want to be my secretary?" I will do it. I''ll do it. I''ll be your secretary, mistress, whatever you want. ''...... what are you talking about? Let''s not be silly and get cleaned up first. You won''t get the job done looking like that. I hear the head of the Guardians of the Magical Tree has changed. In the heavily furnished guest room, the banker pushed his cigar into an ashtray. Lucius had no choice but to fall silent. ''The pullout failed ....... Is that what you mean?" ......" What are you going to do about it? If you continue to lag behind the ''Keepers of the Magic Tree'' this month, I will have no choice but to pull my funding." Don''t worry. We will definitely make a comeback. "Rebound?With this gap in strength?" The banker said in dismay. ''......'' ''Well, if you insist, I''ll give you one last chance. But this is really the last time. If we don''t see tangible results this month, ...... you know what I mean?" Yes, of course. Do you really understand?It''s no longer just a matter of words and attitude, my friend. We need you to show us by your actions." What do you mean when you say ......?" I''m going to hold you accountable for your actions. You will be stripped of your position as head of the Golden Eagle Guild. The board of directors will be renewed. In addition, you will compensate us, the investors, for the losses we have suffered. "Yes, sir." Lucius reluctantly agreed. Dianna, who was standing by listening, was astonished. What do you mean, a complete overhaul of the board of directors?Don''t tell me you''re going to fire me too?) Dianna pales. What would happen if she was fired from "Golden Hawk" and became an ordinary worker? She would work hard all day long, and after making compensation out of her meager salary, she would have to live a modest life with what little money she had left. It was a future she shuddered to even think about. (I''m not kidding. I can''t be fired from my job too, just because of Lukius. I have to do something to save myself somehow. ......) Lucius moved quickly to fulfill his commitment to the bankers. A dungeon strategy meeting is held at the headquarters of the Golden Eagle. However, Sebasta is now gone, and Gilles has also been slacking off on his work as a troop leader, so Arik is the only troop leader present. (d*mn. Oh, my God. This guild had such powerful members, but now Alik was the only one who could use them.) So the meeting was Alik''s sole domain. It seems that three more dungeons will appear in this city this month. But we can no longer afford to spread our forces around!" With Sebasta gone and Lucius losing political power, no one can argue with Arik. Now the positions of the ''Golden Eagle'' and the ''Guardian of the Magic Tree'' have completely switched. On the other hand, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" are now swarming with promising adventurers. Our advantage has completely disappeared. Under these circumstances, it would be foolish to spread the guild''s forces across three dungeons. There is only one way for us to win against the "Guardians of the Magic Tree"!There is no other way but to concentrate all our efforts on the "mining dungeon"!If we can get the "Mine Dungeon," we should be able to win back the hearts and minds of the alchemy guilds that have drifted away. Then we will once again become the most powerful adventurers'' guild." Arik spoke passionately of this. In fact, if they conquer the "mining dungeon," where they can get a lot of metals, the alchemy guild will have to rely on the "golden hawk" again. Therefore, I think we should assign the strongest adventurers and the strongest troops in the guild to the "Mine Dungeon. With your permission, I, Arik, the only A-class adventurer in the Golden Hawk, and the troops under my command, would like to take charge of the "Dungeon in the Mine. Surely no one has any objections?" The meeting was silent. No one opposed or disagreed with Arik. Everyone simply nodded their heads in acquiescence to what Arik was saying. Even Lucius had no room to argue. I never thought I would have no choice but to rely on Alik.) Compared to a few months ago, Lukius felt ashamed of his own circumstances. While Alik was making a passionate speech in "The Golden Eagle," a dungeon strategy meeting was being held in "The Guardian of the Magical Tree" as well. With Sebasta gone and internal conflicts brewing, Alik''s unit was the only one that needed to be on alert in the Golden Eagle. Roland spoke up from the seat closest to the guild leaders. I see. In other words, as long as Arik''s unit is in control, the others are insignificant. Is that what you mean? Lilianne asked from the guild president''s seat to confirm. Yes." Then, let''s put the strongest unit of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" against Arik''s unit. The ''Golden Eagle'' will want to bring the alchemy guild back under their control. We can expect Arik''s troops to head for the ''Mining Dungeon. I think so. If not, we will just have to watch Arik''s movements and match them with our own. I agree. So, ......, which unit of the Guardians of the Magical Tree would you put up against Arik?" Since the guild leader has only been in office for a short time, I think he should remain at headquarters for a while. I see. Then, "Mining Dungeon" can be found at ......." I''ll go. Roland said quietly but decisively. (I''m going to put a stop to this. (To the Golden Eagle, and to Lucius!) <> 42 - Art. 42. The Resolution of Arik While the members of the "Golden Hawk" were failing to adjust their status across the board due to the repeated family upheavals, such as the absence of Lucius, Sebasta''s downfall, and Jill''s rebellion, there was one unit that was maintaining its strength as before. It was the "Golden Hawk" Main Force 1, led by the versatile mage Alik. He forbade his subordinates from participating in these internal conflicts and had them concentrate on status adjustment. Let''s leave the Golden Eagle. This guild is finished. One of the deputies told Arik. ''Lucius, this guild is all about the money account. On top of that, the frequent disturbances. Look at what it has caused. It''s all messed up. We can''t even train. Let''s go to another guild and start over from scratch. We don''t even have to pay a penalty. We have done enough for this guild. But Lucius will never recognize our contribution. Never has and never will!Get out of ...... town. If you insist on doing it, we''ll follow you." No," he said. Indeed, as long as I''m in this guild, I may never be recognized any more." Then go to ......." But what if I quit now?The guild will become more and more chaotic." "......" If that happens, those left behind will suffer more and more. I can''t do that," he said. "I can''t just throw my responsibilities away and let others take them. Alik ......" If you want to leave "The Golden Eagle," I won''t stop you. But I have no intention of leaving. I''m going to stay here and fight to the end." You''re the one who said: ...... Captain. The unit is ready, sir. Arik, who was lost in recollection, opens his eyes when his second-in-command speaks to him. He looks up and sees his second-in-command. Thanks for your help. Arik sits up and checks the troops in line with his own eyes. This is in front of the "Mine Dungeon. Alik and his team had just finished assembling to explore the newly emerged dungeon. All the members of the squad were B-class adventurers, all equipped with B-class equipment, and had regained their true form. As Arik looked at the assembled troops, he reflected on the bitter experience of his previous defeat at the hands of Lilianne. (Last time, Lukius had taken away the B-class adventurers and put them in an unexpectedly inferior position, but this time, there was no need to worry about being unnecessarily sidetracked by Lukius. This way, we would not fall behind Lilianne, who was at full throttle!I''m going to pay you back for what you owed me the other day!) All right. Then, as soon as we get permission to enter the dungeon, we''ll start with the first group. ...... Hmm?What''s that cheering?" That''s ...... ''Guardian of the Magical Tree'' arriving, I see." Arik''s second-in-command said. ''Isn''t the commander of the unit ...... Lilianne?That''s ......." (Roland or ......) When Arik recognizes Loran at the head of the troop, Loran also notices Arik''s presence. (Alik. I knew it was you who came to the "Mine Dungeon.") (I never thought I''d have to fight you. (Roland) Arik recalls Roland''s time in "The Golden Eagle". At that time, Roland was one of the humble new trainers, and no one was paying attention to him. But Arik knew. Who was responsible for the sudden appearance of an A-class adventurer in "Guardian of the Magic Tree"? The two men looked at each other for a moment, then quickly turned their heads away and went back to preparing their own units. I can''t believe they''re bumping a squad that hasn''t even been established yet for this big game. I wonder if the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" don''t place much importance on the "Dungeon of the Mine." Lillianne has just taken over as guild president. She may be stuck at headquarters." Don''t underestimate them too much, boys." Arik said to the talking lieutenants, as if to taunt them. Roland''s unit may be newly established, but its strength is well documented. Roland''s unit is new, but its strength is well-documented," Arik said to his lieutenants. They are a formidable opponent. When Arik said this, his lieutenants fell silent. (I can''t believe you''ve trained three A-class adventurers in such a short period of time. Your ability to nurture is certainly impressive, Roland. Perhaps in terms of overall strength alone, there is no unit in this city that can compete with you. However, the operation of the unit. I still have a day''s advantage over you in this regard.) Arik looked at his unit again. They all looked familiar, not only because they had fought in many battles before, but also because they were well versed in coordination. It was probably the most well-organized unit in town. (Adventurer class is not everything. I''ll show you that.) Alik!Hey, Alik!" Alik turned to the voice calling him. ''Lucius ....... What in the world is going on here?" Arik looked surprised to see Lukius. The guild leader came all the way to see off the troops before they entered the dungeon. That alone was unusual. However, what surprised Arik more than anything else was Rukius'' completely gaunt face. His expression was completely exhausted, as if he had suddenly aged 10 years in just a few days. Alik. Are you going to be okay?You''re definitely going to be able to conquer ''The Mine Dungeon,'' right?" Arik''s troopers looked at Lukius with cold eyes. Have you come to do something extra again? They wanted to say so. "Rukius. Let us take care of this anyway. You still have things to do, don''t you?" ''What''s the use of doing anything else now!If we don''t get the "Mine Dungeon," there''s nothing we can do about it. Do you understand?" I''ve been working with ...... for a while now. I know. I know. There''s no point in complaining about it now. Now, you go back to your work. Please. It''s really up to you!" Alik looked at Lucius with a pained look. (Not at all. I can''t watch this. I can''t believe he''s come this far from his former self-possessed self. I never thought that not being able to decide one''s own fate could weaken a human being so much.) As Arik and his team prepared to enter the dungeon, Roland and his team were hurrying to get ready. Roland and the others were hurriedly preparing for the dungeon. Everyone, complete a final check of your equipment and items, group by group. If you find anything amiss, let the group leader know immediately. Mr. Roland! Lange! Roland turned to look in the direction he was called and saw Ranju and other members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" arriving with heavy cases on a cart. Mr. Roland. The new equipment you ordered is ready. You''re here!All right. Monica, Shakma, Yuffine, Rick, Lelio, and Marina. Take off your gear and come over here. We have new equipment coming." As Roland says this, the six of them gather around. ''You come here and change from your familiar equipment to new equipment?'' Rick looks doubtful. ''Well, don''t say that, just try it on. But wouldn''t it be a problem if you suddenly changed equipment before the actual battle?" That''s what we''re going to test, to see if it''s a problem. This is armor made of iron mixed with ogre skin. The armor is thicker, so it is much more defensive than before." Lange opens one of the cases and takes out the armor. A staff member helps Rick put on the armor. This is ......." (The weight and feel aren''t much different from the armor I''ve been wearing. No, on the contrary, it''s ...... easier to move?) As he puts on the armor and moves his arms and legs, Rick''s previously skeptical face changes in a flash. He says, "Hmm. Looks like your status hasn''t dropped." Roland said as he appraised the status. Captain. Is this really more armored than before?Instead of getting heavier, it''s rather easier to move than before. ......" ''Oh definitely. Come on, Cheal, explain it to him." Yes!" Roland urges, and Cheal steps in front of Rick. He said, "That armor is made of iron with a layer of ogre skin over it, which not only makes it more defensive, but also significantly more durable than conventional armor. Mr. Rick, take this." Cheal pulled an oil finger from his pocket and handed it to Rick. What''s this?" It is the oil from the body skin of the "Armored Lizard. The oil from the body skin of the ''armor lizard'' has the effect of making the blade slippery, but it dries up while fighting, so please apply this frequently for maintenance. Also, you can get this sword at ......" This is ......." The sword Rick received had a jewel at the bottom of the handle. The jewel was carved from a jewel that belonged to a fox who used wizard magic. If you hold the sword in your opposite hand, it becomes a staff and you can use support and recovery magic. Rick. You have the mage knight''s qualities to be in charge of both the vanguard and the rear guard. With that sword, you should be able to seamlessly handle the roles of both vanguard and rear guard. I have high expectations for you. I''m not sure. I will do my very best. Lelio holds up the bow and arrow he received. How does it feel to hold it? Lange asks Lelio. Ranju asked Lelio, "Yes. Not bad, I think. (It is light. And it bends well. It''s lighter and more flexible than a wooden bow. What is this bow? (......) The bow is made from the wing bones of a stormbird. Stormbird''s!I see. That''s why it''s so lightweight and bendable." I heard that Mr. Lelio is an orthodox archer, so I designed it with an emphasis on agility rather than offensive power. With that bow, there is little shake and there is no need to step on it, so you should be able to shoot it while running. While running!That''s great." It also allows for a wider field of vision so that you can fight while activating ''status appraisals. Lelio. Try ''status appraisal'' while holding the position." Roland said. Yes. ...... I see. The bow doesn''t get in the way of the status display. Well done." Good." But I''ll have to try it out in a real fight to see if I can shoot while running." All right, then, let''s try the rest in a real battle." Marina was given a cane with a bag at the end. ''What''s this?It''s not just a wand for offensive magic, is it?" The pouch is made from the stomach of a hippopotamus, which breathes cold air. Blizzard Hippopotamus? Yes, the stomach of the blizzard hippopotamus is also used as material for item holding bags. So the pouch can also be used to hold items. To hold an item: ......" Marina stared intently at the bag at the end of her cane. ''Yes,'' she said. The wand not only allows you to use offensive magic, it also allows you to transfer items and equipment that you possess. I see. This certainly sounds convenient. When you cast an offensive spell with the wand, the item is transferred to the location where you cast it. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine''s weapons were also upgraded, respectively. Monica, this time we have enhanced not only your bow, but your arrows as well. And the arrows? Yes," he said. In addition to conventional arrows, we have prepared specially made arrows called "Kushizashi. It is heavier, harder, and sharper than ever before, and has significantly improved attack power. This should be able to kill an ogre with a single blow. I see. Thank you, Cheal. I''m sure you will defeat the ogre. Yes, sir. The special arrow "Skewer" is kept in Marina''s staff bag, so please ask her to take it out when you want to use it. What about my armor?Nothing in particular seems to have changed. ......?" Shakma said suspiciously as he put on his new armor. ''Shakma. Your armor is made to be heavier at your will." Depends on my will?" ''That''s right. A switch at the neck. When you push the switch there, it''s supposed to get heavier." Hm. Indeed." I heard that. I heard that you were able to suppress the urge to charge at the last boss by yourself. Yes," he said. That''s right. So this time I''ll leave it to your judgment. If you think you''re in trouble, hit the switch on your neck yourself." Yes, sir. I understand. Euphine. Your wand has the ability to conserve magic." Save your magic? Yes. Now that the "wide-range recovery magic" is A, it is no longer necessary to increase the hit rate. What you need now is to shoot recovery magic more often than you need to hit. I see. Indeed. If you wear that wand, you should be able to conserve your magical power. You will continue to play the role of healer. Yes, sir. Now, all members of the guild, please enter the dungeon in order as previously decided. A person at the quest reception desk led the guilds crowded in front of the dungeon. The first guild to be admitted was the one that had conquered the dungeon last time. After that, they would enter the dungeon according to the size of the dungeon. Thus, the first to enter the dungeon was the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," followed by the "Golden Eagle," and so on. As soon as Roland and his team entered the dungeon, they immediately started running. Thus began the battle. As soon as they entered the dungeon, a swarm of flesh-eating ghouls appeared. Monica. Let''s try a new weapon. Yes, sir. Monica, who was at the front of the troop, stopped and readied her bow. She does not aim her arrow. Marina. Transfer the ''skewer'' to Monica. Yes!" As Roland spoke to Marina, Marina pointed her wand at Monica''s hand. A specially made arrow, a "skewer," appeared in Monica''s hand, and she nocked an arrow that was disproportionately long for a silver bow. This was Monica''s new equipment, the "Kushi-Sashi," a silver iron-breaking bow. Realizing the limitations of strengthening the bow part of the "Silver Steel Breaking Bow," Cheal came up with the idea of strengthening the arrow instead of the bow. The problem was that the arrows were inconvenient to carry, but this was compensated for by using Marina''s "equipment possession" skill. The arrows, which are long and heavy like spears, are fired at high speed thanks to the tension of the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" and Monica''s power, and should be able to pierce even the strongest of bodies and hardest of armor, killing the enemy. Marina''s "Equipment Holding" had been improved to A because of her training during dungeon management, and she could keep up to 100 pieces of equipment in her magic bag. With a power of 90-100, Monica easily drew a long, heavy arrow from her bow and released it. The spear-like arrow not only pierced the chest of the lead ghoul, it also pierced the bodies of the three ghouls behind it. Next!" As Monica says this, Marina again generates a "skewer" in Monica''s hand. Monica shoots arrow after arrow, piercing the ghouls vertically and exterminating them. In the blink of an eye, she annihilated 12 ghouls by herself. (This is the power of the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow, Skewer. Amazing ....... But I can do it!(I know how to use it!) (At any rate, the first stage of the test was a success.) Seeing Monica''s shooting, Roland decided to rate it so for the time being. (Now we''ll see if we can defeat more powerful enemies, ogres and golems from the 10th level onward, with a single blow. If we can do that, we can aim for first place for the first time in Archer''s number of kills!) All right," he said. The "Skewer" test is over. From here on, the priority is marching speed. There is no need to annihilate the enemy. After kicking them out to some extent, we will ignore them. Roland''s troops moved forward against the next horde of ghouls and goblins that appeared, using Monica''s arrows to open a windbreak, then breaking through from there, kicking the enemy to the curb. The monsters pursued them from behind with flying weapons, but Roland''s troops had improved their defenses beyond comparison to when they were first established, so it did not matter if they were ambushed from behind, even if the enemies were only ghouls or goblins. They did not need to use Shakuma''s support magic or Yufine''s recovery magic. Thus, Roland and his team trudged through the dungeon at an uncommonly fast pace. Every time Roland broke through an enemy in battle, he glanced at Shakuma. (They are advancing quite violently, but so far they don''t seem to be losing themselves in excitement.) From Roland''s perspective, Shakuma''s profile was perfectly calm. (So his mental strength has improved after his experience in the dungeon attack.) I found it!It''s a shifting magic circle." Monica tells Roland that she has found a magic circle in "Hawkeye. Roland says, "All right. Let''s hurry." As soon as Roland and his group came to the side of the magic circle, Arik''s unit came up behind them. Arik''s troop!You''re here already?" Euphine''s eyes widen in surprise. We followed the shortest distance with Monica''s "Hawkeye".) Not only that, but Arik''s troops were mindlessly less exhausted than Roland''s troops. Arik''s troops were less worn out than Roland''s. (That''s Arik''s troops, isn''t it? (That''s Arik''s troop, after all. They are the most experienced troop in the city.) Roland was again impressed by the high level of skill of Arik''s team. We''re going to go through the magic circle. Hurry! As soon as Roland and his team dived into the magic circle, they started running again. Arik''s unit also dove into the magic circle without a pause and ran after Roland and his group. <> 43 - Art. 43. The Power of the Universal Magician It had been 48 hours since the two units had entered the dungeon. Having reached the fifth level, Roland and his team passed the magic circle of return and headed directly to the sixth level. However, Arik''s troops were soon in pursuit. Roland''s unit had been protecting the front, but Arik''s unit was always right behind them and dived through the magic circle. (d*mn. (Is this the pressure of the lead unit?) Monica frowned at the pressure that was greater than she had imagined. Her nerves were slowly being worn down, heavier and longer than when Sebasta had been chasing her. Such was the feeling. Arik''s troops, they aren''t worn out at all." Euphine came up to Roland and whispered in his ear. We''re in the lead," she said. That''s because we''re in the lead, and Arik''s group, which is coming in later, will encounter fewer monsters. But even so, I don''t see any wear and tear on your weaponry. That''s how skillful Arik''s troops are. (Even so, it''s tough to be chased like this. I''d like to take a break somewhere.) Yuffine couldn''t help but feel weak in her heart. Arik''s unit was also growing impatient and frustrated. Tch. They don''t seem to be handing over the top leadership. Arik''s second-in-command spilled. We''re running as fast as we can! Relax. We''ve only just finished the fifth level." Alik said in a soothing tone. From the sixth level, there are some troublesome monsters. From the sixth level, we can no longer move at high speed by simple force alone. (Then there would be a difference in terms of troop operations.) On the sixth level, there were two paths to the sanctuary. Both were single paths of equal length. (A single road? If so, the advantage of "Hawkeye" would disappear.) Roland makes this judgment after hearing the report from Monica. Roland. There is a fork in the road. Which way do you want to go?" The road split into two, one to the right and the other to the left. The road divided into right and left. Let''s go left here. Roland and the others run into the left road. Arik and the others chose the right road. They chose a different path than we did, didn''t they? Euphine gives Roland an earful. They''re going to try to set us up on this level." (That''s the quintessential Arik, isn''t it? He knows where the game is played.) As they were advancing through the dungeon, Monica''s "Hawkeye" caught sight of an enemy shadow. It is the shadow of the enemy. Thirty skeletons (skeleton lances) with spears and five vampires! (From here on out, I''m going to need some support magic to avoid attrition.) Shakuma. Did you hear that?" Roland asked Shakuma beside him. ''Yes, sir. Attack mages forward!" Shakuma gave his instructions before Roland could tell him what to do. Currently, Roland and his group were moving in two columns that could move fast along the dungeon path. The warrior (Warrior) at the front of the line pulled back, and the attacking mage in the back came out to the front of the line. (Okay. Shakuma''s guy. You know what I''m talking about. Skeletons are weak against offensive magic!(Normally, the attacking mage is supposed to stay in the back, but in the case of skeletons, the attacking mage is in the front.) A skeleton lance waited at the end of the road, spear at the ready. They were neatly formed in a 15-row flanking formation. The archers were at the rear. Please deal with the vampires. Let''s go!Attack Granted!" Shakuma chants, and the attacking mages are enveloped in red light. "Take that, ''fire magic''!" Blast magic! Monica also released "Skewer. The attack magic, with more destructive power than usual, blew away the skeleton lances in the center five rows. The skeletons that were hit by the attack magic were scattered into four pieces in the air and disintegrated. Roland and the others run through the hole in the formation and pass the Skeleton Lance troops as they are. The Skeleton Lances rushed to make up the hole in the formation, but their movements were too slow. Skeleton Lance was strong in hand-to-hand combat, but his agility was low. Lelio and the other archers responded to the flying vampires (vampires are flying units). (Since a while ago, Monica has been taking out the enemy by herself. We should at least do the anti-aircraft shooting ourselves.) Lelio fired an arrow and shot down one of the attacking vampires. It is the shadow of the enemy again. This time, 20 life-size miniature golems! Shakuma! Yes, sir. This time, shield squad, please step forward!" At the end of the road, ten rows of miniature golems blocked the way. As soon as the mini-golems saw Roland and the others, they charged straight at them in one fluid motion. The mini golem could be defeated by destroying its head core, but once it started moving, it had the property of continuing to move even if its core was destroyed. Therefore, even if the attacking mage defeated it, there was a risk that the two would end up fighting each other. I''m going to go. "Give me defense!" The shield team is enveloped in blue light. It catches the mini golem''s rush and makes it move away. Good. I think we can pass this point unscathed.) That''s brilliant, Shakuma. Yes, sir." I feel good. Shakuma said as he drank a potion that restored his magical powers. Roland takes a look at Shakuma''s status appraisal. Magic: 90-100 (No disturbance in status. He does not have the habit of being distraught once the battle starts. (You''ve really grown up.) I''m going to go to the office and see what I can do. Keep it up, will you?" Yes, sir. I''m on it." Several times after that, we encountered a mixed force of ghouls, goblins, orcs, zombie archers, skeleton lances, and mini-golems, but with Shakuma''s command and support magic, we broke through with minimal wear and tear and no slowdown in our marching speed. (So far, thanks to Shakuma''s support magic, they have been able to advance almost without stopping. With this, no matter how many of Arik''s troops they are, they shouldn''t be able to get ahead of us ......, right?) Yufineh told herself as she continued through the dungeon. After a while, Roland and his team came to a high point with a panoramic view of the surroundings. A little lower down, they saw another path through the dungeon. There, they saw Arik''s group marching. "That''s the ...... Arik Squadron!" Monica said in astonishment. No way. They''re lining up. Euphine, too, looked shocked. Why?We''ve been running at full speed without slowing down to this point. ......" There should be no difference in marching speed between ours and Arik''s. Yet Arik''s army is going faster than ours. Why?" Shakuma, too, seemed unconvinced. At last! I guess I''m really coming into my own.) Roland looks sideways at Arik. ''Everyone''s still good with the potions, right?I''ll just plow through like this." Arik, too, recognized Roland and the others. (Finally, we''re in line, huh? (We''re finally lined up. We''re so close to overtaking them.) The two roads eventually turned off in different directions, and each other''s units were out of sight again. Roland and his team had entered the mine. Here, ghost hats blocked the way of the adventurers. The ghost hat did not attack the body directly, but it did attack the soul. Like normal physical strength, they could recover, but their armor could not prevent their attacks, nor could they evade them, as they appeared out of nowhere and attacked. In other words, recovery magic was absolutely necessary. So that''s where I come in." Yuffine said, clutching her new wand. As soon as you take damage," she said, "raise your hands and yell out. Don''t hesitate. Call Yuffine for help. Immediately one of the warriors (Warrior) screams out. ''Hi, ughhhh. Help me. Single recovery magic! As Yuffine points her wand, a magic circle moves under the Warrior''s feet. He quickly bleeds and recovers. The Ghost Hut is fed attack magic to ward off the Ghost Hut (Ghost types cannot be defeated by swords or bows, only magic works). But then someone screams again. ''This time it''s this way!Recover." Help me, too." Soon there were screams everywhere. Everyone!Form a circle formation around Yuffine!" Wide Area Recovery Magic!" When Yuffine cast the spell, 30 magic circles spread out in a circle with Yuffine at the center. In other words, they spread out without bias under the feet of the adventurers. (I see. (I see. With this wand, it is possible to fix the place where the magic circle first appears.) Yuffine sees the recovery magic circle and realizes the effectiveness of the new wand. (Indeed, with this, if a circular formation is made by a troop, the entire troop can be restored with only minor adjustments. (Indeed, with this, if the troops form a circular formation, they can heal the entire troop with just a minor adjustment.) The group proceeded through the ghost nest under the blessing of Yuffine''s recovery magic. Suddenly, Marina slumped to the ground. Marina!What''s wrong?" Roland ran up to Marina. ''Whew! My feet hurt. I can''t walk in this dark and gloomy place anymore. You''re an adventurer!Don''t be so pouty." As usual, Yuffine poked Marina with her cane. Marina, however, was cowering in place and would not move. I''m so tired. I''ve been giving Monica''s ''skewer'' for a long time. I''m at my limit. Let''s take a break. I don''t have time for this. You saw Arik''s unit catching up to us, didn''t you?If we don''t do something, they will overtake us. We have to speed up! I don''t understand why you would say that. I had no choice. I''ll carry you on my back. (I haven''t done anything but check your status since a while ago. What?"Captain. You''ll carry me?Yay! Marina takes advantage of this and jumps on Roland''s back. Yuffine stares at her bitterly. d*mn. He''s a rookie, but he''s having so much fun. And he''s getting a ride from the captain. (I''ll give him a good squeeze after ......) Roland checked Marina''s status. (She doesn''t seem to be running out of energy. She was just spoiled.) Roland was relieved for now. Next, he shifted his gaze to Rick and Lelio. (Marina is involved in the operation of "Skewer," so it''s okay, but Rick still has no kills, and Lelio has only one vampire baby ......?) Roland also checks the status of Rick and Lelio. He found a slight disturbance in their status. (All three are following along well, considering that this is their first time exploring the dungeon. (All three of them are following along well, considering it is their first time to explore a dungeon. (Compared to the members who have already conquered the dungeon, they are still mentally unstable.) Roland analyzed the three men''s sluggishness as such. Rick was impatient as he marched. d*mn, I haven''t killed a single monster yet. Marina is operating "Skewer" and Lelio has killed one vampire. It''s time for me to show some results. It''s time for me to show some results, or I''ll be in the wrong place with my commander.) Exit! One of the members of the team shouted. Soon the blue sky came into Roland''s view as well. Having thus passed through the tunnels and successfully cleared the ghost''s nest, Roland and his team were once again in an open area. Then they saw another road and Arik''s team below them again. Arik and his group were far ahead of Roland and his group. They''ve passed us? Monica rolls her eyes in surprise. She said, "Oh no. ....... We''re going as fast as we can, too. ...... Why? Yuffine, too, muttered with an unaccountable look on her face. In this hierarchy, Arik and the others reach the transfer magic circle before us. In the seventh level, Roland and his team moved from the position of being chased to that of being pursued for the first time. However, thanks to this, they were able to watch Arik''s fighting style carefully. While Roland and his men were changing their formation in detail depending on the type of monster and the type of dungeon, Arik and his men were always advancing in the same formation. Arik was always in the lead, and if a skeleton or ghoul came, Arik would unleash his attack magic, and if a mini-golem came, Arik would use his support magic to get through. If a ghost came, Arik would cover the tail end of the troop with recovery magic. In this way, they were able to advance much faster than Roland and the others because they avoided the time loss of changing ranks. I can''t believe it. He''s doing everything by himself, from attacking to supporting and recovering? Yuffine said in amazement. Gunnu. So this is the power of Alik, the all-powerful mage. ...... Shakuma growled. ''Mr. Roland, what do we do ......?'' Monica asks with a tearful look on her face. Everyone needs to settle down. We still have a long way to go. Even Alik must be feeling the pressure of leading. And even Alik will eventually exhaust his magical power if he continues to be in charge of all the magic all by himself. The chance will surely come." As Arik''s troops were advancing through the dungeon, they heard a ground shaking that shook the earth. This earth-shaking ...... no way!" Arik''s second-in-command said in surprise. Looking in the direction of the earth tremor, he saw five tower golems waiting for Roland and the others on their way. We haven''t even reached the tenth level, and suddenly there are tower golems! (Chance!) While his men panicked, Arik gloated. (Even Roland''s troops would have no choice but to break formation and deploy in front of the tower golem. ) If this were to happen, they would have to take their time and fight slowly, losing more and more time. If we do well, we can pull them apart at once here.) Don''t panic, everyone. Rather, this is an opportunity. Take this opportunity to draw them away from you. ......" Captain Arik ...... that, Roland''s troops ...... What? Roland and his men were in their normal marching formation, two columns abreast, and were ramming into the tower golem. (Nonsense. (This is ridiculous. To charge into a golem without deploying your troops is suicide. Roland''s guy, he''s crazy, isn''t he?) A lone armor-clad Warrior jumped out of Roland''s unit. It was Rick. Rick put his hands on the tower golem''s torso and not only stopped it, but pushed it back. Ohhhhhhhh!" The tower golem tried to grab Rick with its large palms, but its fingers slipped and it could not grab Rick. (I see. So this is the effect of the oil from the "Armored Lizard.") Rick kept pushing and pushing. Finally, the tower golem stumbled to its feet and fell. The fall of one of the tower golems left a gap in the enemy line. Roland and his team quickly moved through the gap and passed the tower golem, overtaking Arik and his team again to take the lead. <> 44 - Art. 44. Command and Authority I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. That''s great. Rick." Marina sighed in admiration as she rode on Roland''s back and watched Rick push back a tower-like clay figure (tower golem). She sighed in admiration as she watched Rick push back the tower golem. I guess I''m finally in my element. Roland also appraises Rick''s status, saying with satisfaction. Rick Dyer''s status Arm strength (power): 80-90 (The disorder of the status is gone. (After all, Rick is the type of person who shows his strength in such high-profile situations.) How do you like it, Mr. Roland? I defeated a tower golem. Rick waves his hand in Roland''s direction to show that he is good at what he does. Loran also gave him a thumbs-up. Good. Don''t let Rick''s efforts go to waste!We''ll break through while we still can." Roland and his team advanced through the gap in the battle line that Rick had pried open. The remaining tower golems hurriedly turned their bodies to hold off Roland and his men, but their movements were sluggish. The tower golem had high power, toughness, and stamina, but its agility was extremely low. However, even so, one of them swung its arm down to strike a blow at Roland''s tail end. A huge shadow covered Roland and the others. Its long reach was not something that could be dodged. (d*mn, it is impossible to get through it without taking any damage.) As Roland prepared himself for this, Rick again leaped to the rear of the line to catch the tower golem''s attack. Rick! It''s all right. It''s okay, Mr. Roland. I''ll hold them off here, so please proceed while you still can!" Rick casts a recovery spell on himself to regain his depleted strength (stamina). He then asks, "Hey, are you all right?I can''t believe I''m fighting a series of battles alone against a tower-like clay figure Tower Golem. ......" Shakuma said, his face pale. ''I''m ...... all right. Let''s leave this to Rick and move on." Roland appraises Rick''s status again. [Rick Dyer''s status Arm strength (power): 80-90 Endurance (toughness): 70-80 (Arm strength (power) is not worn out at all. Rick''s strength is that he also has high endurance (toughness). (Even if he takes some damage, he doesn''t lose any status) Endurance (toughness) is a special item among statuses. Basically, status would wear off if overused or damaged, but if one had high endurance (toughness), the wear and tear could be reduced. Rick applied "Agility Grant" to himself and took off when Roland and the others escaped the reach of the tower-like clay figures (tower golem). Arik and the others were astonished to see the new adventurer who had moved the tower golem with his power. What the hell is that guy? ''I just pushed down a tower golem! Arik also makes a difficult face. He is a newcomer with such power and toughness. I''m sure he''ll be as good as Sebasta in time. No, that''s not all. He even had "agility grant" and "recovery magic. In terms of utility, he is more than Jill. In the future, she will be a knight of magic. ...... d*mn. Roland was discovering guys like that while running a dungeon?) Captain!There is also a tower-like clay figure (tower golem) in front of us ......" Chi ......" Alik stops looking at Roland and the others and concentrates on his own opponent. There is no one over here who has the strength to fend off a tower golem. It is unavoidable. Deploy the troops. Shield squads move forward. The archers will fire anti-aircraft. Mages, take up the rearguard positions! Arik and his team moved from a two-row column to a battle formation that divided into vanguard and rear guard, and deployed their troops. A tower golem rushed forward and collided with the white army. Two warriors finally subdue one of the tower golems, supported by an attacking mage and a supporting mage. While Arik and his men deployed their troops and fought slowly, Roland and his men continued onward in a marching formation. By the time Arik and his men finally cleared the tower golem, there was a gap of nearly a kilometer between Roland''s and Arik''s troops. By the time Roland and Arik had broken through the fifth level, adventurers were crowding in front of the bulletin board at the quest reception station. The bulletin board showed the current positions of the top adventurers in the dungeon. A receptionist updates the bulletin board. The board was now showing the current position of the top adventurers in the dungeon. Adventurers. Roland and Arik have broken through the fifth level of the "Mine Dungeon. So, the quests up to the fifth level will be announced." That was fast! Five levels already? It''s only been about two days. The adventurers were surprised by Roland and Arik''s fast pace of attack and made a lot of noise. Dianna, who had been watching the bulletin board among the adventurers, looked bitterly at them. (It seems that Roland and Arik are almost evenly matched at the moment. I hope Arik somehow wins. ......) Dianna looked over and saw a familiar face. ''Oh?Are you ...... Claria?" What?Ms. Dianna!" Dianna looked surprised to find Claria. The air between them was somehow tense. Dianna had always sensed the same scent from Claria as herself. She always had to look down on others, but she didn''t want to work hard or struggle, so she would try to get money by becoming someone''s mistress. Therefore, Dianna was always aware of her. ''What''s the matter?I believe I heard you were fired from the quest receptionist office. ......" No," he said. Actually, after that, Mr. Roland hired me. I am now Mr. Roland''s secretary. Heh. Well ...... that''s great." Dianna looked at Claria''s attire. She was dressed in small, cozy, tasteful clothes. It was not flashy, but the material and design were elaborate, and it must have been of a good value. She was wearing very nice clothes. Mr. Roland bought it for me. He told me to wear something proper. Claria said with a big smile. ''So ......'' (In short, she became Roland''s mistress.) Dianna decided that was the case. And that alone makes me feel like a mount. It was Lucius who was on the downswing and Roland who was on the upswing, and now their positions were reversed. (Really, this girl was on our side just a little while ago. He''s switched sides so well.) Oh, I''d better get going. It''s a lot of work, you know?I''ll be Mr. Roland''s secretary. I have to go back and forth between the Arsenal of Spirits and the Guardians of the Magic Tree, as well as various alchemy guilds. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. I see." Dianna pulled her cheeks together. (Even that alchemy guild was originally on our side. ......) To Dianna, everything Claria said no longer sounded like a mount to her. ''Now, if you''ll excuse me. I know it''s going to be tough for you, Golden Eagle, but I wish you all the best. Claria bows flatly and walks away. Dianna watched her back with a feeling that her stomach was about to boil over. Roland and his team had reached the seventh level and were running through the city. The shadow of the enemy. Ten life-size miniature golems, ten zombie archers, and ten vampires! Monica said. At that moment, Lelio starts running. ''Zombie archers, huh? It''s going to be a shooting war. Roland said. ''Yes, sir. So the archers are going to take that building ......, eh?" Monica rolled her eyes when she saw that Lelio was already running toward the building she was about to direct. (He''s running before I or Mr. Roland give him instructions. She is quick on her feet and quick in her judgment. This is the legitimate archer ......) All right, bowmen (archers), follow Lelio, and the second team will cover the archers." Roland gives instructions. ''Monica. You are to reduce the enemy force by ''skewering. You don''t have to play with agility. Yes, sir. Monica hurriedly got ready to fire. (Is Lelio finally getting his engine going? Was he inspired by Rick''s success?) Roland and his team, with the help of the archers, made it through and reached the eighth level. This is ......." Roland and his team were standing on top of a sheer cliff. Below the cliff, a raging torrent was roaring. Roland, what is this place ......?" Ah, the dungeon of the torrent. The dungeon of the torrent was a stage where the goal was reached via several plateaus that floated like islands. Monsters were placed on each island, and stone bridges were built between the islands, but if one fell off the bridge and was swallowed by the torrent, one had to return to the starting point and start over again. In the dungeons of the rapids, the starting point was usually a special bridge called a "brittle bridge" (morobashi). The brittle bridge would collapse when the number of people on it exceeded a certain number, and once it was broken, it would not be restored until some time had passed. From the starting point where Roland and his friends are, five bridges extend to different islands. On each of the brittle bridges, the number 15 was written in cracked letters. (Does that mean only 15 people can cross? We need to split the unit in two.) Mr. Roland. If we cross the bridge separately here, we won''t be able to meet up until we get to the transition magic circle. Monica, who had finished her reconnaissance with "Hawkeye," said. That means we''ll have to split up and go separately for one whole level," she said. (However, if we hesitate, Arik will only catch up with us.) Good. I''ll split the unit in two." Roland split the unit in two, trying to strike a balance so as not to bias the forces and roles toward one side or the other. Monica, Marina, and Rick were assigned to one squad. Shakuma, Yuffine, and Lelio were in the other group. Roland himself decided to join Monica''s squad. (Monica''s "Skewer" cannot be activated without Marina, so she is definitely set. Monica is the type of person who shows more strength when her superior is by her side, so I''m going to join her. If that is the case, the other squad needs a commander in my place. Shakuma and Lelio, who have good command skills, will be deployed, and the rest will be Yufine and Ric, but Marina has the skill "Possessing Potions," so she can also play a substantial recovery role. Therefore, I would put Yuffine in a separate unit and Rick on this side. (I think that''s about right.) I''ll be right back," he said. Then, the captain of the detachment shall be Yuffine. Marina." Yes, sir. The magic potion (made from magic cherry) is used to restore magic power to Yufine''s unit. It can restore magic power. Yes, sir. Shakma, Lelio! Yes." You who have the best command skills will be in charge of the detachment. Yes, sir. Lelio said, a little nervous. Don''t worry. Your command ability is enough to play the role of second-in-command. I''m counting on you. Yuffine! Yes." Remember what I said before. You know what I mean.The Role of the Captain." ......... yes." Yuffine agreed, although she looked a little disgruntled. Captain. I''ve finished allocating the items! Marina reports back. Marina reports, "All right. Okay then, everyone. We will now split into two separate units. We must reach the goal at the same time as much as possible. It is meaningless if only one of us can reach the goal and the other can''t. Please do it." The two separate units crossed separate brittle bridges. After crossing, the bridges quickly collapsed and were swallowed by the torrent. "Are Euphine and the others going to be all right? Monica asked Roland anxiously. ''...... now we just have to believe.'' A few hours after Roland and his group arrived at the 8th level, Arik''s unit also arrived at the 8th level. ......... dungeon of the torrent, huh? Arik said in a muttered voice. The dungeons of the torrent were a constant source of worry for adventurers seeking to conquer them. The need to divide the troops and the chain of command into two or more groups always troubled the commanders. The two separate units often failed to merge, delaying the attack on a level. But this was a chance to turn things around. Roland''s troops were still inexperienced. They would be puzzled by the idea of splitting the unit in two. We''ll catch up with them here in one fell swoop.) Arik chose the most experienced of his second-in-command and appointed him captain of a separate unit. Euphine, who was leading the detachment, recalled Roland''s words. (Oh, Roland-san, you said that!) That was what Yuffine alone was called and told before entering the dungeon. You are not fit to be a commander. Yuffine was miffed at Roland''s words. You won''t know if you don''t try. No, I know. If it''s my status appraisal. Roland appraises Yuffine''s status. [Yuffine''s status]. Command: 40-50 Your command skills are ......... just about mediocre at best, I guess." Yuffine looked unconvinced. ''But you can be a captain. What do you mean?" You take the position of captain and leave the actual command to someone else." You mean a decorated captain?" No, it''s not like that. It''s just that we''re separating jobs and responsibilities. ? Many people believe that those at the top must be well-versed in command and management skills." But in reality, this is not the case. In my opinion, a position only indicates the ultimate responsibility." ........." The idea of a "general staff. It''s a person who is responsible for relieving the commander''s burden and in some cases taking over the command. You don''t have to lead directly, but let the chief of staff take care of it. In short, your role is not to command, but to delegate authority to your subordinates and take ultimate responsibility. You are to remain in a recovery role as you have always been. You are responsible for what your subordinates do while fulfilling your role. If you can do that, then I''m willing to let you be the captain." Roland cut off his explanation there and looked at Yuffine with a serious face. The ''mining dungeon'' includes the dungeon of the torrent. This is the perfect opportunity to test your, Shakuma''s, and Lelio''s aptitude for command. Yuffine, are you capable of taking charge of your men?" (Oh, Roland... I''m so sorry I said that. (Mr. Roland, you said that.) Okay, fine. Let''s do it. Under my command, I''m going to reach the goal faster than Mr. Roland!) Lelio. Lelio. Don''t be shy. I''ll take responsibility for everything you do. You should not hesitate to give me instructions to the best of your ability. Yes, sir!" For the time being, Eufine divided the troops into three groups. When they crossed the bridge, Shakuma was in charge of the first group, Lelio the second, and herself in the middle. The first enemies at the end of the brittle bridge were five life-size clay figures (mini-golems). They deployed at the end of the bridge and were passing through. The first enemy was a life-size clay figure (mini-golem). Shield team, please move them out of the way. Let''s go. Defend!" Shakuma casts a spell and the shield team is enveloped in blue light. The shield team, not caring about the weight of the life-size miniature golem, sent the enemy back. Lelio checked his footing as he crossed the bridge. It''s too narrow.) The bridge was barely wide enough for three humans to pass. (With such narrowness, it would be extremely difficult to change formation on the bridge. ) If this were the case, the vanguard and the rear guard would have to be fully deployed before crossing the bridge. Then, what if they were exposed to unexpected enemy attacks on the way across the bridge?) The troops marching on the narrow bridge stretched the full length of the bridge. This meant that even Yuffine''s recovery magic would not be able to respond immediately if they were attacked in the rear. "Yuffine-san! Hmm?What?" When crossing a bridge, the line inevitably gets stretched thin. I think it would be a good idea to have a countermeasure in case the back of the formation is attacked. ......" "The back gets attacked?Is that possible?" I don''t know. It is too late to take countermeasures after it happens. Hmmm. But you want to put more effort into forward attacks in order to move forward faster." Of course, there is no need to slow down the attack. In the back, concentrate only on defense and cover with status. But since wear and tear is inevitable, could you just cover me with recovery magic?" I understand. Lelio, whenever you need recovery magic, just let me know." Yes, sir. Euphine and her team proceeded uneventfully for a while and crossed the bridge to the seventh. The eighth bridge was guarded by ten ghost hats. Attack mages forward!Here I go, ''Attack Granted''!" As Shakuma casts the spell, the bodies of the attacking mages are enveloped in red light. They proceed down the bridge, kicking away the ghosts (ghost hats) with their blasts and blasts of fire. However, when all the members of the team are on the bridge, the ghost hat-wearing ghosts (ghost hats) appear from the surface of the water under the bridge. The ghosts in hats attack the back of the formation. The only effective attacking mage against the ghosts is now at the front of the line. (I knew it!(This is the kind of thing that''s bound to happen.) Lelio, who had anticipated this, responded immediately. ''Mr. Euphine!Ten Ghost Hats behind you!Heal magic." Okay," he said. Extensive recovery magic!" Yuffine activated "Wide Area Recovery Magic" and moved the magic circle to the end of the line and covered it. Yuffine. A reinforcement of life-size clay figures (mini-golems) appeared in front of us. Shield squad forward!" ''Oh my God, they''re busy front and back.'' Yuffine switched the lead attack mage and the shield team in the center. The changeover on the narrow bridge forced the troops to pause. (After all, it''s hard to command while recovering, isn''t it? That said, I can''t move from the middle of the line. ...... Did Mr. Roland anticipate this far?) Euphine looked at Lelio. (Please, please, please. Lelio. You''re the one who''s in charge. Lelio managed to use the magic circle of recovery and survived the attack of the ghost hat (ghost hat). The next island had two bridges. At the end of the right bridge, a life-size miniature golem and at the end of the left bridge, a skeleton with a spear (skeleton lance) were waiting for them. Which way to go?If it''s a life-size clay figure (mini-golem), it should put the shield squad in front of it, and if it''s a skeleton with a spear (skeleton lance), it should put the attacking mage in front of it. ......) Yufine. Let''s go to the life-size clay figures (mini-golems). Put the shield team in front and the attacking mage behind. That way, if a ghost hat appears out of the water, we''ll be ready to deal with it." Shakuma advises. I see. Okay, I''ll go to the right." Yuffine and her friends started running toward the island guarded by a life-size clay figure (mini-golem). (Certainly, Shakuma''s idea would be able to handle a surprise attack by a ghost hat. But what if some other enemy shows up?) Lelio thought about that in a corner of his mind. Let''s go. ''Defense Granted''!" The shield squad, enveloped in blue light, leads the way across the bridge. As soon as all the adventurers are on the bridge, a skeleton with a spear (skeleton lance) from the other side of the bridge crosses the bridge and tries to threaten Yuffine and the others'' backs. (A skeleton with a spear (skeleton lance) is behind them. Then I can deal with it with an attack mage. ......) Lelio thought as he carefully kept his eyes on his surroundings. Out of the corner of her eye, Euphine saw another group appear on a remote island to her right. (Is that Arik?(Don''t tell me they caught up with you?) Arik and the others seemed to have split up into units of 15 people each. Arik was still at the head of the troop and in command. (d*mn. (d*mn. If Alik has caught up with us, we must hurry even more.) Arik notices Yufineh and the others at Arik. (Fifteen people. (Fifteen people. I knew it. They''ve split their forces in two, too. Roland is not at ....... Just as well. Let''s see how well the unit can function without Roland.) The moment Euphine and her shield team made contact with the life-size miniature golem, a vampire took off from behind. (Vampire!(You were hiding behind a life-size clay figure (mini-golem)? Archers, anti-aircraft fire!Don''t let them get behind us." As Lelio called out, the archers in the middle of the line readied their bows and arrows and fired them at the vampires. The vampires were shot down one after another. Lelio kept his eyes on the back of the line as he fired his arrows. Then, a skeleton with a skeleton lance suddenly began to open the way behind him, and a life-size miniature golem appeared from behind him. (d*mn, a life-size miniature golem here? The golems approach across the bridge in slow motion. The shield squads are all concentrated at the front, with only the attacking mages and sword users in the rear guard. The golems are all in the rearguard, with only the attack mages and sword users in the rearguard.Why?" Yuffine also notices and becomes completely flustered. She was probably hiding behind a skeleton with a skeleton lance. Even if a life-size miniature golem is defeated, it will continue to advance and hit the adventurer, draining his or her stamina. The standard practice was to use a warrior equipped with a shield to catch them,....... What are you going to do? The shield squads are all concentrated in the front. The shield squad''s defenses are unreliable." We have to deal with them by using the power of our archers and swordsmen!" (Status Appraisal!) Lelio appraised the status of a life-size clay figure (mini golem) approaching in two lines. The maximum power of the life-size mini golem is between 40 and 60. ...) [Status of Freddie (Swordsman) Arm strength (power): 70-80 Sharon (Archer)''s status Arm strength (power): 60-70 (These two!) Freddy, stop Sharon life-size clay figures (mini-golems)!" Freddy sheathes his sword and Sharon stops her hand from grabbing her bow to physically stop the advance of the life-size miniature golem. The miniature golem''s advance was halted (a miniature golem will automatically halt if it has a compatriot in front of it). However, the status of the two men was being scraped off. [Status of Freddy (Swordsman) Arm strength (power): 70-80 60-70 Physical strength (stamina): 70-80 60-80 Sharon (archer) status Arm strength (power): 60-70 50-70 Physical strength (stamina): 50-60 40-60 Ms. Euphine. Give Freddy and Sharon some restorative magic!" As soon as Lelio made the request while shooting down the vampire with his bow and arrow, Yufine immediately sent a magic circle flying at their feet. Somehow, this stopped the advance of the life-size miniature golem. Lelio, while conducting the mission, sensed the presence of the vampire that was attacking from behind. I''m not going to do it. I''m too busy conducting. Lelio turned around and finished off the vampire with a quick shot. (That archer (archer)...... is fighting while using status appraisals and taking command!It''s also difficult Tono (shingari) commanding ......) Arik recognized Lelio''s ability at a glance. (That bowman (archer) must not have been there before. Roland, you even prepared a newcomer like that.) Arik felt threatened by Roland. If the number of A-class adventurers in the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" increased any further, the "Golden Eagle" would not be able to compete with them, although it would be very difficult. (After all, this is the place where we must get the "Mine Dungeon" for sure this month. Otherwise, the Golden Eagle will have no choice.) Lelio continues to cross the bridge, stopping the life-size clay figures (mini golems) with his skillful command. [Freddy (Swordsman) Status. Arm strength (power): 70-80 40-70 Sharon (archer) status Arm strength (power): 60-70 30-70 (Freddy and Sharon''s arm strength (power) is ....... Somehow we''re getting by, but obviously we''re draining their status.) Yuffine''s recovery magic could only restore their physical strength (stamina), not their status, which had been depleted. Unlike the shield team, archers and swordsmen with low endurance (toughness) are limited in their ability to hold off the advance of the life-size miniature golem. And if they are caught in the middle of a life-size miniature golem, they may not be able to hold out until the end. Nevertheless, Yuffine and her friends somehow make it to the eighteenth island. When they reached the 18th island, Yuffine and her friends felt a chill. What?Sudden chill. ......" Look at that. It''s the Shade! Shakuma pointed to a figure on the other side of the bridge on the right side of the two bridges, shrouded in black fog. He was wearing a black robe and holding a gleaming reaper''s scythe. The figure was a class-A monster, a shadowy wraith,......, I thought. I guess so. It''s an A-class monster for healers. I didn''t expect to meet them here. Yuffine said with a pained expression on her face. The shadow ghosts (shades) can make their alter egos emerge from their shadows. Its attacks are unpredictable and unavoidable, so the power of a healer is always needed to defeat it. At the other end of the bridge was a life-size clay figure (mini-golem). Yuffine hesitated. (If you think about it, this is a life-size miniature golem. If I can defeat the shadow ghost (shade), my class will be A ......) ''Shakma, what about Lelio?Which do you think is better?" It''s obvious. Now we must hurry ahead. The life-size clay figures (mini-golems). Shakuma said so and let the shield squad proceed. Shakuma said and let the shield squad advance. Yes, that''s right. Yuffine nodded as if to convince herself and instructed them to proceed in the direction of the life-size clay figures (miniature golems). (Are you okay?) Lelio did a status appraisal of his allies. (It''s about time all of our swordsmen reached their status limits. (All of our swordsmen should be at the end of their stats by now.) If we are attacked from behind by a life-size miniature golem, we''ll be out of luck. Besides, one side has a monster like a shadow ghost (shade), while the other side has a life-size mini golem. ...... (There must be some kind of trap.) Yuffine and her team, led by a shield squad, rushed toward the life-size clay figures (miniature golems). However, just as the battle began, a cloud of smoke rose up from behind the life-size miniature golem, and a tower-like golem appeared. What, a tower golem? Shakuma gasps. d*mn it, I''m drained of status. What is a tower golem doing here? ...... Yuffine bit her teeth. (I knew this would happen.) Lelio makes a face that says, "I knew it. I knew it. I can''t be frightened at a place like this. Let''s go. "Defend yourself! The shield squad is enveloped in blue light and pushes away the life-size clay figures (mini-golems). However, the tower golem cannot be moved. The tower golem swings its arms down at Yuffine and the others. Warriors with shields manage to support them, but the bridge wobbles and shakes with vibrations. (d*mn, it''s hard to fight a tower golem without a rick) "Yuffine!From behind: ......" What now? When Yuffine turned around in response to Lelio''s voice, she saw that the Shade had taken over the island where Yuffine and the others had just been. d*mn, they''ve cut off our retreat." But that''s not all. The Shade is ...... The black mist wrapped in a shade of shadow was advancing toward us. If the fog touched the shadows of Yuffine and the others, they would be damaged immediately. The black fog was moving toward us, and if it touched the shadows of Yuffine and the others, they would be damaged in no time. d*mn, what to do?(What to do: ......) This is no time to be lost. We must break through. Attack granted!" The shield team is enveloped in a red light. However, they still could not dislodge the tower golem. Gununu...... Ms. Euphine. Let''s retreat." Lelio advised. What do you mean?" It''s not a good idea to take on a tower golem with your status depleted," he said. But a Shadow Ghost (Shade) can break through with Yufine-san''s recovery magic!" Then Shakuma hurriedly countered. ''You''ve come this far and you''re backing down?The Shadow Ghost (Shade) is class A, but the Tower Golem (Tower Golem) is class B." Ms. Euphine, please focus more on the condition of your own troops than on those of your enemies." Lelio countered, not to be outdone. I''ll take ...... Lelio''s idea." I''m not sure what you mean by that," he said. Still ......" When Shakuma was about to argue further, Yuffine pressed a switch on his neck. Shakuma''s movements were blocked. ''Ugh, what ...... You, hold him up. Come on, let''s go." Yuffine ordered one of the shieldmen to drop his shield and hold Shakuma, and he went toward the shadow ghosts (shades). The ghosts arising from the black shadows were cutting up Yuffine and the others. Yuffine countered with recovery magic. Roland and the others arrived at the finish line ahead of Yuffine and the others and waited for them. Monica was looking at the other way to reach the goal. (Yuffine and the others, are they there yet?) Monica anxiously stares down the road where Yuffine and her friends will come. Roland, are Yuffine and the others all right? I''m not sure I want to go back there. We ran into a stronger monster than we expected. Towering clay figures (tower golems) and A-class monsters appeared on the path that Roland and his group took. These were things that even Monica''s hawk-eye could not detect in advance. Fortunately, Monica''s "skewer" made it easy to break through. It is quite possible that Yuffine, like us, has encountered powerful monsters. How could there be monsters so strong? We haven''t even reached the tenth level yet." Maybe the pace of the attack is too fast. The pace of the attack? Oh, it is said that if the pace of dungeon attack by adventurers is too fast, powerful monsters sometimes appear in the lower levels. It''s as if they adjust the speed of the adventurers'' attack. That phenomenon may be happening right now. Then Euphine and the others ...... I don''t know. Anyway, we''ll just have to wait and see." (If. If the Yuffines don''t show up, ...... we''ll have a difficult decision to make.) But Roland''s fears were unfounded. He saw Yuffine and the others coming across the last bridge. ''Mr. Roland!Yuffine is ......" Yeah, looks like you did just fine." I''m sorry. I''m late." Yuffine reports as she runs up to Roland like a leader. No, you did great. That''s good enough." But more importantly, Mr. Roland, you should see this. Yuffine points to the sickle. It''s ......." It''s the Scythe of the Shade. Shade?Don''t tell me you guys have defeated the Shade? Yes, sir. Wow, that''s great Yufinee. You even beat an A-class monster while being a captain. "Sort of." Yuffine puffed out her chest proudly. Meanwhile, Lelio was groggy and had his hands on the floor. What the hell, Lelio? You''re dizzy. Rick said teasingly. Rick. I''m sorry, but don''t talk to me right now. I''ve used my head more than my strength and I''m exhausted." What?You''re a slacker, I took down another tower golem and I''m still going strong. Ha ha ha." Rick, I envy your simplicity." Lelio said sadly. Roland did a status appraisal of the members of the separate team and checked their wear and tear. That made it clear who was the true exceptional performer. [Lelio''s status. Command: 10-90 (Lelio''s command is completely worn out. You did your best.) Good. Well then, I''ll regroup the troops and head up to the 9th level. Yuffine and the others are especially worn out, so follow them." After Roland reorganized his troops to cover the depleted Yuffines, he went under the transfer magic circle and headed for the ninth level. Arik and his team arrived there shortly after Roland had gone through the transfer magic circle. (d*mn. (d*mn, they couldn''t reverse the situation...) However, Arik could not easily advance to the ninth level. The detachment had not yet arrived. (Not yet? (Has the detachment arrived yet?) Arik waited impatiently. As a matter of fact, Alik''s detachment had encountered a Class A monster once and, being no match for it, had fallen off a bridge into the raging river and had to start all over again. In the end, it was several hours later that the detachment joined up with the others. At that time, Roland and his team had already cleared the ninth level. The gap between the two units was finally one level too wide. <> 45 - CHAPTER XXV -- STATUS EXHAUSTION Lillianne and her team were busy at the headquarters of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. While Roland was conquering dungeons, Lillianne, now the head of the guild, was recruiting adventurers from outside the guild to strengthen her troops. She said, "We need to surround ourselves with competent adventurers. Hire B-class adventurers and above for any money before they sign a contract with the Gilded Eagle. A messenger comes. The guild leader. I am here to tell you. Roland''s team has reached the ninth level. The people around Lilianne are in an uproar. "Level nine. We''re already there? That was fast. ...... And Arik''s unit? We''re still on the eighth level. Oh," they cheered. Gentlemen!Don''t let your guard down. You still don''t know how the game will turn out. Let us do our best to support the troops who are doing their best in the dungeon." (Mr. Roland''s troops, they are attacking the dungeon at an unusual pace. I am sure the troop will come back exhausted of status. We need to gather as many replacement B-class adventurers as possible before he returns. ......) As Lillianne is giving instructions, another messenger rushes in. ''Guild leader!A senior member of the Golden Eagle is here to see you. A senior member of the "Golden Eagle"?Who the hell is ......?" I''m Jill Irwin. What?Is Jill at ......?" Thank you for meeting me on such short notice." Jill bowed to Lillianne and said. ''Ms. Jill. Why in the world would a senior member of the ''Golden Eagle'' like yourself?" I heard that the Guardians of the Magical Tree are looking for adventurers from outside guilds as well, and I came here to participate, even if only in a small way. I have not received any word from ...... "Golden Eagle" regarding you. My participation in "Guardians of the Magical Tree" was a decision I made on my own. It has nothing to do with the wishes of the Golden Eagle. But is it good?Now our guild is ......" My allegiance is to the ''Golden Eagle'' where Mr. Roland was. I am no longer worthy of loyalty to the Golden Eagle without Mr. Roland. No matter how severe the sanctions, no matter how much debt I am saddled with, I will no longer follow any order other than Mr. Roland''s." Ms. Jill, ......" (The "Golden Eagle" is supposed to be tough on contract violations. You really adore Mr. Roland, don''t you?) Lillianne was beginning to think Jill was a tease. I understand," she said. I''ll hire you." Ha. Thank you." Jill," he said. Please don''t be so formal. As someone who was also guided by Mr. Roland, I understand exactly how you feel. Let''s cooperate with each other and support Mr. Roland here. I appreciate you saying so. Jill''s behavior was frowned upon within the Golden Eagle, but it was Lucius who was criticized more harshly. The reason for the rebellion of senior members like Sebasta and Jill is solely due to the successive failures of the guild leader, Lukius!" Members who had wanted to replace Sebasta were now plotting to drag him down to take Lucius'' place. Demonstrations were frequent within the guild. They made a lot of noise, trying to make the issue bigger than it needed to be, so that the anti-Lucius movement would reach the ears of their investors and the public. Lukius looked down at the demonstrators from the window of the guild leader''s room. (Was it a mistake to coddle Jill? After all these concessions, she still betrays us in the end.) Lucius pulled a bitter face and suddenly smiled darkly. (Well, that''s okay. Now I''m clear. I finally understand, Jill. I know now, Jill, that you have no intention of following my orders. If that''s your intention, fine, we''ll see what we can do.) Meanwhile, at the "Arsenal of Spirits," Cheal and Dorwin were anxiously waiting for the molding of the new materials to be finished. Finally, the S-class weapons were about to be completed. When Roland reached the 10th level, his troops were severely depleted and his holdings of "potions" and "magic potions" were running low, so he decided to return to town, break up the party, and go to sleep. Twenty-four hours later, Roland woke up at home and immediately left his room to find Claria waiting for him, smiling. ''Good morning. Mr. Roland. Oh, Claria. ...... I heard you had returned from the dungeon, so I arranged a carriage for you. We have prepared a meal for you. I looked and saw a carriage parked on the street. I was so surprised. (You''re so thoughtful about these things.) Thank you. Shall we go to work at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" then? Roland eats a sandwich in the carriage and receives a report on what happened while he was in the dungeon. First of all," he said, "at the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' the production of the new ''skewers'' is going well. We are ready to replace all of the equipment for all of the members of the unit for Sword A, Shield A, Bow A, Armor A, and Wand A. As for "Earth Craft," we currently have 150 in stock. Claria said as she flipped through the documents in her hand. I see." (Lange seems to be doing well.) Claria. Tell Ranju that we are going into the dungeon again at noon today, and that he should bring a set of equipment and ''Earthcraft'' at that time, as well as a maintenance person." Yes, sir. How''s it going with the Keeper of the Magical Tree? Lillianne has been doing a good job of getting us a replacement. As of yesterday, she has already gathered 30 B-class adventurers. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. That''s great. (Lily seems to be doing a great job too.) Oh, yes. And this is what I heard from Cheal. ......" Hmm?" They''re almost ready to start work on an S-class weapon. S-class weapons!I see. Finally ......" Roland''s face broke into a smile. Finally, he would be able to give Jill an S-class weapon. (After all, an S-class adventurer deserves an S-class weapon.) Claria, too, sees Roland''s happy profile and becomes happy herself. (Roland-san looks happy. (Roland-san looks happy. Maybe now is a good time to appeal.) Claria thought perceptively. She had not yet given up on becoming Roland''s mistress. (Since I''m working for such a great man like Roland, I should make the most of the opportunity.) Mr. Roland. By the way, I met Dianna." "What, to Dianna?" Just as Claria had hoped, Roland bites the dust. Yes," he said. We only had a short conversation, but he didn''t seem to have much time to spare. She''s always so mean to me, and she didn''t even say one less word." Heh. It seems the Gilded Eagle camp is in a lot of trouble after all." Claria casually winked at Roland. Roland was taken aback. In fact, Claria was quite an attractive girl, except for her frivolity. I see. Roland pretends he didn''t see it, looks away and looks forward again. Mr. Roland!" Hmm?What? If you like, I can get some information out of Dianna for you.The "Golden Eagle" is in a rut right now, so I think we can extract some useful information from it. I''m pretty good at it. I get information out of people." Claria took the opportunity and held Roland''s hand to keep his attention. She brought her face so close to Roland''s that she could kiss him on the mouth, her eyes watering. I was rude to you before," she said. So I wanted to help him somehow. Uh, uh, yeah, um..." Roland appraised Claria on her skills. Claria. Secret Agreement: C to A Information Retrieval: C to A (Ummm...hmm...) I wonder if this skill is really worth raising) Both are intelligence-related skills, and if used well, they seem to be advantageous for information gathering, but on the other hand, it is conceivable that their important information could be leaked to the enemy. It could be a double-edged sword. Unless we became closer and more intimate with her. Ah, it looks like they''ve arrived. Roland sees that the carriage has stopped, and he quickly opens the door and gets out. Claria looked discouraged for a moment, but soon returned to her usual smiling, affable young girl''s face. (She''s tough as nails, isn''t she? (She''s tough as nails, Mr. Roland. (You''re a tough one, Mr. Roland, won''t you be so easily won over?) Claria stares at Roland''s back. (But there should still be a chance. I won''t let you get away, Mr. Roland!) When Roland entered the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" dormitory, he was greeted by Lillianne. Welcome back, Loran." Lily. You came all the way out here to pick me up?" Mr. Roland, the replacement for the Class B Adventurers is already ready for you. I''m glad you made it that far. Thank you for ....... With you behind us, we can focus on clearing the dungeon after this. I''m not sure I want to go there," he said. But still, ......" Lillianne glanced at the carriage with a funny look on her face. Mr. Roland is finally coming to work as an executive. No," he said. Embarrassing. This is about as good as it gets. Considering Mr. Roland''s accomplishments up to now, he deserves to be treated well. Gilles, appearing behind Lilianne, said. Loran was a little nervous to see Lilianne and Jill together. ''Jill!How did you get here?" She''s with us now." Lillianne explains. ''She offered, and I gave her permission. She came to the Gilded Eagle without asking." Jill ......" Finally, I can work for you, under you." Jill said with flushed cheeks, as if she was so happy. I''m so happy to see you, Mr. Roland," she said, her cheeks flushed with joy. I will do whatever it takes. Please order me to do it. I see." Roland sensed a hint of her determination and decided not to ask too many questions. The two exchanged glances as if they had a heart to heart. Lillianne was truly satisfied with the way they looked at each other. ''So what shall we do?Jill, I''d like to place you in Roland''s unit for now, if you don''t mind." Lillianne consults with him as if she is in trouble. Lillianne was troubled and asked for advice. But for now, let''s wait and see. There''s something strange going on in the ''mining dungeon. Strange?" ''Oh, it''s the lower levels, but there are some unusually strong monsters. Maybe S-class monsters are coming out." S-Class ......" Jill huffs. S-class promotion. It was a long-held dream for Jill and Roland. Yes," she said. That''s why I want you to be on standby to destroy the S-class monsters. We are almost finished with the S-class equipment in the "Spirit Arsenal. I''ll need to make some minor adjustments, so will you go to the ''Spirit Arsenal'' for a meeting?" I understand. I''m sure you''ll be waiting at home. What about the replacement staff? The shield, sword, and bowmen are heavily depleted. If possible, I would like to replace them with people who are in perfect condition. I understand. I will arrange it that way. I guess that''s about it for now. Jill. I have to talk to the guild leader, so will you go ahead of me?" Yes, Mr. Roland. Claria. Take Jill to the ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' in the carriage. Yes, sir. Well then, Lily. Shall we go? Lillianne entered the waiting room and immediately embraced Roland, showering him with passionate kisses. She put her arms around Roland''s neck and grasped him firmly, savoring the kiss to the fullest for the first time in a long time. The two of them savored each other''s lips hungrily for a while. When their breathing becomes labored, they catch their breath and quickly lose themselves in the kiss again. It was for this reason that Roland pulled Jill away and left her alone with Lilianne. Lilianne, who had been trying to look nonchalant since a few moments ago, was now looking wistfully and passionately at Roland whenever she saw an opening. She was not sure what she might do in front of Jill at that moment, so she took emergency refuge. It was a full few minutes later that they stopped kissing. Lillianne let out a deep, troubled sigh and finally calmed down a bit after taking a breath. I''m sorry," she said. I was actually going to hold off until we cleared the dungeon. ......" No, no, no. It''s fine." I know this is an important time for you. ...... But the job of guild leader is harder than I thought it would be. ......" It''s okay. I''m sorry I haven''t been able to take better care of you. Roland gently combed Lillianne''s hair and stroked her cheeks as he said this. Loran ...... Lillianne''s eyes welled up as if she was thrilled. They kissed lightly one more time. Lillianne was so touched that she kissed Lillianne lightly once more, and then said, "I''ll give you plenty of attention when I get back, so just hang in there a little while longer. Yes. ......" When they left the room, Lillianne was back to her racy self, and walked down the hallway looking rather refreshed. She waved and smiled at Roland as they headed off to the dungeon. (Roland. (Roland, when you come back, please take care of me a lot.) After receiving the replenishers from Lillianne, Loran led them to the entrance of the dungeon. Then, Monica and other troopers, Lange and other members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" had already gathered there and started preparing to enter the dungeon again. "Mr. Rick," said Monica, "I''ve been waiting for you. The oil on the "armor lizard" has peeled off a lot. I''ll do some maintenance. Oh, thank you. A young employee of the "Arsenal of Spirits" maintains Rick''s armor by reapplying "armor lizard" oil. Cheal was busy maintaining the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow," Lelio''s bow, and Marina''s staff. Mr. Ric. Please use a new shield. Ranju said as he brought a new shield. ''Oh, thank you.'' (As I said, the support system of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" is excellent. (As I thought, the support system of "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is excellent.) Rick receives support with satisfaction. Suddenly, he sees Roland talking with Lange in a friendly manner. (Roland-san, you seem to get along well with the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits.") Um, Monica." Rick spoke to Monica, who was getting ready next to him. Hm?"Yes?" Mr. Roland seems to be very close to the people in the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' ...... That''s right. Mr. Roland is the head of the guild of the ''Arsenal of Spirits. What?Is that so?" On the contrary, Mr. Roland originally came from the ''Arsenal of Spirits. Euphine interrupts the conversation. I used to make weapons for the ''Guardians of the Magical Tree'' at the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' but Lillianne brought me to the ''Guardians of the Magical Tree'' as a special advisor. Oh, is that so? (From guild leader of an alchemy guild to an executive of an adventurers guild to a troop leader. What kind of background does Mr. Roland have ......? (Too much of a mystery) Rick looked at Loran curiously. Loran appraises the status of the members. He started with Monica, Shakma, and Yuffine. Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine were the first to be evaluated. You guys seem to have no abnormalities in your status. Yes." It''s a given." Yuffine said, puffing out her chest. She then appraised the status of Rick, Lelio, and Marina. (Rick has a disturbance in ...... magic power. (Rick has a disturbance in his magic power. Is Marina ...... worn out to begin with? Lelio is ......) [Lelio''s status. Arm strength (power): 20-70 Agility: 30-90 Command: 30-90 (The stones are wearing out. Not unreasonable) Lelio. You''re on standby." "Ugh, I knew it." Yeah, because my status hasn''t been restored. "...... yes." Don''t be discouraged. I''ve done so much command. A little status disturbance is inevitable. Take it easy here and concentrate on your recovery. If you are able to join us, join the troops who have returned from the forest dungeon or the dungeon of the magical world. Yes, sir. Roland also replaced the status-depleted members of the shield, sword, and bow squads with replacement personnel, and they re-entered the dungeon with little or no damage. ''Alright. As for Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine, as usual. Rick is committed to the role of vanguard. Don''t use the ''agility grant'' and recovery magic because your magic power is depleted. Marina''s top priority is to supply items. Supply "Skewer" and "Earthcraft" to Monica. Especially from here, "Acid Slime" will appear. Acid Slime" is a monster that accelerates the wear and tear of weapons. Each of you must have one Earth Craft at all times, and if a member''s equipment wears out, Marina must immediately supply the wearer with an Earth Craft. Yes, sir. Good. Let''s go then." After descending to the eleventh level, Roland and his team immediately encountered a "tower golem. Moreover, it seemed to be of a very high level. What is a "tower golem" all of a sudden? Rick frowned. "Deploy the formation!" Roland gives the order, and the team divides into vanguard and rear guard and begins to fight slowly. In the middle of the battle, Rick spotted a disruption in the enemy line. If we jump in there now, we can get behind them, right?) Agility Grant." Rick cast a spell, but the magic did not activate; rather, dizziness overtook him. (Ggh, what the hell?) There''s something wrong with Rick." Someone. Help him!" The surrounding shield squads start to make noise as they hastily cover the area. (After all, it''s tough for Rick to use magic, isn''t it?) Roland thought again as he looked at Rick. Monica took Rick by the shoulders and pulled him to the rear guard. ''Oh God, Roland-san told you not to use the ''agility grant''. Ugh." You have to listen to your captain''s orders. ...... yes." Rick said apologetically. ''On that note, I don''t do anything except what I''m told. For some reason, Marina said proudly, puffing out her chest. You should be a little more aggressive! Yuffine said, as if to encourage him. Roland chuckled. (The newcomers are still mentally immature, aren''t they? Can they really shake Arik off like this?) Loran and his team had to travel at low speed for a while as they marched while covering for Rick, who was feeling ill. Other problems, such as a lack of coordination with the newly recruited replacements, also slowed the troop down. Meanwhile, at the same time, Arik and his team also dived back into the dungeon after the 24-hour interval and caught up with Roland and his team at a furious pace. (After all, the only way to restore the "Golden Eagle" is for me to win over Roland in this "mining dungeon!") Arik''s thoughts were further strengthened when he saw the state of affairs at the "Golden Eagle" headquarters. He was relieved that he was not subjected to any unnecessary interference from Lucius, but was soon confronted with a movement to bring down Lucius. He ran into a group of demonstrators. He blackmailed them on the spot, and the commotion subsided, but there was no doubt that it would flare up again once Arik entered the dungeon (Arik was no longer the only one who could display such dignity in the "Golden Eagle"). Alik and the others followed Roland in a furious chase. Despite the high pace of the battle, the strongmen of Arik''s team were able to regain their status after 24 hours of recovery, and not a single one of them dropped out. With their well-honed coordination and the advantage of following behind, they ran through the dungeon at a tremendous pace. In doing so, Arik was still in the lead, taking command and making full use of his own support magic. Roland-san, I have this feeling. Monica said in a panic. The pressure from behind was tremendous from a while ago. ''Ah, Arik and the others are catching up. Roland also said, feeling the pressure. Finally, Monica''s "Hawk-Eye" caught Arik''s unit. (No way, there was a gap of more than one level. (No way, they were already this close. ......) Once again, Arik''s troops were within a kilometer behind. Arik also caught Roland''s unit with his naked eye. I''ve got them. Roland!) Arik closes in on Roland''s unit at full speed. (d*mn. They''re catching up because of me.) Rick grits his teeth as he feels the pressure from behind. However, the difference in speed was so obvious that there was nothing he could do. As they passed through the 12th and 13th levels, they gradually got closer and closer. When they reached the 14th level, Arik''s unit finally caught Roland''s tail. I got it!) Arik was about to give the order to overtake. But then he suddenly felt dizzy. What is it?) Captain? Alik is about to collapse, and his second-in-command rushes to his side to support him. Are you all right, sir?Somebody!Get the recovery magic!" However, Arik did not recover even after the recovery magic was applied. No way!" The deputy appraised Alik''s status on the spot. [Arik''s status]. Magic: 1-120 (The lowest value of magical power is 1....... It''s not just a disorderly condition. This won''t heal anytime soon) Captain. Please rest. Your status is marginal." Don''t be silly. If I take a break now, Roland and the others will just keep going on and on. But you can''t shoot magic anymore, can you?" Kuh." Alik somehow tries to cast a spell. However, he inevitably loses concentration and cannot cast the spell. No matter how many magic potions he drank, it was useless. d*mn it. Just at the right moment." (No wonder. I''ve been leading the troop by myself all this time at this high pace.) The second-in-command looks bitter. Roland and his men moved ahead while Arik and his men were still lagging behind. The distance begins to open up again. d*mn." ''Calm down, please,'' he said. Even Roland and the others are in pain. We have been running at a high pace at the front for a long time. If anything, they must be bearing more of the burden than we are." Once you cross the 15th level, the monsters become even more powerful. If that happens, even they will have no choice but to slow down their pace. But Roland and his team did not slow down. Roland appraised the status of his troop members in small increments to spread out the burden so that it would not become too concentrated. As a result, Monica, Shakuma, and Yufineh retained their high power as usual. On the other hand, Arik''s troops, say, proceeded through the dungeon with a formation that did not have Arik at the head, but their marching speed was drastically reduced. The difference in the number of Class A adventurers they possessed was clearly visible. Roland and his men widened the gap as Arik and his men struggled, and finally the gap between the two units was as wide as two levels. <> 46 - Art. 46. The Crumbling of the Feet What are you doing?The vanguard is lagging behind. Build a wall properly! Monica, scolding, rushes to the hole in the vanguard and covers it with her bow fire. Rick, who had fallen behind, had no choice but to watch the vanguard fight in frustration, breathing on his shoulders. (d*mn. What a bunch of people. Even though they have been keeping a high pace, they don''t even seem to be getting tired.) Rick''s arms were already trembling. d*mn. I can''t lift my arms.) Roland also noticed that something was wrong with Rick. (Rick''s movements are slowing down ......) I''ll do a status appraisal. [Rick Dyer''s status. Arm strength (power): 40-90 Agility: 10-40 (Power is now 40-90. Agility is also down. (Agility is not very high, and trying to gain an advantage with agility is draining his power. Rick had a habit of using his agility to dodge enemy attacks and try to flank and rear up during white combat. However, in the end, he could not gain an advantage in agility, so he tended to unnecessarily deplete his arm strength (power). Since they have high endurance (toughness), why don''t they use their endurance (toughness) more in their battles? (Since he has high endurance (toughness), why doesn''t he use his endurance (toughness) more? Whatever the case may be, this kind of arm strength (power) is not good enough for the "underworld" of more than 15 levels. Barely usable (......) Roland turned his attention to other statuses. [Rick Dyer''s status. Durability (toughness): 70-80 (Only durability (toughness)? Ugh." I''m screwed." Elsewhere, Marina slumps down. Roland also appraised Marina''s status. [Marina Fortuna''s status]. Magic: 10-90 (You really look tired this time) Roland chuckled. (Okay.) Rick!" Yes, sir. Change your equipment. Take off the sword." What?Sword? Yeah, you''re at the end of your rope. If you remove the sword and use only your armor and shield, you should still be able to move. You can''t attack from now on. You should be a wallflower. Wait a minute. I''m still ......" No. You can''t use your power in the Underworld. Rick was aghast to hear that. From the 16th level, he was told that only B-class adventurers or above would be accepted. (I wonder if we''ve already reached that point while we''ve been desperately following the main force.) Once you have experienced the 16th level, you are recognized as one of the best adventurers in town. In the "underworld," if you cannot demonstrate a status of 70 or higher, you will not be accepted. Your current power is 40-90, which is too unstable. U......" If they are going to fight with swords after this, they will have to be removed from the squad. What do you suggest?" Gugu, I understand. Marina. Put Rick''s sword away. Yes, sir. Marina stowed Rick''s sword with her skill "Equipment Holding". Rick feels lighter and more mobile. Marina," Rick said, "and Marina. That''s it for the skewer. From now on, I want you to concentrate on supplying items to the troops. Yes, sir. I understand! Marina replied with a big smile. Yuffine frowned at Marina''s attitude. (You are too honest for your own good, even though your task has been reduced.) Roland continues his instructions. Monica. As I just told you, ''skewer'' is no longer available. From now on, we will build our tactics around ''one-hit-kill. Remember the V-shape formation? Yes, sir. Shakuma. Shakuma, you are in overall command. Yes, sir. Yuffine. From now on, you are the captain. If the unit comes to a crossroads and must make a choice, you will make the decision. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Roland gave instructions to each of the five others. Call on the most aggressive swordsman. Freddie, you take up the rear of Rick. I''ll cover Rick''s lack of arm strength (power) with my attack power ......?" Yes," he said. The tactic is that Rick first catches the enemy''s attack with his shield and armor. Then you jump out from behind him, switch, and slash at the out-of-phase enemy. Yes, sir. Sharon! Roland calls out to the most agile bowman (archer) in the unit. You are to assist Marina in supplying items. You are to assist Marina in supplying items to the troops in distant positions, and when items are needed, you are to receive them from Marina and deliver them to them. Copy that." If acid slime and zombie archers appear on either side of you: ...... Roland gave other detailed instructions to each member of the squad, fine-tuning them to cover each other''s status depletion. Rick listened to Loran''s instructions as he breathed on his shoulder and was once again in awe. (Even fine-tuning the task according to each member''s characteristics and wear and tear. Not something a mere appraiser could do. Really ...... what the hell is this guy ......) After giving all the instructions, Roland checks the status of the members again. If the boss does not appear after reaching the 20th level, return to the city at once." (Okay, I guess I''m at ...... so far) At the 15th level, Roland left the unit. After receiving new instructions from Roland, Monica and her team quickly conquered the dungeon, and by the time Arik''s team reached the 15th level, they had reached the 17th level. Astrologers were monitoring the dungeon in the Astrology Department at the quest reception station. (Did a zombie wizard appear on the 17th level?) Through the crystal, the astrologer confirmed the appearance of the quest target monster. He spoke to the clerk beside him. A zombie wizard appeared on the 17th level, 32-41. Zombie wizard on level 17, 32-41." The clerk adds the map and zombie wizard to a blank sheet of paper. After this, the map is taken to the Quest Department, where the reward is determined and then officially announced as a quest. The clerk leaves the room with the map and the letter. (Well, probably doesn''t make sense.) The astrologer sighed. Roland''s troops are on their way under the zombie wizard. Sure enough, within an hour, the zombie wizard is defeated by Shakuma''s support magic. (So now Shakuma is an A-class adventurer.) I just wanted to add a note about the zombie wizard I mentioned earlier. The astrologer instructs a different clerk than the previous one. He says, "Ha. What are the contents?" We''ve already taken them down. The zombie wizard is no longer in the dungeon. She twitches her eyebrows and a look of surprise comes over her face for a moment, but she quickly remembers her duties, acknowledges the letter, gets up, and runs to the quest department. (That''s awfully fast, by the way. Roland Squad) The pace of the attack did not seem to slow down at all, even though Class A and B monsters had blocked the way many times earlier. The gap with Arik''s team was only widening. (At this rate, in three days'' time,......?) The astrologer frowned at the black shadow that suddenly lit up in the crystal. (A black shadow. And it''s big.) It was a sign that a powerful monster had appeared, but he had never seen such a large shadow in all the years he had served. (Is this the ......12 hierarchy?No way!) When he strained his eyes to get a close-up of the area, he saw a giant dragon walking there despite the fact that all the skin and flesh had been scraped off, leaving only bones. (Skull dragon. I knew it!(It''s an S-class monster!!!) You!" The astrologer approached the remaining clerks. ''Yes.'' The Skull Dragon appeared." What?"That''s ......." It''s an S-class monster." Tension in the room. I cannot take this matter to the Quest Department on my own. Contact the director. Hurry!" The clerk ran out of the room in a flurry. Countermeasures were immediately discussed with the warden. The Quest Reception Office reported the appearance of the S-class monster in a big way and invited applicants for the quest to defeat it. However, strict conditions were put in place for taking quest orders. Adventurers in Class C and below are not allowed to participate. Even in B class, only the higher levels are allowed. Even A class adventurers are not allowed to participate alone. Only S-class adventurers can receive quests unconditionally. Ladies and gentlemen!An S-class monster has appeared. We are therefore urgently seeking adventurers who are willing to take on quests to defeat them. However, please do not approach S-class monsters easily. C-class and lower adventurers should never approach the 12th level of the "Mine Dungeon. Please have your status and skills appraised at the From now on, only high ranking adventurers who have been approved by us will be allowed to enter the "Mine Dungeon". Please spread the word among yourselves and to other adventurers. OK?Never ......" Hey, hey, they say it''s an S-class monster. What are you gonna do?" You idiot. We can''t handle this. The adventurers gossiped about the news. Dianna was among them, listening to the announcement from the quest office. I wondered what they were talking about, since they said it was a special report from the quest office...an S-class monster showing up.) However, it was the battle between Arik''s and Roland''s squads in the "Mine Dungeon" that was rather interesting. The difference between the two squads shown on the board was over two levels. (Tsk. Arik''s team doesn''t look good. The difference between the two units is two layers.) Dianna bit her nails in frustration. Wow. Monica and her friends have already reached the seventeenth level. Dianna huffed at the familiar voice. ''You are ...... Claria.'' ''Oh, Dianna. We meet again." You came to check out the message board, too?" Yes," he said. I''m just a humble errand boy. I have to do whatever chores I have to do. Claria sighs. I''ve got a lot of work ahead of me after this. I''m really getting tired of it. But I''m sure I''ll be fired soon if I skip work even a little bit. Dianna wonders a little. ''You''ve become Roland''s mistress, haven''t you?Why don''t you ask to be excused from work for a little while?" What are you talking about? I''m not. Really?I mean, you''re a secretary, so there are plenty of moments when you and I can be alone, right?" That''s not the case at all. Roland, your guard is very tight. There is a lot of competition. Heh. Really? Well, I''m hoping I''ll be one of the first to slip through the cracks. Claria said in a slightly sleazy tone. Oh, yeah. That''s too bad. I''m sorry you didn''t get the job. Dianna smiled pleasantly. Dianna smiled amusedly. Isn''t it about time? About time?Of what?" It''s time to dump Mr. Lucius." Claria said in a hushed voice, whispering into Dianna''s ear. Dianna''s face hardens for a moment. Lucius, to put it bluntly, you''ve fallen off the wagon, haven''t you?Maybe it''s time for a change?" ......" Wouldn''t you like to be on our side?Mr. Roland is very generous! I am sure he will let your rudeness slide." Don''t be ridiculous. Dianna said, showing her composure. I don''t want you to underestimate me. It''s true that we''re a little outnumbered, but the more our foothold is shaken by this, the more the ''Golden Eagle'' will ......" Oh, I see. Then that''s fine. I''ll let someone else handle it. So saying, Claria quickly goes over there. (d*mn. You little b*tc*. ......) A few hours after the announcement of the quest to defeat S-class monsters, a man was invited to the "Golden Eagle" headquarters. Lucius greeted the man with his usual politeness. He greeted the man with his usual politeness: "Welcome, my friend. Mr. Yugan. In front of Lucius was Yugan, an S-class adventurer from "Knight of the Crescent Moon," leaning his back and arms on the sofa and crossing his legs. He did not look honored to have been invited to the "Golden Eagle," but rather as if he was unwilling to accept the invitation. Lukius was annoyed by Yugan''s attitude, but somehow managed to control himself. (Now that Arik was unlikely to be available, he had no choice but to rely on him.) Realizing his disadvantage in the dungeon attack, Lucius decided to set his sights on S-class monsters. Defeating S-class monsters would yield a profit equivalent to the dungeon attack. The investors might also be able to relax. While he was taking steps to conquer the quest, Yugan, who had heard about the appearance of the S-class monster, appeared in the city. Lukius immediately made an offer to Yugan and asked him to come to the guild. If you join our guild, we will be a hundred strong," he said. In the meantime, you can visit ......." Don''t get me wrong. What? The only reason I was willing to take the job was for the money. I have no intention of giving you any favors. I will participate under the name of ''Knight of the Crescent Moon,'' not ''Golden Eagle. Lucius was inwardly frustrated, but somehow managed to keep smiling. Twenty million gold. What?" I''ll take 20 million gold up front. I''ll take 100 million gold as my reward." (Heck, 20 million gold and 100 million gold.) Isn''t that a bit outrageous? If you don''t want to, that''s fine. I''ll just turn down the job." I understand. We''ll find a way to make it work. At that moment, someone rushed into the guild leader''s room. The guild president!Oh my God. Jill Irwin is on her way to ...... to take down an S-class monster. The messenger''s face paled when he saw that Lukius and Yugan were negotiating. (d*mn, you idiot, you''re an afterthought in front of Yugan. ......) Lucius glares at the messenger. But Yugan rather amusedly spoke to the messenger. ''Ah, fine, fine. I was just talking with the guild leader about that S-class monster. And?What did Jill Irwin say?" Yeah, well, you know, ...... The messenger glanced at Lucius as if to ask him a question. No matter. Go on. Lucius said with abandon. ''The word is that Jill Irwin has put her name forward for a quest to defeat an S-class monster under the name "Guardian of the Magic Tree". He has already been approved at the quest reception office and is on his way to the dungeon." Lucius clenches his fists in anger. (Curse you, Jill. You''ll stand in my way to the end.) Hey, hey, Jill Irwin, wasn''t she a promising newcomer to the Golden Eagle, as I recall?I''m pretty sure I heard he''s an S-class candidate. He''s going after an S-class monster ...... and under the name "Guardian of the Magic Tree"?Are you sure?I''m going to go ahead and take down the S-class monster." No problem. We are already proceeding with legal action against Jill''s act of treason. Besides, we have already taken other measures against her. Hmmm?"Is that so?" Yugan seemed disinterested in saying so, but inwardly he was dismayed. (The guild is falling apart, isn''t it? I''ve never heard of such a blatant conflict between a guild leader and an ace. I even heard what sounded like a demonstration earlier.) Demos are shouting for Lukius to step down. (This guild ain''t gonna be around much longer. (This guild won''t be around much longer.) Well, anyway, I can proceed with the S-class monster defeat, can''t I?Then let me get on with it." Kukk. It''s not my fault. It''s that woman who is to blame. Lucius looked down and smiled darkly. What the hell is this guy? What the hell is he thinking?That''s creepy.) Meanwhile, Jill had arrived at the front of the dungeon with only a few supporters. He said, "All right, I''m going to go to the dungeon. Let''s go, let''s go kill the S-class monster, the Skull Dragon!" (I don''t care about guild ties or even my fate anymore. I''m going to prove my ability to Mr. Roland. That''s why I am ......) Jill dives into the dungeon with determination in her heart. By the time Jill entered the "Mine Dungeon," Roland had returned from the dungeon and was awake after 24 hours of sleep. They also boarded the carriage that Claria had prepared for them and went to work together at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". In the "Mine Dungeon," Monica and her team reached the 17th level. Arik''s group is still on the 15th level." I see." Roland was relieved to hear that. (Thank God. Monica and the others seem to be doing just fine without me.) How are things going in the other dungeons?" Yes. In the "Forest Dungeon," the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" is currently exploring the ninth level, and the "Golden Eagle" is also exploring the ninth level. In the "Dungeon of the Magic World," the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" is searching on the 9th level, and the "Golden Eagle" is searching on the 8th level. Overall, the "Guardian of the Magical Tree" has the upper hand. So the "forest dungeon" is still a close battle. I guess we better take some countermeasures just in case. Roland said in a muttered voice. ''And it''s an S-class monster. ...... !"Did you get out after all?" Yes, sir." On the twelfth level of the "Mine Dungeon. Mr. Jill is already on her way. I see. ...... what about class S weapons?" That''s ......, and it''s not finished yet. So, Jill, you can keep your previous equipment at ......." (Status-wise, it''s perfect, so you probably won''t die even if you fight an S-class monster, but I doubt you''ll make it to the finish line. ......) I understand. I will meet the guild leader at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and then head to the "Arsenal of Spirits. The Arsenal of Spirits? S-class monsters can''t be defeated quickly. It will probably take several days of work. I don''t know if I can make it in time, but I want to be ready to deliver the S-class weapons to Jill as soon as they are finished. I understand. Later, Roland met with Lilianne at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" headquarters to discuss countermeasures regarding the dungeon. The "Mine Dungeon" should maintain its current advantage and be prepared to deploy additional forces once Monica and the others return at the 20th level. Lilianne should join them in the "Forest Dungeon," where they are competing with each other. Roland will remain in the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and act as acting guild leader. After making these decisions, Roland headed for the "Arsenal of Spirits. As agreed, when the team returned from the "Forest Dungeon," Lilianne joined the team with a replacement team and infiltrated the dungeon again. Lelio was also among the replacements. Roland saw them off to the front of the dungeon. The guild leader is a first-rate commander. Lelio, let me study him." Yes." Lillianne was more relieved than nervous to be free of her guild leader duties as she faced the dungeon. (After all, I am an adventurer in my own right.) Let''s go, Lillianne Squad." Lillianne says so and dives into the dungeon. When Lillianne and Lelio joined the team, the barely competitive balance between the two guilds began to collapse, and the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" began to expand their lead. The next day, Monica and her team returned to the city from the 20th level. After 24 hours of sleep, they headed back to the dungeon. Despite having come through 20 levels at a high pace, Monika, Shakuma, and Yufine were extremely energetic. Rick and Marina could not recover in a day, so they temporarily left the unit to wait at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree. Roland also appointed other members who were not part of the team to stand by at the headquarters of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. Two days later, Arik and his team finally returned to the city from the 20th level. Alik desperately chased after Monica and the others, but the gap between them was not bridged at all. It was a gap that had grown to the point of hopelessness. (Even the operation of the troops was no match for them. (Is this the true power of the liberated Roland?) Alik, who was unable to use his magical powers, somehow contributed to the dungeon attack by wielding a sword, but he could not shake the feeling that he was a liability. After a one-day recovery period, Alik''s status did not fully recover, and he was forced to leave the unit. Still, he wanted to do something, so he decided to at least see his men off to the front of the dungeon. On the way to the dungeon, they saw the "Magic Tree Guardians" unit attacking the "Dungeon of the Demon World. They asked, "Is that ......?A unit of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree"?" It looks like you''re headed to the ''Dungeon of the Demon Realm''." Come on, everyone, let''s go!" Shakuma was leading the troop. ''Is that ......, the support mage who was part of Loran''s squad?'' Why would she be in the ''dungeons of the demon world''?" Seeing this, Arik realized Roland''s intentions. The trend in the "mining dungeon" had been decided. There was no longer any need to deploy three A-class adventurers. (Roland, you''re telling me that I''m no longer even worth giving it my all?) Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit." Two days later, Monica and her team conquered the "Mine Dungeon," defeating the 26th level boss, the Zombie King, without a hitch. It was the 10th day after the dungeon appeared, the shortest time ever recorded for conquering a dungeon. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" has conquered the "Dungeon of the Mines. A staff member at the quest reception desk reports in front of the bulletin board. A cheer erupted among the adventurers. Wow, that''s great!" It''s too soon!" You''re breaking records." Dianna looked at the board with a pale face. (No way. I can''t believe I conquered it so fast.) The other two dungeons were also dominated by "Guardians of the Magic Tree" across the board. Moreover, from now on, A-class adventurers who had belonged to Roland''s unit would join other units as well. The situation was expected to become even worse. Oh, my God, it''s terrible, isn''t it? Dianna-san. You ...... Claria ...... I think the investor must be crowning himself after having three dungeons taken.You''ve earned almost nothing this month, right?" We still ...... have a lot of S-class monsters left to take down." Even so, Jill seems to be ahead of the pack. It''s not a rock-solid start, is it?Plus ......." Claria moved her mouth close to Dianna''s ear. ''''The ''Arsenal of Spirits'' has finally developed some S-class equipment. !" I''m sorry, but we''ll take it all this month. My Mr. Roland will get all of ......." Claria grinned triumphantly. Dianna thought she could hear her feet rattle and crumble. But I can''t just be fired. Dianna was also involved in the accounting irregularities that Lucius was doing. What would happen if it was discovered? She would be pursued as a criminal. She and Lucius would run away together in the night. She would spend her days on the run, poverty-stricken and frightened of the public eye. I don''t want to do that. I don''t want to do that. I have to do something, something.) But when it came down to it, there was nothing that could be done. Oh, well, I should get going. Claria said, looking at her watch. ''Ms. Dianna. I know it''s going to be tough from now on, but please do your best in your job search. I will always support you. Bye. Dianna looked at Claria''s back, stunned. However, she quickly huffed and went after Claria. Wait!" Dianna called frantically to Claria''s back. ''Please. Let me see Roland!I will tell you everything that Lucius is doing, his wrongdoings, his weaknesses. I''ll do whatever it takes to put Rukius at a disadvantage!" By the time Monica and her team had conquered the "Mine Dungeon," Jill had reached the 11th level. (Ghosts flee the mine. ....... Did Roland''s troops conquer the "Dungeon of the Mine"? That''s fast, I think you broke the record for the shortest time.) Monsters leave the dungeon. But nevertheless, Jill felt it. The presence of S-class monsters. The Skull Dragon''s hostility does not seem to be weakening, but rather, it even seems to be getting stronger and stronger. "Phew. The master of the dungeon has left, and yet he still remains. I guess they don''t like the fact that we cleared the dungeon in the shortest time. The air is shivering. The enemy was one level ahead of us, but we could already feel the killing intent. It seems to be hungry for human blood. Jill advanced through the dungeon, shaking with a warrior''s trembling in the face of an unprecedentedly powerful enemy. <> 47 - Art. 47. The Skull Dragon "Dear Gilles. Let''s take a break here. Mm-hmm. Yes. As Jill proceeded through the eleventh level of the "Mine Dungeon," she stopped along with the followers she had brought with her. They were members of the Golden Eagle, but they had gathered together in support of Roland''s faction. They were willing to support Jill in her quest to defeat the Skull Dragon. Jill, with her nearly inexhaustible stamina, could have trudged through the dungeon by herself, but this time she had to take down an S-class monster. But this time, she wanted to be in the best condition possible to fight the S-class monster. For this reason, she asked her followers to supply her with potions and other items. Please take a look. Here are some potions. Thank you. Jill received a potion from Mirko, one of her followers. Mirko has been assisting Jill since she became a senior member. Jill loved him like a little brother, and he treated her like a big sister. He was the first one to come to the launch of the Lorin Faction. I''m sorry," she said. I''m sorry I put you through all this even though I''m not a professional item holder. No," he said. No. Don''t worry about it. We must make sure that Jill-sama succeeds in this quest so that Lucius will not be able to do as he pleases any longer. Thanks to ......." Jill felt that their fate was also on her shoulders. If Jill failed in this quest, they would not be able to stay in the "Golden Eagle" either. (For their sake, we must succeed in this quest.) As the group rested, they suddenly heard a loud rumbling in the distance. What is it?What is that noise?" Mirko tilted his head and said. ''Probably a skull dragon. Jill said, cutting him short. He stood up and quickly got into a fighting stance. Now that the boss has left the dungeon, only a skull dragon could make such a loud noise. ''That''s absurd. According to the quest receptionist, the Skull Dragon should be on the twelfth level. Why is it on the 11th level ......? No way!Down the hierarchy! Probably. ''Oh no, so you are saying that the Skull Dragon is heading for the city?'' There is a magic circle on the tenth level that leads back to the city." If we don''t hold them off here, the Skull Dragon will be unleashed on the city. The followers gulped at Jill''s words. In the past few years, monsters had never appeared in the city. What would happen if a skull dragon were to be unleashed in the city? The town, which had no provisions against giant monsters, would be a screaming inferno. Suddenly, the footsteps that had been heard intermittently until a moment ago stopped. Everyone, hide! Jill shouted. Puzzled, they rushed into a nearby mine shaft and tried to hide. Immediately, a huge shadow covered the earth. Immediately, a hail of bone arrows rained down on them. Uh-oh! One of the followers who failed to escape screamed. Just as he was about to die, Jill stood in front of him and caught a bone arrow with her shield and armor. The five bone arrows ricochet off her without a scratch and fall to the ground without any force. Ji, Jill!" Quickly. Hurry up and run!" Yes, sir. With a ground-shaking boom, a huge dragon, reduced to bones, swooped down with its wings folded. The five who had fled into the tunnels hid themselves and peered toward the skull dragon with only their faces showing. (Dekai ......) It was as tall as a tower-like clay figure (tower golem). But that was not the only peculiarity of the Skull Dragon. In addition to its flying and bone arrows, it was also highly maneuverable. (A few moments ago, the earth shook from far away. He flew all the way here in an instant? (How fast they are with that huge body.) Mirko felt a chill run down his spine. No matter what he did, there was no escaping this monster. If Jill was hit, there would be no one here who could stand up to the S-class monster. They will not be able to avoid total destruction. "Phew, no shortage of opponents." Jill''s eyes sparkle as she faces an opponent whom she can give her all for the first time in a long time, an opponent whom she does not know if she can win even if she gives her all. The skull dragon''s eyes, or rather the place where eyes used to be, are now just a void, and it stops for a moment, as if contemplating. Jill readied her sword and shield. Instantly, the Skull Dragon, with an agility that did not match its huge body, took a step, whipped the bones of its body like a whip, and unleashed its claws, which remained even in its bony form. He was so fast, I couldn''t dodge him!) Jill reflexively takes a passive stance with her shield, but is blown away and slammed into the wall of a building. The building Jill hit was crushed, and the wall collapsed, sending up a cloud of smoke. Mirko and the others watch in dismay. (Oh, no. Jill-san hit the building with a single blow (......) Skull Dragon looks toward Mirko and the others. Hee-hee." Oh, hey. You gotta be kidding me." Just as Skull Dragon is about to unleash the same technique against Mirko and the others, a red shadow dances above Skull Dragon''s head and swings his sword down. The Skull Dragon barely caught it with its right wing. But on the contrary, its right wing was crushed by the great sword. It''s too hard! Jill frowned at the unexpectedly hard response. (I thought I could cut the wing in two. (I thought I could cut the wing in two, but it only shattered slightly.) Well then." The Skull Dragon swung its claws at Jill as she landed, but this time they were neatly parried by the shield. I got it!) Jill let go of her shield and swung her sword, which she grabbed with both hands, against its outstretched arm. Bones shatter and white fragments scatter around the area. The bone shattered, and white fragments scattered around the area.) Jill''s slash severed the skull dragon''s left wrist. Undeterred, the Skull Dragon leapt backwards and distanced itself from Jill. Jill, too, did not pursue too deeply, but picked up her shield while maintaining a distance that barely allowed her to avoid the claw attack that had just blown her away. But as she does so, the bone that Jill crushed or broke moves on its own, settling back into place and connecting with the skull dragon''s original location. In no time at all, the skull dragon regained its original form. Woohoo. I guess it doesn''t matter how much I break the bones. Jill stares at the glowing purple core of the skull dragon''s thickest bone, between the ribs and spine, probably where the heart used to be before it was born. (You have to damage that core. It''s protected by the ribs, so a single blow won''t do it. We have to hit it with a series of blows.) A dull pain is felt in the chest. d*mn. (d*mn, the damage from earlier is taking its toll. My stamina has been completely drained. Jill had to grit her teeth to keep from showing her pained face. (Next time, if I get the same attack as before, I don''t know if I''ll be able to stand. ......) Immediately, the Skull Dragon makes a move to step in. Jill started to run. She was agile enough to be wearing armor, but she was just barely able to dodge the Skull Dragon''s attack. The place where Jill had been just a moment ago was left with horrific claw marks. (This is the kind of thing that will get you if you''re not careful.) At the time Jill was encountering the Skull Dragon, Monica, who had cleared the "Mine Dungeon," was waking up at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" headquarters after 24 hours of sleep. After having a light meal in the cafeteria, she headed to the reception desk. ''Monica-san, you were on the list for this month''s number of defeats. The receptionist hands Monica a copy of the defeat ranking, issued by the Quest Reception Office. Oh, hi. When Monica looked at the ranking, she saw that the name "Monica Vermale" was proudly listed in first place. (Okay, provisional No. 1.) Monica poses her guts with one hand. The difference between her and second place was more than 20 bodies. (I might really be able to get the first place in the number of destroyed bodies this month. (I really might be able to get first place in the number of destroyed bodies this month...maybe Mr. Roland will give me a little praise?(phew) Congratulations on your provisional first place." Oh, thank you, Miss Claria. I''m sorry to wake you up so early, but may I pass along some instructions from Mr. Lorang? Yes, sir. Please do." Since Claria became Roland''s secretary, Monica had been receiving more and more communications and instructions through Claria. Monica knew that Roland was busy, and although she knew it was inevitable, she still could not help but feel a touch of loneliness. She said, "If you have enough time in your status, he asked me to join the troops returning from the ''Dungeon of the Demon World.'' And, of course, they told us to conquer the dungeon and aim for the first place in the number of defeats." Yes!" (Mr. Lorang. You remembered my promise of first place in the number of defeats.) Monica was happy to hear that. No matter how busy she got, Roland always took care of himself. (Okay. I''ll do my best.) Monica was once again fired up. In fact, the response felt like it could work. Thanks to "Skewer," Monica''s monster-killing tally had reached unprecedented levels. And even though she had dived into dungeons three times this month, she was not exhausted, but rather had plenty of energy left in her. In terms of dungeon exploration distance, he is probably the best in town. This is enough to reach the first place in the number of defeats. (Please watch me, Mr. Roland. I will surely live up to your expectations.) Monica tightly clutched the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" that Roland had given her. Monica clutched the "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" that Roland had given her.The "Arsenal of Spirits"?Or are you at the quest office?" Mr. Roland headed for the ''mining dungeon. Hearing this, Monica was astonished. A ''mining dungeon''?Why?We already cleared the "mine dungeon. In fact, an S-class monster, the Skull Dragon, has appeared. Skull dragon? Yeah, so Jill was ahead of me. ...... Mr. Jill!By "Ms. Jill," do you mean Jill Irwin of "The Golden Eagle?" Oh, yes. Yes, that''s right. Jill-san is now a member of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. And she is taking part in the defeat of S-class monsters. However, she entered the dungeon before the S-class equipment developed by the "Arsenal of Spirits" was completed. That''s why Roland went into the dungeon after Jill to deliver the completed S-class weapon. Follow Ms. Jill at ......." (No, no, no. I must concentrate on my mission. I have to be number one in the number of defeats. I don''t have time to worry about Jill.) Monica gripped the chest of her dress tightly to calm her mind. I''m sure Mr. Roland will approve of me if I become the number one in the number of defeats. (Isn''t that right, Mr. Roland?) Monica pushed her anxiety to the back of her mind as she headed for the "Dungeon of the Demon World. Roland was hovering restlessly in the corridor of the "Arsenal of Spirits. The impatience and irritation on his face were clearly visible. His mind was ruminating over the conversation he had had with Dianna. Do you want to join the Guardians of the Magic Tree? Yes," he said. Yes." Dianna said smilingly and affectionately. I''d love to be your secretary. Dianna said with her best flirtatiousness. Even the quintessential Roland could not hide his dismay at this. Dianna. Do you understand your position? Yes, of course. Yes, of course. I am a close associate of Lucius. Wouldn''t it be of immeasurable benefit to you if I joined your side? A few weeks ago," he said. But now the tide has turned. I have a lot of information that could help us get rid of Lucius. We know that there is no longer any time left for Lucius. There is no way we need your help to hunt him down. Oh, well. How about this?Jill is in danger." What did you say ......?" Roland''s face tightens. I knew you didn''t know that. What do you mean?How in the world did you get ......? If all goes according to plan, Jill will never come back from the dungeon. That''s ridiculous. Jill can''t be killed by some adventurer. ...... But not while fighting S-class monsters. Tell me. What the hell is Lucius ......" Oh, well, that''s not much of a negotiation. Dianna said, as if she was trying to soothe him. ''If you want to know about the dangers of Jill, you know what to do. You know what to do. Roland tapped on the hallway wall. d*mn." (Jill. (Stay safe.) Mr. Roland. Here it is, the weapon for S class adventurers, the ''Dragon Hammer''. Cheal and Dorwin bring in the S-class weapons on a cart. Good. Marina! Yes! Marina, who was resting on the sofa by her side, jumps up with a start. It''s ''equipment possession. You are the only one who can carry this equipment." Yes, sir. Then please be modest and visit ....... Gosh, it''s heavy. What is this? I''ve used up most of the capacity of my "equipment holdings. Marina looks pale, as if something is stuck in her stomach. Marina was already a class-A equivalent item owner, but even so, she seemed to be in a lot of pain. At any rate, Roland took Marina, who looked ill, and the B-class adventurers he had hurriedly assembled to infiltrate the "mine dungeon. (Jill ...... please be in time) The battle between Jill and the Skull Dragon continued. It had probably been five hours since the battle began. Both sides were engaged in a tense battle of nerves. Jill, running as fast as a panther, tried to flank the skull dragon. But the Skull Dragon was no slouch either. It showed agility unmatched by its huge body, dodging Jill''s slashes just in time. d*mn! What a disgusting pause!) Jill had been trying to fight in a favorable position for a while now, a position in which she could dodge the skull dragon''s attack just barely on paper and step forward with the blinding force of a single step, but the skull dragon would not let her do so. The Skull Dragon steps dexterously and shows a surprisingly good small maneuverability. It even tried to flank Jill. It''s so big and strong, why don''t you give up your agility to me? Jill swung her sword at the tip of the wing. However, it seems that she did not take the right step. The Skull Dragon rounded Jill''s blind spot and whipped its bony tail like a whip. Oh, no!) Jill felt the attack coming from out of sight. She rolled over and barely dodged. Next came the bone arrows. Some of them hit Jill''s armor. (Don''t worry. Bone arrows can be protected even by armor. ......) The faint sound of creaking metal echoed in Jill''s ears. What?) Jill quickly glanced at her armor and saw that it was cracked. (No way!(Is your armor already at its limit?) Immediately, the Skull Dragon comes in with a volley of bone arrows from its mouth. d*mn." Jill hastily avoids it. (If the next attack hits his armor, he''s in trouble. Somehow "Earthcraft" ......) But the Skull Dragon did not ease up on its attack. The Skull Dragon had the means to attack Jill at any distance. (Ugh. If it stops moving, it''s over. But at this rate, it would be ......) Eventually, Jill was cornered against the wall. Shhhh... ......" The Skull Dragon tries to spit a bone arrow. It jerked its head back and went into a preliminary move. (Dodge through the wall?No, no, no. (No, not in time.) At that moment, a black flying object flew in and showered the skull dragon with crescent-shaped slashes. The skull dragon''s head is crushed. The black-robed swordsman who took the slash landed nearby. The black-robed swordsman landed close to the Skull Dragon. What, you''re ...... ''Knight of the Crescent Moon'' Yugan! Hmm?"Are you Jill Irwin of the Golden Eagle? Why are you here, Mr. Yugan, ......? I don''t think so. I''m here to take down this bone lizard at the request of Lucius. And? Yugan cleaves a flying skull dragon''s bone arrow with his sword. The head, which Yugan should have crushed, regenerates before long. (The head, which was supposed to be smashed, has been restored. I guess I''ll have to attack the heart directly.) That''s one lively skull dragon! Yugan leaps into the Skull Dragon''s bosom with unusual speed. (Fast!) I got it. Yugan launches a thrust through the thick bone, but the skull dragon deflects it by expanding its ribs. Yugan''s thrust stops short of reaching the heart. What? The skull dragon purges itself of ribs and flies away while Yugan is off balance. Yarrow. Wait for me! Yugan hurried after them. (Did he survive ......?) Jill crumples involuntarily on the spot. "Ggh, huffing and puffing." Jill, who had been moving almost apnea-free earlier, hastily takes a deep breath. (This is an S-class monster. I''m getting by, but ......, it''s stronger than I expected) Jill," he said. Are you all right?" His followers come running up to him. Oh, oh, I''m sorry. Can you give me some ''Earthcraft''?" Yes, sir. One of the followers tries to take the "Earth Craft" from his pocket. One of the followers tries to take an Earthcraft from his pocket. First, the potion. Mirko said to control the man who was trying to take out the "Earth Craft. What?Uh, yeah, right." The potion is handed to Jill. I''m sorry. Thank you. Jill takes the potion and drinks it down. She regained a little strength. Then she realizes that her strength has been drained more than expected. I''m sorry. Give me more potions. Yes, sir. Here you go." Jill downed the potion in the blink of an eye. (Was I too naive? No matter how much Roland trained me, I would have lost if I had fought like that.) Are you all right?" Mirko looks into my face. Ah." Jill gets up. He then quickly picked up the sword he had been stabbing into the ground beside him. No way. Are you still going to fight?" Mirko said in surprise. The other followers tried to stop him together. It''s reckless. Your status is also depleted, isn''t it?" Do you understand?Now we have to fight him and that Yugan, too, don''t we?" I know. But I have to go." (I have to prove it. (I have to prove what I''m capable of, Mr. Roland. As long as I can do that, I won''t spare my life.) I''ve lost a lot of status, but I should still have enough left. As long as my armor is restored, I can still fight. Whether it is a skull dragon or Yugan, I will defeat it. They all fall silent under the weight of Jill''s resolve. I understand. If you insist that much. I won''t stop you. But we will go with you. Mirko said. ''Mirko, but ...... I know. We know that we can only carry potions. But even so, we don''t want to let Lucius get away with this. Mirko ......" ''We will act discreetly so as not to interfere. Instead, if things get bad, please withdraw immediately. We will help you with the supplies, if we can. Thank you. I can fight longer with you guys around." Jill tries to use "Earthcraft". Jill tries to use "Earthcraft. Before you use "Earth Craft". I''ve been asked to do something by the guild leader. ......" The head of the guild? Yes, your assassination. Mirko stabbed Jill in the side, the cracked part, with his sword. Huh? Whoa, hey! Mirko, what are you doing? The other members were also upset by Mirko''s sudden action. Mirko took off his armor and revealed his true form, which he had been hiding under it. There, he was dressed in a ninja outfit for assassins (assassin). Mirko took a dark weapon from his pocket and showered the other followers with it, slaughtering them in the blink of an eye. Mirko, you!" When Jill tries to swing her sword, she is struck by dizziness. (My body won''t listen to me. Is this ...... poison?) Jill falls to her knees and then slumps over. Mirko grins and looks at Jill from above. He looks down at Jill from above, grinning. Even with this deadly poison, she doesn''t die instantly. But he can''t move any further. It''s too bad I couldn''t become an S-class knight for Roland-san''s sake." Mirko was now smiling cruelly, not even trying to hide his true nature. Jill glared at Mirko in frustration. (Mirko came to me at the first opportunity, to the Roland School. That means ......) No way, you''ve been ...... from the beginning." Yes," he said. From the beginning, I joined the Lorrain faction to spy on people. Lucius asked me to do it." d*mn. Whoa, grow up. Mirko stomped on Jill''s head. Agh!" Jill screamed weakly. Her beautiful face was pressed against the ground. Mirko undid the clasps of Jill''s armor, leaving her clad in nothing but her inner robe, and pulled her beautiful hair, forcing her to look up. Jill''s face was painful to look at because of Mirko''s stomping on it. Her beautiful hair was covered with marks from the stomping, her cheeks were stained with dust, and blood was smeared on the edges of her cut lips. Mirko, do you know what you''re doing? If you do this in the dungeon, ...... I''m sure there''s nothing to worry about. I am an assassin. I kill people, get paid, change my name, and wander from city to city. As soon as I get paid, I''ll let you leave this city. However, ......" Mirko looks at Jill''s bottom half as she licks it all over with a sneer. It was a superb piece of eye candy that he had been stealing whenever he had the chance for a long time now. ''I''ll have to take the time to enjoy it first. Mirko reaches for Jill''s ample limbs. Don''t touch me." Jill shakes off Mirko''s hand with all her might, pulls out a knife and tries to slash at him. "Whoa!" Mirko jumped back in surprise and dodged Jill''s counterattack. I was surprised. I didn''t know you could still move that well. Ugh! The earth rumbled nearby. The Skull Dragon seemed to be approaching again. d*mn. Maybe we shouldn''t stay too long. Mirko looks at Jill with regret. He was asked by Lukius to kill her. Well, it won''t last long in that state anyway. The rest is ......" Mirko picked up Jill''s sword, which had fallen by her side, and destroyed it. Ah!" (My sword was given to me by ...... Roland.) Well, this one should be enough evidence." Mirko puts the broken sword in his pocket and walks away. He puts the broken sword in his pocket and walks away. Mirko!" I''ve been meaning to tell you this for a long time, but you''d better learn to doubt people. See you." Gugu, wait. Mirko, Mirko!" Jill desperately tried to chase after Mirko, but her legs wouldn''t obey her. In addition, his consciousness began to fade. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I''m still nothing.) Jill grits her teeth and tries to hold on. (I haven''t been able to give anything back to that man, Mr. Roland, yet.) But mercilessly, the poison consumed Jill''s body more and more. Finally, Jill could no longer stand and lay on the ground. She could no longer breathe, and her consciousness began to fade. "Ugh, Mr. Roland. ...... (I''m sorry, Mr. Roland. You have given me so much. I could never give anything back.) Jill looked back at her memories of Roland in her waning consciousness. The first time she met Roland, he immediately told her she had talent. He stayed up late at night with me to help me train. He bought me special equipment. He talked to his bosses so that he could participate in higher level quests for me. He was the only one who recognized Jill''s talent while everyone else in "The Golden Eagle" gave up on her. I wish I had repaid him sooner. (I''m sorry, Mr. Roland.) Jill heard a voice calling her name. (I think you''ve finally arrived.) Jill waited for her soul to leave her body. But no matter how long she waited, she could not actually travel to heaven. Instead of her body losing its strength, she felt rather a surge of vitality. Instead of fading away, her consciousness was awakening. (What?(Strength coming on) As usual, I hear voices calling me. The voices became louder and clearer. Jill. Jill." Jill opened her eyes and saw Loran''s face peering at her. ''Is that Loran ......?'' I''m glad to hear that. It looks like we made it in time." It looks like he survived. Another voice was heard from the side. I looked over to see a man dressed as a healer. He seemed to have detoxified and restored me. What are you doing here, Mr. Roland? Dianna told me. Dianna told me that Lucius has sent assassins after you. I see. Dianna is at ......." Jill felt her breathing return to normal. The air hurt. Tears spontaneously spilled. Jill?" ''Thank God. Mr. Roland, I thought I would never see you again." ...... Oh, I''m so glad you''re okay." At that moment, the earth rumbled as if to break the silence. Is this the footsteps of the Skull Dragon?" Jill rises with a gulp. Then she immediately becomes dizzy. Ugh." Jill, are you okay?Come on, hold on." Roland supported Jill with his shoulder. Mr. Roland, what''s the situation?" The Skull Dragon is alive and well. I think he''s fighting someone. Probably Yugan. We had a brief contact with him before he was caught unawares by the Assassins." Yugan!Yugan, you mean Yugan from "Knights of the Crescent Moon?" Yes. He appears to be in the employ of Lucius. I see. That guy Lukius hired such a big shot?" Mr. Roland, would you please appraise me?" What? I don''t know if I still have what it takes to fight. How can I fight?" Don''t tell me you''re about to fight the Skull Dragon?" Of course. You must not give anything more to Lukius, that man who has wronged and disgraced Mr. Roland, and you must own the title of S-Class. To that end, Mr. Roland, give me the strength to fight one more time, one more time." Jill ......" Loran gave Jill a status appraisal. [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 70-110 Toughness: 80-120 Agility: 70-105 Stamina: 80-200 (It looks like the poison has cut down his status considerably. (It seems that the poison has reduced the status a lot. It''s not really an "S" class, more like an "A" class at best. (But ......) Jill ......, your base stats are all below 100 right now. Not very much, but you can''t compete with the Skull Dragon." No way. ...... Except, of course, for a moment. What? Your status is now in a state of flux. However, the highest value is still above 100. If you can pull out all the stops for a moment of opportunity, you might just be able to slay the Skull Dragon. "In a moment''s chance, ...... give it all you''ve got. ...... Marina, get the thing! Yes, sir. Marina takes the armor and sword out of her item bag and drops them directly to the ground. With an unnaturally dull thud, the armor and sword plunged to the ground. From the sound alone, Jill could tell that the equipment was made of a material that was denser and harder than ever before. "Mr. Roland, I don''t think this is ...... Oh," he said. It''s an S-class weapon we made, the ''dragon hammer. The "Dragon Hammers" ...... I''m not sure if you can handle this ...... right now, to be honest. But if you could bring out the highest of your status for a moment, you might be able to defeat ...... or even the Skull Dragon. What do you say, Jill?" Jill huffed. I''ll do anything you tell me to do, Mr. Roland," she said. (From the day I met you, I have done exactly what you told me to do and have gone beyond any limits.) Roland chuckled. (Not at all. Blind faith is a good thing to have.) I understand," he said. Jill, you go and take down the Skull Dragon. You can do it." Yes!" <> 48 - Art. 48. Heroes and Sinners Tsk. It keeps regenerating after every slice!There''s no end in sight! Yugan was running, using his sword to clear away the bone arrows that were raining down on him. He had weak endurance (toughness) for an S-class adventurer. Instead, his agility was outstanding. The skull dragon swooped around Yugan''s escape route and blocked it. It slashes at him with its claws. However, Yugan saw through the Skull Dragon''s attack, and instantly moved around behind it from the slight blind spot it had created. No matter how agile the Skull Dragon was, there was no way to prevent its huge body from creating a blind spot. "Haaaaaaah!" Yugan slashed at one of the Skull Dragon''s wings from behind. Dozens of bony wings were sliced apart by Yugan''s beloved sword, which was only a meter or so long. It was like an attempt to break a creek with a wooden stick. Rah!" However, Yugan''s dagger blade cut through the bones of dozens of wings without wavering. Gruaaaaaah!" The Skull Dragon turned and swung its claws at Yugan, but Yugan flinched and dodged. Yugan dodged it with a flutter. I can do this.) Yugan was becoming convinced of his victory. I''m much more agile than you. I know all the attack patterns, and I''ve seen them all. If I keep on ticking like this, he will reach the limit of his stamina at some point. Yugan then dispels the falling bone arrows with his sword. (After this, he should regenerate the wing he cut off. (After this, he should regrow the wings he cut off.) He takes advantage of this opportunity to deliver another slash or two. Yugan continues to run in a circle around the Skull Dragon, holding his sword at the ready and looking for an opening. However, the skull dragon made a different move than Yugan expected. With its right hand, it grabbed its left wing and tore it off. What?) The bones of the purged wings fell apart and decayed. He tore off his own wing?) The Skull Dragon runs along with Yugan. Once again, a pause began between Skull Dragon and Yugan. Both sides try to get just the right pause for themselves. Skull Dragon was clearly more agile than before. With small steps, he tried to lure Yugan into his claws. He swiped his claws away, grazing Yugan''s cheek and making a cut. His agility has increased!Calm down. (But you still see through the attack.) Yugan moves in behind the Skull Dragon, which has been knocked down by the attack. (Humph. No matter how powerful the attack is, it doesn''t matter if it doesn''t hit!) Yugan goes behind the enemy''s back at once, as he has done many times before. Once you''re behind them, there''s nothing you can do!) However, contrary to Yugan''s prediction, the skull dragon fought back. No matter how fast it moved, it never used its bone legs to attack, but it raised them and kicked backward like a capoeira. (Nah!(Kicking with this figure, huh?) That was not all. A second and third wave of kicks followed in rapid succession. Yugan was unable to dodge and was grazed by the third wave. Even though he was grazed, the force was as if he had been hit by a truck. Gah!" Yugan rolls on the ground, spitting blood, and somehow manages to get out of the way. He gets up and moves away. (Tsk. I let my guard down.) Yugan somehow manages to deal with the bone arrows that are raining down on him, and he manages to get out of the way and regain his stance. While dodging the skull dragon''s slamming attack, he drank a potion to regain his strength, but his body did not move as fast as he wanted it to. d*mn it, my agility has been reduced. Since I had already seen through the skull dragon''s attack pattern, I was able to dodge its attacks, but I was unable to get behind it as I had done earlier. I could not find a clue to counterattack. This is not good. If we continue to fight a war of attrition, we''ll be in trouble. ......) Seeing that Yugan was exhausted, Skull Dragon shot out all the bone arrows he could muster, determined to win the game. Tsk. You''re doing exactly what I don''t want you to do! Yugan tries to run while brushing away the rain of bones with his sword, but he is nearly knocked off his sword. d*mn, my arm strength is getting low too. Reluctantly, Yugan stops and holds his sword in both hands. The Skull Dragon takes advantage of this opportunity to come around behind him. Yugan barely dodges the Skull Dragon''s attack. But his arm goes numb. It''s no good. I''m going to have to recover once I''m back on my feet. (I''m going to have to retreat.) Yugan glanced at the Skull Dragon while protecting his arm. (The question is ...... how to escape from it.) The Skull Dragon came again, sending bone arrows flying. ''Tsk, give me a minute. The skull dragon comes around behind me again. (YABBE) Yugan prepared to die. But then a shield flies up and hits the skull dragon in the head. (This shield is ......) When Yugan looked in the direction from which the shield flew, he saw Jill running at full speed, dragging her sword. (Jill Irwin!What the hell is that guy?(Your equipment has changed!) Until a few minutes ago, Jill had a large sword, but it was at most long and large enough to be carried on her back. However, her current sword was long and large enough to be carried on her shoulder. Thanks to this, she was always dragging the tip of the sword on the ground, somehow managing to carry it. (I wondered what she had been doing all this time, had she changed her equipment?) Jill was frowning as she dragged the "Dragon Hammer. (d*mn. I''m not sure how heavy it is. Even though he was only carrying it like this, he could feel his toughness and stamina being drained away. (But ......) Jill glares at the Skull Dragon with a snap. (I can''t disappoint Mr. Roland. We can''t let him down any further, keep him from his rightful place in our estimation.) The Skull Dragon captures Jill and leans in. He''s going to fight in that condition?(That''s absurd.) To Yugan, what Jill was doing seemed reckless. (He can''t even carry a sword on his back, can he? (How can you handle the agility of a skull dragon in that state?) Jill recalled what Roland had told her. With your current status, you can only use the ''dragon hammer'' twice. Twice......" The weight of the dungeon is too heavy for me to fine-tune it to be suitable for dungeon operations. I''m not sure how many times I can swing it around. Yes. We need to make sure we kill the enemy with a single blow. You know how to do that, right?Just fight like you normally would, like I taught you. Can you do that?" Yes!" (What Roland taught me. Instead of using agility (agility) to dodge brilliantly, use endurance (toughness) and arm strength (power) to fight straight at the enemy''s attack. (That is my way of fighting!) Jill carried the "dragon hammer" with as much strength in her legs as possible. By doing this, she was able to save her agility and save her power and toughness. The skull dragon used its entire body, flexing its bones like muscles, expanding and stretching its arms, and pointing its claws at Jill. I can''t do it. I can''t dodge it.) You idiot. Run away. You''ll die! Yugan shouted. Still, Jill did not run away. The determination in her eyes did not leave the Skull Dragon. The skull dragon''s claws hit Jill squarely in the body. A tremendous impact struck Jill''s body. However, her body was not blown away, but only backed up slightly. Rather, the Skull Dragon''s claws broke. What?" Yugan rolled his eyes. (Doesn''t that armor blow away, let alone get a scratch on it?Unusual weight!(Is that a new material?) I got you. The Skull Dragon." If I''m going to make sure I get you, it''s going to have to be at this moment, when you''re out of position.) Jill whipped her body, which was screaming from the heavy damage, and gripped the sword with both hands. I threw my shield so that at this time I could hold the sword with both hands. I dragged the sword to save my strength for this moment. Activate the skill "Single Point Concentration (Burst)" (temporarily increases any status to twice its highest value in exchange for a significant drain on all statuses). Kuray!" Jill swings her great sword with all her might and strikes the Skull Dragon''s claws. The Skull Dragon''s arm burst from palm to shoulder. The Skull Dragon was stunned, not knowing what had just happened. Jill kicked the ground with all her might and dove into the Skull Dragon''s chest. She swung her "Haryutsu" down on the Skull Dragon''s shoulder in an exaggerated slash. The "Ha-Ryu-Tsuki" shattered the skull dragon''s thick ribs as well as its core. It was a hammer blow in the shape of a sword, but with the weight of the sword, it could crush even the largest of enemies, leading even the dragon to ruin. The light of life was completely extinguished from the huge skeleton. The bones decayed on the spot and crumbled into pieces. Jill falls to the ground, buried under the dismembered bones. Yugan watched in dismay. (Seriously? He did it. With a single blow to the Skull Dragon''s thick ribs ......) Jill!" As Yugan is stunned, a man rushes up under the crumpled and broken skull dragon. (That guy is ......) From the looks of it, he didn''t seem to be much of a fighter. Looking at his equipment and the way he carried himself, he was probably a D-class adventurer at best. Frantically digging through the pile of bones, I pulled up Jill, who was buried among the bones. Jill. Pull yourself together." He looks at Jill as if measuring her condition. It was like he was appraising her status. (That guy. Appraiser?Don''t tell me that''s the guy you''re talking about, the S-class appraiser in town?) Yugan remembered what Monica and the others had said about the appraiser. (Was that the one who delivered that new weapon to Jill? Not only can he spot hidden skills, but he can develop a weapon like that?) Ugh, Mr. Roland. ......" Jill woke up moaning. ''Jill, thank God. [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 1-110 Endurance (toughness): 1-120 Agility: 1-105 Physical strength (stamina): 1-200 (All statuses, the lowest value is 1. You''ve really pulled out all the stops. (Totally reckless.)] Mr. Roland. The Skull Dragon is at ......." It''s all right. It''s all right. It''s completely silent now. You beat him. Congratulations. You''re now a Class S adventurer. Really?Good. Now I can finally give you the title you deserve, finally give you a little something back ......" Jill, you''re such a ...... anyway, let''s treat you now. Can you stand?" Yes, sir. Jill somehow manages to stand up with the help of Roland''s shoulder. The mission is over. Let''s go home. Roland looked over and saw Yugan. He was staring at him. Roland recognized his ability at a glance. (I don''t need to appraise him; he''s an S-class adventurer, "Knight of the Crescent Moon" Yugan ......) "Thank you." Roland bowed his head with a bow. ''Huh, you''re an S-class appraiser? Do you know who I am?" Yeah, there''s quite a rumor going around. There is a skilled appraiser who trains dropout adventurers to become first-class appraisers. But that''s just in a small circle. I see. His name is Roland? "......" I finally got to see your face. You look harmless enough at first glance, but you''ve got some pretty sharp fangs. Thank you. ...... Ugh. Jill?Are you okay?" Roland sees Jill moaning and sends her to be treated by a healer. ''I''m sorry, Mr. Yugan, but I have to take Jill back to town. If you''ll excuse me. Good bye." Yugan watched Roland''s back for a while. ''d*mn, you snatched away my earnings again. (I see. That Lukius is afraid of me. Roland ...... will get his name out there for this one.) He''s not the kind of guy who ends up in this town. We will see each other again sooner or later. ...... The Skull Dragon has been defeated, an S-class monster downed. The announcement at the quest reception desk sent the town''s residents into a frenzy. At last, an S-class adventurer had been born. People rushed to the dungeon to catch a glimpse of the heroic figure of the S-class adventurer. Soon after, Gilles made his appearance. The people applauded and cheered. Jill was stunned. Jill, they rushed to see your heroic figure at first sight. Make sure you respond to them. Yes." Jill holds up a piece of the skull dragon''s heart. The residents rose to their feet. We have a new class S adventurer! City of Adventurers, Banzai!Congratulations to these brave adventurers!" Soon the place was filled with people cheering and congratulating. People gathered on both sides of the street, creating the appearance of a parade. When Roland and Jill arrived at the plaza, the excitement reached its peak. Blessed Jill, S-Class Adventurer!" Blessed Jill, S Class Adventurer! Blessed Jill, S-Class Adventurer! Blessed be the Golden Eagle! Blessed be the Keeper of the Magical Tree! Blessed be the Arsenal of Spirits! People were shouting the names of guilds in a mazy way, not knowing which guilds to bless. Jill and Loran laughed. Loran-san, could you please lend me your ''Ha-Ryu-Tsuki'' once more?" What?But, Jill. You are ......" I''ll be fine. I won''t push it." Jill received the "Dragon Hammer" from Marina and held it up to the people. The sword is engraved with the emblem of the "Arsenal of Spirits. The people responded exactly to Jill''s message. Bless the Arsenal of Spirits! Blessed be the Arsenal of Spirits! Bless the Arsenal of Spirits! Now, Mr. Roland, you, too, raise your sword. What, are you sure?" Of course. Here you go." Roland put his hand on Jill''s raised sword. One of the spectators tilted his head. Who is that guy?" It''s Roland. The appraiser. A connoisseur?" Yeah, I heard he''s the head of the guild of the Arsenal of the Spirits. So you made that weapon, too?" Yeah, it must be." This conversation quickly became contagious. Blessed Roland the connoisseur who created the S-class weapon, the "Dragon Hammer! Bless you, Roland the Appraiser! Blessed Roland the Appraiser! People started shouting so. Roland was feeling self-conscious, but he was still receiving people''s blessings. No," he said. I feel good. I''ve been blessed by all of you. Marina, walking beside me, said proudly. ''No, no, why are you beating your chest?'' The healer man said. Hearing their exchange, Roland and Gilles looked at each other and laughed amusingly. Lilianne watched the parade from the sky. She had just returned to the city ahead of the others after conquering the "Forest Dungeon. (Good for you, Loranne. You''ve managed to raise Miss Jill with your own hands, and to earn your rightful honor.) Congratulations, Mr. Roland!" Impressed, Jill hugged and kissed Loran. She kissed him on the cheek, which was extremely close to his lips. Lillianne tilted her head. (Hmm?) Jill''s lips did not part immediately, and she kissed him repeatedly. Roland was embarrassed, but accepted the kisses. Finally, Roland returned the kisses on Jill''s cheeks. Jill was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed her reward from Roland with her eyes closed. (Well, well, it''s a love between master and disciple, isn''t it? Master-disciple love. Let''s tolerate it for today at least.) Lillianne thought so and decided not to think too much about it. A hotel room. The investors of "The Golden Eagle" were gathered in a room that looked like a conference room. They were watching the parade from the window with a bitter look on their faces. What an abomination! One of the investors said. Not only did they fail to conquer the dungeon, they even missed killing the S-class monster." And all this in the same way that he was betrayed by Jill Irwin. All proceeds from the defeat of S-class monsters go to the Guardians of the Magical Tree, I''m told. The Gilded Eagle has made zero money this month. On the contrary, I hear that the movement within the guild to bring down Lucius is becoming more and more violent by the day. How much does that man have to hurt our bottom line? How in the world are you going to take responsibility for this? The investors complained and complained to each other. At one point, a banker, who had remained silent until then, opened his mouth. He said, "Gentlemen, don''t you think it''s time to bring this to a close? Judgment?" Yes, it is a judgment on Lucius. We have given him time and opportunity and waited patiently. And he has failed us. I propose that Lukius be removed from his position as head of the Golden Eagle Guild and that a new guild leader be hired. When the banker said this, the investors suddenly began to become disheartened and everyone looked down as if at a loss. If you fire Lucius, who in the world can replace him?" The only adventurers in the Golden Eagle are those who know nothing but walking through dungeons, wielding weapons and relying solely on their own bravery. They all look like a bunch of thugs, one step ahead of the rest of us. Not a single one of them has any business savvy." Meanwhile, the Gilded Eagle is a mess. The finances are in shambles and the organization is in disarray. The organization is in disarray. It''s too big to handle. There is no one in the guild who is qualified for the job. And moreover, in the face of this difficult situation, there is no one who can steer the ship correctly. ...... I can think of one person who does. Said the banker. ''Ring a bell?'' Yes, he used to belong to the Golden Eagle and was one of the driving forces behind its breakthrough. He is now the head of the alchemy guild "Arsenal of Spirits" and a special advisor to the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and has succeeded in producing a large number of A-class adventurers. I have heard that it was largely due to his achievements that Jill was raised to become an S-class adventurer." What?Is there such a person?" I didn''t know that. Who the hell is he? His name is Roland, and he is a grade S appraiser. I suggest that you ask him to become the guild leader of the Golden Eagle and rebuild the guild. Lucius was busy running around the headquarters of the "Golden Eagle". Dianna. Dianna. Where are you?" Lucius called out loudly, but no response came back. Dianna," he said, "it looks like Jill''s S-class monster has been killed. Yugan and Mirko, they talked a big game, but they couldn''t do anything about it. Those useless bastards. Lilianne has conquered the forest dungeon, and the dungeon in the magical world will soon fall into the hands of the guardians of the magical tree. We were annihilated. I really have no income this month. d*mn it. That pestilent appraiser. Anyway, no matter what excuses I come up with, I''ll never be able to cover it up. I''m going to be fired. I''m going to get as much severance pay as I can. I''m going to cover up all the accounting irregularities and put the blame on my successor. I will make him suffer as much as possible. To do this, I need to buy time, destroy evidence, and forge new documents. Help me, Dianna. Dianna?Hey, where are you really, Dianna? Stop hiding and come out." Lucius looked around his room, wide with dark clouds. But she was nowhere to be found, as she should always be. He looked around the room again to see if he had overlooked her, but she was still nowhere to be found. Rukius enters his office, suspicious. He sees a ransacked filing cabinet. When I looked, it seemed that every single document that could be used as evidence of improper accounting had been removed. That''s ridiculous. Why are all the documents being removed from ...... and by whom?" Lucius thought about all the suspects who had stolen the documents. But no matter how many times he thought about it, he could think of only one person other than Lucius who had free access to this room. (No way, Dianna?(Did he betray me?) He gives Lucius'' weakness to his enemies and escapes from the muddy boat by himself. It was Dianna''s idea. But ......, Lucius thinks about it. The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to be honest with yourself. The trend has already been decided. Even if Roland did not do this or that any more, Lukius would not be able to avoid losing his position. From Roland''s point of view, he had no reason to go out of his way to help Dianna. Unless Dianna has something else to offer. However, there is only one thing that Dianna has that Roland would want. Roland demands it. Dianna is more than willing to give it to him. She opens her bosom and opens her legs, surrendering herself to the relief of being absolved and to the newfound pleasure. Roland plays with her body and basks in the afterglow of his small victory. The thought of it all made Lucius feel violently inferior. He feels palpitations and dizziness, and even his consciousness begins to fade. d*mn, ugh. That''s ridiculous. This, this can''t be ...... At that moment, the door slammed. Lucius was startled. Rukius, are you here?Police. You are suspected of improper accounting and tax evasion. We would like to question you. You should appear before us." Shit. As soon as Lucius picked up the sword displayed on the shelf, he ran toward the window. The sound of windowpanes being broken echoes down the hallway. ''Lucius?Hey, Lucius. I know you''re in there.Answer me. I''m coming in!" When the detectives entered, they found only broken windowpanes strewn about. Lukius is wanted that day. Learning from the Sebasta case, the police had the city''s exits monitored to ensure that Lucius could not flee the city. However, no one in the city, which was abuzz with the appearance of S-class adventurers, paid any attention to Rukius. The voices of praise for Roland and Gilles were endlessly heard in the city that day. <> 49 - Art. 49. The Guild Chief in Empty Position I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I''m tired. It''s exhausting to attack two dungeons. After returning from the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm," Euphine, while relaxing her stiff shoulders, told Monica, who was standing next to her, "I''ve been thinking about how I can make the most of the time I have left here. I can''t believe they made us go through all these dungeons just because it''s the best time to play. I''ll have to ask Roland to buy me something to make it worth it,....... Monica? Where are you going? Hey." Euphine hurried after Monica, who suddenly started running. Monica was headed for the quest reception area. She immediately checked the ranking of the number of destroyed items. (Okay. I got the first place in the number of defeats this month!) Monica popped her guts out. (It was tough, but I managed to do it. Now Mr. Roland will approve, won''t he?) As Monica was thinking this, she heard cheers coming from the street. ''What is it? What''s all this excitement?" ''Well?Let''s ask. Um, sorry." Yuffine approached a man walking down the street. He said, "There seems to be a lot of excitement going on, what''s going on?" Yeah, there''s an S-class adventurer in the making. An S-class adventurer?" Monica and Yuffine looked at each other. They ran out into the street and headed for a position where they could see the parade. In the middle of the street were Roland and Jill. They were being congratulated by the people. (Roland with ...... Jill) Monica saw the scene and for some reason felt a stirring in her heart. Lucius has disappeared. It took a little while for the people of the town to realize this, as they were completely buoyed by the birth of an S-class adventurer. Rukius was now a wanted criminal. The police immediately set up an emergency line to prevent Rukius from fleeing the city. The city went from a festive atmosphere to one of pomp and circumstance, with armed guards patrolling the streets on a regular basis. He was a former A-class adventurer, though he had declined since becoming head of the guild. Don''t let your guard down. When you seize him, take on more than one. At least three or more. If you encounter him alone, bide your time and wait for your friends to arrive. The captain of the security force told his men to be careful. The police also visited the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and asked for his cooperation. Roland watched from the window of the "Keeper of the Magical Tree" as the guards, clad in protective gear and swords, returned to their regular patrols. (Dianna had inspired him to tip off the police, though. Was that really the right thing to do? I never thought Lukius would disappear.) As Roland was pensive, Lillianne came up next to him. I''m worried. I can''t believe they haven''t caught Lucius yet. The position of head of the Golden Eagle Guild is still vacant. Roland does not answer, but continues to stare out the window with a melancholy expression on his face. (Lucius, what the hell do you think you''re doing too?You think you''re going to be bad at all of this?The game is already decided. What''s the use of adding more crimes to the list?) It was the next day that the banker visited Roland. ''Am I ...... to be the head of the guild of the "Golden Eagle"?'' Yeah, I''d love to have you on board." The banker said while smoking a cigar in the parlor of the "Keeper of the Magic Tree. I''ve already got the agreement of all the investors. We have the agreement of all the investors," he said, smoking a cigar in the parlor of the "Keeper of the Magical Trees. I''ve also agreed to appoint you as head of the guild of the Golden Eagle. All that remains is to receive your response. Oh, no. Even if it is suddenly said, ....... I am currently busy with both the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" guilds. ...... The situation at the Gilded Eagle is terrible right now. Profitability of the Golden Eagle has been slipping due to a series of blunders by Lukius. If things continue as they are, there will be a shortage of jobless adventurers in town. To begin with, I am a board member of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The Guardians of the Magic Tree is a rival guild of the Golden Eagle. I can''t believe I''m going to be the head of a guild of the Golden Eagle. ...... Jill Irwin." When the banker said this, Roland reacted with a jerk. ''Wouldn''t it be a negative for her to be charged?It''s a great loss not only for her, but for the city as well." ......" Whatever the reason, she violated her contract to the Guild. I don''t know what the next head of the Golden Eagle will decide, but in some cases her position may be in jeopardy. Are you going to use her as a bargaining chip?" No, no, it''s not like that. It''s just that it''s urgent that we deal with the "golden eagle," which has gone out of control, and we don''t have a lot of time to spare. ......" The banker pushed his cigar into the ashtray and rose with great ceremony. ''I''m going home for the day,'' he said. Take your time to think about your reply. We don''t have much time. Please give me an answer within a week. The atmosphere inside the building of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" was full of energy, as if the victorious mood had not yet cooled. On the other hand, there was also an atmosphere of disquiet that could not be hidden. Rumors had already spread that Roland had been asked to become the head of the "Golden Hawk" guild, and everyone knew about it. Meanwhile, Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine were having lunch in the cafeteria. They were all talking, "Mr. Roland, what are you going to do about it?" Shakuma said, as if to start a conversation. You''re not going to leave the Guardians of the Magical Tree just like that, are you?" This is ridiculous. Why would Mr. Roland return to the "Golden Eagle" after all this time? Euphine snapped. The days when the Golden Eagle was the best guild in town are behind us. Now the ''Guardians of the Magical Tree'' are by far the most dominant. I know, right?" Roland-san would never abandon us and go to the "Golden Eagle," would he? Shakuma said, relieved. ''Yes, that''s right. So we have to focus on what''s in front of us. We need to train our status and manage the dungeon in preparation for the dungeon''s emergence next season. We have three dungeons now, and we''re in a lot of trouble. "......" Monica?What''s wrong?" Euphine said as she peeked in on Monica, who had been alone in her pensive state since a few minutes ago. What?Uh, no. Nothing. Yeah?"You looked like something was bothering you, you know?" It was like he was not even here. I''m fine. It''s nothing. Monica sipped her soup deceptively. ''Really?I hope so. ......" But Monica quickly turns over again. (Is the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" overwhelmingly dominant ...... now? But Roland-san, you know, Jill-san is ......) Since returning from the dungeon, Monica had passed Roland several times, but he always gave her a difficult look and never said a word. Roland showed up at the Spirit''s arsenal to make arrangements for the dungeon management. As soon as he entered the workshop, he could hear Ranju talking with the salesman. ''So, he said he can''t take on any work for less than 500,000 gold. Even if I wanted to, I couldn''t make it, because I''ve been waiting months for a one-million-gold job. Oh, Mr. Roland. I''m sorry. I''ll see you later." When Ranju notices Loran is there, he interrupts his conversation with the sales person and comes over to Loran. ''Welcome back, Mr. Roland!We''re ready for your dungeon management meeting." Ah, well, let''s get to the conference room as soon as possible." Oh, there''s Mr. Roland. Welcome back, Mr. Roland. As Roland crosses the workshop, the workers greet him. Among them were Aryeh and Cheal. Ah, Mr. Roland, I''d like you to take a look at the silver we smelted later. Mr. Roland!Can you take a look at the maintenance of the "Breaking Hammer" later?" Yeah, guys, I''ll take a look at it later." As usual, Roland took a quick look around the workshop at the condition of the equipment, inventory, supplies, and workers. (After all, this is where I feel safest.) Roland looked to the corner of the workshop and saw Jill and Dorwin there. Jill. Dorwin." Mr. Roland, I''m sorry to bother you. Hi. The two men also greeted Roland with a bow. Roland had a complicated feeling. Aside from Dorwin being an alchemist, Jill was here because she had no place in the "Golden Eagle". ''Dorwin, I''m sorry. I''m sorry for making you stay until the end." No, it''s a learning experience for me too, working with Cheal. Jill, I''m sorry. You''re still recovering from your battle with the Skull Dragon, aren''t you? No, something like that ...... Until we are ready to make adjustments to the "Breaking Hammer," you are free to use the rest facilities of the "Spirit Arsenal. Just make yourself comfortable and think of it as your home." Yes, sir. Thank you for your consideration. Roland said that much and headed for the conference room with Lange. As they walked, they began to confer. The ore stockpiled in our workshop now consists of 50 silver ores, 20 earthcraft ores, 20 dianite ores, and iron ores. 100 pieces. Next month''s production will require 300 silver ore, 300 earthcraft, and 10 00 is needed, so 250 silver ores and 28 earthcrafts are needed from the mine in this dungeon management. I would like to mine 0 and 900 pieces of iron. I see. Lange opened the door to the conference room. On a desk in the conference room is a map of the dungeon. Locations where ore could be mined were marked with red check marks. There are five ore deposits in the dungeon where more than 1,000 ores can be mined. One at the 9th, 11th, and 22nd levels in the "Mine Dungeon. One on the 13th level in the "Forest Dungeon. And one on the 8th level of the Dungeon of the Demon Realm. Five. Yes. So we need five units to convoy the alchemists and drive the monsters away from the vicinity of the ore deposit. What do you think? Can we prepare five units?" I''m not sure. I think the limit is three if you only have the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". However, it would be a bad idea to ask someone else to do it. Maybe with the help of the Gilded Eagle? I wonder if ......" The "Golden Eagle" seems to be having a hard time right now. ...... I guess so." Lange moved on to the next topic without pursuing it in depth. The new silversmith?" Yes, to be honest, Cheal alone is reaching his limits. She is not only responsible for silverware, but also for the development of new weapons and the maintenance of the ''silver iron breaking bow'' and other weapons. Certainly, Cheal''s physical strength is limited." Roland looked through the glass window toward the workshop. The workshop and conference room were separated by a glass window, and from the window of the second-floor conference room, he could always see the workers at work in the first-floor workshop. Loran did a status appraisal of the working cheal. [Cheal Cotton''s status Physical strength (stamina): 30 (It consumes 10 stamina to make one silverware. She also needs to manufacture and design other weapons, so her current limit with Cheal is 1 silverware per day, or 20 silverware per month. If we want to increase profits in the future, we will have to make more silverware and weapons. ...... It will certainly be hard for Cheal to do it all by herself.) I understand. I''ll see what I can do about that." Thank you. Is there anything else? I think the rest is ....... What about the ''dragon hammer''?" Roland''s face clouded slightly. Hm?" he asked.What''s wrong with the dragon hammer? If ...... you can continue to have a good relationship with that ...... ''golden hawk'', then ...... you can continue to have a good relationship with that ''golden hawk'', then you can continue to have a good relationship with that ...... ''dragon hammer''. We can continue to take on maintenance work. If we do, we will need to continue to produce new materials in the future. ...... If we do not receive maintenance fees from the "Golden Eagle", then we will stop producing new materials. What should we do?" Lange, who already knew about the guild leader''s approach to Roland, chose his words carefully as he spoke. Hmmm, yes." Roland ponders for a moment. ''...... sorry. I''ll think about it some more. Can it wait?" "...... understand." I''m off to Aryeh''s." Roland then leaves the conference room. Lange looked anxiously at Roland''s back. Look at this. Aryeh showed Roland the two materials on the tray, "Neocraft," a new material used to make "Haryu Tsui. This is ......." (Same new material (neocraft), but something different?) Roland did an item appraisal of the two new materials (neocrafts) offered by Aryeh. Neocraft, a new material for the right hand. Quality: A Weight: 16 Capacity: 16 [New material for left hand (neocraft) Quality: A+ Weight: 15 Capacity: 15 (The same new material (neocraft), but the right hand one has a weight and capacity of 16, while the left hand one has a weight and capacity of 15. Hm?(A+ for the left hand one?) What do you think? Yes," he said. Certainly not. One is New Material (Neocraft) A and one is New Material (Neocraft) A+. Slightly less capacity. Why on earth ......?" It''s the wrong material. The material?" Roland tries to appraise the item again. [Material for new material (neocraft) A Iron A, 3 pcs. Silver A, 6 pcs. Dianite A, 1 piece New Material (Neocraft A+) Iron A, 3 pcs. Silver B+, 6 pieces Dianite A, 1 piece Oh, the new material (neocraft) A+ is not silver A, but silver B+?" Yes. It was just a coincidence. It seems that a new girl mistook Silver B for Silver A. ...... But thanks to that, I noticed it. It was a special Silver B that was different from the others. And the new material (neocraft) A, which should have been possible only with silver A, can be substituted with the special silver B." That special silver B is called ...... Oh, it''s over there. Aryeh pointed to a pile of several pieces of silver. Roland appraised the silver. [Status of the silver]. Quality: B+ Weight: 1 Capacity: 1 Magic power: 90 (Quality B+. Weight and capacity are lower than normal silver. And the magic content is abnormally high) Aryeh. This is certainly a special kind of silver B." I see. I knew it." "Did you notice it yourself?Without an item appraisal?" Yes, I have. I felt something strange while I was touching and observing. Aryeh beams with embarrassment. Yeah, that would be a big help. Just one less weight and capacity of the new material (Neocraft) would be a great help. I''m glad." Roland appraised Aryeh''s status. [Aryeh''s status Observation: 90-100 (Before I knew it, my observation went from 90 to 100.) Roland took another look at Aryeh. Compared to when he first met her, she seemed much more robust. (She must have been working single-mindedly in front of the kiln for a long time.) Mr. Roland? Is something wrong?" Aryeh peeks over at Loran. No, what can I say? I''m glad I hired you." I, too, am glad to be working in the ''Arsenal of Spirits. They smiled at each other. ''So what do you think about ......, Mr. Roland? Are you going to produce new materials next month?What is "The Golden Eagle?" ...... Roland looked difficult and fell silent. ''Sorry. I''m still in the process of discussing that with Ranju as well." I see. ...... ''I''m going to go see Thial. I have to tell him about the new material (Neocraft)." Yes." Aryeh anxiously watched Roland''s back. Jill watched from a corner of the workshop as Dorwin tapped his "dragon hammer. Thank you. Hmm?" Dorwin stopped tapping his hand when Jill suddenly spoke to him. Dorwin stopped tapping his hand when Jill suddenly spoke to him. Without it, I would not have been able to defeat the Skull Dragon. That''s not a weapon I made. What? It was Cheal who designed that thing," he said. I couldn''t take advantage of the new material." Is that so?" I didn''t think it was possible to make a weapon out of that material. It was too heavy to make a sword. But she came up with the idea of making a hammer in the shape of a sword. I just made it as she said. I''m sure she''s far ahead of me in terms of design. Hmmm. That''s rare. You''re so complimentary. Nothing. I''m just telling you the truth. But more importantly, are you all right?" What? He betrayed the Gilded Eagle so blatantly. I was still following Lukius'' orders, so I have an excuse. Some people resent you. Especially those who belong to Arik''s group. If only you hadn''t betrayed us, we would have won. I don''t know what the next guild leader will do to you, but depending on what happens, you may no longer be able to stay in ...... the Golden Eagle, or even in this city. I have no regrets. Jill said with a downcast look on her face. All I wanted was to restore Mr. Roland''s honor. I just wanted to repay Mr. Roland. I''m prepared to take any blame for that. That''s why ......" I see. Well, that''s admirable loyalty. Well, it has nothing to do with me. But what are you going to do with this ''broken dragon hammer''? It''s owned by the Golden Eagle. If you get kicked out of town, there will be no one left to use it. Jill looked increasingly somber. Dorwin sighs. (d*mn. I can''t help it.) I wasn''t sure whether to tell you or not. But I''ll tell you something. ?" The next head of the Golden Eagle guild might be Roland. What? Yesterday, I saw a carriage parked at the "Keeper of the Magic Tree" building. The banker''s carriage. He is the financier of the Golden Eagle. Rumor has it that he may have come to ask Mr. Roland to become the head of the guild. What?But then ...... Mr. Roland is coming back?The Golden Eagle?" I don''t know. It''s just a rumor. Roland has his reasons. I see. That''s right, isn''t it? Jill''s shoulders slumped in disappointment. But if you ask, or ...... I don''t think you can ask me to do that. Even if it was just to save my life again. I can''t ...... cause you any more trouble." At that moment, a child''s voice echoed through the workshop. ''Jill-saaan!'' Cheal comes over to Jill and Dorwin, tugging on Roland''s sleeve. Jill hastily retracts her downcast expression. Cheal," Dorwin says. And Mr. Roland. ......." I brought Mr. Roland with me. Let''s start adjusting the ''Breaking Dragon Hammer'' right away." Roland appraised the item "Halyu Tsui". Status of the hammer Weight: 96 Capacity: 96 Power: 200 Durability: 200 (Weighing 96, it is still unbelievably heavy for a weapon. Considering that it can be equipped with armor, it cannot even be worn properly unless one''s arm strength (power) is 96 or higher. Even if Jill is in good condition, it would be tough to walk around in a dungeon with it on. Probably, just by equipping it, you will have your status cut down. Furthermore, it has a capacity of 96, so even an A-class item owner would not be able to carry it around for very long. But on the other hand, it has a power and durability of 200, enough to kill even A-class monsters and boss monsters with a single blow, and a durability like a monster that will not break no matter how many times you use it.) How''s it going?"Mr. Roland." Hmm?"Yeah, it''s a great piece of equipment. But the weight and capacity are still a problem. I know," he said. I don''t know what to do." Cheal crosses his arms and ponders. Look at this. Roland takes out a new material (Neocraft)+ from his pocket. What is it?" Aryeh discovered it. It''s a new material (Neocraft) A. The thing is the same, but the weight and capacity are different. Please lend me some of your equipment. It''s true. It''s a little lighter and has a smaller capacity. How did you find it? Dorwin accepted it, checking its texture and peering into it with a loupe. This should save at least seven pounds," he said. It might be a little less powerful and durable, but it''s still good enough. If we can adjust the design and train Jill''s arm strength (power), I think we can operate it as regular equipment. I''m so glad you''re here. Well then, Jill, please try equipping it as soon as possible. Let''s adjust it." Haha. Give me a break. I''m completely drained of status because of the "single point focus (burst)". I can''t even hold a sword weighing 20 now. Roland also appraised Jill''s status. [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 10-110 Endurance (toughness): 10-120 Agility: 10-105 Physical strength (stamina): 10-200 Hm. Indeed. I guess I''d better rest a little longer. That''s why. Cheal-chan. Let it go." Jill said to appease him. Mwah." Cheal. You still have a lot of silversmithing left to do. Don''t keep talking to Mr. Gilles, get back to work. Lange said impatiently. Yes, yes. Jill-san, please recover your status as soon as possible. Hurry up and adjust this girl''s, ''Breaking Dragon Hammer''!" Cheal said innocently. Jill giggled. ''Oh, yes,'' she said. I hope you can." The air is delicate. Only Cheal just nodded his head in wonder. After finishing his meeting with Roland, Lange went to the break room to see who was using it first. "Ah, Mr. Aryeh. Oh, Mr. Runge. How did it go?Silver B+ story. What did Mr. Roland say?" He said, "Yes, I found it well. He was very complimentary. What about you, Mr. Lange?How is your dungeon management and procurement of adventurers coming along?" I''m not sure I want to do that. It is difficult. If only the Golden Eagle would cooperate with us, we could make it work. What are you going to do about your appointment as head of the Golden Eagle Guild, Mr. Roland? "Hmm." Both of them, who knew the whole situation, looked distressed. If Mr. Roland joins the "Golden Eagle," the income of the "Arsenal of Spirits" will increase purely. But what about the ''Keepers of the Magic Tree''?" That''s the thing. But there''s also Jill. That''s right." Well, there''s nothing we can do about it. It''s up to Mr. Roland to decide. Dungeon management began. Since it was impossible for the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" to manage all three dungeons, they were allowed to charge an entrance fee from guilds and adventurers who wanted to train their status or gather items in the dungeons. However, the mines where the best quality ore could be extracted were strictly controlled so that only the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" personnel were allowed to enter. Roland, with his own troops in tow, was making his way to the ore deposit on the 11th level while adjusting his status. Ranju followed Roland and mined the ore himself. He dug up the silver ore with his beloved pickaxe. Roland," Ranju said. Is this all right?" Lange shows the ore he mined to Roland. Let me borrow it." Roland appraised the silver ore he received. Status of the silver ore Quality: B+ Weight: 2 Capacity: 2 Magic power: 90 (Silver ore B+. Definitely. It''s a new material (Neocraft)) Lange. This is it. This is it. Dig up this ore." Roger that!" Ranju dug out the ore with the skill "Ore Mining. With "Ore Mining" as A, Ranju can dig out any ore from the ore deposit. In the blink of an eye, a large amount of silver ore B+ is dug out. (For the time being, it seems that new material (neocraft) A+ can be made. The rest depends on my decision at ......) "Mr. Roland!" While Roland was pondering, he heard a voice from above. Lily?What''s wrong?" I finished my work here earlier than I expected, so I came to take a look. I found something more interesting than that. Roland tilted his head and took his troop with him, stepping in the direction Lilianne was leading. Lilianne brought Loranne and her troop to a place where there was the corpse of a giant dragon. Oh, that''s ......." It''s the corpse of the Skull Dragon, isn''t it? Monica and Shakuma approach with interest. Hey!Look at that! Yufineh said, pointing to a piece of skull dragon bone. She pointed to a shiny substance that was mixed in with the white bones and exposed in places. That''s ......, possibly silver!" When the adventurers approached, they were sure it was silver. Immediately, the adventurers used their weapons to destroy or chip away at the skull dragon''s bones. Oh," said one of the adventurers. This is great. Thank God we don''t have to dig." I''ve heard rumors that the skull dragon''s bones are made of precious metals, but I never thought it was true. The adventurers dismantle the skull dragon bones and turn them into items. Roland looks sadly at the Skull Dragon''s corpse. It was certainly a gratifying harvest from the guild''s perspective. But the real person who should have this collection is not here. As Roland looks somberly at the dismantled skull dragon, Lillianne lands next to him. ''You don''t seem very happy about it, somehow. ''...... it''s not like that.'' I thought you would be more pleased." I''ve been working on it for a while," he said. Yeah." Mr. Roland. Hmm? How would you like to take over as head of the "Golden Eagle" guild? What?"But ......" The two goals are to rebuild the "Golden Eagle" and to develop the "Guardian of the Magical Tree". The two are never contradictory. Aren''t they?" Lily ......" I''m fine." She smiled softly at Roland. ''Decide as your heart leads you. This time we will be there for you." The next day, Roland visited the banker''s mansion. He said, "Welcome. Come, have a seat." Roland sat down in a fine leather chair. I haven''t heard back from you yet, but now that you''re here, I take it you''ve made up your mind?" Yes, sir." I would like to accept your offer to become the head of the Golden Eagle Guild. Oh, you''ll do it. Let''s go to ......." But there is a condition. <> 50 - CHAPTER 50 RECONSTRUCTION OF GUILD Terms?" The banker asked back quizzically. If you don''t agree to these conditions, we will decline the offer." ......" The room suddenly became tense. The banker took out a cigar and lit it. Hm. Let''s hear it. First of all, I would like to ask you to allow me to hold the two positions of head of the guild of the "Arsenal of Spirits" and director of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," which I currently hold, along with the head of the guild of the "Golden Eagle. In exchange, I would be willing to accept a salary of zero at the Gilded Eagle. I see. Well, that shouldn''t be a problem. What else?" The only thing we ask is that you put up with the deficit for six months." The banker became reluctant. ''Roland, that''s quintessential ....... We''re not playing around either." ''I understand. But it is also true that excessive quotas have made the "Golden Eagle" crazy. And if we try to pursue profits unnecessarily in our current state of disarray, it is inevitable that we will fall again. The reason I was expelled from the Golden Eagle in the first place was because I was blamed for poor performance." ......u......mu" The banker nodded at one point while making a difficult face. And now for the last condition: ...... Is there more?" The banker looked stunned by the quirk. ''Yes, sir. I would like the right to appoint a co-president. Co-chair?" I am currently both an officer of the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' and the ''Keeper of the Magic Tree. I can''t cut corners on either job. There will be times when I have to be away from the Golden Eagle. I need someone who can work in my place. And?"Who is this co-chairman?" That has yet to be determined. But we will find out for sure. I see. So this is what you mean. We have to endure six months of losses and the risk of bringing in someone we don''t know from nowhere to run the company. Yes. That''s why I''m allowed to go without a salary. The banker frowned. (How absurd is that?) The banker began to regret making the offer to Roland. He thought about rescinding it now, but then he almost thought better of it. (Let''s shake things up.) I''m sure that''s fine. However, we, as investors, cannot remain silent after being offered such conditions. We will ask you to take a reasonable amount of risk. Risk?" If we haven''t turned a profit after six months, Jill Irwin. We will sell her to another guild to make up the loss. I will also charge you for the damages." Yes, that''s fine. Roland readily agreed. ......" Silence fell again in the room. Is this guy for real?) The banker stared intently into his eyes as if probing Roland''s stomach. Roland, too, was impressed by the banker''s shrewdness. (It''s not so simple as it seems. (It must have been difficult for Lukius to negotiate with him.) The banker smoked his cigar for a while, his gaze drifting in the wrong direction as if he were thinking. After a while, however, he pushed his cigar into the ashtray and stood up. He said, "...... I understand what you''re trying to say. But I can''t just decide on these terms and conditions on my own. I need to get the approval of the other investors as well. I will give you my answer later after discussing it with all of them. Is that all right with you?" Yes, that''s fine. Now, if you''ll excuse me." The bankers told the other investors the terms of Roland''s offer as they were. The investors were divided in their opinions about Roland''s conditions, and for a time there was some confusion, but in the end they accepted Roland''s conditions. Roland became the head of the "Golden Eagle" guild. In the morning, while the streets of the adventurer''s town were filled with people going to work, Jill was running ahead of the others. Her status has not yet recovered, so just a little running causes her whole body to scream, but she is still determined to reach her destination as quickly as possible, as fast as she can, and she keeps her footsteps ahead, even if it is just a single step. She was running as fast as she could toward the place she was just trying to get to, as if she was going to see her boyfriend of 10 years, with innocent passion. She ran through the streets, not caring if she almost bumped into someone on a street corner or caught her foot on a cobblestone and almost fell down. ''Whoa, what the hell?'' Be careful." A passerby who almost collided with Jill frowned. I''m sorry. I''m in a hurry. I''m in a hurry. People on the street look at her curiously. She is aiming at the "Golden Eagle" headquarters building. She is in a hurry to hear the incredible announcement that will be made there. (I can''t believe this is happening. I can''t believe it. But that''s why I have to go. I have to see for myself.) When Jill arrived at the "Golden Eagle," she rushed into the auditorium without looking aside. There, all the members of the "Golden Eagle" were already there, from the most important to the least important. In keeping with the "Golden Hawk''s" corporate culture, they were lined up in rows by class and in an orderly fashion. Everyone was facing the high stage at the back of the auditorium. On the stage was a podium on which speeches were made. Behind the podium hung a banner with the emblem of the "Golden Eagle," and the flag of the guild was fluttering. These majestic decorations would undeniably enhance the authority of the person who would stand on the podium and deliver the speech. People watched the stage with anxious or curious eyes, ready for what was to come. Hey, that''s ......." Someone in line shouted. What''s wrong?" It''s Jill. Jill Irwin is here." People nearby all look at her at once. Her arrival is quickly transmitted throughout the auditorium. People reacted in a variety of ways. Some showed surprise, others bitterness, others curiosity, and still others clear hostility. But Jill doesn''t care much about that now. Her eyes were single-mindedly focused on the podium. The person standing there, I must see it with my own eyes. And right now, the man who was about to be inaugurated as head of the guild, that is, Roland, was about to stand on that platform. Oh, I never thought this day would come.) My whole body trembled with joy. I had to cover my mouth with my hands to keep from sobbing. To her, Roland''s figure even looked divine. (Mr. Roland. I never thought that you would come back to "Golden Hawk" as the head of the guild. I am so glad. Now I am a knight in your service in both name and reality. ......) Roland only gave a brief greeting and began to talk about the future management policy of the guild. First of all," he said, "the reason for the downfall of the Golden Eagle. I believe it was because we neglected the development of each individual''s skill, status, and the quality of their equipment. The "Golden Eagle" needs to be reformed. Therefore ......" Roland then continued his speech. He spoke for several minutes, raising slogans such as coexistence and co-prosperity with the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and a profit model that does not rely on dungeon crawling and equipment buying and selling. That''s all I have to say." There was sparse applause from the audience. There was an indescribable atmosphere of bewilderment among the people. They had been dreading what kind of radical restructuring was about to take place, and were unexpectedly disappointed by the moderate content of Roland''s speech, which was unfamiliar to many. They were unsure if they could welcome Roland. Roland looked around the hall and sighed. (No wonder. The Golden Eagle has always been set in the ways of Lucius," Roland said. It is not easy to change the organization''s way of thinking. But I will accomplish it. (To protect Jill''s place in the world, please visit ......) That concludes the Guild President''s speech. Thank you all for your hard work." Dianna, who was standing by Roland''s side as if it were a matter of course, announced it with a beaming smile. She seemed happy to be standing here. After finishing his speech, Roland immediately went to the guild president''s office to begin his duties. He checked various documents. Roland looked at the financial statements and let out a sigh. (That Lucius guy is wasting more money than expected.) According to Roland''s estimation, the company needed 20 million gold by the end of this month. (20 million gold by next month, or ....... For now, it''s participation in dungeon management. I''ll help "The Guardian of the Magic Tree" manage the dungeon, and then I''ll ask him to wait to pay the entrance fee to the dungeon. But that''s not enough. We need to reduce the deficit even more.) In some cases, it''s another infusion of funds via the "Arsenal of Spirits. Huh." Roland sighed again at the mind-boggling debt. (I''m fine with securing sales through participation in dungeon management, but the question is whether the troops will listen to me or not.) The units of "The Golden Eagle" were traditionally selfish and tended to pursue the interests of their own units rather than cooperate with each other. Moreover, everyone underestimated Roland when he was previously enrolled, and that must have remained the same today. It was hard to believe that Roland, who had once been exiled, would honestly follow orders with a "Hi, I see" just because he became the head of a guild. He had already instructed the captains of each unit to come to the guild leader''s office, and they were to meet with him later. Roland''s spirits were growing heavy at the thought of it. (Well, it''s no use worrying about it, is it? Anyway, we''ll just have to listen to each of them one by one and make adjustments.) Can I help you?" As Roland looks on somberly, Dianna calls out to him. What?"No, no, it''s nothing." ''Is that so?I could see there was something worrying you. ......" Dianna then looks into Roland''s face with concern. There is no hint of pretense in her expression. Roland, who has become a subordinate, still has vivid memories of the cold manner in which he was treated in the past, and he is a bit nervous when he is approached by Dianna. The cold woman and the subordinate woman, it was almost as if he wondered if they were really the same person. No, I''m fine. What about Arik? He''s already here. He is waiting in the waiting room. I see. Let him through then. Yes, sir. Dianna bowed and reverently stepped back. Arik. The head of the guild wants to see you. Come in. Oh." Alik, approached by Dianna, passed through the door of the stately guild president''s office with a somber look on his face. He had always had a hard time entering the guild president''s office, but today he was even more anxious than ever. In fact, he doubted he would get away with anything. It was a mystery how Roland had been chosen as the guild leader, but it was clear that either the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" or his investors'' wishes would be reflected in the decision. It was clear that his unit would either be weakened or restructured. (After such a complete defeat, he could not be blameless. But at least the treatment of his subordinates must be protected somehow.) When Arik passed through the heavy door of the guild leader''s office, he saw Roland sitting behind the head guild leader''s desk, which was also very heavy. Arik stood in front of Roland with mixed feelings. It''s been a long time," he said. It''s been a long time, Arik. Roland smiled cheerfully. ''Not since we explored the dungeon together when you were still in B class? Yeah, I never thought I''d see you again like this. Well, don''t be so sure. Have a seat." Roland pointed to a visitor''s space in front of the guild president''s desk, a low desk and sofa furnished there. Roland himself left the guild president''s seat and sat down opposite Arik. Arik was a little surprised by Roland''s unexpectedly gracious manner. Such a low profile would not have been possible when Lukius was the guild leader. "So, first of all, I''d like to talk to you about the future of Arik''s unit. ...... (You''re here.) Arik braced himself. I think I''m going to keep Arik Corps as it is now." Arik could not believe his ears. What?" The Arik Corps is the only Class A unit in existence. We want them to continue to work as the backbone of the Golden Eagle." ''But are you going to be okay?Management situation ......" Of course we are suffering. That is the most important issue at hand. But I still want to keep Arik Corps alive somehow. Loran ......" For now, it''s about dungeon management. The "Keeper of the Magical Tree" is also in need of a unit that can develop a large scale ore deposit. Will you help us? Yes, of course. I will do whatever it takes to protect my men. (You haven''t changed, Alik.) Roland felt nostalgic when he came in contact with Arik. He had always had a strong sense of responsibility, and Roland respected that about Arik. However, it was not entirely unconditional. Mm?What is it?" I need your help with my idea of reform." Reform ......." Is that what you said in your speech? What are you going to do about it?" As I said in my speech, the stance of profiting from the operation of the "mining dungeons" and the manufacture of weapons through the alchemy guilds is now in the hands of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree". I don''t think it is possible for the Golden Eagle to compete with the Guardians of the Magical Tree in this regard." I guess that''s what ...... would do after all." We need to find new sources of revenue as soon as possible. So I think I will start by managing ''Dungeon of the Demon''s Realm. The "Dungeons of the Magical Realm"? Yes, the "Mine Dungeon" produces ore for alchemy, and the "Forest Dungeon" produces materials for potions, but there are still many items in the "Dungeon of the Demon World" that remain unknown as to how they can be utilized. That''s what you''re trying to focus on. Yes," he said. We urgently need to train adventurers with high skills in "Item Appraisal" and "Observation. U......mm." Arik nodded, but was unable to explain. Would it really be possible to find items that would earn that much in the "dungeons of the magical world"? It was hard to believe. Well, at any rate, I need you to prepare to take a unit to the ''Dungeon of the Demon World'' by tomorrow, can you do that for me? I understand. Let''s work something out." That was the end of my meeting with Arik that day. (For the time being, I guess it''s safe to say that we''ve got his cooperation, right?) Roland recalls the look on Arik''s face as he walked away. He still didn''t seem convinced.) Roland felt the need to dispel the concerns of the members. Dianna." Yes." Post this text on every bulletin board in the building." The document that Roland gave to Dianna stated that any and all adventurers of the "Golden Eagle" would not be released from their contracts until the end of the current contract period. Dianna looked at it and frowned. ''...... are you sure?I promise you this." ''Oh, I know from my meeting with Arik that the members are more concerned about their treatment than I thought they would be. I''d like to take this opportunity to make it clear that we will not be terminating their contracts." ......Yes, sir." Dianna immediately set about making arrangements. Roland did not notice that she had a disgruntled look on her face as she did so. Well," Dianna said. Next I have to meet with Jill. In contrast to Arik, who entered with a stern expression, Jill entered the room with a big smile on her face. She looked as if she was happy to be serving Roland. She was so happy to be serving Roland that she was almost overcome with joy. I was very moved by your speech. Thank you." Just by seeing her smile, Roland felt his previous heavy mood ease. After all, she had an aura that colored the place just by being there. ''Now, to get right to the point: ...... Roland regained his composure and began interviewing Jill. The financial situation of the Gilded Eagle remains unpredictable. Yes." As an S-class adventurer, you need to be the breadwinner. Yes, sir. Yes. Please give me any orders you want. I will overcome any ordeal in fire or water for you, Mr. Roland. Roland chuckled. I understand. Well then, for the time being, ......." Roland went on to discuss the work he wanted Jill to take on in the future. An S-Class Monster Task Force? Defeating an S-class monster can be as profitable as conquering a single dungeon. However, you never know where S-class monsters will appear. You may have to go outside the city to make money. To do so, we need to create a special unit that is different from the existing units. I want you to be the captain of that unit." Yes, sir. I will do my best to assist Mr. Roland''s reforms, even if it is only in a small way. Unlike Arik, Jill fully believed in Roland''s reforms. From her point of view, there was no need to doubt Roland. She was confident that Roland''s reforms would be successful. I''m counting on you. Yes, sir. Good. That''s all I have to say. I''ll send you instructions on how to organize your unit. Yes, sir. Is there anything else I can help you with? If there is anything I can do, please contact me at ......." Jill, leave it at that. Dianna interjected from the side. I know you''re on good terms with the guild leader, but he''s a busy man, too, and he can''t be stuck with you alone all the time," Dianna said. Isn''t that right?I will follow up and let you know if there are any instructions. Now back off." Jill glanced at Dianna, miffed. (Maybe you''re right, but why do I have to listen to you?) Jill would have liked to have had more face time with Roland, but she had no choice but to leave the guild president''s office. Dorwin was the next to be summoned to the guild president''s office. Dorwin was the next to be summoned to the guild president''s office. I''m glad you''re here. Please, sit down." Yes, sir. I called you here for nothing else. I wanted you to be the captain of the new unit we are creating. I''m the captain of a new unit? Yeah, a unit dedicated to dungeon management. I specialize in dungeon management. ...... Yeah. The gap between the strength of the troops and the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is now widening. It will be difficult to close this gap overnight. So from now on, I thought it would be necessary for ''Golden Hawk'' to make a difference through dungeon management." I see. For starters, the first thing we need to do is to find new items that will generate a new source of revenue in the ''dungeons of the magical world. Alik has already agreed to help us manage the dungeon. You and Alik will go to the ''Dungeon of the Demon Realm'' to assist him. Yes, sir. And also..." And?" "I''d also like you to continue your business partnership with ''The Arsenal of Spirits'' ....... Can you do that for me?" Yes, of course. Dorwin turned to Roland with his biggest smile of the day. He completely loved the way he worked in the "Arsenal of the Spirits. After leaving the guild leader''s room, Jill went to Dorwin''s workroom to complain. ''Dianna, what''s with that guy? She acts as if she''s been in Mr. Roland''s inner circle from the beginning!He''s the one who started it all... ......" (Huh. Here comes the noisy one back again.) "You hear me, Dorwin?Hey, Dorwin! Jill grabs Dorwin by the shoulders and shakes him. She shook Dorwin''s shoulder. I''m working on something. (Well, not so bad, huh?) Although it had only been a day, the atmosphere at the "Golden Eagle" was changing. The notice that Roland had put up had taken effect. The members, now that they knew they would not be fired immediately, were all relieved and began to work on their duties and training. The atmosphere in the guild, which had been awkward, eased. Dorwin''s cheeks were smiling as he felt that his daily life was returning to normal. <> 51 - 51. Skill status window dressing After meeting with Arik, Jill, Dorwin, and others, late into the night, Roland continued to work in the guild director''s room. (Whew. A day has passed just talking to the main members. It''s tough to run a big organization.) Roland recalls a meeting with the captains of the 2nd and 3rd units. Like Arik, they were ostensibly prepared to follow Roland, but their demeanor was somewhat distant, and it was hard to tell what they were thinking. They seemed to be having problems, but they never confided in Roland. It is common practice for them to keep secrets from each other and deal with them privately. I got that impression. (There has always been friction between management and adventurers, but it seems to be getting deeper and deeper now.) At this rate, rather than reforming, the company could have been revolted in some way and disintegrated in mid-air. (Close the gap between each unit and make it more open. (Let''s start from this area first.) Go ahead." As Roland was thinking about the future, Dianna offered him a cup of tea. Oh, thank you. Roland sipped his tea for a bit and then pulled out his papers again. Are you still working?" I have learned from my meeting with the captains of the various units today that there is a considerable lack of ventilation inside the Golden Eagle. I would like to start by improving that area." Roland looked at his watch. At this rate, most of the adventurers would have already left the training grounds and gone home. Dianna, I want all the adventurers at the training grounds first thing tomorrow morning. Are all adventurers ......?" ''Yeah, I''d like to get in touch with the end members to find out what''s going on in the field. Once we appraise them there, we should be able to figure out what''s going on." ''Something like that. Why not just leave it to the end appraisers?" I want to see for myself. I asked. Go to ......." Roland suddenly remembered Dianna''s day. She had been working hard all day, too, come to think of it. Come to think of it, she had been working hard all day, too. I''ll take care of the rest on my own. You can go home today. I can''t do that," he said. The guild leader is still working. I will stay and help. I don''t know.Then I''m sorry, but I''m counting on you. Yes, sir. And so the two continued to work in silence. Soon the clock was ticking toward midnight. It''s strange.) As Roland looked at the list of members, he noticed that some members of the second and third units were improving their skill status unnaturally fast. (At one point in time, they grew at an unusually fast rate. (They didn''t change their equipment or do any quests, so ...... why on earth would they be doing that?) As Roland wondered, he suddenly felt a weight being added to the edge of his desk. He looked and saw Dianna sitting there. She was sitting right in front of the papers in Roland''s hand, so Roland''s gaze was naturally drawn to the area around her waist. Not only that, but Dianna casually crossed her slender, beautiful legs over the desk to show them off. This exposes the beauty of her legs peeking out through the deep slit and her troubled thighs before Roland''s eyes. It was as if to say, "This is the view of a guild leader. It was only his first day in office. "It''s only my first day in office, and yet I''ve managed to take control of the management of the Gilded Eagle and all the units belonging to it. I am very impressed. As expected of the S-class connoisseur who raised "The Guardian of the Magic Tree" to the best guild in town in one night. He''s very different from Lukius, who is just a big man." I don''t know.I get the feeling that people still don''t fully approve of me." I don''t think so. All of us who belong to the "Golden Eagle" have already submitted to your command and are grateful for the benefits we receive from you. Uh-huh. Thank you. Roland thanked her in passing, but pulled the papers away from her to keep his distance. Because of her brightness in the internal affairs of the "Golden Eagle," she is heavily used as an aide for now, but inwardly, Roland did not trust her. She is partly to blame for the downfall of the Golden Eagle. Roland thought so. Since she became an executive of the "Golden Hawk," Lukius'' negligence and arrogance had become blatantly obvious. If he got too close to her, he might not make the same mistake as Rukius. ''You are also a bad person,'' she said. If I had known that she was such a great person, I would have gotten close to you instead of flirting with Rukius from the beginning. Ha-ha. I''m not done yet." Roland said as he looked down at his papers and tried not to look at Dianna. When Dianna saw that her own flirtation was not fully effective, she decided to take it a step further. She bent forward and spoke in a glazed voice. ''Guild leader, it''s fine that you''re so dedicated to your work, but you need to let off some steam. If you don''t mind, I''d like to ......" At that moment, the entrance door was opened. Claria jumps in, full of energy. Excuse me. Claria." Roland was so fortunate that he broke off his conversation with Dianna and turned his attention to Claria. ''Mr. Roland, the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' and the ''Keeper of the Magic Tree,'' ...... Roland and Claria immediately begin a friendly meeting between them. Dianna, realizing that her attempts had been frustrated, climbed down from her desk, discouraged. The next day, Roland took it in turns to appraise the adventurers who had gathered at the "Golden Eagle" training grounds. First, he appraised a girl wearing a heavy-looking sword and armor. Aina. Status Arm strength (power): 60-70 Endurance (toughness): 30-40 Equipment Sword: weight 40 Armor: Weight 40 (Sword and armor together weigh 80, even though his arm strength (power) is 60. The weight of the equipment exceeds the power of the arm. I can''t handle my weapon satisfactorily, and my status is being depleted faster than usual.) Why do you wear armor that weighs 40?That would be too heavy, wouldn''t it?" Well, I have low endurance (toughness), so my superiors recommended that I need durable armor to join the main force ......." Roland again appraised Aina''s status. [Aina''s status Durability (toughness): 30-40 (30-4) 0) Stamina: 60-70 (90-1) 00) (Certainly, as a vanguard warrior, he has low endurance (toughness). But his stamina is still growing. You are better suited to be a light swordsman than a vanguard. Dorwin! Yes." Dorwin, who was holding a note at his side, replied. ''Make her armor for a light swordsman. Make her sword heavier instead." Yes, sir." If you were to increase the weight of the sword, would you increase its power or its durability?" Power. She is a light swordsman. She can be more powerful and a little less durable. I understand. Dorwin runs his pen on a notepad in a silky smooth manner. Aina." Ha, yes." From now on, what you lack in toughness, you will make up for in stamina. You need to increase your training to develop your stamina. Yes, sir. Roland looked at the list of adventurers to be appraised next. (Oskar was next. He''s got the ...... to appraise items.) [Oskar''s skills Item Appraisal: E to A What''s your affiliation, son? I''m with the 2nd. "Second unit or ......" I don''t know.) Roland was still undecided on how to handle adventurers with appraisal skills. Should he immediately assign them exclusively to Dorwin''s unit? Or, if necessary, should he pull out adventurers with appraisal abilities from each unit and form a unit specializing in dungeon management? (Well, never mind. (Well, it''s not like I''m going to become an item appraiser right away anyway, so for now I''ll just assign them training to improve their appraising skills.) Oskar, you should also work on training to improve your appraising skills from now on." Is your appraisal skills ......?" Yeah, you have all the qualities to be an "A" in "Item Appraisal. You will be an important asset in the new Golden Eagle. I''m not sure I''d like that. Yes, sir. (Okay, now ......) Roland appraised the third adventurer. (Miguel. You want to be a Warrior? I''ve heard that he''s already equivalent to a B class in terms of ability. ......) Roland checks the documents in his hand. Indeed, the equipment he was wearing was the equivalent of Class B. He, too, seemed to belong to the 2nd Unit. He looks a little feeble. (Any skills or stats I''m missing ......?) Roland frowned at the results of his appraisal. Miguel, you ......." What is it?" Miguel gave a scowling look at Roland, who looked strong. ''...... No, it''s nothing. You can go." Huh." Miguel exits the room somewhat unexplained. Roland checked Miguel''s box on the form. He would call him later. After that, Roland called Miguel and some others to the guild president''s office. He interviewed them one by one. Miguel was the first to be interviewed. I have had your skills appraised, and there is a marked difference from the skills and stats listed in this document. What do you mean?" ''is likely due to a decrease in skill/status compared to when the declaration was made. Miguel said without offence. Roland sighed. ''You''re lying, Miguel. You have never once reached the level of skill and status described in this document. In other words, you have misrepresented your skills and status. No, we have properly declared our skills and stats as told to us by the appraiser. Really?So you have no problem recording that statement right here?" ......." Miguel choked on his words. ''My "skill appraisal" shows not only my current capacity value, but also my future limit value. You can''t fool me." [Miguel''s skills Shield Defense": C to C The document states that Miguel''s "Shield Defense" is equivalent to B class. Now, tell me. Why on earth did you make a false declaration? You can''t have taken the appraiser''s judgment to heart." I am sorry. I was making a false declaration. Miguel nodded. ''Why?Why on earth would you do that?" It was the order of Captain Sebasta, who used to be with us. He told me that if I made a false declaration, he would let me join the main unit. ...... So I had an appraiser from Unit 2 help me to make a false declaration. I was told that if I did so, I would receive more money for my unit. ......" What''s the budget?" he said. ....... Miguel, what''s the point of making false declarations for the sake of a budget if it delays your development as an adventurer?" Yes, sir. I have nothing to say in reply. I understand. Enough about this. I''ll rewrite the skills and stats to the correct values. I''ll make sure that your training is based on the actual numbers, and you''ll change it today. Yes, sir. Roland continued to ask the adventurers whose skills and stats were being falsified, and they all said the same thing. The unit commander suggested that they make a false declaration. If we did so, the unit would receive a budget, and in return, we would be allowed to belong to the unit. (Oh dear. I had no idea that there were adventurers who had registered false skills and stats. I don''t know what I''m doing. I had wondered why Sebasta''s unit was lagging behind Monica''s group, which is still incomplete. (No wonder they''re so weak with this.) Many of those reporting false skill/status were in the second unit. Dianna!" Yes, sir. Here. ...... what''s this?" Here''s the new training list for the Adventurers. I found out today, after evaluating the adventurers, that quite a few of them had been improperly trained. I have put together a program of appropriate training, and I want you to arrange facilities and equipment so that they can be trained by the end of the day. Dianna looked over the documents lightly and saw that they were filled with changes to the training. Dianna frowned. The guild leader. The training of each adventurer is left up to the unit to which he or she belongs. The guild leader does not have to go this far. ...... I''m telling you this because the training of each unit is not enough." Today, we appraised the adventurers and found that not a few of them have been using their skills and stats as window dressing. It appears that the whole unit has been window dressing their skills. Roland put on his cloak for going out as he spoke. I have to go now to train my own unit of "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and to inspect the "Dungeons of the Demon World". I''ll leave the rest to you. Oh, is that so? If you had told me first, I would have arranged for a carriage to take you out. I''ll be fine. Claria is doing that for me. ...... I see." Roland stopped at the door and looked back at Dianna. ''Dianna. From now on, I may be away from the "Golden Eagle" often. Each time, I will entrust you with a task like this. This is a great opportunity for me to see how well the guild functions with you in charge. I see. I see. - Yes, sir. Roland stared at Dianna. Are you all right?" Dianna smiled. I will take good care of you while the head of the guild is out of town. Please feel free to go out with us. ''...... I see. Well then, I''m counting on you." Roland walks out of the guild director''s office with a hint of uneasiness. Dianna shrugged her shoulders and put her work aside to take a break. Lelio was managing the status of the troops with status appraisals. (Recovery rate of 80%, I guess. Let''s see, according to the instructions from Mr. Roland, when the recovery rate reaches 90%, ......) As Lelio was confirming the plan in this way, a murmur broke out beside him. Looking, he sees Loran approaching. Mr. Roland." Lelio ran to Roland. Lelio said, "Hey, Lelio. What''s everyone''s status?" Yes, sir. Here''s your progress." Lelio handed a piece of paper to Roland. Roland looked at the paper and said, "Hmm. It looks like you are making good progress. Roland looked over the paper and nodded in satisfaction. In the meantime, Monica and Rick and the others gathered around. Oh, it''s Mr. Roland. Roland-san! ''Mr. Roland, I''m wondering about the weight of the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow'' and the ''Skewer'' ......'' Mr. Roland, regarding troop operations: ...... I have a lot of energy (stamina), Mr. Roland. This time I will trudge through the dungeon." Loran was relieved to be in the air of his unit for the first time in a long time. Here, everyone is trying to hone their skills and improve as adventurers, as is the norm. Not a single one of them is content to simply declare false skills and status and join the main force. Roland consulted with each one of them and gave them appropriate advice. The work here was quickly done, and Roland was able to head to the "Dungeon of the Demon World" where Arik, Dorwin, and the others were. In the "Dungeon of the Demon World," the development of the mine had already begun, and Roland could see alchemists with pickaxes digging for ore, and the ore being carried away on carts. The workers were energetic, but at the same time disciplined and tightly controlled. (As one would expect from Arik. (As one would expect from Arik, his dungeon management skills are impeccable.) As Roland watched the work for a while, admiring it, Arik arrived. Roland. Alik. How''s it going?How is your dungeon management and status training going? As you can see. "As you can see, I''m doing well. At this rate, we''ll reach our goal." I see. What about Dorwin and the others?" They are out exploring the plains. I sent some guards with them, but ...... oops, I think they''re back." Arik looked toward the exit of the mine and saw that Dorwin and his group were just returning. Aryeh and other members of the "Spirit Arsenal" were also in the mix. Roland had dispatched alchemists with high "Observation" statuses to assist Dorwin. Oh, Mr. Roland. Dorwin. How are you doing?Did you find any good items?" Yes, I found an unusual item. Would you mind giving it a quick appraisal?" Yeah, there''s a dormitory open there, we''ll have a meeting." Roland and his colleagues gathered at an inn near the mine to appraise it. Dorwin spread out on his desk the plants, bird feathers, unusual stones, and monster bones he had collected. All were rare items based on unusual creatures and plants that inhabit and are distributed in the magical world. As Roland appraised them one by one, he found one item that might immediately lead to profit. (This is ......) Chimera feather Effect: The item''s weight can be reduced by 10. What do you think, Mr. Roland?" This is great. It looks like a ''chimera feather,'' but it''s a feather that has the effect of lightening the weight of an item." I knew it was a special item. How did you find this? Aryeh found it for me. I noticed a spot where the rocks were lighter than the surrounding area, so I moved the rocks out of the way and that feather came out." I see." Aryeh is ......" (I knew I could count on Aryeh''s powers of observation. I''m glad I let her accompany Dorwin.) As long as they have these ''chimera wings,'' they can help adventurers carry items and equipment," he said. And that''s not all. It would also be in demand by merchants who carry heavy clogs to distant cities. Good. Let''s start collecting large quantities of this item and turn it into a commodity. Oh, wait." Dorwin stopped him. The feather is buried under a very heavy rock," he said. It will take a few B-class brawny guys to get it out of the way." Dorwin points toward the escort that Arik had given him. Roland had not realized it before, but they were drained of power. They must have forced him to move the heavy rock out of the way. I see. I understand. We''ll take care of that. (Just as I was getting ready to leave, the men of the 2nd Unit were free. The 2nd Unit has some of the strongest men in the "Golden Hawk". If we ask them to help us, things should go smoothly.) Relieved to find a new pillar of revenue unexpectedly quickly that day, Loran withdrew from the dungeon with a satisfied feeling. The next day, Roland went to work at the "Golden Eagle" in a lighter mood. (I''ve found a new source of revenue with "The Dungeon of the Demon World," and I think we''ll be able to turn a profit sooner than I thought. Well, I can''t let this happen. I''ll have to quickly request cooperation from the second unit and make sure we can make a profit.) Good morning, Guild President. When Roland opened the door to the guild president''s office, he found Dianna arranging papers. ''Good morning. Dianna, are you making progress on the work I instructed you to do yesterday?" Yes, all is well. Good. By the way, I''d like to call the commander of the second squadron. The commander of the 2nd? I''ve found an item that could be monetized in the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm," but I need the cooperation of Unit 2 to extract it. I see. Well, I''ll see if I can find some time after lunch at ...... and we''ll coordinate." Yeah, I''ll be looking forward to working with you." Roland then turns to leave the room. ''Guild leader, where are you going? I''m going to go check on some training. After all, you have to see these things with your own eyes. I''m not sure that ...... the guild president has to go that far. Guild leader! Roland left the room without hearing Dianna''s restraint. Then, as Lorn was walking down the corridor with his tension, he saw Miguel walking. He was wearing the same Warrior gear as yesterday and was about to enter the room where the Warrior training facilities were located. (What?) Hey, hey, Miguel. Oh, Mr. Roland." Miguel looked at Lorn and looked bummed. ''What are you doing? Didn''t I order you to train as an archer yesterday?" Oh, no, that''s right. This is a bit of a situation ......" Miguel pretends to be concerned about the stares of those around him. I understand," he says. Let''s go somewhere else. Roland took Miguel to a private room and asked him what happened. After hearing what happened from Miguel, Lorn immediately called Isto, the captain of the second unit. While sitting at his desk until Ist arrived, Lorn recalled Miguel''s story as he fished through yesterday''s training records. ''This equipment is from ......, that ......, from the captain. Miguel said awkwardly. ''From ist?Why such ......" No," he said. I talked to the captain about it. The guild leader told me to change my equipment and occupation, and I wanted to change it. But when I did so, he yelled at me, saying, ''Are you going to disobey my instructions as the commander of the unit?''" ......" "Not only that, he even told me, ''If you neglect your own instructions, I will not allow you in my unit in the future. I wondered which should take priority, the guild leader''s order or the unit leader''s order, but it was still difficult to disobey the order of the captain, who was my immediate superior. ...... Roland examined yesterday''s training records and found that most people did not seem to have changed their training. (Neither Aina nor Oskar changed their training. d*mn. What''s going on?) In the meantime, a knock on the door echoed through the room. Excuse me. I''m Isto, commander of the 2nd Unit. Come in." Roland says so, and Isto enters with a condescending bow. You wanted to see me, guild leader? It''s about Aina, Oscar, and Miguel." What''s wrong with them? I''m not sure what''s wrong with you. You ordered us to change the training. Why did you go to the trouble of rescinding that order? Not only that, I heard that you pressured him into violating the order. Why would you do that? Isto made a difficult face when I said this. Isto looked at me with a difficult expression. You can''t just tell your men what to do without going through us. What?" Miguel and the others are from the 2nd Unit. If you want to give them orders, you have to go through me first. Miguel and his team were window dressing their skills and status. Under Sebasta''s orders with your unit!" That may ...... certainly be our fault, ...... but in terms of chain of command, ...... There is no chain of command here!You were window dressing your skills and stats, which are the cornerstone of the adventure-making business. This has to stop now." But that doesn''t mean you can''t jump over us and order your men to do things on your own. This is no way for us to stand in our place. Then what is it?You don''t expect them to continue to be improperly equipped and trained, do you?" We will discuss that with our people at ....... Anyway, if you are going to give instructions to our people from now on, you must first say no to us, the senior members." Roland was annoyed to be confronted with the territoriality of the "Golden Eagle" for the first time in a long time. These things have not changed at all from before. They insist on their own turf in everything, and they are unusually averse to interference from other departments. For this reason, they could not move forward in any way. Roland thought about dismissing Ist and changing the head of the unit, but then he remembered the "chimera feather. The cooperation of the second unit was essential in order to collect the "Chimera''s Feather. It would be bad to get into a tense situation with them now. I understood. I was a little too hasty. I will be careful from now on. Then, I ask you again, from today, let Miguel and the others train as I instructed. Training as you instructed: ...... Isto gave a mocking smile. ''What''s funny?'' ''No, excuse me. It''s just that if you''re asking us to do the training that the guild president instructed us to do, we can''t do it." What do you mean by ......?" We have neither the facilities nor the equipment for new training being provided to us." What? Roland glanced at Dianna. Dianna tilted her head with a troubled smile. Dianna. What do you mean?I''m pretty sure I gave you instructions yesterday. ......" Huh?That''s strange. I''m pretty sure I gave instructions too. ......" When Roland tried to question him further, Isto coughed. ''Oooohh. May I ask you something, guild leader?Anyway, if you want me to carry out your orders, I would first like you to provide me with what I need to carry out those orders." That''s ...... for sure, but ...... ''Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have to leave. I have to supervise the training of my men. Ist leaves the room saying so. What do you mean, Dianna?Why are you ignoring my orders too?" It''s funny, isn''t it? I have certainly made arrangements for what the guild leader told me to do. Ah, perhaps. Maybe someone who received my order did something lax. He said, "I''ve made arrangements. Once you''ve taken the job, you''ve got to finish it ....... No, that''s enough." Roland recalled. Dianna''s work had been lax and unreliable ever since she had been a member of the Golden Eagle. I remember that Dianna''s laziness had been unbearable ever since I belonged to the Gilded Eagle. (Come to think of it, Dianna''s negligence has been unbearable since she was a member of "Golden Hawk" before.) I thought she might have changed her mind since she became the guild leader and was doing her work within my reach. Excuse me. The door to the room opens and Claria enters. She says, "Mr. Roland, I still haven''t received the order form for the weapons that I was told were coming to the ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' from the ''Golden Eagle.'' Roland. Got a minute?" Alik came in after Claria. ''I still haven''t received the materials I asked Dianna to deliver to the dungeon. Roland sighed. (Dianna''s guy, he''s been slacking on his other jobs too. (Dianna''s been slacking off on her other work, hasn''t she?) I''m sorry, Claria, but I have an additional job for you. I''m sorry, but I have an additional job for you. You''ll do the work on The Gilded Eagle. Geez. Are you serious? Seriously. And Arik. Mm?What is it?" From now on, if you want to talk to me about something, you don''t have to go through Dianna. You don''t have to go through Dianna. If you can''t do that, go to Claria. Yeah, okay." Dianna''s face tensed. Roland reassigned the work that had been assigned to Dianna to Claria, and also took orders from Arik. Then I''ll take care of it, both of you. Yes." They left the room busily. Oh, that guild leader." Dianna speaks to me, looking impatient. Hm?What?" Shall I find out who cut corners on the arrangements I made?" No, thanks. This would only end up in a blame game, and nothing would ever get done. Roland decided that he would never trust Dianna again, and that all important work would be entrusted to someone else. Dianna left "Golden Hawk" with a discouraged face. Oh, my God. Roland didn''t need to take away her job so much just because she made a mistake once.) After that, Dianna was kept away from the guild leader''s office and was forced to do menial chores. It was as if she had been made a common employee. (If this is the case, wouldn''t it have been better during her time at Lucius?) If. Um, are you Dianna?" What?" Dianna turned to the voice calling her. Then there was Zens of the Alchemy Guild. ''You are ...... Zens.'' Oh, Dianna. You remember me? Zens comes up to me with that flirtatious smile. Dianna took a step back. I heard that the guild leader of the Golden Eagle has been replaced by Roland. Yes, it is." So what?" Dianna replied grimly. ''Well, I got a notice from the "Golden Eagle". They said that from now on, the manufacturing of weapons will be entrusted to the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' and not to us. Oh, yeah. What do you mean? You wouldn''t just abandon us after all we''ve done for you and switch to the ''arsenal of spirits,'' would you?" I don''t know. I don''t know." Dianna said brusquely and turned to leave. Dianna said brusquely and tried to walk away. "Dianna, that''s not going to happen, is it?We''ve done so much for the ''Golden Eagle'' until now. ......" ''I told you I don''t know.Don''t follow me anymore." Dianna walks away quickly. Oh, no. Wait a minute. Dianna. Dianna-san! Zens called out desperately, but Dianna never stopped. A few days later, Zens'' alchemy guild went bankrupt. <> 52 - Art. 52. The Conspiracy of Diana After casually shrugging off Zens, Dianna was on her way home again when she was approached again on the way. Hey, isn''t that Dianna? Dianna''s eyes fluttered when she saw the man carrying the halberd who had stopped her. You are ...... Gilbert." Gilbert, he is a class B adventurer in the second unit. He was an eccentric who had never been a captain or a senior member, despite being a seasoned and talented veteran who had maintained the status of a Class B adventurer for more than 10 years. According to him, positions of responsibility are a pain in the ass. He and Dianna are old acquaintances. What''s the matter, Dianna? What''s wrong, Dianna? I''m not doing so well right now. Shut up," he said. I''m a little out of my depth because the guild leader gave me the cold shoulder. Oh, that new guild leader. Our troop leader was complaining about it, too. He said that he neglected his duties as a captain and started messing around with his subordinates. I really do. I''m in the middle of a lot of work. You''re in a tough spot, Dianna. Gilbert laughed mischievously. You talk about it like it''s somebody else''s business!Are you okay with this?Roland''s poking around about the second unit''s skill window dressing. If things go south, you might be in trouble, too. Hmph. I''m not going to let a guy like that grab me by the tail. I''m not going to keep my mouth shut. Heh. So ......" Dianna''s eyes narrowed as she caught a whiff of deviousness. In fact, Gilbert was a man who, despite his aloof appearance and carefree demeanor, could stand strong. For Dianna and Lucius, Gilbert was also an accomplice who had done their dirty work on numerous occasions in order to control and manipulate the adventurers. Whether she was buying weapons from the alchemy guild, expelling an unsavory adventurer, or aiding Lukius in his tyranny, Gilbert was always behind the scenes. How''s it going, Dianna? "How''s it going, Dianna?I''ll listen to you b*tc* about your new boss." I''m sure you''re right. It might be nice to have a drink with you once in a while." In search of a suitable restaurant, they went out into the nighttime drinking district, where the lights of lamps began to twinkle. This place looks nice. Gilbert chose a place with few people, a good place to hold a discussion. When Dianna sat down, she complained about her dissatisfaction with the current regime and then began to tearfully and bitterly complain about how devoted she had been to Roland and how unfairly she had been treated in spite of her devotion to him. Roland is in the position he is in because of me, but as soon as he sees that he is no longer needed, he treats me coldly and tries to cut me off. He said, "This is too much. Gilbert, after engaging in this farce for a while, expressed his sympathy for Dianna and suggested that if she would never tell anyone, he would be happy to tell her about his secret plan to regain power. Dianna accepts. Roland must need the help of the second unit." How could you possibly know that?" The idea of developing a ''dungeon in the magical world'' itself was discussed during the time of Lucius. However, it turned out that it would require the cooperation of Unit 1, to which many mages belonged, and Unit 2, to which many warriors belonged. In the end, both units were competing with each other, so the story fell through. Lukius decided that it would be more efficient for the Golden Eagle to focus on the development of the mining dungeon. Oh, you know, I remember that story." Dianna said as she recalled. When Roland was developing the "Dungeon of the Demon World," the cooperation of Unit 2 was indispensable. Nevertheless, there is growing antipathy toward Roland in Unit 2. There is no way we can avoid taking advantage of this opportunity." Gilbert said as he picked at his drink. If I agitate, the men of Unit 2 will unite and deepen the confrontation with Roland. I hope I can embarrass Roland with that. But won''t that just get the leadership of Unit 2 fired?" That''s where you come in. You have free access to the guild leader''s office. What do you mean? I want you to find out what''s going on in Roland''s life. How long and to what extent can he tolerate the violation of orders by the 2nd Corps? I will use that to manipulate the second unit. Then, when the conflict between Unit 2 and Roland reaches a critical point, we will offer to mediate. If we can successfully mediate between the two sides, we''ll be able to ......" My influence over both Lorang and Unit 2 will increase. Well, that''s the way it is. Okay, I get it. Okay, I''ll start digging into Roland''s pockets. I''ll go and instigate the 2nd and 3rd squads. If we are successful, ...... You''ll talk Roland into giving me a raise when my contract is up for renewal. "You will continue to serve as a bridge between Unit 2 and me, is that correct?" Okay, we have a deal. The two acted quickly. Dianna found a schedule from the guild director''s office that showed three B-class or better item appraisers by the 19th of this month, and by the 23rd of this month. He found out that he needed to send at least 20 warriors of class B or above to the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm. Gilbert impeached Roland among the adventurers, calling him an "investor''s dog. In other words, Roland wanted the adventurers to learn skills that would benefit his investors, use them to make a profit, and then sell off the "Golden Eagle" after ruining it. Jill was in a room in the "Arsenal of Spirits" lifting the "Breaking Hammer. d*mn it! Jill had difficulty lifting the "Breaking Dragon Hammer," but gritting her teeth and twitching her arm muscles, she somehow managed to carry it on her shoulder. Roland appraises her status at her side. [Jill Irwin''s status Arm strength (power): 80-110 Endurance (toughness): 80-120 Agility: 80-105 Physical strength (stamina): 140-200 (recovery rate of 70-80 percent). This is still a status equivalent to Class A. (Most equipment should be able to wear it without difficulty. ......) Status of the hammer Weight: 96 Capacity: 96 Power: 200 Durability: 200 Suitability rate: 40 (Jill''s arm strength (power) is 80, while the weight of the "Breaking Dragon Hammer" is 96!) As expected, Jill immediately frowned in pain. Ugh, ugh." [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 79 (1) - 110 Endurance: 79 (1) - 120 Agility: 79 (1) - 105 Stamina: 139 (1) - 200 Status of the Breaking Dragon Hammer Weight: 96 Capacity: 96 Power: 200 Durability: 200 Fitness rate: 39 (1) percent] (No good. After all, just equipping the "Breaking Dragon Hammer" is draining my status) Jill, that''s enough. d*mn, yes. Jill dropped the "Breaking Hammer" on a stand beside her and took a breath. The stand creaked under the weight of the "Breaking Hammer. Jill tried to recover from the damage by jerking the joints of her arms and shoulders. How are you doing, Mr. Roland?" Cheal asks with a nervous look on his face. No," he said. The compatibility rate of "Hammer of the Dragon" to Jill is 40%. And it keeps dropping with the decline in status. Unno, I knew it. Cheal crossed his arms and made a difficult face. ''As it is now, it inevitably drains my status. If Jill''s status becomes perfect, she will be able to equip only the ''Breaking Dragon Hammer,'' but but it''s not only the ''Breaking Dragon Hammer'' that Jill will be equipping. She is a heavily armed knight, so she also needs to equip her armor and shield. At best, the suitability rate would be 70%. We''ll have to cut down on the weight, or at least be creative with the design." But you can''t reduce the weight any further." Dorwin said. One ''Neocraft'' weighs 16, but it''s a very difficult material to process, so you really need six to make a sword. If you try to make a sword with less than five ''neocrafts,'' you will exceed the design limit, and even with Jill''s skill ''Sword Technique A,'' the hit rate and power will be drastically reduced." Dorwin explained, pointing to a blueprint of the "Breaking Hammer" on the wall and the numbers written on it. Dorwin pointed to the blueprints of the "Breaking Hammer" on the wall and the numbers written on them. Then, we will have to compromise on the weight of the armor and shield and do something about the materials themselves. And that brings us to the silver B+." Lange came into the room, pushing a crate full of silver on a cart. ''Lange!Could that be ......?" ''Yes, all silver B+. I dug a lot. Now we can produce a lighter version of ''Neocraft.''" Good. Then, let''s make a lightweight version of ''Neocraft'' and use it as the basis for a new ''hammer of the dragon''. With a single word from Roland, the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" started to have a lively discussion. (I guess we''ll just have to wait and see about the "dragon hammer" for now. The rest can be found at ......) Mr. Roland." While Roland was thinking, Jill came over and looked into his face. Oh, Jill. Are you all right?I''m sorry I wore you out with the Hammer of the Dragon. I''m fine. I''m fine.The guild leader of the Golden Eagle must be busy, right?You came all the way to the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' just to adjust the ''Breaking Hammer. I''m fine," he said. You''re the breadwinner of "Golden Hawk. Besides, I have to hurry up to set up a unit to defeat S-class monsters. (In order to defeat S-class monsters, it is necessary to go outside of this city as well. Our immediate goals are to establish a base outside the city and improve our information network (......). When Roland looked at Jill, she was looking at him with her cheeks slightly flushed and with greedy eyes. Roland smiled a slightly troubled smile. Oh, let''s see, Jill. There''s a shortage of powerful workers in the dungeons of the magical world. If you don''t mind, I was wondering if you''d be willing to help me?" Yes, sir. With pleasure. Jill''s face broke into a smile as she was truly happy to get the job from Roland. She couldn''t help but be pleased with whatever she got from Roland. Roland-san. Is Roland-san here?Ah, there they are. Mr. Roland." Claria rushes in. I finally found you," she said. "Mr. Roland. This workshop is so big. ...... Her cheeks were upturned and her hair was a little disheveled, as if she had been running around asking for Roland''s location. Claria. What''s wrong?You''re in such a hurry." Mr. Arik sent me a message. He wants you to dispatch adventurers with high power as soon as possible because he needs more manpower to transport the ore. Oh, yes. Mr. Roland." Hearing Claria''s story, Dorwin also comes by. He asked, "How are the adventurers with the high arm strength (power) needed to procure ''chimera feathers'' and the appraisers who can use ''item appraisal'' coming along?If we don''t do it soon, we won''t be able to close the dungeon in time." "...... yeah, I know." (I guess I''ll have to ask for help from the second unit ......, that''s the only way...) I was supposed to meet with them later, but the conflict had not yet been resolved. The thought of it depressed Roland. Hey," he said. Dorwin. Yes?" Do we have to send adventurers after all?" What?What are you talking about? Isn''t it obvious? Ugh. I knew it. Dorwin looked at Roland curiously as he left with a slumped shoulder. When Roland saw the istos entering the guild president''s office, he had a bad feeling even before they started talking. He could already see the discontent on their faces. Isto," Roland said, "you''ve come a long way. By the way, ......" Roland glanced at those following behind Isto. There were a few of the second squad''s top brass in attendance. I called them. I thought you were the only one. ...... I wanted them to hear the guild leader''s story in person. It is to be told to them later in any way. It would be faster to have them all hear it at once this way." ''Well, fair enough. Now, about those troopers'' equipment and training changes we talked about last time: ......" (Last time I was turned down due to lack of preparation of facilities and equipment, but I''m sure Claria has done the proper preparations this time.) This time, I''m sure I''ve prepared properly. You will accept the change in equipment and training for Miguel and the others, won''t you? I can confirm that the new facilities and equipment are ready. However, I will make a judgment call on the timing of the change and give you instructions. Tension ran high in the room. Roland and Isto glanced at each other for a few seconds. ''......Well, that''s all right,'' Ist said. That being said, I''d like to hand you both your new assignments. A new assignment?" Ah, we need more adventurers with high power to manage the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm. We need you to go there. Suddenly you''re telling me to change my training, and now you want me to help you run a dungeon? The guild leader is also reckless. Ist and the others chuckled. ''And then what?Are you going or not?" I don''t mind," he said. But I have a condition. Conditions?" Yes, sir. We need you to pull Arik''s team out of the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm. Arik''s unit?No, that''s not possible. I entrusted Arik''s team with the management of the mine in the "Dungeon of the Demon World. Once I have handed down the mission, it cannot be undone." Then I suppose we can''t help you. What? Only one unit can be in charge of one dungeon. That was the unwritten rule in The Golden Eagle. No, I''m sure you''re right, but ...... Roland was getting frustrated again. (No kidding. (I''m not kidding.) How can I hand over the work of Unit 1 to Unit 2 after all this time? That would be a total loss of face for Arik.) I don''t think ...... is the time to talk about unwritten rules, now is it?The Golden Eagle itself needs to be rebuilt. Put aside the friction between units and cooperate with each other. It doesn''t work that way," he said. If two units enter the same dungeon, there will naturally be trouble. From entering and exiting the dungeon, to fighting over bases, to allocating items. If one of them doesn''t take the initiative, there will always be a struggle. That may ...... be true, but ...... If you insist on having us and Unit 1 work together, we would like you to put Arik''s unit under our command." No, it''s ...... If that is not possible, then we will decline the assignment. Good bye." Hey, hey! Roland called out to the backs of the istos, but the members of the second unit left the room without stopping. (d*mn, I didn''t expect them to so blatantly disobey my orders. ......) Roland poisoned his mind. What shall we do? I can''t believe he would disobey a direct order from the head of the guild. Claria, who was listening at my side, looked at Roland in confusion. She looked at Roland, who was listening at her side and looked at her puzzled. Dianna, who had been huddled in a corner of the room, suddenly leaned forward and said, "I''m sorry. Dianna ......." If they refuse to follow the guild leader''s instructions, then there is nothing we can do. We have no choice but to take appropriate measures. Let''s remove Ist as commander of the second unit. The other main members of the unit should also be given pay cuts, demotions, and suspensions as joint responsibility, and their command authority should be taken away. Then the men of the second unit will follow our instructions. That''s a little ...... too harsh, isn''t it? The guild leader said, "This may be a harsh measure, but it will not be tolerated if we do nothing. It is essential that you show your authority above all else. ...... No." Ist''s dismissal will have to wait a little longer." From what I saw of the second unit earlier, their unity seemed solid. If they were to dismiss the istos, the rift between them and Unit 2 could become even deeper. (Their contract with the company was still in effect. It would be a bad idea to have a definite rift with Unit 2 at this point. We have to somehow persuade them to move forward without making waves.) We''ll see what happens," he said. We''ll see what happens. We''ll talk it out and we''ll figure it out. Dianna cowered her shoulders. But in fact, she was gloating inwardly. I guess I''m afraid to get into a full-scale collision with the second unit," she said. (After all, they seem to be afraid of an all-out confrontation with the second unit right now.) Dianna, despite her calm demeanor, could not suppress her elation at the feeling that for the first time in a long time she was in control. (Roland cannot punish the second unit. I''ll have to report this to Gilbert as soon as possible.) As if to show their solidarity, the members of Unit 2 did not follow Loran''s instructions, but all trained at the same place and gathered at a bar after leaving the office. ''Gilbert, you''re right, I did poke the guild leader''s orders. Is that all right with you?" Yeah, it''s going great." Gilbert continues to stir his sake cup and speaks to the unit commanders. Gilbert continues to speak to the troop leaders as he stirs the cups. This is the key. Don''t be weak. We have to keep our true demands hidden, and keep on being reckless to get the other side to make concessions. That''s the trick to negotiating. Take whatever they offer and do nothing. Do not let them know what you want. If they know, you can be sure that they will lick you and bargain with you. But are you okay?You''ve gone so far as to blatantly go against the grain. If the guild leader gets so riled up by this that he fires us, ......" Don''t worry about that. I''m releasing spies to check their pocketbooks. We''re taking great care to make sure they don''t lose their temper and do something rash. I was like, "Oh, my God. You did?" You''re as shrewd as ever, you know that? Roland is going to need guys with our appraisal skills, and I''m sure he''ll have some more action from the other side in two days, on the 19th ....... Gilbert said as he manipulated his pocket watch. For now, we''ll just have to wait and see how things go until then. I see. I''m relieved to hear that." If Gilbert says so, you can''t go wrong. The executives of the 2nd Unit were relieved. They were relieved to hear that the second unit''s leaders were now in a better place. The guild leader has not been in office long, and his position within the guild is still unstable. This is the only place to take a strong stance. We don''t get this chance very often. I''m going to take it. You know, they''re just young guys. Don''t be cowed. Let''s show them that you can''t control us just by sitting in the guild president''s seat. Oh, yes. That''s right. Now is the time to avenge our misfortune and fulfill the long-cherished desire of the Second Corps." Let''s all fight together." As Gilbert raised his cup, the executives also piled their cups on top of each other and pledged their solidarity. (We only see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe. Kukk. Simple people.) The next day, Roland consulted Arik. He could not clearly say that he wanted him to be under the second unit. In a roundabout way, he told him that Isto was unhappy working under the first unit. As expected, Arik looks uncomfortable. ''Can''t we get people from outside Unit 2?For example, we could recruit from outside the company." That''s no good," he said. We can''t afford to spend any more money. We have to come to some kind of compromise with Unit 2. Arik shook his head emphatically. Roland. I''m sorry, but I can''t help you with that. You''re on your own. (What do we do?Should we follow Dianna''s lead and give the istos a severe punishment?But that may only increase the friction with the second unit. Then, why not just put the second unit under your direct control and run it?(No, but ......) A unit of "Guardians of the Magic Tree," a guild leader of the "Arsenal of Spirits," and a guild leader of the "Golden Eagle. Even now, I have my hands full, but I can''t hold any more troops, no matter how many bodies I have. (And even so, ...... do these guys know what they''re doing?If we don''t succeed in developing "The Dungeon of the Demon World," there will be no end in sight for "The Golden Eagle," you know? (Thinking only of the immediate future, we are the ones who will be in trouble in the end.) You seem to be having trouble. The guild leader." As Roland was troubled, Dianna spoke to him in a strangely calm and composed manner. Dianna ......" If you don''t mind, I''d like to take over the mediation with the second unit." What?You?" Yes, sir. I have been in contact with some members of the Second Corps for some time, and after discussing this matter with them, I found one who said he would be willing to mediate. From Roland''s point of view, it was indeed a godsend. However, Roland also felt suspicious. It''s not right. It was too convenient.) Roland stared at Dianna''s face. (Does this guy ...... know something?) Dianna chuckled inwardly. (If Roland relies on me here, he will have no choice but to entrust me with the second unit in the future. (If only I can gain Roland''s trust in this way, I can regain the power I had during the Lukius era.) Guild President. I will never do anything to embarrass you. Please let me take care of this matter." Let me ...... think about it for a minute." <> 53 - Art. 53. Lorans Compromise When the second unit refused to cooperate, Roland decided to hold an inter-unit meeting. The purpose of the meeting was not only to give orders from the top, but also to allow them to speak up, thereby encouraging their voluntary participation and fostering a sense of responsibility for the project and a sense of ownership of it. By having them meet face to face and discuss their opinions in this way, he hoped to reconcile differences in values among the troops, resolve any rifts, and create a sense of solidarity. When the guild leader called a meeting, the captains and executives of each unit had to respond. The meeting was attended by the main members of each unit, from the first to the third. Everyone did a good job of coming together. The topic of the meeting was nothing else. The topic of discussion this time is none other than the management of the "Dungeon of the Demon World," which is currently underway. Roland glanced meaningfully at Isto, the captain of the second unit, and the others. Ist and the others pretended not to notice. Roland had no choice but to proceed with the meeting. Dorwin, please explain the details. Yes, sir. We, the Dorwin Squad, have been ordered by the Guild Captain to search for resources in the ''dungeons of the magical world'' that rival the ''mining dungeons'' in terms of profitability. ...... Objection!" Ist suddenly stood up as if he had been played and began to speak. ''Why are you going to the trouble of developing "The Dungeon of the Demons"?Why don''t we continue to aim for the "mining dungeon" as before? Ist. Dorwin has not finished explaining. Be seated." Roland said to him as if he were trying to nudge him. Ist, however, did not listen to him and continued to talk. It took some time to get Ist seated. (You''re a visible staller!). Ist and the others'' obstruction of the proceedings must have been their intention to end the meeting before anything was decided. Roland, who was already starting to feel annoyed inside, somehow managed to keep his composure and let the meeting get underway again. The "Magic Red Rocks"? Yes, sir. It is a red rock that contains magic power and is extremely durable. It is a red rock that holds magic power and is very durable. The Chimera''s Feather is also available at ....... And in the mine, we also found that the rock of the Demon Red Rock is covered over a large deposit of ore. Even with the "Mine Mining" A skill, it is not possible to dig. To destroy it, you need an average power of 100 or more." 100 in power or ......" The average adventurer can''t put a scratch on you. I doubt even a high-ranking Warrior could do it. So you need a warrior with B class power or higher who can handle a halberd or greatsword, and a support mage who can use "Attack Grant B" or higher. As you know, the dungeon management period is not only for gathering resources in the dungeon, but also for adjusting the status. If you rely only on your power or on support magic to remove the "magic red rocks," your status will be out of adjustment. "In order to efficiently proceed with the extraction of resources, the cooperation of the first and second units is essential......." Arik said as if to continue his words. ''Moreover, I found out that by using the skill ''Item Appraisal,'' I can penetrate items buried under the ''Demon Red Rock. So, before the dungeon disappears next month, we urgently need people with the skill of item appraisal and warriors of B class or above. So, we have three appraisers with the skill "Item Appraisal B" or higher, and warriors with B class (60-80) power. We have concluded that we need about 20 warriors. In order to secure these personnel, I think it would be most appropriate for you to send personnel from Unit 2 ......" I don''t think our second unit can afford it." Ist said proddingly. ''I thought your unit was currently on no particular mission, only training? Roland said as gently as possible, trying not to sound sarcastic. That''s exactly what we''re busy doing," Roland said gently, trying not to sound sarcastic. Next term, we will take back the "Mining Dungeon" from the "Guardians of the Magic Tree". That''s what we''re training for!" (Is this guy still using "mining dungeons" as an excuse?) Roland was inwardly dismayed. The "Golden Eagle" will focus on the "Dungeon of the Demon World" from now on. That has already been decided. Now that it has been decided, you will follow it. No, it''s not decided. Ist, enough. Are you going to disobey the guild leader''s order?" Arik, who couldn''t help but notice, reproached him. You mean the order of the head of the guild?Then what about the orders from the former guild leader, Lucius?It was the former guild leader''s intention that the Golden Eagle should form a unit with the primary goal of conquering the dungeon in the mine! The former guild leader''s intention is ...... Lukius is no longer with us!That''s invalid. Null and void!" No, it''s not invalid. The former guild leader''s order is still alive!" The meeting then often became confused over discussions about whether the former guild leader''s order was still alive, whether it conflicted with the current guild leader''s order, which should take precedence over the current guild leader''s order, and how long the former guild leader''s order would remain in effect. Since the discussion did not settle the issue, the meeting even pulled out the guild constitution and past minutes to discuss this and that. This was the first time Roland had seen the minutes of a past meeting, and he was horrified by their length and lack of content. He wondered if they had spent so many endless hours on such an unimportant discussion, and had been engaged in a sterile argument. (No kidding. ) I was horrified to think that they had spent so many hours arguing about such a trivial issue. Anyway!" With a bang, Roland slammed the desk, interrupting the people from speaking. ''We need a chunk of money,'' he said. We need to develop the mine and collect the ''chimera feathers'' by the end of this term. If we can''t do that, we''re going to have to fire some of our adventurers.Can any of these people come up with the money?You wouldn''t, would you?" In saying this, the istos had to be silenced. If that''s the case, then stop talking and just get on with the management of the "Dungeon of the Demon World"!After that, we''ll see what happens." Finally, the members of Unit 2 reluctantly agreed to cooperate in the management of "The Dungeon of the Demon World," and the agenda shifted to how to proceed with the management of the dungeon. (We finally got down to business: ......) But Roland was already groggy up to this point, and his ability to think had been completely taken away. And as for the actual workflow in dungeon management, well... The second unit''s members did not stop to impose their own convenience. Ist unabashedly made the following statement. If you want us to send you personnel, I have a condition. 1. The first unit must leave the dungeon. 2. Transfer of authority to Unit 2 3. No access to the dungeon for the first unit. 4. Replenishment of support mages who can use "Attack Grant". I ask that you fulfill these requests." The meeting once again became chaotic, as the members of Unit 1 could not remain silent in the face of the overly ambitious demands of Unit 2. Dorwin was fed up. Dorwin was fed up. It''s started again. The battle for leadership among the units. (I wonder if this will continue even if Roland-san becomes the guild leader.) Arik, too, was observing Roland''s behavior while he was dealing with the guys from the second unit at Arik. (Looking at the creation of the new unit in "Guardian of the Magic Tree," Roland is more than capable as a field commander, judging from his achievements in organizing the unit and training new recruits, but he seems to be a bit lax as a manager.) Even now, Roland is somehow trying to bridge the gap between the first and second units, but he could not deny the feeling that he is being swept away by the insistence of the two units. Lucius may have been better at laying the groundwork and power struggles. (I would like to help him somehow, but I can''t just accept the other unit''s claims so easily in front of my subordinates. I had to let Roland handle this situation on his own.) In other words, I''m not going to cooperate or compromise any further by any means; I''m not going to send a B-class warrior or above, and I''m not going to send a connoisseur. Is that right?" Roland said, as if to remind us. (If you refuse to cooperate any longer, we will have no choice but to dismantle Unit 2. ......) Roland waited for the other party''s response, prepared to dismantle the second unit. Under the current circumstances," he said, "I''m afraid I have no choice but to do so. But ......" Here Ist laughed a funny laugh and softened his demeanor a bit. Yes, that''s right. I am willing to cooperate with you in dispatching people with appraisal skills. We have been wanting to put some effort into the development of appraisal skills as well. I see. Will you cooperate?" Roland said, relieved. (If you can send me an appraiser by the 19th, I can manage to monetize the "Chimera''s Feather" in time.) However, it will start on the 20th. The 20th?No, you can''t. That would be too late." But even so, guild president," he said. We have a predetermined schedule. That''s true, but ......, then at least start on the 19th. How about that?" Isto chuckled at this attitude of Roland''s. (I hear it''s true that they need someone with appraisal skills by the 19th.) If you are willing to send in the appraisal skill holders to disrupt our schedule, then we would first ask that the first unit vacate the dungeon." Don''t be silly!Why should we leave? One of the Arik Corps leaders said bitingly. We can''t work calmly with the First Corps around." What the hell? You guys are always, always, always ...... Hey, relax." The meeting became disorganized again and was out of control for a while. It was an hour later when things finally calmed down. Anyway. We can''t let Arik''s team, which was in charge of the dungeon first, leave. Let''s find a way to cooperate. Roland said so, but the people of the second unit stubbornly refused to budge, saying, "We have our own positions," and in the end, no decision was reached that day. In the end, nothing was decided at the meeting except that Unit 2 would cooperate with dungeon management. At least, that''s what we thought. In a locked anteroom, alone with Dianna, Dianna said to Gilbert, "I''m not sure what you''re talking about. ''That Roland guy still ain''t crying to you, is he? ''Yes,'' he said. I have offered my assistance several times since then. Hmmm. I see." Gilbert looks thoughtful as he pokes at his drink. (Roland must have already lost support from Arik''s unit. ) "I can''t believe he hasn''t given up yet, even though he''s isolated himself this far from the rest of us. He''s a stubborn son of a b*tc*." It''s true. Why don''t you just leave it to us? I don''t know what you''re so obsessed with. Dianna said dismissively. Roland is going to continue to negotiate with the Second Corps. Roland is going to continue to negotiate with the Second Corps," Dianna said, "and he''s going to propose some conditions, such as dividing the time spent in the dungeon and the area of activity of each unit. He said that he would not accept the evacuation of Arik''s unit from the dungeon. Okay, then I''ll tell the guys in the second unit to just stick around until the dungeon is cleared." ?"Then won''t negotiations break down and we won''t be able to come to an agreement?" I don''t want them to get together. Roland and the 2nd Unit must fight with each other for as long as they can, for as long as they can. It''s up to us to help them solve the problem. Jill had stopped by the "Golden Eagle" before going to the "Dungeon of the Demon World. (It''s been a while since I''ve been coming to the "Golden Eagle" since I''ve been working at the "Arsenal of Spirits" lately. Jill walked slowly through the building on purpose, hoping to run into Roland by chance. (I wonder what Roland-san is doing right now?I wonder if they are busy after all. (Is it indeed a nuisance to go all the way to the guild president''s office?) As Jill was walking down the hallway thinking about this, she heard a voice talking from the anteroom. "You know, the head of the guild: ......." What?Seriously?" (Guild leader?(Are you talking about Mr. Roland?) Jill hid behind the entrance and listened. ''So, you know, it looks like the guild leader is about to be fired. Seriously?" Yeah, they say he''s isolated among the top brass." He''s been in office for only a short time, and he''s still a very disappointing guy. Ha-ha-ha, no. Well, it''s a fitting end for the investor''s dog. They were startled by a thud from behind them. When they turned around, they saw Jill standing there with her fists on the wall, looking furious. The room, despite its sturdy construction, wobbled for a while, and dust from the ceiling fell in patches. Hiccup." Ji, Jill?" You guys must be pretty good to skip training and talk behind the guild leader''s back. I''m sorry. I beg your pardon. Wait! Jill stops the members as they are leaving. ''What were you just talking about?Mr. Roland is going to lose his job soon or something. Why do you say such a rootless thing?" Um, well, you know, ...... I heard a rumor about that. ...... Rumor?"Listen, Mr. Roland will not resign as head of the guild. From now on, do not ever utter such falsehoods. Understood?" "...... yes." They nodded their shoulders. ''Now, get your asses to training!Do not speak of anything unnecessary." Yes, sir. Jill yelled at them and they left the room as if they were being driven away. (I can''t believe this happened after not seeing them for a while. Is Mr. Roland isolated?Mr. Roland!) Roland called the istos back to the guild president''s office to negotiate. (No more respite. (If we don''t persuade Ist and the others here today, the management of "The Dungeon of the Demon World" will fail.) By the 19th, I will have someone with appraisal skills dispatched to the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm. As I said at yesterday''s meeting, we do not intend to dispatch our skilled appraisers until the 20th. How about these conditions?Arik''s team will be restricted to the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm." Limit the scope of activities? Yes, that''s right. If the range of action is restricted so that they do not bat against each other, there should be no problem with two units being in the same dungeon. For example, the first unit will not enter the 12th level. The second unit would not enter level 11, and so on. That doesn''t make any sense. Ist is about to leave the guild leader''s office in disgust. ''Wait!I understand. Then how about we set a time for each troop to enter the dungeon and take turns?It would be a little less efficient, but it would prevent the harm of two troops going in at the same time. Guild leader!" Ist raised his voice as if he were angry. ''I beg you not to bargain away our value like that!If you really want to help us, would you be so kind as to respond with the utmost sincerity that the guild leader can offer?If you cannot do that, we will not cooperate any longer in the management of the Dungeon of the Demon World. Roland guffawed, meditated as if conflicted, and then began to speak again, as if determined. ...... understand. Then, let''s pull Arik''s team out of the dungeon for the time being. However, this is the maximum concession we can make. If you want more, I have an idea. Roland and Isto glanced at each other for a few moments as if playing a game. "Whew. I understand. So you''re going to pull Arik''s team out of the dungeon. Let''s settle the matter. Ist accepted the terms with a sense of disapproval and left the guild president''s office. Roland slumped down on his desk, groggy and unable to move for a while. However, he could not stay like this forever. Now he had to convince Arik and the others. (I had no idea that it would take so much to get them to agree to provide us with personnel. But there was one thing I did understand. Dianna was running Unit 2 behind the scenes. Isto has also come to a compromise line with exactly what I told her. But it doesn''t add up. Why are the people in the second unit working in accordance with Dianna''s intentions to this extent?What in the world is the purpose of this?) Roland went to the "dungeon of the demon world" to persuade Arik and his group, but Arik, after hearing his explanation, did not easily shake his head, as is to be expected. He could not give in so easily in the face of his subordinates. Roland, you were the one who said you would take charge of the "Dungeon of the Demon Realm. Why should we leave for the sake of the ists who came later? Please," he said. Alik. For once, let the men of the Second Corps speak for themselves. It''s the way it is. Roland bows his head despite the fact that Arik''s men are watching. I understand. I''ll make a concession in your favor. You only owe me one thing. Arik sighed and said, grudgingly. Thank you. I owe you." When Roland disappeared, Arik''s men grumbled and grumbled. Another goner from the Second Corps," he said. I don''t think so. We were the first to cooperate with the new guild leader, and now we have to watch our losses. Even with a new guild leader, in the end, these things are no different than they were under Lucius. Don''t say that, boys. The head of the guild just took office, and he''s going through a lot. Arik soothed his subordinates with these words. But it''s true, we can''t possibly keep the "Golden Eagle" going this way. In any case, on the 22nd, the first and second units will have to work together. What are you going to do?Are you going to go around with your head down like this again?(I have a position as a unit commander, too, and I can''t afford any more compromises.) Ist and the other members of the Second Unit, after their meeting with Roland, gathered at a bar to have a drink in high spirits. They were as happy as if they had conquered a dungeon. They were so happy that they looked as if they had conquered a dungeon. We did it! We finally drove Arik and the others out of the dungeon. It seems Gilbert''s information was correct after all. Yeah, thanks to you, I was able to get my hands on the head of the guild. The guild leader was visibly impatient. While the members of the second unit were in a celebratory mood, Gilbert was the only one who looked discouraged. Tsk. Roland, I didn''t expect you to kick Arik''s squad out of the dungeon. Dianna, I thought Roland would not allow Arik''s troop to leave the dungeon. He''s giving me such bad information. What a useless guy.) I knew I could count on Gilbert. Keep up the good work. Hmm?Yeah, you know what I''m talking about. I''ll leave it to you. When Ist and the others talked to Gilbert, he pulled back his grim face and said, "I''m good at what I do. Now that we''ve won concessions from the guild leaders, isn''t it about time we told them of our true intentions?" Oh, yes. Maybe it''s time for a reconciliation." I agree. It''s time." Hey, wait a minute. Gilbert raised his voice sharply. I told you. I told you," Gilbert said sharply, "you can''t tell them what we want. That would give us a leg up. Besides, Arik''s group was only temporarily evacuated. If they think we''ve grown soft, Roland will start giving them preferential treatment back in the dungeon. But we waited until the 19th, as you say, and in the end our request was not fulfilled." He said, "Mm, indeed. It is not our true purpose to evict Arik''s troops from the dungeon. No matter how many concessions we win from the guild leaders, it will be meaningless if our true purpose is not achieved. I''m telling you. Roland needs a Warrior with Power B or higher by the 22nd. Until then, he will not suspend negotiations. But ......, what if they don''t come forward with our request by then?" Yes," he said. If the guild leaders don''t know what we want, there''s no way they can grant it. Don''t worry. I''ll make sure Roland gets the message through his spy at the right time. I see. Well, that''s good. ...... Anyway, I''ll take care of it. I''ll take care of everything. Mm-hmm. Well, if you insist. ...... (Whew. They''re a pain in the ass. I can''t have you guys making peace with the guild leader right now. If you don''t make peace through Dianna, she''ll never regain her power.) Gilbert stirred his drink as if to reenergize himself. (This is the point, anyway. I''m not going to make any compromises next time. Roland, I''m going to tighten you up until you cry to Dianna.) <> 54 - 第54話 権力と腐敗 While the members of the 2nd Unit were celebrating their compromise with Roland, Miguel, Aina, Oscar, and others who had been ordered by Roland to change their equipment and training were gathered at a table in the corner, sipping their drinks uncomfortably. Yo. Are you guys drinking?" One of the second unit leaders calls out to Miguel and the others. Uh, yes." I have just received new instructions from Captain Ist. The 2nd Unit will continue to negotiate with the guild leaders until the 22nd. You are to continue to disregard the orders from the Guild Captain. Haa......" Miguel and the others looked down, not knowing what to say. What''s the matter with you guys, you''re so disheartened? Listen to me. You haven''t done anything wrong. All you have to do is stand tall. Miguel. If the guild leader asks you to do something, don''t do it. If the guild leader catches your eye and does something to you, talk to me. I will protect you and the others with the prestige of the 2nd Guild." ...... yes." The executive man said just that and went back toward where the istos were. Miguel and the others sigh. Miguel and the others sigh. We got ourselves into a big mess. I really wish you would stop involving us, the people at the end of the line, in the power struggles of the upper management. They all look depressed. This kind of thing was an everyday occurrence at the Gilded Eagle. Even they had their own concerns about the fact that they were neglecting their training as adventurers and were only looking up to their superiors, but they could not change the situation for the sake of their own safety. What are we doing? I don''t have a choice. In the Gilded Eagle, the end member has no right to speak his mind. Anyway, if you make a bad move now, you never know where the bull''s-eye will come flying in. Let''s be as nice as possible to everyone and keep a low profile. Yeah, I guess so. That''s the best I can do." While Ist and the others were having a drink at the bar, Roland was calling Claria to the guild president''s office. "You wanted to see me, guild leader? Claria, thank you for coming. I have a little favor to ask you. Roland invited Claria into the room, and once she was inside, she looked out into the hallway and scurried around. Dianna had already gone home, but just to be sure, she made sure she was not overheard before returning to her seat. Claria saw the gesture and it hit her. She was about to be handed a top-secret mission. Is there something you wouldn''t feel comfortable telling anyone else?" I''m not sure. To be honest, I wasn''t sure if I should be asking you to do this. ......" Whatever you need. Claria leaned forward and said. I would be happy to do whatever I can to help the guild leader. I understand. But this is a top-secret mission. You must never tell anyone about it. No one other than me must be aware of it. In particular, I want you to be very careful that Dianna doesn''t find out. ...... To Ms. Dianna?Understood. I will be careful." When Roland confirmed that Claria understood the gravity of the mission, he began to speak, choosing his words carefully. ''Is this an internal reconnaissance ...... of the Second Corps?'' Yeah, I''ve been noticing some strange things going on in Unit 2 lately. What do you mean when you say "......"? You are too aggressive in your negotiations. It''s as if they know our financial situation and are trying to get us to the very edge of what they want. Maybe someone behind the scenes is leaking our information to the public. ...... I see. And what is it that you want me to look into?Is this about the leaker?" That''s one thing. But before that, I want you to find out about the true purpose of the second unit (Dianna is the inside man, anyway. (The inside man is Dianna, anyway, so there''s no problem with letting her go. True purpose? I don''t think it''s their goal to ruin my plans with their bumbling. In fact, they''ve compromised when I''ve offered concessions. I think their goal is probably to improve my position in some way, but for some reason, they have not said so. It could be an increase in pay, better treatment, or a contract renewal. ...... I get the idea that they are competing with Arik Corps for some reason, but I think they are still hiding their real goal anyway. Do they dare to say it or not? Either way, I can''t waste any more time and money on bellyaching. Somehow find out what they want from me and what they are hiding." I will do it. I will try. But ......" Yes? Can I do such a difficult job?" Roland scowled for a moment and then laughed uncontrollably. ''Ha-ha-ha. Don''t worry. You will be able to accomplish your mission without any problems. Now it was Claria''s turn to be a bit of a jerk. Claria''s skills Secret Agreement: B to A Information Retrieval: B to A (Claria, you too are unaware of your talents.) Roland always felt endeared when he saw people who were unaware of their talents. (When I first appraised your skills, I wondered whether I should really raise you or not. ......, but I have no doubts anymore. Even if your skills turn against me, I will not regret a single thing. I will develop the skills that are lost. That''s what I''m supposed to do, that''s what Lily taught me.) You can take a break from work related to the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' and the ''Guardian of the Magical Tree'' for a while, so you can focus on this case anyway." Yes, sir. Claria, and also, ...... Yes?" You don''t have to call me "guild leader. Just ''Mr. Roland'' from now on." I''m not sure. Mr. Roland." Claria said happily. After that, Roland quietly went about his chores. He spent his time concentrating only on the chores that he could control, leaving both the bargaining with the second unit and the management of the "dungeon in the magical world" behind. Meanwhile, Gilbert''s maneuvering activities continued. His agitation extended to the Arik Corps, and even at the end of the Arik Corps, there were now people who agreed that Roland''s orders should be ignored and that Roland should be removed from his position as guild leader. In this climate, Roland was also receiving reproachful glances from Arik and Dorwin for his simpering attitude. What are we going to do about the management of the "Dungeon of the Demon World"? How would he deal with the second unit, which still had no intention of contributing personnel? However, Roland silently ignored these questions and continued to endure patiently, waiting for a report from Claria. If he made a poor move, there was a risk that his move using Claria would be exposed. Since receiving Roland''s order, Claria seemed to have been casually contacting members of Unit 2 and extracting information of interest. The members of Unit 2 had not been active in any significant way recently, and their popularity had waned, so when they were approached by a young girl for the first time in a long while, they readily accepted her invitation. They were easily exposed to the inner workings of the company, with Claria simply accompanying them to drinks and cajoling them. In fact, they were so proud to talk about it. ...... so it looks like we''ll have to wait a little longer for the S-Class Monster Defeat Squad." At the "Arsenal of Spirits," Roland said apologetically to Jill. ''...... I see.'' Sorry. I''m sorry. I''ve been trying to improve the "Breaking Hammer" and it seems to be going well. ''No, something like that. Mr. Roland, please put your own work before mine. The guild leader''s job is very demanding." I''m not sure. Thank you." (Mr. Roland, I hope you''re okay.) Jill worriedly listens to Roland''s expression. Her mind drifted back to the conversation they had had in the waiting room. They had said that Roland was isolated among the "Golden Eagle" executives. (I''d like to help Roland somehow, but even I don''t know much about management. ......) In the end, Gilles was committed to quietly performing the duties handed down to him by Loran. Instead, she spent her free time roaming the halls of the Golden Eagle, keeping an eye out for anyone who might have heard an unsavory rumor about Roland. As soon as he found such a person, he would shut him down without question and ask him about the ringleaders of the rumors. (I don''t know who or what is trying to bring down Mr. Roland, but if I find him, I don''t need to wait for an order. I''ll beat them to a pulp and drag them to Mr. Roland''s front door!) However, even after going around crushing the disgruntled elements in this way, it was difficult to reach the ringleaders who were spreading the rumors. It seemed that those who were trying to bring Roland down were quite clever. Finally, on the 21st, Claria brought back the information Roland wanted. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Roland. Claria. So how did it go?Did you get any good information?" Yes, sir. We have probed several members of the 2nd Unit, and they have been very forthcoming about the purpose of the recent disturbances. I see. Well, let''s hear it now. What are the results of your investigation? Yes, sir. It seems that the people of Unit 2 are afraid that Arik''s team will be assigned the "Mine Dungeon" in the next term''s dungeon attack. The ''mining dungeon''?"Why on earth would you do that ...... again?" After saying that much, Roland huffed. (Come to think of it, they were obsessed with "mining dungeons" at the meeting too.) They seem to think that the guild leaders'' focus on ''dungeons in the magical world'' is temporary, and that in the end it is the ''mine dungeon'' personnel who are most favored." They were also dissatisfied with the fact that Arik''s team was more privileged than theirs, even before Mr. Roland became the guild leader. During the Lukius era, it was Unit 2 that was originally in charge of the "Dungeon of Mines," but Arik Corps replaced them in that role, and they seem to hold that against them as well. But in light of our overall competence and track record, ...... Yes, so they were eager to outperform Arik''s squadron in overall strength, even if it meant window dressing their skills and stats. ...... In other words, they don''t like the fact that Arik''s team is going to be favored over theirs in the next term''s dungeon attack. Is that what you mean?" Yes, it would seem so. Roland put his hand on his forehead and sagged. (It''s all about territoriality after all, isn''t it? (Is it territoriality after all? ) If we compete with each other over something like that, even making false declarations, and as a result, the unit''s strength declines, it''s a complete disaster, isn''t it? Have you found out anything about the inside man who is leaking our information?" I''m sorry. We have been trying to find out about that as well, but you have been very reluctant to talk to us. ...... However, the person who is instigating them, that person seems to be different from Ms. Dianna. I tried to probe him by mentioning Ms. Dianna''s name, but he didn''t seem to be acting in any suspicious manner." ...... I see." (It is not Dianna who is directly connected to the second unit: ....... So is there someone else instigating the second unit?) Thank you, Claria. I know exactly what the second unit is thinking. I''ll take care of the rest over here. You can go back to your normal duties. Later, Roland called the istos back to the guild director''s office. They stood in front of Roland, their strong faces all tense, as if they would not tolerate or compromise in any way. What on earth can I do for you, guild leader? I have something I need you guys to help me with." Cooperation? Yeah, I want you to develop ''The Dungeon of the Demon World'' with the Arik Corps." Guild President. As I have said many times, we are under the Arik Corps ......" Instead!" Roland interrupted Isto to interject. ''You guys, I''m going to give the second unit the unit''s largest budget for the next fiscal year. Ist stopped talking with a jerk of his face. I want you guys to take on the ''mining dungeon'' next term," Ist said. If you are able to conquer the ''mine dungeon,'' I will allow you to call yourselves the ''Golden Eagle'' first squad. When Roland finished this much, the room fell silent and a scene ensued. (No?(This is the last minute compromise I can make right now. ......) Guild Captain ......" Ist, the unit leader, broke the silence and opened his mouth in a stern tone. Hm?" We, the Second Corps, pledge our allegiance to you." Ist said with a smirk. The members of the Second Corps take a saluting posture toward Roland. ''Well, then, I''d like to discuss dungeon management with you at .......'' Of course, I will cooperate fully with you. (These guys are from ....... Are you sure?(Are you sure you want to be in charge of the "Mining Dungeon" next term, which means that you will be fighting against Loran''s unit (my unit) of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree"?) Roland observed the istos, but they had a big smile on their faces, unclouded at all. There was no sign of anxiety about fighting with Roland''s team. (Now that Sebasta is gone, I don''t think it''s possible for you guys to beat Roland''s squad (my squad) with your abilities. ...... Really, are you sure?) However, since they have agreed to do so, there is no point in interrupting any further. Roland told Arik about the second unit''s cooperation in managing the "Dungeon of the Magic World" and about being in charge of the "Dungeon of the Mine" next term. Then Arik''s face clouded over in frustration. He said, "I know you''re focusing on the ''Dungeon of the Demon World,'' ......, but we''ve been in charge of the ''Dungeon of the Mines'' all along. You don''t have to care so much about the second unit ......." Apparently, he too was expecting to be in charge of "Dungeon in the Mines" next term. He whined and complained for a while. But when Roland told him that the "dungeons of the magical world" could be a more promising resource than the "dungeons of the mines" in the future, and that he was also trying to protect the employment of the "golden eagles," or rather the Arik Corps, he finally agreed, albeit reluctantly. Even Arik seemed to have an obsession with this kind of veneer warfare. (Even after all that, he still couldn''t get through to me that I was putting "The Dungeon of the Demon World" on the line? (Not even to the executives.) Roland was disappointed to find that his ideas had not penetrated the guild at all. (Huh. People from "The Golden Eagle" are ......, really ......) Roland sighed deeply. After that, the second unit was as cooperative as a lie. The problems related to the development of "The Dungeon of the Demon World," the training policy, cooperation with Arik Corps, and these pending issues were resolved in a snap. Roland''s reforms began to take off. From then on, time passed in the blink of an eye. The power struggle seemed to be over, and the members of the "Golden Eagle" were relieved to be able to train and work on their own. Roland, too, had his worries resolved, and he devoted himself to the management of the guild. Dungeon management, training of troops, and management of the "Arsenal of Spirits" proceeded without any particular problems. When the dungeon management was reaching its climax, Roland called a man into the guild leader''s office. The man entered the room with a sleepy look on his face mixed with a yawn. He looked sleepy with a yawn. What in the world?This dungeon management is coming to a close. I''m busy making the final push. You''re Gilbert? Yes, I''m Gilbert, a low-ranking member of the corps. And?What in the world does a guild leader want with me at this busy time? If it''s nothing important, can we talk later? I''ve been looking into it," he said. The skill and status window dressing that was rampant in Units 2 and 3. I heard you were the one who ordered it. When Roland said this, Gilbert''s sleepy face quickly pulled back and became straight-faced. He stared at Dianna in the corner of the room. Dianna quickly looked away. (Tsk, he''s tipped us off.) Gilbert turns to Roland as if to rejoin the proceedings and smiles wryly. Yes, I do," he said. The window dressing of skills and status started during the time of Sebasta''s former captain. It was I, Gilbert, who initiated it. Roland appraised Gilbert''s skills. [Gilbert''s skills Spearmanship: B Agitation: A Training: A Skill Appraisal: A ("Training A" and "Skill Appraisal A". This guy has all these skills and more at ....... This guy could have trained adventurers without any skill window dressing. ......) What in the world do you think you''re doing? Doing this. How much trouble have you caused the guild? ......" I certainly window-dressed my skills and stats," he said. But what''s wrong with that?I''m just letting those who will never see the light of day enjoy the springtime of this world for a while. In fact, while many adventurers suffered under the tyranny of Lukius, the skill-powdered ones renewed their contracts and stayed put. Kukk. I mean, I saved them, you know." "You can do something stupid at ....... Do you really think that''s going to work forever?" Hey, Roland. Think about it. You''ve experienced it firsthand. In this guild, loudness and pretense are valued more than actual workmanship. It doesn''t matter if there''s no substance or if there''s a lot of pretense mixed in. I used to advise people to develop their skills.And yet, the people in this guild are all ....... All of them are only thinking about short-term profit and the pretense of a reputation. I am disgusted. Roland, you saw it too, didn''t you?The attitude of these people. They don''t even take offense when questioned about their skill and status window dressing. It''s not worth it for them to sincerely strive for the development of the guild. It''s ridiculous. Gilbert showed a shrug. Then he suddenly gave Roland a friendly smile. ''Hey, Roland, you were once an outcast, you know what I''m talking about, don''t you?It''s all rotten, this guild." But that''s only until today. Now that I am the head of the guild, I will not tolerate such corruption any longer!Gilbert, you are banished from the Gilded Eagle." Gilbert twisted his lips into a grin and laughed. I see. That''s good too. From now on, I''ll be watching you closely from outside the guild. I''ll be watching you rot away like Lucius in The Golden Eagle. I''ll never be like Lucius. I don''t know about that.Roland, you have already made the same blunder as Lucius. You have already made the same mistake as Lukius, favoring the wrongdoers of the 2nd Unit over Arik''s sincere efforts. You are getting used to the taste of power without even knowing it. Red with red." Is that all you have to say?No amount of sophistry on your part will overturn the decision. Roland pointed to the exit door. Get out of this guild immediately. Forever!" Gilbert sniffed, "Hmph," and put his hand on the exit doorknob. I was just about to help you out. He''s an idiot, you know. I''ll tell you something, Roland. Don''t think you''ve solved everything by banishing me. The Gilded Eagle will come back to haunt you. At best, you should be careful not to strangle yourself. With these words, Gilbert left the guild president''s office. <> 55 - Art. 55. The Moonlight With Gilbert expelled and the second unit quieted down, the movement to remove Roland from the "Golden Eagle" had subsided. The dungeon management was going smoothly, and Roland was listening to Claria''s report about it in the guild leader''s office. The management of the dungeon is progressing well," she said. It looks like we will be able to mine the target amount of chimera feathers, iron ore, and silver ore. How''s the second unit doing?" No problem. Sometimes I get in trouble with the people in the first group, but when I say, ''I''ll tell Mr. Roland,'' they quiet down. I see." Roland had implied to each unit that depending on the results of dungeon management, they would be given an additional budget for the next fiscal year. Therefore, they were careful not to offend Roland unnecessarily. (It looks like we''ll be able to handle this term for now. The problem is next term.) The istos who challenge "The Dungeon of the Mine" will be defeated miserably by "The Guardian of the Magical Tree. Roland''s plan was to have Arik''s team achieve success while Isto''s team continued to blunder. In this way, he would reduce the power of the disgruntled Unit 2, while promoting reform and securing his own position. (Now, will it work?) Even if they fail miserably, it is unlikely that the istos will back down so easily. If they feel their authority is about to be taken away from them, they are bound to start rampaging again. It will be necessary to take the initiative and prepare to restructure the second unit in turn. Preparations also needed to be made on the part of the Arik Corps. If Arik''s unit''s position was enhanced, there was a fear that it would grow in size. To prepare for this, it was necessary to deepen the relationship with Arik and create a mechanism to curb the authority of Arik''s corps. (The only people we can trust are Jill and Dorwin...we can''t let our guard down until the S-class defeat squad is fully operational.) Roland couldn''t help but let out a dry laugh when he realized that he was completely used to thinking in terms of authority. In "The Guardian of the Magic Tree," Lillianne did all these things for me, but in "The Golden Eagle," I have to do all this internal politics by myself. To be honest, I wanted to concentrate on my main task of cultivation as soon as possible. On my desk, I have a grimoire and wine to boost my magical power. On the mirror stand, an elaborately decorated makeup bottle. The purple curtains have a mysterious pattern on them. Lillianne was basking in the moonlight streaming in from the window with a smug look on her face in this very witch''s bedroom. She was in bed, but all her clothes had been taken off on the floor. Her body was enveloped in a pleasant weariness. This was because I had just been talking about love with the man lying next to me. Although I thought it was immodest, I was so lonely that I begged him to come over to my house. She embraced her beloved with all her energy during their first s*xual intercourse in a long time. After having tasted his love to her heart''s content, she had been immersed in the afterglow of the lovemaking, but now she was letting out another troubled sigh. It was a sign that the fire of passion was still faintly smoldering inside her. A little fanning and it would soon flare up again. Lilianne was unable to handle the flames herself and was having a hard time holding on to them. So she tried to reach for his shoulder as he lay next to her, hoping that the man who had just made her feel happy would make her feel happy once more. But she stopped her hand in mid-step. It was because she could hear him breathing quietly in his sleep. (Mr. Roland, you must have fallen asleep.) Lillianne withdrew her hand, feeling lonely. Instead, she gazed wistfully at Roland''s face in the moonlight. Tonight, with the "Golden Eagle" issue settled, they were finally able to have some time together like this. Lately, she has been feeling especially lonely at night when she is alone. Every night, she would spend sleepless nights in bed, watching the moonlight stream in through the window and thinking about Roland. If I could, I would be next to him every night like this. Tomorrow, Roland said he would not be able to come to Lilianne''s house again. The thought of it made her sad again. She couldn''t help but move her legs around the base of her feet. If she won''t see him again for a while, at least for now, she puts her cheek on his arm and tries to feel Roland as close to her as possible. (Thank you for all your hard work. But you can take a little more time off from work and relax in my room.) A lonely night when even the slightest moonlight is hidden by clouds. Monica, feeling helplessly sad and almost choked, made her way to Roland''s house. (Mr. Roland. Why do you keep going to Lilianne''s place?I would have taken first place in the number of defeats. It is true that I may have met Lilianne first. ...... But why not stay by my side at least on lonely nights like this!(Mr. Roland!) I had already confirmed with "Hawk-Eye" that Roland, Lillianne, Jill, and everyone else were home alone tonight. In this way, "Hawk-Eye" is a very powerful stalker skill, depending on how you use it. Monica knocked on the door of Roland''s room with the gift in her hand. Yes," she said, "I''m Roland. Which one of you is ......, huh?Monica?" Roland came out of his room and rolled his eyes at the sudden visitor. Good evening. Mr. Roland." What''s wrong?At this time of night? I just happened to have plans to drop by, so I wanted to thank you for all your help. I brought you something from the bottom of my heart. ......" What''s this? It''s an old wine, isn''t it? Roland''s eyes light up when he sees the bottle of wine. Yes, sir," he said. I hope it suits your palate. ...... Not only does it suit my palate, it''s my favorite. Thank you." Monica had already researched Roland''s favorite brands. Also, this one: ......." Monica presented Roland with a basket of bread and meat. All of them were foods that went well with wine, and all of them were Roland''s favorites. Roland''s face broke into a smile. Monica was relieved to see Roland''s face. He looked a little tired when he walked out the door, but he didn''t seem annoyed. This would be the next step. ''Um, Mr. Roland, if you don''t mind, would you like to celebrate now? What?Celebrate?" Yes, Mr. Roland, you''ve come a long way and I haven''t had a chance to congratulate you. Speaking of celebrations, you haven''t had yours yet either. You''ve just won first place in the number of defeats. Monica felt a warmth in her heart knowing that Roland remembered her first place in the number of defeats. We''re all busy and can''t really get together, but I thought we could at least celebrate together ......." That''s fine, of course. ...... (I''m not sure I want to go out for a drink now) It is a reasonable distance from here to the bar, even the closest one. Even though it was an invitation from a cute subordinate, I was hesitant to go out any further with my tired body. Mr. Roland. If you don''t mind, I''d like to go to ......." Hmm? How about we celebrate at Mr. Roland''s house?" What?At my house? Yes, sir. Of course, if it''s okay with Mr. Roland. ......" (Please, Mr. Roland, don''t say no.) Monica prayed and pleaded in her mind. ''Uh, yes. That''s fine." Roland remembered that his room was not very tidy. He wondered if he could give a girl to such a room, even if she was his subordinate. Monica sensed Roland''s uneasiness. She said, "It''s all right. I don''t mind if the room is a little messy. My room is always messy. What?Really?" Yes, I do. So please don''t mind me." Hmmm, well, if you insist. (It''s going to be busy for a while yet. (I''m going to be busy for a while yet, and I feel sorry for her if I don''t reward her for all her hard work. I''d better celebrate while I can.) I understand. Go on up then." Thank you!" But I''m really going to have to cut you some slack on the mess. I''m fine. I''m sure my room is more cluttered than yours." Monica walks into Roland''s room as she says this. Roland''s room was not as messy as she had expected. There was only a bed and a sofa with some clothes scattered about. (That''s good. (This much is perfectly all right.)) I wondered what I would do if it was too dirty, but this much is no problem with a little tidying up. It wouldn''t spoil the romantic mood. Mr. Roland, I''ll prepare the dishes. Oh, thank you. I''ll clean up the room. The two of them split up and began working in the kitchen and in their rooms. Monica put plates and glasses on the desk, Roland folded clothes, and they sat down on the sofa in front of the desk. Monica put the plates and glasses on the table, Roland folded the clothes, and they sat down on the couch in front of the desk. Congratulations to Roland on his appointment as head of the "Golden Eagle" guild. They toasted with a glass of wine and chatted amicably over snacks. They also discussed the dungeon strategy for the next term. I hear that the second unit of the "Golden Eagle" will be in charge of the "Mining Dungeon" next term." Oh, yes," he said. I am going to order them to attack the ''mine dungeon. But is it okay?We will be the ones attacking the "dungeon of the mine" next season, you know. With all due respect ...... to that ......, I''m afraid the current ''Golden Eagle'' can''t compete with us." I agree. They will fail miserably against you." Are you sure?If he loses to us after having been appointed guild leader, he will have no position in the guild. ...... I''m like, "Oh, okay. It''s fine. Don''t worry about it. You guys should go ahead and attack the dungeon as hard as you always do. Roland huffed afterward. Don''t tell anyone else what I just said. Yes, of course." Roland was relieved. Monica would never tell anyone else. I don''t want to say it too loud, but I''m putting you guys in a position where I know they''re going to lose." Really?" Yes," he said. The truth is, I don''t want to send them to this pointless competition either. But I don''t have a choice, do I?Otherwise they would get in my way. I wondered what the hell they wanted, since they were always complaining, ignoring orders, and defying me. I didn''t think they wanted me to ask them to fight a losing battle. Roland felt his heart weakening. Normally, he would never complain to his subordinates like this. Maybe it was because he was drinking good alcohol and had a pretty girl to talk to, but the truth was that he was fed up with his job at the "Golden Eagle. ''I hate to say this, but they chose their own path of self-destruction. They deserved it." Roland said this and then scratched his head as if trapped in self-loathing. Huh. What am I doing? I can''t believe I''m giving a budget to a subordinate who is trying to destroy himself. Maybe I shouldn''t have accepted the position of guild leader of the Golden Eagle after all. It''s not your fault, Mr. Roland. What? There are people like that everywhere who want to strangle themselves. So you don''t have to feel responsible for them losing, being embarrassed, or getting hurt. Monica ......" Roland felt a little more at ease. ''Thank you. You''ve made me feel a little more at ease." ''No, no. It''s nothing compared to what Mr. Roland did for me. Ha, ha. It''s a great honor for me to hear you say that. Well, anyway, back to the point. There is no need to go easy on them. In fact, don''t let your guard down or feel sorry for them and let them catch you flat-footed. All you have to think about is your own success as an adventurer. I understand. Then, I''ll beat up the people of the second unit to a pulp. Yeah, come on. I''ll take out anyone who drags Mr. Roland down. Ha-ha. Thank you. You really are a good, honest girl. Roland gave Monica a look as if he were complimenting a good student. Monica felt comfortable with Roland when he treated her this way. Monica felt comfortable when Roland treated her this way. I don''t know what to do. I want to stay like this with Roland-san forever.) In fact, I would like to continue our good student-teacher relationship like this for a long time. However, if I keep quiet, Roland will go to Lillianne or Jill. (You have to make up your mind, Monica. It''s okay. If you imitate Euphine, I''m sure even Roland will be ......) ''Mr. Roland, you''re out of booze. Go ahead." Monica pours liquor into Roland''s glass. ''Oh, thank you.'' Roland savored the wine Monica had filled for him to his heart''s content. Phew. It''s still hot, isn''t it? Monica took off her jacket and put on a thin, sleeveless garment. Roland almost lost all sense of reason at the sight of her. Roland was almost overcome by the sight of her, for the bulge that peeked out from her thin garment was no less than Jill''s. He was surprised to see that Monica was wearing a sleeveless jacket. What''s wrong?" Monica asks, curiously looking at Roland''s face. She then bends forward and assumes a position that makes it easier for Roland to see her breasts. ''Eh, no, it''s nothing.'' Roland hurriedly looked away from Monica''s breasts. Monica then continued to touch her shoulder, her arm, and sometimes her breast against Roland''s arm. Roland, too, seemed to be not too thrilled with this kind of play, and he even touched her shoulder. Monica was so embarrassed that her face turned red every time she touched or was touched by Roland, but on the other hand, she was relieved. Apparently, she did not dislike herself on a physiological level. At least it means he''s not the type who doesn''t like to be touched on his body. (Thank goodness). Monica was relieved from the bottom of her heart. If she had been rejected at this point, she would have never recovered. Now it remained to be seen how far she would be able to respond to her feelings. Oops. It''s already that time of night. Roland checked his watch and was surprised. They had been talking and before he knew it, it was midnight. I guess it''s time to call it a night," he said. I''ll take you home. Roland noticed that his body was shaking. Oh, no. I must have had too much to drink.) Please take it easy, Mr. Roland. Let''s have a little more fun. Monica takes his arm and tries to get him to sit on the couch again. After a little more time, Roland will have a hard time telling Monica to go home. ''No, but you, I think it''s time for you to go home: ...... I would be totally fine. I''ll be fine." No, but ...... If you want, we can stay the night. What? Roland looked at Monica as if seeing her face for the first time. ''Don''t worry, I''m an adult now. No, no matter how mature you are, you ...... It''s fine," he said. It''s okay if you get a little ruffled. Or, Mr. Roland, do you not want to be with me?" No, it''s not that I don''t like it or anything. ...... Well, I like you, Mr. Roland." Monica said with a blush on her face. Monica, I''m in trouble. ...... ''Of course, I know that Mr. Roland is dating Ms. Lillianne. So, I''m fine with that ......2 second." What are you talking about? Just chill out for a second." Ugh, Mr. Roland. Can''t you just please like me?" Monica asked tearfully. ''Sorry. It''s not that I don''t like you. I mean, I love Lily. She helped me when I was having the hardest time. That''s why I want to take care of her." Ugh, gosh." (If I knew that Roland was having a hard time, I would run to him and support him in any way I could. If I had to do this, I should have told Roland-san that I loved him earlier. I wish I could rewind time and go back to when I met Mr. Roland.) For a while, Monica continued to sob on the spot. Roland did nothing but watch by her side. When the tears eventually dried up, Roland picked Monica up in his arms. Are you okay?Can you stand?" Yes," he said. Um, Mr. Roland. I''m sorry about today. I''m sorry I was so selfish. It''s okay. I''m sorry too. I didn''t know that you were that preoccupied. Now, let''s go home today. I''ll walk you home. Tomorrow you should be the same person you are today. Roland drove Monica to her home and they parted without incident. <> 56 - Art. 56. After that Roland assembled his troops when he came to the dungeon. It was the last chance to see his troops before the next season''s dungeon attack. Good, everyone''s here. Roland said as he looked around at his unit. He quickly checked the status. (Yes. No problem.) Satisfied with the condition of his unit, Roland began to speak. As you have heard, a second unit from the Golden Eagle will be sent to the ''mining dungeon. Even though Sebasta is gone, they are an elite group of experienced veterans with a wealth of experience. They are well trained and ready to conquer the dungeon (although that would be a lie). Even you will lose your footing if you are not careful. Each of you must be prepared for dungeon exploration. Yes, yes. I have a question. Yuffine raised her hand. What is it?" Who do you side with, us or the Golden Eagle, Mr. Roland?" A tense atmosphere prevails among the troops. It''s a good question. In a word, you are on both sides and neither side. When you say?" As you know, I am now the head of the ''Golden Eagle'' guild. However, I have not lost my registration as the captain of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" Roland Corps. Therefore, I have to carry out my duties as the captain of the Roland Corps, and at the same time, as the guild leader of the "Golden Eagle," I have to support the Second Corps. It is a delicate position. I can''t be overly loyal to either side." I see. So, from Mr. Roland''s point of view, it doesn''t matter who wins? The situation is a little more complicated than that, but let''s just say that. Anyway, I will not participate in the next dungeon search, and I will be a fair observer of the competition between the two teams. One thing I can say is that the game is always a matter of luck. The game is always decided by subtle differences. I want you to be on your guard and fight with no regrets. That''s all for now. Are there any other questions?No, I don''t think so. Then I''ll let each of you make your final adjustments." Lillianne was greeted by the police at "The Guardian of the Magic Tree. Liliane was there to consult with them about the investigation of Lucius. So they haven''t caught Lucius yet? Yes, we''re doing everything we can to investigate. ...... The police said apologetically. Lilianne crossed her arms and looked difficult. (How could she be cornered to this point and still not give up? He''s quite a wayward man, too, isn''t he? You know there is no chance for him to get back on his feet.) "We keep putting up emergency lines, so they should still be here in town. ...... Have you been able to find any clues on the part of the Guardian of the Magic Tree?" The police asked ostentatiously. No, sir. If I had such a thing, I would have reported it to you right away." Hah ......." I knew it. With a heavy heart, the police nodded. Lilianne began to feel sorry for the man in front of her. The authorities were getting quite nervous, as there had been a number of incidents involving adventurers in recent months. He would probably get a good scolding from his superiors if he did not return home with some clues. Cheer up." Lillianne spoke in a cheerful voice. Don''t worry. If you read the killer''s thoughts and persist in your investigation, you will catch him. Hah ......" We are willing to help you, so please hang in there a little longer. ...... I agree. Let''s start all over again to see what we can find out." Lillianne watched the police leave the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" building with a little more energy. ''The killer''s idea of ......? (If it is impossible to return to the "Golden Eagle," Lukius wants to ....... No way, he wants Mr. Roland ......) The worst possible situation popped into Lillianne''s mind. In case you were wondering, Lilianne had previously suggested that Loran have an escort, but Loran laughed it off. I don''t need an escort. He said he was not that great of a man. (Roland said he didn''t need an escort, but I''m still worried. (Roland said he didn''t need an escort, but I was concerned.) Roland wanted a "Golden Eagle" troop formation meeting. The meeting was attended by Arik, Ist, and other familiar faces. (The budget allocation has already been decided, and the lineup of troops is fixed, so there''s nothing to mess with (or rather, if we interfere too much, we''re likely to be rebuffed again). (If there is any more room for wrangling, it''s at ......) Guild President. I have a proposal!" Ist, the second troop commander, leaned forward. ''Yes?'' I would like to request that Jill Irwin be added to our second unit." I knew it.) Their confidence in their ability to conquer the dungeon was based solely on the idea of relying on Jill''s strength in this last-ditch effort. However, Roland did not want to use Jill in such a losing battle. Roland appraised Isto''s status. Ist''s status Arm strength (power): 40-80 Endurance (toughness): 40-80 Agility: 20-60 Physical strength (stamina): 60-100 (How can you say that you want to go to the "mining dungeon" with this status?) This is exactly what adventurers who neglected their training in the midst of political strife looked like. With their current state, they would have run out of breath by the time they reached the fifth level of the dungeon, let alone beat Roland''s team. The guild leader said, "Guild leader. Conquering the "Mine Dungeon" is the top priority for our guild. Please give us your utmost support. I agree. First of all, I would like to hear his opinion. I know Ist says so, but what do you think, Jill?" I''m not sure. I am willing to go wherever the guild leader orders me to go. However, my first wish is to serve at the Guild Master''s side. Jill said exactly what Roland had told her to say beforehand. Yes, that''s right. I agree with you. Jill is S class. She has the power to change the game. I think the best way to decide which dungeon to deploy her in is to look at each unit''s dungeon attack status, carefully assess their advantages and disadvantages, and deploy her when the situation calls for it. When Roland says this, Isto''s face contorts in frustration and he tries to say something. But Roland stopped him with a hand. I can understand your frustration, Isto," Roland said. But I have to look at the whole picture and make a decision. But, sir," the guild president ...... I''ll be fine. Don''t worry, the second unit can compete with the elite of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. In fact, they have enough strength to win the battle. I believe so. Isto retracts the words that were almost in his throat when he hears this. I believe that some of the members of the second unit have the potential to become S-class members. It is possible that this season''s dungeon attack will produce several S-class adventurers. My fear is that by deploying Jill, we may rather stunt your growth and miss an opportunity to fulfill your potential." Arik looks stunned indeed when he hears Roland''s words. (Loran. No matter how much you want to say, that''s ....... Who would be pleased to be flattered by such transparent flattery?) However, the istos easily took Roland''s word for it. (Oh my!Did the guild leader think that highly of us? I thought he was a handsome young man, but he is quite a sight to behold.) Guild President. Next term''s dungeon attack. I will make sure we succeed! I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it again. I''m counting on you. Arik could not help but open his mouth with a sigh. It seemed that the members of the second unit had been so busy window dressing their skills and stats that they had even forgotten what they were capable of. <> 57 - Art. 57. The Failed Works Dianna was walking unfaithfully through the city at night. Today, as usual, she is returning home after doing her chores at the "Golden Eagle" and feeling the emptiness of the window. I am so disappointed. Roland has treated me so blatantly and coldly. What did I do? Dianna thought to herself. I''ve been doing a lot of chores day in and day out," she said. (I might as well quit if I have to do this all the time.) But there are not many places that pay better than here. In order to continue his current rich lifestyle, he had no choice but to continue to endure the shabbiness of a window employee at the Golden Eagle. As Dianna was walking along with such a frustrating feeling, a hobo-like man suddenly appeared in front of her. He had shaggy hair, tattered and dilapidated clothes, skinny cheeks, and sunken eyes. He looks young because of his reasonably sturdy build, but the above features make him look old and decrepit. A fallen adventurer, perhaps. Dianna ignored the man and walked past him. She was not the kind of person such a vagabond would feel comfortable talking to, no matter what the cost. However, the man passed Dianna and stood in front of her again. Dianna is getting annoyed. (Not at all. Can''t you see this coat of arms?I am a "Golden Hawk" person. I''m not someone you can talk to.) What was that?I''m interrupting you!" Dianna said in a harsh tone. Unfortunately, we can''t afford it," Dianna said sharply. If you want to beg, find someone else! It was said in a high and cold manner. There are not many men who would not cower in fear when she said this to them. However, the man in front of me was completely unperturbed and did not make the slightest move. Dianna began to feel uneasy. What is this guy?) Have you forgotten about me?" Slowly, the man began to speak. Dianna is startled to hear his voice. He said, "That voice is ....... You don''t mean ......." ''Well, I knew you''d be ...... to Roland.'' The man seemed to waggle his shoulders as he said this, then grabbed Dianna, covered her mouth, and pulled her into the shadows. As night fell, darkness covered the city, and the busy taverns were quiet with their lights dimmed, Roland arrived at his home. (Whew. I couldn''t find him after all. (Cheal) It all started with a trivial argument. During a meeting at the Arsenal of the Spirits to discuss a silversmithing competition, Lange and Cheal had a difference of opinion about quality and cost. Roland took Lange''s opinion, but Cheal, bent on his navel, left the workshop (atelier). Cheal then disappeared. After that, Roland searched for Cheal with all the means at his disposal. He visited Cheal''s home, asked his parents to help him search, and filed a missing persons report with the police. He sent the Golden Eagle and the Guardian of the Magical Tree to search for the elf girl with as many people as they could move. But in the end, they could not find her. (Oh, my God. Where the hell did that guy go?) When Roland arrived at his room with these thoughts in his mind, he saw an envelope in the mailbox. (What is it?) When Roland peeled off the package, he found a strand of silver hair and a letter smeared in blood. Roland felt a stirring in his heart and hurried to read the letter. The elf''s daughter is in my possession. If you want her back, come alone to the seventh level of the "Forest Dungeon" cave. Lucius." (Lucius!No way, this blood is Thial''s ......) Cheal is in danger!" Roland put on only the sword in his room and rushed out of his room to the dungeon. (d*mn. Lukius had caught me, of all people.) Roland ran through the city, which was plunged into darkness. After Roland ran out of the room and disappeared across the street, a shadow began to move in the shadows. The figure walked up to Roland''s room, picked up the letter from Lucius that Roland had dropped, tucked it into his chest, and followed Roland. When Roland reached the entrance in front of the cave on the seventh level of the "Forest Dungeon," he hid himself behind a tree and looked around. (This must have been the only cave on the seventh level. ......) A hole in a rocky hill that rises out of the ground. Roland tries to see inside the cave with his eyes. However, he could not see into the pitch-black interior of the dungeon, where it was darkest at night. (I thought Lucius was hard to catch, but I didn''t know he was hiding in a dungeon like this. What to do?(Shall we get in?) Roland squeezed the hilt of his sword. Failure was not an option. If he failed, Cheal''s life would ...... be lost. I will get him out. Cheal prayed for me and cried for me. I will not let her die!) Her crying face and her playful smile intermingled in Roland''s mind. Roland stared at the cave again. (There might be some traps in the cave. Even so, Lukius is a former A-class adventurer. Would it be a disadvantage to go in head-on?) Roland hesitated, but still decided to enter the cave. (There was no time to be lost. (There was no time to get lost.) Roland recalled the bloody letter in the example. He didn''t know what Lukius would do now if left alone. Roland rushes into the cave. Just after entering the cave, Roland tripped over something. Whoa!" He almost fell down, but he quickly regained his balance and stayed on his feet. What was that?(Is it a trap?) I hurriedly shone the light on my own feet and saw Dianna lying there, covered in blood. Roland gasps. Dianna!No way, Lucius got to me (......). Her condition was terrible. While her face was barely intact, she was bleeding from every part of her body. It was evident that she had been stabbed in several places. Roland was horrified. After all, Rukius was not normal now. He did not know what he would do to Cheal. Roland hurried toward the back of the cave. Roland went down a straight path for a while, but eventually he reached an exit that led to a large space inside the cave. A light was leaking from it, and there were signs of people. Roland asked toward the exit with his back against the wall. Then he heard a faint moan. It was the faint voice of a girl. It was a girl''s voice.Are you there?" As Roland ran into the open room, a dagger flew at his feet. Stop right there! Roland stopped in a running pose, as if he were in a money bind. He looked in the direction from which the voice came, moving only his neck and eyes. There was Lucius, holding Cheal in his arms. Rukius ...... Welcome aboard, Roland." Nn. Mmm." Gagged and chewed, Cheal tries desperately to speak up to Loran. He struggles to shake off Lukius'' arms, his little body twisting desperately to break free. ''Thial! Nngh." Don''t move!"Move and I will slit your thin throat with this sword!" Lucius holds the sword he is holding against Cheal''s throat. Cheal feels the coldness of the blade on his neck and stops moving. Roland quickly ran his eyes over Cheal''s body. She was gagged and her arms were bound behind her back, but there seemed to be no external injuries to her body. Her eyes had not yet lost their sparkle. It seems that Lucius has not harmed her yet. However, we cannot rest assured yet. Depending on what happens next, Chiaru may be in danger. Lucius. You''re supposed to be after me!Free Thial, and his daughter!" Kukuk. We can''t let him go yet. Lukius laughed, his skinny cheeks contorting into a scrawny smile. Roland, I have something for you to do. What?" I''ve spent the last few weeks without a decent meal because of you, wandering around in dark caves by day and lying on the hard ground at night, always under the watchful eye of the constable. All the while you''ve been enjoying the good fortune of being the head of the "Golden Eagle" guild!" "......" Do you really think that''s going to make me feel any better now that I''ve just taken your life?" Then what do you want? Evacuate the city?Or money?Then go to ......" I''m not interested in that pittance now. What I want. It''s a seat at the head of the Golden Eagle Guild. Roland was taken aback. A seat at the head of the guild?That''s absurd. What is this guy talking about, being chased by the police and wanting to be the head of a guild?) More than anything else, he crossed the line. He murdered Dianna. There is no turning back now. Roland thought so, but hesitated to say so. It was dangerous to provoke Lukius now. Rukius. Rochius, please calm down a little. You''re being chased by the police right now. ...... Shut up!You took everything from me. Now it''s my turn to take it all back from you!" I didn''t say that. ...... Roland felt hopeless. Lukius'' demands were unrealistic. He may already be insane. ''Don''t be a prick, just get ready,'' he said. Now you must give me the chair of the head of the guild of the Golden Eagle. Now, quickly!Or else you will shave off this elf''s long ears!" Lucius puts his blade to Cheal''s ear. The blade makes a thin cut on Cheal''s ear. The pain seems to irritate Cheal. Cheal begins to lash out. "Nnnn!Nnnn!" d*mn it, grow up!" Lukius assembles Cheal on the ground and restrains his head. He thrust his sword close to her face. ''Don''t do it,'' he said. Don''t be rough with her, only with her! Roland, you have no intention of giving up your position. That''s fine. Let''s show them that we are serious. Lucius stomps on Cheal''s head and swings his sword. No!What the hell are you doing? A hostage doesn''t necessarily have to be in five pieces." No! Lukius'' sword swings down toward Cheal''s thin arm. Roland rushes to reach for her, but at this distance he is too far away to reach her in time. Just then, an arrow pierced Lukius'' arm. Gghhhh!" Lukius staggers backward and falls to the ground with the force of the arrow. Cheal took the opportunity to get up and run over to Roland. "Mmm, mmm..." Cheal!" Roland caught Cheal as he ran in and untied the gag and the rope that bound him behind his back. Cheal hugged Roland''s legs. He said, "Woah. Loran! ''Cheal, are you alright? Ugh, gusu gusu." I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to sneak out." It''s okay. I''m glad. I''m glad you''re safe. Saying this, Roland looked around. To find the Lord who had just sent an arrow flying. Ggh, ahhh. Who is it? How dare you? Take my arm! Lucius groans as he holds his arm. It seemed that he could not get up properly. The damage inflicted seems to be considerable. The arrows the archer fired were extraordinary in terms of accuracy and power. It is no exaggeration to say that he is a master. If there is anything in this city that can do this kind of bow shooting, it is ....... I was so impressed that I asked him, "Are you all right? Mr. Roland?" Monica emerges from behind a rock. Monica!Why are you here ......" It''s ...... I asked her to do it. I asked her to guard the perimeter around Mr. Roland." A witch astride a wand appears with a swish from a gap in the rocks above. Lily! That Lucius is not caught. I''ve been concerned about it for a long time. That''s why I''ve ordered Monica''s ''Hawkeye'' to guard your perimeter for a few days now." (Oh, right.) Roland finally understood why Monica was monitoring his movements. Then a female knight in more armor comes running in. ''Mr. Roland, are you all right? Jill, even you ......." I have instructed Monica to contact her immediately in case of emergency. She is one of the most agile people in the city. Now ......." Lilianne said as if to add, then turned to Lucius. Lukius. Your fate ends here. Turn yourself in to the police. Otherwise, go to ......." Ugh. Although Lucius managed to recover from the arrow damage and get up, he was now completely surrounded by three of the city''s most famous adventurers. Monica is aiming an arrow from a distance, and Lillianne is holding her staff above him. Jill stood between Roland and Lucius, protecting them with her ironclad defense. Jill glanced at Lucius. The eyes that once looked at him with respect as the head of the guild now held nothing but contempt. She is a woman of unparalleled beauty, but her gaze is cruel to the point of cruelty. It was more than Lucius, worn out from his life on the run, could bear. Hitched ...... Lucius. You, who have not only committed numerous injustices and treasons, but also kidnapped such a young girl and even tried to take Roland''s life. You outcasts!Get back there. I don''t need to leave it in the hands of a judicial officer like you. I will slay you right here, right now!" Jill pulls out her sword and crowds Lukius. Uh-oh." His pale face grew even paler, his scrawny features even more emaciated, his features contorted in an ugly way. Jill smiled coldly. ''Pathetic. You look like an ugly monster now, that''s your true form. You''ve been unmasked. You stole Mr. Roland''s reputation and accomplishments, and then clothed yourself in a false crown and throne, and now you have paid for it. Jill swung her sword. Lucius backed away frantically. No, no, no," he said. It''s not my fault. What? It''s him who''s at fault. It''s Roland. You''re still making incomprehensible excuses at this ...... moment. It''s not my fault. I''m the one who told Roland to be the guild president. ...... Yes," he said. I certainly helped you in various ways so that you could become the guild leader. I supported you so that you could bask in the glory, and I even let you flourish and put my own career on the back burner. Mr. Roland?" I encouraged you to become a guild leader. I encouraged you to become the guild leader because I thought you had the qualities of a guild leader. And yet... ...... Roland appraised Lucius. Now, in Roland''s eyes, Lucius'' skills and stats were exactly as they should be. It was far from what Roland had envisioned. It appears, ......, that you are a failure." Roland said this with a strong note of disappointment in his tone. Roland, you! Lucius stood up as if he had been played and tried to attack Roland. Jill readies her sword, but Roland grabs her shoulder to restrain her. Roland?" Half of it is my crime. So, with my own hands ......" With the sword he had brought with him, Roland cut down Lucius under a single stroke. 58 - Art. 58. The Wandering Falcon After settling the score with Lucius, Roland and the others took Cheal home and reported the incident to the police. Since it was already late at night, the investigation would be conducted the next day. Roland and the others were told to come back tomorrow. The next day, the body of Lucius, who had collapsed in the cave, was recovered, and Roland and the others were released after only a brief interrogation. When Roland left the police station, he passed a group of small children running away. The ladies are gossiping and the workers are hard at work. With the root of all evil removed, the entire town seemed to have regained its peace. Roland''s heart, however, still remained downcast. A new month had arrived. The old dungeon closed and a new one appeared. A new battle had begun. Adventurers headed for the dungeons in high spirits, seeking glory and prey they had not yet seen. With that, the battle between the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" Roland and the "Golden Eagle" Isto began. As Roland had expected, the second unit led by Isto ran out of breath after five levels. Monica and her team, who had been prepared for a fierce battle, were almost disappointed at the lack of response. Even though Isto and his men were already losing the battle, they still forced themselves to follow Monica and her men, and in the middle of the first level they ran out of strength and had to get stuck. The "Golden Eagle" was forced to send out a rescue party for them. Roland had no choice but to order Jill to form a unit to go to the rescue of the second unit. Thus, as most had expected, the "Mining Dungeon" fell into the hands of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. Monica and her team received the blessing of the people as the strongest unit in the city, while the second unit lost its face and was laughed at and ridiculed by the people. The second unit is scheduled to be dismantled soon. At any rate, the dungeon was successfully conquered, and the "Adventurer''s Town" was filled with a celebratory atmosphere again this month. The well-dressed man was looking around at the carriage stop with a map in his hand. As he did so, he was approached by another well-dressed man. He said, "Oh, you are the banker ......, I believe." You are ...... Count Elsen ......." The two were not particularly close, but they knew each other. They had met and shaken hands several times at upper-class parties. It''s unusual," he said. It is unusual for a lord to come to the city of adventurers, a free city. I heard there was going to be a parade to celebrate the dungeon conquest. Even though it is a free city, it is still within our territory. I thought I''d take a look around once in a while." I see. I would like to see the adventurers in all their bravery at least once. That being the case, what is your business here?" To hear the monthly report of the Golden Eagle. I see. As I recall, your bank had a stake in the Golden Eagle. Exactly. Then the person you''re after is the same person. When the banker was puzzled, Count Elsen smiled mischievously. It''s Roland. I was just on my way to see him myself. What do you think?Would you like to share a carriage?" The banker looked a little wary, but shrugged his shoulders. My position does not allow me to refuse an invitation from a lord," he said. Count Elsen laughed openly. There is no need to be so formal. This is a free city. Let''s forget about your status. Well, but I would be happy if you accept my invitation. Oh, the carriage has just arrived. Let''s get on it. They got into the carriage that had just arrived. The driver received their trunk cases and stowed them in the luggage storage. Count Elsen and the banker chatted for a while as they rode in the carriage. Then, they hear cheers coming from far away. Oh? That''s a lot of cheering. It looks like a parade is approaching." Oh, so this is the blessing parade held in the "City of Adventurers. Let''s see. Can I see it from here? Count Elsen opens the window and looks toward the cheers. The carriage was passing along a small road in the city, so he could see the adventurers parading through the streets below and the people cheering from the side of the road. The three dungeon conquerors, Roland''s, Lilianne''s, and Arik''s teams, were being congratulated by the people of the city. Among them, Monica was still the most popular. Nearly twice as many people as in the other units gathered in the ranks to cheer her on. She is now becoming a new symbol of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "City of Adventurers. At the head of the parade, she waved a banner bearing her coat of arms and was cheered on by the people of the city. Is that Monica Vermeerle, the renowned archer of the Guardians of the Magical Tree? I heard that you were number one in the number of defeats this term, as you were last term. Count Elsen turned a slightly amorous glance at Monica. She''s a lovely young lady. She still has some immaturity due to her youth, but in a few more years she will be a good-looking beauty. She could be as beautiful as Jill or Lillianne. The staunch banker frowned at Count Elsen''s words. Count Elsen chuckled. Don''t look so difficult," he said. That''s the power of Roland. He finds a rough diamond in a stone box and polishes it until it shines. When Count Elsen said this, the banker sat back down with his arms crossed, looking uninterested. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" seems to be taking off like a flying bird. They have conquered dungeons and produced popular adventurers. Indeed. I''m not doing a very good business at all. I guess it will take a long time for the Golden Eagle to rise again, huh?I heard that Roland has been appointed head of the guild. ......" He resigned as head of the guild of the Golden Eagle. Resignation?Why again?" It seems that he had some thoughts about the change in Lucius. Well, I can understand his feelings. I have been in this business for many years, and the fact is that it is difficult to nurture managers. As soon as you give them a lot of power, they become arrogant and grow. Especially young managers. They act as if they think they are allowed to do whatever they want. They may mistakenly believe that they have already accomplished something. When they attain a position, it is only the beginning. That''s when the real competition begins. So what?"Bottom line, what is Roland doing now?" He is going to concentrate on his development. He is also registered as a special advisor at the Golden Eagle. Hm. I see. ......" Count Elsen looks out the window on his cheekbones. The guild leader of the "Golden Eagle" is once again vacant.) Count Elsen turned his attention toward the "Golden Eagle" building. The statue of a hawk on the ceiling of the magnificent auditorium, the symbol of the "Golden Eagle," stood somewhat forlorn. The hawk, which usually glares sharply at the ground from a great height, seemed to be at a loss, having lost sight of its master. <> 59 - Art. 59. A plot at a bar Woo. d*mn. That Lukius guy." The man was in a tavern at the end of the street, stirring a bottle of sake. Sake, sake, sake," he said. Bring me more booze. I can''t do without it. Customer. You drink too much. Let''s call it a day. Shut up. This is a bar. This is a bar, and a bar is supposed to serve alcohol. Now, get on with it and serve me a drink. The bar master reluctantly opens a bottle of liquor on the counter. Hey, Master. How are you doing? "Oh, it''s you." The master''s face brightens a bit when he sees that his regulars are here. Can I have my usual?" Yeah, I''ll be happy to serve it." The master puts the previous customer on the back burner and prepares his regular''s drink. That customer over there is having a rough time," he says. I''m so tired," he said. I''ve been coming in and out every day. They drink a lot of alcohol and never pay the bill. But I don''t want him to get out of control. But you are a man of rare stature," he said. I thought you were a famous adventurer." I don''t know. According to the man himself, he used to be a very active and reasonably good player in the "City of Adventurers. ...... Oh, in the City of Adventurers. That''s quite a feat." But now, it seems, they are not crying. He''s been going from store to store around here, begging for a drink every day. I see. Well, they say the nature of dungeons is different in different cities. Just because something works in one town doesn''t mean it will work in another. It''s a difficult part of the adventure business. It''s okay if it doesn''t work out," he said. I just don''t want you to get in trouble." Hey. Master. Hey, Master, you got any more booze?Don''t you see this bottle?It''s completely empty. Yes, yes, yes. I''m coming. The master brings out the liquor with a "Oh dear" look on his face. Well, that''s the way it is," he said. You''re going to have to put up with a lot of noise for a while. Oh. You''re in a lot of trouble. Woooie. Hiccup. I''m so sick of you guys. You''re all making fun of me. Who the hell do you think I am, Sebasta, a Class A adventurer? You''re wrong. You''re ex-Americans. What? Sebasta heard a sarcastic voice and, speaking with a lisp, glared at the thin, nervous-looking man who had suddenly spoken to him. The man, undaunted by Sebasta''s intimidation, took a seat at the table he occupied. You have been assaulted and fugged out of the ''City of Adventurers. As a result, your certification as an adventurer, which must be renewed periodically, has expired, and you are now disqualified as a Class A adventurer. What the hell are you?Do you know who I am? You''re being disrespectful." Like you, I was kicked out of the City of Adventurers. Mhm, is that the sigil of the ''Guardian of the Magical Tree''?" Sebasta stares at the coat of arms presented by the man. Yes," he said. My name is Willik, and I used to be a connoisseur for the Guardian of the Magic Tree. Willik said, his lips contorting into an eerie smile. ''You mean you''re an appraiser .......'' ''Yes, it is. I got kicked out of the guild because of Roland''s arrival." ''...... hmmm. What does it matter if we are from a second-rate guild that crushed each other? Get lost. I don''t have time for you. "Even if I told you that Roland is now the head of the Golden Eagle guild? Following Willik, a Warrior with a halberd takes his seat. You are ...... Gilbert, aren''t you? Yo, long time no see. Gilbert turned a carefree smile on Sebasta. ''You think Roland is the head of the guild of the "Golden Eagle"?No, more importantly, don''t tell me you''ve left the Golden Eagle, too?" I didn''t just leave," he said. Roland banished me." What? I''m telling you, I didn''t do anything wrong. On the contrary, I was advising him. I suggested to him that we should promote the reconciliation of the first and second units. People are worried about the guilds being split up, you know?Then I went to ...... and it was terrible, that Roland guy. He incites conflict between units and stalls the internal affairs of the guild with his secret spy and snitching activities. It''s made things tense within the guild. To top it all off, he put the blame on me. They made me look like a traitor and incited the guild members to hang me and then expel me. That son of a b*tc* took advantage of his new position as guild leader and did whatever he wanted. He''s like a dictator. What a surprise! Roland ...... did ...... that." Sebasta was crestfallen. In his mind, Roland was an unreliable but basically quiet and reserved young man. What on earth had happened to him to make him such a scheming, cold-blooded politician? Let me ask you this. What happened after I left town? Gilbert spoke. He added his own unique adaptation of the events after Sebasta and Willik left. The Second Corps was disbanded?" ''Yeah, there were a lot of Lukiusites in the second unit. They were an eyesore. Roland ...... has my second unit!" In fact, Sebasta had been abandoned by the men of the Second Corps, but in his mind he was still in charge of the Second Corps. I told him, ''You know what? I told him he should call Sebasta''s father back. I told him he should call Sebasta''s father back so he could take control of the Second Corps. The men of the Second Corps had deep respect for Sebasta''s father. And you know what he said?I have no intention of bringing Sebasta back. I''m not going to bring Sebasta back because I''m the one who arranged for him to be banished from the city," he said. It was all in his hands. Lucius was also conspired to death at his hands. He was surrounded by Roland''s men in a dark and gloomy dungeon cave and was slaughtered. Ostensibly, it was self-defense, but, well, in all likelihood, Roland had the facts distorted. Curse you, Roland!" Sebasta slammed the liquor bottle on the desk with a cracking force. I had no idea he was such a scumbag. I''ve never heard such a vicious story. No, no, no. If only I could return to the adventurer''s town, I would put him to death with my own hands! I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Sebasta-san. It''s not all that I resent. I have some good news about Roland''s movements. What? Roland is on his way to the Fire Dragon Isle to expand his business. Fire Dragon Island?Does that mean that the S-class monster "Grand Fafnir" will appear? Yes. So we''re working out a plan to give Roland a drink. What do you think?Will you help us?" I see. I see. In that case, let''s talk. Let''s hear what you have planned. Okay, let''s cut to the chase. Willik and Gilbert began to talk about a plot to sabotage Roland''s plans. I see. That may indeed be a way to punish Roland. What do you think?"Sebasta''s dad. Are you ready to go along with our plan?" Of course. I''ll do whatever it takes to destroy Roland. I''m not sure I''d like that. Then it is decided. From now on, we will act as a secret guild, the Roland Victims Association. Then, let''s have a swearing-in ceremony. The three ordered the waiter to place the sake cups on the table. We will continue to work together, united by our oaths, no matter what the difficulties. We will continue to work together, united against all odds, until the day we bring Roland to his doom. "Till the day I smite Roland with my halberd." "Until the day I take the Second Corps back from Roland." The three of them poured each other a cup of sake and drank it down. Four continents surround the inland sea, located in the east, west, south, north, and south directions. The final destination, "Fire Dragon Island," is where the ship arrives after touring the four continents. Roland was relaxing in his cabin on the cruise ship headed for the island. In his hand was a letter from Lilianne. The letter was full of sentiments, such as: "We want you to take care of the ''Guardian of the Magic Tree'' and the ''Golden Eagle,''" "We wish you good luck with your new business," and "We just miss you for being away from you for a short time. As Roland put the letter away, he recalled the events of the past few weeks. After Roland resigned as head of the guild, the structure of the "Golden Eagle" shifted to a council system in which the six executive officers made decisions through discussion and majority voting. The executive officers included Roland and the captains of each unit, as well as Liliane and Lange as outside officers. If they were in charge, there would be no problem with the "Golden Eagle. Thus, Roland obtained permission from the guild to go on a business trip to "Fire Dragon Island. Roland stopped reminiscing and took out a pamphlet about "Fire Dragon Island," the destination of the ship. There is one large volcano on the "Fire Dragon Island," which forms the terrain and dungeon. The inhabitants have adapted well to living in harmony with the volcano, building their houses with special materials to protect them from the flying ash and fire sparks, and building the town according to the rules. However, even with the efforts of the local residents, they are unable to cope with the disaster caused by the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," and the islanders are constantly asking for help from outside adventurers'' guilds. This time, the "Golden Eagle" responded to such requests from the local residents and decided to come forward to help defeat the "Grand Fafnir. The "Grand Fafnir" was not the only reason for adventurers to visit the "Fire Dragon Island. The volcanic eruptions that often occur on the island reveal special elements in the ground, which solidify into rare ores called "rare metals" that cannot be found anywhere else and cover the surface of the volcano. The "rare metals" become materials for special equipment. The alchemy guilds in the town are said to be of incomparably higher quality than those in Roland''s adventurer''s town. Adventurers from all over the world come to the "Fire Dragon Island" every year in search of this "rare metal" and the equipment made by the excellent alchemists. The island is the only place in the world where adventurers from different continents fight each other for resources. While Roland was reading a pamphlet, he heard the sound of a steam whistle. A ship was approaching the "Fire Dragon Island. Roland decided to go out on the deck of the ship and see the "Fire Dragon Island" with his own eyes. Is that the Isle of Fire Dragons? On the deck, many people crowded around and cheered in addition to Roland. In front of Roland''s eyes, he could see the shadow of an island floating in the distance on the horizon, and a volcano rising up from it, spewing out clouds of smoke. Near the summit of the volcano, a wide-open crater and a glowing red "magma path" could be seen. Looking down from there, the magma path breaks off, revealing the "metal line," a jewel-like area of rugged rock surfaces and shiny ore chunks. If you look down from the "Metal Line," which occupies the middle of the mountain, you will see a forested area at the foot of the volcano, and beyond that, the town spreads out. This forested area is the buffer zone between the city and the dungeon. The town is lined with inns where adventurers from the four continents and neighboring islands stay. (The S-class monster "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" is sleeping in that volcano.) Roland''s mission this time was to build a base and prepare the ground to support the "Golden Eagle''s" defeat of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Soon the ship was approaching the island''s harbor, and the crew began to prepare for the unloading of the ship. The ship''s crew was busy preparing to unload the ship''s cargo: alchemists of the highest international standard, adventurers from four continents, and monsters and items reflecting the vegetation of the volcanic region. I wonder what adventures await them on that island.) The ship slides its hull into the harbor with the excitement of launching a new business. We will soon arrive at the ''Fire Dragon Island. Passengers disembarking from the ship are requested to prepare their luggage." <> 60 - Art. 60. The Dragons Fire A tavern near the port. It also serves as the island''s quest office, making it a hangout for adventurers. On the other hand, it is also a hangout for thieves, swindlers, and other shady characters. Today, as usual, they were actively exchanging information to see if they could find any tricks of the trade, or any suckers. While the customers were having a lively time, the door to the entrance was opened and a stranger arrived. On his shoulder he wears a golden crest with a hawk and an old-fashioned crest with a magic tree. The bar patrons are quiet for a moment at the unexpected intruder, but soon they are chatting again as if nothing had happened. But on the other hand, they are shrewdly trying to find out who this well-dressed man is who has suddenly appeared. The same was true for the members of the "White Wolf" thieves'' guild. They put their foreheads together and began whispering to each other. I''ve never seen that guy before. Is he from off the island? Jamil, give me your appraisal. Yeah." [Roland Gil''s status. Arm strength (power): 40-50 Endurance (toughness): 40-50 Agility: 40-60 Stamina: 60-70 A small fry, maybe a D, maybe a C at best.) He''s not much of a guy. You can always scrape his wallet." "Oh, well, let''s give it a shot to cheer us up, shall we?" Wait. Someone''s coming. The three men saw a man approaching Roland and lurked in hostility. Roland felt uncomfortable as he walked through the bar. (What is it? (What is it? The atmosphere is quite different from that of the "adventurer''s town.) Roland carefully observes the adventurers hanging out in the bar. There seem to be an unusually large number of thieves. As Roland was looking around like that A merchant-like man ran up from the counter and spoke to me. Hey, Roland, glad you could make it. Dylan, it''s been a long time. Roland shook hands with Dylan to celebrate their reunion. Dylan was a familiar merchant from his time in the adventurer''s town. He often came to the Adventurers'' Town to wholesale rare ores from the "Fire Dragon Island. In addition to wholesaling ores, Dylan is also involved in the guild mediation and brokerage business. This time, Roland asked Dylan to introduce him to an alchemy guild that has a business alliance with "Golden Hawk. In the "City of Adventurers," it was possible to support adventurers through the "Arsenal of Spirits," but this was not possible on the "Fire Dragon Island," which was far from the city. Therefore, we decided that it would be wiser to find a local alchemy guild that would support us and cooperate with us in our business. Was the boat trip comfortable? Thanks to you. Well then, Dylan, I''d like to discuss business with you at ....... Wait. This is not a good place. Dylan looked around. What do you mean?" There are sleazy people everywhere. We''ve come at a bad time. We should have met somewhere else. Let''s talk in the carriage for now. Roland followed Dylan''s recommendation and got into the carriage. The three men from "The White Wolf" watched them leave the restaurant. That''s Dylan. He''s a well-known merchant around here. It''s hard to do your job when you''re on the radar. Tsk. You got a local partner? I thought we could have a drink in the middle of the day. What? No need to be in a hurry. When he dives into the dungeon with his friends, that''s when his luck will end. Until then, let him go sightseeing in a good mood. The alchemy guild I''m about to introduce you to, ''The Dragon''s Fires'', is one of the best alchemy guilds in the city. In the carriage to the alchemy guild, Dylan said. ''You want ...... uh, what was it?Oh yes, the "Breaking Dragon Hammer"!This alchemy guild is the only one on the island that can meet the requirements in terms of equipment and personnel to maintain the ''dragon hammer'' you desire. I see. There are a lot of talented young alchemists here, and we are gaining momentum right now. I think you''ll like it." They stopped the carriage in front of a larger building and went inside. When Roland announced his visit, the head of the "Dragon''s Fires" guild welcomed him. He was a middle-aged man with a well-dressed body, a bald head, and an affable smile on his face. Oh, are you Roland-sama, the executive director of the famous adventurers'' guild "Golden Eagle"? Yes, sir. My name is Roland Gil. I am here today to tour the facilities of the "Dragon''s Fireside. My name is Dan Medes, the head of the Okibi guild. I have heard about you. Please come this way. Let me show you around our guild''s workshop. Please take your time and look around. Medes led them to the back of the workshop (atelier). Our guild is based on the philosophy of competition. The guild president said as he led the alchemists through the molding room where they were pounding the ore. Competition is the only way to develop the qualities and talents of each individual, to put the right people in the right places, to improve efficiency, and ultimately to benefit the guild as a whole. (Indeed, they are all highly skilled, and it''s not unusual for them to possess B-class skills or above. Just go to ......) Roland did a skills assessment on one of the boys who was molding metal with a hammer. [The young alchemist''s skills Ore Mining": E to D Ore refining: C to A Metal Forming": B to B Silversmithing: D to A (Not quite the optimal placement ......?) How do you like it, Mr. Roland? What about his "metal forming" skills? Isn''t that impressive for such a young man? He''ll get his ''A'' in metal forming in time." Yes. ......, I suppose so. Roland thought that "ore refining" or "spirit addition" would be better than "metal forming" in regard to the boy, but decided not to mention it here. In the past, he would have advised anything and everything for the best, but now he knew that some people would find it annoying. ''Guild leader, may I have a word? As Roland and the guild leader were walking together, a girl with twin-tailed red hair ran up to them. She said, "Oh, Lisetta. Just in time. Say hello to him. The guild leader introduces her to Roland. She is Lizetta. She is the guild''s promising young alchemist. My name is Lizetta Rhone. Pleased to make your acquaintance. She bowed reverently. She was dressed in a sober alchemist''s work uniform, but she was a dainty and flamboyant girl who did not seem to be dressed in that way. This is Miss Roland, the enforcer of the Golden Eagle. Well, are you from the prestigious Adventurers'' Guild?" She gazes at Roland with water in her watery eyes. I hear there are many A-class adventurers in the Golden Eagle. If you need any equipment, please feel free to appoint me as your contact person. She said as she squeezed Roland''s hand. Oh, by all means, ......." Roland was faintly wary of her even as he said this. She was too seductive. She was of medium height and average build, and despite her modest workshop attire, her clothes gave the impression of being very fleshy. Her flirtatious expression gave off a devilish charm. She must have had a natural ability to deceive people. In a sense, she must have been quite a skilled operator to be able to charm people so much despite having just met them for the first time. If she was not so good, he would be drawn into her pace before he knew it, and he would be forced to make a ridiculous promise. It could end up like that. Lisetta carefully observed Roland''s body from top to bottom. I''ve heard that the Golden Eagle has an all-powerful mage well-versed in all kinds of magic and a heavily armed knight who can traverse a dungeon by himself. What kind of equipment can you wear, Roland-san?" Well, I''m ......" Lizetta. Roland-san is currently inspecting our workshop (atelier). You can leave such negotiations for later. I will ask about your business later. When the guild leader said this, Lisetta reluctantly withdrew, her face clouded with frustration. However, she did not forget to say a few words to Roland as she left. Roland-san, please feel free to call on me again anytime. I would like to hear more about your adventures as an adventurer. Lizetta said this with an upward glance. Roland only gave her a vague smile and left her. Medes then led Roland and Dylan to the most well-equipped area in the workshop (atelier). There were three young men there. ''Let me introduce you to them. They are our aces. They and Lisetta, whom I just introduced to you, are called the Quartet. They are the four people who support this workshop (atelier). Hey, you guys. It''s the customer I told you about. Say hello. When Medes says this, two of the three pause their work and look up. One is a sweetly masked, kindly man, and the other is a little bit more rugged-looking, with short-cropped hair. The one controlling the furnace over here is Charles. The guild leader said as he pointed toward the man. ''Hi.'' The one over here drawing the blueprints is Edgar. The guild leader said, pointing toward the reapers. Weiss." And ......, hey Raul. I told you we have a customer. Let''s stop working." When his name was called, the last of the three, a young man called Raul, finally turned around. Raul stared at Roland. Raoul glanced at Roland. You''re the one from the Golden Eagle. (I see. This is something else.) Raul''s Skills Ore Refining: A Product Design: A Metal Forming": A Silversmithing: A Magical Craftsmanship": S (All basic skills as an alchemist are class A. In addition, his unique skill "Magical Craftsmanship" is S. This skill at such a young age. He is a genius. ......) Roland was under pressure as he faced Raul. The arrogance and confidence that only a genius is allowed to possess. They were enough to overwhelm Roland. Raul leaned forward and approached Roland. You said Roland," Raul said. You know, you should remember that. I don''t know if you''re a member of the Golden Eagle or not. I''m not going to get too friendly with a small fry. Here you go, you... ...... to a customer." Don''t think that just because it worked in the City of Adventurers that it will work here, too. Adventurers from all over the world come to this island every year. From our point of view, there is no need to make a contract with you. If you are a bunch of fish with no skills and no stats, I''ll put you out of business. Here, Raul. ...... I''ll do my best to live up to your expectations." Roland turns a conciliatory smile and offers his hand for a handshake. ''...... Hun.'' Raul also responds with a handshake. Medes patted his chest in relief. ''No, Lord Roland is a young man, but he is a grown man. After meeting with Roland at the "Dragon''s Fireside" and signing a provisional contract, Roland left the studio for the day. <> 61 - Art. 61. Three Messengers Medes had finished guiding Roland and was taking a break. (Whew. Oh, dear. I''m tired. I''m really tired of having to show him around the studio. This is why I don''t like strangers. We''re the only one who can handle orders from the big guilds on this island. Well, we can''t help it. Work from the outside is delicious. We can''t just ignore them.) Medes sits deep in his chair, lights his pipe, and takes a puff. I''m sure Roland was satisfied when he actually saw the workshop (atelier). This means that the deal is as good as done. ......) "Guildmaster." With a knock at the door, a clerk enters. What in the world? At this hour? Medes said, looking like a billion bucks. There is a person claiming to be an envoy from the guild ''The Sword of the midnight sun. How? From the Sword of the Midnight Sun? The Sword of the Midnight Sun is a large guild that has made a name for itself on the northern continent, and its fame reverberates across the sea. This is the first time they have come to the Island of the Fire Dragon. They are eager to make a big deal with us, and they want to meet the head of the guild. What? Send him in now." (When it comes from a large guild like the Sword of the midnight sun, the rewards are sure to be extraordinary. This could be a chance to make a fortune.) Then came a red-faced, bearded, muscular, middle-aged man. He was clearly a warrior. I apologize for the suddenness of my visit. We are not used to working on this island. Please forgive our rudeness. No, no, nothing like that. So, what is it you want us to do for you? Here it is. He took out a sheet of papers. (Mm, what''s this? ! ) What was written there was an unbeatable offer: half the workload of Roland''s request, but twice the compensation. How do you like it? I''m sorry to pay you this much, but ......" No way. No way. For this much reward, I''d be happy to do it by all means. Oh, I''m glad to hear you say that. I''m glad to hear you say that, because it''s an urgent matter. We were having trouble finding a guild that would accept the order. That''s it. You are lucky to have found our guild. We can deliver on time with high quality. "Oh, that would be a great help." The conversation between the guild leader and the bearded warrior proceeded amicably, and the messenger from "The Sword of the White Night" left in a good mood. The messenger from "The Sword of the midnight sun" left in a good mood. This is my lucky day. This must be done before Roland''s request.) While the guild president was thinking about this, there was another knock at the door. Guild President, excuse me. What is it? Again. What is it this time? I''m tired. ......" We have another client who would like to make a request. This time he is from a major guild on the northern continent, the Glacier Hunters. What? Really? Send him through now." A nervous-looking young man wearing glasses appeared. He seemed to be an appraiser. I apologize for the sudden visit. Actually, I am looking for an alchemy guild that can handle this much work. Mm, what''s this? This was also half the workload of Roland''s request, but with the promise of triple the reward. How about a little tighter deadline?" I''d be happy to do it. I see. No, thank God. I was wondering what I would do if it didn''t work out here. Suddenly, the demand for equipment using "ice rest" on the northern continent has skyrocketed. Don''t worry," he said. We are a workshop (atelier) that is more experienced in processing rare metals than anywhere else in the world. We will finish the work perfectly and on time. The messenger from "Glacier Hunter" left in a good mood. I never thought I''d get such a good deal," he said. I must get this job done before "The Sword of the White Night" and "The Golden Eagle".) As the guild president was thinking about this, there was another knock at the door. ''Guild leader, may I? What is it this time? I''m tired. I''m not going to work a penny more today. But a major guild on the northern continent, the Knights of the Raisin, came to see me and asked for a large order. What the hell?Let me through now." A young man with a carefree smile and an axe and spear (halberd) appeared. He said, "Well, I''m sorry to bother you at this hour with no appointment. Suddenly, a job fell upon me. No, no, no, don''t worry about it. So what is it? What is it that you want us to do for you? Actually, it''s something like this. Mwah! What''s this? The man with the axe and spear (halberd) pulled out a document that promised four times the amount of work as the "Golden Eagle," even though it was half the amount of work. I''m a little pressed for time on the deadline. ...... No, no, no. I don''t care. I don''t mind. I would be happy to do this kind of work for you. Medes agreed with such vigor that he almost fell to his knees in worship. I am so glad to hear that. Thank you very much. We were in desperate need of equipment made of ice-repellent ore. Hearing this, Medes also recalled a previous client. Come to think of it, the messenger from the "glacier hunter" also said that there was a shortage of "ice repellent ore (ice rest). The shortage of "ice rest" in the northern continent may be the reason for such unusual requests. This is what was imprinted in Medes'' mind. The meeting between Medes and the halberdier proceeded amicably from start to finish. The Halbert man left in a good mood. Medes was in a trance for a while after that. With this amount of money, he would have enough money to buy new clothes, pay the mortgage on the carriage, and buy a fancy villa. (I have to get this job done, no matter what it takes. Anyway, let''s make the best of it. The "Glacier Hunter," "The Sword of the Midnight Sun," and "The Golden Eagle" jobs can wait. ......) Medes thought that much and finally realized that he was short on deadlines to get all the work done. He would have to give up any of the other requests in order to complete the "Knight of Hail. The next day, Roland and Dylan visited "Dragon''s Fires" again. The next day, Roland and Dylan visited "Dragon''s Fires" again to work out the details of the contract. (Well, here we go. (Well, here we go.) From the feeling I had yesterday, there should be no problems, but you never know what might happen in a negotiation, ....... We have to be on our toes and get on with it.) Roland announced his visit to the "Dragon''s Fires" receptionist. Oh, it''s you. Medes said as soon as he saw Roland. Roland had a bad feeling about this. Was it his imagination? (Somehow, Mr. Medes'' attitude seems to have become more careless compared to yesterday. ......) Mr. Medes. I''d like to discuss the contract. ......" Yes, yes, about that." Medes scratches his head in annoyance and looks for the papers. ''Uh, oh, shoot.'' Medes suddenly frowned. It was a very acting-like attitude. I''m sorry, Mr. Roland, but I''m going to have to ask you to extend the delivery date of this contract. What?Is this an extension ......?" Yes, that''s right. I had completely forgotten that several of our staff members had been ill. The deadline you gave us was too late. Haa......" So, would you be willing to give us an extension somehow?" ...... understand. I will ask permission from the guild. Mr. Medes, if you extend the delivery date, you will receive a substantial discount on the price. When Dylan said this, Medes frowned uncomfortably. Medes''s demeanor somehow changed from yesterday, didn''t it?" On the carriage ride home, Roland confided in Dylan about the discomfort he felt. Roland, do you feel the same way? Actually, I was suspicious too. How could they have meant to extend the delivery date so abruptly?Yesterday he seemed eager to close the deal as soon as possible." It looked to me as if he was taking a wicked shine to us ......." No way. That''s a bit too much to worry about. You''re being too concerned about an important business partner. ......" You''re not going to break up this thing by any chance, are you? No way. No way. During the busy season, the "Dragon''s Fires" is not busy at this time of year. I''m sure of it, because I''ve done a lot of careful research. I see. If you insist that much ......" You worry too much," he said. Even Medes has his moments when he doesn''t feel like working. It''s not good to be too pessimistic. Let''s look on the bright side. Yes, I suppose so." After returning to his lodgings, Roland began working on his report. He was told that the delivery date was likely to be longer than planned due to the client''s circumstances, that his stay would be prolonged because of this, and that he would need the guild''s approval for these matters. He sent a letter to the "Golden Eagle" with these details. Until the letter came back, Roland spent time researching the local dungeons and monsters. In the meantime, the cost of his stay was mounting. A week later, after receiving permission from the guild, Roland went to visit Medes again. However, Medes'' answer was blunt. Do you want to raise your prices? No. I''m sorry. The price of ore has suddenly gone up. The budget you gave us is no longer sufficient. For that reason, I am sorry, but I would like to raise the price." How much is that ...... for example?" Yes, sir, about four times as much. Four times? Roland said in a tone of exultation. ''Mr. Medes, how much more is that not possible?'' Dylan said. You said, "We took you up on your offer and drank the extended delivery time, remember?They should be willing to give us a discount. And then raise the price?What the hell are you doing?" When Dylan said this, Medes frowned uncomfortably. What is it? If you are so dissatisfied with the price we offer, why don''t you ask another alchemy guild to do it for you? We don''t mind if we don''t do business with you. We''re not in this for charity either." Roland and Dylan looked at each other. Jamil and Rod of the thieves'' guild "Hakuro" were visiting the "Dragon''s Fireside. Hey, guys. Raul. Oh. Jamil?" I got cut down by a monster in the dungeon. I need you to fix it." Jamil shows him his damaged equipment. Jamil shows him the damaged equipment. Hey, you, take these two guys'' equipment to my workshop. Raul gave instructions to the junior staff. Then he heard voices coming from the hallway. Raul said, "Wait a minute. Mr. Medes. What in the world do you mean, you''re suddenly going to quadruple your rates? Please explain it to me properly. I told you earlier," he said. If you are dissatisfied with our price, you don''t have to deal with us. Good bye." Hey, ......." Jamil looked toward the voice and saw Loran and Dylan chasing after the medes. Jamil caught sight of Loran''s "golden eagle" crest. (That''s ......, I saw it at the tavern ......) Hey Raul, are you guys going to sign up with that guy?" Ah, an envoy from the Golden Eagle, a guild that has recently flourished in the City of Adventurers. "The Golden Eagle, ......" I don''t like it. You''re an adventurer, but you don''t have a single piece of equipment on you. I don''t know how much you know about alchemy. He''s a f*cking bum. What? I did a status report on him. It was an unfamiliar guild crest. I''d say he''s a C or a D." Hmm? You say he is an envoy of the Golden Eagle, but is he really such a big guy from such a big guild?Aren''t you geeks being deceived?" No way. ...... that''s not true. ...... (But it sure seems odd if you ask me. He is too low for an executive of a big guild, and his status is only that of an intermediary. If our guild leader is going ahead with the matter without doing a thorough investigation, he should have been told to go to ....... (No, I don''t think so.) Roland and Dylan chased after him, but without any luck, the medes got on the wagon and went away. Roland and Dylan were left there. What the hell was that all about, all of a sudden? I can''t believe they''re going to charge me four times what they did. What do we do now, Roland?" I knew Mr. Medes wasn''t willing to do business with the Golden Eagle. Doesn''t that mean he''s found someone else to do business with? No way ...... that''s possible. ...... Anyway, since Mr. Medes says so, I''ll just have to apply to the guild for a budget and see what I can do to quadruple the funds." I understand. I''ll make sure Mr. Medes doesn''t change his mind any more. Yes, please. The old man''s a lickspittle. He''s been jerking me around like this. Don''t tell me you can''t sign a contract. <> 62 - Art. 62. Breakdown Sebasta, Willik, and Gilbert were having a secret conversation in a room of an unpopular house. Negotiations between the "Golden Eagle" and the "Dragon''s Fires" seem to be having difficulty. I''d say we''ve had some success ...... so far. But negotiations have not yet broken down. Loran had sent out some letters. Probably a cash flow to counter the price we offered, I can see that." All right, then, let''s put the finishing touches on this. The three of us were again disguised as each other and headed for the "Dragon''s Fireside. Welcome, welcome. "Master Sebasta." Medes responded to Sebasta''s visit in a catlike voice, smiling and amiable. It was the complete opposite of his attitude toward Roland. He was very friendly and smiling. Thank you for welcoming me. So, is the procurement of the "ice rest" going to go well? Sebasta was extraordinarily arrogant. Of course, sir. Everything is going well. Mm-hmm. It is as if they are the largest alchemy guild on the island. You are quite efficient in your work. I''m not a bad hand at all. You''re the reason we''re able to get the upper hand in our dealings with Roland.) Medes thought inwardly. After I''ve raised the price with Roland, I''m going to raise it with him. We can still make money.) At this time, guild leaders," he said. I have overheard a rumor that is somewhat disturbing. ......" Well, what is it? I heard that a man bearing the emblem of the Golden Eagle has been visiting this workshop. Yes, that''s right. Our guild has decided to form a partnership with the Golden Eagle. We are looking to expand our operations and scale by partnering with a leading guild in the "City of Adventurers. The "Golden Eagle"!A "golden hawk"?Surely it is not a man named Roland with whom you are trying to form a business alliance?" Yes, it is. That''s exactly what we''re going to do. So what?" I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to pretend this never happened." Sebasta tossed the papers in his hand in a mess. What?"Oh, no. What''s wrong with you all of a sudden?" There''s nothing wrong with that. If we were to do business with the guild that is working with Roland, our reputation would be destroyed. God of poverty. Hey, hey, Sebasta! Don''t follow me. You''re disgusting." Sebasta got up and left the room. Medes looked on with a pout. What the hell is that guy?You offer me a deal, and then suddenly you throw a tantrum. I don''t understand him. You want to stop doing business with Roland because you have a business relationship with him? What the hell is this about Roland? But still, he looked so angry. That was unusual. Is there some kind of conflict between him and Roland? Either way, it''s not nice to bring personal feelings into the business." Medes said this, but for a while, the feeling of bewilderment in him did not dissipate. ''Hmmm. Well, okay. The man was helpful enough. Roland is willing to negotiate a higher price, and I''m done with him. You want me to pretend this never happened? I''m not kidding. We refuse to do it. We still have the "Glacier Hunter" and "Knight of Hail" cards. We don''t need to rely on Sebasta! Medes regained his composure and decided to have a business meeting with Wirik, the emissary from the "Glacier Hunter. However, Wirik, the next person to visit, began to have difficulty in making a deal as soon as Roland''s name was mentioned. The rumor is true, isn''t it? He said, "Hmmm.... I have a business relationship with Roland. That''s a problem, isn''t it? (As soon as I mentioned Roland''s name again, the ...... cloud became thicker. Did Roland have trouble with this guy too?) Mr. Medes, I''m sorry, but I''d like you to pretend this never happened." Please wait." Then I will not do business with Roland." No," he said. I got involved with Roland in some way. At that point, our guild cannot do business with you." (Also, Loran. How problematic is that guy? No matter how big a guild executive he is, this is too ......) You don''t seem to know," he said. You don''t know how evil Roland is." ''Evil?Are you saying he''s a bad guy?" He is a well-known swindler on the northern continent. Claiming to be an executive of the Golden Eagle, he issues blank checks, swindles people out of their money and goods, and then disappears. Are you saying he''s using a false identity?Nonsense. That''s impossible. Because he had a power of attorney from the guild and even the guild''s coat of arms ......" It''s just a letter and some clothes. If you have a little money, it doesn''t really matter. No, but ...... Now let me ask you, Mr. Medes, how in the world does a mere appraiser get a position in a major guild like the Gilded Eagle, let alone an executive position? It''s ......." I am sure you would have to do something very bad to make it to the top of the Gilded Eagle. Don''t you think so?" (Ta, indeed. I''ve never heard of a connoisseur rising to the top in the Adventurers'' Guild.) Hm. You still don''t seem to believe it. Well then, Mr. Medes. Did you find anything suspicious in the specifications or blueprints given to you by Roland? Something different, something obviously out of the ordinary." Oh. Speaking of which, I found something called a ''dragon hammer'' in Roland''s order form. "Oh-ho? What kind of equipment is that?" No, it is something very ordinary people can''t handle. The weight is bullshit anyway. ...... No way!" Well, in all likelihood, Roland forged it at random. No way. ...... (But ......, the "Breaking Dragon Hammer" is an S-class adventurer''s equipment, so it wouldn''t be surprising if the specs are a bit bullshit, would it? No, wait. What if it''s his, Roland''s, plan to make us think that?) ...... anyway." He, Roland, is a devilish person who thinks of others as nothing more than prey. No one has ever had the misfortune of associating with him. Please be careful, Mr. Medes. Don''t ever allow yourself to be taken in by him. Otherwise, you will be deprived of your property sooner or later. Good day to you. Medes could only watch in amazement as Willik walked away. Gilbert followed, asking the same question. I heard that Roland has been in and out of this workshop (atelier). Is it true that you have a business relationship with Roland? ''Do you know, Mr. Medes? The story of Roland, the swindler who played all the major guilds on the "Northern Continent". What?Yeah. Well. I''ve heard rumors. No, our guild had some trouble with Roland before. We''re a bit tense about it now. If Mr. Medes is in close contact with Roland, well, I''m sorry, but I don''t think I can advise our boss about a tie-up with your guild. ...... I''m not going to let it ruin me. There is no such fact that we have any relationship with Roland or anything like that. We have certainly been approached about it. A man named Roland, who claims to be an executive of the Golden Eagle, wants to establish a business relationship with our guild. However, I recall overhearing this somewhere. Someone posing as an executive of the Golden Eagle is running a scam on the northern continent. So I was on the lookout for them. Of course, if the Roland who came to our house is the same Roland, we have no intention of doing business with him. Yes, of course not. What, I didn''t know that." Gilbert''s face lit up. I''m so relieved to hear that," he said. If that is the case, I can confidently report it to my superiors. Dragon''s Fires is a conscientious and trustworthy guild. I have no problem doing business with them. Medes was relieved. (Dangerous. Dangerous. He was about to miss out on another big deal. The deal with the Knight of Hail is more prestigious than the other two," Medes said. I have to keep this deal ......, I have to keep this deal at all costs!) No, I am glad that Mr. Medes is not in deep with Roland. However, as I mentioned, my guild is a little nervous about Roland right now. There are already rumors circulating that "Dragon''s Fires" is going to form a business alliance with Roland. As the person in charge, I would like to dispel any concerns as soon as possible. That''s for sure. You are absolutely right. Oh, you understand. Then, let''s talk quickly. I will ask you to make arrangements so that Roland will not be able to come in and out of this workshop (atelier). Is that correct?" Medes immediately called a meeting on the matter. He asked the guild leaders present for their opinions. Raul made the following statement. I heard from Jamil of the White Wolf that Roland''s status is C to D class at best. He said that Roland''s status is C to D class at best, and that he would hardly be considered an executive of a major adventurers'' guild." Medes looked around the table to see if anyone else had an opinion. When he saw no one defending Roland, he sent a notice to Roland''s inn informing him that the negotiations were over. Medes, what does this mean?" Roland turned over the notice of termination of negotiations to Medes. Medes said, "Yes, that''s right. This is not good enough! Dylan, too, said angrily. Roland went to the guild and came up with four times as much money as he had originally planned.And yet you unilaterally end negotiations like this." What do you mean?Too much?" Medes, too, is angry at Medes, and he glares at them. I''m the one who wants to tell you that," Medes said. We''ve lost two big clients because of you!" Missed clients because of us?" "......?What?" Two guilds have told us they will stop doing business with us as soon as they find out we''re negotiating with you!" What did you say? Why on earth? I don''t know!That''s two big deals. Two. Two big deals, two big money deals, all because of you. How is this possible?It''s all your fault, Roland. How are you going to take responsibility for this, huh? Medes took off his mask of a good-natured old man and came at us with a voice that had the dagger of a yakuza. Responsibility? I don''t care what you have to tell me about your dealings with ......." That''s right, Mr. Medes. It''s wrong to blame us just because your deal didn''t go well. Was it Roland''s fault?It can''t be. There must be some mistake! The "then, you are not to blame. "So you are saying that you are not to blame? Of course. There is no such thing as a deal being stopped because of him. ...... Everyone in the "City of Adventurers" knows that. Everyone in the "Adventurer''s Town" knows that Roland is an S-class appraiser who has produced many A-class adventurers. If there are any unsavory rumors about him, they are the slander of those who are trying to discredit him. That must be it! S-class appraiser, huh? Medes stares at Roland with a scornful glare. ''That''s the thing, Mr. Roland. That''s what we have a problem with. We have a problem with you being an appraiser. That is the crux of the matter. What do you mean by ......?" How on earth did you, a mere appraiser, get to where you are today? That''s what everyone is interested in. Let me ask you a trivial question. How in the world does an appraiser train adventurers? I can''t say for sure, but with my skill assessment, I can find skill growth and hidden talents, or what I call unique skills. With status appraisal, I can determine the growth potential of status and formulate an appropriate training plan. And with item appraisal, I can select the right equipment for them." I see. So you know the growth potential of your adventurers. But will they follow your guidance?Even the most egocentric adventurers will be attracted to you, a man of no skill or status whatsoever. I highly doubt it. You are right to question it. These appraisal skills are only prerequisites. What I feel is most important. It is the formation of relationships through nurturing. Relationships? Of course, I have made many youthful mistakes. But each time I have been helped by the relationships nurtured through nurturing. Medes looked at Roland with an increasingly stinky look. (I see. (I see...so you have been cheating on the "northern continent" and in the "adventurers'' town" by using this kind of neat tricks, huh? But your misdeeds end here. I will not be deceived.) I''ll tell you what. Mr. Roland. I have been in this business for many years. The last thing I can rely on is my own armchair. That''s all." Medes raises his elbow toward Roland, makes a forceful fist, and claps it with his other hand. I''ll give you a piece of advice from an old woman," he said. You seem to think that what you have built so far is your own strength, but in my opinion, it is not. You have just been lucky. Your fraudulent way of doing things will not work forever. You will eventually be hurt. ......" Anyway, our guild cannot do business with you. This conversation never happened. Will you please withdraw?" <> 63 - Art. 63. Establishment of the Spirits Engineering Branch I''m sorry, Roland. I didn''t mean for this to happen." Dylan said apologetically. The two had been banned from the "Dragon''s Fires" and were returning to Roland''s inn in a horse-drawn carriage. No, it wasn''t your fault. But what do we do? As it is, we cannot support the adventurers of the "Golden Eagle" when they come to this island. Shall we try another alchemy guild?" No, let''s not do that. I''ve spent the last few days researching the alchemy guilds on this island ......." Roland takes out his notes and reviews them. He said, "You''re right, I certainly don''t think any alchemy guild other than ''Dragon''s Fires'' can maintain the ''Breaking Dragon Hammer.''" ''Then what do we do? Don''t tell me you''re giving up?" No way. (I told the guild that I would find a partner for sure. We can''t just leave for free like this.) Dylan. I''d like you to give up on the business partnership and look for a guild that might be able to buy us out." Takeover? I have no choice but to raise a guild of my own since I could not find a satisfactory one. I will acquire a local alchemy guild and raise it. Dylan, can you please make a list of alchemy guilds that I could acquire? I''d be happy to help you with that, but are you sure you''re up to it? Growing your own means going up against "Dragon''s Fires. They already have a dominant presence on this island. Do we have a chance? I''m not sure I want to go back there. I have been appraising the equipment of adventurers in town and the alchemists of "Dragon''s Fires" for the past few days, and I have found that the alchemists of that guild are wasteful in their work methods, and there is an opening in the market for them to take advantage of. I think there is an opening to take advantage of." Is that so?" Didn''t look that way to me. ......" If you look at it in a normal way. (But my appraisal skills certainly caught it. The market on this island has a lot to gain from the "Dragon''s Fires".) Roland had been observing the equipment of adventurers walking around town for the past few days, and he noticed something strange. Everyone had an unusually high rate of wear and tear on their equipment. It was strange to see such a high rate of equipment wear and tear, even though the alchemists were highly skilled. ''Of course, it''s not easy,'' he said. On this island, far from the adventurers'' town, it is difficult to receive support from the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" or the "Golden Eagle. We need to manage our business locally. I understand. If you insist so much, I''ll give it a try. I''ll check out the alchemy guilds on the island right away. Oh, please. I will try to find a talented alchemist. Roland went to the post office and sent a letter to Lilianne, Lange, and Arik, informing them that his stay on the island would be longer than planned because the business partnership had been broken off and that he needed additional funds. We will then recruit alchemists at the quest office on the island. As for the acquisition of the guild, fortunately, we were able to seize a workshop (atelier) on the outskirts of town that was immediately looking for a buyer. There was a cafeteria attached to the back of the studio, which offered cheap meals to adventurers from a small guild. The only alchemist who ran the workshop (atelier) was getting old, and there was no heir, and they were wondering whether to close it down or not. Oh, it''s you. The person who will take over this workshop (atelier)? An elderly alchemist said, his wrinkled face breaking into a smile. I really appreciate your help. We don''t have anyone who can use alchemy except my grandfather. Said the alchemist''s granddaughter (she runs the diner in the back with her parents). ) "It''s a lot of work to start from scratch, so I''m grateful to be able to take over such a well-loved local guild." It''s not that big of a deal. I''m just doing what I have to do at the request of my old business associates. But thanks to you, I can finally take a break. Roland added the sign "Arsenal of Spirits" to the sign hanging at the entrance of his workshop (atelier). The "Arsenal of Spirits" branch was born. While Roland was establishing the Arsenal of Spirits branch, Medes welcomed Gilbert back to his workshop (atelier). I am sorry," Gilbert said. Thank you for coming to see me again and again. No, no, it''s no big deal. So?What happened with Roland after that?" Don''t worry. I have clearly refused to work with him, and I have nailed him to stay away from this workshop (atelier). Oh, really? Yes. After all, you can''t trust anything he says. You have made a good decision. It is a wise decision. "So ...... that ......, about your request ...... Yes, of course, I will place the order. If Mr. Fierce Dragon has cut ties with Roland, there is no reason why we should not proceed. I will advise him to do business with Mr. Fiery Dragon immediately. Thank you very much. No, I am relieved to hear that." I''m sorry to bother you with this, but I was wondering if you had any news of Roland? No, I don''t mean that I doubt you guys by any means, I just mean that we should be on the lookout for his movements. Oh, Roland. From what I hear, he has taken over the alchemy guild here on the island. What?Take over a guild? Yes, I don''t know what they''re up to, but, well, they can''t do much anyway." ...... I see." Gilbert made a little thoughtful gesture. ''What can I do for you, sir? No, Mr. Medes, if you don''t mind me asking, if you have caught any more information about Roland, would you be willing to share it with us in the future?" Yes, that''s fine with me. ...... I am a cautious person," he said. I want to eliminate as many uncertainties as possible. You never know what the scum will do if you take your eyes off them. I have to keep an eye on him and watch him." Gilbert said with a dark look in his eyes. Roland was gathering information in preparation for the start of the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch. In the adventurers'' town, Lily had given him a job, so he had only to make equipment for the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," but in this town, where he had no contacts, that would not be the case. He would have to market himself to find buyers for the equipment. (To do that, I need to gather information.) Roland''s research into the history of the island''s dungeons and adventurers'' guilds revealed the following The dungeons in the "Adventurers'' Town" were in a different space, but the dungeons in this town were an extension of normal space on the same time axis as the real world. Nearly 70% of the alchemical demand in "Fire Dragon Island" is for adventurers from outside the island. Also, unlike the "Adventurer''s Town," PK (player-kill) acts are allowed in the dungeon on this island. The island is home to many rare ores such as "Fire Rest," "Ice Rest," and "Wind Rest," and the frequent appearance of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" attracts many adventurers from the four continents to collect ores. We have already mentioned that However, it is not widely known that, unlike the "City of Adventurers," PK is permitted in the dungeon. Originally, PK was prohibited, but no matter how much the government regulated it, the local adventurers'' guilds did not stop stripping adventurers who came from outside the island, and they also had to strip the island of its resources because outside guilds would take them away. The local guilds strongly protested that they could not make a living, and because of this, the government decided to allow PK in the dungeon (but not to allow PK in the dungeon by harming the person who surrendered by offering items or equipment, or by any other mischievous act). (Acts that threaten the life or rights of an opponent are prohibited.) PK has thus grown into a major industry on the island, allowing local guilds to compete with off-island guilds, but the downside is that the island''s originally weak adventurers'' guilds are now fighting each other, and larger guilds are growing up. It has become difficult. (I see. This is the reason why most of the adventurers'' guilds on the island were small and their equipment was heavily worn out because they destroyed each other''s equipment through PK. This is also why I saw so many bandits (thieves) in the taverns (......). Roland stood up after researching all this in the library. (PKing between adventurers, rare ores, powerful adventurers guilds coming from outside the island, dungeons of different nature. Nothing like "Adventurer''s Town." (This is not going to be a simple matter.) After gathering information, Roland returned to his workshop (atelier). By now, the alchemists he had recruited as guild members should have arrived for interviews. In order to outwit the "Dragon''s Fires" and establish a base on this island, it is not enough to be just a little bit good. We need to find someone with a unique skill set.) Roland appraises the skills of the man who applied. My name is Rajiv Glen. My desired occupation is metal forming. Ore refining: C to A Metal Forming": D B Silversmithing: D to C Product Design: C to B (Although "Ore Refining" could be an A. ....... Nope. This can''t compete with "Dragon''s Fires") Roland cuts off the man''s interview about halfway through and switches to the next interviewee. The next person to enter the room was a lively, cheerful-looking girl with her hair tied back. My name is Aina Burke. My dream is to have my own studio in the future. Aina Burke''s Unique Skills Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)": E A (The owner of the unique skills found. And ......) [Aina Burke''s skills Metal Forming": C A Workshop management": C to A ("Metal Forming" and "Workshop Management" are potential A''s in the future. He has the qualities to be the core of the workshop (atelier). We have more in mind the support of adventurers than profit. We hope to eventually produce A-class adventurers with our equipment. Class A adventurers!That''s great." If you come to us, you will learn how to make A-class equipment. What do you think?Would you like to work in the "Spirit Arsenal"? Hi. I look forward to working with you! Other than her, no other notable interviewees showed up that day. The next day, Roland immediately showed Aina around his studio. Aina was shown into the workshop and looked around. There was no sign of anyone in the room except Aina and Roland. Aina and Roland were the only other people in the room. I see. And now what?What about my job?" Yes," he said. Come here. Roland led Aina to a workbench. Here is your worktable. Wow. This is my workbench. The workbench was a well-worn but solid piece of furniture. There were numerous scratches and impact marks on the table as evidence of the rough work it had endured over the years. Aina tapped and shook the workbench to check the base of the desk. Yes," she said. It''s a little old, but it''s a solid table. It looks like something good could be made here. I''ll have you do the ''metal molding'' for now," he said. Good boy." Roland opened a box stacked beside the workbench and removed a block of steel. He places it on the workbench and appraises the item. He placed it on the workbench and appraised the item. It''s a C-class iron, just as ordered. Now, I want you to forge this iron and make 10 swords with power 50 and durability (toughness) 50 or more. The Quest Common Standard defines these swords as Class C. Yes. These C10 swords are the ones that I deliver to the weapons shop that this workshop (studio) contracts with every day. So we need to make them every day. Can you do it? I''ll take care of it. I am good at ''metal molding. Aina immediately takes out her favorite hammer and stands in front of the workbench. (Okay. Here we go. (Skill: "Metal Forming"!) When Aina activates the skill, several light spots light up on the lump of iron. When Aina swings her hammer down toward the light spots, the lump of iron changes its shape with a clanging sound. Huh!" Aina kept hitting the lump of iron over and over again. Eventually, the iron took the shape of a sword. It is done. Oh, it''s done. Let''s see it." Roland appraises the finished sword. Status of the sword Power: 55 Durability: 52 Weight: 50 Yes," he said. Both power and durability (toughness) are over 50. Good. Got it." It seems to be all right for the time being. Well then, I have a meeting with a contractor, so can I leave this part to you?] Yes, I''ll take care of it. When Roland returned to the workshop (atelier) after his meeting with the contractor, he found that the completed sword C was now in three pieces. (You''ve already completed three swords? That was fast.) Aina''s status. Agility: 60-70 I''m working fast because of my high agility. But that''s not all...you''re doing two at once?) Roland noticed that her work process had changed. Aina had laid out the steel for two swords on a workbench and was pounding away. The sword-making process is divided into the following three stages 1. Hardening the disparate pieces of steel into one piece. 2. Rough shaping. 3, Shaping it finely. However, she seemed to be working on 1 and 2 at the same time, for two swords at a time. Oh, Mr. Roland. Aina notices Roland''s presence, interrupts her work, and rushes over. She said, "I found Iron D and Iron E in the Iron C basket, so I sorted them out." When I looked, I saw a crude box with obviously poor quality iron in it. I looked at it and saw a crude box with obviously poor-quality iron in it. That''s a big help." No, no. Aina again begins to work on sword C. Having roughly shaped the sword, she takes one sword down from the workbench and begins the stage of shaping it finely. (You even sorted out the crude iron? She works fast, thinks of ways to do things efficiently on her own, and goes above and beyond what I tell her to do. (So far, nothing to say about that.) Roland begins to organize the paperwork while listening to the metallic sounds that Aina causes. As he did so, he continued to observe her as she worked. (So far, I don''t see any problems. At this rate, her skills should naturally improve as she completes tasks. ......) Suddenly, I felt the presence of someone nearby, and when I looked, I saw a girl standing there. It was Saki, the signboard girl of the diner out front. She said, "Please come in if you like. I''d like to bring some for the people working over there. She offers me a pot of tea and a teacup. She said, "Thank you very much for this. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make you feel uncomfortable." No, no, no. I would be very grateful if you could use my studio in this way. We were having a hard time finding a use for it since my grandfather couldn''t work in it anymore. Saki offered Roland a cup of tea and stood aside to watch Aina work with him. It seems that she is free at this time of the day and not busy. It''s amazing, isn''t it? She. She can handle a hammer that looks so heavy. I''m not sure. So far, so good. ...... In the meantime, Aina''s movements slow down. She was in the middle of crafting her sixth sword. Kuku." Finally, Aina had difficulty even raising her hammer. Roland appraised her status. [Aina''s status Arm strength (power): 20 (20) - 50 (Arm strength (power) is dropping rapidly. Unnatural. Perhaps this is ......) Aina''s status Arm strength (power): 20-50 Endurance (toughness): 1 (19) - 30 Agility: 60-70 Physical strength (stamina): 40-70 (As expected. Her weakness is endurance (toughness)? Soon, Aina''s strength (stamina) runs out and she almost falls to her knees on the spot. (Oh no. I feel dizzy. ......) When Aina almost staggered, she felt someone supporting her shoulder. Are you all right?" Oh, Mr. Roland." ''You need to rest. I''ll take care of the cleanup." I''m sorry. I''m just tired all of a sudden." What? It''s just one of those days. Aina sits in a chair beside him and catches her breath. Roland further appraises her status as he clears the workbench. Aina''s status. Endurance (toughness): 1-30 to 60-70 The final goal of endurance (toughness) is 60-70. This is a sufficient number for an alchemist who is in charge of "metal molding". However, even if you train in the dark, it will not improve. What are the conditions for improving endurance (toughness)? Aina''s endurance (toughness) improvement conditions Make 10 swords C within a day. Continue this for 5 days. (10 swords C for 5 days. Her work has stopped at the 6th sword. It is one way to force her to complete the work at this point. ......) Roland looks at Aina. She is limp and tired, despite having taken the potion, and is unlikely to be able to raise the hammer any further. (Today, she has reached her limit. (Today, she has reached her limit.) If she overworked herself any more, it would affect the next day. But her endurance (toughness) will not increase unless she makes 10 swords c a day. (To solve this dilemma, go to ......) <> 64 - Art. 64. Substaff Lizetta enters the guild''s workshop (atelier), curling her carefully combed hair around her fingers. (Hmmm.... Today is the day Roland-san is coming. I have to appeal to him as much as I can.) Hey. Lizetta." Hi, Lizetta. You''re looking better than ever today. Oh, Edgar, Charles. Good morning. Hey. Is Mr. Roland here already?" Edgar and Charles look at each other and grin wickedly. "We''ve lost our cooperation with the ''Golden Eagle''!" Lizetta said, sounding upset. ''What''s that? What do you mean?Why on earth would it be so sudden ......" He said it was a fake. Fake?" It''s identity fraud. He''s a fraud. I knew something was fishy from the start. (Fake ...... that guy?) You were trying to get him to give you a job. I''m sorry to hear that. I guessed wrong." They giggle and laugh at each other. And where''s that guy?Where is Roland now?" Lizetta asked in desperation. I think they have an alchemy guild on the outskirts of town," she said. An alchemy guild? Yes. I believe the name of the guild is ...... ''Arsenal of Spirits''?" I don''t know what the hell you want to do. Are you just guessing? ...... yes." Lizetta turns on her heel and heads for the exit. ''Hey, where are you going?'' She didn''t answer it, but quickly left the room and closed the door with a loud, gruff thud. Tsk. What the hell? That guy. Leave it alone. It''s just a tantrum. After leaving the "Dragon''s Fireside," Lisetta headed straight for the "Arsenal of Spirits. (Whether Roland is really a fake or not. (I''ll see with my own eyes if Roland is really a fake.) Roland was also conducting interviews. (Extend Aina''s endurance (toughness). However, it is impossible for her to solve this problem by herself at present. We need to find someone with the skills and status to compensate for her weaknesses.) As the interview process was underway, a suitable candidate emerged. He was a young man with a tall, stout build and, despite his physique, a mild expression on his face. Status of Roddy Leavitt Arm strength (power): 60-80 Endurance (toughness): 60-90 Agility: 30-40 Physical strength (stamina): 60-80 (Found. Endurance (Toughness) Class A. (And ......) [Roddy Leavitt''s skills Ore Refining": C to B Metal Forming": D C Product Design: D A Silversmithing: E to C ("Product Design" also has A-class potential) My name is Roddy. My name is Roddy, and I''m here because the guild I work for now pays too little to support my brothers and sisters. I see. If you come to our company, we will pay you the salary as stated in the application guidelines. We will also help you improve your skills. However, we would like you to sub for us at first. I''m fine. If you hire me at this salary, I will do anything, even subbing. I understand. Then can you come tomorrow right away?" Yes! The interview was terminated that day. On the way to the workshop (atelier), Aina was walking, remembering yesterday. Yesterday, I couldn''t meet my quota. (I didn''t meet my quota yesterday, so I have to work harder today to make 10 C swords.) Aina took a deep breath in front of the entrance door of the workshop (atelier) and opened the door. Good morning," she said. I look forward to working with you today. What? Aina opened the door to her workshop with a cheerful greeting, but when she noticed that Roland and a strange man were there, she cracked her eyes open. Good morning, Aina. You''re looking feisty." Oh, Mr. Roland, good morning. Um, ......, who is that guy?" Let me introduce you. I''d like to introduce you to Roddy, who will be working in our studio starting today. Oh, hi. Roddy bows his head. Nice to meet you," he says. Aina also bows her head. Aina, he will be your sub. What?Sub?For me?" Yes," he said. Is there a problem?" I''m not sure. I wondered if it was okay. I''m not sure if it''s okay for you to spend that kind of money on me. I''m only half a man. No problem. You deserve it!" Aina was taken aback by the way Roland said it. (Great confidence. It''s as if he''s convinced I''m going to grow ......) ''Well then, let''s get started. Aina, I''m going to need you to make 10 C-class swords today." Yes." Roddy, you are Aina''s support. First, I want you to work on putting this iron on the table. Also, follow Aina''s instructions to fine-tune the location and angle of the steel so that it will be easier for her to mold. I''m not sure what to expect. Is that all?" The rest of the time, when my hands are free, is spent boxing up the finished product and preparing the next piece of steel to be struck. One point I would like to make is to support Aina so that she can concentrate on molding as much as possible. I want to improve her skills in ''metal forming. I understand. I''m good at that kind of heavy work, so please leave it to me. Aina, you must concentrate on the molding work. If you have any orders, don''t hesitate to ask him. Yes, sir. I guess that''s about it for now. Well then. I''ll leave the details of the work to you two. Talk to each other about it. Yes." The two immediately set to work. Roddy put the steel on the workbench, and Aina hammered the steel to form and attach it. (Okay. The work of hardening the iron into one piece is finished. Next, we need to shape it.) Aina beats and shapes the steel light spots that can be seen by her skill "Metal Forming". (!(The strike point is off.) Can you please shift the iron?This part should come here." I understand. Is this okay?" Yes, sir. Ok." Aina strikes for a while and the light spot shifts again. Next time, turn it over. Good. And so they proceeded with their work. At first their joint work was awkward, but soon they were in sync, and Roddy was moving the iron without Aina''s direction. The two of them worked together like a pair of rice cake pounders, and the sword was made. (I see. This way, I don''t get too tired. (I see. This is less tiring than working alone, but I can concentrate on the "metal molding" more!) Roland continued to watch them work. (Sword C5. Yesterday, Aina''s arm strength (power) and endurance (toughness) really started to decline around this time. ......) [Aina''s status Arm strength (power): 40-50 Endurance (toughness): 20-30 Agility: 60-70 Stamina: 50 (20) - 70 Only strength (stamina) is down. Okay, no problem. (I can do this.) As Roland watches them, Saki offers tea, just as she did yesterday. Here you go." Saki. I see. Is it time for tea already?" Oh?"I see you have a new addition to your group. I should have brought another cup." It''s fine. As long as there is enough for those two. I''ll hold off for today." One, two, three, four......, now you are on your eighth sword? Aina, you don''t look tired today. Yeah, Roddy''s support has taken some of the load off of Aina. (After all, the extra work other than "metal molding" was damaging her endurance (toughness), wasn''t it?) Endurance (toughness) was a status that was removed by being attacked by monsters and other objects, but if too low, it could be removed even by normal work alone. It''s going to take more time and cost more than usual, but I''m sure this will ...... Eventually, the iron for making the tenth sword of the day is placed on the table. (This is ...... the last!) Aina swings down the hammer, and the tenth sword, C, is ready. Ya, I did it. It''s done. Aina exclaimed in admiration as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Wow. Amazing. Saki applauded. Roland-san, we''ve made ten C swords. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I was confident in my ability to do hard work, but this is really hard. My muscles are sore. Aina and Roddy come running up to Roland. Aina and Roddy ran up to Roland. Well done, but ......" Roland looks at Aina without blinking. ?" Let''s ...... do a little more today." Roland ......?" So, why don''t we take a tea break for some energy?" Saki said as she held up the pot. Aina and Roddy sat down on chairs for a moment to enjoy the tea. After a short break, they once again put their swords to the test. (I wonder what''s going on, Mr. Roland. (What''s going on, Roland? Suddenly you have an additional job. (What''s wrong with you, Roland? You usually take care of me so that I don''t work too hard.) Aina frowns and continues to hammer the iron. Roland appraised Aina''s skills. He could see it in her eyes. Signs of her growth. Aina''s skill improvement conditions Sword creation: 0/1 Roland''s skills, "Skill Appraisal" and "Cultivation" can be combined to notice rare opportunities for skill improvement. (The flag for skill improvement has been raised. If she completes one more sword, her skills will be ......) Suddenly, Aina''s eyes saw the sword glowing in a way she had never seen before. (What?(What? What? ) Aina flinched. What''s wrong?" Roddy looks into Aina''s face quizzically. No, it''s that ......" I wonder what it is. (I''m not sure, but it''s this part that is luminous. If I sharpen this part, it looks like I can make a better sword?) Aina!" Roland called out. ''Fine. Do as you please. You''ve done your quota for today. Aina hesitated for a moment, then let go of the hammer and took out a chisel. Aina?" Roddy. I''m going to sharpen this part here, so hold it up. Aina stands the chisel on the luminous part of the sword and swings the hammer down. The sword breaks unusually cleanly. This is ...... Roddy blinked. (It''s only been shaved a little, but it clearly shines differently from the swords I''ve seen before. This is ......) The power of the sword has increased." Roland said. [Sword status. Power: 70 Durability: 50 Weight: 50 Power 70 (Class B)!Looks like Aina''s ''metal molding'' has gone up a notch." My skill set is ......." Aina involuntarily stares at her palm. (Indeed, ......, there was a response. But how is this possible after yesterday''s ......) [Aina''s skills Metal Forming": B (up) "Good." Roland lifts his sword. I think I''ll keep the sword," he said. It would be a shame to deliver it as sword C." Ha, yes." Roddy felt as if he had been pinched by a fox. (Sword B? So Aina''s skills have improved?But it''s so abrupt. What in the world?(No way, is this Roland''s skill?) Good job to you too, Roddy." Uh, yes. Aina, Roddy. That''s it for today. This is it for today. I''ll stay like this for a while. I''ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Yes." Roddy was enveloped in a strange sensation. (I wonder what it is...) It was obviously different from his previous workplaces. This place is ......, this person is ......) At that moment, the entrance door opened with a bang. We all turned and looked toward the entrance. There was a girl with red hair and twin-tail hair. "You are ......, I believe you are the ...... of "Dragon''s Fires". I''m Lizetta. She smiles smugly. I''ve been looking for you. Mr. Roland." A sweet voice echoed through the atelier. <> 65 - Art. 65. An anguished shield-holder Lizetta looked around Roland''s workshop. (There are only two workers. That sword is class B. ......) Lizetta sighed and slumped her shoulders. (Mr. Roland. It really was a fake.) Aina was miffed at Lizetta''s attitude. (What is this girl? She''s so obviously disappointed. It''s disrespectful to Mr. Roland.) I''m sorry, Mr. Roland. Who is this girl? Do you know him?" Roddy asked. ''She''s an artificer at the Dragon''s Fires. What?Dragon''s Fires, ......, is that the biggest company on this island?" Lizetta. What the hell are you doing here?I thought we broke off our business with Dragon''s Fires? Mr. Roland, I am disappointed in you. Lizetta gives an exaggerated shrug. I was looking forward to working with you because I heard that you were an executive of the Golden Eagle, a major guild in the City of Adventurers. I can''t believe you lied to me." I''m not lying. I am, without a doubt, Roland, an executive of the Golden Eagle and an S-class appraiser. Then why are you making your silly creations in such a tired workshop? What do you mean? What kind of silly work is ......?" When Aina tried to attack her, Lisetta took out a silver knife. It was a gleaming, sharp, and well-made piece of art. "Oof!" Silver Knife Power: 50 Durability: 50 Weight: 10 (Power and durability are about the same as sword C.) But considering its weight, it''s a tremendous status) Roland looks at the design of the knife. (So that intricate design helps to house a powerful spirit.) This is a knife I made the other day as a prototype," he said. You guys could make this?" d*mn." Aina says nothing and withdraws. This knife is still a prototype, but I (I) alone created it. This knife is the crystallization of my blood, sweat, tears, and soul, with all the skills I have cultivated up to this point! If two people can only make a B-class sword with two people working together, it''s no wonder people say it''s a piece of crap, isn''t it? Even that sword B is a mediocre work that is not in the realm of ready-made products. There are many people who can make something like this in the Fires of the Dragon, or even in alchemy guilds other than the Fires of the Dragon. A guild that can only produce something of this caliber will probably go out of business soon on this island, much less!It is hard to believe that someone who is satisfied with this level of quality is an adventurer who leads a guild that has conquered three dungeons. Mr. Roland!" Lizetta looked accusingly at Roland. ''You said it yourself, didn''t you? You said you were going to slay the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). You said you wanted to work together with the "Dragon''s Fires" to kill the S-class monster. Is this what you are doing for this guild? Were those words a lie?" I don''t lie one bit," he said. I just changed my policy." Policy? Oh. At first, I was going to cooperate with you guys to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". But we decided not to. I will start my own alchemy guild, train alchemists who can maintain S-class weapons, and defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). "Raise?" Yes," he said. Yes, we are going to raise them. It is true that our guild may not be as good as yours at the moment. But we will surpass your guild in size and quality. ...... I see." Lizetta''s shoulders slumped again. Roland''s answer never satisfied her. (Anyone can just say it with their mouth. (Anyone can say it, but it''s not enough to surpass the Dragon''s Fires from here. It would take tens or hundreds of years. I thought he was the one who would take me to another level.) Lizetta was discouraged, but decided to get back on track. She has far-reaching ambitions. She wants to surpass Raul, the absolute number one in the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire," and create a weapon to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). She had no time to be discouraged. I understand your thoughts very well, Mr. Roland. I know we have taken different paths, but I will support you from the shadows so that your business will be successful. Good bye." Lizetta turns on her heel and heads for the exit. Wait for me," she said. Tell the head of the "Dragon''s Fires" guild. Tell him that he will regret refusing to cooperate with us. Lizetta giggled. ''Yes, that''s right. If you guys can make better equipment than I can, I''ll be happy to transfer to your guild. Well, please do your best. You don''t want to disappoint me too much. ?" Lizetta is a bit of a kook. [Lizetta''s skills Silversmithing: A to A Spirit addition": B to B (Silversmithing A" and "Spirit addition B". (Silversmithing A" and "Spirit addition B" are indeed an excellent and powerful skill combination. However, her "Spirit Addition" cannot be extended any further. I know a better silversmith.) You think you''re the best guild on the island and that you''re in the clear, but your methods leave room for error. You can''t fool my eyes. When you come to work in this workshop (atelier), you''d better hone your skills to the best of your ability so that you won''t be a liability. (Oh, my, he''s bullish. (Oh, how I hate people like that.) Lizetta felt her heart flutter a little. I''m so sorry," she said. That''s it. That''s great. I''m looking forward to it. Lisetta walks away with a smile on her face. While Lizetta was exhaling in her studio at the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch, a party was struggling against monsters in a dungeon on the island. The orcs are here, and so is Ptera the Winged Dragon! What are you doing? What are you doing, Erio? Build a wall, quickly. I know. d*mn. This armor is so heavy. ...... Erio, a warrior with a large shield, runs awkwardly, but somehow manages to stand in front of the giant orc and protect the rear guard of his allies. The club of the giant orc strikes the shield, emitting a dull metallic sound. At the same time, the pterodactyl''s breath of fire scorches the skin of his armor. Ggh!" However, the shield is able to catch the attack, and the armor repels the flames. The armor and shield are made of "dragon''s fiery fire," as expected. The durability is second to none. (But ......) Gosh, Cecil!Give me some recovery magic." Good. Recovery magic." Cecil, a thief who can also use "recovery magic," casts a recovery spell, and the shieldman''s wounds are quickly healed. The shieldman''s wounds healed in no time at all. We can hold out a little longer now.) Elio continued to be attacked by the enemy, and soon Jeff, the archer, secured an advantageous position, while Leon, the swordsman and leader of this party, flanked the enemy. Leon, the swordsman and leader of this party, flanked the enemy. Now! Fold it up!" The adventurers succeeded in repelling the monster. "Good. Somehow we managed to fight them off. Now all we have to do is get through here and we can reach the Metal Line. I''m going to go to the airport. I''ll get to ...... before dark." What''s up, Elio? Sorry. My arm strength seems to be a little low. Erio is carrying his shield heavily and frowning. Again." Leon said, unable to hide his disappointment. When you wear heavy equipment while your arm strength (power) is lowered, your body is overloaded and your endurance (toughness) is lowered. When endurance (toughness) goes down, the entire status goes down faster this time. Then, it is no longer possible to act properly in the dungeon. It can''t be helped. I''ll lend you a shoulder from here. Take your potions often and don''t be reckless. Leon said. ''Yeah,'' he said. I''m sorry. But what are we going to do? What will Erio do against the orcs with this? What? The Metal Line is just around the corner. Oh, I can see it now. Numerous exposed chunks of ore spread out in the group''s path. Large red, blue, and multicolored gems protruded from the surface of the earth like vegetables growing in a field on a brown rock face. They cheered and set about collecting them. This is a lot of stuff," they say. Yeah, we''ll be fine for a while if we can get this much. Take the ores in order of value. First, there are ''fire-absorbing ore'' and ''fire-repelling ore. Next are ''Windfults'' and ''Windrests. Once they sheathed their weapons, they took out their pickaxes and set about collecting the ore. They sheathed their weapons, took out their pickaxes, and set to work collecting the ore. That''s it. Let''s move out." The leader, Leon, gave the order to withdraw after a moderate amount of time. Each of us stopped our work and started to move out. "Ugh!" Elio?What''s wrong?" ...... No." Item possession" is not triggered. When Elio puts the ore in his item bag, it sloshes around and falls out of the bag. Unlike large guilds such as the Golden Eagle and the Guardians of the Magical Tree, they are a small guild and cannot afford to hire an item handler, so each member must learn the low-ranked "item handler" and also take item possession of the resources they harvest. Erio had also acquired the skill "Item Holding C," but he could no longer even maintain item holding due to the exhaustion of his status. He was so drained of stamina that he could no longer maintain his "Item Possession" skill. (d*mn!) I don''t have a choice. Elio, you don''t have to hold the ore. Just try not to deplete your status as much as possible and think about going down the mountain. U...... understand." Elio somehow makes his way down the mountain with his friends carrying him on their shoulders. Elio, are you okay?" Cecil, a thief (shifu), carries Elio on his shoulder and calls out to him. He said, "Yes, I am. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I''m just not good enough. I don''t care. Don''t worry about it. Let''s just think about getting out of the dungeon. Yeah, okay. "...... is not good." Jeff, the archer, said. What''s up?" It''s those ''white wolves''." Jeff said as he stared at the end of the mountain road. His skill "farsightedness" allowed him to see farther than most people. They are coming this way. They''re going to try to fight us. What?What''s the distance?" We''re almost there. We can''t escape!" In the meantime, a group of bandits (Thief) approached. "Tsk. It can''t be helped. Prepare for battle. Leon and his team flapped about, getting ready for battle. Erio, are you all right?Can you stand alone?" Yeah, I''ll see what I can do. (Our guild doesn''t have the luxury of letting our people play around. (We can''t even move around much, but just standing there with our shields and armor on should be enough to call their bluff!) Elio stands in front of his friends and holds up his shield. In the meantime, the "White Wolves" were approaching. Leon spots a man with an eye patch among the "White Wolves. (Tsk. Jamil is here. This day is not going well for me.) Jamil appraises Elio''s status. Kukk. Hey, that shield-bearer is in a mess. You seem to be wearing equipment that doesn''t fit your stature." I can''t even move around with that thing. I''m going to use my agility to get the upper hand and take them out in one fell swoop. Jamil uses his quick movements to flank Erio, and knocks him down with a body slam. Ugh." After disabling the only shield-bearer in the guild, he then broke up the rear guard with a white hand-to-hand combat. The guild "Shield of Dawn" surrendered to "White Wolf" and handed over most of their ore to them. The guild "Shield of Dawn" surrendered to "White Wolf" and handed over most of their ore. We''re done with our quota for today." At the Dragon''s Fireside, Edgar, one of the quartet, had finished his work for the day and was getting ready to go home. Edgar? An?" What is it?" Mr. Erio from "Shield of Dawn" wants to talk to you about his equipment. Please respond." Tsk. That guy again? What do we do now?Shall I have them leave for the day?" Oh," he said. "Oh, that''s okay. I''ll get it done in no time. Edgar stops preparing to leave and heads toward the customer service desk. Hey, Edgar. Can''t this armor be a little lighter?" Elio said pleadingly. ''I mean, you''re going all the way to the "Metal Line," right? Yeah, so ......" ''Then it''s not safe to lower our defenses any further. Wyverns and Fafnirs will also appear. No, that''s true, but ...... So, I''m going to go down a bit in rank, but shall we go with Class C armor?" Edgar takes out a catalog. ''No, that won''t do. It won''t have enough defense. Even the White Wolves are after us. Then I guess we''ll just have to let him keep working in his current armor. No, but ......" I''m not sure I''m getting this, Erio. It''s after hours here, and I''m dealing with this. Or what is it?You don''t like our equipment?If you want, why don''t you go to another alchemy guild?" ......" Seeing Elio shush, Edgar grins and smiles wickedly. ''Well, let''s try a little harder with that equipment, shall we? What? I''m sure you''ll be fine, Erio. If you train your arm strength (power) and endurance (toughness), you can handle this much weight. As Elio walked out of "Dragon''s Fires," his friends who had been waiting outside came running up to him. How did it go?" No," he said. If you don''t like this armor, you have to lower your rank." I see. They ain''t responding to me at all. This place." I like the product, but... But the flexibility..." But we can''t keep doing what we''re doing. All four of them sighed in unison. Anyway, Elio had no choice but to raise his status. Good luck with that," he said. It''s up to you." Oh." (Huh. I wonder if there is an alchemy guild that can make more suitable equipment for me.) <> 66 - Art. 66. Light and durable equipment While Erio was on his way home, worrying about his equipment, his good friend Phil, an adventurer, came to talk to him. Hey," he said. What''s up, Elio? Oh, Phil. Oh no, those ''white wolves'' got me again. Cheer up. That''s right. Let''s go to a diner on the outskirts of town. I''ll buy you a drink." A diner? Yeah, there''s a cute girl over there right now. I''m not sure I want to go back there. I''m not really in the mood for that right now." Well, don''t say that. I''ll listen to your problems. Undeterred, Elio follows his friend''s recommendation and together they head down the road to the outskirts of town. Welcome. It was a familiar diner for the masses. It was the kind of place you would want to come to every day, with its regular home-cooked meals and set menus at reasonable prices. However, Erio''s mood never lifted. It''s really serious, isn''t it? Yeah, because, you know. It''s my fault that our guild is stalling, you know? If I had a little higher status, I could have taken the quest up a notch a long time ago. Don''t be like that. It''s not just your fault. That''s the third time this month," he said. "That''s the third time this month that I''ve been unable to perform at the critical moment because of my lack of status." You''re too serious. Let''s take it easy. Come on, let''s have a drink. I''m sorry," he said. Are you two adventurers?" A girl who looked like a waitress with an apron spoke to them. Elio immediately recognized her as the signboard girl he had heard so much about. He wondered why she had a simple charm. Oh, hey," she said. We are adventurers! Phil dressed up to get her attention. I knew it," Phil said, trying to impress her. Well, if you don''t mind, this way please. She held out a pamphlet. Hm?"The Alchemy Guild. This is the guild that runs in the back of this store, right? Huh?But I thought the old man who runs the place in the back had retired by now?" Yes, that''s right. The old man has retired, but there was a person who wanted to use my studio. It is now open for business. I was so impressed with the quality of the work that I was surprised to see it. That''s great. Oh, it''s true. The guild name has been changed to "Spirit Arsenal. When Elio casually ran his eyes over the words on the pamphlet, the wording caught his attention. Free consultation by an S-class appraiser for adventurers! (Free consultation by an S-class appraiser?) ''That''s the way it is, so if you''d like, you can take advantage of the alchemy guild as well. Oh, I''ll ask him again if there''s any ore I need smelted. Saki leaves their seats and turns to go back toward the kitchen. Elio hurriedly stopped Saki. Hey. Wait a minute, waitress. This S-class appraiser is ......." Aina was forging her sword, remembering her exchange with Roland. ''Making a sword C at a lower cost than that?'' Yes," he said. So far, you have made one sword C with 50/50 weight of iron. But now you have mastered B-class "metal forming. With your skills, you should be able to make a sword C out of steel weighing 40 parts. Your next goal is to make sword C with as little iron as possible. Can you do it? When Roland said this, Aina''s face clouded over. ......" What''s wrong?" ''That ......, that Lizetta girl (ko) was talking about. The two of us are not enough to make the sword B. She said that the "Arsenal of Spirits" will not last if we don''t do something about it. Oh, you mean. That ......, I should be able to make stronger weapons on my own. ...... I''ll be fine. Forget about what she said for now." But ...... She''s proud of herself for forging her own equipment, but I don''t think it''s all about one-person builds," he said. It''s also about using people well." Use people?" Yes," he said. By using people well, you draw out the support you need. By doing so, you compensate for your weaknesses. You''ve already done that, haven''t you?By borrowing arm strength (power) and endurance (toughness) from Lodi, he has increased his productive capacity. As a result, you can now do the quest to create 10 Sword C''s in one day, which you couldn''t do before, right?" "...... Yes." We will join forces to make a weapon stronger than the Dragon''s Fires. Don''t worry. Your skill as an alchemist is definitely improving. You will eventually be able to create more powerful weapons. For that, too!First, start with the task at hand: make 10 Sword C a day. Let''s do it right. Is that clear?" Yes." After finishing her recollection, Aina once again concentrated on the task of forging the sword in front of her. That girl Lisetta, she''s been acting all high and mighty. Watch her. I''m going to make you a better weapon than her! Roddy was relieved to see Aina. I''m glad. I wondered what would happen when that girl Lizetta showed me the difference in power, but Aina''s feelings have not been discouraged. Roland''s follow-up seems to have gone well.) Roddy turns over the iron on the table to match Aina. (Please, Aina. The conditions are pretty good here. My livelihood depends on you.) Lodi. The rough molding is done. I''m going to start the fine molding, so put the two together on the table." "Oh." Roddy puts the sword on the table. Aina moves on to forging the sword again. (And then ......) Aina felt a different sensation while forging the sword. (What is it? I don''t feel more tired today than usual ......?) Aina''s work was already about to become her tenth sword, and yet she showed no signs of catching her breath on this day. Roland appraised her status. [Aina''s status Arm strength (power): 40-50 Endurance (toughness): 40 (up 20) - 50 (up 20) Agility: 60-70 Physical strength (stamina): 40 (K30)-70 * indicates constant increase/decrease, ?K? indicates temporary increase/decrease Endurance (toughness) has increased. Thanks to this, other statuses have become more stable. Aina''s status is rising steadily. This will allow her to get more work done in a day. The problem is ......) Roland stopped appraising Aina and returned his attention to the meeting with Dylan in front of him. They both had difficult looks on their faces from earlier. ''Dylan. That ...... sounds selfish, but couldn''t you have done a better job?" On the desk in front of him were several documents about alchemy work projects. These were jobs that Dylan had gone around to alchemy guilds and adventurers'' guilds to find for him, but they were all low-quality jobs that he wanted to buy at a low price. ''I know it''s a tough number, Roland. Dylan said, putting his hand on his forehead. The name value of the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' is still low on this island," Dylan said, putting his hand on his forehead. It''s hard to get high-paying jobs here. It''s not just the pay that''s a problem, Dylan. Roland said, pointing to the documents. The quality of the work is also a problem. This workshop (atelier) was set up to train alchemists to maintain S-class weapons. To do that, it is essential to improve the level of the alchemists. This kind of low-quality quests will rust the skills of our alchemists." I know. Ready?Dylan, the concept of this guild is to grow together with the Adventurers Guild. Currently, the island is full of small adventurers'' guilds. If there are this many small adventurers'' guilds, there must be one that wants to grow and step up. I want you to find those adventurers'' guilds. I know that too." Dylan almost leaned back in his chair as if to say, "I can''t help you. No adventurers'' guild will listen to you just because you''ve made a C-grade sword," he said. The guilds with ambition will go to the "Dragon''s Fires" first. Even if you say that, we can''t make any achievements without requests from the guilds. So we have nothing to do now. They nodded dejectedly. I''m sorry. Is Mr. Roland in? Saki opened the door of the workshop (atelier) and came in. Saki opened the workshop door and came in. What''s wrong?I thought tea time wasn''t over yet." There is an adventurer in the dining room who would like to be appraised by Mr. Roland. Excuse me?" I got a job.) I''ll be right there." Roland got up and headed toward the cafeteria. In the cafeteria, crowded with adventurers returning from the dungeon, Roland appraised Elio''s status. [Elio''s status Arm strength (power): 10-60 Endurance (toughness): 30-60 Agility: 30-40 Physical strength (stamina): 20-80 (This status, I guess, is that of a C-class shield-bearer. Arm strength (power) is unnaturally depleted. Perhaps this is ......) Weighs ......" Elio giggled. When you take damage from an enemy and your status is depleted, it should start with your endurance (toughness). The fact that his arm strength (power) is unusually worn out while he still has some endurance (toughness) left ...... probably means that he is wearing equipment that is much heavier than his own arm strength (power)." Elio was tongue-tied by Roland''s appraisal skills. (How can you tell so much just by appraising a status? I haven''t even seen the equipment yet. This is the power of an S-class appraiser ......) Wearing too much heavy equipment will slow you down, won''t it?" With your current equipment, you can''t even explore the dungeon satisfactorily?" Yes, that''s right. That''s why I''m always dragging my peers down. So I''m wondering if I should change my equipment rank." What has the alchemist in charge of equipment maintenance told you?" He told me to work on my strength (power) and endurance (toughness). If you have a problem with your current equipment, you should lower your rank. If you don''t like it, go to a guild other than ours. I see. (If I were a member of his guild, I would back him up so he could do his power quests. ...... Now he and I are just business partners. And above all, ......) However, the guild that Erio-san belongs to, Shield of Dawn ......, with all due respect, seems to be a micro guild, and you can hardly afford to invest time and money in training to improve your status, can you?" I''m not sure. The guild wants me to be able to do the high rewarding quests as soon as possible because they can''t afford to finance them. But the only high rewarding quests on the island are going to the ''metal line'' to get ore or hunting dragons. I see. So I have to wear B-class equipment? Yes, that''s right. But I don''t have enough status to wear B-class equipment. I''m always caught between the guild and the alchemy guild. On this island, we also have to deal with PK guilds, so we can''t afford to lose the defense and durability of our equipment. ...... Oh, yeah. Yeah." Elio felt a little more at ease as he consulted with them. (I''ve never been to an alchemy guild that is so accommodating.) Elio took a sigh of relief. ''Yeah. But thanks for listening to my worries. Um, Roland, right?I was able to get my thoughts out and get my mind off of it for a bit. I''m still a little anxious about the future, though. ......" How about it, then?Shall we make it at our place?It''s lightweight and has good defense and durability. What?Can you do it?Oh, no. Yes. Our guild can do it. Oh, really? It is possible with the unique skills of the alchemists currently in our guild. (Here, this alchemy guild might be able to solve my problem.) "But we''ll have to take a few days. ...... I''m glad you''re happy, Elio. You can have your weapons made here." Phil said. ''Ah, but ......'' Elio awkwardly lowers his eyes. ''What''s wrong with ......?'' I''m sure that equipment with such unique skills is expensive, isn''t it? I wonder if the guild will really allow me to switch sides. ...... As I said before, we are a small guild and our cash flow is tight. Can''t I just pay in installments or sign a lease?" Hmmm. The lease agreement with Dragon''s Fires is still in process. And after all, that ......, "Arsenal of Spirits," is also a weak guild, isn''t it? I don''t know if I can convince the top ......" I see. Then, how about this?A free trial. Free trial? Yes, try it out in the dungeon just once. If it doesn''t work, return it. No charge." What?Are you sure?And then what?" Yes. What do you want me to do?" I understand. Then I''m sure the guild will allow it. I''ll talk to them right away." The next day, a formal request came from "Shield of Dawn" to "Arsenal of Spirits" to produce light and strong armor. <> 67 - Art. 67. The Unique Skills of Aina Aina was walking down the road leading to the workshop (atelier), ruminating and enthusiastic about the goal Roland had set for her yesterday. (Yesterday I was able to make 5 out of 10 swords C with a weight of 40 iron. (Yesterday, I was able to make 5 out of 10 swords C with a weight of 40 iron, and now that I have endurance (toughness), today is the day I will make all 10 swords C with a weight of 40!) When I arrived at work at the "Arsenal of Spirits," I noticed that things were different than usual. Roland and Dylan were carrying a large amount of goods on the back of a truck into the warehouse. (Is that ...... armor?) All of them had peeling exteriors, some were missing, and some had become unusable. Some of the armor was of such poor quality that it was not for sale, and was probably destined for the landfill. Good morning, Mr. Roland. Good morning, just in time. Can you help me carry this?" What is this? Where did all this stuff come from?" I went around to all the alchemy guilds in the city and got some armor that was no longer needed or malfunctioning. Why on earth would you do that? I''ll explain later. Anyway, I have to bring this in. Yes." Aina helped Roland carry the heavy-looking armor. Holding the other side with Roland, they carried it to the warehouse together. ''Phew. Thank you for your help. Thank you. This is armor, isn''t it? So much, what''s going on?" I got a new job. A new job? Oh. We''re going to have a meeting, so could you go to the workshop and get everything ready?" "The commission is for a light, sturdy suit of armor." "Light and sturdy armor?" Aina and Roddy sat at a conference desk in one corner of the workshop and looked at each other. ''Isn''t that a contradiction?'' ''Yes, but it is possible. But it is possible. Look at this. Roland unfolded a piece of paper with a diagram on it and showed it to them. On it were written the specifications of the equipment for each rank. Armor E specs Strength: 1-20 Durability: 1-20 Weight: 1-20 Armor D specs Strength: 20-40 Durability: 20-40 Weight: 20-40 Armor C specs Strength: 40-60 Durability: 40-60 Weight: 40-60 Armor B specs Strength: 60-80 Durability: 60-80 Weight: 60-80 Armor A specs Power: 80-100 Durability: 80-100 Weight: 80-100 ''Those are standard equipment specs. Aina said. ''And they are also limits corresponding to the weight of the iron. For example, for iron weighing 50, the limits are 60 for power and 60 for durability. Even if you use ''metal molding'' A, you cannot make armor with 70 in strength and 70 in durability. The only thing you can do with the skill "Metal Forming" is to draw out the power that resides in the metal, right? I can make armor with 70 power and 50 durability, or 50 power and 70 durability. I can do armor with 80% strength and 40% durability, or 30% strength and 90% durability. In short, the total power and durability is limited to 120. In any case, the improvement of the "metal molding" skill only broadens the numerical value distribution and requires sacrificing either power or durability. But this time, we are breaking the rules!These are the requirements for the equipment we are proposing to Erio this time." Roland shows them the requirements document. This is ......." Armor with a shield that weighs 50, has a power (defense) of 70, and a durability of 70?" Isn''t that a contradiction?How can equipment be both lightweight and powerful and durable? ......" Oh. Inconsistency. But, Aina, with your unique skills, we can resolve this contradiction." My unique skills?" Aina''s face becomes a scowl. Yes, your unique skill, ''Exterior Enhancement (Coating). Outline of Coating Applying this skill to the target equipment increases its power and durability. If we accomplish this request, we will not only be able to get adventurers as customers, but we will also be able to expand our sales channels. This is a quest that ''Dragon''s Fires'' couldn''t even cover. There must be other adventurers who have the same problem. We can take away clients from "Dragon''s Fires. So I would like you two to take charge of this quest. Aina will be in charge of the molding and durability enhancement (coating). Roddy will do the design." Aina and Roddy looked at each other. If we complete this quest, it will improve both of our skills and expand our work. If the project gets off the ground, it will also lead to higher salaries. Of course, we won''t penalize you for failure. You just have to try something new. What do you think? Will you do it?" If it helps me improve my skills, I''ll do it." Aina said. ''I''d be willing to do it, too, if it would lead to a raise. Roddy said. ''Good. That''s settled. Let''s get to it. Roland puts his stripped armor on a stand and hands Aina a wand and a bottle of liquid. What''s this?" It''s a wand and paint for supportive magic. Supportive magic? Yes. Your unique skill ''Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)'' belongs to the support magic type of skills." Roland appraised Aina''s skills and checked the details of her unique skills again. [Detailed description of Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)]. Applying support magic to ink can give it a semi-permanent support magic effect. Equipment coated with the ink will reflect the effects of the support magic. Have you ever used support magic?" No way. I have only trained in alchemy. There is no such thing as magic. ......" It would be ......." [Aina''s skills E to E for "Attack Grant Defence: E to E Agility: E to E Illusion Magic: E to E Crustal magic: E to E (Class E is the limit for any of the support magic. If it becomes ......) Then, perhaps the paint job should be the essence of this skill." Is it how to paint ......?" ''Ah, the color of the ink, or the pattern, or the thickness. The details are unknown, but it must be related to some kind of painting technique. It is your role to find that rule." Roland takes out blue paint and a brush. Let''s start with the blue paint that reminds me of ''defense-inflicting'' paint," he said. Apply this paint and then try some supportive magic. I understand. Aina applies the paint to her armor, then, with her support magic grimoire in one hand and her wand in the other, she begins to chant support magic spells. (What is it? (What is this? This is the first time I''m doing this. It''s as if I''ve known this for a long time. I feel like I''ve known it for a long time.) A blood-sucking sensation ran through the palm of Aina''s hand holding her wand. The warmth from Aina''s body flowed into the tip of the staff and gushed out in a torrent. Gugu. The staff is hot. It almost burns. This is what it feels like to use magic.) The tip of the wand glows and bursts against the armor. Pssst." Aina involuntarily let go of the wand. The wand makes a sound and falls to the floor. The magical light blinks for a moment, then disappears. Aina, are you okay?" Roddy rushes up under Aina. ''...... I''m fine. I was just a little startled. There is not a single burn mark on Aina''s palm. More importantly, where''s her armor?" The three of them again look at the armor. The armor rested in place as before. ...... nothing is happening." Roddy said. ''No, it''s a success.'' Suddenly, the paint clinging to the armor expands, buzzing and swelling into countless bubbles. ''Nah. ......! Eventually, the blue paint stopped, torn to shreds like Styrofoam or cotton sticking out of a doll. Aina looked at the armor and was stunned. (This is ...... my unique skill) Hmm. Looks like you were never way off the mark." [Status of Armor E Strength: 10 Durability: 11 (up1) Weight: 10 At least he''s more durable. Mr. Roland, did this really increase your durability?" Roddy pokes at the blue mumbo jumbo, which has completely changed its appearance from paint. Roddy pokes at the blue blob, which has been completely transformed from paint. But don''t you think it''s too badly shaped? It comes right off." When Aina picks up the mussel and pulls on it, it shreds off with a poof. Aina picked and pulled, and the piece shredded. I need to improve my skills. Roland retires the modified armor and puts the new armor on the stand again. Aina," he said, "you''re going to have to start experimenting with paint and magic. There has to be a way to make the ''exterior enhancement coating'' stick in a more optimal way. Yes, sir. Good. Okay, now Roddy. Your turn. I''ve already done the measuring on my end. Roland hands Rodi a piece of paper describing the size of Elio''s body, which he measured himself. We''re going to design the armor to fit this size, but the problem is the exterior." Roland said, pointing to the drawings. The exterior is expected to bulge due to Aina''s coating, so we have to account for that in our design." He said, "Ummm. I''m not very good at designing." (...... I''m guessing) [Lodi''s skills Design: D to A (At least for now, still class D. But in the future I''m a top notch designer) I wonder if I can do it. I''ll be fine. I will support you. Well, we have to do it. Aina is doing her best." When they turned to Aina, she was in the process of casting a support magic spell. Aina''s "exterior reinforcement (coating)" armor was already about to reach its fifth piece. Four failed pieces were lying on the floor, but the blue expansion was slowly subsiding and becoming much flatter. (I''m beginning to understand. This is not about the paint job.) Aina points her wand at the armor and casts a support spell. (The magic is moving the paint.) Aina cast a spell with the image of squeezing the paint. The paint bobbed and swelled, trying to release its energy outward, but Aina managed to suppress it. The paint did not become a mess, and although the surface was still rough, with ridges and bumps, the undulations were barely enough to be considered armored. (Good. Much better.) Mr. Roland. How does it look now? Roland appraised the item of Aina''s coated armor. [Status of Armor E Strength: 10 Durability: 15 (up5) Weight: 10 I''m not sure. Durability''s up." Yes!" Aina''s Unique Skills Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)": D (up 1 rank) (I guess untouched skills grow faster. (Another rank improvement.) Aina. You keep improving your skills at this rate." Yes!" As Roland was working with Roddy on the drawings, the sound of a cane falling to the floor echoed. When he looked, he saw Aina cowering on the floor with her hands shaking. Aina! Are you okay?" Roland and Roddy ran up to them. Roland and Roddy ran up to them. I just got a little dizzy. [Aina''s status. Magic: 1 (9) - 10 You''re out of magic." Roland stands up quickly. Aina. That''s it for today''s ''coating''. Go get some rest. Yes, sir." (Kuso. I was so close to getting something.) Aina looks at her armor, frustrated. It''s okay," she said. We still have three days to deliver. But we were so close to getting something. ...... I''ll be fine. My skills are definitely improving." Yes. I won''t be able to practice ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' anymore today, but this afternoon I''ll have you molding armor based on the blueprints Roddy drew up for you," he said. Get proper rest and be ready for this afternoon." ...... understand." Aina blushed a little. (Roland, you are so kind. (Roland, you''re so kind. You''re always there for me when I feel like I''m falling apart.) As Aina crossed the workshop (atelier) toward the break room, she gazed at Roland''s profile with a feeling of longing that was beginning to emerge. <> 68 - Art. 68. Blue Armour Lillianne stops her pen when there is a knock on the Oval Office door. Come in." Lillianne called out to them, and Monica, Shakuma, and Yuffine entered. They were all looking at her. "You wanted to see me, guild leader?" Lillianne looked around at each of the three faces in turn in a calm and collected manner, as if she were the guild leader herself. Their faces tightened nervously. ''Take this to .......'' Lilianne hands the letter to Euphine. ''Is this a letter from ...... Roland? Yes." What does it say, Euphine? Monica asked hastily. The planned collaboration with the alchemy guild has broken off. Therefore, we have decided to establish a new alchemy guild on the ''Fire Dragon Island. Give me money." Euphine summarized the contents of the letter. ''The business partnership has broken up?'' Establishing an alchemy guild on the ''Fire Dragon Island''...... So Mr. Roland won''t be able to come back for a while?" Shakuma said in a panic. ''It appears so.'' Lillianne sighs. ''We have to take on the dungeon and protect this guild without Mr. Loran''s help for a while. Therefore, I am temporarily appointing a deputy as captain of Loran''s squad. The acting captain is Yuffine. You shall serve. The deputy captain is you, Shakuma." Yes, sir. Yes, sir." The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and the "Golden Eagle" are becoming more harmonious, but there is already a movement among some of the "Golden Eagles" to oppose our moves. Each of you may be anxious without Mr. Roland, but it is in times like these that we must show our solidarity. Each of you, refrain from any rash actions and work to maintain the strength of the unit." Yes." After leaving Lillianne''s office, Monica continued to think about Roland. (Mr. Roland, are you okay?) Monica looks in the direction of the sea with a worried hand on her chest. She had just been told to refrain from rash behavior, but when she thought of Roland struggling alone on "Fire Dragon Island" with no relatives, she felt the urge to run to him right now. At the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch, Roland and his team were repeating trial and error in order to make armor for Elio. No luck. Failure. Roland said after tinkering a bit with the finished armor. ''What?Why?" The joints don''t bend properly. It''s a design error. Oh, really. "Roddy, we''re going to have to start all over again from the design." Uh, yes. Aina will practice "exterior reinforcement (coating)" until Roddy''s design is ready. Yes, sir. Each member set to work on his or her own task. Roddy. This part of the blueprint. Roland pointed out, pointing to the diagram. This part can only be done with ''metal molding'' A." Oh, I see. Product design" can increase the adaptability of the equipment and its owner. In some cases, it can have a positive effect on the skill and status of the equipped person. However, if you don''t consider the skill level of the person who is molding the equipment, it will fail as equipment in the first place. I''m not sure I want to do that. I see. I never thought about it before. You''ve worked on ''product design'' at your previous place of employment, haven''t you?Didn''t they say anything about it there?" No. I drew the drawings just as I was taught at the training school, and that alone branded me as unfit." ...... I see." This point made by Roland seemed to solve a long-standing problem for Rodi. (I''ve never been good at this, but this is what it''s all about? Then do this here ...... and) With Roland''s proper guidance, Lodi''s skills in "product design" were improving rapidly. (I guess Roddy''s going to have to make do. Aina is at ......) Aina felt numbness in her hands as she tried to apply the skill "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)". (Tsk. Out of magic power?) Roddy is still in the process of re-drawing the blueprints. It can''t be helped. I''ll just make a sword C.) Aina hammered iron at a tremendous speed and made sword C by herself. Roland was watching her closely. (Aina, is the making of sword C now a kind of preparatory exercise?) [Aina''s status. Arm strength (power): 40-50 Endurance (toughness): 40-50 Agility: 70 (up 10) - 80 (up 10) Physical strength (stamina): 40 (K?)-70 Magic: 1 (K?19) - 30 (20) (The "exterior reinforcement (coating)" has led to a remarkable increase in magical power. Agility has also increased. Aina is the type of person who gets better when she is busy.) How''s it going?Any problems?" Roland spoke to Roddy. Loran spoke to Roddy. Aina''s working hard. I can''t stop working hard. Roddy then draws a line on the drawing. (This one looks okay, too. (Roddy is the type of person who exerts himself for someone other than himself.) Roland appraised their skills as he put away the used armor Aina had used to practice "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" on a cart. [Aina''s skills. Metal molding": B to A Coating": C (up 1) to A [Lodi''s skills Product Design: C (up 1) to A (Both of them are steadily improving their skills. We have one day left before the delivery date, but this looks like we''ll manage to make it.) Roland once again watched them as they worked. (I am sure these two will make a great piece of equipment.) Finally, on the appointed day, the armor mold was completed. It was designed with the exterior swelling up with "exterior reinforcement (coating)" in mind, and the size adjustment was perfect. Aina pointed her wand at the armor, which was already coated with blue paint. (Let''s go. Skill "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)") As Aina casts a support magic spell, the paint seems to swell in an uncontrolled manner, but is held back by invisible magical forces and solidifies, forming the outer contour of the armor as it is. The bright blue armor was complete. And it''s done. Not yet. No equipment is considered complete until it has been tested to see if it actually works." Roland tries the armor through his body. The lightness test is okay," Roland says. The joints are fine. Roland checks the movement as he twists and raises his arms. Now it''s time for the all-important endurance test. Are you sure about this?" Roddy asked, frowning with concern as he held the hammer in his hand. ''Yeah, give it your best shot. Well then, excuse me, ......!" Roddy hits the hammer as hard as he can at Roland. The sound of the hammer''s impact echoes through the workshop, but Roland and his armor do not seem to be affected by the impact. Rather, it was the hammer that was damaged. The head of the hammer detached from the handle and flew toward Dylan, who was watching the experiment from afar. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Dylan jumped in a panic and dodged the head of the hammer as it flew at his feet. Roddy is astonished. (Nah. Not only does the armor get damaged ......, but on the contrary, the hammer breaks.) ''Yeah,'' he said. And my defenses are perfect." [Status of blue armor Power: 70 Durability: 70 (20 due to "coating") Weight: 50 Special effect: Reflective Aina''s "coating" has not only increased durability, but also has a special reflective effect. It''s no longer possible for a C-class weapon to put a scratch on it.) Aina was amazed herself, even though she had made it herself. (Great. This is the power of my unique skill. (And Mr. Roland''s ......) Aina looks at Loran in awe. (I''ve been working at the workshop for less than a month, and I''ve made such custom-made equipment. And it''s all thanks to Mr. Roland''s intensive skill training for our aptitude.) (I can''t believe it worked out so well. What the hell is this guy ......) Come on, let''s go deliver this equipment to our guest." Roland carries the blue armor out to Elio, who is waiting outside. When he went outside the workshop (atelier), he found an unexpected person there. Oh?"Saki, even your grandfather. It''s rare. What''s the matter?" Roland rolled his eyes at the unexpected visitor. Hello," he said. Hello, Mr. Roland. Your grandfather wanted to take a tour of ....... I heard that a custom-made product had been completed at the workshop (atelier). I couldn''t stay away, so I came to take a look. I am so glad you took the trouble to show up. Thank you very much. Please take a look. You should take a look at the custom-made items we have made. Elio puts his arm through the blue armor. How do you like it?" I''m not sure. It''s not heavy. Rather, it is light. It''s rather light, even though it''s so thickly armored. Elio moves his body freely. Grandfather looked at him. (Hohoho. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen equipment so well adapted to its wearer. I never thought I''d be able to make something like this. This young man is not a simpleton.) Grandfather steals a glance at Roland. It may be an unexpected monster who has succeeded him. (For the past few years, the island has been under the spell of "Dragon''s Fires," ......, but this could be something interesting to see.) What can I do for you?Grandfather?" Saki wonders at her grandfather, who looks happier than ever. No," he said, "I thought I would live longer." Grandfather smiles meaningfully. Saki simply nodded her head. The next day, the guild "Shield of the Dawn" was once again on a quest to collect ore from the "Metal Line. Hey, Erio. Are you sure you want to go with that equipment?" Leon, the leader of the group, looked at Elio''s new equipment with a questioning look. Are you sure you can handle such armor made by an alchemist you don''t even know?Wouldn''t it be better to use the "Dragon''s Fires" equipment?" I''ll be fine. The defense and durability are second to none. You heard what the guild''s appraiser said, right? But that armor, I''ve never seen armor like that. Is there really such a thing as lightweight and durable armor? That''s right, Elio. You''re not running some kind of a scam on me, are you?" Even Jeff, the archer, looks at the blue armor as if he were looking at something dubious. It''s all right. I trust that man, Mr. Roland. But so far, you''re totally mobile. I''m running at a faster pace than usual and I haven''t broken a sweat. Cecil the Thief (Thief) said. Oh, I have no problem with the lightness and comfort of this armor," said Cecil. It seems that they have gone to great lengths in designing it. I see. Well, anyway, if you feel any danger, tell me right away. If you die because of faulty equipment, it won''t be funny. Hey, no time for chitchat. The monsters are coming. There are armored orcs. Jeff the archer said. Good. I''ll take care of it. With agile movements, Erio stood in front of the two armored orcs. What an idiot! Who could take on two of them by himself? Leon shouted, but it was already too late. Two clubs are swung at Elio. However, Erio is not damaged, but rather the clubs are shattered. (Okay, I can do it. (This will work. ......) Erio tackles the "armored orc," which is a size larger than he is, and thrusts a dagger from his waist into the enemy''s side. The "armored orc" kneels down. When he tried to tackle the other one, flames flew at him. It was the breath of fire from the pterodactyl. However, Erio caught even the flames with his armor. The left arm of the armor was made of "fire-repelling ore. Leon''s eyes widened. I can''t believe it. I can''t believe that such a lightweight armor has such a strong defense. How many skilled men could have forged that armor?) (Okay. I can do it. This will protect everyone!) Elio then continued to withstand the onslaught of the enemy, pushing back rather than fighting off the monsters in the blink of an eye. The group proceeded deeper into the dungeon. Elio. Are you all right?That battle earlier, it looked like you were going at it pretty hard, you must be worn out." I''m fine. In fact, I''m in better spirits than usual. Eventually, they reached a mining site, collected a large amount of rare metals, and headed home. Erio, who normally does not bring back many items, was able to bring back more rare metals than usual thanks to the abundance of rare metals he was able to possess. Hehehe. Did I take too much?" What is it? We''ve been in a recession lately. Sometimes this much ......" Hey, the excursion isn''t over yet. The guild of thieves is likely to target you on your way home. Oh, well, speak of the devil. It''s the White Wolves. Jeff caught the approaching "white wolf" with his skill "far-sightedness. They immediately set up their attack position and came at him. Look," he said. It''s the Shield of Dawn. They''re still collecting rare metals. They''re idiots. Jamil said they were after shield-bearers, right? Wait, something''s wrong. I''ve never seen that guy in blue armor before. It doesn''t matter. Here we go. The "Shield of Dawn" also enters the interception system. "d*mn, they found us. Not my lucky day. It''s okay. I''ll protect you and your items with this armor. Erio, ever agile, closes in on the spearhead of the "White Wolf". Fool! A summer bug that flies into the fire. One of the "White Wolves" thrust his sword at Elio. It was a large sword with B-class power. However, the sword is broken. What?" Elio hits an enemy bandit (Thief) with his shield. "Ggghhh!" What the hell is this guy''s armor? The attack doesn''t go through at all. Eventually the rear guard was ready, Jeff firing arrows from a perfect position and Leon getting in close. Cecil, the thief (Thief), took up position behind Elio so that he could cast a recovery spell. He was in a good position to fire an arrow, but Leon was too far behind him. I can''t hold on. We need to retreat. Pull back. It''s not worth it to wear them out any further." The "White Wolf" team pulls away. Erio and his team returned to the city through the dungeon without missing a single item. The next day, Erio visited "Dragon''s Fires. On the same day, Edgar was being nailed by Raul in the hallway regarding the renewal of his contract. Edgar. You''re the only one who hasn''t met this month''s quota. Are you sure you''re on track with your sales projections?" I''ll be fine. I''ll take care of it. What''s your guess?" You know that shield-bearer from The Shield of Dawn?If he renews his contract, we will have reached our quota. Those guys? Raul looked a little difficult. I hear that "Shield of Dawn" is not doing so well these days. ''That shield-bearer is going to renew his contract properly, isn''t he? I''ll leave it to you. The Shield of Dawn is a guild that explores to the Metal Line. They will have to rely on our equipment. I see. Good. Don''t make the mistake of missing it. Edgar. Erio from The Shield of Dawn is here. The receptionist said. ''Whoa, what a rumor to spread. Edgar went to the counter to deal with Elio. ''Mr. Elio. You''re late. I''m sorry," he said. I didn''t get back to you until the last minute. I''m sorry to hear that," he said. I can''t believe he made us worry until the very last minute before the contract was up for renewal. So, have you decided what to do about the contract renewal? Edgar was grinning, as if the answer had already been decided without even needing to ask. The armor entrusted to him was already perfectly in place for his contract renewal. ''Yeah, I''ve decided.'' Elio smiled radiantly. ''I''m not going to renew my contract,'' he said. Thank you for everything. Bye. <> 69 - Art. 69 Songs of the Disappeared Brave "Oh, Edgar, what the hell are you doing?Hmm?" Medes called Edgar to the guild president''s office to reprimand him. ''...... sorry.'' ''You said you were okay with your quota for the month, right?Hm?What''s that?Contract termination?Does that mean another alchemy guild has taken your customers?Hmm?" No, I mean, ...... Don''t you know that too?Hmm?What the hell are you doing? "......" You''ve been slack lately, haven''t you, boy?Okay?If we don''t meet our quota next month, right?You know what I mean.You could be demoted from the quartet. Understood?" Oh, shit." Edgar kicked a trash can in the hallway as hard as he could. The junior staff members were startled by his rough attitude. Edgar continues to swear, heedless of the stares he receives from those around him. That son of a b*tc*, you C-class adventurer! Lizetta frowned at Edgar''s appearance. Hey, Charles," she said, "I''m sorry. What was that?You''re pathetic." Oh. I heard they took a customer. A client? Yes. I heard that the adventurers of "Shield of Dawn" refused to renew the contract. So, it seems that the guild leader got angry with him. He said I was slack. Hmm?" (Although there are some rough edges, Edgar''s skill as an alchemist is genuine. Especially, his "metal molding" is A class. If you ask him to make sturdy armor, there is no one on this island who can match him. I wonder who in the world he is. Who in the world would steal customers from the quartet? The image of Roland suddenly pops into Lizetta''s mind. (No way. It''s .......) The members of the guild "Shield of Dawn" were launching in the cafeteria. "Kampai!" This dungeon crawl was a great success, wasn''t it? Yeah, I''ve never brought home so much rare metal before. That was all thanks to Elio, wasn''t it? I don''t think so. I just had the right equipment. I have the Arsenal of Spirits to thank for that." Ha, that''s very kind of you to say. Roland, who was sipping his cup among the "Shield of Dawn," said in a dreadful tone, "I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do this. Aina and Roddy are next to him. These are the two who made the equipment." Roland introduces Aina and Roddy. She did the molding and he did the design. Especially, Aina was in charge of ''exterior reinforcement (coating),'' which is the heart of the ''blue armor'' with her unique skill. I see." You are ......." Elio looks at them with respect. Thank you," he says. You guys have made my neck of the woods." I''m glad I could be of service. I''m counting on you to keep up the good work. Elio stood up and shook Aina''s hand. ''Yes, of course.'' Aina responded to Elio''s handshake. Roland and Roddy looked at her smiling. ''Well, it''s nice, isn''t it? The bond between an adventurer and an alchemist. Roddy, are you sure you want to do this?I don''t want to talk to him. Yes, she did most of the work on that armor. I''ll be ...... happy to watch her in the limelight?" I see. (You''re my kind of guy.) Roland felt sympathy for Roddy. ''That''s that, Mr. Elio.'' Aina takes out a pamphlet to change the subject. She asks, "If you would like, Mr. Roland, i.e., would you like to take the Skills and Status Improvement Program with an S-class appraiser?" Skill and Status Improvement Program? What''s that?Does Mr. Roland do anything besides matching equipment?" Yes, Mr. Roland''s main focus is on skill and status improvement and development, rather than appraisal. Nurture: ...... If you undergo Mr. Roland''s training, you can hone your skills and status to acquire more powerful equipment. This is a great way for both me and Erio to reach a higher level of performance. What do you think?Isn''t it wonderful?" More powerful equipment. ....... Nice. That''s good. I''ll tell the guild right away. Cecil, a thief (shifu), looks enviously at the exchange between Erio and Aina. I love it, Erio. I think I''ll switch to the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' too. I agree. After the contract with "Dragon''s Fires" is completed, we should also approach the guild. Jeff, the archer, said. You guys don''t have to do that. Leon, the leader, said. What?" Everyone, Roland and the rest of the ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' need to hear this." The members of Shield of Dawn, Roland, Aina, and Roddy look at Leon to see what''s going on. I just got permission from the top," he said. We, all members of the Shield of Dawn, will terminate our contract with the Dragon''s Fires and form a partnership with the Arsenal of Spirits. From now on, all of us will have our equipment appraised by an S-class appraiser, and we will all be required to get new equipment." Everyone present cheered. I''ve put in a call to the Shield of the Dawn. Dylan gives Roland an earful. Dylan." (Totally witty.) You''ll take it, won''t you?" Leon reaches out to Roland. ''Yes, of course.'' Roland and Leon shook hands firmly. Roland and Leon shook hands firmly. "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is the auspicious occasion of the partnership between ''Shield of Dawn'' and ''Arsenal of Spirits. Our restaurant will be buying a round of drinks for every customer here. Furthermore, every time the "Shield of Dawn" brings back rare metals to the "Spirit Arsenal," we will give you a glass of sake from this restaurant in the future as well. When Saki said this, the cafeteria erupted in applause. Saki. Are you sure? Yes, sir. A thoughtful gift from us. (It''s also a way to get adventurers to become regulars at the diner.) Saki overheard Roland and winked mischievously. Roland chuckled. What luck! Thank God for that." Blessed adventurers. Blessed be the Shield of Dawn. Blessed be the Arsenal of Spirits. Celebrate. What a good day it is today." Even guests who had nothing to do with the "Arsenal of Spirits" or the "Shield of Dawn" began to get excited to celebrate their good fortune. As they were making noise, people got drunk and someone started playing cheerful music in a corner of the cafeteria. Someone sing!" Who can sing better? Saki. Saki. Sing a song." The aisle is opened for Saki. Everyone claps and cheers. Saki, unable to refuse, takes the stage, looking not too disappointed (the restaurant had a stage with a higher floor than the rest for the event). ) "Now then, modesty." Saki began to sing a cheerful song. Her voice was light yet powerful, and it enlivened the spirits of the people, encouraging more and more drinking and merriment. Here and there, people began to dance and clap their hands together in time to the song and handclaps. Roland and Dylan were stationed by the wall of a store a short distance from the center of the festivities, watching the action. They were doing well," Roland said.For a first time customer. That "exterior reinforced (coated)" weapon will sell, too," he said. After all, you can''t find them for sale anywhere. I''m not done yet. Aina is far from being an A-class alchemist. She needs more training. I don''t think so. When it comes to training, you know nothing about compromise. She can now use her unique skills to create her own unique products, but to make her an A-class alchemist, she still needs experience making weapons for A-class adventurers." To that end, we need to hire more people and improve the staffing in the workshop (atelier). ......, hmm?Song''s over, huh?" People were in a good mood and applauded Saki''s magnificent singing voice. However, they still had not heard enough of her singing, so they started rushing her for one more song. Then I''ll sing one more of my best songs. I don''t know if it is appropriate for this occasion. I don''t know if it is appropriate for this occasion, but it is a song that everyone on this island has heard since childhood and knows. After saying this, she began to sing. The song was heroic, yet full of sorrow, with a vaguely dark rhyme scheme. The people in the restaurant stopped cheering and clapping their hands and fell silent. There was once a brave man on this island. He contained Fafnir, a fire dragon with steel scales and sword-like claws, who breathed the fires of hell, in the volcanoes of this island. (I wonder what this song is about. (What is this song? For a song praising heroes, it is somewhat sad.) Roland noticed that everyone in the restaurant was listening to the song intently. Their faces looked somewhat complicated. Some had blank expressions, others even had sarcastic smiles on their faces. Dylan. What''s this song?" It is a song in praise of the brave man who sealed the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' in the volcano. Ever since the brave men of this island sealed the "Grand Fafnir," it has been the pride of the inhabitants of this island to subdue the "Grand Fafnir. However, after the adventurers on the island became weak and had to rely on outside adventurers'' guilds, the song came to be seen as a lament for the poor state of the island''s adventurers and a self-deprecating song. ...... I see." The only way now is to attract guilds from the outside using the rare metals from the volcano as bait. So I was hoping that at least a ''golden hawk'' would come to the island. ......" ......" The song continues. Eventually, the brave man walked away. Oh, where in the world have you gone? You even took your courage away from this island. Thanks to you, there is no one on this island who wants to fight the fire dragon with sword in hand. You have taken courage with you, along with disaster. The brave will never appear again. The song ended with a somber rhyme. From that point on, no matter how much alcohol was poured, people were unable to get into the mood, and the party atmosphere was so pervasive that the party had to end. While Saki was singing "The Song of the Missing Heroes" in the dining room, a ship carrying a group from a certain adventurers'' guild was approaching the "Fire Dragon Island" under the cover of darkness. The ship was carrying the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic," a leading guild on the western continent. On the deck of the ship, Arul, a young man with a laid-back atmosphere, is gazing blankly toward the volcano, feeling the night breeze. Suddenly, flames shot up from the crater of the volcano. It was the breath of fire from the "Grand Fafnir," a gigantic fire dragon. The flames shimmer in the night sky and illuminate the night sea. And furthermore, it made the colorful rare metals exposed on the surface of the mountain shine. ''Wow. What a beautiful island." Arul exclaimed in admiration. So many rare metals shimmering under the flames of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). How beautiful. It''s just unbelievable. The nature on the Island of Fire Dragons is so beautiful, and yet there is a city of thieves at the foot of it. Deputy commander, are you blind?" Thane ......" Arles often looked away from the rock face of the gemstone as Captain Sein spoke to him. You can see a much better prey than those rocks, an S-class monster, the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)! Sein Orbesta, the head of the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" unit, stood there fully armed, even though he had not yet arrived on the island. Arul sighs. ''The guild''s orders are to collect rare metals. ...... Hmph. Then what''s wrong with you?What kind of idiot would pass up on a big fish in front of a big fish?" Captain. The local bandit guilds are not to be underestimated. There are numerous other small guilds on the Isle of Fire Dragons ......." I don''t care. I''ll kick all of them to the curb, no matter how many dozens or hundreds of them there are. I''ll kick them all out with my ''dragon-headed cage hand''! Sein shows off the dragon-shaped gauntlet on his arm. Now, deputy, appraise it. Have my skills rusted on the boat trip?" Yes, it''s perfectly all right." [Sein Orbesta''s skills Explosive Fire Magic: A Swordsmanship : A Shield defense : A (Tremendous fighting ability as always. Not many knights in the world have such a well-balanced combination of firepower, offensive and defensive capabilities.) I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. We''re all set. Now, hurry up and put the ship in port. I am the one who will hunt the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"! 70 - 70. The Great Alliance Come on," he said. Quickly, attach the ship to the harbor. We''re going to kill the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). I''m itching to unleash this ''dragon-headed cage hand'' on it! Captain, your skills are in perfect condition, but your equipment needs servicing. What? Is that so?" Of course. It''s been a month since I boarded the ship. And you''re on the ocean, exposed to the sea breeze 24/7 like that." Then it''s "Dragon''s Fires. "Then you''ve come to the world''s greatest alchemist, Raoul Bartley!Been a long time since I''ve seen him. I hope his arm isn''t too rusty." I can''t do it. We''re already closed tonight (or rather, we can''t enter the port at night). Let''s drop anchor for the night and come into port tomorrow morning. Ah. I''m itching. I can''t wait to test my strength against the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The next morning, the guild "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" arrived at the "Fire Dragon Island. The next morning, the guild "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" arrived at the "Fire Dragon Island. You guys are ready, right?Let''s go to the "Dragon''s Fires. Be careful not to get your wallets scratched by the thieves in town. They all wore armor and armors decorated with magic circle designs, carried the guild''s banner, and wore purple cloaks, the symbolic color of the guild, and paraded down the main street in gorgeous and spectacular costumes. Residents of the city lined up to see this unusual spectacle, and the main street took on the appearance of a parade. Hey, Sein. Why are you going to the alchemy guild with such full equipment? It''s obvious, isn''t it?It''s a way to show our guild''s prowess in the eyes of the people of this island." But this is a bit much, don''t you think?It''s like a parade." Barker. The first time is the most important. If they think you''ve got it in you, you''re finished. Jamil and Rodo from "The White Wolf" were among the crowd watching the parade. When they reached the town square, Thane was not satisfied with just parading, he stood on the center stage and began to address the crowd. I am Sein Orbesta, captain of the third unit of the guild "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. When you hear the name "Guardians of the Academy," you may think, "I am Sein Orbesta, captain of the Third Guild of the Guardians of the Academy. Last year, we couldn''t hunt the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," and last year we had the first team, but this year we have the third team. But there was nothing to worry about. I came back to this island with my skills honed and stronger than ever." Sein pointed his "dragon-headed cage hand (dragoon)" up into the sky. Fire blows from the hole in the palm of the gauntlet. A pillar of fire rose up in the hall. The audience was thrilled by the flaming bullets that shot up to the sky. Oh, what firepower! Isn''t it more powerful than Grand Fafnir?" This is promising. Please. Please, brave man. Save us. You see? With my equipment, ''Dragoon''s Baskets,'' I can pierce the thick scales of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' with a single blow. Today is the last time you will have to worry about the disaster of "Grand Fafnir". We are not going to go around raiding the island''s rare metal resources, taking what we can get, and then leaving! Thane pointed to the top of the volcano. S-class monster lying there. I promise to slay the ''Grand Fafnir,'' the S-class monster that lies there, and bring you eternal peace. The crowd cheered. The guilds that came from outside had recently been bringing back only resources, raiding dungeons and leaving without dropping a penny of money or resources in the city. It had been a long time since an adventurers'' guild had clearly declared that they would fight for the local residents. "d*mn, he''s got some nice gear on him. Jamil, who was listening to their speeches in the crowd, appraised the status of each one of them. All of them are in B class or higher. "All of them are in B class or above, and their weapons are decorated with magic. They must have a high level of skill in both weapon attacks and magic. Especially him. ...... [Sein Orbesta''s status. Arm strength (power): 80 Endurance (toughness): 80 Agility: 80 Physical strength (stamina): 120 Magic: 120 In addition to the overall high level of basic stats, his magical power is top-notch. He probably has tremendous skills as well. I''m amazed that you have so many knights of magic. It''s not often that someone has both magic and weaponry skills. In the "City of Mages," there is an academy of mages, which is considered the highest authority on magical studies. There are scholars from all over the world who have gathered there to study magic, and all residents are required to take magic courses from an early age. So this is an advanced magic zone. In addition, the guild ''Guardians of the Academy of Magic'' only admits those who can handle weapons decorated with magic circles. There is no clear division of roles in their units, such as vanguard or rear guard. They are all warriors who wield swords, shields, bows, and arrows, as well as mages who control magic. They''re hard to fight. I''m not sure what you mean. This is our island and they are away from us. They''ll be sorry they ever came into our yard." Shush. He''s still got something to say. Thane continued his speech to the crowd. Some people may be concerned about our ignorance of the ''volcanic dungeon,''" he said. But we will not be foolish enough to go out alone to take down S-class monsters. We call upon the adventurers'' guilds of the island at large to cooperate with us and advocate the formation of a grand alliance." The crowd murmurs. "The Grand Alliance?" What is it?What''s the Grand Alliance? What is the Grand Alliance?" One of the crowd asked Sein. The Grand Alliance literally means that we, the Guardians of the Academy, and the island guilds will join hands and unite to defeat the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). What are your eligibility requirements to join the Grand Alliance?" No, not at all. We''ve removed any footprints such as guild size or skill level, and every guild on the island is welcome to join." The crowd cheered again. The people hoped that they were the brave men and women who would slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Contrary to the reaction of the crowd, Jamil and the others smiled sarcastically. They said, "It''s a grand alliance. What do you think?Shall we go with them to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''?" No way. Hmm?They''re on the move. The Dragon''s Fires. We''re going to hide. We don''t want to be recognized just yet. The first time we meet face-to-face is in the dungeon. In the killing fields, I suppose. Kukuk." They hid themselves among the madding crowd. Roland joined the crowd and appraised their skills and stats. (The "Guardian of the Magickal Academy," huh? The leading guild of knights of magic on the western continent. The rumor is not true. Indeed, all of them have tremendous magical power and status. (In addition, ......) Status of "Sword of Fire Power: 80 Durability: 80 Special effect: fire imparting Status of "Shield of Fire Bullets Power: 80 Durability: 80 Special EffectFlame Disable (Magic-forged equipment with special effects. Aina''s "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" also has a reflective effect, but they won''t need it) The mage knights were heading toward the "dragon''s fiery fire. (After all, they were heading toward the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire," weren''t they? A powerful unit of mage knights and a group of the world''s leading alchemists. If they work well together, it will certainly be the most powerful combination. ...... Well, let''s see what will happen.) Just as Roland and the other members of the "White Wolf" were watching the movements of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic," there was one girl who was single-mindedly watching their every move. Her name is Carla. She is an islander by birth. Her eyes were filled with a simmering hatred for Sein and the others. Welcome to the guild, the Guardians of the Academy of Magic. When the "Guardians of the Academy" arrived at the workshop of "Dragon''s Fires," they were welcomed by Medes and Raul. We will stay," said Medes. Medes-dono. How are you? Thane spoke cheerfully. Yes, thanks to you." Hey Thane, you didn''t break the Dragoon Hand I made, did you? Raoul. Don''t worry. Here you go. Sein rolls up his sleeves and shows the "Dragoon". I''ve rather improved my skills and now I can use it better than before," he said. But the trip was a little too long. Please maintain it. Sein removes the clasp from the "Dragon''s Head Baskets (Dragoon)" and hands it to Raoul. Hmm." Please leave your equipment with the staff. We will take full responsibility for your equipment. All right. You guys can relax as soon as you leave your equipment with us. Mr. Medeiros, let''s get down to business. Thane, Arul, Medes, and Raul headed toward the room where they were to discuss business and gathered around the desk. Thane placed a large bag of gold coins on the desk. There is about 20 million gold in all. That should be enough to pay for maintenance for a while, right? Yes, of course. Thank you very much. Now, let''s get down to business. This time, we are after the Grand Fafnir. Oh, I''ve got a "Grand Fafnir" at ....... Yeah, I''ve just declared it in the plaza as well. We would like to ask for your support. We are not familiar with the area. Keep us informed. Of course, we will cooperate fully with you. Now, may I have a word?" Arul spoke up for the first time on this occasion. He said, "I would like to know what the bandit guild ''White Wolf'' is up to. Are you guys still supporting them?" Is that the case ......?" Medes sighed with annoyance. We''d like to get rid of them, too," he said. We''d like to break off our relationship with them, but they are the largest local adventurers'' guild, and we don''t want to be associated with them. We can''t cut them out of our lives either. You mean you''ll continue to provide them with weapons and services while we''re in the dungeon?" ...... will do that." Would you please stop that?" Hmm? We have to fight against a powerful enemy, the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). And to have our backs threatened is just too much. That being said, ...... I''m not asking you to break off relations with them all the time. Even if it''s just while we''re in the dungeon. ...... Hey, come on, man. Raul said. ''It''s up to us where and with whom we do business. We don''t need you to interfere with that. Hey, Raul. ....... I''m ...... for our customers." In the first place. You are the best guild on the western continent. Don''t be scared of a mere guild of thieves. Or what?You can''t beat a bunch of bandits with my ''dragon-headed cage hand''?" "......" If that''s your attitude. I''m willing to turn down the deal. Hey, Raul. ...... I''m not. Arul. What are you so weak-minded about? A mere bandit can''t put a scratch on our magical armor. Guild leader, Raul, don''t worry. We are not so stupid as to let a few bandits get us down. We will defeat Grand Fafnir, acquire the rare metal, and destroy the bandits as well. Hm. It''s all right if you understand. "Arul and the others. Do you understand? I was so impressed with the quality of the work that I decided to go with the "B" style. I understand. I won''t say anything more. However, just to be sure, I would like to ask you to not tamper with our equipment to gain favor with the Thieves'' Guild. Please do not do such a thing. I hope you will not underestimate me. We are an alchemy guild. We have never neglected our duty just because we don''t choose our clients. Medes said. ''I hope so. Now," he said, "we''re done with the formalities of business. Let''s shake hands to make up. Here, you too. All right. Well then, we can''t dive in the dungeon today anyway. Let''s go to a bar to gather information. Let''s drink up. Seyi, you''re getting a little carried away. Don''t call me "chan"!Come on, let''s get going." "Hi-hi." Medes and Raul watched them leave. Good grief, what an optimistic bunch of people we''ve got here. I heard you said you were going to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Hmph. I hope it''s not just talk. Raul, I''ve asked you to take care of the "dragon-headed cage hand" without fail. You are the only one who can maintain it. Yeah, I know. An "Earthcraft" harvesting quest? Leon was amused by Roland''s suggestion. Yeah, I guess now is as good a time as any," he said. Leon scratched his head. Hey, Roland. The adventurers'' guilds on this island are split in two. They are either with the Grand Alliance or against it. Yeah, I know." So why the quest to collect "Earthcraft"? It''s about building our capacity for continuity. Succession? Yes. From what I''ve seen, the small guilds on the island are having problems with dungeon succession. "......" The adventurers'' guilds on this island underestimate the value of ''earthcraft'' because of the easy availability of iron, silver, and other resources, including rare metals. And they are all looking to the Grand Alliance of "Guardians of the Magical Academy". Now is the time for the smaller guilds to take advantage of their small size. The attention of the thieves'' guild should also be focused on the "Guardians of the House of Magic. While the other guilds'' attention is diverted, focus on the harvesting quests for "Earthcraft. ...... Roland, you''re from off-island, so you wouldn''t know. The people who come to this island are the representative guilds of each continent and an elite force. They are a select group. Every time they come to the island, they take all the rare metals and go home. This time will be no different." "......" We, as a small guild, have to take them up on their offer to get a little extra. You may think it''s pathetic, but it''s not. That''s the reality of our small guild. Leon, you don''t have to push me away like that. Elio interrupted their conversation. He said, "I think Roland has a few things to say ......." And besides." Leon interrupted Elio and continued. ''We''ve already been instructed by the guild to do this. The guild has already instructed me to support the ''Guardians of the Academy of Magic. Since the guild has given us the order, there is nothing more we can do. Leon said that much and left the "Arsenal of Spirits. I''m sorry, Roland. I couldn''t help you. Elio says apologetically. No," he says. No, it''s the same to me. I''m sorry I was so unreasonable. Now, why don''t you go? You have preparations to make, don''t you? ......" Erio apologetically exits the workshop (atelier). No "Shield of Dawn" either? Dylan sighed. Roland and Dylan had already approached a number of guilds to see if they would be willing to complete the "Earthcraft" harvesting quest, and had been turned down by all of them. The people on this island seem to have lost a lot of confidence. Yeah, you can''t fix this stuff overnight. (Is this what happens when a major guild comes from outside the island? But what are we going to do?If we don''t do something, we''ll miss a great opportunity.) Roland bit his teeth. (Is there an adventurers'' guild somewhere that has the guts to slay, say, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" (......)? Hey, is this the ''Arsenal of Spirits''?" Roland was startled by the sudden sound of a girl''s voice. You are ......" [Girl''s skill Swordsmanship: C to A Shadow Strike: D to A Item Retrieval": E to A (This is ...... "Shadow Strike" with "Item Retrieval" as Class A potential....the qualities of a Class A thief (Thief)! I am Carla Grazia. Train this sword to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''." <> 71 - Art. 71. Premonition of Revolution Roland continued his appraisal, forgetting about Carla in front of him. Carla''s status. Arm strength (power): 30-40 40-5 0 Endurance (toughness): 20-30 30-4 0 Agility: 40-50 120- 130 Physical strength (stamina): 40-50 120- 130 (Power and Toughness are low, Agility and Stamina are high. Still typical thief (Thief) status ...... No, wait!) Hey." [Carla''s Unique Skills Kaiten sword dance: E to S (The unique skill "Kaiten Sword Dance" that can take slashes over a wide area is an S-class quality!I wonder if it would be possible to raise him as an S-class swordsman?) Hey!" (But in any case, his arm strength (power) and durability (toughness) are low, so support by a shield bearer is a must. ......) Hey!" Roland huffed as Carla grabbed his shoulder. He returned his attention to the girl in front of him. Hey, how''s it going? Can you make a sword that can defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"? Or can''t you make it?" What?Oh, sorry. I was a little too focused on the appraisal process. ......" "Appraise?" Carla looks at Roland with a stinky look. She looks at Roland with a scornful look. I''m ......." I''m sorry. If you don''t mind. Saki, who was in the room before I knew it, intervenes between them. Saki interrupts them and asks, "Would you like to talk in the store?" Finally, Roland realized that they were standing in the middle of a workshop (atelier). Please come in. The specialty of the Fire Dragon Island is ''dragon tea. Saki offers tea to Roland and Carla. They moved to the dining room. I''m sorry. We don''t have a guest room in our studio yet. No, I don''t care about that. It''s more about the equipment. I''m not sure. I mean, I want to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir),'' but ...... I see. If we don''t do something, the "Guardian of the Academy of Magic" will defeat the "Grand Fafnir". Somehow, I want to defeat it first with my power." First? ......, you want to compete with the ''Guardians of the Magickal Academy''?" Dylan was taken aback. Even he, who had no ability to appraise, could tell from her fragile equipment that she was not up to the task. I went to the "Dragon''s Fires" and consulted with them, but they were no good at all," he said. They are useless. They say they''re busy with the maintenance of the equipment for the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. But I heard that they make equipment that you can''t get anywhere else. Hey, can''t you do something about that?" Of course, we have staff with unique skills, so we can create a unique weapon for you. Just send us an email at ......." Really?Then you can go to ...... right now." However, you can''t defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' with your current abilities. Carla slammed the desk and stood up. Why?" she asked. You don''t know unless you try!" The restaurant is quiet. Carla sat back down with a huff. Sorry about ......." ''No, thanks. But I don''t get it. Why are you so obsessed with the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)"?It would be better to start steadily with easier quests. ......" I don''t want someone out there to get ahead of me," he said. We''ve got to be able to solve problems on our own. Mm-hmm. (Is it local consciousness or willfulness? Either way, if they are willing to slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," they are likely to be the people we are looking for. (But ......) ''Carla, right?As far as my appraisal skills are concerned, I think you have enough qualities to become a Class A adventurer in the future. And now we are looking for a companion to slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" with us. Then go to ......." But now is not the time. But now is not the right time. It requires training, information gathering, and preparation. Here is a link to ......." Roland handed him a pamphlet. ''What''s this?Instructional training in skills and status by an S-class appraiser?" ''Yes. I have trained many adventurers, and I have even trained an S-class adventurer. If you have the time, ...... I said, "That''s not good enough. While you''re doing that, the guys from the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" are going to make a "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir) ......". You can''t beat it. What? They can''t defeat the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Roland was so confident that Carla was momentarily pressured into silence. How can you say that? They are the strongest adventurers on the western continent, aren''t they? My appraisal skills tell me. My appraisal skills tell me that they cannot defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). But you are just a possibility. "Appraisal skills?That''s it?Are you really making such a lame statement on that basis alone?" Hey, come on, man. You''ve been talking for a while. Dylan, who had been listening silently until a few minutes ago, became irate. I''m not sure if you can pay for the equipment you''re going to make," he said. Your equipment and status are vulnerable. Ugh, it''s ......" Carla flinched. Dylan. Dylan, calm down." Roland held him down, and Dylan reluctantly sat up. Dylan reluctantly sat down. I know that you are here with a serious mind, and that you are here with some pressing circumstances. But I still think you''re just a possibility. Why don''t you sit down a little longer and work on your skills and status?Most of all, for your growth. ......" ...... no." Carla nodded and squeezed out. Growth is a thing of the distant future," she said. It has to be now!" With that, Carla took off. Oh, hey, wait a minute," she said. She''s gone to ......." By the time Dylan followed Carla out to the eaves of the store, she was nowhere to be seen. Dylan was still in the store when Carla came out.He''s pretty talented, isn''t he?" I''m not going to help you," he said. All we can do is support. If he doesn''t want to grow, there''s nothing we can do about it. Besides, ......" Hmm? She''ll be back. (That much potential (potential). There''s no way she''s sleeping like that. I''m sure her talent will lead her to me.) A meeting was being held at the "Dragon''s Fireside. The guild leader, Medes, and the members of the quartet were surrounding a round table. As a result of the business meeting, it was decided that our guild would be responsible for the maintenance and manufacture of weapons for the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. The quartet will be in charge of this work. A tense atmosphere prevailed among the quartet. This was a big job from an outside guild, and it would have a major impact on their own evaluations and salary assessments. They asked me to maintain the weapons and produce enough "javelins" for the number of people. Javelin. (The "Javelin" is said to be the most effective equipment against dragons in the current situation.) Charles looked around the meeting. (Unlike ordinary spears, we had to devise a way to make super-heated magic erupt from the tip of the spear. Raul is usually in charge of these kinds of projects. ......) The four members of the quartet watch the Medes'' every move. The four of them are equally responsible for the maintenance of the armor and protection for 30 men, but the problem is the javelin. Normally, Raul would be in charge of such matters, but this time, you will have to maintain the dragon-headed basket hand. So this time, I''m going to put Lizetta in charge of the fire javelin. ...... Hey, wait a minute." Edgar stands up, frustrated. ''Why, it''s Lizetta. I can make a javelin, too. I have better ''silversmithing'' skills than you." Lizetta responds in defeat. I, too, think that Edgar should be in charge of the javelin. Charles said. Lizetta stared at him. It is true that Lizetta''s skills have been improving rapidly recently, but she still lacks experience. She is not ready to be entrusted with such a big task as this one. I''m not kidding. Can you two make A-class silversmithing?" What? Guild President. I''ll definitely do it. Edgar, Lizetta, sit down. It is understandable that you are distracted by the prospect of such a large task. But for once, give it up to Lizetta. The javelin requires advanced silversmithing skills. Silver goes well with magic. At the moment, Lisetta is certainly a better silversmith than the two of you. The "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" are fussy about magic. If you want to satisfy them, they will demand a very high quality. Competition and quality are the principles of our guild. The more skilled craftsmen should be in charge. Don''t you think so?" Tsk." Edgar sat down in his chair. ''Does anyone else have an opinion?None. Let''s move on to the next item on the agenda. I''d like to discuss the education program for lower level staff ......" After the meeting, Edgar and Charles walked together down the hallway, chatting. ''d*mn. I knew the guild leader would put Lizetta in charge of the Javelin. We went to all the trouble of discussing it beforehand. As a matter of fact, the two men had consulted with each other prior to the meeting to show that they were on the same page. From the beginning, they had information that Lizetta was going to be appointed as the person in charge of manufacturing the fire javelin (javelin). Therefore, the two of them had planned to show their intentions to put Edgar in charge of the Javelin and receive a share of the profits. We''re in trouble," said Edgar. Even so, we''re going to lose another customer this month. You mean The Shield of Dawn?" Yeah, that''s right. I thought they were going to get over it right away, but then they came in and said they were all going to terminate the contract. Ha-ha. That''s tough. You can''t be so carefree. Are you just going to walk away from this?" No way. It''s not that easy. ......, I just had to whisper it and they came." At the end of the hallway stood Jamil and Rodo from "White Wolf. Yo, what''s up?You look glum." If you have any problems, I''m here to help you. For example, about the Grand Alliance. Edgar grinned. Heh. So we''re all thinking the same thing, huh? The day after Carla''s visit to the "Arsenal of Spirits" and her immediate departure, another visitor came to Roland''s doorstep. It was a party of one man and two women, all carrying bows and arrows. ''Would you like to take on a quest?'' I got beat up by the Thieves'' Guild on my last dungeon quest," he said. I''m on the verge of bankruptcy. Hahaha." I''m on the verge of bankruptcy," he said at ....... Are you okay? I''m not okay. If we don''t do something, we will go out of business. But God did not abandon us. He saw your sign and said, "You''re in luck. The man pulls out an advertisement for the "Earthcraft" mining quest that Roland had posted on the bulletin board in the plaza and shows it to him. The man says, "This is not the time to be so optimistic, Hans. If we don''t do something, we''re going to end up on the street. That''s right. If I don''t do something about it, I''ll have to close down the adventuring business that my ancestors have been doing for generations, and the house I mortgaged will be taken by the Dragon''s Fires. I know. Claire. Alice. That''s why you''re here to consult with Mr. Roland, who is an S-class appraiser. According to this sign, Mr. Roland can develop your skills, strengthen your equipment, and even give you tactical guidance. That''s exactly what we''ve been looking for. You''re going to get hurt because you''re so quick to take everything on faith like that. (He seems to be a very optimistic person, doesn''t he? (They seem to be strangely close. Are they related?) Hans Bergamot. Bow shooting": C to A Silent Run": C to A Magical Shooting": E to A Claire Bergamot Bow shooting: C to B Silent Run" C to B Far-sightedness": C to A Continuous fire: C to A Alice Bergamot Bow shooting: C to B Silent Run": C to B Rapid Firing": D A Hatred Concentration: D to A (They have the same last name. (I knew they were brothers and sisters.) Hans was the good-natured eldest son, Claire was the benevolent older sister, and Alice was the lively younger sister. (Each of them had an aptitude of "B" or better in "bow shooting. They also have "Silent Run" and "Agility. She is a legitimate archer. ''So, what do you think, Roland?Are you going to make new equipment for us?" Before I answer that, I would like to ask you one question. Why do you not answer the call of the ''Guardians of the Magisterium''?" What? The adventurers on this island are now very much torn between joining them or not. If you are in a tight financial situation, shouldn''t you join them in defeating the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''? Hmph. Well, that''s just common sense. What can I say? Their way of doing things is not in line with my principles. Because, you know?In such a small guild like ours, we are bound to get buried in the crowd of miscellaneous people. If that''s the case, I''m still willing to take a chance on joining forces with other small guilds. No, I know that. I know that I can''t change this big trend by myself. While the guilds outside the island are getting stronger and stronger, the adventurers'' guilds on this island are getting weaker and weaker year by year. Weak guilds like ours should be looking for a way to gain access to outside guilds. However, even in such a situation, we, as locals, would like to show our determination somehow. That''s where your quest comes in. While many others follow them, we dare to choose your quest. That is the only resistance I can make in the midst of this sea change. That''s what I thought. I see. (Maybe revolutions come from places like this more than you think.) I understand. I''ll make the equipment for you and ask you to do the quest. But there is a condition. Roland gave them strategies for growth. A few days later, adventurers gathered in front of the dungeon, i.e., in the plaza in front of the entrance to the volcano. Most of the island''s adventurers'' guilds were there in person. And the mage knights of the "Guardians of the Mage Academy" were equipped with "javelins," which they did not have when they landed on the island, in addition to their shiny, polished mage knight''s armaments. Also, most of the adventurers'' guilds from all over the island had gathered there. They were those who had responded to the call for the "Grand Alliance" that had been made over the past few days. Sein began his speech at the right moment. I am very glad that you have all gathered here. Thank you. As an advocate of the Grand Alliance, I could not be happier. It is no exaggeration to say that we are the strongest group of adventurers on this island now that we have all this strength. The high road is open before us. Let''s go. To the top of the mountain where Grand Fafnir awaits us!I hereby declare the formation of the Grand Alliance!" 72 - Art. 72. Hit & Away When Hans and his team were exploring the "Volcano Dungeon," they heard the roar of a "dragon''s head cage (dragoon)" from below. (Was that the sound of the ...... "Dragon''s Head" gunfire?The "Grand Alliance" is on the move.) That was the sound of a ''dragoon'', wasn''t it? Alice stares at the hem of the building with her slanting eyes. ''Oh, I sense a lot of people moving. Let''s make sure we don''t cover their route when we descend. Hey," he said. Are you sure it was a good idea? I didn''t want to participate in the defeat of the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). We''ve already decided, haven''t we?We told Roland that we were betting on the Arsenal of Spirits." I know that, but ...... Alice caught a sign of movement of a monster in the bushes on her side. Hans and Claire also sensed it and bent down. A "rockfang" came out of the bushes. Hans and the others run at once to get away from the scene. Why do we keep running away? As Hans ran, he recalled the instruction he had received from Roland. ''Remove your equipment?'' Yes, your current equipment is blocking your potential. Hans and his team''s main weapon was a bow and arrow, but they were also equipped with armor, shoulder shields, daggers, and even spears, making them quite heavily armed. This heavy equipment was a hindrance to agility, which is an archer''s greatest strength. Why so heavily equipped?" It was recommended to me by the Fires of the Dragon." I actually need it. It is necessary to have this kind of equipment to protect oneself from the fire attacks of dragon tribes such as Fafnir (fire dragon), Wyvern (flying dragon), and Ptera (winged dragon). I see. I see. So it''s a countermeasure against fire attacks. I see. I''ll take care of that on my end. In exchange, I''ll have you guys work on your agility while I''m making the equipment. Agility? Yes. Your agility is far from full throttle at the moment. Hans Bergamot Status. Agility: 50-80 Claire Bergamot''s status Agility: 50-70 Alice Bergamot''s status Agility: 60-90 (All of them are very unstable, with a swing range of 20 to 30, despite their agility at the B to A class level. They must have become sluggish while walking around the dungeon, dragging heavy equipment. From now on, I want you to focus on agility in your tactics. To achieve this, you must tighten your agility to within a margin of error of 10. That is the condition that the "Arsenal of Spirits" requires of you in exchange for support. But then what if you run into a monster with a high attack power?" Yes," he said. You want us to fight without armor?" Then I''ll run away!" Running away?" Yes, hit and away. That''s the tactic you''re aiming for. Use your agility to gain an advantageous position against the enemy. Give them a blow and get out of the battlefield. By concentrating on these two things alone, you will tighten your agility and regain your sense of battle that has dulled you as an archer. Claire and Alice look at each other. They too had been consulted in various places to help them survive, but never before had they received this kind of guidance. Could they really trust what he was saying? You seem to have some misgivings." I understood about your training policy," he said. I also understand your tactics. Claire said. ''But is it safe to be so leisurely?Even if you train and improve agility, what then?In this dungeon, you have to mine ore or kill dragon tribes to earn income. Even if I develop my abilities as a bowman (archer) as you say, if I don''t see any income coming in, I will not be able to ....... We are a small guild. We are a small guild with fragile skills and manpower, and we are even being pushed around by outside guilds and bandit guilds. ...... I have an idea about that too." Roland pulled out a map. It was the result of his own research on the "Volcano Dungeon. As I said before, I believe that the Grand Alliance of the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" will fail in almost all cases. There will probably be a void in the vast ''volcano dungeon'' and quests. I''m prepared for that: ......" Um, do you have a minute?" Alice interrupted Roland. Alice interrupted Roland, "You''ve been talking so confidently for a while now, assuming that ''The Guardian of the Academy'' is going to fail. It''s ......." Alice. He''s saying he''s going to fail; the S-class appraiser says so, so that''s what''s going to happen. Let him decide what the future holds, and we''ll concentrate on our own training. When Hans said this, Alice grudgingly stopped pursuing the matter further. Roland is a bit amused. (I''ve never had anyone trust me so much on our first meeting.) Come on, Roland, tell me the rest of the story." Hans said with a cloudless smile. (I guess it''s a character that can''t doubt people from the bottom of its heart. The eldest son, who is too optimistic and good-natured, is supported by his sisters, who are very strong. Something like that. (It''s a good party, isn''t it?) As long as they get the right support, this trio will grow. Roland was convinced of this. I understand. Let''s put the future on the back burner for now. Anyway, if we don''t survive in the dungeon, there is nothing to talk about. Survive like a muddy animal!To do so, they must develop their agility and learn hit-and-away tactics. This is the most effective way to increase your skills, competence, and profitability. So why are you just running around with your armor off, running away from monsters? Ahem. Alice said with a tearful smile. They were wearing no special equipment other than bows and arrows. We need to remind them how to move without their heavy armor. They would improve more quickly if they had to engage in actual combat. I understand the theory. Alice, Claire. Run out somehow. According to Roland, there are no monsters with agility over 50 in this area. With our agility, we should be able to get the upper hand and escape. One blow and then run away. We continued to do this for three days in the dungeon. That was the training method Roland gave them. The three of them somehow managed to escape from the "rockfangs. When they felt no sign of the monster, they took a rest. However, they remained vigilant, taking turns taking potions one at a time, while the other two stayed alert and looked around for any sign of monsters or the Thieves'' Guild. Hans felt that his body was getting better, even though he was puzzled by the unfamiliarity of the training. He felt lighter. It''s not just agility. His vision has also improved. I guess Roland was right, we were strangling ourselves by wearing the wrong equipment.) Oh, my God." I wonder if those who went with the Grand Alliance are getting their hands on rare metals now. Or maybe they''re defeating big game like "Fafnir the Fire Dragon. Maybe we should have followed the Grand Alliance after all. Alice said, taking care of her swollen leg. Alice. We''ve already decided that, haven''t we?This time, we bet on Roland''s plan. It''s too late to change our minds now. Ugh, but..." Hey, Hans. Claire spoke to me. What is it?" You''re getting more involved than ever this time, aren''t you?" Claire said. ''Is that so?'' Yes," he said. You''ve always been so quick to believe and then lose it, but this time you seem to be more enthusiastic than usual. ......" Why on earth?" Hmmm. I guess so. Claire, what did you think of Roland? I guess so. I felt that he was something else. He is a young man, not much older than us, but he has been through a lot of hardships and is a veteran of a hundred battles. That''s how I feel. Yes, that''s right. I have exactly the same impression. In other words, he doesn''t have to go this far for a small adventurers'' guild like ours. He can go anywhere. That''s the kind of person he is. But he said he would support a small guild like ours. Even though he could have worked with a bigger guild. ......" In other words, I fell deeply in love with his spirit. I was willing to bet my life as an adventurer on the future that Roland had in store for me. I was willing to bet my life as an adventurer on the future Roland had in store for me. Hans ......" If under his tutelage I end up bankrupt, I won''t regret it one bit. I would give up the adventuring business once and for all and devote myself to serious work. Hans looked a little apologetic when he said this. I''m sorry to have to put up with your selfishness. But this is the last time. If this doesn''t work out, I will do my best to be a good sister to you for all the trouble you have caused me. Claire sighed. ''Fine. It''s not the first time you''ve been capricious. I''ll stick with you to the end anyway." Thank you." Just as they were about to say that much, the three of them sensed the presence of the enemy. "Claire, Alice!" I know. That thicket. They''re coming from up there." The three of them took cover in the shadows of trees and rocks, bending over to take advantage of each other''s position, ready to flee at any moment, with their bows and arrows at the ready. While concentrating on the enemy''s movements, they also remained alert to their surroundings. Claire felt her senses sharpening. (I can feel my condition improving after taking off my equipment. It''s not just me. Hans and Alice too. I didn''t realize my senses had become so dull. I never realized it until Roland told me. (Although I said so to Hans, Roland''s advice may have been right on the mark after all.) A pterosaur (ptera) appeared from the thicket. The three quickly take up an advantageous position. Hans positions his bow and arrow in a position where the enemy''s fire breath cannot reach us, but is still within our range. While doing so, Hans hears the sound of the "dragon-headed cage" echoing in his ears from far away. (d*mn, another "dragon-headed cage hand"? They are so noisy.) Hans tries to focus on the enemy in front of him while feeling impatient and irritated inside. He tried to focus on the enemy in front of him. But still ......) Thus, while Hans and his team are running away from small fry monsters, they may be fighting spectacularly against the big boys. What are they doing? Is this really what we want? (Still!While they are busy defeating the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," we are refining our status and tactics in this way. That is the only resistance we can make as adventurers on this island!) The pterodactyl (ptera) approaches Hans rapidly and tries to shower him with breath of fire (breath of fire). But before he could do so, Hans fired an arrow, striking the pteranodon, and it broke away. Meanwhile, the Grand Alliance led by the "Guardian of the Magical Academy" was steadily advancing through the forest area (located at the lowest level of the "Volcano Dungeon"). The assembled guild members were eager to have their presence recognized by Thane, and worked to clear away the dew along the way. Look, Arul," he said. They kicked the crap out of the monsters and led the way. Thanks to them, we can go on without being exhausted. It was a good thing we had the islanders on our side, after all. For now. Don''t worry. It is and always will be smooth sailing on this journey. Even the most desperate bandits will not be able to touch us now. We will be able to reach the location of Grand Fafnir in one fell swoop. I hope so. ...... Suddenly, a piercing cry echoed through the sky. What is it?" Is this cry ...... ''Fafnir''? That''s ridiculous. We''re still in a forested area. They were coming down from the summit in response to the presence of a large group of people." There was a groan among the weaker guilds. Many of them were not equipped to catch the "fire breath" of the "fire dragon (Fafnir). The ''breath of fire'' is coming. Magic armored units, deploy! Weakly equipped men, take cover behind the rocks! A group equipped with armor and shields decorated with magic circle designs deploys toward the cry. Soon, an excited "Fafnir" appears and sprays "fire breath" at the troop. The scorching flames seemed to scorch the earth, but the magic knights'' "magic bullet shields" repelled the breath. The flames were blocked at every turn, and the fire dragon (Fafnir)''s attack ended in failure. The armored infantrymen aimed their magic stone-embedded swords at the fire dragon and unleashed their "fire magic". Numerous magic circles flashed in the sky above, and the sky was consumed by orange flames. One of the "fire magic" hits the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). "Did you do it?" No. Look at ....... Fafnir" flaps its wings out of the black smoke and flies through the sparkling sky with ease. You say you''re unharmed? What thick skin! Use your javelins! No, it''s too high. I can''t reach it. Archer, what are you doing? Get them off of ......." Stay back. I''ll take care of it." Thane steps forward and holds up the "Dragoon''s Baskets". Fafnir" sees Sein without his magic shield and aims his breath of fire to burn him to death this time. The fire is so intense that it cannot be compared to the fire breath of Ptera, and it is coming toward Sein. "Hmph. Take that! The fireball sliced through the breath of fire and pierced through the throat of Fafnir. Fafnir" floated in the air for a while like a radio-controlled car whose batteries had run out, and then crashed to the ground. The adventurers who had been hiding behind the rocks were startled in a different way. Did you see that?''Fire Dragon (Fafnir)'' in a single blow. ......" Oh, what firepower!" Sein grabs the neck of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and holds it up for all to see. Gentlemen, have you seen this? Have you seen the power of this ''Dragoon''s Baskets''?In the hands of the Dragoon, even the scales of Fafnir, the most powerful dragon, are no match for it. There is no need to fear anything. No matter how strong the "Grand Fafnir" is, as long as you have this "Dragoon", you will be able to kill it in an instant. Applause and cheers echoed among the adventurers. In the face of the commander''s combat prowess, everyone recognized his charisma, and everyone was convinced of the success of his defeat. <> 73 - Art. 73. Laughing It was right after Sein shot down "Fafnir" and announced his victory in high spirits. Now!) A girl draws her sword and runs noiselessly to Sein''s bosom. Sei-chan. Look out! Mm?" Just in time. Just before the sword reaches Thane''s throat, Arul seizes the bandit. The adventurers are in an uproar at this sudden scene. "d*mn! Oh, no. What the hell is that? I don''t know. Suddenly, he tried to PK me. Thieves'' guild, maybe?" d*mn you, get off me! Carla!You son of a b*tc*. The elderly leader of the guild to which Carla belongs, looking completely flustered, steps to her side. Are you from your guild?" Yes, sir. I ran away from home a few days ago and disappeared. I never expected him to do this. What are you going to do, Sey?Should I kill him? Arle puts a blade to the throat of Carla, who has been pinned down with her wings. Hey, little girl. Why in the world did you try to kill me?Who asked you to do this?" I was not asked to do anything by anyone. I came here to kill you of my own volition. I came here to kill you of my own volition, to stop you from defeating the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). ...... "To prevent the defeat of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''?You''re the reason ......" Captain. She is a naive girl who does not yet understand the reason for things. I will give her a stern talking-to, so please forgive me." d*mn it, kill him! Please forgive me! Tsk. Oh, forget it. Let him go. You''re responsible for getting him back to town. Thank you for your generous treatment. Arle broke Carla''s arm. Uh-oh. ''Sorry, but just to be safe, I''m going to have to take away your fighting skills. Plus ......." Arle thrusts a dagger into Carla''s second arm. (What''s with this sword?I feel no pain. For that matter, it doesn''t even bleed?) This is a cursed sword made of cursed stone. If you are stabbed with this sword, no blood will flow, but instead, it will continue to stab you for a week, preserving the damage. With this, even if you use recovery magic, you will not be able to heal for a few days." Arul says just that and moves away from Carla. Hey, Arul. Don''t do anything unnecessary." I was just doing my duty. Carla felt them move away from her as she endured the dull pain attacking her arm. The other adventurers were also passing by her side. (d*mn.) Hey, Carla. Can you stand up?" Don''t touch me. I can stand up by myself, gosh." You idiot, do you know what you''ve done?" I''ll be d*mned. You''ve ruined this whole search for me. You''re dragging me down. Carla''s guild mates were swearing at each other. Carla bites back her bitterness and stands up. (If only I had more, more power ......) Thane and Arul watched as Carla was taken down the mountain by her guild colleagues. ''d*mn, what the hell is that guy? She''s a snappy girl, isn''t she? "No matter how much warfare is allowed in the dungeon, you lurk in the Grand Alliance, defeat the ''Fire Dragon (Fafnir),'' and then surprise and assassinate him when there''s an opening. ...... Was that your intention from the beginning?And a kid. What the hell is going on on this island?" I''m not sure that''s a good idea, Sei-chan.I''m sorry I missed that girl. He might come back to try to kill you after he''s healed, right?" It''s okay. It''s always the kids that get chic and do crazy things. You can''t keep killing them all the time. Sein said bitterly. (Tsk. I just remembered something I don''t like.) Carla''s immature but pure murderous intent in her eyes brought back bitter memories for Sein. The memories of when he was still inexperienced and powerless, just gnashing his teeth and struggling against his own helplessness. The grand alliance led by the "Guardian of the Magic Academy" was advancing through the dungeon at breakneck speed, with no enemies in its path. This did not change even after entering the Metal Line. Fafnir the Fire Dragon, Wyvern the Flying Dragon, Ptera the Winged Dragon, Rock Orc, Rock Fang, etc. ...... These powerful monsters stood in front of the group, but the Grand Alliance defeated them one after another. Eventually, they arrived at the first rare metal mining site. High-purity rare metals were glittering and shining all over the mountain slopes. With this, it would be possible to cut out the ore without having to use the "Ore Mining" skill. The group cheered. Rare metals! Wow! There are a lot of them. The adventurers rush ahead to extract the rare metals. However, a deafening roar echoed through the mining area, stopping the adventurers in their tracks as they tried to pounce on the rare metals. Sein unleashed the "Dragoon''s Cage". Don''t do anything rash! Sein shouted sharply. There was a stir among the people. All rare metals here are acquired and controlled by us. No one other than the Guardians of the Academy are allowed to take the rare metals! What? What? Oh no, so you''re saying we don''t get our share? Each guild''s share will be decided later. Each guild will be paid according to how well they work. But we will be the ones to decide. No arbitrary action is allowed at this time!Otherwise, you will be burnt to ashes by this "dragon-headed cage hand". Now, if you understand, let go of the rare metal in your hand and put it on the ground beside you! They reluctantly placed the rare metals on the ground as Sein commanded. In the end, most of the ore on the spot was collected by the "Guardian of the Magical Academy," and only a few were distributed to the allied guilds, and even then only to the relatively large guilds closest to the "Guardian of the Magical Academy. (Sei-chan''s bad habit has come out, hasn''t it? (Sey-chan''s bad habit of getting greedy in front of treasures.) Nevertheless, the captain and vice-captain cannot be seen at odds with each other in public. Arul was inwardly opposed to Sein''s policy, but decided to keep quiet on this occasion. When they were alone together later, he would tell her off. As Arul was thinking about this, he heard the guys from the small guild whispering about something. Hey, hey ......." Yeah, I know." Everywhere I looked, I saw that the members of a small guild had begun whispering to each other about something. They had been relying on the "guardian of the magic academy," asking for help at every turn and eagerly trying to sell themselves, but now they were discussing something without Sein and Arul''s knowledge. (It''s getting a little ...... clouded, isn''t it?) Since the rare metal collection was done only by those who were close to the "guardians of the magic academy," the sun was setting as they worked. The group had no choice but to camp on the spot. The "Guardians of the Academy" were able to pitch their tents on the flattest part of the ground, but the members of the small guild were forced to spend the night on a slope or in a thicket of trees in an inhospitable environment. <> 74 - Art. 74. The Dragon Skies When the Grand Alliance reached the "Metal Line," the "Arsenal of Spirits" was steadily developing weapons for Hans and his team. Aina was working hard on the "coating" of the bow and arrow, remembering what Roland had told her. Is it a light and powerful bow and arrow ......?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it," he said. Hans and his colleagues are archers with B-class or higher qualities. However, they are still in the development stage. They don''t have the power to kill an enemy with a single blow, and they can''t receive support from shield holders. So they employ hit-and-away tactics, but to do so they need to minimize the drain on their agility." Roland wrote the status of Hans and his team on the blackboard. Thus, their arm strength (power) is about 40 to 60, class C. Currently, they are using bows with a weight of 40, but we will make bows with a weight of 30. Weighs 30 ......" That would cut down considerably on power and durability. That''s where Aina''s ''coating'' comes in. Roland wrote out the specifications of the bow and arrow he was aiming for. [Bow and arrow Power: 60 (up20) Durability: 60 (up20) Weight: 30 *The increase is due to "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating) The weight of 30 ...... is class D? So a bow and arrow with a power of 60 and a durability of 60, that''s class B, isn''t it? Another absurd spec. Roddy said in amazement. But the flip side is that even a D-class adventurer can see the potential for B-class equipment. And with Aina''s unique skill, ''Exterior Reinforcement (Coating),'' it should be possible." But there is only one type of status that can be raised by my ''Exterior Enhancement (Coating). Blue for durability, red for power. It is true that with ordinary weapons, only one type of status can be increased. But not for bows and arrows. Why don''t you paint the bows blue and the arrows red? Ah! I see. That would enhance both power and durability. Yes," he said. That is why Aina is again improving her "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" skill. Roddy is to ''product design'' a bow and arrow that meets this requirement." Yes!" Aina points her support magic wand at the red-painted arrow in front of her. (Let''s go. Coating"! As Aina casts the spell, the red paint begins to swell. Aina suppresses it. A red arrow filled with power is then created. (Well, it should be more powerful now, but ......) The red arrow glints and shines, showing off its sharpness. Aina touched the arrow fearfully with a hard glove. Pssst!" The gloves tear at the slightest touch. It''s no good. I can''t touch it. (For three days after Mr. Roland told me about it, I somehow managed to wear the "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" that increases the power, but this will hurt the owner, won''t it?) Aina. How are you doing?" Oh, Mr. Roland. That ...... "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" went well. ...... Hm. I guess so." Arrow status. Power: 20 (up20) I''m not sure. It''s true that the power has been increased. Well done." It''s just that ...... this is going to hurt the archer too. I see. Indeed. Roland thinks for a while. I wonder if it would be possible to apply the ''coating'' only to the butt of the arrow? That way, at least the guarding hand is protected. Oh, I see. I''d like to see the bow in the hand that pushes the bow. ...... but that doesn''t cover the hand that holds the bow, right? Let''s use gloves to protect them. Just put a blue ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' on regular gloves, and the durability should increase. I see. Can you get on with it? Yes!" Aina''s Unique Skill Exterior Reinforcement (Coating): B (up 1 rank) (With experience, "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" has been raised to B class. This one looks fine.) After Roland confirmed that there were no problems with Aina''s work, he moved on to Rodi. Roddy was holding up a model of a bow he had made based on his own blueprints and testing its comfort. Roddy, how does it feel? Oh, Mr. Roland. The anti-aircraft specialization that Mr. Roland ordered. It looks like we''re getting there. Would you like to try holding this up? Oh," he said. Let''s see. I see. ...... It''s easier to shoot if you hold it up in the air. Right? I''m confident this time." Roddy. Got a minute?" Hmm, Aina? What''s wrong?" Roland pointed out to me that we need to change the way the arrows are ''coated'' to strengthen the exterior. I''d like you to change this part of the design: ......" I''m like, "Ok, I''ll do it. No problem. I''ll do it. [Lodi''s skills Product design: B (up 1 rank) (Lodi''s skill has also moved up one rank to B. This will be ready by the time Hans and the others get back.) "Mr. Roland!" Hmm?"Saki. What''s up?" Hans and his friends are here to see you. Oh, you''re back. I''m coming." After three days of searching, Hans and his team returned completely battered and bruised. Roland immediately appraised their status. Hans Bergamot''s status. Agility: 70-80 Claire Bergamot''s status Agility: 60-70 Alice Bergamot''s status Agility: 80-90 (All the agility are within 10 errors and above B class agility. That''s good enough.) What do you think, Roland?How agile are we?Are you good enough to wear the new equipment?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I look different. I''m not the same person I was a few days ago. What kind of magic did you use? "Huh. It''s no big deal. I just did the training you told me to do. It was you who cast the spell, wasn''t it? I can hunt just by doing a little damage," he said. Good boy. Alice took out the scales and bones of "Ptera" from her item bag. You hunted a ''pteranodon''? Roland was a little surprised. (It must be extremely difficult to defeat a dragon tribe with the attack power of these three. If they''ve managed to do that on their own, that''s more of an accomplishment than I expected.) Roland moves his eyes to the boots of the three men. The three men''s boots were completely worn and tattered. (You''ve done the training I''ve told you to do, you''ve been working yourself to death.) Now, we''ve made good progress," he said. I hope you''ve made your weapons. Of course. I have prepared special weapons for you and your "Heavenly Horse Arrows". It should be ready by now. ......" Mr. Roland, your new equipment is ready. Aina came out from the workshop (atelier) and said. I see," Aina said. Okay, let''s have them put on their equipment right away. Roland let Hans and the others through into the workshop (atelier). These are your exclusive equipment, ''red arrow'' and ''dragon-breathing sky. These are weapons to protect you from the dragon''s fire and to pierce the dragon''s thick skin. This is ......." Hans and the others each pick up a bow and arrow. The bow and arrow were embedded with a large piece of "fire-absorbing ore. Status of the red arrow Power: 60 (up20) Durability: 60 (up20) Weight: 30 Special effects: Penetration, flame absorption, anti-aircraft correction *The increase is due to "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating) While Hans and his team were receiving the "Ryusenkyu", the Grand Alliance was advancing along the "Metal Line". Two fire dragons (Fafnir), a rock ogre, and ten lizardmen attacked them. These monsters were no match for the experienced infantrymen of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic". They did not need to use their "dragon-headed cage hands (dragoon)" to defeat the enemy with their fire spears (javelins). Nevertheless, the members of the small guild had a tough fight. Since Thane did not distribute rare metals, they tried to form their own clique to cope with the situation without the help of "Guardians of the Academy of Magic," but their offensive and defensive capabilities were no match for the monsters in the "Metal Line. Here they come! Whoa. Somebody cover me. Arul, unable to bear to look on, decided to offer a helping hand. He said, "Any available men from Teams 5 and 6, help those people over there. When the available members of Teams 5 and 6 joined in, the struggling micro guilds quickly recovered. (The monsters are getting stronger, and the small guild can no longer keep up with them.) Arul glanced at Thane''s face. Whatever he had been thinking about earlier, Sein had not given any particular instructions, even though the micro guilds were in such a terrible state, and he was still pretending not to see them. (I was going to advise them to distribute the ore to the allied guilds as well, but I guess they won''t listen to me after this. But if things continue as they are, there will be a division between us and the allied guilds that we have gone to so much trouble to gather. What on earth are you going to do, Sei-chan?) Arul shot a questioning look in Sein''s direction, but Sein gave no answer. Thus, despite their uneasiness, the Grand Alliance somehow manages to cross 2/3 of the "Metal Line. Alul was not happy. That''s it for today''s search. Build a wall to protect us from the monsters, and get ready for the night camp. "Captain." Several representatives of a small guild stepped forward and knelt in front of Thane. Hm?What is it?" On behalf of the Micro Guild, I would like to ask you a few questions. Say it. We, the small guild, have been doing what we can for the Grand Alliance, and we have been doing it with sincerity. But this is the limit. I see. Then you can go down the mountain. At daybreak, you must descend the mountain in groups of deserters." I would like to ask you a favor. Would you be willing to pay us our fee in advance?" Sein''s eyebrows twitched disapprovingly. ''I told you before, didn''t I?As for the rewards for each guild, they will be distributed according to their work after defeating the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" and descending the mountain. The guilds that leave can wait in town until we finish our work. But, sir," he said. We, the small guilds, are already very poor due to this expedition. Our armor has been peeled off by the fire of the dragon tribe, our swords have spilled their blades on the skin of the rock tribe, and we are completely worn out. If we do not receive our reward now, we will not be able to pay for the maintenance of our weapons or explore the dungeon, and we will go bankrupt. We ask the captain for your generosity. ......" I''ll tell you what, I''ll tell you what!I have no intention of reversing the decision!" But ......" Ruusse! The roar of the "dragon-headed cage (dragoon)" echoed through the air. The bullet snatched the side of the person who made the direct appeal and hit the slope of the mountain, creating a crater. "Hiccup!" ''If you''re going to slow us down, get the hell out of here!If you keep on yammering on about it, I will expel you from the alliance!Now, if you understand, get off your mountain and get the hell out of here!" The members of the small guild who appealed directly stopped preparing for the nightly camp and hurriedly began to descend the mountain. After witnessing this, Sein again looked around at the entire army and made a speech. Listen to me," he said. Listen to me, my friends. We expect to face even more formidable enemies in the future. We cannot afford to protect our foot soldiers. If we deem them useless, we will discard them on the spot. With that in mind, fight to the death!" The morale of the entire army was once again tightened by the ruthlessness of the commander. They began to work hard to once again show their loyalty to the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. Thane returned to his tent when he saw that the morale of the entire army had returned. When he gets to a place where the other guild members are no longer around, he begins to complain. d*mn, that''s why they''re so weak. You make me have to go through all this trouble every time. Arul accompanies him and watches him. (You''re getting pretty crabby, Sey-chan. (You seem to be very irritated, Sei. The Alliance Guild is useless, but I think the direct cause is that girl Carla. She''s been on edge ever since we ran into her. Sein kicked the dirt on the ground in frustration. A cloud of dust rises for a moment and then disappears. (I hope nothing will happen to him. ...... I wonder if it will be all right.) The sound of gunfire echoing from the volcano carried over to the city. The adventurers in the cafeteria were buzzing. It''s the sound of the ''Dragoon''s Cage'' again. Roddy looks out the cafeteria window toward the volcano. This is the third time today," he said. It looks like the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" are on the rampage. Aina also put down her fork, stopped eating, and looked out the window. It''s been seven days since they entered the ''volcano dungeon. They should have reached the top of the mountain where the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' is located by now. Maybe they''ve already taken them down." Aina said. What?" ''Because it is, isn''t it?That Sein''s "Dragoon''s Cage". The firepower was quite powerful. Roland-san seems to think that we will fail to defeat him this time. I think we will succeed. I really doubt that. Roland sits next to Lodi with a tray. Oh, Mr. Roland." (Oh my God, did they totally hear what I just said?) Aina hurriedly kept her mouth shut. I don''t think it''s going to work out that way for me, though. Roland also looked out the window. Each and every one of the "Guardians of the Academy" was equipped with a fire spear (javelin). ) Despite this, they have been firing "dragon-headed baskets (dragoon)" wildly up to this point. In addition to firepower-driven dungeon attack, the alliance is a hodgepodge of poorly coordinated groups. How far can they go with that?) However, despite Roland''s observations, the Grand Alliance was about to reach the summit of the mountain. At the end of the mountain path, the long, sickle-shaped head of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," encased in a rocky skin, could be seen leaning over. Look! It is the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). Thane chuckles and clenches his gauntleted fist. I''ve finally arrived. I''ve finally arrived at the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''. I''m going to defeat you and bring the title of S-class back to the ''city of mages''!) <> 75 - Art. 75. Grand Fafneel Kukuk. The time has finally come for me to receive the title of S class. Arul, from now on I will concentrate on fighting the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). I''ll leave you in charge of the unit." Sei," he said. Are you really going to fight the Grand Fafnir? Of course. That''s why we led the Grand Alliance here. What reason is there to come here and backtrack?" We have already collected enough rare metals. We have fulfilled the guild''s mandate. The troops are exhausted from the forceful and reckless march. It''s time to pull out of here. ...... Don''t be stupid!How can we back down after coming this far? Come on, let''s get going." Oh, wait!" Sein, without hearing Arul''s words, continued onward and onward. (No good, huh? (If this happens, Sein can''t be stopped anymore.) Arul glances back at the troop. The allied guilds seemed to have temporarily regained their morale after Sein''s blasting, but they soon began to show signs of passivity. They tried not to exhaust themselves as much as possible and let the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" fight. Thanks to this, the adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" were completely exhausted. What is the matter? "Sir, the second-in-command." A jovial "Guardian of the House of Magic" spoke to me. No," he said, "I was just wondering if it would be all right to fight like this. Even if we survive the battle with Grand Fafnir, we still have to go down the mountain afterwards. What''s that? The captain''s "dragon-headed cage" is all you need. And there are also those from the allied guilds. They are also the elite who have stayed this long. They can manage to get down the mountain. (If only they were on our side.) Arul glanced back at the route down the mountain. The bandit guild, which had seemed to threaten behind him, was eerily silent. However, they must have known our movements. Even so, they were firing their "dragon-headed cages (dragoon)" at us. The guild of thieves must be lurking right behind us. The war began when Sein stepped onto the gray ground (marking the territory of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"). Let''s go. Grand Fafnir!" Sein rushed toward "Grand Fafnir" at once. The "Grand Fafnir" also sensed Sein''s approach. It lifted its long sickle neck in a slow motion and pointed it toward Sein. Too late!" Sein activates "Dragoon". The gauntlet becomes a cannonball, and the magic circle inside shines brightly. The flames generated by Sein''s skill, "Fire Blast Magic," converge inside the tube and are released all at once. The "Grand Fafnir" also spewed fire breath, and the two sides exchanged fire. The fire breath of the "Grand Fafnir" was different from that of the "Fafnir" and "Wyvern" that had been used in the past. Thick and tall, the flames swept in like a tsunami, seemingly swallowing the group of more than 100 adventurers whole. However, the "Dragoon" was superior in terms of jet power. The fire projectile from the "Dragoon''s Baskets" cut through the flaming tsunami and struck the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" directly in the forehead. Yes, we did it!" The wall of flames unleashed by the "Grand Fafnir" shattered into scattered pieces and struck the rear-guard force, which was far behind Thane. The breath of fire is coming. "Hold the shield of fire bullets! Arulu ordered him to shout. The fire breath of the "Grand Fafnir" was indeed broken apart by the "Dragoon," but the fragments were still as large as rocks and turned into a ball of flame that scattered and bounced off the ground and down the mountainside, causing tremendous damage to the surrounding area. It burned up even the most scarce vegetation, melted rocks, and attacked the adventurers without abating its fiery power. The members of the "Guardians of the Academy" quickly readied their shields. The members of the Alliance Guild quickly took cover behind the "Guardians of the Academy. The "Shield of Fireballs" repelled countless masses of flames. "Ugh!" Uh-oh." The "fire rests" embedded in some of the "fire shields" are destroyed. The flames continue to attack the adventurers who have lost the protection of the "Fire Rest". "Oh my shield is broken! I need recovery magic! And water-based magic." Suddenly, firefighting and recovery efforts kept the troops busy. The front line of the unit should be about 20 meters down," he said. It''s too dangerous here. Arul ordered. Even though they were exhausted, the breath of fire weakened by the Dragoon''s Breath was enough to destroy the Shield of Fire Bullets. What firepower! It was like a disaster. This is the S-class monster "Grand Fafnir". Is Sei-chan alright?) When Arul looked toward Sein, he saw that he was in this burnt-out area, unharmed and facing the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". (Is he all right?) Arul patted his chest in relief. Phew. You''re strangely quiet for someone who took a blow, aren''t you?" Sein provokes him by saying so. However, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" only moved strangely slow like a rusty machine. The "Grand Fafnir" only moved strangely and slowly like a rusty machine.If you won''t come to me, I''ll come to you." Sein activates the "Dragoon" to deliver another blow. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" finally lifted its heavy back and began to open its mouth in a lazy manner. The two again shot each other with fire bullets and fire breath. The result was exactly the same as before. The "Dragoon" cracks the rocky body of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". The fire breath of the "Grand Fafnir" spread out and chipped away at the adventurers'' equipment. Wow!" Anyone with a broken shield, get back. Please. I need some recovery over here: ......" (d*mn. I want to cover Sei-chan, but I can''t get close to her because I''m afraid of her fire breath. Still, it''s strange.) Arul looks suspiciously at the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". (From a while ago, despite Sei-chan''s attempts to mess with it, I don''t feel that it has any intention of defeating us. It''s as if he doesn''t care about us at all.) Sein, too, felt an itch. (I''m sure I''m doing damage, but ......, I ain''t feeling the response.) Although they were evenly matched in terms of firepower, Sein had been shooting at them and they were shooting at him, and it seemed as if he was being shot at rather than shooting at. (Is he trying to make us run out of gas?In any case, a shootout was not going to help. (To get the enemy to move, you can go to ......) I''ll have to do more damage," he said. Well, then! Sein runs toward the bosom of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). I''m going to hit it with the ''Dragoon''s Cage'' from a much closer range! Then the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" spread its rocky wings. The huge wings, which almost covered the sky, peeled off the rocks that clung to them just by spreading them out, and the rocks turned into gravel and turned into a rain of stones that poured down around Thane. Ooooh!" (Gosh, this gravel, the power itself is not much, but there are too many of them. I can''t go any further.) Unable to stop, Sein stops. In the meantime, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" retreats and takes distance again. (d*mn it, this guy took the distance again. Is this an endurance battle?) Say-chan, use this!" Arul threw his shield toward Sein. Oh, thank God." Sein takes the shield and holds it up to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Now he would be able to approach it even if it rained gravel this time. Then, suddenly, the "Grand Fafnir" turns its back to Sein. Immediately, its tail, encased in rugged rock, whips around like a whip and strikes Sein. Whoa! Sein jumps back just in time to save his life. He finally managed to fight back. Don''t you like it when I get close to you? Sein, saying so, this time does not try to approach carelessly, but keeps a distance from the enemy and tries to get behind the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" while drawing a circle around it. The "Grand Fafnir" slowly turns its body, but it cannot keep up with Sein''s agility, and it misses him out of sight. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" changes its body direction! Now!) Archers, move forward. "Archers, forward. But don''t get too close. Do not go after them too fast, but only cover them. Arul saw the "Grand Fafnir" change direction and sent those who still had enough armaments forward to attack. Their arrows did not inflict decisive damage on the "Grand Fafnir," but they were still enough to distract the "Grand Fafnir" and slow its movement. The small gap created in this way was more than enough to create an opportunity for Sein to approach the "Grand Fafnir. I got it! Sein dived into the bosom of the "Grand Fafnir," positioned himself in the space between the legs (where he could avoid the tail attack), and fired his "Dragoon" at its flanks at close range. The body of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" shook with a jerk. Thane chuckled. (Response ......!) The rocky skin surrounding the "Grand Fafnir" began to rattle and crumble. <> 76 - Art. 76. The Fire of Hell Whoa." Sein jumped backwards to escape the collapsing body of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). In the nick of time, he escaped the collapse. It was close. It was close. But the attack was very responsive.) There was a murmur among the adventurers. The body of the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir) is collapsing. Did you do it?" The place where the "Grand Fafnir" was standing was covered with dust, and it was difficult to see clearly. The adventurers watched with bated breath as their vision cleared. The wind eventually carried away the dust, and the rock armor peeled away to reveal a "Grand Fafnir" with scales and flesh, in short, looking like a normal dragon (though still incomparably larger than a normal Fafnir). The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" shook itself like a dog, shook off the dust and stones that clung to its body, and revealed beautiful scales that glittered like a freshly molted snake. He shakes his head and scurries around, gawking with a unique eye movement reminiscent of a reptile. The stupidity he had shown earlier seemed to be a lie. ''Firing squad, get back! Arul hurriedly made those who were shooting move back. The "Grand Fafnir" came back to life. After all, it had been fighting in a half-asleep state until now.) He said, "Huh. So you''re finally showing your true colors. My blood is pumping ......" The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" looked at Sein and suddenly began to scream. It was a huge fire dragon. What?) Thane covered his ears at the deafening cry of the dragon. When the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" ceased its roar, something crawled out of the crater of the volcano. What is that? It was "Fafnir" that appeared. Soon after, "Fafnir" came out of the wide-open crater, folding over like bats in a cave, creating an eerie black shadow around the crater. The members of the Grand Alliance were in awe. How many are there? If all those things came at once, they''d be ......) Calm down. I don''t think that even a ''fire dragon (Fafnir)'' could attack a horde of them all at once with such a huge body. We can finish them off one by one with our javelins. Arul said so, calming down the unrest in the troop. (It doesn''t matter how many fire dragons (Fafnir) appear, it doesn''t matter much. The more important problem is ......) Arul turned his attention to Sein and the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," who were still facing each other. (The problem is the "Grand Fafnir. If both "Fafnir" and "Grand Fafnir" attacked them, there would be no way to stop them. If we made a mistake in timing our retreat, it would be irreversible. Take it easy, Sei-chan.) I''m sorry," he said. What are you doing, calling your friends because you don''t think you can win on your own? Sein jiggles to keep up with the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". But a mere ''fire dragon (Fafnir)'' is no match for me. ...... Suddenly, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" turned its head and began to run toward the rear of the troop. The adventurers were taken aback by its agility. "Tsk!" Sein readied his "Dragoon" but it was already too late. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" breathed fire breath. "Open all defenses and recover! Hurry!" Arul shouted. The "Shield of Fireballs" absorbed the fire breath of the "Grand Fafnir," but even so, the pressure of the breath was irresistible, and it struck the adventurers who had frozen their shields, inflicting massive damage and blowing away the formation. "Uhh!" Aghhhh!" Then, as the troop collapsed, a swarm of "fire dragons (Fafnir)" near the crater took off at once. Black shadows covered the sky as they swooped down toward the scattered adventurers. The "Grand Fafnir" breathed in heavily again and attempted to shower the grand alliance with its breath of fire. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" takes another big breath in and tries to shower the Grand Alliance with fire breath. Sein unleashes the "Dragoon", but the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" dodges, its head down and its body curved into a bow. (d*mn, what a soft body for such a big thing!) Then you can go into the pocket ...... like you did earlier." Sein goes around to the side of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" while drawing a circle as he did before. The "Grand Fafnir" is unable to respond to Sein''s agility and loses sight of him. Good. We''re still better than you in terms of agility. Sein dived into the bosom of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". Take it! Just as it looked as if it was about to strike from a perfect blind spot, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" bent to its knees and leapt into the air. Nah!" The "Dragoon" was deflected from the body of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)", ripped through the sky, and flew in a misguided direction. Then, without leaving Sein stunned, it swooped down and landed with its momentum intact. The ground shook. (Nope, the ground shook ...... and I couldn''t move my legs) The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" circled its long neck and showered Thane with a "Tsunami of Fire Breath (Gran Breath)". The "Grand Breath" was a "tsunami of fire." ...... Thane tried to counteract the dragon-headed cage, but found that his arm was not raised. It''s malfunctioning!) No way, dude." Hellfire consumes the entire area. Sein is down. Wow. I''m screwed! Run for it. You''ll be eaten by the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The members of the Alliance Guild are panicking and running for their lives. "Calm down! The battle is not over yet. The "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" were struggling to control the situation. Several adventurers were in a state of delirium, and it took several people to hold them down and calm them down. They were desperately trying to regain control of their crumbling unit. Lower the line of defense. Calm down anyway. "Retreat to a place where the flames of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' cannot reach you. Those with javelins, intercept the ''Grand Fafnir''!" (After all, we are a poorly coordinated group, aren''t we? Up to now, the captain''s fighting power has somehow managed to hold them off, but the battle with the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" has finally exposed them for the mere crows that they are. We can no longer use these guys. (What about the captain and the vice-captain?) The members of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" shifted their gaze toward the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The place where Sein was is still engulfed in a sea of fire. Arul saw Thane being swallowed by the flames and ran off. Therefore, he is now in a situation where he is taking over the command. (If the captain is killed, not only the Alliance Guild but also the "Guardians of the Magic Academy" (our guild) could collapse. Please stay safe somehow, captain!) As the fire breath subsides and the flames begin to die down, the location where Thane was can be seen from the outside world. The adventurers strained their eyes to see if Sein was safe. There, in burnt armor, stood a figure that appeared to be Sein. Is he alive?) Everyone present thought. Then, a human figure in armor moved with a jerk. "Captain! Safe travels, ......." (Ugh, am I alive?) Sein looked around in a "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" daze. Then, a magic circle was floating at his feet. (This is ...... "defense grant" and "recovery magic". A double magic of support and recovery? He has the hit rate to accurately launch magic at the target from outside the sea of fire. (This is the kind of art that can do such a trick ......) When Thane turned around, he saw Arul, who was still holding his staff. d*mn, this recovery magic. I knew it was you. Seyi. This is it. I''m retreating. This is no time to be obsessed with the S-class title any longer. If Sei-chan is going to fight any longer, we have no choice but to leave without her. With the Dragoon''s hand malfunctioning, can you stand alone against a pack of Giant Fire Dragons and Fafnirs? "d*mn." The "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" was already attacking the Grand Alliance intermittently. The battle shouts and screams can be heard. We would not be able to stay in this place. Sein suddenly felt wind pressure from above. As soon as he left the spot, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" landed boldly to crush Sein. Sein dodged in the nick of time. d*mn! Sei-chan! I know!Retreat. Let''s get the hell out of here as fast as we can." As soon as Thane turned his back on the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" and ran away, the adventurers belonging to the Grand Alliance froze and began to run down the mountain in unison. From behind them, they could hear the "Grand Fafnir" letting out a cry of triumph, and they could also see it shooting its breath of fire into the sky like a celebratory cannonball. d*mn! Sein had no choice but to retreat the way he came, looking up in frustration. ''Sein, what''s the status of your equipment? ''...... no good. The "Dragoon''s Baskets" are useless. Sein said, bending and stretching his gauntlets to check the range of motion. His gauntlets could no longer bend at the joints of his fingers. I''m sorry, but I''ll leave the fighting with the monsters on the way back to you. I hope it''s just monsters." Look. The "Guardians of the Academy" are coming back with their tails between their legs. Jamil looked through the telescope with amusement. Through the telescope, he could see the members of the Grand Alliance coming down the mountain. I still couldn''t defeat the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir), huh? They all look like they''re wearing rags and tattered equipment. "All of them look heavy, even though their equipment is in shambles. They must be carrying a lot of rare metals. The sucker comes to us with the gems in his mouth. Let''s go. It''s time to hunt. I''m going to make you regret all the times you''ve done things you didn''t want to do in other people''s backyards. The members of the thieves'' guild "White Wolf" picked up their weapons and began to move secretly through the forest. <> 77 - 77. Hope in Confusion The Grand Alliance had succeeded in breaking away from the territory of the "Grand Fafnir," but the next threat fell upon them. The dragon tribe, inspired by the cries of the "Grand Fafnir," suddenly became active and attacked the Grand Alliance. Ten ''Fire Dragons (Fafnir)'' are coming from the right! d*mn, not again. One after the other. Deploy the ''Shield of Firebombs'' on the right flank!" The "Guardians of the Academy" who still have enough durability of their "fire shields" deploy them on the right wing. Chi. What are the members of the Alliance Guild doing? We are the only ones fighting, aren''t we? Calm down, Sei-chan. They can''t stand up to the firepower of Fafnir. Yea, you useless bastards! Nevertheless, the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" were able to cope with the "Fafnir" and dispose of them one by one. "Okay," said the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. We can do it. Don''t be in a hurry. Finish them off one by one." Just when the entire army was relaxed, thinking that the threat of "Fafnir" could be eliminated, arrows suddenly rained down on the left flank. What is it?What the hell is going on?" Bow and arrow?Why are they shooting at us?No way. ......" A group of men with white wolf emblems on their shoulders emerges from behind a rock. It was the bow team of the "White Wolf" bandit guild. That''s the Thieves'' Guild! d*mn, at a time like this ...... The "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" have their hands full with the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". The allied guilds can handle this. Arul gave such instructions, but the morale of the allied guilds, whose rewards were still unclear, was low, and no one showed any willingness to avoid fighting as if to give in and drive away the "White Wolf" for the sake of the Grand Alliance. Thanks to the "White Wolf''s" bow attack, his strength and equipment were slowly being drained away. I''ll go myself in this situation. Get out of the way! Thane took up his sword and shield and tried to fight, but his current degraded equipment and status did not allow him to break through the rain of arrows and slash at them. Rather, he takes an arrow in the shoulder. Gugg!" Captain!Are you all right?" I can''t. Please stand back. d*mn. If only I had the ''Dragoon''s Baskets,'' I could kick those bastards to the curb in an instant. Thane pulled himself free of an arrow lodged in his shoulder and slammed it into the ground in frustration. Jamil and Rodo, who were watching the battle from a slightly elevated position, sensed Sein''s exhaustion. Look at him," Jamil said. That son of a b*tc* is all worn out. Appraise me." Yeah. Status of Thane Arm strength (power): 40-90 Endurance (toughness): 40-90 Agility: 40-90 Physical strength (stamina): 50-130 Magic: 1-130 Jamil grinned. How''s it going?" He can''t shoot the Dragoon anymore. "Oh." Good. Move the White Guard forward. Don''t be afraid of the dragon''s head. The attack by the "White Wolf" became more and more intense. The Grand Alliance was on the defensive, and one by one, they were taken prisoner. By the time the right wingers had finally cleared the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and rushed to the left wing, the bandits had had enough and were quickly on their way out. d*mn, they got away! They sure are fast on the run, aren''t they? What do we do now?Shall we pursue?" The still energetic "Guardians of the Academy" showed Arul that they were ready to chase after the "White Wolf. No, let''s leave it at that. No, let''s just let it go. We have to go back to the city first. However, if the "White Wolf" comes next time, we will ...... Deputy captain!"Also, it''s a herd of Fafnir. d*mn it, not again." The Grand Alliance (in effect, the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic") were forced to deal with the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" again busily. And as if anticipating this, the "White Wolf" attacked again. d*mn. Again. Why does Fafnir attack so conveniently for the bandits? (It sure is funny.) Arul also felt suspicious about the movement of Fafnir. (Since a while ago, Fafnir has been attacking only us and never going toward the White Wolf. I don''t think it is a coincidence. I don''t think it''s some kind of skill!) Look," he said. They''re going down the mountain along the river. Jamil said, pointing toward the river. From the other side of the river, shower them with Fafnir''s breath of fire. Here they come." Rodo put his mouth on the horn and played a tone that only a dragon could hear. It was the skill "dragon flute. The "fire dragons (Fafnir)" that had been wandering in the sky received Rodo''s message and flipped their wings. Immediately, shouts and screams echoed from the place where the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" were located. The "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" were soon heard yelling and screaming from where they were. Success! Kukuku. Let''s have fun again then. A one-sided hunt with no counterattack. One of the members of the "Guardians of the Magical Academy" loudly accused the "White Wolf" of insidious attacks. ''Enough of this, you people!Is this how they repay us for fighting for their city?They do not even collect their own items, but only snatch what they can get from others. And then, they attack us from behind after we have fought so hard and exhausted ourselves?You are all cowardly. Is that your way?Shameless bastards!Have you no pride in yourselves as adventurers?" He''s saying something. Rod said. Kukk. I can''t hear you. Keep attacking. Jamil said with a sneer. After that, the Grand Alliance continued to be repeatedly pinched by the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and the "White Wolf. As they were repeatedly attacked in this way, the Grand Alliance''s stamina, equipment, and morale were gradually being depleted. Finally, some of the allied guilds began to surrender to the "White Wolf". Help me, please help me. We won''t resist anymore. I give up, please don''t shoot me." Sein sees this and is horrified. (Don''t be stupid, you idiot. If you guys surrender now, ......) Currently, the Grand Alliance is made up of those who have the strength of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" to fight the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)," and the "White Wolf" attack was somehow able to be accomplished by using the Alliance guilds as shields. If the allied guilds were to surrender, they would not be able to support the attack from the White Wolf. As expected, the "White Wolf" white army did not accept the surrender of the allied guilds, but rather charged at them. The members of the allied guilds were driven back under attack and avalanche towards the "Guardians of the Magic Academy" who are currently engaging the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". The grand alliance was in chaos. "Ohhhhhh!" Oh, no!" The "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" tried to fight back, but they were exposed to the enemy''s attacks without being able to properly ready their weapons as the allied guild members fled to us in a state of panic. Finally, one of the mage knights had his armor destroyed and was badly damaged. The rare metals he had around him were scattered. Thieves swarmed around and picked up the rare metal. Sein was stunned. (The rare metal I had collected so much ......) Calm down. We''ll rebuild somehow." There was a movement to bounce back "White Wolf" in one of the allied guilds. (That was ......) Arul looks in that direction and sees a warrior (Warrior) from a micro guild fighting with a blue coated shield and armor. It was Erio and his "Shield of Dawn. Erio takes on the charging, heavily armed bandits single-handedly, rather than rallying. Thanks to this, the "Guardians of the Magic Academy" had time to get back on their feet. ''Oh, they''re doing it, aren''t they?'' One of the mage knights said admiringly. ''That''s an unfamiliar piece of equipment. Is that design engraved on the weapon a spirit holding a hammer? Anyway, it sure helped. We''ll get you back on your feet now, sub-captain. Yes, those who have free hands can use the javelin. While the blue-armored men are holding up, let''s take advantage of the space behind them. Get ready for the assault position! Arle gave the instructions. Remember that we are proud to be knights of magic. Our strength is that we are mages, but we can also fight with white soldiers! Use the white blade to reap the enemy and stab them to death. Push and shove, don''t take a step back, and let the enemy run away. Sein blasted. The "Javelin" was a weapon for use against the "Fafnir" fire dragon, but it also functioned well as a weapon against humans. The heat emitted from the spirit that resides in the silver tip of the blade is powerful enough to burn iron, pierce shields, and pierce armor. The "Javelin" unit thus deployed charged forward to strike the "White Wolf" with a single, desperate blow. However, as soon as the "Javelin" crossed the shield of the "White Wolf," it was easily neutralized. What is it?) One of the mage knights noticed that his "javelin" did not fire well. The shields of the "White Wolf"''s white army units were equipped with "silver crushing stones". It is the natural enemy of the "Javelin," which shatters silver, and is the worst weapon of all. The attacks of the knights were parried, and they were easily repelled. One by one, they were surrounded, damaged, and robbed of the rare metals they possessed. ''Such ...... nonsense.'' Witnessing the hopelessness of the battle, Sein wanders and shivers. Oh, no. Oh, no. Arle said as if spoon-fed. Seyi-chan, any more will only drain your strength unnecessarily. We''ll just have to run away in pieces and make it back to the city. d*mn. How could we, a venerable guild, turn our backs on a bunch of bandits and fall back? d*mn!What an abomination! The Grand Alliance collapsed and was forced to flee. Erio and the other "Shield of Dawn" stayed on until the end, fighting against the "White Wolf. However, this backfired and they were completely unable to escape. Erio was hurrying on his way to the city while standing on the shingari for all the guild members to secure a way out. He was standing on the road to the city, making sure that all the guild members were able to escape. We are almost there. Leon, the leader, calls out to Jeff, the archer. He was out of breath, leaning on Leon''s shoulder and somehow managing to keep on walking. He had been caught in an unfamiliar mix-up and was deeply wounded. I''m sorry," he said. It was my fault. What are you talking about? What are you talking about? Now, if you have time to whine, walk. Cecil, the thief (shifu), said to cheer her up. Elio escorted the party, looking worriedly at Jeff. (They had already reached the forested area at the foot of the mountain, but the distribution of the monsters had changed significantly as the hordes of "Fafnir" were rampaging all over the place, and the tough monsters of the upper "metal lines" were now on the move. Monsters were roaming around. ). (If you manage to escape to the city, please contact ....... Please. Monsters, please don''t show up.) However, Elio''s wish came true, as a large shadow covered the sky with a deafening cry. Erio looked up at the sky with a start. d*mn. It''s Fafnir! Oh no. They found me.) Shit." Erio draws his dagger and faces "Fafnir" with his shield at the ready. He counterattacks, catching the claws of the incoming "Fafnir". Fafnir" screams "gah gah gah" and returns to the sky. I''ll hold them off, guys. Take Jeff and get out of here. Erio says so, and the three of them do so, looking frustrated. They knew very well that they would be slowed down by being here. Fafnir," who thought his own claws were ineffective, began attacking Erio with his "breath of fire. However, even "Breath of Fire" could not break through Erio''s armor. However, even Erio could not touch him because he was not wearing any anti-aircraft equipment. Erio and "Fafnir" glare at each other as if trying to find the right moment. Fafnir" flapped his wings irritably. (Be angry, be angry. While you''re dealing with me, you can''t touch the three of them. If you get tired while doing so ......) However, such an aim of Erio''s was vain, and a scream came from the three of them. A "fire dragon (Fafnir)" stood in front of them. Oh, there''s another one?) Cecil draws his dagger and holds it ready. However, it was too unreliable a weapon against the flying, steel-scaled "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). Don''t worry about me," Cecil said. Leave me and run away." Jeff grunted. Don''t be silly. I would never do that. Leon''s face contorts in bitterness. Abandon Jeff or wipe out the party. It all depended on his decision. But it was too heavy a decision for him to make. Fafnir''s mouth is filled with the breath of fire. Oh no, that''s it.) Suddenly, three red arrows cut through the sky. They hit "Fafnir" directly, piercing his wings and throat. Fafnir" staggered and crashed to the ground, his "breath of fire" puffing indigestion. What the hell?(You''re saved?) Leon stared at "Fafnir" lying on the ground, feeling as if he had been pinched by a fox. Are you okay?" I looked back at the voice and saw a young man who looked like a playful person and his sisters who looked solid in contrast. The voice asked, "Was that attack by you guys ......?" I''m not sure. We are the guild "Heavenly Horse Arrows. You guys have a partnership with the Arsenal of Spirits, don''t you?" Hans holds up his "Ryusenkyu" and shows Leon the crest engraved on it. That equipment is ......! Leon''s eyes stopped on a familiar emblem on an unfamiliar bow and arrow they were carrying. The sigil of a spirit with a hammer. Yes, the new "Dragon Piercing Sky" equipment from the "Arsenal of the Spirits. I was actually told by Roland not to get involved with the Grand Alliance. But then I saw that emblem on your weapons. As a fan of the Arsenal of Spirits, I felt I had to help you. Hans smiled that infectious smile. We''re here now, and you''re safe," he said. Between here and the city, we, the Arrows of Heavenly Horse, will protect you from the threat of the Fire Dragon (Fafnir). <> 78 - 78. The Fury of the Fire Dragon Leon compares the "Fafnir" that fell to the ground with Hans and the others again. The guild "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" easily ...... defeated the B-class monster "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". The number of people in the guild should make it a small guild, not different from ours. This is Roland''s training ability.) Are you all right, sir?That man looks badly injured. ......" Claire looked at Jeff and said. ''I guess I''d better cast a restorative spell or go back to town and get some medical attention. Alice said as she inspected Jeff''s wounds. Hey," Alice said as she inspected Jeff''s wounds. More importantly! Cecil interrupts the conversation. Erio, one of our people is still fighting the Fire Dragon (Fafnir) alone! Before Cecil could say anything, the rasping cry of a "fire dragon (Fafnir)" came from the other side. Hmmm..." "Hmmm..." Cecil said. There was still a fire dragon (Fafnir)? Alice, Claire, let''s go. Save him in his blue armor. Erio was holding his shield and glaring at "Fafnir the Fire Dragon. d*mn. I wanted to run to Leon and the others.) Fafnir" did not easily miss Erio as it circled in the sky and attacked with its "breath of fire. Therefore, Erio could not escape by showing his back, and they were stuck in a state of staring at each other. (Is the armor coating about to go bad?) Erio felt that the reflective function of the armor covering him was weakening. This meant that the durability of his shield and armor was nearing its limit. At that moment, three red arrows pierced the fire dragon (Fafnir). (What the hell? !) When Erio looked in the direction from which the arrow flew, he saw one man and two women holding bows and arrows. Fafnir" finds a new target of hate and changes the attack target from Elio to Hans and the others. (That red arrow, you don''t think it was them?) Mhm. Couldn''t take him down with a single blow?" It seems to be a level higher than the Fafnir we saw earlier. Then, until more damage is done. Let''s go." Alice runs out and tries to flank the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Fafnir breathes fire breath and tries to burn her, but she is unable to catch him. (Fast!It is superior in agility to the flying "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". What are these three ......) Alice is not satisfied with just dodging the breath of fire with her agile legs, but she tries to shoot an arrow from her bow. (Skill "rapid fire"!). Alice''s arrow pierces "Fafnir". "Gggggiii!" Fafnir" glared at Alice. In truth, she should have paid attention to the two remaining people other than Alice, but since she had been dodging and shooting arrows at them since earlier, she couldn''t look away. (Alice''s skill "rapid fire". The power of the arrow is reduced to half of the normal one, but it can be released with only one-half of the normal preliminary movement. Alice''s agility is unmatched among us, so she can also stir up the enemy''s attention. It''s a great decoy to gather hate. (The rest can be found at ......) Thanks to Alice''s help in gathering the fire dragon (Fafnir)''s hate, Hans was able to enter the fire dragon (Fafnir)''s blind spot without being noticed by "Silent Run" at his leisure. All that remained was to finish him off with a normal bow shot.) When Hans shoots an arrow, "Fafnir" notices him just in time and dodges. Hans fires an arrow. He missed.) Fafnir" turns its long neck and points its mouth toward Hans. Breath of Fire" is coming!Run!" Elio shouted as if he were screaming. However, Hans, who was in firing position, could not move immediately. The "Breath of Fire" attacked Hans. At that moment, a red jewel embedded in Hans'' bow and arrow shined. The red gem embedded in Hans'' bow and arrow glows, and he inhales the breath of fire that Fafnir breathed out. (That''s ...... "Fire Felt"! Now, I''ve set the table. The rest is up to you, sisters." Claire clips three arrows to her bow. (Skill: "Continuous Fire"!) Fafnir", which is in the process of breathing out "Breath of Fire", cannot respond to Claire''s shooting. All three arrows fired by Claire hit "Fafnir". As a final push, Alice fires a "rapid fire" shot. However, "Fafnir" was still alive. It rushes toward Hans. Fafnir," said Hans, "you have shown great courage. But this is the end! When Hans fired an arrow from his bow, the "Fire Felt" reacted. It was Hans'' skill "magic shooting," which is different from normal shooting. A red arrow with fire breath hits "Fafnir" on the forehead. Fafnir", which was shot with its own breath of fire, crashes to the ground. Erio was stunned by their battle. (These three people could easily defeat "Fafnir," the fire dragon, with ease. What agility, anti-aircraft firepower, and coordination! I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Somehow we managed to beat them." Hans. Are you hurt?" Claire asked worriedly. I''m fine," she said. The "Fire Felt" did a good job of absorbing the flames. But more importantly, he''s ......, hmm?" What''s wrong? I can feel someone coming from behind the bushes. Hans looked behind the bushes. Then he saw a group of people with swords and shields approaching. "Those are the ''White Wolves''! Alice said, her face tense. It''s going to be a white hand-to-hand combat." Hans, too, looks grim. Our tactic is hit and away. Roland''s instructions were to run away if it looks like it''s going to be a white hand-to-hand combat,......, but with the agility of Erio and the others, it''s impossible to outrun a bandit (Thief). What should we do?Should we abandon Elio and his friends?(No, but after helping him once, it would be uncool to abandon him and run away, wouldn''t it?) While Hans was having a not-so-cool conflict, the "Sword Thieves" from "White Wolf" were approaching from behind the trees. While Hans was struggling with this, Erio jumped out. Erio! Leave the ground fighting to me!" Erio charged into the midst of the oncoming "sword thieves" and smashed their weapons with the reflective effect of his blue shield and blue armor. The "Sword Thief" of "White Wolf" was defeated in the blink of an eye. He''s good, isn''t he? He drove back several thieves by himself. You have great defense. Alice and Claire said, impressed. ''Hey, are you okay?'' Hans rushed to Elio''s side and held out his hand. ''That was a hell of a defense. Nice fight." No, you guys are the ones who are amazing to defeat ''Fafnir the Fire Dragon. But still, ...... Elio shifted his eyes to Hans and his team''s equipment. They were wearing only the bare minimum except for their anti-aircraft firearms. Could they survive in the dungeon with such equipment? We try to hit and run, except in the air," he said. Hans, noticing Elio''s gaze, explains. So we can only hunt flying monsters," he said. But if we combine your ground combat skills with ours, ......, it could be interesting." Hans said with a friendly smile. Ummm, yes. Um, what the hell are you guys ......?" Elio!Are you okay?" Are you hurt?" Leon approaches from behind the bushes with Cecil and Jeff on his shoulder. Leader. Everyone. Are you all right? Yeah, you look like you''re okay, too." Leader. These people are from ......." Yeah, he just happened to be passing by. They helped us because we are affiliated with the same guild, the Arsenal of Spirits. What?The "Arsenal of Spirits"? Ah, hmmm. Let''s put aside the accumulated talk and go back to the city for now, shall we?He''s an archer. He''s very sick, isn''t he? Oh, yeah. Wait, what''s this shaking?" Claire said curiously. If you ask me," the seven people present were suspicious of the slight vibration they had just felt. It wasn''t just the shaking. Birds were flying from the trees in the forest, and dragons, including the fire dragon (Fafnir), were chirping loudly. It was as if it was the harbinger of a natural cataclysm. At the same time, "Grand Fafnir," who had defeated the Grand Alliance, was angry with the adventurers who had disturbed his comfortable sleep. So, they jump near the crater of the volcano and stomp on the ground to stimulate the volcano. As they do this, magma rushes up from the crater, and the volcano eventually erupts. The overflowing magma turned into lava and went down the mountain, melting rocks and forming new sediments. The topography of the dungeon changed, and the lava crossed the forest around the volcano and eroded into the city. When Grand Fafnir saw that the disaster he had caused threatened the human world, he was satisfied and went back into a deep sleep. <> 79 - Art. 79. Unhealing Wounds The mountain that was destroyed by the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" has eroded a part of the outskirts of the city. The boundary between the city and the dungeon changed, and the monster''s sphere of influence expanded. Carla watched from the window of her hospital room, shielding her grafted arm. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was screaming. (Did the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" fail to defeat it?) Carla slammed the wall with her unbroken hand. d*mn!" (Also, I couldn''t protect him. I am ......) Somehow, Thane managed to shake off the pursuit of the "White Wolf" and fell back to the city, and headed for the "Dragon''s Fires" on his feet. He opened the door to the guild leader''s room as if to punch in. Are you there, guild leader? Well, well, well, Mister Thane. What on earth is the matter? What is the matter with you? There''s nothing wrong with you! Sein strode into the room and banged on the desk. The equipment of the Thieves'' Guild," he said. What the hell was that all about?It is as if they were preparing to use the Javelin in anticipation of our use of it. What kind of a mindset would they have to have to sell out their clients'' information?Huh?If things go wrong, you''ll get off scot-free!" Please don''t yell in my ear so loudly," he said. It''s too noisy." Medes said with a frown. You''ll have to explain it to me step by step," he said. What''s this about the Thieves'' Guild? The ''White Wolf'' guys were equipped with ''Silver Crushed Stone'' shields," he said. So our plan is off the table. Your ''javelins'' were useless. What the hell are you going to say about that? Hm. The White Wolf made a shield out of silver crushed stone. Is that so? Medes asked the secretary beside him. ''Yes, sir. Indeed, the other day, our guild received an order from the White Wolf for 20 shields made of silver crushed stone. We already delivered them a week ago. I see. It seems that we have indeed produced 20 pieces of "silver crushed stone" for "White Wolf". So what?What the hell is wrong with that? What''s ...... wrong with that?" Sein''s shoulders shook with a wry smile. We have been fighting the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). For this city!We have been fighting desperately to save this city. And yet!We lost most of the rare metals we had. There were even some wounded. It''s because of your cowardly tactics, sneaking around and stabbing us in the back. Is that how this guild operates?This way of pretending to be a collaborator and removing the ladder?You rotten bastard!I''ll take my chances!Get out!Shall I tie your neck and drag you through the city?" Medes closed his mouth. What in the world is going on here?They keep making misguided claims. We have done exactly what you asked us to do: maintain the weapons and manufacture the Javelin. If you have any complaints, please show us solid evidence that we have done something wrong. So!That''s not what I''m talking about. ......" Hey, come on. You''ve been talking so much nonsense, if you''d just shut up and listen." Raul, who had been standing by Medes'' side earlier, arms crossed, listening, interjected. What?" I said it was a spoiled thing. What''s the big deal just because the "White Wolf" was equipped with a "Silver Crusher" shield?What about the "Dragoon''s Baskets" that I made?If you shoot the White Wolf with the Dragoon, he''ll be all over you. It''s ...... And. You guys are talking about fighting a giant fire dragon (Gran Fafnir), but you haven''t been able to kill it. Do you know what kind of condition the town is in now?The disaster is happening because of the mountain collapse caused by Grand Fafnir. "......" The whole town is in a panic because you people have provoked the "Grand Fafnir"!And on top of that, the "White Wolf" got you because of your weapon?You''ve got to be a little more lenient than that!First of all, it was already discussed and agreed upon that we would supply the White Wolf with weapons. Don''t rehash it now." That''s ...... not something you''d expect to supply the ''White Wolf'' with a shield of ''Silver Crushed Stone'', though." If you''re a man, don''t make goofy second-guessing excuses for something you''ve already said once. Either way, the reason you lost is because you couldn''t master the ''dragon-headed cage''. "d*mn. ......" If you complain any more, I will terminate the contract. If you complain any more, I''ll terminate the contract. "You''ll have to go to another alchemy guild somewhere to maintain and manufacture weapons. Well, I don''t think there are any alchemists in this town who can maintain and manufacture the ''Dragoon''s Baskets'' other than me. Sei-chan. Calm down." Arul, who had followed Thane and finally arrived at this room just now, said. It is not a good idea to make enemies of the "Dragon''s Fires" now. Without their cooperation, we can''t even properly maintain our weapons. Let''s back off for the time being. We can just try the dungeon again after we have reorganized our forces and improved our weapons again. "Nuh-uh." Sein let out a single breath as if to restrain himself, then removed the "dragon-headed cage" and threw it on the floor. "Get the ''dragoon'' and our equipment in order!Within a week." Don''t talk in your sleep. I''ll have this done in three days." You said it. If you''re even one second late, you''ll be in deep shit! With that, Sein left the guild president''s office and walked briskly down the corridor. Wait a minute," he said. Wait, Sei-chan. Hey, Sein. Sei-chan, you''re so ......." Arul stopped when he saw someone coming from the other side. It was Jamil and Rodo from "White Wolf. Oh?Look who it is, the captain of the Guardians of the Academy. I was so happy to see him. I had no idea we were using the same alchemy guild." You. Sein grabs Jamil by the chest. How dare you show your face? How dare you show your face in front of me? What? Hey, hey, hey. Private fights are not allowed in town. Yes, yes, yes. If you want to do it, do it in the dungeon. Jamil shakes off Sein''s hand. We''re always up for a challenge." Well, if I ever get to dive in a dungeon again, I''m talking about ......." Bye. We have a business meeting with the guild leader about some rare metal we got. We got it from some stupid guild, you know." What? Sei-chan." Arle tugged on Thane''s sleeve. Let''s go." Jamil and Rodo head for the guild president''s office, despite Sein and Arul. Sein clenches his fists and looks away from them. (d*mn. They think they''ve won now?Watch me. I ain''t gonna let this end like this.) While the "Guardians of the Magickal Academy" were falling back to the city, the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" were also returning to the "Arsenal of Spirits". ''Hans-san, welcome back. Aina said. ''Hi, Aina. ''How was it?How is the "Ryusenkyu"? Yeah, it was a great performance. I was able to slay two Fafnir dragons. Two Fafnir?That''s great!" Isn''t he a big shot?" Roddy said. I really can''t thank you all enough." Claire said. I haven''t had a big catch like this in a long time. We''re launching tonight. Alice said. We at ''Arrow of Heavenly Horses'' will continue to be deeply involved with the ''Arsenal of Spirits. We will leave all the materials and rare metals of the "Fafnir" that we have acquired this time to the "Spirit Arsenal". Please maintain the "Ryusenkyu" in preparation for the next defeat. Yes, sir. I''ll make sure everything is in order. I''d like to know where Roland is.I''d like to thank him as well. Ah, Mr. Roland is meeting with the Shield of Dawn at the ...... cafeteria. Aina said awkwardly. ''I see. With them ......." The members of "Shield of Dawn" had a somber look on their faces, in contrast to Hans and his colleagues. They were all depressed and their faces were dark. Roland had just heard all of their stories. I see," he said. The Grand Alliance has collapsed so tragically. ...... I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. We followed them to the end and fought hard. ...... The expedition brought in no income. Jeff is injured. We can''t do this anymore." Roland. You were right. We should never have joined the Grand Alliance. If only we had listened to you. ...... Leon said apologetically. What''s done is done," he said. Let''s get our heads back on straight and think about the future." Yeah, right." Although they said so, the mood of Elio and the others remained gloomy. (This is going to take some time to recover ......) Aina, Roddy, Hans and the others watched from the shadows. "Hmmm. He seems to be dragging quite a bit. Hans said. ''Yes,'' Hans said. That''s right. Aina chimed in. Aina was the only one who could say no. "At this rate, I don''t think we''ll be able to celebrate here anytime soon. Ha, I guess the feast will have to wait. Alice said disappointedly. ''That was close. If we had joined the Grand Alliance by now, we might have ended up like that." Claire said. ''I guess Hans is right about some things sometimes. Alice, a word is superfluous." They are serious, though. Will they be all right, the ''Guardians of the Magisterium''?" Roddy said. ''What?'' I had announced that we were going to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' with great fanfare. The guilds that followed them had almost no income. In fact, they caused damage to the city. Right now, the town is swirling with resentment toward them. "Hmm." Hans puts his finger to his mouth and ponders. I don''t think it''s going to end like this. Will there be yet another upheaval?) <> 80 - 80. The Sunset of the Magical Knights The next day, Sein gathered adventurers and residents of the town in the plaza and made a speech. He made a major announcement about the recent defeat of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Gentlemen. I thank you for your cooperation in the recent slaying of Grand Fafnir. Our great battle has only just begun. I intend to reassemble my troops and slay Grand Fafnir this time around. But first, there is something you should know. Do you know what it is? Do you know the darkness that holds the "Fiery Fire of the Dragon"? Their treacherous, vicious, outrageous, and cruel deeds. They are vile and shameless, and their deeds are shameful, even to the point of being beneath the dignity of human beings. The audience gasped. What atrocities had the "Dragon''s Fires" committed? They were supporting a guild of thieves while supplying equipment to a venerable guild like ours, preventing us from fighting monsters and advancing toward the crown of glory. They are the very merchants of death who spread misery along with their weapons. They are duplicitous bat-shits. What do you think when you see such filth? It is outrageous that the best alchemy guild in the island is connected with lowly bandits. Shouldn''t we take this opportunity to question them about their wrongdoings and force them to change their ways?" Sein raised the issue in this way. However, the response from the islanders was lackluster. It was no secret to the islanders that the "Dragon''s Fires" were connected to the bandits. The island''s adventurer community''s economy would not be viable otherwise. Thane began to get annoyed with the silent audience. He was irritated by the quietness of the audience. What are you doing? Don''t you think anything of it? We are being harassed by the threat to our backs. We are fighting for you. That''s not what I''m talking about!" An audience member attached himself to the podium and said. He was an adventurer from a small guild that had joined the Grand Alliance. When will I be paid? You said it yourself. You told me I would be paid after I descended the mountain. We are a small guild. If we don''t get paid soon, we won''t even be able to make this month''s payment. The problem is the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). Another resident took up the podium. Is the ''Grand Fafnir'' going to continue?If so, how long will the outburst last?You don''t think the damage will spread to the city center, do you?You''re the one in charge, aren''t you? Explain yourself." Wait a minute. I haven''t even been paid yet. Another adventurer attached himself to the podium and pleaded his case. One after another, people crowded to the podium to voice their concerns and complaints, and the plaza became so noisy that it was impossible to control the situation. (Ahhhh............... I told you to stop making speeches.) Arul looked at Sein with some resignation on his face. (Sein-chan''s bad habit has come out, hasn''t it? A bad habit of not being able to see what''s going on around you when you''re cornered. He is completely spinning. I guess I''m screwed this time.) In the end, Sein''s speech was a failure, and instead, it made the islanders uneasy and created an opportunity for the "guardians of the magic academy" to be underestimated. While the speech was being made in the town square, a speech was also being made in the workshop (atelier) of the "Dragon''s Fires. What do you think Roland did to his subordinate who had so sincerely devoted himself to the guild?He banished the guy. He literally shut him up. Gilbert was typing his speech in the dining room of "Dragon''s Fireside". The lunchtime staff listened to his speech with bated breath. Gilbert had been in and out of the "Dragon''s Fires" frequently after that, conducting incendiary maneuvers under the guise of inspections and tours. That''s a terrible story. There''s more. "There are countless other men and women he''s brought down and made to cry behind his illustrious list of decorations. He lies with impunity, he betrays people, he cheats. I''m not sure what to say. The more I hear about it, the madder I get. This Roland fellow must be a very bad man. I''m not. He''s the son of the devil, for sure. I''m sure of it. I would like to ask you all to make sure that this story gets to every corner of Fires of the Dragon from the top to the bottom. Never do business with Roland''s guild. Of course, I''ll be sure to spread the word within the guild as widely as possible. Yes," he said. We will never do business with Roland. Thank you. Gentlemen. Thank you." People applauded Gilbert. While everyone was having a good time, the door suddenly opened and Lisetta came into the dining room. Her eyes are flashing, her lips are tightly knit, and she looks chagrined. She walked straight over to where Edgar and Charles were. When she came to their table, she slammed the table as hard as she could, not even knocking over the plates. Hey, what''s going on here? What is that equipment of Jamil and the others, the White Wolf?" An?"Isn''t that Lizetta? What''s the matter with you? What''s the matter with you? You''re ruining your pretty face." There''s nothing wrong with that. Why do you let the "White Wolves" carry equipment that disables my javelin? I''m in no position to do anything about it. I don''t care how you do it. We only manufacture them because the White Wolves asked us to. It is only natural for an alchemy guild to respond to the demands of its customers. We have the permission of the guild leader. I don''t care about the work you guys took on. All I''m saying is, why did you destroy my work?" The cafeteria is silent. Everyone had stopped eating at the sight of Lisetta''s swordplay. If you drag me down any further, you''ll be in big trouble. What the hell is all this mess? Edgar gets up from his chair in a mendacious manner. If you have so much to complain about," he said, "just make a stronger weapon than us. That''s all there is to it, isn''t it?" Have you forgotten what our guild stands for?Competition is everything." My javelin is for use against Fafnir. If you take out the silver crusher, you''ll be no match for me. Then why don''t you just get out of the business? I''ll let the guild leader know that you want to get out of making javelins for the Guardians of the Academy. I''ve had enough of ......." I was a fool to expect anything from you guys. I won''t ask anything more from you. Excuse me." Lizetta turns herself around grimly and walks out of the cafeteria. A relieved atmosphere prevailed in the dining room. Everyone resumes eating. Gilbert observed the scene carefully. (I see. This is how this guild earns its money? In other words, they are merchants of death. They pretend to rely on outside guilds, and then make them fight with the guild of thieves so that they will never be able to settle their disputes. (Moreover, these guys probably don''t even realize what they are doing.) Gilbert grinned. (We could use this guy.) The "Dragon''s Fires" promised the "Guardian of the Academy" that they would finish the maintenance and manufacturing of the equipment in a week, but the "Guardian of the Academy" had to go back into the dungeon in less than three days. The reason was that the small adventurers'' guild, which wanted to receive a reward, and the town''s influential people, who wanted to deal with the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," crowded into the "Guardians of the Academy of Witchcraft" accommodations. Arul was forced to deal with the situation on behalf of the unfaithful Thane from start to finish. The fact that the captain did not appear in person to explain the situation caused the small adventurers'' guild and the town''s residents to distrust him. Hearing this, the "Dragon''s Fires" also began to feel uneasy about the finances of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. The "Dragon''s Fires" demanded that the "Guardians of the Academy" pay their fees in advance, collect their resources, or mortgage their weapons. In the end, the "Guardian of the Academy" had to dive into the dungeon with equipment that was not even properly maintained in order to acquire new resources. The results were disastrous. Without the "Dragoon''s Baskets" and the "Javelin," he was no match for the "Fafnir," and after running for his life in the dungeon, he was chased down by the "White Wolf," and once again had to flee to the city. In the meantime, a new ship arrived at the port on a scheduled flight. On the ship hung a flag insignia with a crescent moon and a sword. It is the emblem of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon," one of the leading guilds on the southern continent. Upon hearing the news of the arrival of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon," the "Dragon''s Fires" immediately convened the quartet and held a meeting. It seems that the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" will be arriving on this island soon. It is difficult to fulfill all the orders of both guilds, the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic" and the "Knights of the Crescent Moon. I would like to hear your opinions on this matter. What do you think?" The head of the "Guardians of the Academy," Sein, made a speech in public condemning us. I think we can safely regard this as a hostile action. Raul said. ''They''re already broke, aren''t they? It''s not safe to get too deeply involved, is it?" Edgar said. They are off-islanders, after all. We don''t have any assets to seize except their armaments and equipment. Charles said. I don''t think we can expect much more support from them. If they can defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir),'' they are no match for even the ''White Wolf. The javelins were useless. Edgar said casually. I have to tell you this," Edgar said casually. The reason my javelin was not able to exert its power was not because of the equipment itself, but because the ''White Wolf'' was equipped with a ''Silver Crushed Stone'' shield. ...... Hey, don''t talk too much about things that aren''t on the agenda. Raul chastised Lisetta for speaking in a manner that made her sound like she was trying to make a scene. d*mn." Well, anyway. No one thinks that the "Guardian of the Academy" should be prioritized over the "Knight of the Crescent Moon. Is that what you''re saying?" Medes looked around at the four faces, but no one objected. (I guess that means we''re out of time ......) Mm-hmm. I understand what you guys are thinking. The contract with the "Guardian of the Academy of Magic" is now terminated. At the port, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" was greeted with cheers from the islanders. It is the Knight of the Crescent Moon. There''s Yugan, the double S who has slain S-class monsters on two continents." I''ve been waiting for you. "Master Yugan. Save us." The "guardians of the magic academy," clad in tattered equipment, were being shouted down as they tried to leave the harbor at the wrong time. You''re just talking to me, you know. You just pissed off Grand Fafnir, didn''t you? You''re just going to walk away without taking responsibility?Is that what knights do?" Don''t ever come back here again, you idiot. Yeah, I ain''t coming. I''m not coming back to this island. You cheating islanders!Crescent Moon will curse you, you idiot." Sei-chan. Let''s leave the wrestling to that. If we don''t get out of here soon, we''ll miss the boat. God of the sea. Sink their ships." God. Let that piece of shit be a floating floating piece of sea weed." I said, "What the hell, man? Who''s a clunker? Whoever said that, come forward. Wow. He''s out of his mind. Run! Sei-chan. We''re going overboard. Soon the stern line is released, and the boat with the knights on board is pulling away from the shore. d*mn. I don''t get it. We''ll try again next year. Arul said smilingly. The banner of the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic," which had flown over the city''s best accommodations, was removed, and the banner of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" was hoisted in its place. <> 81 - Art. 81. Changing Consciousness After the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" disembarked from the cruise ships circling the four continents, the general public began to disembark as well. People lined up in line at the baggage drop-off point. The girl, dressed in her traveling clothes, also went to the reception desk to hand over her luggage number tag. She handed her baggage number tag to the receptionist. Please wait a moment. The baggage handler huffed as she said this. The girl''s silky blond hair was lighter than a horse''s mane, and her eyes were a shimmering blue like the ocean at sunrise. And even from her modest traveling clothes, one could tell that her breasts were exceptionally full. Her fresh skin and innocent expression still had the innocence of a teenager, but she also had a mature glow that did not match her age. Above all, she was clad in an aura that only a celebrity can exude, an aura that accentuates her presence. The crew member at the baggage claim was so taken by her that he opened his mouth slack-jawed. What is it?" The girl tilts her head with a scowl. Oh, no, I beg your pardon. The sailor hurries to get her luggage. Ugh, it''s heavy." The cloth-wrapped package was not one that could be carried by just one person. The other crew members helped him to carry it in front of the girl. "Good boy!" Thank you." It''s so heavy. What in the world is this? Only then did he finally wonder if the girl was capable of carrying such a heavy object. ''Shall I arrange delivery? So much weight. Wouldn''t it be hard to carry it all the way to the inn?" No, thank you. Thank you." The girl picks up her luggage with one hand and walks away with light steps. The crew looked on in amazement. So this is the Island of the Fire Dragon. ...... Her short-cut blonde hair is silky and she scurries around in the unfamiliar land with a pamphlet in her hand. Using her "Hawk Eye", she looks down on the city from above and confirms the location of the "Spirit Arsenal". It looks like we can walk this distance. How are you, Mr. Roland?) She headed for the "Arsenal of Spirits" with a heart full of joy at the prospect of seeing her beloved for the first time in a long time. In the plaza, Yugan was made to stand on a podium and make a speech. They were led down to the harbor by the residents and brought to the plaza halfway by force. (In doing so, they were careful not to expose their weapons and equipment like the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic.) I am Yugan, an S-class adventurer of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon. I have already heard about the outburst of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'', the disaster, and the damage to the outskirts of the city. First of all, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to those who have been affected. And as for the countermeasures against the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" ......, residents, for the time being, you can rest assured. Now that Yugan has arrived, this town will not be threatened by "Grand Fafnir" or any other dragon tribe. Even if the "Grand Fafnir" and other monsters attack this city, I will immediately intercept them and repel them at once. I also intend to dive into the dungeon immediately to find out what Gran Fafnir is up to. In the meantime, I would like you all to remain calm and try to rebuild the damaged houses and maintain normal economic activities and daily life without making a fuss unnecessarily. Relieved by Yugan''s speech, the residents cheered. Thunderous applause rang out to welcome the arrival of the S-class adventurer. Good night." The second-in-command of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" calls out to Yugan as he steps down from the podium. I''m not used to this kind of thing," he said. The guys from the Academy of Magical Arts are putting me through a lot of extra work. Yugan''s shoulders, stiff from the unfamiliar speech, jiggle. Sein Orbesta seems to have disillusioned the residents. The ''rambunctious Sein,'' huh? I thought he''d grown up a little since he became unit commander, but he''s still just a kid." I see that. After this, we will have a business meeting with the alchemy guild "Dragon''s Fires. Yeah, because the only person on the island who can service my magic sword "Granir" is Raul in "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". Yes," he said. Here''s what we''re going to do after that: ...... Sorry. Leave it open after that." What? I was giving a speech earlier when I saw something that bothered me a little. I had to check something out." Anyway, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" group was on its way to the "Dragon''s Fireside". Ah, welcome back, Roddy. Aina called out to Roddy when he returned to the "Arsenal of Spirits. I''m home. I''m back. I''m so tired. The mountain collapsed so suddenly. So how did it go?My relative''s house. Due to the disaster caused by Grand Fafnir, Roland had given them some free time. Roddy took advantage of the holiday to check on his parents'' home and relatives. ''Fortunately, there was no damage,'' he said. But everyone still seemed anxious. I see. Yugan''s speech calmed everyone down a bit, but the situation is still very unpredictable. They shared a somewhat somber air. This uneasiness was an air that even Roland could not understand, and only the people on the island could understand. Roddy, you''re back. Oh, Mr. Roland. Is it safe to go to work already? Yes, we can get right to work. I see. Thank you. I was about to get some more work done. Work? Dylan found a store that wanted to put some of our equipment in their store. Dylan found a shop that wants to put our equipment in their store. As soon as we are ready, we will start mass production. We will also hire new people. Is it finally happening? The profit of this atelier will increase at once. Now we just have to wait for The Shield of Dawn to return. Are they still on their feet?" Roddy asked. ''Yeah. Their psychological damage seems to be deeper than we thought. Hmmm. I wish there was something we could do to cheer you up. Aina said. But here we are. We won''t be able to get the rare metals if we don''t do something. The only way we can get rare metals is through them. I''m not sure. At least if the funds come from the "Adventurer''s Town". It should have arrived by now. I have those funds right here. (This voice is ......, no way Monica!) Roland looked toward the entrance of the workshop (atelier), and sure enough, there was Monica, dressed in her traveling clothes, carrying a bag of bows and clutching a bag full of gold coins. She was dressed in her traveling clothes, carrying a bag of bows and clutching a sack full of gold coins. I''m here. Aina and Roddy were hiding in the shadows, listening to Roland and Monica standing at the entrance of the workshop (atelier) talking. Hey. Hey, Aina. What are we doing? Shh, I can''t hear you talking." Why are you eavesdropping on those two? Roddy. What do you think of her? I don''t know ......, well, she''s a beauty you don''t see very often. I know. What kind of relationship do you have with Mr. Roland?" What do you mean ...... The air of intimacy between the two of them. The air of intimacy between them, that familiarity. It''s hard to believe that they are anything more than guild mates. ......" Roddy dared to keep his mouth shut. ''I''m curious.'' Aina listened carefully, trying to somehow catch their conversation. ''So you came to this island on vacation? Yes, I am. I applied to the guild for a vacation and they asked if I could take an extra day off and run some errands for them. I feel bad. It''s my vacation time. No, it''s fine. I have wanted to visit this island for a long time. For sightseeing purposes. I see. Come to think of it, isn''t this island famous as a tourist attraction?" Yes, I hear that the hot springs are especially good. Have you been in yet, Roland-san? No, I haven''t gotten to that yet. I have a lot of unscheduled work. I see. I knew you were busy. ...... Yeah, it''s trickier than I expected. This ''Fire Dragon Island'' is trickier than expected." I see. I wish there was something I could help you with. ......" No need to be so fussy. It''s your vacation, isn''t it?We need to take our time, do some sightseeing, and get our strength back." ...... yes." While they were talking like that, a man dressed all in black approached and called out to them. Yo, S-class appraiser. I knew you had come to this island too. You are ...... Yugan! Roland rolled his eyes at the sudden visitor. It''s been a long time, Roland. Not since the Skull Dragon?" Hello, Mr. Yugan." Monica also greeted Yugan. Monica, the Hawk-Eye Archer, also joined the fight against Grand Fafnir? She''s just here as a tourist. But still, I was surprised. How did you know I was here? When I was forced to give a speech, I caught a glimpse of a guy in the crowd wearing equipment from the "Arsenal of Spirits. I thought, ''Well, that''s a good sign,'' so I looked him up and found he was right on the money. I thought I''d better go say hello and scout out the rival. Your skill seems undiminished." Roland said as he appraised Yugan. ''You don''t seem to have rusty eyes either. The two talk with the ease characteristic of people who recognize each other''s abilities. You are here to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir),'' aren''t you? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. But still ......" Yugan moved his eyes to the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch. It''s quite a small workshop, isn''t it? Yeah, we''re still growing. Hmmm. If you want, I can give you a job.I can send some of the weapon maintenance for "Knights of the Crescent Moon" over here, if you want. No, I''m just in time. Besides, we are trying to run our business locally this time. That''s why we''ll give priority to supporting local guilds rather than guilds from outside the island. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. So you''re giving up on defeating Grand Fafnir this time? I''m not giving up. We''ll take the S-class monsters this time, too. What? I''m currently raising a local adventurers'' guild for a reason," he said. As soon as I''m ready, I''m going to call up Jill and the others and we''re going to go hunt the ''Grand Fafnir. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. I see. Well, I''m looking forward to it. I''m looking forward to competing with Jill Irwin again. I got snatched up pretty good last time, but I''m not going to fall behind this time. Yeah, I hope so. Call Jill as soon as possible. Otherwise, by the time she gets here, we''ll be done with her, won''t we? Yugan checked the time. I''ve got to go. I have a meeting. Yugan. The enemy is not only the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Watch out for the Thieves'' Guild and the Dragon''s Fires. Dragon''s Fires?One of the best alchemy guilds in the world, right?The quality is second-to-none, you know?" They are more ...... difficult people than I thought. I''m still not sure how to describe them. You''re a worrier, too. Well, I''ll take your advice. See you later. Yugan walked away with his hands fluttering in the air. Mr. Yugan, are you all right?" Monica said worriedly. ''He''s S-class, too. He can take care of himself. Well, then, I''d better get back to work. Monica, you must be tired from your long trip.Go rest at the inn." Uh, well, you know, ...... Hmm? May I take a tour of your studio?Since I''m here, I''d like to learn more about alchemy on this island. That''s totally fine with me, but are you okay?You must be tired. ......" I''m fine!I will try not to disturb you, so why don''t you let me study?" (And ......, I''d like to stay by Mr. Roland''s side a little longer) Monica''s purpose in coming to the island was actually for Loran. Sightseeing and errands were just excuses. I understand," she said. I''ll let the staff know. You can come and go as you please in the studio. Yes, sir. Thank you. Monica kept smiling in front of Roland, but inwardly she was sad. I really want to go sightseeing on the island with Roland. (I really want to go sightseeing on the island with Roland, but I can''t be selfish and annoy him.) After parting with Yugan, Leon and his "Shield of Dawn" paid us a visit this time without delay. Do you want me to retrain you?" Yes, this whole Grand Alliance thing has made us keenly aware of our own inadequacies." Leon said, his face downcast with shame. This time it was completely our fault," he said, his face downcast with shame. We should have listened to your advice. You may think it''s a little bit of a selfish thing to ask for help like this after having rejected your advice once before, but I''d like to humbly ask you to do it again. Roland, will you give us another chance to grow up?" I have no problem with that at all. But ......, are you sure?I hear that most of the local guilds are already rallying around them now that the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" have landed on the island. Don''t you really want your guild to work with the Knights of the Crescent Moon?" If the higher-ups object, I''ll make sure to talk them down. From now on, I will never waver. Do me a favor. Roland''s eyes widened when he saw someone enter the workshop (atelier) saying that. Jeff!I thought you were in the hospital. Are you hurt yet?" Cecil asked worriedly. ''Oh, I can''t lie around wounded forever. I can''t be a liability to Erio any longer. Jeff said with a determined look on his face. ''All along, I thought we were in the clear. I thought we could leave the "Grand Fafnir" to the guilds outside the island. But after seeing the way they fought "The Arrow of Heavenly Horses," I finally understood. I can''t go on like this. We have to become stronger, we have to grow up." "Jeff ......" We are weak. But we can be stronger. Right, Roland?" ...... yeah. Of course." (Was being hit by the Grand Alliance a catalyst for changing your mindset? It''s raining and the ground is hardening ....... Whatever it is, if they can rise up from this terrible situation, they, the Shield of Dawn, can be stronger) Roland was reminded of Carla as he listened to Jeff. She had told him that he could not rely on outside guilds as much as Jeff did, and how is she doing now? He said, "All right. Let''s have a meeting then. Aina, Roddy, you guys come with me." Roland invited them to the work desk in his workshop (atelier) and began the meeting. The dungeon''s appearance has changed due to the terrain changes caused by the outburst of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" and the great migration of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Maps and monster distribution information, which were usable until yesterday, are completely useless." Leon summarized the current dungeon situation. All the guilds are side by side, starting from scratch. Not only that, but B-class monsters such as Fafnir and Ogre, which normally do not appear until you reach the Metal Line, are appearing in the forested areas. It is dangerous for an ordinary adventurer just to enter the dungeon. Elio said. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" have already declared their quest to the far end of the dungeon. Most of the local guilds are gathering to join him in his quest. Cecil said. Certainly, with the lack of information about the dungeon, the best way to be sure is to team up with a strong adventurer to explore the dungeon. Jeff said. Roland, how can we survive and thrive in this situation?" Roland appraises each of the "Shield of Dawn" members. (As for their equipment, Aina''s "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" can raise their combat power. The question is status or ......) Conditions for improving Erio''s arm strength (power) Aptitude (clean hit) C10 times for 10 days in a row Leon''s endurance (toughness) improvement condition. Passive(Guard)C10 times for 10 consecutive days Jeff''s agility Evasion (Quickness)C 10 times for 10 consecutive days Cecil''s stamina One area trudging for 10 consecutive days. (You cannot rank up your equipment any further without improving your status. ...... But guys, 10 days to improve status? It''s hard to dive a dungeon for 10 days with their current equipment. If only they had "Earthcraft" at least. ...... d*mn. I guess I''m on the back foot. If only they had collected "Earthcraft" instead of joining the Grand Alliance at that time. ......) What do you think, Roland?What do we have to do to grow?" I''ve appraised them, but they all need to stay in the dungeon for at least 10 days to improve." You can find the information at ...... for 10 days. Ten days in your current dungeon?" It''s tough to dive a dungeon for 10 days with our current strength," he said. First of all, the durability of the equipment will not last, and even without it, the game is over once you encounter a B-class or higher monster. U......mm." So you''re saying there''s nothing we can do? So we just have to wait for things to change?"Is there anything you can do?" However, there''s nothing more we can do on our scale ...... They all fell silent and the atmosphere was heavy. (If I could dive into the dungeon, I could do it, but I can''t leave the "Spirit Arsenal" now,....... d*mn, what can I do ......) Um..." Monica, who had been quietly listening in the corner earlier, spoke up. All eyes turned to Monica. How about I dive into the dungeon with the Shield of Dawn?" What?Monica, you?" Yes, sir. With my ''Hawk-Eye,'' I can look around and control the rate of encounters with monsters even in a dungeon for the first time, and I think it will also be easier to find ''earthcraft. I''m sure that''s true, but are you sure you want to go to ......?You''re on vacation right now." Yes, I am. I just wanted to learn more about the dungeons of "Fire Dragon Island. And since the Guardians of the Magical Tree is also an affiliated guild of the Arsenal of Spirits, we can''t just leave them in trouble. No, but ......" ''Uh, can I have a word with you, Roland?I was wondering earlier, that young lady over there, does she know you?" Leon interrupted their conversation. She is Monica Vermale. She''s a Class A adventurer with the Guardians of the Magic Tree. Monica?I didn''t think Monica meant ......." Jeff, do you know him?" I''ve heard of it. Monica the Hawk-Eye Archer. She has conquered three dungeons in the City of Adventurers and holds the record for the number of monsters she has defeated. What?Is that so?" I can''t believe you know such a famous adventurer. Roland, what the hell are you ......?" He said, "Well, well, let''s leave me out of it. Monica is on vacation right now. It''s true that her unique skill ''Hawk Eye'' will solve the problem of ''Shield of Dawn,'' but ...... If that''s the case, then as the Shield of the Dawn, we''d love to have your support." Roland, I''m asking you to do the same. Can you help us somehow, Monica?" I mean, Monica, are you sure?I don''t have enough money in my pocket right now, so I can''t afford to pay you as high a salary as you''re getting at "Guardian of the Magical Tree," okay?" Yes, sir. Yes, you don''t have to accept the reward. But ......, yes. I have a personal favor to ask of Mr. Roland, and I would be happy to hear it. ......" They all looked at Loran this time. ''u......'' Roland was at a loss for words. They all look at Roland with clinging eyes. I understand," Roland said. Monica, I will grant your wish to the best of my ability. So please help me strengthen the Shield of Dawn. Yes!Monica Vermale, I will now support the Shield of Dawn." Yay!" Now we can go into the dungeon. No, thank you very much. This is exactly what I was hoping for. (Mmm. I owe Monica a debt. I wonder what''s going on.) <> 82 - Art. 82. Strategies Roland was quick to give advice to "Shield of Dawn". ''Ready?This time, the mission is to collect "Earthcraft" anyway. Earth Craft" is a special item that can instantly restore the wear and tear on equipment, in other words, it can increase the adventurer''s ability to fight in a dungeon and increase the amount of time spent in the dungeon. It''s essential for short-term, concentrated growth. Collect as many "Earth Crafts" as possible. Ignore everything else. Monica." Yes, sir. Here. Roland handed her a list of monsters that appear in the "volcano dungeon. This is the list of monsters that appear in the Volcano Dungeon. You should be able to avoid most of them if you use Hawk-Eye, but if you have to fight, you will have to deal with the B-class monsters and above. Other than that, you can leave the rest to Leon and the others. I understand. Hey! You''ve been teaching me all about "Shield of Dawn" since a while ago. We don''t have anything?" Alice of "Arrow of Heavenly Horse" put her hands on her hips and said angrily. We have a partnership with the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' so we need you to give us proper guidance, don''t we?" Roland chuckled. Compared to before, I''ve become much more dependable. I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I didn''t forget about you guys. Roland, do we have anything for you?" Hans asked. I wonder if ''The Arrow of Heavenly Horses'' is the same as before. "Hit and away again and again to develop agility. Then further refine your hit-and-away. With your agility, you should be able to run away from the fire dragon (Fafnir) for three days even if you encounter it. It is possible to survive in the current dungeon while training yourself. Please do so and collect as much Earth Craft as you can." I''m sure you''ll be fine. So we''re back to running around in the volcano. Good. I''ll work on my agility and hone my ''rapid fire'' skills. Alice said to get into the spirit. It''s also important to avoid white combat," she said. I''ll support you with my ''far-sightedness''." Claire said. ''I guess that''s about it for now. Any questions?No?All right, then, everyone, go on. I wish you all the best. Thus, the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horse" left the "Spirit Arsenal" and headed for the "Volcano Dungeon. One person was watching them from the shadows. He was Wirik, a connoisseur belonging to the "Roland Victims'' Association. After appraising the status of the members of "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of Heavenly Horse," Wirik brought the information back to the hideout. Sebasta, who was away from home, stood up when he saw Wirik. ''Wirik, huh? How did it go?How is the "Arsenal of Spirits" going?Did you catch any movement?" Two guilds of adventurers from the "Arsenal of Spirits" headed for the dungeon. We believe they are guilds under Roland. Sebasta, please deliver this information to Gilbert." I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Another errand. Day in and day out, you keep on doing this kind of chore. When in the world will Roland be put to death! Sebasta, hold it down. This is where you have to work hard. This kind of steady intelligence work will eventually bear fruit and bring us victory. How many months have we been active, then?It was good until Roland was locked out of the "Dragon''s Fires," but since then, the "Arsenal of Spirits" has been steadily growing in power, hasn''t it? While he has been steadily increasing his power, I have been putting up with poor food and a room with peeling walls.When in the world am I going to be able to rejoin the second unit of the Gilded Eagle?" Now is the time to wait for an opportunity. Don''t worry. The chance to put Roland to death will surely come. Until then, be patient. Now, give this information to Gilbert. Sebasta received Willik''s note with a bitter look on his face and went to Gilbert in disguise. A meeting was being held at the "Dragon''s Fireside." ''Well then, let the meeting begin. Medes opened his mouth when he saw the quartet seated at the conference table. As you are already aware, our company, Dragon''s Fires, has been officially commissioned by the Knights of the Crescent Moon to manufacture and maintain weapons. This time, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" is planning to explore the dungeon three times. The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" has asked us to manufacture and maintain the S-class weapon, the magical sword Granir, and the fire spear (Javelin). As usual, Raul will maintain the sword Granille, and their standard equipment will be divided equally among the quartet. ......, who will be in charge of the manufacture of the Javelin? I think." I understand. I''ll take care of it. Edgar accepted with authority. Wait! Lizetta stood up and objected. The manufacture of javelins requires silversmithing skills. I am more ...... than Edgar here." Lizetta. I know what you mean. There are people in the guild who feel uneasy with your javelin. In fact, the javelin was useless in the last dungeon search for the "Guardian of the House of Magic. If this information gets into the hands of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon," it would be a little bad. But it''s ......" Lizetta. You may have something to say, but the result is the result. Give it to Edgar this time." d*mn it. Now, I think we''re done with the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" thing. Next, we have a request from Mr. Gilbert. The con man ......, what did he say?Yes, that''s right, Roland. He wants us to take action against Roland''s guild, the Arsenal of Spirits." (Roland? ) Lizetta, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly listened. I thought he was just trying to get us to do something by starting up an alchemy guild, but to my annoyance, he seems to be doing surprisingly well. It seems that there are already two adventurers'' guilds that have signed contracts with the Arsenal of Spirits. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. That''s a big deal. How could he run an alchemy guild with just his glibness and false bravado? It''s a talent of a sort, isn''t it? The deceiver is also the deceived. I don''t know what the hell I''m doing. Well, well, well. There are always people who are fooled by petty scams. I''m in trouble, man. The members of the quartet exchanged their thoughts. Well, they are still a small alchemy guild and not much of a threat to us. Ignoring them would be fine, but I can''t help but be concerned about Gilbert, the "Knight of Hail. He said it would affect the impression he would make on his superiors." That guy?" Raul looked a bit gawked. He was a little uncomfortable with Gilbert. Gilbert wants us to destroy the Arsenal of the Spirits. Crush?" Yes," he said. By striking the Adventurer''s Guild, which has a contract with the Arsenal of Spirits, we hope to discredit his products and indirectly deal a blow to the Arsenal of Spirits. I see. Certainly that would hasten the death of Roland''s guild. I would like someone from the quartet to take on this assignment. What do you think?Anyone who thinks they can do it? (The "Arsenal of Spirits" would surely win!) Lisetta thought so. (My reputation is beginning to suffer because of "The Guardian of the Magical Academy. I must do whatever I can to clear my name here.) Please put me in charge of that mission!" Lizetta raised her hand. ''Wait a minute. Guild leader. Let me handle this place, please." Edgar also raises his hand. Edgar. Edgar, you are in charge of making Javelins, aren''t you?Can you handle two projects?" I''ll be fine. It''s enough for me to deal a blow to Roland. Guild President. Edgar is in charge of the Javelin, so that''s enough, isn''t it?Let me do it here. Lizetta responded in defeat. This assignment will involve working with the Adventurers'' Guild," she said. Lizetta doesn''t have enough experience. Guild leader! Good. Let''s leave this to Edgar." All right. Oh, no. ......" Lizetta paled. Edgar chuckled. (Good. I''ve taken Lizetta''s job again. If we continue to take Lizetta''s job, her reputation will naturally decline. Sooner or later, we''ll be able to kick her out of the guild.) After being entrusted with two special projects by the head of the guild, Edgar immediately set to work. However, he soon realized that the workload was far beyond his capacity. There''s not enough time to work on the Javelin and the "Arsenal of Spirits" at the same time. I also have my own client work to do. (What should I do? ......) After much thought, Edgar decided to use Lizetta. Lizetta, you wanted to do something about the "Arsenal of Spirits,"" he said. Can I help you with that?" Lizetta looked at Edgar with cold eyes. ''How''s it going?You''ll help us, won''t you?" I don''t want to!Of course you don''t want to do that.Why should I help you with your work?" I''m not asking you to do that," he said. Lisetta-chan. You''re not getting the guild leader''s attention these days, are you?I thought this would be my chance to redeem myself." I''m sorry. You just want me to cooperate with you and take the credit. That''s what he''s going to do. That''s what you''re trying to do. "......" If it''s out of your control, first withdraw from this job and then appoint me as your official contact person. That''s the way it''s supposed to be, isn''t it?" If I did that, it would make me look bad, wouldn''t it? Please do me a favor. Lizetta. She''s in trouble. I don''t know anything about that. I''m too busy doing my own work right now. I can''t afford to work for your credit. Well then." Lisetta said that much and walked away. She walked away. Uncooperative bastard. Having no choice, Edgar decided to consult Charles. Of course. I''ll help you. Really? It''s a "give and take" kind of thing. You and me. Thank God. Lisetta''s not being very cooperative. Ha-ha. She''s all about being on her own. I''m not good company. I''m sorry to be a bad influence on you, but you''re my best friend. Please." I''ll take care of it. My ''product design'' and ''ore refining'' are A class. Well, you can''t lose to the guys in Roland''s guild. But I have my own work to do. I''ll have to leave the metal molding to another employee. I''ll see what I can do about that. Edgar called three junior staff members under his command. One was Wayne, a young man with a strong and confident impression. The other was Pato, a shy and difficult-looking young man. The last one was a timid but kind-looking girl, Leena. These three are all "metal molding B''s." I see. Well, isn''t that enough as a countermeasure against the "Arsenal of Spirits"?Now all that''s left is to arrange for the Adventurers'' Guild." Here''s the status information Gilbert gave me on the Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of the Heavenly Horse. I was surprised to hear that you are even visiting the enemy. You''re a very prepared person, aren''t you? Hmmm. All of them are C-class adventurers, I guess. It''s just like a small guild. Hmm?This Monica girl is annotated with something. She is an A-class archer with "Hawk-Eye," so keep that in mind. Hawkeye?What''s that? I''m sure there must be some kind of mistake. Agility is too low for an archer. This one is also a C-class archer. ''Well, then don''t worry about these annotations. If this is the case, why don''t you just hit the "dragon knight''s hermitage"?There is Breda, a B-class warrior there, and above all, they are a guild of "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" child-owners. They may be willing to do some of the dirty work. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. It''s settled. All the arrangements are now in place. Then you three, Wayne, Pato, and Lena, will be in charge of manufacturing the equipment for the Arsenal of the Spirits. Yes." (Let them do the work and I''ll take the credit. Kuk. (I''ll let them do the work and I''ll take the credit for it.) Thus, they proceeded to manufacture equipment for the "Arsenal of Spirits" at a rapid pace, and the next day, the equipment was handed over to the adventurers of the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage". They entered the dungeon and marched forcibly along the paths that the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" were thought to have taken, in hot pursuit of the two guilds. Monica was leading the "Shield of Dawn". By using "Hawk Eye," they were careful to avoid encounters with monsters as much as possible, and if they could not avoid them, they chose to fight the weakest monsters possible. Jeff was following Monica, feeling a sense of security that he could not believe he was in a dungeon. (Are you seriously controlling monster encounters (encounters)?I can''t believe it. Even with my "far-sightedness" I can detect the approach of monsters to some extent, but this man''s "Hawk-Eye" is on a different level. Monica uses "Hawk-Eye" at the crossroads. (At the end of the road on the right, many "armored orcs" are waiting for you. On the left, there are only "Goblins". (The left one is better.) Gentlemen, we are going left here. There are ''goblins'' waiting for you at the end of the road, but don''t be afraid. With your fighting skills, you should have no trouble ...... what?" What''s wrong? No, what is it? Is this ...... a bunch of adventurers coming up behind us?" What are you, a competitor? I''m sure you''ll be fine. Yes, sir. Normally I would, ......, but this is..." (This movement, they are not simply exploring the dungeon. Is it tracking us?(This makes it sound like ......) We''ve seen it over here, too. Jeff catches the enemy in "far-sightedness". It looks like they know we''re here. They''re following us. It''s like ...... is trying to PK us! What? Why on earth? We''re almost there. Weapons at the ready!" d*mn. What do we do?" Do you want to run, ......, or do you want to fight?" Everyone, please remain calm. The speed at which the enemy is moving is considerable. Our agility will not allow us to escape. There is no place to hide. Let''s fight them! Monica said so and immediately used her "Hawk Eye" to find a position that would work to their advantage, taking into account the difference in elevation, wind direction, shielding, and other factors. The "Shield of the Dawn" set up a position in a high, easily defended area, with the shield-bearer Erio in front, Monica and Jeff in shooting positions, and Leon and Cecil in the rear, ready to intercept. The members of the guild "Dragon Knight Iori" were running up the hill to raid the "Shield of Dawn. It''s an unpleasant business, isn''t it? "I don''t like this kind of work at all. But it cannot be stopped. The Dragon''s Fiery Fire has asked us to do this. They give us priority in supplying good weapons. If you say so, I have no choice but to accept your request. If you want to survive as an adventurer on this island, your connection to the Dragon''s Fiery Fire is more important than anything else. I don''t know. The "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" are just small and weak guilds. Let''s just get this over with and get back to what we''re supposed to be doing. It must be. Oh?"It seems that the enemy intends to intercept us. They are setting up a formation. That''s a bold move. Whatever you want. We are far better equipped and better equipped!We''ll kick their asses with one touch of our armor!" Using the shadows of rocks and thickets as shields, the men of Iori advance the archer as close as they can get to him. However, they were quickly rendered ineffective by the fire of Monica and Jeff. They were in cover, but Monica, who had "Hawk-Eye," could see their movements. d*mn, their fire is accurate. I can''t go any further forward!" Having no other choice, they let the bowman (archer) fall back and let the shield-bearer move forward. They bring in the white combat!" The shield-bearer was also cut down by Monica''s shooting. Still, by dividing into three groups, they finally managed to reach the enemy position and engage in a hand-to-hand combat. The "Dragon Knight''s Iori" team now deploys Breda, an ace in B-class equipment. Erio is in the way. The outcome of the battle was left to a one-on-one battle between Erio and Breda. Status of Erio''s "Blue Armor Power: 70 Durability: 70 (20 with "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)") Weight: 50 Special effect: Reflective Suitability rate: 90 Status of Breda''s equipment Power: 70 Durability: 70 Weight: 70 Fitness rate: 50 Two heavyweight warriors (Warrior) clash. Their offensive and defensive strengths were almost equal, but Erio was at a higher altitude, his "coating" had a reflective effect, and Erio had a greater range of motion and a lower agility reduction rate than Breda, due to a higher compatibility rate. The armor was broken and shattered, and Breda was blown away as she fell flat on her back. The "dragon knight''s hermitage" was suddenly on tenterhooks. Leon and Cecil, seeing this, quickly followed up. The "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" was immediately disabled and surrendered to the "Shield of Dawn. When Leon interrogated them, he found out that their attack on the "Shield of Dawn" was at the request of the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". <> 83 - Art. 83. Edgars After kicking off the assassins from "Dragon''s Fires," "Shield of Dawn" then ran up the dungeon and reached the quarry of the "Metal Line. Good. I''m going to collect ''earthcraft'' as planned. I don''t care about other ores. Just ''Earthcraft'' anyway." Among the many ores shining in a variety of colors like jewels, they deliberately selected the most subdued shades of "earthcraft" for their extraction. Hurry up. We don''t have much time. Leon said this with growing impatience. The dragon''s fiery fire attacked us," Leon said with growing impatience. I don''t know what this means, but we need to discuss how to deal with it with Roland as soon as possible. (We must finish the quest and get down the mountain as soon as possible.) While Jeff cut out the "Earth Craft," his eyes were drawn to the "Fire Rest" beside it. The "Fire Rest" sells for more than the "Earth Craft". I can take a little of it home with me, can''t I?) While Jeff was thinking about this, Monica raised her voice. ''Ladies and gentlemen, we are under enemy attack! In the distant sky, a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" could be seen, its hard scales shining and wings flapping. It was Fafnir! "Shit. At a time like this." This is not good. With the equipment we have now ......" Gentlemen, please continue your work. I will handle this." Monica readies her "Silver Iron Breaking Bow" and releases a "Red Arrow. The red arrow ripped through the sky and passed through the body of "Fafnir". (It missed!Is this the penetrating effect of the "red arrow" that Mr. Roland mentioned? (Then it''s ......) Monica next released an arrow, taking into account the trajectory correction caused by the penetrating effect of the "red arrow. The arrow struck the "Fafnir" and exploded its body. The "Fafnir" was split in half, its spine was shattered, and it crashed down with its beautiful scales scattered. Good." Jeff was stunned when he saw Monica''s shot. (I can''t believe she took out a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" that far away with a single shot. ......) Jeff, what''s wrong?" Elio asks worriedly. I''m not sure. It''s nothing." Jeff gives up the "Fire Rest" he was secretly trying to collect and resumes collecting "Earthcraft. I''m going to get stronger. (Be strong, no matter what the cost!) Defeated by "The Shield of Dawn," "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" returned to the city in a crawl. When Edgar and Charles heard the news of their defeat, they twisted their heads. A C-class adventurer should be no match for my B-class equipment. Was Gilbert''s information wrong?Or did the guys at the Hermitage of the Dragon Knight screw up?" I don''t believe there are any B-class adventurers in the micro guilds. In other words, there is nothing suspicious about Mr. Gilbert''s information. I still think the "Hermitage of the Dragon Knight" screwed up. Tsk. They''re useless, those guys." Hey, isn''t that bad?I can''t believe that "Dragon''s Fires" lost to a guild like "Arsenal of Spirits", who knows what kind of guild they are. ...... If the guild leader finds out about this, ...... I guess so. Let''s keep it under wraps for now. Let''s buy ourselves some time. Gilbert listened to their conversation while hiding in the shadows. (Tsk, they''re useless, aren''t they? I told you to be careful with the Hawk-Eye Archer. If we leave it to them, we won''t be able to defeat Roland even if it takes a hundred years. I guess I''ll have to act directly.) Edgar was walking down the corridor, pondering how to cover up his blunder. (We''ll have to quickly reorganize the measures to deal with the "Spirit Arsenal. (Let''s put out the fire for the time being. If we don''t do something, the guild leader will definitely get the wrong impression of us. We have to cover it up somehow.) Mr. Edgar." When Edgar turned around, Wayne, one of the staff members in charge of equipping "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage," came running up to him. He asked, "How did you like the armor I made for you?Wasn''t that a nice touch?" Wayne, who knew nothing about it, said snidely. He didn''t seem to know that the "dragon knight''s hermitage" had been bumped off yet. Edgar looked at Wayne''s face for a while and then came up with a good idea (Or we could use this guy.) I liked that armor you made," he said. That armor was mostly the work of you ......, not you alone. I''m totally indebted to you for helping me out with my work like this. No, no, no, no. You''re overreacting. How''s it going there?If it''s okay with you, I can report this job to the guild president as a credit to you and recommend you for a senior staff position?" What?Is that okay?" Yeah, sure. I feel bad. I can''t believe I asked you to go that far." Don''t worry about it. Report the facts as they are and reward them with the recognition they deserve. That''s all there is to it, isn''t it?" Thank you. I can''t believe you appreciated me that much. I will continue to follow you, Mr. Edgar. Yeah, keep up the good work." Edgar chuckled as he watched Wayne''s back as he walked away in high spirits. (Simple guy. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to sacrifice you.) Edgar made a few adjustments to his broken armor and went under the medes on his feet. ''May I, Guildmaster?'' Oh, Edgar. How''s that ''arsenal of spirits'' measure working out for you?I hope it''s going well?" It''s been a little strange. Strange? Yes, sir. In fact, I received a complaint about the equipment from the "dragon knight''s hermitage," which was put in charge of countermeasures against the "Arsenal of Spirits. Look at this armor. What''s this?It''s in shreds. Did you make this?" No, it was Wayne who made it. Wayne? Yes. When I told him about the "Arsenal of Spirits," he was strangely eager to have me do the work. ..." I see. So this is what happened?" Look here. Do you see how strangely thin the armor is?" Hm. Indeed. The armor is unbelievably thin for a piece of armor. What were you thinking when you designed it like this?Who was in charge of the design?" Charles was in charge of the design. I told Wayne to manufacture the armor according to Charles'' design, but this thin piece of armor is not according to Charles'' blueprints. Edgar showed them the blueprints that Charles had drawn. ''Indeed. There is nothing suspicious about the blueprints. Why on earth would Wayne do this? I''m not sure what to say. I''ve been hearing some unsavory rumors about Wayne. "Bad rumors?" Yes. I heard he was meeting with Roland''s guy and talking about something. What?With Roland''s guy? That''s right. Well, I didn''t say anything because it''s up to him who he meets with, but maybe it has something to do with this case. Call the Wayne guy. Wait a minute. If you question the Wayne guy directly, he might just blurt it out. Sure thing. No fool would honestly admit that he had committed a breach of trust. I have an idea. I haven''t told him that the armor came back in this condition. "Oh?Is that so?" So let''s keep the damage to the armor under wraps and first get a statement from him that he was in charge of the manufacture of this armor. I will tell him that the armor came back intact and was very well received by the ''dragon knight hermitage. Then we''ll ask him about the breach of trust." I understand. Do that." Edgar immediately brought Wayne to the front of the guild president''s office. We have a meeting before entering the room. ''Well, as I said before, you were in charge of Breda''s armor. I''m recommending you for the senior staff position. Is that clear?" Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you." Good. Excuse me, Guild President." Edgar knocked on the door and entered the guild president''s office. He said, "Oh, my God. Thank you both for coming. Sorry about that. I didn''t mean to call you here while you were working. No, no, not at all. Wayne. Edgar told me about you. It seems you''ve been working very hard this time against the Arsenal of Spirits. No, no, no. No, it''s not. I''m just making what I''m told. It''s a great achievement to be able to do so much work at such a young age," he said. Breda, a B-class adventurer at the Hermitage of the Dragon Knight, said he was very satisfied with the armor. In fact, I looked over the armor myself and found it to be quite well made. I heard that you made that armor. Yes, sir. Yes, indeed, I took full responsibility for its manufacture! I was very happy with the results. I see. I knew you were the one who made that armor. ...... Yes. Quite a gem, wasn''t it?" f*ck you!Look at this!" The guild leader rolled up the cloth beside him, revealing broken armor. He then slams the broken armor toward Wayne''s feet. What?What is this?How in the world did this happen? ......" I''m the one who wants to ask. What the hell are you doing?How could they make armor with such thin armoring like this? How dare you bring such disgrace to the Guild!" Wayne looked at the thin armored section and paled. I said, "Nah, that''s ridiculous. I''m not wearing my armor thin like this ....... There''s been a mistake! You''re so plain and simple.) Medes squints his paranoid little eyes even more and glares at Wayne. I wonder if this guy has been paid off by Roland?In any case, it''s no good having a guy like this wandering around the guild.) I see. You claim to have been in charge of manufacturing the armor, but you don''t know anything about this broken part, do you?All right. I understand exactly what you''re saying. You can step back now." Wayne left the guild president''s office in a daze. Hey, Wayne. You okay?" Oh, Mr. Edgar. I ...... am really something. I don''t ...... armor like that." I know. You''re not the kind of guy who would do something like that. There must have been some misunderstanding." But the guild leader said ...... Yeah, I totally doubt you. But don''t worry. I''m going to clear up this misunderstanding. Are you sure? Yeah, so just go back to your post. You still have work to do. Yes, sir. Um, please take care of me! Yeah, I got it. However, despite Edgar''s words, Wayne was notified of his termination. Wayne was kicked out of the workshop (atelier) on the same day. Edgar did not say a word to Wayne as he left. He said, "d*mn it. Edgar. That son of a b*tc* set me up, didn''t he?I thought it was funny. I thought it was strange that that graft-hungry bastard would be so generous as to give us an important job and let us keep the flowers. When things seem to be going well, he flatter us, and then he takes the credit. When things go wrong, he just puts all the blame on us and ignores us. Wayne glared at the "Dragon''s Fireside" studio with hatred. I''m not going to let this end like this. I''ll make sure I get my revenge. <> 84 - Art. 84. The Tough Newcomers After returning to the city after procuring "Earthcraft," "Shield of Dawn" visited the "Arsenal of Spirits" first thing in the morning. Leon immediately shared information with Roland about what had happened in the dungeon. The "Dragon''s Fires" attacked? Yeah, we interrogated the guys who attacked us, and that''s what they said. "...... I see." (The "Dragon''s Fires" attacked the "Shield of Dawn" ....... The aim is to hit the "Arsenal of Spirits" (ours) in all likelihood. Does this mean that they are finally starting to feel threatened by us?But then the response seems half-hearted?) ''Roland, what are you going to do?Shouldn''t we do something about it?" I''ll be fine. No matter how good the alchemists of "Dragon''s Fireside" are, the adventurers who attack them are B or C class at best. Aina''s "coating" and Monica''s "hawk eye" are no match for them. There is no need to change our plans." So we''re still going to collect ''Earthcraft'' as before?" Yeah, that''s no problem. Just let me know if you catch any more movement on "Dragon''s Fires. Okay. Mr. Roland. May I?" When I finished conferring with Leon, Aina came running up to me. Aina," he said. What''s wrong?" I asked Monica about the usability of the ''Red Arrow,'' and she said it was compatible with the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow. Hm. It is true that the "Red Arrow" is a weapon developed for the "Ryusenkyu". It is not compatible with the ''Silver Iron Breaking Bow''? Roland thinks for a moment, then turns to Aina. Aina. Do you want to make a new piece of equipment for Monica? What?Me?" I thought it was time for you to take on the task of manufacturing Class A equipment. Class A. ...... I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. From now on, I think I''ll be putting more emphasis on appraising adventurers, so I''ll have to leave the management of the workshop to someone else. I''m going to put you in charge of that. Me? If you can make Class A equipment from scratch, I have no doubt you can handle it. How about it?Wanna give it a try?" Yes, sir. I will do it. Let me do it! (Okay. Let''s go for it.) Aina got fired up in her mind. Roland is pleased to hear her reply. (It looks like Aina will be fine for now. Monica''s participation was unplanned, but it''s a great opportunity for Aina to gain experience with A-class equipment.) Well," he said, "I''ll see you later. I''ll have to rush to replenish my new staff." (In addition to retail sales of "Exterior Enhancement (Coating)", the production of A-class equipment. It is obvious that Aina''s workload will increase. We need to hire new staff to prepare for this.) Roland was already arranging interviews. It was almost time for the prospective interviewees to arrive. (The "dragon''s fiery fire" attacked. For now, Aina''s "Coating" and Monica''s "Hawk-Eye" have been able to keep them at bay, but that will be in jeopardy if the enemy starts to use their mages. We also need to hurry up and find an alchemist who can make equipment for mages (......). Roland appraises the skills of the young man who applied. [Wayne''s unique skills]. Cutting": E to A (Found. The owner of the unique skill "Magic Stone Cutting (Cutting)"!You can make equipment for mages. (And ......) Wayne''s Skills] Metal Forming": B to A ("Metal Forming" is also already class B. Class A qualities in the future. This would help Aina with her work) My name is Wayne Merza. Before I came here, I worked at Dragon''s Fires." How. At the Dragon''s Fireside. That''s great. Why did you quit?" When Roland asked this, Wayne jerked and moved his eyebrows grimly. ''I''ve been having a bit of ...... trouble,'' he said. Wayne said this with a bitter look on his face. ?"I see. For now, what we''d like you to do for us is ''metal forming'' and ......, and later on, we''d like you to be in charge of equipment for mages." Yeah, sure. I''ll make you a sword, a staff, anything you want. After all, I am an alchemist who used to work in "Dragon''s Fires. I think I can make something better than your alchemist. What?(You''re a very confident man.) I understand. Then, I will hire you. As soon as possible, can you come tomorrow?" We can start today, not tomorrow. Is that so?Then, let''s have you join our workshop (atelier) today. However, since we are nearing the end of our business today, the most we will do is a face to face meeting and a meeting for tomorrow. ...... Yeah, that''s fine. There''s nothing better than getting those things done quickly. Aina was molding an iron bow, remembering the new assignment from Roland. ''Improving your skills......?'' The "Metal Forming" B and "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" C are not enough to make A-class equipment. At the very least, one of them needs to be class A." I see. But what we''re going to do is the same as before. Make equipment and aim to improve your status. Just be aware of the specs for Class A equipment as you work. Yes." You''re really into this, Aina. As Aina was making a bow and arrow, Roddy approached her. ''Yes, Roland has put me in charge of the A-class equipment. I have to work harder than ever. Aina, Roddy. Good night." Roland comes into the workshop (atelier) saying so. Ah, Mr. Roland, good evening. Aina noticed a strange young man next to Roland as she greeted him. She asked, "Mr. Roland, who is he?" Let me introduce you. He is Wayne Merza. He is the newest alchemist to join the ''Arsenal of Spirits. Oh, you mean the new employee I was telling you about? Yeah, I finally found the right person. Heh. I''m glad to hear that. I''m Aina. Nice to meet you. Aina smilingly extends her hand to Wayne for a handshake. Wayne does not respond, but looks around the workshop (atelier). (Oh, what is that?Didn''t you hear me?) Aina put her hand back in puzzlement. My workbench, is it over there?" No, that''s Aina''s workbench. Yours is over here." What is it? The crude one?" Wayne turned to Roddy. I''m Roddy," Wayne said. Nice to meet you. Oh, hi. I''m in charge of ''product design. If you have any questions, just ask. Heh, okay. I can do product design myself. What?Is that so?" Yes. I''m from Dragon''s Fires. "Oh, really? You come from the Dragon''s Fiery Fire? Aina bites. That''s great. Speaking of ''Dragon''s Fires,'' isn''t that the biggest company on the island? Roddy said. I guess I have more to teach you all than I do. Now, guys, enough chit-chat. Now that Wayne has joined us, let''s have a meeting about tomorrow. Roland said. Tomorrow we are going to make about 20 pieces of ''armor C'' with ''coating''. Aina, you''ll be in charge of the project. Yes, sir." Wayne frowns when he hears this. What is this workshop (atelier)?(What the hell is a woman in charge?) ''Well then, Wayne. She''ll explain it to you as soon as possible: ......" I''m not kidding. I''m not going to follow a woman''s lead. What do you mean? The point is to make 10 pieces of armor C, right? I''ll do it on my own. Well, then, that''s that. I don''t like what you just said, Wayne. Roland said. ''Yes?" Take it back. Take it back. When Roland said this, Wayne''s expression was hostile. Roland, too, looks severely defeated. The workshop became quiet as if water had been poured over it. Didn''t you hear me?Take back what you just said." Heh, I don''t understand what you mean. What''s wrong with what I said?" I see. Then you don''t have to come to this studio anymore. What? Aina is our ace. We can''t have her getting off track by someone who ignores orders because of her gender or some other incomprehensible reason. ......" Wayne, you are an alchemist too. There will be times when you will want to ego-boost. But only after you meet our minimum requirements. We don''t want anyone in our guild who only disturbs harmony and can''t contribute to the team. Roland pointed to the exit. If you can''t respect her, then your contract is terminated," Roland said. Get out of this guild immediately. Wayne and Roland glanced at each other for a moment. Silence reigned. Tch. All right," Wayne said. Just ask. Wayne reluctantly turns to Aina''s desk. Aina was having a meeting with him, but inwardly she was feeling unconvinced. What the hell is this guy? He''s so rude. It''s okay. If you want to be friends with me, I don''t want to be friends with you either.) Roddy sensitively read her feelings from Aina''s complexion. (Ahhhh.... The team is already falling apart. I wonder if it''s okay. Is it okay like this? Roland is Roland, too. We were in a good mood. I don''t know why we bothered to hire this guy. ......) The day ended with a meeting for tomorrow. The next day, Wayne was headed for the "Spirit Arsenal," mumbling and complaining. d*mn, that''s depressing. (d*mn, it''s depressing to think that I, a B-class armorer at the "Dragon''s Fires," have to work for a guild like this, and for a woman like that.) When Wayne passed through the entrance of the workshop (atelier), he saw Roland sitting in a chair at the end of the hallway. (Is that Roland?What are you doing?) Roland was single-mindedly staring at the sword. He didn''t even notice that Wayne had entered the room. Wayne noticed Roland''s eyes glowing dimly. (That''s an appraisal skill. Is this guy an appraiser ......?) Tsk." (The guild leader is an appraiser and the person in charge is a woman. (A reckless guild.) Wayne opened and closed the door roughly and entered the workshop. When he entered the workshop, Aina and Roddy were already there. Aina was cleaning her hammer, wiping it with a cloth. When she saw Wayne, she turned away with a pout. Wayne, being Wayne, did not say a word. (I knew it. Neither of them spoke a word.) Roddy was uncomfortable between the two of them. (Huh. The atmosphere is so bad. I''m going to lose my temper like this.) Are we all here?" Ah, Mr. Loran. ...... Roland looked around the workshop (atelier) and immediately noticed that the atmosphere had changed drastically from yesterday. It''s tense. It''s a good atmosphere. (Maybe something good or bad will happen today.) He said, "All right. Then, as I said yesterday, Aina and Wayne will make 10 pieces of armor C each with ''metal molding. Aina will then do ''exterior reinforcement (coating). Roddy will support them. You both have the blueprints." Roland looks at Aina and Wayne and sees the blueprints on their desks. Roland looks at Aina and Wayne. Then start." (Armor C, huh? (Tsk. Shoddy work, isn''t it?) Wayne raises the hammer languidly and slams it down on the block of steel. The mass of iron is crushed as it heats up. But we''ve got to stay here for now. I''m going to get revenge on Edgar. To do that, I have to gather up my strength first. I''m going to look back at those people from "Dragon''s Fires" who kicked me out. This is no time to be stumbling around here! Wayne crushed the iron one after another and put them together into one piece. (The point is to make a better weapon than that woman, right?Then Roland will have to admit that I''m a good guy.) The iron was solidifying into one solid piece on Wayne''s workbench. (Good. (Good. It''s looking good. This should meet the requirements of the blueprint. What about that woman ......, eh?) Aina hammered away with tremendous speed, and the armor was already taking shape. (Is, fast!(And the quality seems pretty good ......) Roland appraised Aina''s status. Aina''s status. Arm strength (power): 50 (up 10) - 60 (up 10) Endurance (toughness): 40-50 Agility: 70 (up 10)-80 (up 10) Physical strength (stamina): 60-70 (Endurance (toughness) has stabilized, and arm strength (power) and agility (agility) have increased. You''ve been slack lately, but the addition of Wayne has awakened you with a renewed sense of urgency. (On the other hand, ......) [Wayne''s status]. Arm strength (power): 40-70 Endurance (toughness): 40-70 Agility: 20-50 Physical strength (stamina): 40-70 (Wayne''s status. Quicksilver''s highest values are generally high, but too uneven. Terrible status. Wasn''t there any good guidance on status adjustment in "Dragon''s Fireside"?(You can''t even get half of your strength out of this thing.) Roland-san, the first piece of armor C is ready! Aina said. (What? It''s already done?) Wayne looked up at Aina in surprise. On her desk rested the armor that she had finished molding. Aina also looked at the top of Wayne''s workbench. There was only a piece of armor that was still in the process of being made. Not even half of the process had been completed. (Phew, even for an alchemist who worked for "Dragon''s Fires," it''s not like this.) Yes," he said. Perfect." Roland, who had appraised Aina''s armor, said. Keep it up. Yes, sir." (d*mn, that''s bad. If I don''t do something, my rating will go up to ....... I have to hurry.) Wayne tries to pick up the pace. However, the more he rushed, the more he was spinning his wheels. The faster he tried to swing the hammer, the harder he tried, and the harder he tried, the less accurate he could hit. The gap between Wayne and Aina was widening, and his exhaustion was only getting worse. I''ve got to do something.) Wayne tries to run and get the ore. He said, "Oh, hey, you''re going to ......." Roddy tried to stop him. Move it!" Wayne pushes Roddy away and reaches for the shelf. The shelf almost fell over. Wayne tried to get the shelf back up, but he couldn''t muster the strength. (Oh no, I can''t get it up.) The ore and armaments in the shelves are about to fall on Wayne. Look out!" Just as the shelf is about to tip over, Roland holds it up in the nick of time. Wayne was only hit in the hand by a small piece of ore. Are you okay?" Ouch." [Wayne''s status. Arm strength (power): 10 (K?30) - 70 I''m losing power. You can''t even hit iron properly with that kind of status. Go rest for a while. "d*mn, I know." Hey, you''re hurt. Roddy looked at Wayne''s bleeding hand and said. ''Are you okay?Do you know where the medicine chest is?" Let go of me!"I''m not a kid. I can find that much on my own!" Wayne leaves the workshop (atelier) and heads for the break room. Mr. Roland, are you all right?" Aina ran up to me. ''Oh, I''m fine. I''m fine. You looked good today. What?Oh, no, I don''t think so. Yeah, at this rate, I''m sure your skills will be right up there." Really? I''m looking forward to seeing you in Class A equipment. Yes!I''ll do my best." Mr. Roland, what are you going to do after this?" Roddy asked as he put away the armor Wayne was about to make. Aina will use ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' as planned. Roddy, please support Aina. I understand. (Aina and Roddy are fine with this, but the problem is Wayne. He''s a little tricky. He''s a bit of a handful.) 85 - 85. The Right Competitor Aina and Wayne were competing today at the "Arsenal of Spirits. The quota for the day was to make 10 swords. Wayne and Aina were working on the fifth sword. Wayne and Aina were working on the fifth sword. (Good, I can keep up with Aina''s speed today. If we keep this up, we''ll be all right.) Wayne adds the final stroke to complete the sword. However, the result was a little delicate as a sword C. (A little subtle?Durability, is it enough?It''s enough, right?(Okay, on to the next sword: ......) Wayne!" Wayne was startled when Roland called out to him. What the hell?" That sword is class D. It''s not durable enough." I said, "No, that can''t be true. There must be some mistake. There is no such thing as a mistake. As head of the guild, I cannot put a sword of such quality on the market. Let''s start over. d*mn. ...... Wayne has no choice but to prepare new iron. (d*mn, Roland is taking up a lot of my time.) Wayne manages to speed up the hammering in an attempt to catch up with Aina. However, the more he tried to catch up with Aina''s speed, the less accurate his swing became. Wayne, you''re getting sloppy. You need to be slower and more careful. No, I''m doing it properly and carefully. It''s all right. I''m sure this will meet your requirements. However, Wayne is now unable to hold the hammer satisfactorily. (What?(Fingertip strength: ......) Wayne is unable to swing the hammer down on the hitting point, unnecessarily grinding the steel. Duh." [Wayne Merza''s status. Arm strength (power): 20 (K20) - 70 Endurance (toughness): 40-70 (Arm strength (power) is decreasing. (Is the status unstable as ever?) Wayne''s molding iron was getting shabbier and shabbier. Roland, unable to bear the sight, decided to speak up. Wayne, your arm strength (power) is going down," Roland said. Your endurance (toughness) is unstable, so your performance is unstable because your status is easily degraded. Until your endurance (toughness) stabilizes, have Roddy help you with the work." I''m fine with this. I''m better off doing it alone ......, I''m in better shape this way." (I knew it. (I knew it. You don''t seem like the type of person who listens to advice.) Roddy looks at Wayne with blank eyes. (Aww, Roland had just given me some advice, but I turned it down. He''s getting worse and worse. What are you going to do? If you''re not fast enough and not good enough, you''re only going to make your position worse. Do you understand?) Wayne continued to force himself to make it on his own, but what he ended up with was an E-class sword. In the meantime, Aina finished making 10 C-class swords. Yes, I''m done. Roddy, put these away. Uh, yeah. I''m going to the common room. Aina leaves the hammer with Roddy and leaves the workshop. d*mn." Wayne slammed his E-class sword against the workbench. The sword breaks and shatters cruelly on the workbench. Roddy frowned. He''s got too much attitude. He should be more concerned about the people he has to support.) What are you doing, Wayne? What are you doing, Wayne? Roland said so, but Wayne didn''t answer him and walked away from the scene as if he was trying to regroup. Wait a minute." Roland grabs Wayne by the shoulders and holds him back. What the hell?" Wayne glared at Roland with a face that looked as if it was about to bite him. Why are you in such a hurry?" ......" Did it have anything to do with your retirement from ''Dragon''s Fires'' by any chance?" I''m not. I''m not in a hurry. Let go of me! Wayne shook off Roland''s hand. Hey, where you going? Don''t follow me." Wayne grits his teeth as he exits the workshop. (Why?Why can''t I beat her?Am I inferior to her in skill and status?No, it can''t be. I''m just not feeling well today. I''m sure tomorrow I''ll be .........) Roland and Roddy cleaned up the mess on the workbench. (Wayne''s guy is totally spinning his wheels. If this continues, it will have a negative impact on the entire workshop (atelier). Something must be done.) Roland. Can I have a word?" Roland turned around at the voice calling him. He saw Dylan standing at the entrance to the workshop. His expression was not very good. The store is buying equipment from me.Why on earth ......" Apparently they are concerned about maintenance." Maintenance?" The arms dealers on this island make ends meet not only by charging for equipment, but also by generating income from maintenance fees. Most of the arms dealers have alchemists as their employees, and they take care of the maintenance of worn out weapons. But this ''exterior reinforced (coated)'' blue armor is ......" Only Aina can service ......? That''s what I mean. In order for the equipment to be distributed at retail, it has to be something that can be serviced by an alchemist who has only ordinary skills, not unique skills." I see." (I thought that as long as I could differentiate my products, they would sell easily, but I guess my unique skill set turned out to be a turnoff...) I get it. I''ll see what I can do about that. Let''s hold off on expanding our retail sales channels for now. Dylan, I want you to get back to work on sales to the Adventurers'' Guild. Okay. Aina, Roddy. Do you have a minute?" Roland approached them as they were about to begin their afternoon''s work. Roland said, "Yes, sir. Yes?" We''ve run into a little problem with expanding our retail distribution channels. According to Dylan, ......" Roland told us exactly what Dylan had told him. I see. A maintenance fee? That was a blind spot. If this continues, our efforts to expand our retail distribution channel will be frustrated. So I''m thinking of developing new equipment. I would like to develop a new equipment that can be maintained by an ordinary alchemist, while applying "exterior reinforcement (coating)". So, Aina and Roddy. I want you to take a break from your normal duties and concentrate on the development of this new equipment." "Away from normal operations. ....... But then what about normal business?" Wayne will handle it. ...... okay?"He''ll take care of it." Aina is overtly disbelieving. ''I know Wayne has a problem. I''ll take care of that on my end. Anyway, I want you guys to concentrate on developing new equipment. I understand. Aina immediately started developing new equipment. First, she decided to apply "exterior reinforcement (coating)" to various colors of paint. (When developing new equipment, the blue "coating" is not good enough. (If we develop new equipment, we should look for new special effects other than "Reflection".) Aina took out the used armor she had stored in the warehouse, painted it in a variety of colors, and applied the granting magic to each one. Some of the armor just held the granting magic without any particular reaction, but some hardened or turned to jelly. (Okay. Some reacted. They must have some special effect. I''ll have Mr. Roland appraise them and send them to Roddy (design). Roddy drew the blueprints. (When it comes to equipment ...... that can be maintained by an ordinary alchemist, "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" cannot be put outside. If the exterior is scraped in battle, it can only be repaired by Aina''s "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)". But as the name implies, "exterior reinforcement (coating)" protects the exterior. It protects the exterior without letting the paint show on the outside. Hmmm. (It''s a contradiction.) As Roddy was scratching his head and grunting in front of his paper and pencil, Loran and Aina came in. Roddy, how are you doing?" Oh, Mr. Roland. Oh no, you''re having difficulty." Hm. Let''s see. This design is to put ...... "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" inside. The blueprints drawn by Roddy showed a pattern of Aina''s "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" sandwiched between the steel exterior and interior. Yes," Roddy said. If we can''t repair the exterior reinforcement (coating), we''ll put it inside. But it''s no good. This would not protect the exterior, so it would be a complete failure. No, it''s not a bad idea. Look at this." Roland shows Roddy a used piece of armor with a green membrane clinging to it. Roddy touched the green membrane. He asked, "Does this feel like ...... rubber?" Aina''s newly discovered ''coating'' has a special effect called ''flexibility''. [Status of used armor Strength: 10 Durability: 30 (20 with "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)") Special Effects: Elasticity (Flexibility) Flexibility" is an effect that indicates flexibility. With this special effect, even if the coating is inserted inside the armor, it may be possible to bring out the protective function of the ''coating''. I see. I''ll give it a try right away." Let''s have a meeting. Aina and Roddy began to argue about this and that based on the blueprints and new special effects. (Both Aina and Roddy are gaining a better understanding of their own skills. (Both Aina and Roddy are getting a better understanding of their own skills, which is a good trend. Not only their manufacturing ability, but also their development speed has increased. Well, we''ve got this one under control for now, next is Wayne''s.) Roland went back to recruiting people to find a partner for Wayne. (Wayne is out of shape because he is conscious of Aina''s agility and tries to force himself to work faster. His overly competitive mindset is getting in the way. He needs the right kind of competitor, someone on the same level, to make his competitive spirit work in the right direction.) Soon the perfect person appeared. The young man had short black hair, a hard-edged appearance, an air of aloofness, and a slight, thin build, but he was not in any way inefficient; he had springy, toned muscles and seemed agile to the eye. Skills and Status of Eyes Garner Skills Metal Forming": C to B Status Arm strength (power): 40-60 Endurance (toughness): 40-60 (Found. An alchemist with about the same arm strength (power) and endurance (toughness) as Wayne, who is out of shape. (And ......) [Ize Garner''s status. Agility: 70-90 (Agility is very high. Even if he doesn''t have any unique skills, he will be able to crush it as a support staff.) My name is Ize Garner. The workshop (atelier) of the guild I belonged to was damaged by the recent "Grand Fafnir" landslide, and I lost my job. My agility is high, so I am confident in my quickness of hand and foot. I was a support staff member at my former workshop (atelier). I see. I understand. Then, I will ask you to work as support staff at our company as well. But, if you don''t mind, I was wondering if you could be our main staff for the first time." The main staff? Yes. We are currently short of temporary "metal molding" staff. We intend to fill the position sooner or later, but we would like you to be in charge of "metal molding" only in the beginning. Of course, we will pay you an allowance for that. I don''t mind. I''m not that strong, you know.I don''t know if I can do metal molding. It''s all right. We will support you well. We won''t let you do anything crazy. I understand. Okay." Thus, the next day, Ize entered the "Arsenal of Spirits. When Wayne opened the door and entered the workshop, he noticed that things were a little different from yesterday. (An?What is it?There''s one more workbench. And it''s right next to my workbench (......) Good morning. Wayne." "Roland, what''s with the extra workbench?" Yeah, it''s a workbench for newbies. Rookie ......?" Yes. Aina has been asked to work on the development of new equipment. I hired someone to take her place. Hmm." (Tsk. Aina''s working on new equipment, and I''m still wearing C-class equipment. d*mn. I can''t do this.) He should be here by now. ......, oh, I see he''s here. Let me introduce you. This is Ize." Hi there. My name is Eise Gallner. Oh. Ize. Here''s your workbench." Roland indicated the workbench right next to Wayne. We''re making Armor C. Here are the blueprints. Class C? Then, well, I guess I can manage to make it. Wayne looks at Ize quizzically. What''s this? This guy. Is he okay?) Ize was previously a support staff member, and this is his first time as the main molding person. Seeing Wayne''s expression, Roland supplemented. Oh, is that so?" Well, let''s get started anyway." Roland sets up a partition between Wayne and Aina so that they cannot be aware of each other. In this way, he allowed Wayne to concentrate on his competition with Aiz and then let the work begin. As soon as the work started, Ize started pounding the iron at a tremendous speed. (Hey, is this guy fast?It is also more ...... than Aina. Oh no. Even Aina''s losing more games than me. I can''t even lose to this guy. ......) However, the armor molded by the Eyes soon began to crumble. After all, the armor produced by Aiz was E-Class. What?I wonder why. It won''t work." Wayne is weak with a gulp. (What the hell is this guy? Just because he''s fast doesn''t mean he has any quality at all!You scared the shit out of me.) d*mn. What the hell is going on? That''s how you do metal molding. Wayne swings the hammer and firmly strikes the ore. The ore changes shape and solidifies. The ore changes shape and solidifies. You have to put that much force into it. All you do is move your hands quickly and neglect each and every stroke. Do it more slowly and carefully. Yes, sir. Wayne and Ize slowed their pace and began to strike the iron carefully. The iron did not crumble, but formed the armor. Roland watched them carefully. (I guess it was a success for now.) Saki then brings me a cup of tea. Good night." Saki. Thank you." I see you have a new member of your team. Yeah. I am glad to hear that your business is on track. Mr. Wayne has lost some of his strength today, and he seems to be in good shape. Yesterday you were spinning out of control like that. Yesterday, I was out of shape because I was forcing myself to compete with Aina in agility, but now that my competition has changed to Ize, I seem to have gotten myself back on track. Did you bother to get a new one for that?" Wayne is a sore loser who hates advice from others. Since I can''t give him advice, I have no choice but to change his environment so that he can get back in shape on his own." I see. I see. You are very good at using people. Not so much. Besides, we haven''t finished the day''s work yet." [Wayne Merza''s status]. Arm strength (power): 30 (K?10) - 70 Endurance (toughness): 30 (K?10) - 70 [Ize Garner''s status. Arm strength (power): 30 (K?10) - 60 Endurance (toughness): 30 (K?10) - 60 (They are both starting to lose power and toughness. The afternoon will be the real battle.) Saki. Yes. Tell Roddy to come over this afternoon." Afternoon. Wayne and Ize both took a good dose of potion with lunch to recover their strength (stamina) and started working again. "Shhhh," said Wayne. Now that my stamina is restored, I''m going to finish my quota today. Wayne is fired up and resumes work on Armor C. (He made 4 pieces of armor C in the morning. (I made 4 pieces of armor C in the morning, and I will make sure to complete my quota of 10 pieces today.) Wayne glances at Ize next to him. Ize has only made three pieces of armor C yet. (Good. I can beat this guy.) Wayne regains his composure and naturally concentrates on the fabrication process. Pssst." Ize frowned. Hm?"What''s wrong?" No, I just couldn''t get my arms around it." What?You''re sloppy, dude. You''re not going to get your quota if you''re like that. ...... Wayne noticed that when he swung the hammer down, the recoil returning to his arm was greater than before. (Yikes. I''m losing power, too. d*mn. I thought I was going to make my quota today. (If only my status was perfect: ......) Ize. Got a minute?" Roland interrupted. ''Uh, yes.'' Ize stops his hand honestly. The iron molding doesn''t seem to be working. Maybe your arm strength is down?" That''s right," he said. I only put in the proper amount of effort about once every two times. I knew it. Well, you''ll have Roddy''s support this afternoon. Support? Oh, Roddy, help him out. You do all the heavy lifting except for the molding of the Eyes." Yes," he said. I''ll take care of it." I was like, "Wow, this kind of thing is possible here. That''s great. They have a lot of support. Roddy immediately turned to Ize for support. He would haul ore, transport products, clean the workbench, and do everything else except hammer the iron. I''ll turn the armor inside out," he said. This is where you''re going to hit next, right?" With Roddy moving the armor, Ize can concentrate on the molding process. It''s amazing," he said. It''s amazing that you know exactly where you want to hit. Mr. Roddy, do you have a high rank in metal molding? No way. I''m just used to providing support. No, thank you. My arm was getting tired easily and I couldn''t put any effort into it. Regaining his form, Ize molds his armor again. He completed the fourth piece of armor, Armor C. Oh no! If I don''t do something, they will catch up to me.) Wayne felt a sense of crisis. Hey, Roddy. Next is this way. Support me." What?I thought you didn''t want my support?" Just support me." Yes, yes. You''re a real hard man to deal with. (Good grief. He probably doesn''t realize how much Roland has helped him get back on track. Well, if that''s okay with Roland, then so be it.) Roddy supported Wayne with a wry smile. Thus, Roddy took turns supporting the two of them, reducing the wear and tear on their status. That day, Wayne received 8 armor C and Ize received 7 armor C. Although they did not reach their quotas, their status exhaustion was kept to a minimum and status recovery occurred the next day. [Wayne Merza''s status]. Arm strength (power): 50 (10) - 70 Endurance (toughness): 50 (up 10)-70 Agility: 30 (up 10)-50 Stamina: 60-70 <> 86 - Art. 86. The World of Class 둤ιSǤϽդդȤbg_дĥƤ 褷դϥΥޤ򤳤ʤ뤼 Ϥޤ͘IrgФäƤˤ⤫餺Ŀ΄äɤ褦ȤƤ ϤޤĿ΄褷Ĥˤτ٤äʡĤ򵹤дΤϥʤĤ򵹤С⤳ΰ򥮥ɤΥ`ȤJᤶäޤ ٶȥĮҊ τ¤äƤ ʤˤã ?ʩ`ΥȥƩ` ? ͡£ ?Ʃ` (ѥ`)` ;(եͥ)` ΄¥饹ʤ Ϥ󤵤ΥɥХΤǥ륢åפߤä դϥǥΥݩ`ȤʤǤ͡ `ޤʤˤäꥹ륢åפȤϡ ȻȤ ޥ衣ġä핤Ϥå饹Ρ͡äΤˡ⤦¥饹ˤʤääƤΤå饹¥饹ϤޤǤˤϡgҪäƤΤˡ򥳥Ĥդǡ ϥη귵ä á󡣽դϥΥ_ɤǤʤ{Ӥ衹 áҰɣ ?ĥΥƩ` (ѥ`)` ;(եͥ)` (ƥ)? 󡢤褦䤯Ʃ`ȫˑ⤤ߺϤ˥ȥƩ`򥢥åפAΡ礦ɤ֡ˤʤäƤ 󤵩` ʤĤ(ѩ`ƥ)򳬤ƤƤ ʡɤ ˥äװääƤߤǤɡҊƤޤ Ф ϚݤŤʤ褦ĤƤʤIҊ롣 줬ʤäʸʯ|Τʸ䤬ʣ ʤäʸ `ƥ󥰡ˤ ;ã`ƥ󥰡ˤ ℿ(ե쥭ӥƥ) ʤۤɡʸˏ(ե쥭ӥƥ)򸶼Ӥ;äϤΤ Ϥ ;ãǤ⡢줸㡺yuƹˤϽ줫ʤ ʤǤ͡ kʯһʹäƤ顣⤦äBäƤߤ褦 Ϥ ϤλԒ„ƚnyߤ롣 áĤ顣ιʸʤȣԽװݤ衣СɤηHǤʤ䤬äƣ Է֤ĮˑäI_롣 죿󤵤󡣽դ½Kä󤸤㣿 ˼hԤä 뤻 ϤūؓƤϤͤ裡 ΤġդϥΥޤ_ɤǤ͡ ʤϡԷ֤IˑäΤҊԽƤˤԤä󤬵ҊƤΤϥʤȥˤϥХХä ߤ͡ˡoΟ𡻤ǃPƤΤȤϤ롣{ӤȡƤ褦 ˽⤦Ƥޤ͡ ʤϤ¤ʸuȡ줫ΤǤä θĤ(ȥꥨ)ȫˤӰ푤򼰤ܤƤʡϤꤳΥߥ󥰤ǥȤäƤä ǥOӋƤ (Aina is working hard to make class A equipment. I''ll have to support her with my skill "Product Design") As Roddy was drawing lines on a piece of paper, I could see the lines emerging vaguely on the still-blank area of the paper. (What is it?I can get an image of the design even though I haven''t written anything down yet. I feel that if I draw lines according to this image, I will be able to draw a good blueprint. (What the heck is this ......) As Roddy drew the lines according to his image, he completed the blueprints for the Class A equipment. Loran appraises Roddy''s skills. (This is ...... a happy miscalculation. Roddy got to Class A first?) [Roddy Leavitt''s skills. Product Design": A (1) At that time, at "Dragon''s Fireside". Guild leader, this way please for authorization. Edgar submitted an application to Medes for additional funds to be allocated for the "Arsenal of the Spirits" measure. An additional budget," Edgar said. Well, this time the circumstances are different. It''s unavoidable. Medes signed the documents submitted by Edgar, as if he was too lazy to do so. (Whew. For a while I wondered what would happen, but now I can make new equipment again. Wait and see, "Arsenal of the Spirits. Next time I''m going to crush you once and for all!) Edgar, be careful not to make the same mistake. "Edgar, be careful not to make the same mistake. If you make the same mistake, there will be no next time. I''m not sure. I am very much aware of that. I guess that''s it for the additional budget for now. Now, regarding the matter of destroying the "Arsenal of Spirits," I have actually received a new proposal from Mr. Gilbert. A new proposal? Gilbert seems to think that we are being too lax in our approach. It is not enough for us to just hit the adventurers'' guilds, which are the clients of the Arsenal of Spirits. He has told us that we need to strike a blow directly at the Arsenal of Spirits. What do you mean? It''s that simple. We will set up a branch of "Dragon''s Fires" right next to the workshop (atelier) of "Arsenal of Spirits. This will allow us to steal their customers, and at the same time, by strengthening our surveillance, we will be able to quickly detect their movements and respond immediately if they make any moves. I see. It would be an extra cost, but if Mr. Gilbert is asking me to do something, I can''t refuse. So, what do we do about this?Running a branch office may be too much for you to handle alone. Shall I arrange for someone to work with you?For example, Lizetta or ......" No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You can''t leave it to Lizetta. There is no way she can manage a branch. She''s a silversmith idiot who can only do silversmithing. I''ll be in charge of managing the branch. But are you sure?You are in charge of manufacturing fire lances (javelins) for the "Knight of the Crescent Moon," and you also have to make equipment to destroy the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," don''t you?Don''t you have too much work to do?" It''s all right. I''ll make it work with my subordinates. Please leave this to me. I see. Well, if you insist, I''ll leave it to you. Yes, sir. I will work hard and live up to your expectations! The next day, Wayne was walking along the road to the "Spirit Arsenal" with a sore throat. (Haaaaah.... They don''t let me do high-ranking work here at all. Hmm?(That''s ......) Wayne noticed a new store in the building directly across from the "Spirit Arsenal. The sign bears a familiar emblem, the emblem of a furnace heated by dragon''s breath (breath). (Is that the emblem of the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire"?(I don''t think that means ......) As Wayne approaches, he sees several people working on bringing in the cargo. Among them was someone Wayne knew well. (That''s ...... Edgar!!!) Wayne stares at Edgar with hostility. Edgar did not notice Wayne''s gaze and walked into the back of the store. Dylan hurriedly opened the door and ran into Roland''s room. ''Roland, are you there? Dylan. Dylan. What''s wrong?In such a hurry." There''s nothing wrong with that. Didn''t you see the front door? I saw it. It''s a branch of "Dragon''s Fires," isn''t it? If you saw it, why are you waiting so long? If you saw them, why are you waiting so long? If we don''t do something, they''ll take all our potential customers. That''s all right," he said. It''s no big deal. What? Think about it. We don''t compete on the merits of our location. Our strength lies in the quality of our partnerships, which provide appropriate support to the Adventurers'' Guild. We came here in the first place because we were dissatisfied with the equipment made by Dragon''s Fires, whether it be the Shield of Dawn or the Arrow of the Heavenly Horse. We won''t be dominated by the fact that they just opened a new branch. As long as we continue to enhance our partnership as before, there will be no problem. I see. If we don''t have to worry about losing customers, the remaining concern is related to information warfare. If they are serious about monitoring us and gathering information, it would be troublesome, but so far, none of the people we are working with are highly skilled in information gathering. (!?!!)(Had you already completed a skills appraisal of your adversary?) What can I say, ...... you work fast too." The fact that they can set up a branch office is not a serious threat. The problem is ....... Dylan. If you can spare the time, would you be willing to go and do a hostile situation check on your end?" Me?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. You''re better than me when it comes to information retrieval skills." Dylan''s Skills Information Retrieval: A That''s fine, but why?Not a particular threat, is it?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Not a threat. But that doesn''t make sense. Why is "Dragon''s Fires" wasting time and money like this? The impression that everything they do is so random is undeniable. It is as if they are doing things because someone told them to. Something may be wrong within the "Dragon''s Fires. I see. If we can identify the anomaly, it will give us a chance to fight back. Is that what you''re saying? Yes. But only if you can afford it. First, we will strengthen relations with existing guilds, market to new adventurer guilds, expand our sales channels to arms dealers, and increase our presence in the market. Hostile inspections are a secondary priority. I get it." Dylan put his hat back on and promptly went into business. After giving Dylan his instructions, Roland went down to the workshop to conduct a morning meeting with the alchemists. Everyone take a look at this," he said. Roddy made the blueprints for the Class A equipment yesterday. Roland pasted the blueprints on the board so that everyone could see them. ''Is this the blueprint for Class A equipment: ......?'' Aina tilted her head. ''Yes,'' she said. Roddy''s skill "Product Design" was originally designed to increase the adaptability of adventurers and equipment. However, the A-class "Product Design" supports the alchemist''s equipment manufacturing and encourages him to improve his skills. If made according to this design, even an alchemist with "Metal Forming" B should be able to make A-class equipment. Tomorrow, Leon, Monica and the others will return to collect the "Earth Craft". By then ......" Hey, hey, hey, hey, guild leader. What are you talking about today''s business? Wayne interrupted. ''Yes, Wayne?What''s on your mind?" There''s nothing to be concerned about. You''re not blind, are you? They''re right in front of us, right now. Don''t you see the emblem of the Dragon''s Fires? Wayne pointed toward the wall of the workshop, beyond the wall is the branch of "Dragon''s Fires". Roland sighed. ''I was going to tell you about that later,'' he said. It''s just that it''s not that important, so I''ve been putting it off." Not so important?" Yes," he said. We''ve got that taken care of, so you guys don''t have to worry about it." No need to worry?What the hell are you talking about? Wayne stood up and gasped. It was as if a big deal was just around the corner. Wayne? Don''t you get it?Because I joined the "Arsenal of Spirits," the store opened at this time. It''s obvious what they want. They came after me!To destroy me!" No, I don''t think so." What?No? No, it''s not. The "Arsenal of Spirits" has been attacked by the "Dragon''s Fires" for some time. The opening of the new store is thought to be a part of that. I don''t think it has anything to do with you. What?No, but ......" If they wanted to talk to you, they wouldn''t have bothered to set up a branch, they would have contacted you directly, wouldn''t they? I see. That''s true, too. Mm." (Yes, that''s right. (I remember I came here to annoy them because "Dragon''s Fires" is having trouble with "Spirit Arsenal". I forgot all about it. d*mn, but they all ignore my existence. ......) (How self-conscious is this guy?) Aina looked at Wayne with a bit of a drawl. I''ve heard enough about "Dragon''s Fires," haven''t I?Let''s get back to the story then. Anyway, the important thing now is to make A-class equipment to support "Shield of Dawn". That will eventually lead to victory in the battle against the "Dragon''s Fierce Fire. So, first, Aina." Yes, sir. At all costs, we must have the equipment for Monica in time for tomorrow. Understood. Roddy, Ize. You guys will support Aina with your power and agility. You guys support Aina with your power and agility so that she can focus on molding. Yes." And Wayne. Oh. You''re on routine. Oh, I''ll take care of it!"Why the hell is ......?" I''m going to support Aina, too," he said. You''re going to have to fill the void left by the regular workload, right?" I don''t have time for business as usual. Let me work on the "dragon''s fiery fire" countermeasure! It is impossible to make two A-class equipment in our workshop (atelier) right now. Your unique skill ''cutting magic stone'' is still in its infancy. Wayne Merza''s Unique Skills] Cutting": E to A On the other hand, Aina''s unique skill "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" is already B class. Considering that, it''s a good idea to bet on Aina this time, right?" Nuh-uh. There will surely come a time in the future when we will need your help. For now, please work on maintaining your status in preparation for that time." (d*mn. Roland is so obviously partial to Aina. I''ve been doing my quota lately too.) Wayne was biting his teeth in disagreement. Now, that''s enough about job assignments," Wayne said. Now for the equipment for Monica: ......, take a look at this. Roland pulled out one fine bow and arrow for all to see. Wayne reacted to the familiar bow and arrow and suddenly began to feel hostile. (That is ...... Edgar''s ......) Roland did not miss the change in Wayne''s expression. (After all, he had reacted to Edgar''s bow and arrow. After all, does Wayne have some kind of feud with Edgar?) Aina. This bow is the work of Edgar Logue, one of the ''Dragon''s Fires'' quartet." The Quartet''s ......" Aina couldn''t help but admire the iron bow, forged to the utmost limit. The bow was made of steel and was completely black, yet it shimmered like obsidian. (Amazing. (It is amazing that she can forge an iron bow to this extent using only "metal molding".) Aina, you must create a work of art that surpasses this bow and arrow." What?"I ...... this bow?" Yes, with your skills, you should be able to create a piece that surpasses Edgar''s." [Aina''s skills and status Skills Metal Forming": B to A Exterior Reinforcement (Coating): B A Status Arm strength (power): 60-70 Endurance (toughness): 40-50 Agility: 70-80 Stamina: 60-70 Magic power: 50 With the development of "Flexibility," "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" became "B". However, it is only B class. At this rate, he is still an excellent alchemist. In order to become an ace in the "Arsenal of Spirits," he needs to become an A class or higher. In terms of status, he should already meet the requirements for "A" in "metal molding. I''ll let you find out what you are missing in this quest.) Well, that''s why Wayne. This time, give it up to Aina to take down Edgar. Roland said in an easygoing tone, as if he were talking about a game he had a good chance of winning. (Beat Edgar?(Is this guy serious?) Wayne glanced at Roland probingly, unable to gauge Roland''s true intentions. However, Roland only smiled and smiled amiably. Wayne began to get creeped out by Roland. Wayne''s constant chants of revenge against Edgar were half a self-delusion to keep his mind stable, and he did not really believe that he could defeat Edgar. However, there was a greatness in the way Roland spoke that scared even Wayne. By this time, even Wayne, the quintessential Wayne, was dimly aware that Roland was more than just a connoisseur. (What the hell is this guy? ......) Nice, huh?" Roland smiled a smug, pressured smile. The tone of his noncommittal tone implied that he intended to "fatten you up if you got in the way. (Huh. There is no way Aina can beat Edgar.) Wayne convinced himself by thinking so and withdrew meekly. Aina immediately set to work, but looked at Roddy''s blueprints with a quizzical look on her face. Can you really make a class-A piece of equipment by following these instructions?" Well, just go ahead and do it." I think I can make something like this without any blueprints at all. Just do it. Yes." Aina blurted out and applied her skill "metal molding" to the lump of iron. Then, with four or five blows from Aina, the iron, which was only a square lump, was instantly curved and transformed into an arched shape. (Holla. It''s not easy. Now, if I add one or two more blows, it will be ......, huh?) Suddenly, a point of light disappears from the mass of steel. (The light spot disappears. No way. Is that the limit of molding?) There was a limit to the amount of metal that could be forged in "metal molding". Once that limit is exceeded, no more can be done to increase the power or durability of the equipment, no matter how much you hit or cut it. (Did I hit it a little too hard? Next time I''ll have to be extra careful not to inflict too much damage.) Aina again uses "metal molding" to produce a bow and arrow from a lump of iron. (Alright. This time according to the blueprint. ...... Huh?) The light spot disappeared again. (Why?I thought I hit it exactly right this time. (No way. Did I run out of time?) When the first blow is struck, a time limit is imposed on the metal molding. And once the time limit is exceeded, no matter how much processing is done, the status will not increase any further. After that, Aina tried molding it according to the blueprints a couple of times, but it did not go well. Inevitably, she would take more than a certain amount of damage or exceed the time limit. (I thought it would be easy, but this is surprisingly difficult. It requires precision in one unit of arm strength (power) and agility to do it quickly. I don''t know what to do.) Aina stood there with her half-finished bow and arrow in front of her and pondered for a moment. I can''t help it. Let''s use the "exterior reinforcement (coating)" to raise its status. If we do our best, Mr. Roland will be satisfied.) Aina applied "coating" to the bow and arrow to raise its status. Aina then applied a "coating" to the bow and arrow to boost its status. Roland-san, it''s done! However, Roland''s reply was curt. No." What?Why?" I use ''exterior reinforcement (coating). This time I want you to surpass Edgar''s bow and arrow with ''metal molding'' alone." But ...... this still exceeds Mr. Edgar''s bow and arrow, so why not?" No," he said. This will not satisfy Monica." ......" The use of ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' is strictly forbidden from now on. We will complete A-class bows and arrows using only ''metal molding. Ugh. Yes. Aina returned to the workbench, pissed off. (Aina''s ability to think flexibly is a good thing, but it''s also a good thing to be too precise. You end up compromising in the wrong place. An alchemist inevitably needs a single-minded pursuit of quality. Now, let''s see how far he can go with his unique skills blocked. (I''ll let you show me.) Aina wrote down the work process on a piece of paper and summarized it in terms of the number of blows and the damage inflicted. 1st stroke : 60 Second stroke : 70 Third stroke : 30 Fourth stroke : 70 ~ 10th stroke: 60 (Is this the number of strokes and damage required to make something as per the blueprint? Inevitably, this is the third stroke. (I tend to put too much power into this third stroke, which rapidly decreases in power.) Aina tried again, keeping this table in mind. However, she inevitably ran into a wall of molding limits. (No good. (No good. I put too much force into it. (But if I do it slowly, the time limit will pass. ......) Aina is pondering in front of the workbench. (What should I do? I know exactly what the problem is, but I don''t know what to do.) Roland watched Aina carefully. (It''s a feat that you were able to identify the issue so far on your own. (After all, she is a "Workshop Management" A.) [Aina Burke''s skills Workshop Management": B (1) (But is this where we are now? Let''s give them a helping hand.) Eyes. You try molding too." Roland said. ''What?Me?" Ize, who had been hauling iron, stopped and looked at Roland. ''Maybe by watching others work, Aina might be able to get something out of it. I understand. I''ll try." Wayne was hammering away at the iron at a distance, while Aina and her friends were fidgeting in the distance. (d*mn, what''s that? I''m the only one who feels so alienated. ......) Wayne swung the hammer down toward the iron. The resounding sound of the blow echoed in the workshop. Ize strikes the iron in small increments. However, it does not go according to the blueprint. He said, "Huh?It''s not going well. You''re hitting too fast. You need to put more power into it. But if you don''t do it this fast, you''ll run out of time. That''s the hard part of this quest." Oh, I think I got it.) Aina, what did you find out?" Yes, sir. I''ll give it a try." (Shortening the swing can reduce the power while maintaining speed!) Aina shortens the swing of the third stroke and goes on striking the iron in rhythm. (So, did you get it?) (You''ve passed the hard part. You''ll get through the rest on your own.) Roland casually stepped back and watched her progress from a step back. Aina continued to try and try again. (She got the hang of the third stroke. A little more ...... to go. I''ve got to get into a rhythm if I''m going to complete the molding within the time limit (time limit). Don, don, con. Like this?All right. Let''s do this.) And the moment finally arrives. After a total of 10 tries, the A-class shine finally shines on the iron that has been hammered. Status of bow A Power: 100 Durability: 100 Oh," he said. That''s great." You did it. Ms. Aina." Roddy and Ize clap. (Ya, I did it. But ......) Aina felt somewhat inadequate in front of the A-class bow and arrow she had trained herself. I think I can strengthen it even more by using "exterior reinforcement (coating)" and "fire-absorbing ore (fifeult)". (But it''s an A-class bow and arrow I went to the trouble of making. ......) Aina. You have an idea, don''t you?Feel free to try." Mr. Roland. But this bow and arrow is barely made Class A. ......" It''s all right. I won''t be mad if you fail." Yes, sir. To Aina, the interior of the metal was crystal clear. The density of the metal, the degree of polishing, the bonding of the elements. She could see the relationship between them, not by logic, but by firsthand experience. Aina Burke''s skills Metal Forming": A (up1) (At last, Aina''s "Metal Forming" became A class. I don''t know what she sees from this point on. What she sees now is a world that ordinary people can never reach, the world of Class A!) Aina shaves the A-class bow and arrow and applies "exterior reinforcement (coating)" to the empty space. (This part is coated with a green coating. Then, she applies "Fire Felt" to this part (......). Status of Bow A Power: 140 Durability: 140 "Mr. Roland, this is ......." Oh, congratulations," he said. You are a class A alchemist." [Aina Burke''s skills Metal Forming: A (up1) Exterior Reinforcement (Coating): A (up 1) (Finally awakened. Aina''s A class here is huge. With this, she can not only fend off the attack of "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" that has opened a new store, but she can also return the favor!) Yay!" Aina raises her hand and rejoices. ''Well done, Aina. Yes," he said. I ...... Loran! Aina was so impressed that she grabbed Roland and hugged him. (Ugh) The feel of Aina''s soft body stimulates every part of Roland''s body. ''Mr. Roland, I, I ...... Aina tends to hug Roland tightly with all her emotions. Various parts of her, including her arms, back, and breasts, come into close contact with me. ''Uh, let''s see. Aina. It''s about time ......." Roland gently held Aina''s shoulders and gently released her. ?" Aina tilts her head curiously. (Whew. Watch out, watch out.) Although he had been indifferent due to his long period of disadvantage, recently, Roland was finally becoming aware that he was quite popular. And that he has a weakness for women. He therefore told himself not to get too close to his subordinates, especially female subordinates. After all, Aina was quite an attractive girl. Her ponytail, which gave off a lively atmosphere, and her dignified, strong-willed eyes were in perfect harmony with her pretty face. Above all, her breasts, which could be felt through her work clothes, were as ample as Monica''s. <> 87 - 87. Theory of Organization After successfully obtaining an additional budget from Medes, Edgar was once again working to destroy the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Charles, Pato, Leena. Are they all here?Yes, I''m here. Good. Then let''s get this meeting started." Pato tilted his head when he saw the faces attending the meeting. (Wayne''s not here?(Why?) Despite Pato''s doubts, Edgar proceeded with the meeting. The other day, I asked the ''dragon knight''s hermitage'' to take down the ''Shield of Dawn'' and the ''Arrow of the Heavenly Horse,'' but to my surprise, they were beaten back. What a pity. The "hermitage of the dragon knight" was beaten up?How in the world?Both The Shield of Dawn and The Arrow of Heavenly Horses are small guilds with only C-class adventurers, right? Leena said. ''Well, it looks like we''re having some problems of our own, too. What do you mean?" The equipment we gave him was defective. Wayne''s guy made it. Look at this. Edgar puts the armor on the table. This is ......." Pato is immensely impressed by the thinness of the armor. ''Wayne did this?Terrible ......" Leena also covered her lips with her hands. Breda, a B-class Warrior, is a little out of shape after being stabbed in the back by one of his allies. Wayne, you''re a real piece of work. Well, that''s why we got a special extra budget this time," he said. But you can''t make the same mistake again. Understood? Um, so where is Wayne now?I haven''t seen him around the guild lately. ......" Pato asked. ''Wayne was fired. Of course he was, right?He betrayed us and committed hostile acts. Why would Wayne do that?" Oh?"I don''t know. I don''t know anything about that. You''d have to ask Wayne himself! From what I hear, you''ve been bought out by the ''Arsenal of Spirits''." Charles said to help. Oh, yes. He''s been bought by the enemy''s ''arsenal of spirits. Edgar said as if he remembered. (Wayne betrayed you?No way. But ....... You shouldn''t argue with your boss because he says so ......, right?If subordinates had to question every single thing their superiors said, there would be no organization. (No, but ......) Pato reconsiders. (I can''t imagine Wayne making armor like that. Wayne is certainly too competitive and prone to getting into trouble, but still, he''s not the kind of guy who would lose on purpose.) The "Arsenal of Spirits" is a nastier bunch than I thought. They want to bribe Wayne to betray them. You guys be careful. You never know where the traitors are lurking. What are you going to do?If this continues, Wayne will be stigmatized as a traitor. (Isn''t it a breach of friendship to turn a blind eye to the fact that your best friend is about to be ostracized on suspicion of something he didn''t do?) As Pato was pondering this, Leena tugged at his sleeve. (Leena?) (Pato, no. Don''t talk back to Edgar. You''ll only make things worse for yourself. I know how you feel, but you have to restrain yourself here.) Pato got what Leena was trying to say just by looking at her. In the end, he decided to shut his mouth and keep quiet. What is it, Pato? What''s with your eyes?You got something to complain about?" No, sir. After that, Pato remained silent without uttering a word, no matter what Edgar said or how much the others argued. ''Well then, specific instructions will follow. Until then, you guys should prepare yourselves well. Edgar concluded the meeting with these final words. Edgar and Charles walked down the hallway together. Are you okay?" An?"What? He''s the one who''s been quiet this whole time. Pat?" Edgar looks bitter. He said it like he didn''t have any objections, but I could see it on his face that he really wasn''t happy about it." He''s that kind of guy. He''s always thinking about something else and can''t concentrate on what''s in front of him. You''re a difficult man, aren''t you? I''m not sure. I don''t know what I''m thinking. He''s a hard guy to deal with. Meanwhile, the "Shield of Dawn" was returning to the "Arsenal of Spirits" after collecting "Earthcraft. Hans and his "Heavenly Horse Arrows" also returned at about the same time. Good. It looks like you have collected all the earthcraft. Roland looked at their backpacks full of "Earthcraft," and said. Yeah, we got as many as you asked for." Now that we''re finally getting into some status-enhancing training, what the hell are we supposed to be doing?" Jeff asked with enthusiasm. He seemed eager to get stronger as soon as possible. Roland chuckled. Of course, we have a plan to strengthen you," Jeff said. But for now, I want you to take a rest first and work on recovering your status. I''ll let you know what happens later. Aina." Yes, sir. Take Earthcraft and their equipment to the workshop. Yes, sir. I''ll do it. I have a few more meetings with them. Can I take care of the rest?" Yes, I am. Leave it to me!" As Roland says this, Aina begins to take command. She then began to lead the group, "Okay, everyone, please pick up your equipment and items from the adventurers. While Mr. Roland is having a meeting, we''ll take care of the maintenance as much as we can. The workers at the "Arsenal of the Spirits" received the adventurers'' equipment and bags of items and immediately went to work. Aina gives instructions to Roddy and the others, taking note of the wear and tear on the equipment. Roddy, take the equipment into the workshop. All the armor needs to be coated, so put them near my workbench. I will also maintain the bow, so put it on my workbench. I understand. What about the ones in this bag of items?" That''s "earthcraft," which Roland-san will ask an outside party to refine later. Leave it by Mr. Roland''s desk. Okay. Roddy puts the heavy equipment and a bag full of "earthcraft" on the cart and carries it to the workshop (atelier). We need to replenish the arrows for the dragon-bow. Ize, let''s try making ''red arrows. What?Red arrows?Can I make it? Yes. Yes, we need a lot of arrows, so it would be faster for you to make them, since you are more agile and have more arrows.I''ll do the coating, you just make the framework. I''m not sure I want to do that. I wonder if I can do it?" I''ll be fine. You are a "metal molding" B, aren''t you?I made them when I was in "Metal Forming" C. I can do it." I understand. I''ll give it a try." Wayne. You work on the equipment for the store. You have some armor framework that needs to be done today, right?Get that done. Tsk. Yes, yes. It''s the armor with the green ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' in between. Do you understand?" I know what I''m doing. Don''t give me detailed instructions every time. Wayne starts to work, mumbling. Aina returns to her workshop, where she finds armor, paint, brushes, and a wand for support magic. (Good. Roddy got it all lined up.) While Aina is maintaining the armor by scraping and repainting the "exterior reinforcement (coating)" part of the armor, Ize comes to her. Aina-san, excuse me." Hmm?" I couldn''t do it. Ize holds out a misshapen arrow. I see. Well then, Roddy. Hmm?What?" Aina calls out, and Roddy comes from behind a screen. He is writing the blueprints for the "Red Arrow" for Ize. Okay." Ize. Let''s try Roddy''s blueprints down the road for now. If it doesn''t work, let me know. I''ll give you detailed technical guidance. Yes, sir. Behind the partition, Roddy, who had been helping Wayne with his work, was about to leave. Wayne was about to leave. I''m leaving to support Ize. (d*mn. They all listen to Aina. I''m a member of the main staff, too. They should listen to me a little bit, too. (d*mn!) Wayne struck the iron uninterestedly. Roland watched Aina''s work as she wrote the order form for "Earthcraft" refining. (Aina is getting better at using people. ) "I might be able to entrust her with a little more responsibility now. When Roland saw that Aina and the others seemed fine, he returned to his meeting with Leon and the others. ''So how did it go?Have you been attacked by any other guilds since then?" No, not really. What about you?Did you catch any of their movements at the Arsenal of Spirits? Have you seen the building across the street?You see the branch office of "Dragon''s Fires" standing there?I think that was probably in preparation for the next attack." I knew it. What do we do now?Change of plans?" No problem. Let''s continue with the plan. But, it seems reckless to train while under attack from the "Dragon''s Fires", doesn''t it?They are not stupid. Next time, they may come at us with a much larger force. Don''t worry," he said. I have a secret plan. What? Well, anyway, Leon. You should rest too. Rest is part of the job. Woohoo. Well, if you say so, I guess I''ll just have to take your word for it. As Roland finished exchanging information with Leon and the others, Monica approached. ''Thanks for your help. Mr. Roland." Oh, Monica. You''re the one who''s tired. Are you sure you don''t need to rest?" Yes, sir. I was exempted from mining work, so this time there were no attacks from the enemy, so I mostly just kept a hawk''s eye on things. I see. I''m sorry about that. I''m on vacation, and you''re working so hard for me. No, not at all. If it makes you happy, I''m happy to ....... But yes. I would be happy if I could get some kind of reward for my hard work. Of course. I have a special treat in store for you. Really?" Yeah, I''ve been secretly working on a surprise for you. Oh, really?I wonder. I''m looking forward to it." I''ll show you now. I''ll show you the new equipment I''ve developed for you!" I''m so excited. New equipment! Monica pretended to be pleased, but inwardly, she was disappointed. Oh my God, Roland. You''re so good at playing dumb. You know that''s not what I want.) But when Monica saw the bow and arrow actually brought to her, her eyes widened. This is ......." With the return of the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," the alchemists of "Dragon''s Fires" also began to move. It seems that the Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of Heavenly Horse have returned from the dungeon. The "Hou. So how are they doing?" They are repairing the equipment. As soon as they are repaired, they are expected to sneak back into the dungeon. Good. Then we''ll hit them when they go back into the dungeon. Edgar also gathers Pato and Leena and informs them of the plan. This time, we will change our armament depending on how the enemy comes out. According to what I heard from the "dragon knight''s hermitage," the last time the enemy took an advantageous position. So, this time, we will have more troops than last time, and we will include thieves (shifu) and archers (archer) with high agility to secure a superior position, and attack mages and support mages to give depth to the white armies." Pato was listening to Edgar''s explanation, pondering. (Should I say it? (Should I tell him?) Edgar might be in a bad mood if I told him. But if I don''t tell him, this mission might end in failure.) If the enemy is agility oriented, we will use a thief (shifu) and an archer (archer). If the enemy is heavily armed, we''ll use mages. Phew. My plan is perfect. No. I can''t hold back anymore. Let''s say it.) Mr. Edgar, may I ask you something? "An?What is it? I have seen the equipment returned from the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage," and some of the armor has sustained extensive damage from bows and arrows. Perhaps the enemy has a very powerful archer. Shouldn''t we take some countermeasures?" What the hell, man?Are you dissatisfied with the strategy I''ve laid out for you?" No, that''s not why I ...... Hey, come on, Pato. That''s not going to happen now, is it?" Charles interrupted. ''Didn''t we come to a conclusion at our meeting the other day?It was Wayne''s fault that he failed last time. You agreed with me, didn''t you?" It''s ......" I''ve already explained this to the head of the guild, and based on that explanation, a new budget has been approved. I don''t want to be told now that the enemy has a powerful archer. Besides, Pato, do you understand?The equipment we gave out to the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" last time included equipment you made.In other words, we are covering for you when you might be responsible. Or what?Are you taking responsibility for your last failure to defend someone who has already been fired?" But the last time I made the equipment, I just did what Charles told me to ......." Having said that much, Pato realized his gaffe. Charles''s unusually well-defined eyebrows were twisted nervously. ''It''s Wayne''s fault we failed last time. There are no powerful archers among the enemy. Okay?" ...... yes." Who else has something to say? All right. Then, me and Leena will be in charge of keeping an eye on the "Arsenal of Spirits" at the "Dragon''s Fires" branch. Charles and Pato will be in charge of handing over the equipment to the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". Each of you take your post, and don''t lose track of time. Roland, I still think we should stop training for now to prepare for the attack of the "Dragon''s Fires"? Leon said. ''That''s right, man. The Hermitage of the Dragon Knight is the second largest adventurer''s guild on the island. They have a lot of people, and they have a lot of depth. I don''t think we can beat them on our own. Jeff said. No problem. Monica, you know how to fight." Yes." (d*mn, seriously? I''ve heard that they are going to intercept the "hermitage of the dragon knight" in the midst of their training. (Seriously? You''re going to attack "Iori, the Dragon Knight" with just one hand of training? Is he going to be okay?) I''ll be fine. Jeff." Hans? I mean Roland. He must have an idea we can''t imagine." (d*mn it, I don''t care what happens.) The "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" went down into the dungeon together. Ah, adventurers have left from the "Spirit Arsenal. They are heading for the dungeon. Leena, who was watching the "Arsenal of Spirits," said to Edgar. Are you sure?" Edgar checks the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" through the surveillance window. Although they were wrapped in cloth to hide their weapons, the shape of the cloth gave away their respective jobs. There were five bowmen, a shield-bearer, a swordsman, and a thief. That''s a very skewed composition. It''s as if they don''t think about the battle against others. Well, that''s OK. It''s good for us.) The enemy is an archer-heavy force. If we can hold the high ground, we can win without difficulty. Archers and Thiefs will go ahead of them to secure the high ground, prevent them from going anywhere, and bring them into a hand-to-hand combat at the earliest possible stage! The rear guard of the "Hermitage of the Dragon Knight", mainly those with high agility, put on their archer and thief equipment and hurried after the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse". Monica caught sight of the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" troop encamped on the high ground ahead with her "Hawk Eye". (!?!!).A squad of archers (archer) and bandits (thief) in front. They are holding the high ground. Did they get there before us?(...... No, that''s not all) Monica cruises the "Hawk-Eye" viewpoint and notices movement in the rear as well. (A heavily-armed warrior unit from the rear as well. They''re trying to pincer us.) Gentlemen, there are enemies in front and behind you. Let''s change course quickly. Monica and the others retreat to a place where they can turn off to a side street. However, the Warrior unit from "The Hermitage of the Dragon Knight" preceded them. There they are. It''s them! Don''t let them get away. Take the fight to the white!" I guess I fell right into the enemy''s order.) Oh, shit. There''s nowhere to run. Even Hans, the quintessential Hans, looks grim. (A narrow path on a level plain with a good view. There is nowhere to hide, nowhere to run. We can''t even take advantage of our agility. What do we do?) Gentlemen, please hold my flanks." Monica said. ''I don''t mind if our equipment is a little less defensively oriented. We have ''Earthcraft. I''ll take care of the enemies coming from the slopes on the left and right. I will sweep up all the enemies in front of us. (Overwhelmed by firepower!) Breda and his men formed up and came charging forward. Monica shot arrows. Ten minutes later, there were cowering "dragon knight hermitage" faces all around. Every one of them had holes in their armor and were wounded in their shoulders, flanks, and legs. Monica and the others were unharmed. Monica saw that the enemy had completely stopped moving and unsheathed her bow and arrow. (The suppression is complete. Phew. Somehow we managed to get through this unharmed.) (Seriously? I couldn''t get close at all...how can a combination of Class A adventurers and the right weaponry produce so much power?) Jeff was simply pale in the face of the power of the A-class bowman (archer) and his new equipment. <> 88 - Art. 88. Brothers and Sisters of the Sorcerer While performing his daily duties at the "Dragon''s Fireside" branch, Edgar realized something. He realized that his daily commute to the branch was taking him away from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" headquarters. If this situation continued, he would have very few opportunities to make suggestions to the guild leader, Medes, or attend important meetings at the headquarters. (Oh, no. This is as good as being exiled to an island.) Conversely, if someone slanders Medes about himself, his current position will be in jeopardy. There were many enemies of Edgar in the guild, including Lizetta. (Are you kidding me? Even if he took credit for destroying the "Arsenal of Spirits," he would be ousted from his current position.) Edgar hastily calls the staff together. Listen up, everybody," he says. I''m leaving the branch and going back to headquarters today. I''m leaving the branch and going back to headquarters today because I have an assignment at headquarters that I really need to take care of. So, Leena. I''ll leave the rest to you. I want you to find out what''s going on in the "Arsenal of Spirits," steal their customers, achieve the sales quota, and supervise and train the staff. And to manage the workshop (atelier). You have to do it all. And report back to headquarters by the end of the week. I''ll leave it to you. With that, Edgar pulled up to the headquarters of "Dragon''s Fireside". At this time, "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" had already been devastated by Monica, but he was still unaware of this. Leena, who had been entrusted by Edgar with the branch''s affairs, was troubled. (What shall I do? I don''t know how to run a branch.) She was still too busy doing her own work to take charge of her subordinates. The "Dragon''s Fires" branch was not fully stocked with merchandise when it opened, and adventurers who came to the store often left without buying anything. Even if adventurers came to the store, they would leave without buying anything. What should I do? Oh, that''s right!) Leena remembered a man named Dylan who came into the store the other day. He told her that he was in charge of wholesale for the "Arsenal of Spirits" and that if she had any problems, she could always consult him. Leena had no idea that she was about to run into the "Arsenal of Spirits" and ask for help from Roland. Roland was entertaining a girl from an enemy guild who had come to his rescue in the cafeteria. When Dylan said, "I''ll take this place," Leena asked for a meal for two and began eating at a tremendous rate. Roland and Dylan watched with straight faces. I''m sorry, munchies. I''ve been busy. I haven''t eaten since this morning. It''s okay. Don''t worry about it, eat slowly. If you want, I can get you a refill. Then I''ll take your word for it. Sorry. I''d like another one of these, please. You''re still going to eat that?) Dylan was a little put off by her appetite. She gobbled and gulped. Phew. Thank you for the food. So, what was it? Leena finally finished eating. ''They were asking me to help them because they were having trouble running their branch. ...... ''Oh, yes, it was. Mr. Edgar, who was running the branch, went back to the "Dragon''s Fires" headquarters, and I was entrusted to take his place, but I had no idea what was going on. I see. I''ve been told to secure sales while stealing customers from the "Arsenal of Spirits. What should we do?" (You''re asking us that? ......) Dylan plunged into his mind. ''All right. The point is, I want you to channel the customers over here to you. Is that clear?" Yes, sir." Yes." Hey, hey, Roland? I understand. Then may I ask you to refine ''Earthcraft'' for me?It was requested by an adventurers'' guild with which we have a partnership. We have a large amount of it, and we were just looking for a guild to help us refine it. Would you be willing to take it on?" I am very happy to hear that," he said. I will definitely accept your offer. (Whoa, whoa, whoa.) I understand. Let''s have a meeting this afternoon. Yes, sir. Yes, please. (Are you sure? Here you go: ......) Dylan was on edge as he watched the proceedings. Thank God," he said. Now I don''t have to get angry with Mr. Edgar. Thank you very much. No, no, no, no. Is there anything else you need help with? I''ve also been told to explore the inner workings of the "Arsenal of Spirits. If there is anything you would be willing to share with us, we would appreciate it. I would also appreciate it if you could tell me how to direct and supervise the staff at the branch. Okay." (This guy doesn''t hold back at all.) Dylan was becoming impressed beyond dismay. Roland handed Leena a bunch of nonsense about the number of employees and their skills in the "Arsenal of Spirits" on the spot. Is that all right?" Yes, sir. Thank you." Leena accepted the list of skills Roland had written for her. She said, "Thank you very much. If I copy it in its entirety, I can make a report to Mr. Edgar. What, I''ll give you this much for nothing." (How much work is too much work? (How much work is too much work?) And then there''s staff supervision, right? I''ll help you with that later, too. I''m an appraiser. I''m an appraiser. I can appraise the skills and status of a staff member and then assign the work to them. In some cases, I may be able to assign other jobs. I was like, "Wow. Thank you for everything." ''Well, can you get ready for this afternoon''s deal and come back over here?'' Yes, sir. I''ll get you a quote, a contract, and a purchase order." Leena was completely satisfied and went back to the branch office at once. She was completely satisfied and went back to the branch office. She was a very honest girl, wasn''t she? Yeah. It was a little unsettlingly lax, though. The fact of the matter is that "Dragon''s Fires" is not attacking us with a clear hostile intent, but is doing so because someone told them not to. Whatever the case may be, we can now explore their hostile feelings with impunity. I can concentrate on running my own workshop (atelier). Mr. Roland, may I have a word?" Saki spoke to Roland while carrying the pot. Saki, what''s wrong?" There is an adventurer who would like to have an appraisal by you, Mr. Roland. I understand. I''ll be right there. Okay, Dylan, I''ll go. Oh. Oh, dear. The "Arsenal of Spirits" is getting a lot better. While the enemy is doing all the wrong things. It was a pair of mages, a man and a woman, who came for Roland''s appraisal. [Will Wombat''s skills. Blast Magic": C to A [Lana Wombat''s skills Crustal Magic": C to A (Class A qualities of offensive and support mages or ......) I was actually supposed to join the Knights of the Crescent Moon in defeating the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Will, a mage with a calm demeanor, said. But I couldn''t fulfill the conditions of participation they indicated. But I couldn''t meet their requirements," said Will, a calm and composed mage. I heard rumors about you guys," he said, "that there are appraisers who can help you make the right equipment and give you advice on how to improve your skills. We were just thinking that we needed to reevaluate our abilities and improve our skills. I am not sure if you really want to ask for advice here, brother. Wouldn''t it be better to consult with a major company like Dragon''s Fires? No," he said. Lana. Don''t say that. Lana, you can''t say that. Mr. Roland took time out of his day to give us advice. It''s rude. Yes, sir. Brother ......" Lana''s cheeks flushed red and she looked up. It was a little too passionate a look for a real sister to give to her brother. I understand what''s going on," she said. I will prepare equipment that will enhance your skills. And, if you like, I can introduce you to a guild to partner with. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. They do all that for you? Yes, we have a guild of powerful shieldmen and archers among our clients. They will need your skills as well. I appreciate that. Our mage skills won''t work without a shield-bearer in the vanguard. After officially accepting the job from the two mages, Roland immediately approached Aina. ''Is this equipment for a C-rank mage?'' Oh," he said. Monica''s vacation is about to expire and she is going back to the adventurer''s town. In order for the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" to survive the attack from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire," they need firepower and defensive strength to fill Monica''s hole. Will and Lana are perfect for that role." I see. Well, let''s see, equipment that can release C-class "blast magic" and "crust magic" ....... Is this all you need? Aina said as she looked at the specification sheet given to her by Roland. ''Yes,'' Aina said. Will and Lana both have Class A qualities. Just give them the right equipment and let them shoot magic and their skills will naturally improve. I see." I''ll tell you what, Aina. Can I trust you to make all the equipment this time?" Me? Oh. The other day''s equipment for A-class archers was excellent. Recently, he has been taking care of the other workers as well. I''m sure no one would object if you were in charge. So this time, if it''s all right with you, I''m going to let you have full control of the project. What do you think?" No, not at all. I would rather be honored if you entrust me like that. I would be happy to do it." I''m glad to hear you say that. I''ll try to follow up with you as soon as I can. Yes, sir. (Mr. Roland praised me. Good. I''ll do my best.) Aina walked through the conference room door with more energy than usual. I think we can speed up production even more if we combine Ize''s agility with Roddy''s ''product design. Aina said this at a meeting where everyone was gathered. The last time I made an A-class bow and arrow, I realized that it is impossible to make a product exactly the way you want it from the beginning. So I think it''s impossible to make a product exactly the way you want it from the beginning. Then Roddy draws a blueprint based on the prototype. That way, I think we can reduce the number of failures. I see. Yes," he said. I think it''s a good idea." Ize and Roddy agreed. Wait a minute. Wayne said, interrupting the flow. ''It''s going to take three people to tackle a C-class rig like this. Aren''t you spending too much on labor?" It''s okay. We''ll work together to speed up production for that." I don''t see the need to go that far for C-class equipment. I can make it by myself. I used to do that when I was in Fires of Dragons. Our guild makes things with the expectation that people will use them for a long time, even if it takes a little more time and effort. I could have made it cheaper," he said. Aren''t you cost-conscious enough? No, it''s not like that. I''ve done the math. No, you didn''t. Aina frowned. (What the hell is this guy? He bites me every time. He''s not a dog.) (I never thought Aina would make a more powerful weapon than Edgar. I''ve been losing to Aina ever since I came here. If things continue like this, we''re in trouble. If we can''t beat him on the quality of his work, we should at least beat him with our mouths. I''m seriously going to get fired.) The guild is too lenient with adventurers," he said. In Fires of the Dragon, we are much stricter with adventurers. Yes, yes, yes. I know you were active in a big guild. But we have our own way of doing things. Do you really think you can keep doing things our way? Wayne stood up and slammed the desk with a bang. The meeting place was filled with an acrimonious atmosphere. Wayne, Aina is in charge this time. You should moderate your interjections. When Roland said this, Wayne clicked his tongue and sat back down unfaithfully. What the hell is this? What is it with this Wayne guy? Aina complained when she and Roland were alone in the hallway. He said, "In the ''dragon''s fire,'' in the ''dragon''s fire,'' he always disagrees with what I say." I guess they are still influenced by the way things work at the Dragon''s Cutlass," he said. Well, that''s understandable. It''s hard to change values once they are ingrained in you. That said,......, this is the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' so for goodness sake, I hope you''ll follow our way of doing things." (Even Aina is still too much for Wayne to handle?) I understand. Aina. You can leave Wayne alone for now. What? I''ll take direct command of him. Leena had put together a report and submitted it to Edgar. ''These will be the skills of the workers in the "Arsenal of the Spirits."'' I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. You''ve done a lot of research. Yes, sir." I made inquiries of each and every employee who came out of the workshop (atelier) of the "Arsenal of Spirits," and I did a diligent search. I''m not surprised that your sales are so good. You did a good job. "Good job, Pato. How about you?I hope you''re done working on it?" Just a little longer. d*mn it. Stop messing around. Leena has already finished her work, but you''re so dull. If you''re a craftsman, move your hands and feet and get it done. "...... sorry." Pat. You should get ready to accept the ''hermitage of the dragon knight''. They should be back by now. Have people and a place ready to collect and maintain the equipment immediately. Now, get the hell out of here! Pato walks out of the room. Edgar turned to Leena. ''d*mn, that''s why you''re such a trooper,'' he said. By the way, Leena. By the way, Leena, you haven''t shown this report to the head of the guild, have you? ...... Yes. Of course." I see. Good. I''ll make sure to give this report to the guild leader. I will also report your contribution to the guild to him, and you can rest assured that you will continue to monitor the branch office and the "Spirit Arsenal. ...... yes." Leena intuited. Edgar never reports exactly how he is doing his job. He intends to take credit for his work. He would report to the head of the guild what Leena had found out and the sales he had made as if it were his own. But she decided to turn a blind eye. It is not a good idea to make enemies with Edgar in this workshop (atelier). If she made an enemy of him, it would make it difficult for her to do her work. (Let''s let Edgar have the flowers here. (Let''s let Edgar have some flowers here.) For now, pretend to be a harmless, ordinary, and attentive subordinate as much as possible, so as not to provoke him, and get out of trouble. There is nothing to worry about. He won''t be around much longer anyway. He''s got a lot of work to do and a lot of resentment around here and there. Soon, he''ll either get sick from overwork, or someone will catch him off guard and he''ll lose his footing. Me and Pato will hold our breath and wait for his downfall. Don''t worry. With Pato, I don''t mind a little hardship and disappointment. I can endure it.) In the meantime, I hear the sound of human voices and footsteps coming from the entrance for adventurers. "Oh, it looks like the ''dragon knight hermitage'' has returned. Let''s go check on him right away. I hope you''ve properly dealt a blow to the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' with the ''Shield of Dawn'' and the ''Arrow of Heavenly Horses''?" Edgar, however, is astonished to see the returning adventurers. (What the heck...their B-class equipment is in shambles!) Hey, hey," he said. You must have struggled a lot. You look like a wreck." Edgar spoke as calmly as possible to conceal his anxiety. So what?I hope you''ve properly defeated the Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of the Heavenly Horse?" No, that''s ......." The adventurers at the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" began to talk about what had happened, though they did so in a halting, halting manner. Edgar was absolutely lost in the story. What?What is it then?You guys lost after exhausting your equipment so much?We had all the equipment and we even came up with the strategy. No, it''s the ...... It''s not funny. (What''s that? What the hell is going on?) Pato shuddered when he saw the equipment with holes in it. (There was no doubt about it. The enemy has an A-class archer. Not only that, but they also have an "A" class archer. This archer''s bow shooting has evolved! Edgar regained his composure. This is no time to be picky. I can''t afford any more blunders. We must succeed at all costs. Fortunately, I have the next plan.) Leena. How''s the Arsenal of Spirits coming along?" Yes. As far as I could see today, the adventurers have not returned yet. Good. Well then, let''s attack again before they come back. This time, I''ll use support magic, attaching a support mage who can use "defense grant" to B-class armor. This way, no matter how hard they hit, they won''t be able to penetrate our armor! Edgar hastily rebuilt his equipment for "Dragon''s Fires". This also exhausted the additional budget he had received. ''Now go again, accompanied by a support mage!Make sure you succeed this time. If you fail next time, I won''t be happy!" The "dragon knight''s hermitage" was once again equipped with new gear, and this time, accompanied by a support mage, they headed for the ore mines where the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Heavenly Horse Arrow" were thought to be headed. Fortunately, we succeeded in capturing them and setting up a fight. They applied "defense-granting" support magic to their B-class equipped warriors and took on the battle in full readiness. However, their armor, which was supposed to be highly defensive, was easily pierced by Monica''s bow fire, and they were forced to run away in defeat. <> 89 - Art. 89. Where You Work Gilbert received a letter from Willik. It described the situation at the "Dragon''s Fires" branch. The letter read as follows Edgar, the person in charge, has left the branch. After that, a young girl named Leena is in charge of the branch, and she is doing business with the "Arsenal of Spirits. Not only that, but Roland is proudly going in and out of the "Dragon''s Fires" branch. It is safe to assume that the "Dragon''s Fires" branch has already been entangled with Roland. We demand immediate countermeasures. Gilbert tossed the letter to the ground and stomped on it. ''Oh my God!Why are these guys so pompous about what they do? They''re useless. I went to the trouble of coming up with a plan and teaching it to them! Gilbert breathes on his shoulder for a moment, then exhales deeply to calm himself. The "Dragon''s Fires" guys still seem to think that destroying the "Arsenal of the Spirits" is just a side job. If this happens, I''m going to make your friendship thoroughly sour. Until you two seriously crush each other!) Roland saw an opportunity and called Wayne. Wayne walked into the guild president''s office, scratching his head languidly. What''s the matter with you? I''m busy here. Wayne. I have a new assignment for you. New job? Class-A mage equipment. What? The sharpness returned to Wayne''s eyes, which had been looking listless. A class-A mage, you say?" Remember that new job that came in the ''Spirit Arsenal'' the other day?Equipment for C class mages, that was just a connection. Will and Lana will eventually become Class A mages. At that time, Aina''s skills won''t be enough." Oh. Look at this. Roland took out a single green magic stone. This is a ''storm magic stone. It increases the power of blast magic. I know. But it is something that can hardly be processed to improve the power of magic. So if you want to make equipment for mages, silversmithing is ...... the way to go. Not so fast, however. With your unique skill ''cutting'', it''s a different story. Explanation of "Cutting". The power of a magic stone can be increased by shaving it. Cutting" is a unique skill that allows the user to unleash the potential of a magic stone by cutting it. With this, you can make equipment more powerful than Lizetta''s ''Javelin of Fire. Really? I didn''t see anyone with that skill even in Dragon''s Fires. Of course. It''s a unique skill. It is a unique skill that only a limited number of alchemists can manifest. "Unique skill ......, huh?" Wayne said with a wry smile. ''Traditionally mages have been weak on this island. Perhaps that is why there is a tendency among alchemists to disregard equipment for mages. Wayne, you are going to change history. You will be the first and pioneer of equipment for mages." Wayne reacted slightly to the phrase "change history. (I guess that''s what I''m reacting to, after all. What Wayne is looking for is scale. (It would have to be a job so impactful that it would change history to motivate him.) I understand your concern for making A-class equipment. Let''s say it''s okay for me to make equipment for Class A mages. Wayne said it as if he had already decided that he was going to be a Class A alchemist. ''And then what?How are you treated after that?You wouldn''t leave a Class A alchemist in the flat, would you?" Of course, when I become an A-class alchemist, I will be treated appropriately. In terms of salary, too. ...... What''s your position? Position? You want me to become a class A alchemist, don''t you?If that''s the case, you''ll have to prepare a suitable post for me. When I become an A-class alchemist, you will give me a higher position than Aina, right?" ...... that''s not what this is about." [Wayne Merza''s skills Workshop Management": D to C ''Just because I made Class A equipment doesn''t mean I''m ready for a managerial job,'' he said. I can''t promise you a post. But I can promise you better treatment, including an increase in salary." But it doesn''t sound good for an A-class alchemist to be without a position, does it?You have to give up a post above Aina''s or at the very least, Aina''s post. ......" Wayne. Why are you so obsessed with petty skirmishes in the workshop?" What? You''re going to be a class A student, right?Then don''t be so proud of your little pride and become the best alchemist on this island." "......." The "dragon knight''s hermitage" returned to the "dragon''s fiery fire," battered and bruised again. Even Edgar was stunned. (What the heck, why is a B-class equipment with a defense grant beaten to a pulp like this? If you''re not an A-class adventurer, you''re not going to be able to pull off a trick like this. ...... No, not only that, you can''t do it unless you''re an A class adventurer wearing A class or better equipment. The enemy is supposed to be the weak alchemy guild and the small adventurers guild, right?(What the hell is going on here?) The newly added budget from the guild has been exhausted. The mission had failed. Medes''s opinion of Edgar would be further diminished. (You''re saying I lost? I''m the one who lost. ......) Edgar remains silent for a while, unable to admit his mistake, and continues to clench his fists and cast his eyes down at his tattered armor. In the face of his condition, his subordinates around him are unable to speak to him. For a while, everyone kept their mouths shut and an awkward atmosphere prevailed, but then Edgar suddenly looked up. He turned his head toward the patrol and glared at them. It''s your fault." What?" You said some weird thing about the enemy having an A-class archer, and that''s why the morale of the whole team went down and this happened. What? Why would you do that? Shut up. I''ll tell the guild leader that. You guys better get on the same page." The others present made a gesture of agreement. Edgar left and turned to go toward the guild president''s office. Pato hurried after Edgar and grabbed him by the shoulders. ''Hey, wait a minute, sir. What the hell are you doing? Get off me!" Edgar shook Pato off roughly. Pato was slammed against the wall. Edgar tries to walk away as if nothing happened. (You son of a b*tc*. ......) Pato thought he saw hatred on his face and jumped on Edgar. Leena had returned to the "Dragon''s Fierce Fire" headquarters to submit an investigation report on the "Arsenal of Spirits. (I wondered what would happen when I was put in charge of managing the branch office, but it looks like I managed to get through this one without Edgar''s attention.) Edgar''s viciousness was well known among the alchemists of "Dragon''s Fires. However, it would be troublesome if he were to come to their attention, so no one would openly stand up against him. When working with Edgar, it was best to keep a low profile, make no mistakes, and keep a low profile. Of course, Leena was not without her frustrations with him. But she was determined not to be the ringleader in bringing him down. It was like playing haggling. Someone would turn against Edgar sooner or later. But that would mean ruining her own career instead of bringing Edgar down. I don''t want to be a part of that. I''m patient. If I can endure until Edgar is disgraced, then luck will eventually come around to me and Pato.) As Leena was walking down the hallway thinking about this, she heard the sound of something falling with a clang and the sound of men''s voices struggling with each other. (Is this voice Edgar and ...... pat?) Leena rushed toward the voice and found Edgar and Pato struggling with each other. Charles had just intervened to stop them. What are you doing? Come on. Pato, what''s wrong?Calm down." Charles and Leena held Edgar and Pato back, respectively. Then Medeiros walked by. Hey, what''s going on? What''s all this racket?What are you guys doing?" Edgar and Pato looked at each other in a cliched manner. What the hell is wrong with you?You are alchemists, right? So why are you beating each other up with humans instead of striking iron?How the hell did this happen?We won''t know if you don''t tell us. Will someone please explain?" I''m sorry. We had a bit of a clash of opinions on the ...... ''Arsenal of Spirits'' measure, and we both got worked up and ended up doing this." Charles defended himself. A clash of opinions?What exactly is there to fight about?The "Arsenal of Spirits" is nothing more than a weak guild. You guys have a lot of work to do, don''t you?" This guy started saying some nonsense about there being an A-class archer on the other side. Edgar said. It''s creating havoc in the field. We could have won if we had just done things the normal way. But because of the chaos he''s caused, we can''t even win. But actually ...... I''ll be right back. All right. Hey, you." Medes interrupted Pato as he spoke and called for the appraiser who was accompanying him. He said, "Is. What is it? I want you to appraise their skills. I want you to appraise their skills, including their future growth potential. The appraiser appraised their skills. Edgar''s skills are Metal Forming: A to A Ore refining: B to B Product Design: B to B Silversmithing: B to B The following is a list of the most important factors. Patrick''s skills are Metal Forming: B to B Ore refining: C to C Product Design: B to B Silversmithing: C to B "The following is a list of the most recent results. I see. So, Edgar''s skills are better than mine at the moment and in the future. Is that right? "......, that would be the case." Good. Pato." Yes, sir. You''re demoted. What? Why? Whatever the circumstances, you have caused a problem. Someone has to take responsibility for the problem. Someone has to take responsibility so that it doesn''t happen again. Do you understand?This is the end of the matter. No one will be allowed to rehash it again. Now, if you understand, get back to work." Medes said that much and walked away. Those present returned to their posts. The only ones left were Pato, who was disappointed, and Leena, who was watching him with concern. Pato, are you okay? When Leena called out to Pato, he did not respond and remained sitting there. However, he suddenly stood up. He sat up. I can''t stay in this guild anymore. What?"Oh no. ....... You don''t have to feel so bad about being demoted. You can be a senior staff member again in no time. I don''t care if I''m demoted. I abandoned Wayne. I knew that. I knew that the first failure was not Wayne''s fault. And yet I turned a blind eye to the fact that he was being framed. In this guild, you always have to kick others down the road to survive. I can''t keep working here, pretending to be something I''m not. So I''m leaving." But your contract isn''t up yet, is it?That would be a breach of contract. What are you going to do?" I don''t know. I might leave the island." Oh, no. ...... You can stay. I think you''ll do well here because you''re calm and you can control yourself well. Bye. Pato said that much and headed for the exit. Leena stood there stunned. Then Gilbert, who had actually been watching from the sidelines from the beginning of the commotion, walked up to her, pretending that he was just passing by. Hello, young lady. What''s going on?" Ah, Mr. Gilbert. ...... ''You know, Patrick, you said?I saw him leaving the workshop (studio) a while ago. ......" Pato told me ...... that he''s quitting the guild. What did you say?That''s a big deal. If I violate the contract, I have to pay a penalty. If they find out that I violated my contract in Dragon''s Fires, they won''t hire me anywhere on this island. So his career as an alchemist is as good as over. He, pato, is clumsy and difficult, but sincere and kind. He is not the kind of person who would do violence without reason. Even this time, I am sure Edgar would have been unreasonable. As an alchemist, he is certainly not growing at the moment, but that is because he is always thinking about other people and other unnecessary things, and I am sure he will make it big in the future. As it is, I''m not a good person to end up like this. And yet ......" Hm. I see. That must surely be salvation." But how can I ...... I know of only one workshop on the island that would accept him and allow him to escape the pursuit of the Dragon''s Fires. Really?Where in the world is such a place ......" I''ll tell you, but you won''t tell the guild leader, Medeiros, about it, will you?" Yes, sir. I will never tell anyone. Good. The guild you should go to is the Arsenal of Spirits. "Arsenal of Spirits, ......" The "Arsenal of Spirits" is the only alchemy guild on the island that is fighting the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" head-on. If you go there, even the ''Dragon''s Fiery Fire'' will not be able to claim any further compensation from you. ("Arsenal of Spirits"). It is true that Mr. Roland, the head of the guild there, seemed to be a kind man. He might even accept Pato. ......) I understand. Thank you for telling me." Leena hurriedly went after Pato. Gilbert saw her off and ran into the guild president''s office. Mr. Medes!" What''s the matter, Mr. Gilbert? What''s the matter, Mr. Gilbert? I just saw Roland in the workshop. What? No, I was surprised. I thought you had banned Roland?" Of course. Of course," he said. "Roland is not allowed to enter our workshop (atelier) at all. I have told him to be turned away even if he comes to the reception. ...... But it was definitely Lorin. It''s funny," he said. What is the receptionist doing? I thought I was going to be chilled. But what on earth is Roland doing in my workshop?We are not going to make a deal when we come here. Roland was causing a ruckus just now, what did you say?Yes, yes, Patrick. It seemed he was talking to a girl named Leena, who was a close friend of Patrick and his." Mhm. Patrick and Leena have a ......" Yes. He seemed to be making some kind of enthusiastic invitation. What in the world was he trying to lure her with such enthusiasm? That''s certainly a little curious. Hey, call Patrick and Leena." The guild president told those nearby to call Patrick and Leena to his room, but they never made it to his office. The two disappeared from the "Dragon''s Fireside" workshop without a trace. Soon after, we learned that they had joined the "Arsenal of Spirits. The "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" began to consider filing a lawsuit against the "Arsenal of Spirits" as well as demanding compensation from the two for the breach of contract. Gilbert was pleased with the success of his gambit. He was pleased that his ruse had worked. Those two are B-class alchemists at best, and even if they joined Roland''s side, they wouldn''t be much of a force to be reckoned with. This is a perfect solution.) At the "Arsenal of Spirits," Wayne was working on a staff for mages. Roland, you want to be the best alchemist on the island?You make it sound so easy. What does a mere connoisseur know about alchemy?) Aina and her friends were working on the wand C. Roland brings the material, silver. Roland brings the material for wand C. "Oh, is this the material for wand C? It''s quite a fine piece of silver. The silver is originally processed by ''silversmithing,'' but it can also be done by ''metal molding. The silver is not as finely decorated as silversmithing, but with Aina''s "metal molding" A, it should be possible to make a B-class cane. Try making one with this silver as the base. I understand. Wayne steals a glance at the silver provided by Aina. (I see. It is indeed a good silver. With that, he could make a wand B without any difficulty.) Aina immediately gave instructions to Roddy and Ize. Let''s make a blueprint first, shall we? Roddy, please make the blueprints. Ize will support Roddy. Make a prototype so that Roddy can design it easily. Roger that. Ize immediately begins to mold the steel while looking at the specifications (the prototype is made of steel, not silver, to reduce the budget). Is it really okay to make it just as it is? Yeah, speed is more important than quality when it comes to prototypes. I need you to be agile at full throttle. Understood. Ize struck the iron, thinking only of making it fast anyway. A cane of reasonable quality was produced. How does it look like now? Yeah, it''s good. Lodi''s design image is solidified. (I see. (I see. I guess it''s easier to see improvements when you see the real thing. The handle of the staff could be simpler. The part that incorporates the magic stone should be more robust.) Roddy draws a blueprint based on the image that emerges. (At this rate, the blueprints will be ready soon.) Aina judged this from the speed of their work. Roddy, Ize. I''ll do the ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' work, so give me a call when you''re done. Okay." Roger that. And so, as Roddy and Ize were working on the prototype and Aina was working on the "exterior reinforcement (coating)," the silver brought by Roland was temporarily left out of everyone''s sight. Wayne did not want to miss that opportunity. (If I use that silver, I can make something better than Aina!) Wayne interrupted his "cutting" of the "magic stone of the storm" to make a wand from the silver mixed with the iron he had been provided, and submitted it to Roland. I''ve made an A-class wand, just as you wanted," he said. This doesn''t seem to be using ...... ''storm magic stone''?" Yeah, but I''m particular about the materials and the design. (This is how my reputation goes up and Aina''s reputation goes down for mismanagement of the lost silver.) Roland appraised the cane Wayne brought as an item. The process of making the cane flashed in Roland''s mind. There was a perfect image of Wayne chipping away at the silver from Aina''s workbench. After the appraisal, Roland gave Wayne a hard look. ''What the hell is this?'' What?" Who told you you could use Aina''s silver?" No, its ......." I cannot accept such a thing as an achievement. We have to start over." Wayne left the guild president''s office, looking unconvinced. (d*mn. What the hell? This was a normal thing in "Dragon''s Fireside". I didn''t check it this closely. How could Edgar do it this way ......? Oh, God.) Aina looks at Wayne walking down the hallway with jittery eyes. ''Hmmm. He''s pissed off at Mr. Roland. I''m sorry to hear that. Wayne, you''ve done it again. ...... Roddy put his hand over his face as if at a loss. ''He''s in trouble,'' he said. I''m sure Mr. Roland will have to punish him for this one time. He got what he deserved. You got what you deserved. You got in the way of my business. "Whew. Good grief. Roland comes out of the guild president''s office looking a little tired. Oh, Mr. Roland. I heard. I heard that Wayne''s guy got into trouble again. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Sorry." Oh, no. It''s not your fault, Mr. Roland. I''ll get you some new silver by tomorrow. The Cane C will have to wait a little longer. Yes, sir. (I guess I didn''t encourage him to become the best alchemist on the island. (I guess I couldn''t make him become the best alchemist on the island...) The foot dragging mentality that was ingrained in "Dragon''s Fires" is hard to cure. No matter what I do, I''m always stuck in competition with the person in front of me. (At any rate, Wayne needs a new competitor.) As Roland pondered this, Saki arrived. Roland, may I?" Saki, what''s wrong?" There was an alchemist in the cafeteria who wanted to interview for a position at the Arsenal of Spirits. The Arsenal of Spirits? Yes, sir. Yes, a woman named Leena came the other day. She is in the dining room with a man. I''ll be right there." Roland appraised the two alchemists who visited the diner. [Patrick Garcia''s Unique Skills. Tuning": E to A [Leena Hart''s unique skills Recycle": E to A (Each has a unique skill in addition to "Metal Forming" B. Perfect competition for Wayne) Roland decided to hire them both in his "arsenal of spirits". <> 90 - Art. 90. The Battle of the Robbery At the "Arsenal of Spirits," a morning meeting was held with new members and an additional workbench, and with a renewed spirit. Now, Wayne, Pato and Leena, you are going to develop your unique skills. Yes, yes, yes. Unique skills. Wayne said, annoyed. Aina saw his attitude and frowned. (This guy still doesn''t trust Mr. Roland''s appraisal skills? (Come on, admit your power, Mr. Roland.) You''ve already given Wayne an assignment. "You have already given Wayne an assignment: to use ''cutting'' to make A-class mage equipment. From now on, in addition to that, you will compete with the two of us in unique skills. Take a look at this." Roland points to a lyre (harp) and used armor on a stand beside him. First, Pato. I need you to fix the sound of this harp. Sound?" Oh. This is a lyre (harp) that a certain minstrel in this town asked me to repair, but the scale is out of tune. I will ask you to fix it. Roland played the lyre (harp). It was a terrible sound that even an amateur listener could tell was out of tune. He said, "I''m not sure what you mean when you say you''re going to fix the scale. ...... I''ve never played music before. What? What you have to do is alchemy after all. [Explanation of the skill "Tuning"]. Alchemy restores a musical instrument''s deranged pitch. Doing this to equipment may give it a special effect. You can do "metal molding," right? Try it on this lyre (harp)." "Huh." Pato tries hitting the lyre with a hammer, without quite getting the hang of it. (Ugh. What?) Pato played the instrument and felt the lyre''s scale change without needing to confirm it. When Roland played the lyre (harp), the sound was clearly improved. Yes," Roland said. It''s getting better. (It''s a strange feeling. It''s as if the moment I hit it, I had a sensory understanding of what was happening inside the instrument ....... It''s a feeling I never had when I was hammering steel.) I hope you now have some idea of what it feels like to use the skill ''tuning''."Well then, keep trying until the sound of the "lyre" is completely fixed. Next, Leena. Yes, sir. You will regenerate the iron from this armor. Is it ......? Yes. That''s your unique skill, "Scrap Reclamation." Description of the skill "Recycle". The metal can be restored by refining it again after it has been formed. The process is simple and straightforward. First, this used armor is broken down to a size that can be put into the refining kiln. Then we refine it. Would you give it a try?" I understand. I will try. Leena began to work on it without any particular questions. First, she hammered the armor, crushed it to a good size, and put it in the kiln. (She''s an honest girl, isn''t she? This one looks easy to handle.) Pato was playing the lyre (harp) on the workbench he was given by trial and error. (I can sort of sense that the sound is changing, but I''ve never molded a musical instrument before, so I don''t really know how to do it.) Pato sighed and became pensive (he had a habit of becoming pensive when he was stuck at work). (Was I really the right person to come here? I had left "Dragon''s Fires" on a spur of the moment, but this was a clear violation of the contract. No matter how coldly I was treated, such a thing is ......) Then Wayne came to the workbench next to me and put down the iron. He said, "Yo. Pato. You''re here too?" Wayne ......" ''I guess Edgar''s bastard set you up anyway. What the hell is wrong with that son of a b*tc*? I ...... couldn''t stand the way they worked over there. What?What''s that? Well, but yeah. That''s unbearable, isn''t it? Edgar had his eye on you. "......" But it''s all the same here. The guild leader, Roland, is a bit of a jerk in terms of his instructions and training policies. Is that so?" Yeah, that''s right. I''ve had a bad experience because of him. I mean, there are so many shitty places to work in the world. It''s true. ...... That''s what I''m talking about, Wayne. You were ordered by the guild leader to work on the magic stone, weren''t you? Oh?It''s okay. I have to beat Edgar''s guy. I don''t have time to follow Roland''s orders. What the heck is "cutting magic stone"? I didn''t even see such a skill in "Dragon''s Fires. Unique skills don''t just appear that easily, you know. What does a connoisseur know about alchemy? You have to be careful about that too. ...... Just as I was about to say that, I heard Leena''s voice at the refining kiln. Roland-san. The iron has been regenerated. Which one?Oh. This is iron C. Well done. Roland looks sullenly at the iron that Leena brought. (That armor was originally made of iron B. (That armor was originally made of iron B. Was it impossible to reproduce the original quality of the stone? (However, this can be reused well enough.) [Leena Hart''s Unique Skills Recycle": C (2) (As I said, skills that haven''t been tapped yet grow fast. I went from an E class to a C class with just a few hand-holding.) I''m great," he said. Leena. With this kind of performance, you can save as much iron as you want just by accepting used goods." Yes," he said. I never thought I could do this myself." Let''s keep up the good work and keep on ''recycling''!" Pato was impressed when he saw Leena''s recycled steel. It''s amazing," she said. She was able to perfectly regenerate iron from such tattered armor. I''ve never seen such skill before. (I can''t believe that Leena had that kind of skill in her. And Roland, an S-class appraiser who saw it in her first meeting. He was treated as a fraud in "Dragon''s Fires," but he may be a skilled appraiser.) Hey," he said. Wayne, is Mr. Roland from ......, Wayne?" When Pato tried to talk to Wayne, Wayne had put away the iron he was hammering at an odd pace and was beginning to sharpen the magic stone. The rough magic stone was quickly sharpened to a smooth surface, and a sparkling brilliance covered its body. Wayne, breathing on his shoulder, submitted the finished stone to Roland. Hahaha," he said. Hey there. Roland, the ''magic stone cutting'' is done. Appraise it. Which is it?You can do it if you try. Your unique skill is working. Storm magic stone. Magic: 50 (up 40) I''m not going to say it again. This is nothing compared to what I can do. But it''s still not enough for an A-class wand component. Let''s keep working on it. Saying this, Roland handed Wayne a new magic stone. Tch. I''ll make you an A-class equipment in no time! Wayne returned to the workbench and worked on grinding magic stones as if his previous laziness was a lie. I''m already losing to Aina," Wayne said. (I''ve already lost to Aina, and I''m not going to lose to Leena, too!) Pato chuckled at Wayne. Wayne, you haven''t changed. (Wayne, you haven''t changed.) When it comes to competition, you change the color of your eyes. Roland," she said. Can you recycle this into steel too?" Aina brings a large amount of rusted tools on a cart. She says, "Oh?What''s wrong with that?" I left it in storage in the back. When I saw Leena''s unique skills, I thought it might be a good idea." I see. Well then, Leena, will you give it a try?" Yes, sir. Yes, sir. (Leena is also in good spirits. (Lina is also in good spirits.) This workshop has a nice atmosphere.) I can work here for a while. Pato thought so, and got himself back on track. Wayne Merza''s Unique Skills Cutting": C (up2) [Patrick Garcia''s unique skills Tuning": C (up2) Lawsuit?" Raul was quizzical when he heard the unfamiliar word come out of Medes'' mouth. ''Mm. The other day, Roland was in and out of our workshop (atelier). I had already banned him from the studio. Moreover, it seems that he encouraged a member of our guild to break his contract and join his own guild. This is unacceptable, and I think we should file a lawsuit against the Arsenal of Spirits. I think you''re being a bit hasty, don''t you?First, we''re going to call those two disappeared people and find out what the facts are. ......" Not so fast. What is more, this is the proposal of none other than Mr. Gilbert. Raul frowned at the mention of Gilbert''s name. Raoul frowned when he heard Gilbert''s name. Raul frowned when he heard Gilbert''s name.I haven''t even received an advance yet. ......" The amount of work is the amount of money," he said. Besides, Mr. Gilbert has said that this is the last request he will make regarding the "Arsenal of Spirits. I''ll take ...... on that one." Raoul, think about it. The fact that some people have actually violated their contracts by following Roland''s lead is a problem that cannot be overlooked. We can''t guarantee that the same thing will not happen in the future. We have no choice but to deal with it. I think it''s enough just to stuff the two people who violated the contract. ...... Raul. I''ve already made up my mind about this. Don''t talk about it now. More importantly, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" will be back soon from his dungeon exploration. You should be fully prepared for that. I know." Raul looks out the window toward the "Volcano Dungeon. It''s quiet. I guess Yugan didn''t fight the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" as he had originally planned.) While the "Dragon''s Fires" and the "Arsenal of Spirits" were repeatedly skirmishing, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" led by Yugan were not simply passing the time doing nothing. They had already led their local guild to explore the dungeon for the first time. Let''s turn back the clock a bit and look at their footsteps. Upon arrival at the "Dragon''s Fireside," Yugan and the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" were politely received. Welcome, welcome. "Welcome, Knights of the Crescent Moon! Medes greeted the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" with a charming smile as usual (he always behaved amiably only at the beginning). Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Medes. Hello. Raul. I hope you haven''t lost your touch. Of course. I''m glad to see you''re doing so well. Raul also greeted Yugan with his usual condescension. He was basically pompous to everyone, with the exception of S-class adventurers. He respected them as one of the few special people who could use the equipment he had made. Yugan entrusted his sword "Granir" to Raul. Raoul said, "Well then, I''ll leave the maintenance of this one to you. Yeah, I''ll take care of it." So, Mr. Yugan. I have some new equipment to be manufactured at ......." I''ll tell you about it in a moment. First of all, we would like to investigate the dungeon and the movement of the "Grand Fafnir. In that case, we can provide you with the information we have gathered on our own, and then we can make some suggestions for equipment. Thanks," he said. I''ll be happy to hear all about it later. But we at Knights of the Crescent Moon would like to gather some information of our own as well. I am sure that a major adventurers'' guild would not go out of its way to do such a thing. Local people know best about local matters. Please leave this to us. I''m sorry, but I can''t do that. Yugan snapped. I''m not doubting you guys. Information can be falsified. Especially between the Alchemy Guild and the Adventurers'' Guild, there is a discrepancy in their stance.We need to have our own sources of information to correct for such errors. For us adventurers, misinformation can be fatal. We can''t trust strangers too much in our profession. No hard feelings. But it is the custom for adventurers who come here to use equipment manufactured by us. In fact, our proposal has been very well received by the adventurers. For the time being, we are going to start with a fire spear (javelin) as a countermeasure against the fire dragon (Fafnir). ...... The "Guardians of the Academy" made a huge blunder by accepting a proposal that was so well received by adventurers, didn''t they?" Medes pulled his cheeks in a bit of discomfort (the change was slight enough that even a fairly observant one might or might not notice it), but somehow managed to maintain his smiling face. He somehow managed to maintain a smiling face. Then, let''s limit ourselves to presenting a budget for maintenance orders for existing equipment and for new production. Yes, thank you. The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" left his equipment with "Dragon''s Fireside" and went to the city to gather information. The adventurer with the double-S title is indeed very calm. They are different from the youngsters in the magic academy. Raul said, impressed. Raoul looked impressed. I don''t know. I don''t know," Raul said, impressed. You can''t trust your own long-standing intuition and accept what others say. What?What are you getting so grumpy about? Nothing. I''m not in a bad mood. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" researched and estimated that their funds would allow them to explore the "Volcano Dungeon" only three times. Therefore, Yugan collected the quota of ore from the guild on the first exploration. In the second search, he defeated the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The third search was a preliminary one. The problem was cooperation with the local guild. When they heard that the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" were going to explore the "Volcano Dungeon," adventurers from the local guilds rushed to their lodgings to ask for help. One of them said The "Volcano Dungeon" is so intricate that it is impossible to explore without the help of local people to guide the way. We also have to take into account that we will have to fight with the thieves'' guilds. Please use us as your guide or shield." Another said the following "We will need a lot of people to get the ore out of here," said one. I have heard that the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" is a guild that traditionally places importance on lightness. I have heard that they are not accustomed to hard work. Please use us as your manpower here, as we are well versed in the extraction, transportation, and handling of ores." One further stated If the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" were to go into the dungeon alone without the local guilds, they would be making enemies of all the local guilds. If this were to happen, it would be extremely difficult for the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" to bring back any results. The local guilds only want a reward to continue their business. As long as they are paid, they will not turn their blades against the "Knights of the Crescent Moon. However, we are not sure if we want to join forces with a bunch of random people. Therefore, we will select local guilds that we can trust and introduce them to you. We will try to adjust our interests accordingly. Why don''t you leave it to us? The local guilds, which were a thousand and one in all, pressured the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" in this way, and the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" had no choice but to allow more adventurer guilds to participate in the search than originally planned. However, Yugan and his group did not make alliances with all the local guilds that had volunteered, as did the "Guardians of the Magical Academy. They strictly screened the size of the guilds, the rewards they offered, their financial situation, their track record, and the skills and status of their adventurers, selecting only those guilds that would not slow them down (although their skill level was significantly lower than that of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" adventurers, and the overall average was lower than that of the "Guardians of the Magical Academy"). (although it was inevitable). It took three days to finish all these tasks, make all the arrangements, and assemble in front of the "volcano dungeon". It was the same day that Monica and the others had defeated the first assassin sent from the "Dragon''s Fires". As they entered the dungeon, Yugan reminded them of the following We will now begin our exploration of the "Volcano Dungeon. As previously announced, we will conquer the dungeon in three parts. This time, we will concentrate on acquiring ore the first time, and defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" later. Each guild should cooperate with each other in the search for the dungeon." And so, the "Crescent Moon Knights" and their allied guilds entered the dungeon. As soon as they entered the dungeon, "Fafnir" attacked. The alliance was slightly shaken. It''s Fafnir! d*mn, that''s out of the blue. Hey, you go." Adventurers from local guilds are scared and try to push each other into battle. They were not equipped to fight Fafnir, and a proper fight would have inevitably worn them out. I don''t want to be exhausted at such an early stage of the battle. Fafnir" flew leisurely around the area and exerted pressure on the adventurers, as if he could see through their fear. The adventurers were slowly falling back, their spirits being sapped. What the hell, I can''t help it." An archer, a "Knight of the Crescent Moon," and a warrior equipped with a "Javelin" leapt forward. When an arrow fired by the archer hits Fafnir, Fafnir becomes enraged and rushes toward the archer. The archer runs through with quick movements and acts as a decoy, drawing the fire dragon''s attention while the warrior jumps in from a blind spot and thrusts a javelin at the fire dragon''s throat. The tip of the javelin, heated to a high temperature, burned through Fafnir''s throat. The adventurers shouted with joy. "Oh, we did it! As expected of the Knight of the Crescent Moon." d*mn it. They''re not as good as they say they are.) Inwardly, Yugan was dismayed by the local adventurers'' good mood. He was dismayed at the good nature of the local adventurers, but he knew that making enemies with them would do too much harm. We have to somehow coax them out and use them well.) The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" will be in charge of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and other dragon tribes. Other small fry monsters and bandit guilds should be dealt with by the local guilds. Yugan gave these instructions, careful not to let his inner dissatisfaction show. The alliances with clearly defined roles and responsibilities cooperated with each other and proceeded through the dungeon without friction. While Yugan was leading the alliance, he also kept a watchful eye on the rear. (This feeling. I''m sure of it. I can''t see them, but those guys from the thieves'' guild are right behind us. They are waiting for us to show them an opening. They''re not very nice.) What''s wrong? The second-in-command of "Knights of the Crescent Moon" spoke to Yugan. No, it''s nothing. Let''s move on." They may be hard to fight, but they are not our enemies. If they come at us, we will beat them.) Thus, Yugan and his team, with enemies at their backs, worked together to advance through the dungeon and reach the "Metal Line" in about a week''s time. Yugan instructed the local guilds to work on the extraction of ore, and they were free to mine for it. He said, "Well...we''ve got a lot of work to do. We''ve made it this far for now. Exploration is going well." That''s ......, I hope." ?" (The guys from the thieves'' guild just stick around and don''t try to set me up. Even if they want to, they can''t? Or are they after something? Well, either way, we''ll find out on the way home.) Even the Thieves'' Guild must spend a fair amount of money on dungeon exploration. It is hard to believe that it will end without incident. (We are now their prey, now that we''re carrying the ore. But so what?If you''re coming, come. I''m gonna turn the tables on you.) Yugan put his hand on the hilt of his sword, "Granir," to strengthen his will to fight. The "White Wolf" bandits were also having difficulty in finding a way to attack Yugan''s troops. "d*mn. They don''t show any openings. I don''t see any signs of a struggle between the outside guilds and the local guilds. I was impressed with the double S. He has a lot of experience. According to our information, Yugan is not planning to fight the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" this time. If that''s the case, I guess they''ll come down the mountain as soon as they finish extracting the ore. What do you think, Jamil?" Rodo asks Jamil, who is relaxing against a rock. Jamil gave a thin smile. What the hell," he said. On the way back, they will be carrying a lot of ore and will be slow. That''s when the game is on. And ...... kukk. The only thing you have to do is to defeat the enemy, not to fight. I''m going to take the time to teach that to the guys from the outside. After a day of collecting a large amount of rare metals, Yugan and his group decided to descend the mountain. As soon as they left the "Metal Line," the "White Wolf" immediately set up shop. (Killing spirit!(You''re here.) Multiple cries echo through the sky. It was the cry of "Fafnir. Fafnir" is here. From the left! Five, six, seven! Soon the "Crescent Moon Knights" deployed to the left and the local adventurers shifted to the right. Seeing this, the bandits also began to move. Arrows rained down on the right wing of the alliance. The local adventurers took this opportunity to make a good show and became shields against the sliding arrows. But no one was willing to step forward. Instead, they were slowly retreating. What are you doing, come forward and attack the enemy!" The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" second-in-command, who could not bear to look at them, scolded them, but they remained on the defensive and never moved forward. They were on the defensive and never moved forward, because they had already reaped enough harvest and did not want to wear themselves out further. Although he was ostensibly fighting for the "Knight of the Crescent Moon," his true intention was to pull up to the city without incident. The "White Wolf" archers gained momentum against them, who did not counterattack at all, and kept pushing forward. On the other hand, the local guild kept falling back, until finally their backs were touching those of the "Crescent Moon Warriors" who were fighting the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". At this rate, it would have a negative impact on the members of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" who are fighting the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). Tsk. It can''t be helped. I''ll take this one." Yugan draws his sword and walks past the Warriors of the local guild. Yugan comes out. Focus on him. The thieves focused their aim on Yugan, but he repelled a hail of arrows with his sword and kept moving forward. "Uh-oh!" Run!" Undeterred, the bandits were defeated. But there was no escaping Yugan''s agility. Yugan closed in on the fleeing archer''s back. However, just as they were about to enter the sword fight, the bandits threw down their weapons and turned toward Yugan. ?" The bandits raise their hands, ready to surrender. On top of that, they grinned and laughed frivolously. What the hell, boys? What the hell do you think you''re doing?" Heh heh heh. You''ll see. We surrender." "Island regulations forbid attacking those who have surrendered, sir. We would appreciate it if you would follow the rules and refrain from excessive pursuit of those of us who have been disarmed. We are prisoners of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon. Well, please treat us politely." "Tsk." Yugan punches them in the stomach after destroying the bow and arrow they threw out. "Argh!" "Guguet!" The bandits fell to the ground unconscious. (It ain''t no use taking down the zakos, where''s the enemy master?) By the time Yugan resumed his search, however, the bandits had left the war zone and disappeared from sight. ''Master Yugan. We have completed defeating the ''Fire Dragon (Fafnir). Where are the bandits?" I missed it. The ones lying there, they are prisoners of war. Tie their hands and drag them away. Yes, sir. But this is a bit tricky. We can repel the enemy, but we can''t put the finishing touches on them. If we can''t decide who wins, we''ll have to be prepared for a long fight.) <> 91 - Art. 91. The Brave Who Has Left the Ladder Here we go again. Five Fafnir dragons this time! The "White Wolf" archery team also came. This time from behind. The war of attrition between the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" and the "White Wolf" continued. Each time, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" would take charge of repelling the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and the local guilds would take charge of the "White Wolf" attacks. However, the local guild''s fighting spirit was extremely low. They only held up their shields to defend themselves against arrows and never moved forward. Today was the fifth day since they had started descending the mountain, and they had been doing so repeatedly, unable to deliver a decisive blow to the "White Wolf. What are you doing? Come forward! Even when the second-in-command of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" said so, they only retreated backwards. Don''t back down," he said. Move forward. If you go back any further, we will exclude you from the alliance next time! When the deputy scolded them, they finally moved forward, albeit reluctantly. But as soon as the arrows begin to converge, they quickly turn away and begin to retreat. d*mn it, no!" Run!" One by one, they began to fall back, and began to threaten their safety by starting a fist fight with the warrior of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" who was fighting the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" on the other side. Finally, one of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" was severely damaged, and the ore he was holding was scattered around the area. Tch. That''s enough. I''ll take care of fighting off the bandits!" Yugan jumped out. Yugan rushed toward the enemy, dealing with the hail of arrows with his sword. Yugan is here. Run!" The bandits dispersed as if they had been spiders. In the end, they only took a couple of enemy bowmen (archers) as prisoners. (Tsk. This again. If only the guys from the local guild were more useful. ...... Yikes!I''m impatient. (Can''t you do something about it?) Yugan huffed when he noticed the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" and the local guilds looking at him. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" adventurers looked annoyed, and the local guild members were looking at him anxiously. It was a sign of division. "Phew. We missed the leader of the bandits this time, too. But there was no problem. Everyone did a great job. From now on, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" will be in charge of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and the local guilds will be in charge of the "White Wolf" defense. I''ll take care of everything else." Some were relieved and some were dissatisfied, but they all returned to their posts for the time being. As soon as they resumed their march, Yugan immediately gave an earful to his second-in-command. Hey, we lost ore in the battle earlier, didn''t we? How much is left?" The. We currently hold 90% of our procurement target. "...... I see." (We didn''t get as much as we planned, did we? (However, we can''t afford to spend any more time exploring the dungeon.) The remaining 10 percent will be collected in the second search. Anyway, our priority now is to avoid the loss of ore. Don''t expect anything more from the local guilds. I''ll get rid of all the bandits. "Yes, sir." The same was true for the "White Wolf" who was frustrated at not being able to decide the match. Tsk. They''re hard to break. Normally it''s about time there was some friction between the local guilds and the outside guilds ......." So far, I don''t see any signs of it. Yugan''s agility shows no sign of slowing down. He''s a monster, after all. The number of archer prisoners has exceeded 15. We can''t afford to wear them out any more. What do we do, Jamil? Convert the swordsmen to archers, even D-class ones. Don''t let the enemy rest. (Double S adventurer, Yugan the Swordsman in Black. You''re a stone. He doesn''t show his hand very often. Don''t be in a hurry to ....... The damage we''ve suffered is considerable, but I''m sure we''ve dealt them a fair amount of blows as well. The battle will not be decided until they go for a second strike.) The battle between the "Crescent Moon Knight" and the "White Wolf" continued, but neither was able to deal a decisive blow to the other, and they returned to the city. This was the day after Pato and Leena started working at the "Spirit Arsenal. Thus, the hands of time were turned back to the present. Edgar, who had failed in his efforts to counter the "Arsenal of Spirits," was worrying about his report to Medeiros. (With Pato out of the way, there are no more people to say unnecessary things, but what to report to the head of the guild? (No one would say anything extra after Pato left, but what to report to the head of the guild?) Edgar. Edgar, what are you looking so difficult for? Hmm?Charles. No, I was just wondering what to do about the "Arsenal of Spirits" countermeasure. It''s not easy for you either. You have a lot of work to do. d*mn it. You''re not a stranger to this? Ha-ha. Oh, well, well. Don''t be so tense. I''ll help you if you need anything else. Now it''s more about budget than manpower," he said. Without ore, we can''t maintain or manufacture weapons. There is nothing we can do. Speaking of ore, it looks like the Crescent Moon Knight has returned. "Knights of the Crescent Moon" ...... Yeah. The guild leader told me to be ready and prepared to welcome them. What''s up with ......?" Charles noticed Edgar grinning and looked doubtful. "No, I just thought I might be a genius." What? Well, you''ll see. I''ve got an idea. (I''ve come up with a way to make up for my blunder.) The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" returned to town and was captured by the residents before he had time to recover from his search. They demanded an explanation about the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). Having no choice, Yugan stood at the podium again and explained the following. We entered the dungeon, but there was no sign of "Grand Fafnir" activity. Therefore, we prioritized the procurement of ore together with the local guild. In the next dungeon search, we intend to try to defeat the "Grand Fafnir". Therefore, the local residents should continue to watch the situation without making a fuss. When Yugan finished his speech, the sun was setting. He was too tired to hide his tired face and got into the carriage. The islanders here are trying to drain our energy. They should calm down a little.) Good night." Oh. I''m so tired. You keep making me do things I''m not used to. It''s getting dark today, so let''s go back to the inn. We can leave our equipment at the Dragon''s Fireside tomorrow." I agree. I don''t feel like doing anything more. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" group thus returned to their lodgings, but this time lag gave the "White Wolf" and Edgar time to exchange information and maneuver. The next day, Yugan went to "Dragon''s Fires" to request equipment maintenance. Raul personally greeted him and received the equipment. Raul received the equipment in person. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Yugan. How was your dungeon search?" I think we''ve almost achieved our goal. I think we will be able to kill the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" in the next search. I see. I see. I guess you are a double-S adventurer, aren''t you? Well then, we will be happy to support you with our alchemy, even if it is only a little. Yeah, that''s all right. That bandit guild, "White Wolf," you say? Can''t you do something about those guys? I''m getting more and more annoyed with the threats to my backside." I was wondering if you could tell me about the "...... ''White Wolf'' guys. It is true that they are a bad bunch,......, but it''s not like Yugan-dono. It''s not like Yugan to be so weak-minded about a mere bandit. They''re not that big a deal. They messed with us when we were fighting Fafnir the Fire Dragon. They always threaten our backs while we''re searching, so we have to be on our toes. ...... Well, we don''t think too well of them either. But we can''t do anything about their activities either. We can''t choose our clients, either. ''Well, I see that too. I shouldn''t be talking to you guys. Forget it. I''ll leave you to maintain the weaponry. Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you. Thus, Yugan left his equipment in the care of "Dragon''s Fireside" for the time being, and took a rest for the time being. However, soon after that, he received a notice from "Dragon''s Fireside. I can no longer accept the request I made earlier. He had no choice but to return the equipment he had been entrusted with. They asked us to come to their workshop (atelier) as soon as possible. Yugan, in a panic, immediately went to the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. He said, "Oh no, I am sorry. I am sorry, Mr. Yugan. Thank you for coming so many times. Medes, who greeted Yugan, smiled and acted amiably. No, that''s fine. What do you mean? What do you mean you can''t accept our request? No, I am truly sorry. Actually, there is a shortage of ore due to a mistake on our part. We are unable to accept new requests. You''ve been saying for a while that you''re going to explore the dungeon on three separate occasions, haven''t you?You guys said you would support us exactly until the third time, right?What the hell does that mean?" I''m sorry to hear you say that," he said. What can you do without what you don''t have? Mr. Eugene, can I have a word?I have a proposal. Edgar, who was sitting next to me, spoke up. Edgar, who was sitting next to me, said, "I believe the ''Knight of the Crescent Moon'' must have collected some ore during his search this time, right? How about using that for this maintenance?" Huh?" Even Yugan, unable to hide his bewilderment, voiced it out loud. Don''t be ridiculous. We came all the way to this island to bring back the ore. Why should I go to the trouble of offering it to you for your work? Once you''ve taken on the job, you''ll have to procure the ore yourselves." Then I will say that we did not have a chance to talk this time. I am sorry, but I would like you to find another alchemy guild. (d*mn these guys.) (Phew, I guess the first step was a success anyway.) Edgar saw the look on Yugan''s face and chuckled inwardly. Of course, the whole exchange was an act. The "Dragon''s Fires" is not suffering from a shortage of ore to that extent. Edgar advised Medes as follows. The longer the Knights of the Crescent Moon take down Grand Fafnir, the more money they can make. Therefore, we should prioritize the support of the "White Wolf" and have the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" offer up the ore they possess. If they do not have enough ore to bring back, the number of times they dive in dungeons will increase, and the number of times they use "Dragon''s Fires" will increase. Medes accepted Edgar''s advice. In the end, Yugan gave in to the demands of the "Dragon''s Fires" and gave up the ore he had collected. Raul was walking down the corridor with a devilish look on his face. He roughly opened the door to the quartet''s workroom and yelled at Edgar as soon as he spotted him. Edgar. What the hell do you think you''re doing? An?"Raoul. What''s the matter? You''re so angry. You don''t look so peaceful. There''s nothing wrong with that. What are you doing turning down a request from the Knight of the Crescent Moon? Raul grabbed Edgar by the chest and brought them face to face. Raoul grabbed Edgar by the chest and brought them face to face. Raul grabbed Edgar by the chest and brought him face to face with Raul. Raul grabbed Edgar''s chest and brought him face to face with Raul. It was part of the negotiations. In fact, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" accepted our conditions and asked us again. So you''re saying you interfered with my business?" Raul''s hands clenched more and more tightly around his collar. Raul''s hand tightened more and more on his collar. You can''t get violent with me. Charles intervened and said. Lisetta continued to fiddle with the silver, seemingly unconcerned. My job?It''s a job for "Dragon''s Fires," isn''t it?This is a job that the entire quartet was working on with the full power of the guild. Don''t talk about it as if it were your sole responsibility. I see. So that''s why you turned down the job without even telling me?Is that all you have to say?Then grit your teeth. Raul clenches his fists and shakes them. Raul clenches his fists and shakes them. Raul clenched his fists and shook them. "Hey, hey, Raul, I think you''re mistaken.If you have a problem with that, you''ll have to talk to the guild president." ......" Raul fell silent for a moment, then lowered his raised fist and let go of his roughly gripped chest. He left the room without saying a word. Are you all right?" Charles spoke to Edgar with concern. He said, "Ugh, geez. d*mn, Raul grabbed me with all his might. But now the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" will be forced to pay extra money to our guild. (But now the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" will be forced to pay extra money to our guild. Since we made a profit as a result, they will tolerate our blunder regarding the "Arsenal of the Spirits.) Later, Raul came to Yugan to apologize. We are sorry for the blunder we have caused. Please forgive us, as we will at least take responsibility for the maintenance of the equipment entrusted to us. Yugan accepted Raul''s apology, but his distrust of "Dragon''s Fires" became even stronger. (These guys aren''t monolithic.) Yugan was forced to change his plan. (Heck, what are we going to do? We have enough money to explore the dungeon twice more, but if we can''t trust the "Dragon''s Fires," we can''t afford to wait that long. Shall we go for the ore and defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" in one go in the next exploration? Or do we extract more than twice as much ore as our goal? But that would mean carrying more, which would inevitably increase the number of local adventurers we would add to the alliance. And you''re going to add more of those useless people?That''s ridiculous. It''s suicide. d*mn. If only the locals were a little more useful. With the limited time we have, we can''t even train them. ...... (......) Yugan remembered what Roland had said. He is training local adventurers. Watch out for the ''dragon''s fiery fire. I see. I finally understand. I finally understand what Roland was talking about.) <> 92 - Art. 92. The Dragon Sound After being removed from the ladder by the "Dragon''s Fires," Yugan hurriedly held a meeting with the adventurers belonging to the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" to gather their opinions. With the "Dragon''s Fires" being untrustworthy, he felt uneasy about following his original plan. He therefore wanted to solicit opinions from everyone to see if there was a better plan. The members of the team expressed their opinions one after another. We should be more strict with the local adventurers and impose heavier burdens on them. We should negotiate to get better conditions from the "Dragon''s Fires. The opinions expressed in the discussion were all based on the uncertainties of the situation, and all of them relied on changes in others. Yugan bit his teeth. (d*mn. I didn''t expect this. I''m not good at command in the first place, but the people in the upper echelons are making me feel like I''m in trouble. Oh, God.) The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" continued to meet late into the night, but did not make much progress. The "Arsenal of Spirits" was in a different place. When Aina went to the workshop (atelier), she passed by Pato. Oh?You''re early. Good morning. ...... ugh." When Aina calls out to him, Pato turns his eyes to her. His eyelids drooped and dark circles formed under his eyes, making it easy to imagine that he was sleep deprived. Ah, good morning." Pato returned the greeting in a dark voice. (Ku, dark ......) ''Hey, are you okay?You don''t look so good, do you?" I''m sorry. I didn''t sleep well." Why don''t you take the rest of the day off?Shall I tell Mr. Roland''s side of the story?" No, I''m fine. Thank you." Pato walks dazedly and with an uneasy gait to his workshop. I wonder if he''s okay.) Aina looked worriedly at Pato. (Hmmm. He doesn''t seem to be a bad boy, but he''s a little bit in the dark. I''m not good in the dark.) Pato''s mood did not improve as he began his work. What was bothering him was the matter of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon. Oh," he said. The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" had returned. I guess he''s going to hunt the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" next. But as it is now ......) Pato sighed as he thought about this. (No good. I can''t help thinking about others. I need to concentrate on myself. I know, but ......) Pato inadvertently taps his finger with a hammer. Ouch." Hey, you okay?" Roddy, passing by, calls out to him. You''re hurt. Go get yourself fixed up. Yeah, but ...... I''ll clean up the mess. Yes, sir. Excuse me." As Pato was being treated in the break room, someone came in. ''Hey, are you okay?'' Oh, Mr. Roland. You don''t look happy. What''s troubling you?" ...... No, it''s nothing." I see." Roland looks at Pato with a downcast look on his face and ponders what to do. (You don''t open up to me very much, do you? He doesn''t like to talk about himself much, does he? ) Nevertheless, if he remains troubled, the development of his skills will be hindered. Is there any way you can open up? (......) Roland decided to change the question. ''You used to work for "Dragon''s Fires," as I recall, right? Yes. I was actually thinking of doing business with them before," he said. I was rejected. I''m still a little stuck on it. I can''t ...... put my finger on it, but I think they are a guild that has some problems. ......" I''d like to hear about it, if you don''t mind. I would like to hear about the time when you worked at the Dragon''s Fireside. What was daily life like in that guild?" I understand. Then, I will talk about it. It is only my subjective opinion. ......" Pato''s reticence seemed to disappear as he began to talk about "Dragon''s Fires. The "dragon''s fiery fire" has a tendency to make decisions that prioritize immediate profit over the future. They are prone to change their attitude depending on the situation of the adventurers, and it is not uncommon for them to take one side and then the other. This is due in part to the fact that the main customers of Dragon''s Fireside Restaurant are adventurers from outside the island. Outside adventurers, who can only stay on the island for a certain period of time, cannot continue to complain when the "dragon fire" removes them from the ladder, and they have no choice but to cry themselves to sleep. The competitive nature of the Dragon''s Fires also exacerbates the problem. Because of the need to achieve results in a short period of time, the corporate culture at "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" is rooted in the tendency to kick others down the road, and because of the constant changes in the people in charge, the people in charge tend to be self-preserving and neglect their subordinates. In addition, there is even a tendency to make a virtue of making adventurers, who are supposed to be one''s partners, cry for the sake of immediate profit. Furthermore, the relationship with the guild of thieves is deep-rooted, and the local guild tends to be uncooperative while relying on outside guilds. I am concerned about this, and I have been working with ....... Pato was startled when he said that. I''m sorry. Did I talk too much?) I''m sorry. I got carried away and started talking." No, it''s okay." (He suddenly became very talkative when it came to the problems of "Dragon''s Fires. I see. He is the type of person who can''t turn his eyes away from negative things. I can use ...... for this.) Pato, you''re funny." What?" I''ve always wanted to know more about that part of the Fires of the Dragon. "......" I''m trying to solve the island''s problems, starting with the dragon fire. Roland decided to ask about the problems in the "Arsenal of Spirits" as well. Wayne, who has been dragged down by the way he worked at the "Dragon''s Fires," has not been very cooperative. What should we do? Pato replied that Wayne might be afraid of being fired. Therefore, if we assure him that he will not be fired, Wayne will be able to concentrate on improving his skills. Hearing this, Roland immediately gathered everyone together and declared that Wayne would not be fired unless his contract was extended and there was a serious violation of the job rules during the term of his contract. Wayne wondered why his treatment had suddenly improved, but he quickly reacted and showed signs of change. (Are you going to extend your contract? If only I had time to improve my skills, I might be able to beat Aina. I''ll just have to work on it a little longer.) From that day on, Wayne''s attitude relaxed, the blatant hostility he had shown toward Aina faded away, and he visibly spent more time working on improving his skills. Pato was surprised at how quickly Roland responded. (How could he take in the opinions of a newcomer so quickly?) Pato recalls Roland saying he wanted to support adventurers. (If those words were true, this might be the ideal workplace for me.) Returning to the workshop, Pato looked awfully refreshed. Pato, are you all right now?" Aina asks. Aina asks, "Yes. Thank you. Pato adjusts the strings on his lyre harp with an ever sunny mood. He is in a better mood than ever. I''ve never had anyone say that to me before. If I can work for someone, I''m ......) [Patrick Garcia''s Unique Skills Tuning": B (up1) While Roland was hard at work at the "Arsenal of the Spirits," he received a strange inquiry from a bard who had asked him to repair his lyre (harp). I want to meet the alchemist who repaired this lyre (harp). Roland nodded his head. I can''t believe you want me to meet the alchemist who repaired it. What is the matter with you? The repaired lyre (harp) produces a mysterious tone that is not originally produced," he said. This might be a magical tone that can calm monsters. The "magic tones ....... No way!" [Status of the lyre (harp)] Special Effect: "Ryu-in (dragon sound) C". (I knew it. It has special effects!) Excuse me, is something wrong?" A patrol hears the commotion and turns up at the entrance. Roland quickly appraises Pato''s skills. Tuning." Alchemy restores a musical instrument''s deranged pitch. Doing this to equipment may give it a special effect. The repaired instrument can be given a "dragon sound". (After all...). The description of "Tuning" has been updated. (I wonder if the direction of the skill has been set along with the rank up.) ''Is that you?Who repaired this lyre (harp)?" Let''s see..." Yes, I am, but..." I''d love to hear more about it. ...... Huh. Roland watched as the bard spoke enthusiastically to Pato and wondered how he should view the situation. (Pato''s unique skills are awakening. Should we try a little intensive nurturing here?) Is this ''Ryuin'' ......?" When spoken to by Roland in the workshop, Pato tilted his head at the unfamiliar special effect. Yes," he said. The instrument tuned by your unique skill "tuning" will have a special effect "dragon sound" that calms the anger of monsters and reduces their desire to fight. With Fafnir threatening adventurers even in the lower levels, a party with a bard who can control "Ryuin" will have an advantage over other adventurer guilds. You can help adventurers with your unique skills. That is the ideal that we, the "Arsenal of Spirits," are aiming for. (My unique skill has that effect: ......) Of course, it''s not easy. It is a delicate and nerve-wracking task to adjust the instruments to match the tone of the ''dragon sound''. But it is worth a try. If you are willing to try, the guild will do its best to support you. What do you think?Are you willing to give it a try?" I understand. I''ll give it a try." Pato immediately set to work on creating a lyre harp that could play "Ryu-in" (dragon sounds). I''m so tired of this. I don''t know how to make a better "dragon sound" even if I use a unique skill to make a "dragon sound. (For now, I guess I''ll just have to repeat the fine-tuning I''ve done so far and have Roland-san''s appraisal skills judge it for me.) As Pato was thinking about this, strumming the lyre (harp) and fine-tuning the tension of the strings and the shape of the soundboard, Loran brought someone with him. ''Pato. This is Nicolas the Bard." ''Hello. I''m Nicolas. Nice to meet you." I''m not sure. Hi. I thought he could give me some technical guidance. If he plays ''Ryuin'' directly and you learn the sound, you can judge whether the sound is good or bad without me having to appraise it every time, right? I see. I''ll play it for you right away. This is an ordinary lyre (harp). This is the harp with the ''Ryuin'' effect. Nicolas plays the two harps alternately. (I see. (I see. There is a subtle difference in the sound.) How''s that?Can you tell the difference in sound?" Yeah, sort of. Good. Let''s ''tune'' it then. Nicolas. Help him with the tuning. I understand. After "tuning," Pato repeatedly asked Nicolas to play it to check the sound, and then listened to the sound himself. Then he would ask Nicolas to evaluate the sound. I was gradually beginning to understand. I was beginning to understand the depth of the "Ryu-in" sound. (I am beginning to understand the depth of the "Ryuin" sound, and how to make it better.) (The patois seems to be going well. The melody is getting deeper and deeper. (This will complete the "Ryuin" B lyre harp without waiting for the skills to improve. As Roland watches Pato work like this, Aina approaches. She says, "Mr. Roland, may I have a word with you?" Hmm?"What''s going on?" I''m here about Will and Lana''s cane. I was thinking of putting in a ''fire-repelling ore'' to prevent the ''fire breath'' of the ''fire dragon (Fafnir). This is the blueprint that Roddy drew for me. Aina handed the blueprints to Roland. He said, "...... I see. It is true that this can reduce the power of the Breath of Fire. The sound of their conversation could be heard in the patois they were working on. The equipment that reduces the power of "breath of fire" (breath of fire). Hm?So you have solved the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" countermeasure?Don''t you need the harp I''m making? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. I wonder if I should give the job to Ms. Aina here. It''s not good for roles to be shared within the same organization. ......" Huh?What are you talking about? As Pato was muttering, Wayne, who was working next to him, took a bite out of him. Wayne, who was working next to Pato, took a swipe at him. Why are you backing down so easily? Roland told me to make it, so I''ll just finish it. Ora. Finish it quickly. Uh-huh. Okay." Pato rushes to complete the work. Mr. Roland, it''s done. Is it done? Which one?" Status of the lyre (harp) Special Effect: "Ryuin" B Yeah. It''s ''Ryuin'' B. Let''s try this." I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it again. Now the match between me and Aina is even, one to one. Wayne said smugly. ''Huh?Why is that so? I mean, it was Pato who perfected the lyre (harp), right? Why are you getting points for that? It''s okay. Pato is like my little brother, so he gets my points." What''s with that governor''s decision? I''m not playing that game. While Aina and Wayne were arguing and gabbling, Roland was ruminating on the earlier exchange between Pato and Wayne. (Pato''s hand had stopped. Was he being reserved with Aina?I guess I''m not the type of person who likes to compete with others. However, Wayne scolded him and made him complete it to the end. Are they a compatible duo ......?(Let''s just pair them up for the time being, shall we?) Meanwhile, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" were getting ready to explore the dungeon again and were gathering at the "Volcano Dungeon. They persistently negotiated to get better terms from the "Dragon''s Fires" and trained local adventurers whenever possible, but with no positive results. In the end, without any fundamental solution, the decision was made to take the same approach as before, and they entered the dungeon with no changes other than to increase the number of local guilds in the alliance. Yugan addresses the alliance. The content was as follows. It is the power of the mind that decides the success or failure of a project. There is no problem with interference by the thieves'' guild. We have already dealt a fatal blow to the Thieves'' Guild in our last dungeon raid. They will be destroyed with just one more breath. Their fate is now in the wind. I hope that the members of the Knights of the Crescent Moon and the local guilds that have joined the alliance will be even more determined. The audience cheered Yugan''s speech, and the morale of the adventurers was high. (Goodness gracious, I''m going to have to rely on my guts. I can''t even make fun of the ruffians now.) Yugan couldn''t help but mock himself, but quickly pulled himself together. Don''t be timid. (Don''t be timid. If I am timid here, it will be just what the enemy wants. The number of prisoners we have taken from the bandits'' offerings is up to 20. This is not a small loss for them. I''m going to hold on somehow here.) Meanwhile, preparations for the second round were steadily being made in the "White Wolf" camp. Jamil. We''ve already recruited a new archer. Rodo pointed to a group of archers he had gathered from local guilds. All of them are C-class archers. This almost made up for the damage caused by the battle with Yugan. I see. Good. Good job. We''re ready to go. Zain. Oh, yeah." A man appears at Jamil''s call. The B-class mage, Zain, had a "dragon-headed cage hand" on his arm. Oh, you made it in time. The "Dragoon" was placed on Zain''s arm. The power is a little less than what Sein Orbesta was equipped with, but the performance is unmistakable. It was made by the genius alchemist Raoul, after all. Kukk." (Now we have a good countermeasure against Yugan. Wait for me, "Knight of the Crescent Moon". This time, I''m going to take all the ore you''ve collected!) <> 93 - Art. 93. Even if you cant see the future, Before the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" entered the dungeon, Yugan addressed the audience, which included Pato. He had been asked by Roland to gather information on outside matters in his spare time. (There was no declaration in Yugan''s speech that he was going to slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Wasn''t he supposed to slay "Grand Fafnir" in the second search?What circumstances forced you to change your plans ......?No way. What''s the trouble with "Dragon''s Fires?") While Pato was pondering, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" finished all preparations and was about to enter the dungeon. The local guilds allied with the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" followed one after another. As Pato looked at the faces of the guilds allied with the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" to get more information, he noticed a girl there who looked familiar. It was Carla. Surprised, Pato unexpectedly moved closer and spoke to her. Carla!Aren''t you Carla of the House of Grazia?" Hmm?"You are Patrick of the Garcia family ......" You don''t mean to tell me you''re joining the ''Knights of the Crescent Moon'' alliance?" ''Oh, yes, I do. I couldn''t join last time because the selection process was too strict, but I managed to get mixed up in this additional recruitment. I was not selected to join the team last time, but I managed to blend in this time. I will be able to join the team to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). ''...... surprising. I didn''t expect you to help an outside guild." I''m not helping the "Knights of the Crescent Moon." What? To kill Yugan. Yugan?But Yugan is S class. You can''t ......" What then?" Carla was horrified. The "Grand Fafnir" was originally supposed to be buried by us, the Dragon Burial Clan. If Yugan tries to touch Grand Fafnir, I don''t care if he''s Double S or not, I''ll kill him with this sword. Carla said as she gripped the sheath of her treasured sword with the dragon''s emblem on it. The Dragon Burial Clan. They have been performing the ritual of burying the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" on this island for generations. But now they are extinct and forgotten. And yet, Carla, you are still ......) What are you doing about it?I heard that the Garcia family, an alchemical family, went bankrupt, and you, the heir, are now working at the Dragon''s Fireside?" Carla looked suspiciously at Pato''s new attire. It was not the uniform of the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. The clothes were engraved with the emblem of a spirit holding a hammer. I''m out of the Dragon''s Fiery Fire," she said. I couldn''t stand the way they worked there. Now I work for a guild called ''Arsenal of Spirits. The ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' ....... Roland''s alchemy guild. You know him? ''Yes, I visited him once. I went to ...... once, but they didn''t take me seriously. After all, they are a guild from outside the island. They don''t know how we islanders feel. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" and allied guilds begin to enter the dungeon. The "Knights of the Crescent Moon" are on the move. Well, I''m off. See you. Wait a minute. Carla." Pato grabbed Carla''s arm and held her back. He said, "The ''Arsenal of Spirits'' where I work now is ...... kind of a nice place to work. The guild president, Mr. Roland, really puts the staff first. He is also involved in training the local adventurers'' guild. If you''d like to join us, you can also visit ......." If I join this ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' will I be able to slay the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''?" Carla said with a cold smile. ''That''s ...... They say things like that, but as soon as they get the resources, they leave. You''ve seen it all before, haven''t you?" "......" Help them. Have you no pride as the heir to one of the island''s great families?" I''m ...... Tell Roland. Tell Roland not to touch the Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). If you do, I will kill Roland. Carla shakes off Pato''s hand and follows the alliance. Pato had no choice but to simply let her go. Back at the workshop, Pato was again molding steel with a buoyant look on his face. (Carla''s argument is unreasonable. This island can no longer hold back the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" without the help of an outside adventurer''s guild. She must know that. However, it is also true that this is the root of the backbiting that the people of this island have toward outsiders. I am sure there are many people who would want to agree with Carla on the emotional side, even if they are convinced in theory. (If Roland''s local guild training is successful, then Carla will be ......) --Do you not have the pride of being the heir to one of the great families of this island? -- (I couldn''t say anything back. I was ......) ''Everybody, hold up a minute and gather around. Roland called out. All those in the workshop gathered in front of Roland. The other day, I received an order for a ''Ryuin'' A harp from Nicolas the Bard, who came to the workshop the other day. A harp?" Aina asked back. Yes. As you know, Pato''s unique skill "tuning (tuning)" is showing signs of awakening. If he can make a "Ryuin" A instrument and calm the anger of "Fafnir," it will be a powerful aid in dungeon exploration for the "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse. Therefore, we would like to concentrate on training Pato''s unique skills for a little while from now. Pato, from now on, you will concentrate only on "tuning. You don''t have to do all the other tasks. Aina." Yes, sir. Work related to ''metal molding'' of patos. Can you send someone else?" Aina had already been given the task of coordinating the workload of the other members of the team. Yes," she said. I think I can handle it if I can cut down on the time Wayne and Leena spend using their unique skills." Hey," he said. Wait a minute. What are you doing? Wayne tried to protest. Wayne tried to protest, "Okay. Well, then, you''re going to have to make some adjustments in that direction." Roland said. (d*mn, these guys ......) ''Guild leader. I will also cooperate to support Pato. Please tell me anything. Leena said. ''Thank you, Leena. ''Good for you. Pato. The head of the guild took notice of you." Leena expressed her joy honestly. Uh-huh. Pato looks complicated and depressed. Pato, what''s wrong?" Um, well, you know, ......." (I never thought I would be entrusted with such an important mission at such an opportune time. I would be honored ......, but ...... now I am ......) Pato still couldn''t get Carla out of his head. Pato. What''s troubling you again?" Um, that ......." You don''t have to hide. I''m not mad at you." "...... yes." Is it business-related? It''s ...... not directly related to me, but I couldn''t help but notice ...... (Extremely personal, huh? (It''s very personal. Then, I can''t just step in without asking.) Does it conflict with this quest?" I don''t ...... know that either." Pato nodded. Roland chuckled. ''You seem to have a habit of going off on tangents. Ugh." Pato was struck by the figurehead and was speechless. This was something he had been warned about repeatedly since the days of "Dragon''s Fires. Pato. It is never wrong to pay attention to negative things. But it takes unusual concentration to master a unique skill. Especially when it comes to defeating the "dragon''s fiery fire." (Slaying the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire"?Are you serious?It''s like an ant taking down an elephant. ......) Wayne also responded to the words "slay the dragon''s fiery fire. You have to find a way to shake off the distractions and get into alchemy," he said. So, for now, can you just focus your attention on helping the adventurers and accomplishing this quest?" I understand." Pato said this while troubled. ''All right. Then let''s figure out a way to learn unique skills together." Roland and Pato immediately worked on improving their unique skills. Unlike ordinary skills, there is no established method for developing unique skills. The only way to get an idea is to actually use the skill. ...... What do you think, Pato?Do you remember the last time you improved, what triggered it?" No, I was improving before I even knew I was doing it. I see. Hmmm. Then I guess I''ll just have to make it count after all. "Mr. Roland!" Aina came over to us, bringing a harp. Aina," he said. What''s wrong with your harp? I thought I could use it to improve my pato''s unique skills. I heard that the softer the lyre (harp) strings are, the better the sound, so I modified them a little. When Roland plucked the strings of the lyre (harp), they were indeed softer than normal ones. I see. Pato, let''s tune this harp. Yes." Pato tuned the harp. I see. This one has a wider range of tones. (I see. This one has a wider range of tones. Perhaps even the "dragon sound" (......)) After "tuning," Pato tried to play the lyre (harp) briefly. He could not play anything complicated, but he had already learned how to play basic sounds. The mysterious sound of "Ryuin" echoes through the studio. As Pato played the harp, he noticed something strange. What is it?Is the sound out of tune?I see. I can tell more clearly with a good quality harp like this. (Pat. You''ve got a clue to improve your skills.) Roland saw signs of improvement in Pato''s condition. He decided to casually stand back and watch. Pato started "tuning" again. But the harp soon reached its limits. (d*mn. (Is it at the limit of its molding?) "Pato, are you at your forming limit?" After a pause, Roland asked. What?Ha, yes." (I could tell the limits of molding without actually touching it. Is this the power of an S-class appraiser ......?) Good. Aina. Have Roddy draw up a blueprint for a lyre harp with more strings to tweak." I understand. Soon, the blueprints are ready. "Pato, how''s this?" Yes. This is perfect. I''ll try to make it right away." No, even Ize should be able to make this. Aina, tell Ize to make it as soon as possible. Yes, sir. When Pato was about to join in the production, Roland stopped him. Pato was about to join in, but Roland stopped him. You take a break. Save your stamina for the tuning session in the afternoon. Yes, sir." Pato takes a break, feeling a little uneasy. When Pato finishes his break and returns to the workshop, he is approached by Aina in passing. Oh, Pato. The harp is ready. I put it on your desk. Uh, yes. Good luck." Aina winks and heads toward the break room. When Pato returned to his work desk, he found that the lyre (harp) had actually been placed there. (A lyre (harp) is really being made. (They are really making a lyre (harp). If it were "Dragon''s Fires," the credit would have been taken here. All that remained was to complete the quest by tuning the music. (Are you really going to make me do nothing but "tuning"? I never thought I would be forced to focus so much on improving my skills. It''s a different kind of hardship from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire.) Pato played a little on the lyre (harp). There seemed to be no problem with the quality. (In the little time we have to take a break from all this, we can go to ....... What a speed of development! And Aina is cooperating with me. In this guild, even aces go around supporting newcomers. Everything is different from "Dragon''s Fires. Roland''s passion for development is genuine. The generous support system, cooperative corporate culture, and appraisals by S-class appraisers. I see. No wonder even Edgar can''t win.) Pato will be ''tuned'' (tuned). (The second string is a little high. (The second string is a little high. This makes it out of tune at the crucial part of the performance.) Roland watched as Pato became increasingly enthusiastic. (You''re getting much more focused, aren''t you? He is absorbed in his work with somber contemplation. This is his true form ......) The quietness seemed to herald an awakening. As Pato was absorbed in his work, he was suddenly tapped on the shoulder from behind and called out. Hey, Pato. You''re getting hard, aren''t you? What?Wayne?" I heard that. I heard that harp of yours is for defeating the ''dragon''s fiery fire''." What?Uh-huh. I can''t keep quiet when I hear that. I''ll help you. I''ll help you with anything, from pilfering the materials to falsifying the finished product, okay?" What?No, it''s the ......" Wayne. Don''t do anything you don''t have to!And you don''t have to deal with every single pato." Roland''s reprimand flew. ''Tsk. Hey, hey." Wayne reluctantly stops spouting strange things to his patrol. Well, anyway. "Well, anyway. Just hit it with everything you''ve got. Let''s show the "Dragon''s Fires" who kicked us out what we''re made of. Don''t worry. I''ll take full responsibility. Uh-huh. Thanks?" (Wayne. What the hell are you responsible for? ......) Pato sighs and looks over his lyre (harp). (Oh dear. Just when you think you''ve escaped from the "Dragon''s Fires," you now have to defeat the "Dragon''s Fires." ...... Life is tough after all. No matter where you go, you can''t escape competition. I just want to do something for someone else.) Pato regains his grip on the hammer. The lyre (harp) was nearly finished. (I wonder if completing this lyre (harp) is really the right path to follow. I don''t know. What will happen to the island? I don''t even know if I will be able to defeat the "Dragon''s Fires. I don''t know. But I do know ....... Carla. I''m going to follow Roland. This is my path.) With a new resolve, Pato lightly strikes the lyre (harp) strings with a hammer. The thickness of the strings is slightly adjusted, thus completing the "tuning" of the lyre (harp). The strings of the harp begin to glow. Mr. Roland, it''s done. Please appraise it. Status of the lyre (harp) Special effect: "Ryuin" A [Patrick Garcia''s Unique Skills Tuning": A (up1) Yeah. It''s ''Ryuin'' A." Really?" ''Yeah, you''re in the class A alchemist''s league. Pato." "...... yes." I''m so glad you''re here. Yay. Pato." Leena hugs Pato. Leena?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Now it''s two against one, and we''re winning. Wayne said. ''So why the hell are you being so snippy! Pato looks out the window toward the volcano. (Carla. I will continue to work here in the "Spirit Arsenal" no matter what you say. I will continue to help the local adventurers, no matter how little I can do. Next time I see you, I''ll be sure to face you squarely.) The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" and his party, who had once again dived into the dungeon, had arrived at the "Metal Line. The "Crescent Moon Knights" and the members of the local guild immediately set about collecting the sparkling ore exposed from the ground. (At least we made it this far without incident. The guild of thieves didn''t try to trick us either. But ......) Yugan looks back. (But they must be following behind. They''ll surely set us up on the way back!) Yugan crawls his eyes to the mountain range to look for enemies lurking in the lowlands. The mountains were quiet, as if nothing was lurking there. The local guilds were not available to fight against the thieves'' guilds. (We can''t use the local guilds to fight the bandit guilds, and we can''t trust the "Dragon''s Fires" guys. If we just go down the mountain, we will lose the ore again. If that''s the case (......) Yugan called his second-in-command and overheard his plan so that no one could hear. ''What?Single-handedly slay the Grand Fafnir?" I''m going to go out there alone while the guys from the local guild are busy mining. I''ll be back within three days. In the meantime, you keep my absence a secret and keep the troops together. But no matter how much you want to go it alone, ...... But it''s even more dangerous to go in a group. I don''t think the locals will be much use to us in the wastelands. Even after we extract the ore, they will be on the defensive. On the other hand, if they are dragged down, our people will be unnecessarily worn out. If that happens, it will be just what the bandits want. That''s why I''m going to sneak out of the unit and go to Grand Fafnir on my own. Are you really going without telling everyone?" If I told the truth, it might upset the locals again. Besides, some of them have been trying to kill us since a while ago. Yugan said, looking sideways toward where Carla was. So, with the local guilds busy mining and the bandit guilds not setting up, now is our best chance to get close to the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). ......" It''s all right. Don''t push yourself. I''ll take care of the rest. Yugan pretended to go back to his tent and stepped into the "wasteland" by himself. Moving as swiftly as the wind with the agility of a god, he quickly reached the top of the mountain, right next to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". <> 94 - 94. Containment of Agility The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was relaxing in the crater of the volcano, sensing Yugan''s approach. A fencer with terrifying agility. According to the report from the wyvern that had gone out to scout, this was the characteristic of the approaching enemy. Grand Fafnir" looked around at the sleeping servants around him. There must be a hundred of them, and if the "Grand Fafnir" shouts, they will wake up and join him. However, is that enough preparation against an enemy with divine agility? If the "Fafnir" and other "Fire Dragons" become a wall of flesh and cover the ground, they may be able to prevent Yugan''s agility, but they will still have to take a beating. After pondering for a while, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" dipped a dull-colored jewel called the "Dragon Core," wolf bone and flesh, and dragon scales in magma, smearing them with its own blood. After a while, a monster with dragon scales, wolf fangs, and supple limbs crawled up from the magma. A new breed of dragon tribe specialized in agility was born. After running through the barren lands and reaching the gray expanse of ground where the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" was at its knees, Yugan felt his sixth sense sounding a warning. Oh no!) It was an intuition that only someone who has been through many a rough patch could have developed. That intuition was telling us. The enemy that awaits us ahead is not only the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). A new threat awaits us. If we go now, we will be killed for sure! Besides, the enemy is not only "Grand Fafnir" and his servants. Even if he manages to escape from them, Yugan will have to run through the "Wasteland" alone afterwards, and he will also have to fight against bandits after the "Metal Line". It is hard to believe that he can survive such a tough battle with "Grand Fafnir" and his status after the battle. Thinking about it, Yugan turned around and headed back the way he came like a hare. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" felt the approaching threat leaving. It seemed to have sensed our movement just in time. While tilting his head to the side, he decided to unleash the new species of dragon he had just created and send it after Yugan. Equipped with the legs of a wolf and the scales of a dragon, the monster, with its extraordinary leg strength, climbed up the cliff-like crater in the blink of an eye and chased after Yugan. At the ore mining site, the second-in-command of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" was asked to explain to the local adventurers. They had found out that Yugan was not here. He was not there. Explain. Why hasn''t Yugan shown up?" Please calm down," he said. Yugan will be back soon. He is never very far away." Then tell me. Where did Yugan go?" I can''t ...... tell you that. ...... Why can''t you tell me? It''s crazy." You don''t mean to tell me that one of you escaped from this place, do you? I''m not kidding. Without Yugan, this alliance would be a raven. What are you going to do on your way back?" Please remain calm. We will ensure your safety. The deputy was fed up and quieted the local adventurers. (Not at all. You''re useless, but you''re always making demands. Yugan is Yugan. He''s just like Yugan, going ahead by himself in a situation like this.) The deputy''s concern was not only about upsetting the local guilds. The young members of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" were also annoyed by the attitude of the local adventurers, and there was no hiding their growing irritation, with many of them swearing openly. If things continued as they were, a clash was only a matter of time. The deputy glanced toward the summit. Five days had already passed since Yugan had headed for the summit. If all went well, it would not be surprising if they encountered the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," but there was no sign of a clash between the S-class monster and the S-class adventurers. (What in the world is going on, Yugan? You don''t mean to tell me that you''ve been hit, do you?) While the deputy was worrying like this, a black shadow with a cloud of dust was approaching us from above at a high speed. It was Yugan. Yugan!Thank God. You are safe." The deputy''s joy was short-lived, but his face immediately hardened. Yugan''s face is sweaty and he''s out of breath. The look on his face was that of someone who had escaped death with all his might. I''m sorry," he said. I''m sorry I made you wait. No, it''s more than that. Are you all right?That ...... doesn''t look too good." I''m fine. But we''ll be leaving soon. What? I, Grand Fafnir''s servant, am following him. I''m a servant of "Grand Fafnir"?Besides "Grand Fafnir" and his subordinate "Fafnir," are there any other powerful enemies that still need to be defeated? Probably a monster equivalent to a class A. It''s a bit of a challenge to deal with them while fighting with the bandits." I was naive. (I was naive to think that I could defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" all by myself. It is not an opponent that can be defeated by a single person.) We are always ready to go. I see. Then let''s hurry. The alliance, joined by Yugan, hurriedly packed their bags and began to descend the mountain. Soon after, the bandits set up. The battle unfolded similarly to the previous one. First, the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" attacked, to which the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" responded. From the opposite side, bandit archers fired arrows, and the local guild took up the defense. One of the local adventurers catches a falling arrow with his shield. (Heh heh. No matter how many arrows they shoot at us, they can''t damage us at this distance. Just keep your shield up and Yugan will take care of the rest. It''s an easy job. Hmm?) As he looked through the gap in his shield toward the enemy, he saw a glint of magic light shimmering between the archers. Immediately, a flaming bullet flies toward him. They pierce his shield and shatter his armor. Gghhhhhhhh!" The warrior was severely damaged and sprawled on the spot. The ore in his possession was scattered on the spot. What is it? What was that? No way!The Dragoon''s Baskets! I''ll be right back. I hit it." Zain, the attack mage with the "Dragoon" fitted in his arm, smiled as he saw his fireball hit the enemy Warrior. How''s it working? Jamil asks. It''s good," Jamil asks. Raul did a great job. The power seems to be perfect. Jamil said as he looked at the sprawling Alliance Warrior. Zain''s "Dragoon" may not be powerful enough to shoot down a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" in a single blow like Sein''s "Dragoon", but it is powerful enough to shoot through the shields and armor of C-class warriors like the many in the alliance. It was enough to cause damage. Good. Cut them down one by one. Roger that!" Once again, the "Dragoon''s Baskets" erupted with fire. This time, it blew away another Warrior''s shield. The Alliance was in an uproar. "Ow!" You''ve got to be kidding me. The ''dragon-headed cage hand''? I never heard of it. They visibly become agitated. Move!"I''ll go." Yugan jumped out of the line of local adventurers. He kills the dragon-headed cage-wearer! The thieves were quick to react. Yugan is here. Concentrate your attacks." A hail of arrows rains down on Yugan. Yugan flicked the arrows with his sword and pushed forward. Jamil senses a faint discomfort in Yugan''s appearance. Jamil felt a slight discomfort in Yugan''s condition. Is he losing his agility? Zain. Shoot Yugan." Hmm?"I thought my role was to crush the shield-bearer?" I''d like to try a few things." Hmmm. Well, okay. There we go. Mixed in with the hail of arrows, a flaming bullet was fired at Yugan. Haaaaaaaaah!" Yugan cut down the flaming bullet with his magic sword, Granir, in a single blow. Geez. He cut down the flame magic. The power of the magic sword is still alive and well. It can''t be helped. Let''s take a break. Jamil and Zain turned their backs to the battlefield and fled. I''m not going to let them get away. Yugan chased after Zain and Jamil with all his might, but the disarmed bandits stood in his way. Mr. Yugan. We surrender. Take me prisoner. Get out of the way! Yugan kicked away the surrenderers who clung to him, but the attack mage equipped with the "dragon-headed basket hand (dragoon)" had already disappeared from the battlefield. An attack mage with high agility? d*mn. That''s nasty.) Yugan stopped and felt his legs getting heavier. (d*mn. (d*mn, all that speeding up and down the mountain must have taken a toll on him.) Looks like we''re spread out." Zain spoke to Jamil, checking behind him. Yeah, looks like the ''prisoner of war'' guys did their job properly." But that Yugan guy is slower than last time, isn''t he?" You''ve lost some of your agility, but only a little. (I wondered what he was doing after he stopped moving for 5 days, but I guess he was in some kind of trouble. But then, ......, kukk. Maybe I can finish off Double S''s Yugan with my own hands). The "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" attacks the alliance descending the mountain again. This time, it came from the left side. Fafnir" from the left!(...... means the bandit is on the right!) Yugan jumps over the formation and runs to the right side before the enemy can fire an arrow. He identifies a good vantage point from which to fire, and sure enough, he sees the enemy emerge from there. (They keep repeating the same attack like a bunch of idiots. I won''t get hit so many times!) But what came flying was not a hail of arrows, but countless iron spikes. (?(What''s this?) It was the size of a nut, with spines extending in four directions as if forming a triangular pyramid. When Yugan swung his sword to test it, the iron spikes were easily blown away by the pressure of the sword and fell to the ground. Hah. Do you think you can damage me with this? Yugan did not care and continued on his way, but the bandits, being bandits, did not care and continued scattering iron spikes all over the area. What are these guys?You should know that you can''t damage me by throwing these things, right? Not only that, they throw it in the most misguided direction. What on earth are you doing ......? (Ugh) Yugan stopped when he felt a sharp pain in the sole of his foot. When he looked, he saw that an iron spike had pierced it and blood was flowing. (Don''t tell me this is ...... a Makibishi! By the time I realized it, water chestnuts had already been sprinkled all around me. I''m not going to let you do this!" Yugan tried to blow away the water sprinkled on the ground with his sword pressure, but it did not have much effect. (Tsk. So he''s trying to block our agility with this. No, but ......, won''t that prevent the enemy from attacking us?) Contrary to Yugan''s prediction, the bandits were approaching us on a leisurely walk over the scattered water chestnuts. (This is ridiculous. How can they walk on this needle mountain with a nonchalant look on their faces?No way!) The bandits wore thick-soled shoes with shiny black soles. They were equipped with "iron feet," which nullified damage from the scattering water chestnuts and enabled them to advance. The bandits with bows and arrows descended the valley and took up positions at close range. Jamil gloats as he looks down at Yugan from his high vantage point. Kukk. Now he''s as good as a rat in the sack. Shoot arrows and fire magic from all directions!" An arrow is shot at Yugan, this time at point-blank range. "Tsk." Yugan tried to move and dodge, but a new makibishi (a diamond-shaped stick) lodged in the sole of his foot. Agh!" The pain in his legs increased and his leg strength was reduced. d*mn. My agility is getting worse (......). Having no choice, Yugan dealt with the flying arrows and blasts with his sword. The bandits were shaken. What the hell? This guy is still defending himself. Calm down. Shoot closer. His sword won''t reach us anyway. The bandits come closer to shoot arrows at closer range. But that was already Yugan''s time. When Yugan swung his sword, the thieves'' bows were destroyed, even though they did not touch the tip of his sword. The magic sword Granir was able to slash at enemies several meters away, where the sword could not reach. The bandits rush to distance themselves. The thieves hurriedly moved away. Stay away from him. Tsk. That son of a b*tc* can''t be killed even with his agility blocked like this? Jamil clicked his tongue. Hey, we''re in trouble. If we don''t do something about it, ......" I know. While Yugan was being a handful, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" were finishing their battle with the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" on the other side of the river. If we took any more time, we would invite them to join us. It was no use. Let''s give up on Yugan and go after those who are cowering in the back. Send in the Warrior as well. A warrior equipped with "White Wolf" armor, a long spear, and "Iron Legs" passed Yugan and the archers and headed toward the local adventurers. Yugan could only grit his teeth and watch as the enemy Warriors passed right by him. With his agility deprived, it was too risky for even an S-class swordsman to turn his back on the enemy archers and rush to his allies. (This ain''t the time to be on the defensive any more) Yugan, prepared to have his legs shaved off, charged into the enemy archer unit while stepping on the makibishi. Soon after, the two armies were in confusion, and a fierce battle ensued that inflicted tremendous damage on both sides. Blood splatters and broken pieces of equipment flew about, and screams and shouts of rage echoed through the air, creating a horrific scene. The alliance and the "White Wolf" fought for several hours, both inflicting considerable damage on the other, but at the end of the battle, both sides saved their strength so as not to be annihilated, and the battle was never settled. After that, both sides marched down the mountain, with neither having time to bother the other as they covered for their wounded, and both were waiting for the other to make a move. They eventually returned to the town. <> 95 - Art. 95. The Sinking Crescent Having lost sight of Yugan, the "Fang Dragon" wanders the "Volcano Dungeon" in search of new prey. After all, he is a puppet created from a corpse by "Grand Fafnir," a giant fire dragon. He was doomed to decay in a few days. Then, at the very least, he wanted to kill someone, an adventurer, for the last time. Wandering around the dungeon, he found the perfect people for the job. Fang Dragon turned on his heel and rushed to them. Monica watched the battle between the Crescent Moon Knights and the White Wolves with "Hawk-Eye. (Thank God. Mr. Yugan will be able to return to the city somehow.) At Roland''s suggestion, I kept my distance from the battle between the Alliance and the bandits as much as possible, but inwardly, I was worried that Yugan might be killed. Even though they were from different guilds, they had fought together at least once. I wanted him to be safe. (Even so, the bandits were stronger than I had expected. I can''t believe they were able to hunt down Mr. Yugan to that level. It''s not like we have outstanding adventurers, but they are used to fighting against other people. (Maybe I should report this to Mr. Roland.) As Monica tried to switch her "Hawk-Eye" viewpoint, she saw a shadow approaching her at high speed. What?What''s this?) Monica hurriedly tried to supplement the shadow, but it was too fast for her to grasp its true identity. (A monster with extraordinary agility!(coming this way) Monica looked back at Leon and the others. They had just finished their training and were taking a breather. Their status was completely depleted. If they got into a fight now, they would not be able to hold back. Gentlemen, hurry up and pack your bags. A powerful enemy is coming! Monica, "Shield of Dawn," and the group of "Heavenly Horse Arrows" were hurrying down the mountain. d*mn it. What the hell are you doing here all of a sudden? I thought the battle between the ''Crescent Moon Knights'' and the ''White Wolves'' was happening behind the mountain?" Yes, it should be, but ......, an unidentified monster is approaching. I didn''t see anything like this on the list of monsters in ''The Volcano Dungeon.''" Is the enemy that strong? Yes. Probably a class-A equivalent. Monica said as she checked the enemy''s position with her "Hawk-Eye. No. I can''t shake it off. They''ll catch up with us if we don''t.) Monica. Can''t we fight?" Hans said. ''What?'' I''m familiar with your fighting skills. We''ve trained for the past few days, and I''m sure we''ve gotten stronger. Even though we are strong opponents, there is nothing we can''t do, is there?" Monica looked up at the members. (Surely everyone has gone through Mr. Roland''s menu and gotten stronger; they''re all capable of being the equivalent of Class B.) But ......, there is no commander! Can I fight in this state when everyone is worn out?) Monica often hesitated. But there was no other choice. I understand. Let''s fight. (An encounter is inevitable anyway. (An encounter is inevitable anyway, and if we don''t make up our minds soon, it will be too late.) Monica and her team chose an easy-to-fight location and set up an intercept position. They took up a position on a narrow road with a slope on the right and a sheer cliff on the left. The plan was to fire at the enemy who came along the path. The plan was to shoot at the enemy who came along the road. The enemy is a very agile monster. If we get into close combat, it will be troublesome. Fortunately, we have five archers. We can use our bow fire to inflict damage at the beginning of the encounter to gain the upper hand in the fight." Monica said to herself, questioning her idea. (What if they dodge the first blow?And what about after that?(Is it really okay to fight this way against a Class A opponent?) But there was no time to think about it now. The enemy will soon appear from the other side of the road. Everyone, take your arrows. Those of you in white combat gear, please stand firm in the rear. Soon after, the "Fang Dragon" appeared with a cloud of dust. What is this thing?I''ve never seen anything like it. A wolf?No, a dragon?" Jeff and Claire, who were the first to catch sight of the enemy using their "far vision," could not hide their confusion at the sight of the "Fang Dragon. They were in range. Everyone, fire! Five arrows are released at once. However, the "Fang Dragon" increased its speed even more, dodged all the arrows, and ran down the cliff. (Fast!) As it is, "Fang Dragon" uses the bushes under the cliff as a shield to get behind Monica and her friends. It''s coming from behind! Get ready!" All of them pouted. The enemy had just run down the cliff. What was Monica saying? Get out of the way!" Monica pushes Elio out of the way and moves to the rear of the line. Immediately, the "Fang Dragon" ran up the cliff and jumped in behind the group. Watch your arrows ......, you won''t make it! The "Fang Dragon" opens its big mouth and tries to bite me. Monica quickly let go of her bow and crossed her arms in front of her face to catch it. The fangs of the "Fang Dragon" bite into Monica''s arm. Ugh! Fang Dragon" pushed Monica down and rolled down the slope, fighting with her. "d*mn it!" Monica kicks the Fang Dragon in the gut. Fang Dragon" leaves Monica''s body and flies through the air. (...... light?) As soon as "Fang Dragon" lands on the ground, it immediately accelerates and starts running again. Monica immediately got up as well. Blood drips lazily from her arm. Ha, ha." (Arm strength (power) is ...... not that high. I specialize in speed. It''s as if it was born to catch adventurers with high agility (agility), such a monster ......) My arm throbbed and I frowned. (I defended myself as quickly as I could, but my status ...... was shaved off.) Monica looked around with "Hawk-Eye. There was flat land all around. (Have we been dragged into a big place?) Monica looked around with her "Hawk-Eye". I guess the one with high agility has an advantage. Monica!Are you okay?" Hans calls out from the cliff. Stay where you are! Monica stopped Hans and the others who were trying to come down. Give me the bow!Quickly!" Hans throws his bow toward Monica. I can''t lead after all. I''ll think of a way to fight alone.) Monica checked the position of the "Fang Dragon". It moved away a little, but it was coming toward us again. (It is difficult to hit an enemy at speed. (It is difficult to hit an enemy that is riding at a high speed. Let them cut your flesh and break your bones. (If you are prepared to take damage and shoot an arrow at it as it approaches, you can make it. ......?) The "Fang Dragon" approached us at high speed. Monica tries to stand in its path. But then she heard a piercing cry in the sky. "No way!) A swarm of "Fafnir" appeared in the sky. One of them tries to release a breath of fire. Tsk! Monica turned around and shot down the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". However, while she was in the middle of it, "Fang Dragon" slashed Monica''s shoulder with its claw and ran away. Agh!" Monica staggers, but manages to stay on her feet and tries to fight back. But by then, the remaining Fafnir had fled into the shadows of the mountains, and the Fang Dragon had fled into the shadows of the thicket. Monica. Are you okay?" I''m fine. Don''t worry about it. Even as she said this, Monica''s complexion did not look good. She was barely able to stand on her feet, protecting her shoulder. Jeff bit his teeth. d*mn. Can''t you do something? But if I join him, I''ll be dragging him down. (d*mn.) Monica analyzes the enemy''s attack earlier. (They attacked from the air and the ground, as if they were trying to show us. They are communicating and working together. I knew that new species is a dragon tribe. But what do we do?We can''t afford to get hit by the breath of fire. If we don''t do anything, we''ll just be slowly being whittled away. Think about it. What would Roland-san do?) Monica glances toward Leon and the others. (At least if Mr. Roland were here, he could direct us to work with them. (Mr. Roland!) Once again, "Fang Dragon" and "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" come toward us in tandem. Monica started running toward the "Fang Dragon (Fafnir)". (I''m going to defeat "Fafnir" first! Fafnir" also sets its sights on Monica to intercept her. Monica turned pale when they were about to exchange shots. No way. I can''t raise my arm.) Breath of Fire" is released. Monica meditated. At that moment, a blast of air rolled over Monica, drowning out the Breath of Fire. What?" Monica''s eyes flutter. ''Wow, that''s great, big brother.'' Yeah. This wand is very powerful." On the cliff, two new figures had joined Leon and the others where they were. Both were dressed as mages. They were Will and Lana. (Are they ...... mages?He has weapons from the "Arsenal of the Spirits. (Reinforcements?) Will traced his finger over the crest of the "Arsenal of Spirits" engraved on his staff. The staff was made for anti-air attack magic against the Fire Dragon (Fafnir). It''s not made of silver, but it''s powerful enough. The Arsenal of Spirits, your alchemical skills are real.) Excuse me, who are you people? Claire asked timidly. I''m Will. This is my sister, Lana. Roland sent us here. Roland asked me to join you in your training. I didn''t expect it to be such a shurawar. The "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)," angered by being interrupted in their attack, come toward Will. Will: "Brother. Fafnir" is coming. Let''s use ''blast magic'' to kill them. I''m not sure what to say. That''s a good idea, but if we shoot them down at this position, we might get that archer''s daughter (ko) involved. Nicolas, you''ve got to do something here. Yes, yes, yes. Excuse me for a moment. Nicola, a bard with a lyre (harp), appeared from behind. Immediately a mysterious "dragon sound" tone is played. Then "Fafnir" suddenly quelled his hostility and returned to the top of the mountain. The dragon is leaving. ...... We all watched, feeling as if we were being pinched by a fox. (Roland guy, did you make such awesome equipment again? You never cease to amaze me.) Hans chuckled in dismay. All of them almost lost their strength after the crisis, but before they had time to catch their breath, the "Fang Dragon" approached Monica with a cloud of dust. What the hell is that guy?The ''dragon sound'' doesn''t work?" Will squinted quizzically. ''Could be a class-A dragon tribe. They can be manipulated with this lyre (harp) only up to B class dragons." Lana. Can''t you do something about it with your support magic?" Yes, sir. I''ll try. Lana cast "Crust Magic. The ground between Monica and the "Fang Dragon" rises. However, the Fang Dragon ran almost vertically up the raised block of ground. What power in his legs! It''s as if crustal magic doesn''t even make sense. Will looked around at those present. (Chi. All of them were equipped for long-range attacks and specialized in anti-aircraft. (If we go down there now, we won''t make it in time to engage them in a hand-to-hand combat.) (But with my "Hawk-Eye" I can catch the enemy''s movement on the other side! Monica locates the spot where the "Fang Dragon" will come running up, and with her last ounce of strength, she readies her bow and arrow. The Fang Dragon reaches the top of the ground raised by the crust magic and leaps carelessly toward Monica, drifting slowly in the air for a moment. Monica did not miss that moment and finished off the "Fang Dragon" with a "one-hit kill. Monica sat down flat on the spot as pieces of flesh and bone fell all over the place. When the fierce battle was over and her strength drained, she felt irresistibly lonely and wanted someone to hug her. Those on the cliff came down and offered Monica encouragement and praise, but they did not offer much comfort. Monica smiled weakly. (I knew it had to be you, Roland. Mr. Roland, can you give me a hug?) The group of "white wolves" who had descended from the mountain had returned to the city one step ahead of Yugan and his group. Tch. I missed killing Yugan with the double-S." What''s up with that? I''ve done what the Dragon''s Fiery Fire asked me to do. They were asked by the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" to wear out the equipment of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" as much as possible. In fact, I would say they have worn out the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" to the point of exhaustion. The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" had no choice but to rely on the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" again. Raul was taking shots at Medes with "The Dragon''s Fiery Fire. What do you mean? Why am I demoted and Edgar is put in charge of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon"? Raul, as I said before, this is not a demotion. It''s a change of personnel. Edgar is better suited for this assignment. That''s what I''ve decided. I''m the only one who can repair Yugan''s magic sword. I understand. I understand. I''m only in charge of negotiations. You will continue to maintain the sword as you have always done. No, but... ...... Raoul. This is a decision. I will not allow you to interfere any more. You should concentrate on your alchemy. Medes dismissed Raul with these words. d*mn." Raul had no choice but to punch the hallway wall in anger. Yugan had visited the "Dragon''s Fireside" to service his worn equipment. Edgar responds. No," he said. I''m sorry. I''m afraid I''m out of ore at hand, Mr. Yugan. Edgar said with a grin. ''I''m sorry, but I can''t take your request. Not again. Can''t you do something about it?" No," he said. I''m really sorry. Edgar continues to talk in a very condescending manner. (According to the information, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" is scheduled to explore the dungeon three times. (According to the information, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" is scheduled to explore the dungeon three more times. But if this happens, I''ll squeeze as much out of you as I can...three, four, five, six ...... times, however many times you want...I''ll do it! I challenge you to explore the dungeon, little Yugan.) What''s up with Raul?I need to talk to him. ......" Raul has been dropped as a negotiator. Raul has been dropped as negotiator and I will be in charge from now on. So, what do we do now?If the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" could prepare the ore like last time, we could get started right away?" ...... let me think about it for a minute." Yugan thought as he walked down the corridor of "Dragon''s Fireside". According to the report from the deputy, the ore procurement rate is 70 percent. If we provide it to "Dragon''s Fires," we will have to start all over again. Would it be possible to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" while collecting the ore in the last dungeon search? It''s absurd. There is a hidden ball in Grand Fafnir that we haven''t seen yet. I bet the "White Wolf" will take even more countermeasures next time.) d*mn." The situation only got worse and worse. (What is it? Is there anything you can do?) Hello. Hey, there. "An?" A stranger approached Yugan as he was pondering. He looked like a warrior carrying a halberd. What are you? I am Gilbert, a member of the northern adventurers'' guild "Knights of the Hare. Excuse me, but you are Yugan of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon," aren''t you?Are you having trouble with ore by any chance?If that''s the case, I have some good news for you." What?What''s the story? They are after a guild called The Shield of Dawn and The Arrow of Heavenly Horses. The Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of Heavenly Horses? Yes. They have a lot of ore in their warehouse in town, so if you defeat them in the dungeon and take them hostage, you can get a lot of ore. Yugan looked quizzical. ("Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of Heavenly Horse"?(Never heard of it.) Hey. You know what?The Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of Heavenly Horses. Yugan spoke to a local guild member who was following him. He said, "Yes. I know of it, but... Well, it''s a small, insignificant guild. I can''t believe they have such a large amount of ore. ......" Just a small guild, huh? Hey. What do you mean, Gilbert? You''re not telling the truth, are you? Yugan snapped. No, but, sir. They will certainly be a threat to the ''Knights of the Crescent Moon. After all, they are the most evil people who have risen to power through pickpocketing, treachery, and bribery. Yugan frowned. (What the hell is this guy?You''re suddenly changing the subject. You''re so shady. You may not know this, but I do. If you are a yakuza on this island, you can make a lot of money. It is even possible to own a lot of ore. "Oh, oh." Yugan sensed that there was something wrong with Gilbert, so he did not approach him any further. He told his second-in-command not to listen to the man with the halberd. Later, Yugan tried to procure ore in the city, but with no success. (It can''t be helped. (In this case ......) Yugan decided to make a decision. Late at night, when everyone was asleep, the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" secretly headed to the port to load the ore they had procured onto a ship. Then, they left the island on the first morning boat. It is impossible to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). I''d rather go home than be at the mercy of the "Dragon''s Fires" and the "White Wolves" any longer. (We haven''t achieved the guild''s quota, but it''s still better than going home empty-handed.) The people were stunned by the sudden departure of the "Knight of the Crescent Moon," but the crescent flag was removed from the inn later that day. The islanders were again disappointed by the adventurers'' guild from the outside. <> 96 - Art. 96. Penalties The "Knight of the Crescent Moon" withdrew. This meant that there was no more work for the "Dragon''s Fires" as there should have been, and Edgar was being scolded by Medes in the guild leader''s office. Edgar!What do you mean?You said it, didn''t you?He said he could squeeze more gold out of the "Knights of the Crescent Moon" if they were reluctant to contribute ore. How''s that working out for you?They didn''t just drop the money, they pulled off the island." Oh, that?That''s funny. According to my information, those guys should still be on their third search. ......" I''m not even going to try a third time at this point," he said. You''ve got a soft claw, you know that? If you had supported us normally, you might have been able to get the money for the third production and repair. It''s all over because of you. How are you going to take this responsibility?Yeah? (d*mn. You son of a b*tc*. You want me to be the only one to take responsibility? Even though you were the one who gave the go-ahead to my idea.) Edgar, you missed your goal last month, too. If you don''t make it this month, you know that, don''t you?You''ll get a lot more than you bargained for." Edgar was lectured for an hour. Medes''s angry shouts could be heard in the quartet''s workshop. Edgar''s guy is getting squeezed a lot," Medes said. Is he going to be all right?" Charles said with concern. ''Hmmm. That''s because you got greedy and got carried away, you idiot. You''re taking over people''s jobs. That''s really it." Raul and Lizetta said without hesitation. At the "Arsenal of Spirits," which had succeeded in producing the "Dragon Sound" harp and the magic stone staff, Roland was worried about giving Wayne and Pato a new assignment to raise. However, Wayne did not wait for that, and he caught Pato and offered him an invitation for a certain scheme. "Lower the quality of your equipment?" Pato frowned at the words that had just come out of Wayne''s mouth. The current sloppy approach will never be able to beat the dragon''s fire," Wayne said. The only way to crush the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" is to take away their customers. The only way to do that is to take away their customers. If we lower the price, there will be customers who will be attracted to us. The only way to lower the price is to lower the quality of the equipment to some extent. Even if it''s a rough production, we just have to grab the customers. Don''t worry, don''t worry. The adventurers on this island are all idiots who only think about the immediate future. They won''t notice if the quality goes down a bit. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That is against the ways of the Arsenal of Spirits. I agree. First of all, Roland will probably object. But that''s why now is the time. Now that we''ve made our mark, I''m sure Roland won''t dismiss our proposal. If we both make a proposal together, it will definitely be accepted. Once he entrusts us with a job, it''s all ours. Once he sees the number of customers increasing, I''m sure he''ll change his mind. We''ll just increase the number of customers, keep the profits up, and only take care of the work for the guilds that come from outside that pay well. That way, cheap equipment will break easily, sales will increase, and we can use the fame of outside adventurers to show off our brand power. Isn''t that just like the way they did it at Dragon''s Fires? It''s okay, it''s the same thing. If you don''t do that, you won''t be able to defeat ''Dragon''s Fires. Think about it. Roland makes equipment for each and every adventurer. We can''t do it this way. We have no choice but to act. Let''s start our own rebellion. Hey... Wayne! Pato approached Wayne with an ever stern look on his face. What the hell? I understand your hatred of "Dragon''s Fires". There are many things I don''t agree with. But that doesn''t mean I agree with the idea that you should do whatever it takes to destroy the Dragon''s Fires. I am in the "Arsenal of Spirits" because I am able to provide attentive service to local adventurers. If you are so blinded by profit that you are willing to go off the beaten path. I can''t overlook it, even though you and I are on good terms. As soon as I see such behavior, I will report it to Mr. Roland and Ms. Aina. Good bye." Hey, wait a minute, Pato. Hey, hey." Wayne called out to Pato''s back, but Pato went on ahead as if he had nothing more to say. (d*mn, that Pato guy, he''s still the same in this way. He''s a good guy, but he''s a stiff. But it''s hard to do without Pato''s cooperation. (......) Leena crushed the broken armor, kneaded it and refined it. (Alright. (Good.) The piece of iron, which should have been a scrap piece, quickly regained its former appearance. The iron that was taken out after refining was of the best quality ever. Mr. Roland. I''ve finished the recycling process. Take a look. Oh, look at that. When Roland appraised the iron Leena had brought, he found it to be iron B. (Iron B? That''s the best I''ve ever gotten.) [Leena Hart''s skills Recycle": B (up1) You did a great job, Leena. Best job I''ve ever seen." Yes," he said. Thank you." This is enough to make B-class equipment. Tell Aina that we were able to make B-class iron. We can incorporate it into our future plans for manufacturing B-class equipment, so please discuss it with her. Yes!" Leena immediately took the "recycled" iron B under Aina''s wing. Aina," she said. We have succeeded in ''recycling'' the iron B. Mr. Roland has asked me to incorporate it into our future production plan. I understand. Then may I also ask you to ''recycle'' used class B equipment?" I understand. Aina. There is equipment that cannot be destroyed efficiently without high power. May I ask for your help, Mr. Roddy? I understand. Roddy. Finish the design in the morning, then go around supporting Leena in the afternoon. Okay. Aina quickly changed her plans as Leena''s skills improved. Roland observed Leena''s work. (Even though she has only been here for a short time, she has already become accustomed to the cooperative corporate culture of the "Arsenal of Spirits. She is a highly adaptable girl who can adjust herself to the organization''s culture without difficulty. Leena was already walking and working in the workshop (atelier) as if it were her own home. (She is already familiar with this workshop (atelier). I guess I can tell her about that.) Leena. Do you have a minute?" Yes?" I need you to come to the guild president''s office after lunchtime so we can talk about a few things." I understand. Roland took Leena out to the roof of the workshop (atelier). The place would be empty except for the two of them. She was in the B class of the "Recycle" skill. You are doing very well. Thank you." Now, that said, ...... Roland said, turning his gaze away. ''Leena. You''re hiding something, aren''t you?" What?"What is it? I just received this from ''Dragon''s Fires''." Roland took out a complaint. It was about Pato and Leena, whom he had pulled out of the contract with "Dragon''s Fires" knowing that they still had some time left on their contract with the company. Leena''s lips curled into a tight knot. ''I asked Pato about it. He really didn''t seem to know anything. But you don''t. Don''t you?" Um, well, that ...... If you were here for breach of contract, then you, the parties, would have received a complaint." "......" Tell me about it. As head of the guild, I must respond as soon as possible. For your sake." "...... yes." Gilbert was wandering the corridors of the "Dragon''s Fireside". I didn''t think Eugene would go home. I''ve lost my nerve. What''s our next move?) As he was looking for someone stupid enough to take advantage of him, he saw someone he knew well walking toward him from the other side. It was Roland. (Huh?) Gilbert hastily hides behind a pillar. He said, "Excuse me, sir. You''re in trouble. You can''t enter the facility without permission. Hey, hey! Roland ignores the receptionist who tries to stop him, and marches swiftly into the back of the room. Gilbert, who had passed Roland by, followed him closely so that he would not be spotted. What in the world is Roland doing here?Don''t tell me you''ve smelled me working here?) I''ll be d*mned, that old man. He lectured me for an hour. Edgar jerked his neck and complained, relaxing his stiffness. Ha-ha-ha. That was a disaster. Charles said with a laugh. It''s not a disaster," Charles said with a laugh. You should feel the same way. The guild leader said, "It''s a long story, you know. What''s that?That man is ......." Charles looked across the street and rolled his eyes. An?" The head of the guild of the Arsenal of Spirits. Edgar looked and sure enough, it was Roland. They both watched Roland pass by with indescribable expressions on their faces. Roland took one look at Edgar and appraised him. [Edgar Logue''s status. Arm strength (power): 80-100 Endurance (toughness): 90-100 Agility: 80-90 Physical strength (stamina): 100-120 (All of the basic statuses are above 80. However, he lacks the ability to think deeply. He is a typical brain-muscle type. (He could have been a good partner if he had been combined well with Pato, who has a high ability to think.) Roland recalls his exchange with Leena. She said. ''Pato is going through a critical time right now. I wanted him to concentrate as much as possible. I''m sure Pato will say he''s going to leave here if he finds out that he''s going to cause trouble for Mr. Roland. ......" Leena said. ''Mr. Roland, I am so sorry. Eventually, Loran arrives in front of the guild president''s office where Medes is. Just then, Medes was leaving the room. Medes looks at Lorn and is taken aback. ''You''re ...... Loran!What are you doing here? I only came because I was called. Roland took out a complaint and thrust it at Medes. Medes said, "You are the one who sent us this complaint about Pato and Leena''s breach of contract, aren''t you?" Edgar, watching from the shadows, panicked. (Hey ......, don''t tell me you''re going to bring Pato and Leena back to our house?Don''t do it. I''ve just kicked them out and the responsibility for the "Arsenal of Spirits" measures is about to be undone. Don''t bring it up again!) The exchange between Roland and Medes continues. Roland and Medes continue to exchange words: "I see. So what are you doing here?Hm?Have you come to our house again to make a deal with us?Then I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to leave. We don''t have time for your transparent scam. I have no intention of doing business with you either!" Roland said in a stern tone. ''I have been observing in my own way ever since I came to this island, you refused to cooperate with me, and I opened the alchemy guild. I''ve been observing the business conditions of the "Dragon''s Fires," the adventurers on the island, and how the outside adventurers ended up here. As a result, I have a good understanding of the situation. The disaster of "Grand Fafnir" was caused by the "Dragon''s Fires" and your sloppy management!As a ''Golden Eagle'' executive, I cannot encourage the guild to do business with you!" Medes looked stunned. ''What the hell are you,'' he said. Did you come all the way here just to say that?We''re busy here. ......" ''Yeah. That''s why I came to talk to you so we don''t have to see each other again. Here, take this to ......." Roland pulls out a bag of gold coins and tosses it to Medes. He says, "...... this?" ''Pato and Leena, this is the penalty for both of you. I would like you to drop the lawsuit against them with this. They are at a critical point in their development. We can''t let your interference impede their growth. (What? That''s why you''re here? You scared me.) Gilbert and Edgar, who had been listening from behind a pillar, were relieved to learn that their misdeeds had not been exposed. Roland took out a pledge and turned it over to the Medes. It stated that the complaint would be dropped in exchange for a gold coin. Sign this. Sign this, and I will never visit you again. You won''t have to look at me anymore. ...... would be fine." Medes sighed and signed the letter. Roland took the copy and left. Medes sighed and signed the letter. What in the world is he doing at ......?" Medes blurted it out as he looked over at Roland. Wayne was running toward the "Dragon''s Fires. He had heard that Roland had headed for the "Dragon''s Fires. Son of a b*tc*! When he arrived at the "dragon''s fire," Roland was just coming out of the "dragon''s fire. Roland, you son of a b*tc*. ...... Wayne approached Roland with a force that threatened to grab him by the chest. Wayne?Why are you here ......" Nothing is f*cking going on. What the hell are you doing leaving me behind and going to hit the "Dragon''s Fireside" all by your lonesome? I''m not trying to beat you up. I was just having an adult discussion. And this has nothing to do with you. Oh?How long are you going to keep sleepwalking like that ......?" Wayne, no. The pato who came after Wayne grabs him from behind and stops him by the shoulder. I''m sorry, Mr. Roland," Wayne said. It''s my fault for causing you trouble. ......" Pato. I''ve talked to the head of the "Dragon''s Fires" guild. I''ve asked him to withdraw the complaint. From now on, you are definitely an employee of the "Arsenal of Spirits. You''re not going to tell me you''re quitting, are you?" ...... Yes. I will work for you with all my heart and soul. I will follow you no matter what. <> 97 - Art. 97. Generals vessel After defeating the "Fang Dragon," Monica and her team returned to the "Arsenal of Spirits. Roland examined the dragon nucleus that Monica had brought back, and found that the wolf dragon was an A-class monster. Roland gives Monica generous praise. Monica felt warmth in her heart. Later, Roland registered a new species of dragon in the quest office, and the monster was officially named "Fang Dragon. At a later date, Monica would be awarded the title of Double A. Leon''s request was an unexpected offer. Do you want me to give you a quest?" There are quite a few people who have been taken advantage of by the alliance between the Guardians of the Academy of Magic and the Knights of the Crescent Moon. The price of the equipment of the "Dragon''s Fires" is too high for them to do any more. Recently, they heard that our guild was making good money. They want to switch to equipment from the ''Spirit Arsenal,'' but they don''t have enough money to pay for it. I see. They''re also very friendly with our guild. I''d like to help them out. I wonder if we could solicit some quests from the "Arsenal of Spirits"? "Hmm." Roland remembered his conversation with Dylan as he listened to his conversation with Leon. "Are we running out of ''Fire Rest''?" Oh, yeah." Dylan said, as if he was in a great deal of trouble. He is also in charge of procuring materials for the "Arsenal of Spirits. The other day, when the Crescent Moon Knights retreated, they brought most of the materials back with them. It seems that the "Dragon''s Fires" ran out of everything they had in stock. It seems that all the stock of "Dragon''s Fires" has been exhausted, and they are sold out everywhere in the city. I''m at my wits'' end. I''m at my wits'' end. The shortage of "Fire Rest" (fire-retardant ore). The centripetal force of "Dragon''s Fires" is declining. This might be a good chance to make a move.) I get it," he said. Leon. I''ll see what I can do at the "Arsenal of Spirits" about a quest for adventurers. Really?I''m in your debt. And?What adventurers'' guilds say they want that quest?How many people do you have?" That''s the thing. This is another outlandish story, so don''t be surprised to hear it. ......" Equipment for 50 people? The conference room of the "Arsenal of Spirits. In the meeting room of the "Arsenal of Spirits," where all the alchemists belonging to the company were gathered, Aina said in surprise. This is a very sudden matter, isn''t it? Yes, but this is an opportunity. Chance?" We can simply get more adventurers to switch from the Dragon''s Fires to us, and more importantly, there is a shortage of "Fire Rest" on the market right now. Fire Rest" is an essential material for "Fafnir" equipment. It is also essential for "Dragon''s Fires," which relies on outside guilds as its main source of revenue. If we can get all the "Fire Rest" from the "Volcano Dungeon," we may be able to gain an advantage over the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. I see. So, what do you think? Can you guys make it?" I''m not sure what to expect. Yes, that''s right. I guess if we all work at full capacity, we can make it work. Aina looks around at those attending the meeting as she says this. Let''s do it. Pato said. He wanted to repay Roland somehow. If we can do this, we can greatly increase the sales of the "Arsenal of Spirits. This is my chance to repay Mr. Roland.) If Pat will do it, so will I. ...... Leena concurred. ''I have no problem with that either.'' I don''t have any objections either. Roddy and Ize followed suit. I don''t think we should do this. The local adventurers are not very reliable. Wayne said. ''Good. All right, everybody''s okay. Let''s get to it. yes Hey." Wayne, you don''t really have a job right now. Help us out." Gosh. ...... Thus, the entire "Arsenal of Spirits" team was brought together to work on this project. Under Aina''s leadership, everyone worked energetically to take advantage of this opportunity. Pato''s dedication was particularly impressive, and he not only helped with his own quota, but also with the work of others. Thus, the production of the equipment proceeded at a rapid pace, and the day arrived for the delivery of the equipment to the adventurers. While Aina and her colleagues were working in the workshop (atelier), Roland was coordinating the work among the adventurers. He would find out each adventurer''s schedule, condition, and needs, and then set a date for their entry into the dungeon. He called for the participation of adventurers from all over the island, not just those guilds with ties to the Shield of Dawn, as an alliance led by the "Arsenal of Spirits. He called on the mage siblings of "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" and Will Lana, as well as the bard Nicola, and they were all willing to join the "Arsenal of Spirits"-led alliance. There was just one problem on top of that. The question of who would be the captain to lead such a large force. The "Shield of Dawn," the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," the mage siblings, and Nicola gathered to discuss who would be the captain. What shall we do? With so many guilds, I don''t know if there is anyone on the island who can unite them. Should we approach Monica Vermale?" She''s not the type to be in command of a unit, and I''m sure she''d say no if I approached her. Roland said. ''Hmmm. Who should we ask then? The meeting was silent. The meeting was silent. "If we leave it to someone half-hearted, it will only cause chaos. I''ll take care of it. When Roland said this, all the people present looked at him with a scowling look. They had not expected Roland to run for captain. This alliance was initiated by the "Arsenal of Spirits," Roland said. I''ll be responsible for taking it all the way to the end." Roland said this with a smile that could be neither serious nor joking. The day to enter the dungeon finally arrived. The adventurers gathered at the "Arsenal of Spirits" and put on the blue armor that had been distributed to them. This is the equipment of the "Arsenal of Spirits," huh? Hee..." "Hee... It is more solidly made than I expected. The adventurers put on their equipment, exchanging their impressions with each other. Roland watched as he appraised the skills and stats of the adventurers. All of the adventurers were at best C class. (All of the adventurers are at best C class, and if that is the case, these seven are the most useful ones. ......) Leon''s Skills and Status Swordsmanship": C Arm strength (power): 70-80 Erio''s Skills/Status Shield defense": B Toughness: 80-90 Jeff''s Skills/Status Bow shooting: C Agility: 70-80 Cecil''s Skills/Status. Dagger": C Stamina: 100-120 Hans Bergamot''s Skills and Status Bow shooting: B Silent Run": B Magic shooting: B Agility: 70-80 Claire Bergamot''s Skills and Status Bow Shooting: B Silent Run" B Far-sightedness": B Continuous Fire": B Agility: 60-70 Alice Bergamot''s Skills and Status Bow Shooting: B Silent Run": B Rapid Firing": B Hatred Focus: B Agility: 80-90 (For Erio, Hans, Claire, and Alice, the ability is class B with no multiplier. Leon, Jeff, and Cecil are also B class enough if we only look at their status. It is only a matter of time before their skills become B class.) Roland-san, we have completed the distribution of equipment to all adventurers. Aina said. ''Good. Let''s go into the dungeon then. The Shield of Dawn and the Arrow of the Heavenly Horse, come here for a minute." Leon and Hans and the others gather. The immediate task of entering the dungeon is to deal with Fafnir the Fire Dragon, but the number of people in the team is too large. Monica alone cannot cover them all. So we need the ''Shield of Dawn'' and the ''Arrow of the Heavenly Horse'' to be the mainstay to deal with the ''Fire Dragon (Fafnir)''." Leon, Elio, Jeff, and Cecil''s faces were tense. They had yet to defeat "Fafnir" alone. Roland smiled at them. It''s all right," he said. Your strength is enough to defeat Fafnir. Roland gave the four of them a tactical address before entering the dungeon. Everyone. Thank you for joining the alliance led by the Arsenal of Spirits. I''m Roland, and I''ll be leading the alliance this time. I look forward to working with you. What we want you to collect is ''fire-repellent ore. Roland holds up the "fire-repellent ore" with a red luster. I promise you that we, the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' will purchase the ''Fire Rest'' that you bring back to us," he said. We will also give a special stipend to the guilds that do well. That''s all from me. The assembled local adventurers tilted their heads. Compared to the guilds with which I had previously formed alliances, this was a rather simple speech. They did not flaunt their power or talk about the future. What kind of person was this Roland who was giving a speech, this person who would be leading the alliance in the dungeon? No one present knew his profession or abilities. At best, all we know is that he is from the "Arsenal of Spirits" and has a close relationship with the "Shield of Dawn. They followed Roland into the dungeon, feeling a little uneasy. Why do we have to accompany you on your dungeon expedition? Wayne walked with a pickaxe, grumbling. The alliance was not only made up of local adventurers, but also alchemists from the "Arsenal of Spirits. They, too, were wearing minimal armor. Wayne. I want to repay Mr. Roland somehow. Pato said. It was he, of all people, who wanted to accompany the Alliance. I''d like to take this opportunity to contribute in some small way in the form of ''ore mining. But that doesn''t mean alchemists have to go into dungeons ......." It should be a chance for you to deal a blow to the ''dragon''s fiery fire. You were the one who wanted to take revenge on the Dragon''s Fiery Fire, weren''t you? Let''s work together here." But still... If you have a problem with me, why don''t you just go home? You can go back to your studio if you have a problem with it. Aina said. ''Tsk. I get it. Just follow me, right? Just follow me. (Of course, even if we were to follow the adventurers, how could Roland possibly command a troop?) While exploring the dungeon in this way, Monica''s "Hawk-Eye" caught sight of an enemy shadow. Roland, Fafnir the Fire Dragon is coming. It''s coming from the right. (To the right, huh? (To the right. That''s where the Shield of Dawn is guarding.) Jeff, ''Fafnir'' is coming." Yeah, I''ve got you in my ''far-sightedness'' too. Jeff quickly takes up a position and readies his bow. The area was behind a rock, so he could surprise the incoming fire dragon (Fafnir). Erio, Leon, and Cecil are behind him. Roland also rushed to the scene. Soon after, "Fafnir" appeared. The sudden appearance of "Fafnir" shook the adventurers in the alliance. Wow," said one of the adventurers. It''s Fafnir! Run for it." Jeff fired an arrow before Fafnir breathed his breath of fire. The arrow hits Fafnir in the wing. The angry "Fafnir" quickly lowers its altitude and rushes forward. Erio remembered what Roland had told him as he held up his shield. "''Shield Assault''?" Oh, Erio''s skill, ''Shield Assault. It is the most effective means of attack against Fafnir that you currently have. [Erio''s skill Shield Assault": C to A Skill "Shield Assault. It has low killing power, but has a high probability of knocking the enemy into a stupor. But Fafnir is flying in the sky. How can you hit it with a physical attack? Cecil said. ''Yes,'' said Cecil. So first we''ll use Jeff''s ''long range vision'' and ''bow fire. Fafnir has a tendency to get angry and charge at you if you damage it. So, you have to hit it with an arrow at the beginning of the encounter, and then hit the rushing Fafnir with a shield charge to make it fall down unconscious. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I don''t know if I can do it. I''ll be fine. I have taught "Shield Assault" before. I''ll tell you when it''s time. (The time has finally come. (Is it really possible for me to do it well?) The switch with Jeff is complete. Fafnir" comes flying at low altitude, clawing its way straight toward Elio. Erio, now! Roland pushed Elio back. Erio rushes toward "Fafnir" with his shield at the ready. Oh, oh, oh!" Erio kept his shield up and slammed into the head of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". The fire dragon staggered and landed on the ground in an unstable position. All right. Let''s go, Cecil." Yeah." Cecil and Leon pass Erio from both sides and slash at "Fafnir" with daggers and longswords. Erio also pulls out a knife and thrusts it into the belly of "Fafnir. Gggiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Fafnir" broke off with a desperate scream and fell to the ground. The place was quiet. The local adventurers looked at the scene as if they had been possessed by a fox. (What the hell are these guys? ......) (He easily defeated "Fafnir the Fire Dragon. (Even though I''m a local adventurer. (Even though he''s a local adventurer. He''s awfully strong.) Roland rushes over to Elio and the others. Elio," Roland said. You did well. I liked your ''shield assault'' just now. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I did better than I thought I would. Skill of Erio Shield Assault": B (up1) (I got "Shield Assault" B as soon as possible. That''s a good start. (This will make the search a lot easier later on.) Jeff, Leon and Cecil. You guys did a great job. Now you know the timing of the wave attack, don''t you? Next time "Fafnir" comes, I''ll turn to you. I''m counting on you. Oh, oh." Leon replied, bewildered at how easily they had defeated Fafnir. Well, ...... Roland spun around and turned his stern gaze toward the adventurers who had just tried to escape. I could tell from the battle earlier that many of the guilds were anxious to battle the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)." Ugh. ......" The adventurers all giggle and look uncomfortable. The deeper you go into the dungeon, the more often you will encounter Fafnir. There will be times when you will be attacked from different directions by more than one Fafnir. But there is no problem. If "Fafnir" comes in the future, please turn to "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of Heavenly Horse". The problem is when they are attacked to the extent that "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of Heavenly Horse" cannot cover. This is such a large group. Two guilds cannot cover everything. That is why I want everyone to think about it. What can we do by ourselves when we encounter "Fafnir the Fire Dragon"? I am not asking you to destroy the enemy. I want you to think about how to support the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses". Can we buy time by focusing on defense? Or do we just run away and leave it to other adventurers? That''s all I ask. There is still some distance to the next rest stop, so I want each guild to think of a way to deal with the situation before then and report back to me." Uh-oh. All right. The local adventurers were puzzled by Roland''s response, but began discussing and thinking about it. His instructions were clearly different from the throwaway instructions of adventurers from the outside. Leon felt strange as he explored. We have improved with training," he said. Jeff has improved his agility, and both Cecil and I are more aggressive. I wouldn''t be surprised if we could defeat "Fafnir the Fire Dragon. But ......, what is this sense of security?(......), even though he is never relaxed. He was so calm that it was hard to believe he was in a dungeon. Soon, the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" attacked the alliance again as they resumed their search. This time, the attack came from the left, and Hans and his "Heavenly Horse Arrows," who were stationed there, responded and took it out without a hitch. Roland-dono. Are you sure? You don''t have to use my ''Ryuon''." Nicola, the bard, said. ''Oh, we''ll deal with the vanguard alone here. I want to see how far the adventurers other than Leon, Hans, and the others can go. Besides ......" Roland looks back. (In the case of this dungeon, there is a return trip to explore. With all this flamboyant activity, it''s hard to believe that the bandits are just going to sit on their hands and watch and do nothing. They will surely try to set us up. (Nicola''s "dragon sound" and the rear guard are to be saved until then.) I''m bored. Brother." Lana said, her lips pouting. ''All that works are the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses." They''ve only been watching us since a while ago." Haha. That''s good, Lana. Let''s leave this to them. Besides, don''t you think it''s interesting? What? Roland''s in charge. Will looks at Loran. (With just one speech, he had dispelled the uneasiness that had covered the entire alliance and restored its composure. He was clearly not the type of adventurer that had come from the outside before. (Is he just a blending-in or is he a general''s caliber?) Will looked at Monica. This time, she was just following alongside Roland, showing no sign of fighting. (Is Monica Vermeerle being preserved? (Monica Vermeerle is being spared?) She''s going to do it with only local adventurers. Interesting.) Roland, an S-class appraiser for "The Golden Eagle. How far can he go? Let''s see how well he does. The alliance, still awkward, but seemingly more unified than ever, moved deeper into the dungeon. <> 98 - Art. 98. Loran vs. What?"The alchemy guild is leading the alliance?" At the hideout of the bandit guild "White Wolf," Jamil raised his eyebrows at the report from his subordinate. How can an alchemy guild lead adventurers? What the hell guild is this?What kind of nonsense is that?" It''s a guild called ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' apparently." The Arsenal of Spirits?I''ve never heard that name. I hear, though, that there are quite a few guilds here. There are more than 10 guilds and more than 50 adventurers. Oh. I wouldn''t leave it at that. You want to attack? Yes, I think so. Though, I can''t get out now." Jamil looked back at the equipment he was wearing. He was now wearing neither sword nor armor. His equipment is now in the care of the Dragon''s Fireside. His equipment is now in the care of "Dragon''s Fireside," because it was worn out in the battle with Yugan. In addition, there is a shortage of "Fire Rest" on the market, and it is said that it will take some time to restore it. What to do?) I''m in. Rodo said. My ''dragon flute'' is intact. There don''t seem to be any adventurers from the outside. I''m sure it will be a piece of cake with just the troops I have on hand. ''...... I suppose so. I guess you''re in charge here." Good. Then, those who can afford the equipment, come with me. Rodo headed toward the dungeon, taking only those with light wear and tear. Jamil watched him depart with a difficult look on his face. What''s the matter? What''s wrong, Jamil? Something on your mind?" No. ......" (The inauguration of the alliance ...... at this time when there was a shortage of "Fire Rest". By chance?(Or are you aiming for ......?) Heh. I don''t think so. Maybe I''m thinking too much." It was hard to believe that any adventurer on this island, long accustomed to relying on outside adventurers, would be so decisive. Jamil stopped thinking and sank deep into the sofa. As the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance climbed the volcano in formation, the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" attacked them again. Jeff quickly checked his position with Elio and took up a firing position. (At any rate, he hit the "Fafnir" with an arrow to draw it away. Jeff''s arrow successfully pierced the body of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). Geeaaaaaah! The "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" approached rapidly with a yell. This way. Come here. Jeff turned and ran, pulling "Fafnir" to him. Thanks to this, Erio was able to run into the fire dragon''s blind spot. (Good. Good. Jeff!) Erio runs into the bosom of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and decides on the "Shield Assault" skill to its head. Leon and Cecil slash at the comatose "Fafnir" and defeat it. The coordination of the "Shield of Dawn" was deepening. Jeff''s "bow shooting" to bait, Erio''s "shield assault," and Leon and Cecil''s pursuit. Erio. How was the decoy move just now?" Perfect, Jeff. It was very easy to jump in." Good. Next time we''ll do it the same way. My bow shooting is lagging behind Hans and the others. (Compared to Hans and the others, my "bow-shooting" is lagging behind.) I think you''re looking good," he said. Jeff." Roland came up to me and said. ''Yeah, thanks to the tactics you gave me, this is the third ''Fire Dragon (Fafnir)'' I''ve taken down. Keep up the good work. Oh, I''ll take care of it. Jeff finished his conversation with Roland briefly and started searching for the enemy again with his skill "far-sightedness. (Well, if you''re coming, come on, ''Fafnir''. I''ll be your opponent anytime.) There is no sign of the days before, when he was dragging Erio''s feet or shifting his attention to expensive ore. Now he was doing what he was supposed to do. Roland is satisfied to see Jeff like that. (When you have a goal, you go straight for it. Jeff is a hot guy.) At Roland''s request, adventurers other than "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" also began to think about how they could contribute. Would they be able to hold off the fire dragon (Fafnir) for a while, draw it to them as a decoy, or provide logistical support and eliminate monsters other than the fire dragon (Fafnir) since they had no choice but to leave the task to other guilds? Each of them considers their own skills and status, and reports back to Roland. If we have one more shield user, we can hold off the attack of Fafnir. ...... Good. Then team up with the ''ore guardians. There are several good shield users there." We are short on healers. I understand. Then I''ll send a healer from the Silver Eagle Alliance. We have low defenses, so I think we should stick to enemies other than the ''Fire Dragon (Fafnir)'' ...... I understand. Then you and Wildcat, who also has low defenses, will act as a team to hit the ogres and wolves. The opportunity to test their strength soon presented itself. When the alliance reached the "Metal Line," three "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)" and a mixed force of "Orcs," "Armed Goblins (Hobgoblins)," and "Crow Wolves (Crow Wolves)" attacked the alliance. The "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse" hit the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" coming from both sides without saying anything. Roland commanded the rest of the team. The decoy team and the defensive team will draw the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" to them. The rest of you deploy in preparation for the attack of the orcs, the hobgoblins, and the clawed wolves! The troops start to move, though half a step behind. The decoy team has trouble hitting the fire dragon (Fafnir) with their arrows, but somehow manages to draw it to them. The defense team stood in front of "Fafnir," holding up their shields and enduring the attack for a while. Soon, the "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" cleared the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and rushed to join the attack. The remaining "Fafnir" and the ogres and wolves were instantly repelled. Wayne and Pato were surprised to see Roland''s leadership. What is this guy doing?Don''t tell me you''re raising adventurers while exploring dungeons?) (That''s not all. I''m also building ...... tactics as I raise them.) Hans and the others were also impressed with Roland''s commanding skills while defeating the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). He was impressed by Roland''s commanding skills. He can command a unit, too. He''s good at it. Alice said. It''s still a bit awkward," Alice said, "but it''s starting to work. It''s amazing how easy it is to fight when you have a competent commander. ...... Claire said. ''Phew, that Roland guy seems to have cast a spell on us again. (I can''t believe that he not only manages an alchemy guild, but also commands troops. (How can he not only manage an alchemy guild, but also command troops? He is an unfathomable man.) Roland did not forget to check their work while conducting them. He sorted out the guilds that could be used and those that could not. Monica. How far are we from the ore pits?" Roland asked. ''Yes, sir. At this rate, we should be at the first site by tomorrow. Monica said, checking with her hawk-eye. Good. Well then, let''s camp around here for the day. Monica, you can take a rest too. Good night. Yes, sir." (I can explore with peace of mind when Roland-san is in command. Lovely) Monica gave Roland another enthusiastic look as she rested. The next day, the alliance reached the ore mines. Roland, if you go over that hillside, you will finally reach the mining site. Good. Let''s start with the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits. Then we''ll start with the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits," the "Shield of Dawn," and the "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse. After that, the "Guardian of Ore," the "Silver Eagle Alliance," and the "Wildcat," in that order. The other guilds will be last. Hearing this, the adventurers became impatient. Obviously, the guilds with the highest contribution entered the mining site in order. The commander was paying extraordinarily close attention to the work of the adventurers. He gives priority to those who are faithful to his orders. They felt even more strongly that they had to contribute to the alliance or show Roland how well they were doing. The "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horses" are the first to reach the mining site, and they place the highest priority on extracting "fire-repelling ore (fire rest)". At the same time, they also sought materials to strengthen their weapons. Jeff walked around the mining area with Erio, looking for materials that would make his weapons lighter. Lightening materials? I''ve learned from this search that in order to take advantage of Elio''s ''shield assault,'' I have to be able to play the decoy role properly." Jeff said. What I need is not so much power," Jeff said, "but the agility to get away quickly after an attack. I need lightweight materials. I see. Indeed. So, I was wondering if there are any good materials out there. Hmmm. I don''t know. I wonder if Aina''s "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" will help?In the meantime, I''ll have to talk to Roland about it." The two men were happy to have found a new policy for the time being, and concentrated on collecting "fire-repellent ore" for the moment. I want to make a silver dagger. Cecil consulted Aina. Aina said, "Ummm... There is a shortage of silversmiths in the "Arsenal of Spirits" at the moment. But I understand. I will let Mr. Roland know what I want. Nicolas found a material that could be the strings of a lyre (harp). Pato. How about this material? Which one? Give it to me. Using his skill "tuning," Pato lightly tapped the stone. A pleasant sound was heard. (This is from ......) Nicolas. This might be a good material. It might help to strengthen the ''dragon sound. Let''s take it home and consider it." In another place, Will had found a magic stone. Lana. Take a look." This is ...... It''s a ''magic stone of the earth. It may make your ''earth crust magic'' more potent." Wow. And it''s a big one. It''s a stone. Brother. Wayne. What do you think?" Ah?What?" Wayne replied annoyingly. What? It''s your job to chip away at the magic stone, isn''t it? I''m thinking of making new equipment out of this magic stone, and I''m asking you what you think." Ah. That''s fine. Will frowned. (What the hell is this guy?(Arrogant.) Roland led the tail end of the guild into the mining area, where Aina came to report on the status of ore extraction and the hopes of the adventurers. I see...a silver dagger. Yes," he said. I was asked if I could do something about it. (It''s about time the branch had a silversmith.) I understand. Let''s just stockpile silver for now. If you can spare some, you can pick up some silver." Yes, sir. Thus, Roland and his team explored the next mining site in the same way. The guilds with the highest contribution will be allowed to enter the mining sites in turn. The first priority was to collect "fire-retardant ore," and if there was room, they would collect materials to strengthen weapons. In this way, Roland steadily gained control of his troops. Almost all of the "Fire Rest" left in the "Metal Line" was collected. Now it was just a matter of whether or not they could bring it back to the city safely. On the way back, the "White Wolves" led by Rodo were waiting for them. The "White Wolves" immediately attacked as soon as Roland and his team left the mining site. !Three "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)" are coming from the right. From the left is a squad of archers. It''s the White Wolf! Monica shouted. (I knew you were lurking.) Nicola. It''s ''Ryuon. Warrior with shield, deploy to the left!Lay down a line of fire." Under Roland''s command, the alliance smoothly repositioned itself to meet the "White Wolf" attack. Nicolas moves to the right side and plays "Dragon Sound" to stop the movement of "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". The shield-bearer moves to the left side, holds up his shield, and catches a hail of arrows flying at him. (It''s Roland-san, after all. (It''s Roland-san, the master of the art of war and command. But here comes the problem.) Monica watches the battle, biting her lip. When the enemy''s arrows were cut off, Roland gave the order again. The bowman (archer) fires a warning shot. After that, the white army will charge! The archer fired an arrow at the enemy from a height. Enemies in high places visibly float away. It was the perfect opportunity to charge. However, the shield-bearer and swordsman did not move. What''s wrong?Why don''t you charge?" Roland scolded them, but they still did not move. I see. This is what Monica was talking about. Now that we have the ore, we don''t want to wear them out any further. Hence, they are reluctant to fight.) The bandits, seeing that we are not attacking them, regain their composure and start to fire arrows at us again. The Alliance''s shield squads were jittery and retreating. This is not good. At this rate, we''ll be slowly being whittled away, and eventually we''ll collapse.) Roland looked back at Fafnir, the fire dragon on the right. The "Fafnir" had been circling around the same spot since a while ago, taking a neutral attitude. It may or may not attack us. It seemed to be wondering which to follow, the bandit''s "dragon sound" or Nicola''s "dragon sound". Nevertheless, if we continue to do nothing, we will eventually fall into a state of jitteriness. (What to do?) The same confusion was felt by the "White Wolf". (Fafnir" doesn''t attack the enemy?(Why?) No matter how many times Rodo blows his "dragon flute," the "fire dragon (Fafnir)" keeps circling in the sky as if it has lost sight of the enemy. (No way!(Is there someone in the enemy who uses the "dragon sound" as much as I do?) Tsk." Oh, no. I didn''t calculate that. I didn''t think I could use "Fafnir. I guess we''ll just have to go for the straight and narrow and defeat the enemy.) Rodo continued to blow the "dragon sound," but had the fencer squads prepare to charge. Nicola was trying her best to play the "dragon sound" on her lyre so that the "Fafnir" would retreat, but the "Fafnir" continued to show an uncooperative attitude. (d*mn. They still don''t listen to me completely, do they? Unlike normal dragons, it is not so easy to control dragons controlled by other "dragon sounds.) Nicolas turned a pained expression on his face to Roland. Roland could see that Nicolas was also full of it. (After all, even Nicolas cannot completely control the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" which is under the enemy''s control, can he? If that is the case, we have no choice but to repel the enemy with swords and bows.) Roland looks again at his own white army unit. They were still not obeying the order to charge, and were only falling back against the enemy offensive. Roland called out to Elio. Elio," Roland called out to Elio. Do you see that high point?" Roland said, indicating the place where it jutted out. He gave these instructions while hiding behind a shield in the midst of a hail of arrows. Unlike other high places occupied by the enemy, the place Roland pointed to was independent and uncontactable. The flat area was also narrow, limiting the number of people who could be deployed. In other words, it was the weakest part of the enemy-occupied heights. Yes. I want to get rid of the enemies who are occupying that area and set up a camp. Can you do it? I understand. I''ll try." Erio sets up a "shield assault" toward the heights Roland had indicated. Under the support fire of the archers, he quickly ran up the hill, eliminated the five archers stationed there, and took over the position. The "White Wolf" also tried to regain the high ground, but Lana''s "crust magic" made it faster to fortify the defense. The bandits'' attacks on the heights were rebounded at every turn. On the contrary, Hans and his men were able to take up positions in those places, allowing them to shoot arrows directly into the enemy lines. On the other hand, the "White Wolf" side was afraid of attacks from above, making it difficult for them to launch a white hand-to-hand combat. It became a shooting war in which both sides hid in the shadows from a height and shot at each other. In the end, there was no winner that day, so the bandits retreated at nightfall. The next morning came. Roland woke the adventurers before the sky had even begun to whiten, and he sent a rapid march to bring down the mountain. (As long as we can''t destroy the enemy, we have no choice but to occupy an advantageous position ahead of them and defend ourselves!) Roland drove his troops as far as he could and reached a suitable defensive position. By noon, he had occupied the highest points in the area and blocked the roads with soldiers so that he could not be attacked from any direction. Rodo noticed Roland''s movement and rushed after him, but by that time, the alliance had already completely fortified the area on all sides and was waiting for him with a full set of defenses. Unavoidably, Rodo gave up the attack and decided to gamble on the next day. Roland made the same rapid march down the mountain the next day. He ran through the mountain paths, which had many ups and downs, with his breath panting. Rodo also woke up his army early that day and sent them running, but Roland was still faster at holding the key points. Rodo gritted his teeth when he saw the allied positions. (d*mn. Why did he do that? We''re a lightly-armed force consisting mainly of archers and thieves. How come those guys, who are heavily armed and have a lot of items, can move faster than us?) Roland had Monica use her "Hawk-Eye" to find suitable places for defense in advance, and he was able to move quickly in spite of his heavy weight because he was able to find the paths with few monsters. The local adventurers were also very cooperative, as they wanted to return to the city as soon as possible to finalize the battle results. Such a passive strategy would have been frowned upon in the Golden Eagle. The next day, and the next, the same development continued. The alliance moved steadily closer to the city, eventually reaching a point where the city could be seen below. Numbed, Lodo attacked Roland''s position forcefully. However, the attack was easily repelled, and on the contrary, the "White Wolf" was forced to run for its life. Roland tried to give chase, but the bandits were very fast on the run and could not be caught. (I see. Can you do hit and away in units? Fighting method utilizing agility. Well thought out. Even if you win a local victory, you cannot give a decisive blow. (This is tricky.) Roland gave up the chase and rather shifted his position again, bringing his troops closer to the city. They were now positioned in the forest at the foot of the city, and the city was now just a stone''s throw away. Since the "White Wolf" had not suffered catastrophic damage, they reorganized their forces and tried to challenge Lorrain again, but Rodo had trouble regrouping his troops. Roland did not miss the opportunity and ran all the way through the forest at the foot of the mountain and returned alive to the city. He made an impressive return with his unit still in formation. The people of the town rolled their eyes. They were accustomed to seeing adventurers return home in tatters, and they tilted their heads, saying to each other, "It''s a rare thing, isn''t it? <> 99 - Art. 99. Disclosure Unable to break the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, Rodo was forced to return to the "White Wolf" hideout without any particular success. Jamil was furious when he saw Rodo and the others return empty-handed. What the hell is going on here? No results against local small fry adventurers? Rod! What are they doing with you following them!" No, what can I say? I had a really hard time fighting him. He did exactly what I didn''t want him to do. ...... Huh? Hey, Rod. Zain interrupts the conversation with a bitter look on his face. He said things like, "You''re hard to fight, or you do exactly what I don''t want you to do. Aren''t those the kind of things we should be told? What does it mean ...... that we, of all people, have to say that to the local adventurers?" No, no, no. That ...... is right. The guy I was talking to said there was a guy who could use the ''dragon sound'' too!" What?The "Ryuon"? Yes. And blue armor. It''s kind of hard. Blue armor. I remember when we fought with those guys from the Academy of Magic. I saw a blue armor fighting hard. As I recall, his equipment was also engraved with the emblem of a spirit holding a hammer. Maybe that was the emblem of the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' ......" One of the underlings said. Zain turned an uneasy face to Jamil. Hey, Jamil," he said. This is ......." Tsk." (The "Arsenal of Spirits". I wondered what the hell kind of horse''s bones were doing something stupid. Looks like he''s not the only one.) Oh, you can do it. That''s right. That''s all right." In a room of the "Dragon''s Fireside" workshop (atelier), Gilbert said to the alchemist who was making a sword. Wow," Gilbert said to the alchemist. Wow, that''s amazing. It''s really done. The young man, a junior staff member, seemed impressed. In his hand was a B-class sword. He had only ever made up to C-class equipment and had never been able to make B-class equipment. Until today, when he received Gilbert''s guidance. Gilbert''s help was invaluable," he said. Thank you." "Wow, Cleo can finally make B-class equipment?" Oh," he said. I owe it all to Mr. Gilbert''s guidance. Heh heh. It''s really amazing, isn''t it? Mr. Gilbert is..." Yeah, since Mr. Gilbert came, we''ve been growing at an unbelievable rate. We used to be the down-and-out of the department, waiting to be restructured. I really appreciate Mr. Gilbert''s help. Everyone present looked at Gilbert with respect. Gilbert was Gilbert, and he looked not so full of himself. He said, "Listen, you guys, don''t give up on your dream. If you give up, that''s the end. People can grow. You can change! Don''t forget that." Yes! Mr. Gilbert, may I ask you to take a look at my refined iron?" Oh, let me see. "Mr. Gilbert, I have a question about your skills." Mr. Gilbert, I''m having some trouble. You guys like Mr. Gilbert too much, don''t you? The room erupted in laughter. Hey, we''re all in trouble. Suddenly, the door to the room opens and a staff member rushes in. ''What''s going on? You''re in such a hurry. A band of ''hail knights'' is coming to the island in search of ore. The "Knights of the Hail"? You mean the guild that Mr. Gilbert belongs to? Oh, yes," he said. Mr. Gilbert''s people are finally landing on this island. Oh, really? They say the ship will be here tomorrow. "......" Oh no. You''re here at last." Today is the last time Mr. Gilbert will teach me. I knew it was coming, but I''m a little disappointed. f*ck you!You can''t keep relying on Mr. Gilbert. From now on, we are going to support Mr. Gilbert. I know," he said. We can''t just sit on Mr. Gilbert''s good graces forever. Good. You guys, let''s make the best equipment so Mr. Gilbert can man up!" Oh! While the staff continued to work in a congenial atmosphere, Gilbert was looking in the wrong direction with an awakened expression on his face. Soon after, the "knights of the hail" landed on the "Fire Dragon Island. They made their speeches in the plaza, as successive generations of visiting guilds from the outside have done, and then headed for the "Dragon''s Fires". They were welcomed by the Medes. Welcome, my friends," he said. Welcome to the "Knights of the Hail. Our guild is pleased to welcome you. Mm-hmm. Thank you for going out of your way to welcome the guild leader himself. A large, bearded Warrior man said with satisfaction. I am Cendric. I am the captain of the first unit of the Knights of the Hail. My name is Medes." Now, let''s move on to the business meeting." Medes was elated at the bliss that had finally arrived. Finally, our best customer has arrived," he said. We''ve already come to an agreement with Lord Gilbert," Medes said. All I have to do now is deliver the equipment and the money will roll in.) However, when it came time to negotiate, there were a number of areas of disagreement. In particular, there was a huge gap in the budget, and both sides were at a loss as to what the other was talking about. We both had no idea what the other was talking about, but we both said, "No, that can''t be right. "It can''t be, Mr. Cendrick. Medes laughed at the too-little budget that came out of Cendric''s mouth and said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t think you''re going to be able to afford it. The adventurer you sent, Gilbert, has indeed given us this item and this budget. Gilbert?"Hey, you. You know?" Cendric asked his second-in-command beside him. No, I don''t know him. There is no one by that name in our guild. Medes twisted his neck. (Huh?What is going on? Did something go wrong?) The discussions between the two parties continued to run parallel. That day, they decided to leave their equipment at the "Dragon''s Fireside" for the time being, and the roughnecks of the "Roughnecks of the Hail" headed for the inn. Medes decided to look for Gilbert. Normally, he would be wandering around somewhere in the workshop (atelier). Hey, you! Don''t you know where Gilbert is? Medes spoke to one of the junior staff members. No, sir, I don''t know. "Hey, you." No, I don''t know. After that, Medes looked everywhere in the workshop (atelier), but there was no sign of Gilbert. Well, that''s okay. (Well, it''s all right. I''ll just ask Gilbert to tell me what happened tomorrow, and everything will be all right.) Medes decided to start by manufacturing the products that matched Gilbert''s and Cendric''s orders. (In the meantime, he would have a meeting with the quartet.) However, problems arose even in the meeting with the quartet. The "what?Are we running out of ''Fire Rest''?" Medes was furious. What the hell are you doing? We are an alchemy guild, and we can''t talk about it if we don''t have any ore. Even so, I really can''t find it anywhere on the market." Charles defended himself. I didn''t think the ''Knight of the Crescent Moon'' would leave that early, and ...... Don''t make excuses. If you don''t have it, why don''t you just procure it quickly? The local guilds or the guys from White Wolf, or whoever, just go get them quickly. You guys are the ones who are doing this. ......" (Here we go again.) Raul is disgusted as he listens. It''s all right to be angry, but you''re talking too long. We have to get some ore after this, so cut the sermon short.) As Medes continued his endless sermon, one of the clerks rushed into the quartet''s workshop (atelier). Oh my God!" What in the world? What a noisy fellow." An alliance led by the Arsenal of Spirits has succeeded in acquiring a large amount of "Fire Rest" and has brought it back to the city. The Arsenal of Spirits?" Medes looks at him with a scowl. When you say ''arsenal of spirits,'' do you mean that con man?" The quartet looked at each other quizzically. ''Not long ago you were saying something about alchemy guilds forming an alliance, but you don''t think that was Roland''s guy, do you? And you came back successful?" No, no way. No, it can''t be. There must be some mistake. ...... Oh, my God. Another clerk came running in. In his hand he holds a bulletin issued by the Quest Reception Office. Aina Burke, an employee of the "Arsenal of Spirits," has been certified as a Class A Alchemist. Aina?" Lizetta responded. I remember a female employee working at the "Arsenal of Spirits". She was the one who was struggling to make that B-class equipment. (She became an A-class alchemist?) But that''s not all. For the first time on this island, an adventurer was born with the double-A title. She is Monica Vermale, an adventurer belonging to the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. She wears equipment made in the "Arsenal of the Spirits. Medes looked as if a pigeon had eaten a peashooter. He wasn''t quite sure what was going on. Raul glanced at Medes. Hey, guild leader," Raul said. What''s going on? Wasn''t that Roland guy a fake?" Lizetta said inquiringly. ''Eh, no, it''s that ....... You didn''t just declare him a fraud without doing your homework, did you? Does that mean that ...... has lost a potential client and made an enemy of a major guild?" I''ll tell you what," he said. Then that Gilbert guy is ......." Oh, uh... Another staff member enters the room fearfully, looking reluctant to speak. I''m sorry, sir. Our warehouse has been ransacked ...... and it looks like some of that ...... equipment has been stolen. ......" What? Who is it? Who was in charge of the warehouse?" Recently, a man named Gilbert was entrusted with part of the management. So this morning, I left the keys to the warehouse with Gilbert at ....... I haven''t seen him at ...... since a few minutes ago, and I was wondering if you knew where he was?" Everyone in the room glanced at Medes. I knew it! Raul pounded wildly on the desk. Raul slammed his desk roughly, "So, Roland and the Arsenal of Spirits are real after all, and this Gilbert guy has been duping us all along. Lizetta sighed. Medes finally realized the gravity of the situation and was aghast. (This is ridiculous. So that guy ......, that Gilbert guy, he set me up?) But it''s odd. Why did Gilbert go through all that trouble? What on earth is he trying to ......" I don''t care about that! Raul yells at Charles, who wonders, and then turns to Medes again. Raul yells at Charles, who wonders, "Guild leader, how are you going to pay for this?If you have caused disadvantage to the guild, even if it''s you, you won''t get away with it. If things go wrong, we''ll think about it, won''t we? Why didn''t you do your homework? Lizetta said, as if she were going to bite me. Yes, that''s right. That''s what I told you. The "Arsenal of Spirits" may have A-class archers. You should investigate more carefully. Edgar took this opportunity to sympathize with Raul''s side in order to rub the blame for his blunder. Medes was speechless, surrounded by Raul, Lizetta, and Edgar. Ugh, that''s it. ...... Cold sweat broke out on Medes'' forehead. Originally, Medes had no great skill as an alchemist. He owned a large plot of land near the port, so his business with outside adventurers was a big hit, and he used the capital to pull in talented alchemists one after another, which only allowed the guild to grow so large. Moreover, he had transferred a portion of his shares to the quartet in order to increase their sense of belonging to the guild. It would be bad if they were to rebel together now. He might lose his position as guild leader. What to do? What should we do? (......) In the midst of this atmosphere of impromptu confrontation, Charles intervened between the two. Charles intervened between the two sides with a friendly face that did not seem to fit the occasion. He said, "Well, well, well, everyone. Don''t be so tense. Charles? Even the head of the guild is a human being. They make mistakes. And it doesn''t matter if Roland is real or not. What? If you''re going to come at us, there''s only one thing to do. We can mobilize all the power of the "Dragon''s Fires" and smash the "Arsenal of Spirits". Isn''t that right?" "......" Even if Roland is a real major guild leader, we are also "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". Even if Roland is a real big guild executive, we are also ''Dragon''s Fires'', a world-renowned alchemy guild. We''ve only dealt with them in the past while doing our day jobs, but from now on it''s going to be a serious match. If all of us work together, we can defeat any S-class connoisseur or not. We don''t need two major alchemy guilds on this island. We just have to make them realize that. Don''t tell me there''s anyone here who''s scared of Roland? Heh. Well, I guess you''re right. Edgar said smugly. I''m going to give Roland a good squeeze and show him the difference between us and the guys from the outside. Edgar said as he clenched his fists and palms together in front of his chest. Hmph." Raul lifted his glare at Medes for now, even though he was not convinced. Medes is relieved that the enclosure is lifted. Raul asks, "So what are you going to do?" Lizetta said with an awakened look on her face. It''s the Fire Rest. We need it to fulfill the request from the Knight of Hail, but Roland has it all in his hands now, doesn''t he? And he just recently announced that he would no longer do business with us. To solve the problem at hand, we have to go to Roland and ask him to give us the Fire Rest, is that it? Charles put his hand to his forehead in distress. ''I suppose that''s the way it is.'' So who''s going to bow down to Roland?" When Lizetta said this, they all looked at the Medes again. <> 100 - - Episode 100 Hot Spring Tour Medes came to the front of the "Arsenal of Spirits" workshop (atelier), but he couldn''t make up his mind and hung around in front of the store forever. (d*mn it. Why must I bow down to Roland? What in the world have I done?It was Gilbert who was at fault. The quartet called Roland a fraud, and they were all fooled by Gilbert''s fraudulent tactics. ...... Especially Edgar!Wasn''t he the one in charge of the "Arsenal of Spirits" countermeasures in the first place!You''re just trying to get out of the rush and put all the blame on me.) As Medes worried for a while, he soon began to see more and more people passing by. Not wanting to remain hanging around like a prowler forever, she went through the store''s gate with her heart set on it. Unfortunately, Roland was not there. He had been working hard day after day and was on a long vacation. d*mn you, you son of a b*tc*. We''re having a hard time because of the ore shortage here. What a vacation of all days. ......) At the same time, Roland and Monica were visiting a hot spring resort on the east side of the island. The volcanic island of Fafnir was also famous for its hot springs, especially on the east side, where there was a concentration of high-quality, famous hot springs that had developed into a tourist attraction. Monica wanted to visit this place with Roland, and that was her wish. Roland decided to use his own vacation time that he finally got to take for her, to reward her for helping him with his work despite his vacation. Once she and Roland were alone, Monica was excited to open the brochure and talk about the place they were going to visit. The restaurant we are going to is famous for its dragon buns, and they serve them with dragon tea. The Ryusen no Yado, where we will be staying tonight, not only offers high-quality hot springs, but also an open-air bath with a spectacular view of the ocean and the quay. I''m not sure I''d like to go there. That''s great." Roland was impressed by Monica''s knowledge of tourist attractions. Her ability to gather information was outstanding in such situations. There is a store on the road to the inn that sells dragon buns, so I think we will stop there before going to the inn today. Roland chuckled. ''What''s wrong?'' No, I just think you know a lot more about this island than I do. You''ve only just arrived. That ......, I did my best to find out about it so that I could go sightseeing with Roland." Monica looked down in embarrassment. Monica ......." (You went out of your way to look it up for me? You''re a good girl. Had I met her before Lillianne, I would have definitely fallen in love with her. On the way to the inn. Roland and Monica enjoyed the bustle of the tourist area and enjoyed the gastronomy and scenery. At the ryokan, they took an open-air bath together in their room. The hot spring water was more effective than it sounded, and the view below was spectacular. However, Roland was more fascinated by Monica than by the view. Monica was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, gazing up at the view. The bath towel could not hide the fullness of her body, which was wrapped in a bath towel. After enjoying the view, the hot spring, and Monica''s bath towel to his heart''s content, Roland returned to his room and shared a few drinks with Monica. When it was time to sleep, they slept on separate futons. Medes was waiting in front of the "Arsenal of the Spirits" for the day Roland was to return. Since then he had to endure the cold stares and complaints from those around him. The quartet gave him silent stares, "You still can''t procure ore?" and the "hail knights" complained, "You still can''t manufacture equipment? Medes spent his days bowing to them and making excuses to them, until finally today arrived. I made you wait for days like this," he said. Don''t tell me you won''t do business with me.) As Medes waited with this thought in mind, he saw Roland coming from the other side. Someone is accompanying him. ''Huh?Mr. Medes?" Roland noticed Medes and called out to him. Medes looks at Loran and Monica. He can''t help but look twice at Monica. (d*mn, this guy was playing with a woman when we were in trouble.) Mr. Medes, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" When Roland called out to him, Medes'' eyes darted about and he shuddered. ''......ssou ............ no?It''s nothing, sir?" Medes then turned himself around and walked away. Roland and Monica looked on in wonder. When Medes returned to the "Dragon''s Fireside," he was immediately caught by Lizetta, who questioned him. She said, "Ah, the guild leader. I''m back at last. How did the negotiations with the "Arsenal of Spirits" go?I assume you have a good prospect of procuring the ore?Did you and Roland reach an agreement?" When Lizetta asked this, Medes looked as if he was biting a bitter bug. I''m going to go to ...... and see if I can find anything." The story doesn''t follow ......!" Huh? Medes tries to pull straight to the back. Wait a minute," he said. What about the request from the "knight of the hail?" Shut up!Anyway, no dealings with the "Arsenal of Spirits. No one is going to do business with that guy!God d*mn it!" Medes tosses his hat on the floor and zips to the back. Lizetta had no choice but to look on, stunned. <> 101 - - 101. Information Battle The four members of the quartet had difficult looks on their faces as they faced the armor placed on the workbench. This armor was ordered from a retailer. It bears the emblem of the "Arsenal of the Spirits. This is the armor made by Aina Burke, an A-class alchemist from the "Arsenal of the Spirits"? At first glance, it looks like a nondescript piece of armor. ...... Hey, appraise it." Yes, sir. The appraiser "itemizes" the armor. Status of the armor Strength: 70 Durability: 70 Weight: 50 Special effect: "Flexibility Hm. Power 70, durability 70. Class B equipment. ''Class B with this thickness and weight?I''d say it''s a C-class at best." Charles questioned. Charles questioned, "Don''t start messing around. I''ll tell you what I''m talking about. Edgar swings his hammer and strikes. But not a scratch is left on the armor. Rather, Edgar frowned involuntarily at the recoil. ......... ouch!" The other three look surprised. Nonsense. This hammer must have a power of 70. I can''t believe it can''t even put a scratch on this level of armor. ......" Lizetta. Try attacking with your ''Javelin of Fire''." Yes, sir. Risetta holds the "Javelin" in her hand and readies it. The surface of the armor begins to melt with a sizzling sound. However, a thick, green liquid begins to overflow from the inside. What is this? Is this ...... paint?" Hm. I don''t know how it works, but it seems that this paint is the secret to raising the status. Perhaps a unique skill. Raul analyzes this. ''Class B status with Class C lightness. I''ve never seen equipment like this. ......" I guess that''s the power of an S-class appraiser to find skills like that." Raul said. ''And this is one that is being distributed commercially. If it''s for adventurers who have a partnership with the Arsenal of Spirits, it might be even more powerful. According to the "White Wolf" guys, all the adventurers in the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance were wearing blue armor. In short. To destroy Aina Burke''s armor, it would have to be at least the equivalent of Class A strength. "In short, to destroy Aina Burke''s armor, you need at least an A-class power, or a special attack. Lisetta, this time you will take the lead in destroying the Arsenal of Spirits. Yes, sir. Hey, wait a minute, I can make A-class equipment myself." Edgar objected. You saw the experiment I just did. You saw the experiment I did earlier," Edgar said. "Risetta''s ''javelin'' is more effective against this armor than a conventional attack. This time, give it up. d*mn." Edgar looks frustrated but is unable to argue and keeps his mouth shut. As he did so, the entrance door opened and Medes entered. Medes entered. Are you guys doing all right?" The four members of the quartet looked at Medes with cold eyes. They regarded Medes as a liability because he had failed to procure the "Fire Rest" in the end. The four of them had already agreed that Medes would have no part in this operation. How is the "Arsenal of Spirits" going?Are we making good progress?Listen up. Let''s show that pompous young man what we''re talking about. Hmm?What''s with your eyes?You got a problem with me?Hey, why don''t you answer me. Hey, where are you guys going?Don''t wait for me. Why are you ignoring me?Say something, boys!" Seagulls crossing the ocean come down to the dock. Roland had come to the harbor to see Monica off. Her vacation is almost over. Therefore, I must get on a boat and return to the "Adventurer''s Town" by the end of the day. So long, Mr. Roland. I''m not sure. Take care." When will I see you again?" Monica said sadly. I don''t know. The work here is going to be a bit strenuous. It will be a little while before I can return to the City of Adventurers. ...... I know, right?" Take care. You too must do well in the City of Adventurers. Don''t let your arm get dull. Yes, sir." They embraced. Meanwhile, the ship slid into the harbor. Monica had already completed the boarding formalities, so all she had to do was board the ship. Once on board, she looked up from the deck and waved to Roland. Roland continued to wave at the ship as it moved away from them. Soon the boat disappeared over the horizon. ......Now... There is not much time for sentimentality. Roland returned to the city to prepare for a new battle. The next day, it was officially announced at the quest reception desk that Monica had killed a Class A monster. As usual, the townspeople sought her out to be saved by an A-class adventurer from off-island, but were disappointed when it became known that she had already left town. After parting with Monica, Roland headed to a meeting with Leon. When she arrived at the bar, Leon, who was already sipping his cup of sake, waved to her. I''m grateful for your help the other day on the quest to acquire the Fire Rest. I am in your debt. I''m glad it went well. So, how''s everyone doing since then? I''m very grateful for your help. All of the guilds that joined the alliance are now well off and able to continue their work. Some of them have even improved their skills. I see. That''s good. But, holy cow," he said. I didn''t realize you had experience leading a unit. Ha, ha. I''m not done yet. Well, whatever it is, I can count on you. Keep up the good work. That said, ...... Roland quickly looked around before cutting him off. I heard that the Knight of Hail came to your island. Yeah, that''s the first unit, too. They are all very talented men from the north. One of them, Cendric, is a class-A adventurer. On an individual level, I don''t think there is anyone on the island who can compete with him. The islanders are now making overtures to form an alliance with the "knights of the hail. And?What are your plans for the Shield of Dawn? Of course, the quest for the "Arsenal of Spirits" is my priority. I''m talking about you. You''re thinking about what''s next, aren''t you? Yeah, of course. I knew it. So what?What are your plans for the Arsenal of Spirits in the future? We''re going head-to-head with the knights of the hail. "Become ......" What would you do if I said ''yes''?" Roland grinned wryly. ''You''re joking, ......? Don''t say that. d*mn ......." Leon hurriedly checked to see if there were any adventurers from the Knight of Hail in the area, then sipped his drink in relief. Haha. Well, I''m not kidding at all." Bust. Gohogoho. Leon choked unintentionally. Leon, are you okay?" I''m fine. ....... That''s what I want to hear. Are you insane?You can''t go head-to-head with the Knight of the Ravens. Of course I am. I think I can compete with the "knight of hail" at all. If I work with you guys. (This guy ......, where did he get all this confidence ......) And then?What about you?I don''t know if I''m willing to go toe-to-toe with the "Knights of the Rapture." ...... No, I mean, it''s kind of, I don''t know, too early to tell, I guess?" Hm. I see. ......" Later, Roland asked the same question to "The Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," but the answer that came back was similar. And it seemed that most of the guilds that had joined the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance in the first place wanted to join the "Knights of the Hail" alliance, making it impossible to organize a large force like the last time. Although they put some trust in the equipment of the "Arsenal of Spirits," they still seemed to think that it would be more advantageous to work with adventurers coming from outside the island. Only three guilds, "Guardian of Ore," "Silver Eagle Alliance," and "Wildcat," formed partnerships with the "Arsenal of Spirits. Sensing that the island''s adventurers were still very dependent on the outside world, Roland decided to send a letter to Lilianne and Lange, requesting their assistance. Meanwhile, Roland himself decided to return to the "Arsenal of Spirits" for a time to sort out the information. In Roland''s mind was the image of Medes, who had visited him the other day. If his visit was for the purpose of purchasing the "Flame Repelling Ore (Fire Rest)" ....... The "Dragon''s Fires" may be more troubled by the shortage of "Fire Rest" than he thought. He wanted to know how much trouble they were in. Roland asked Pato for his opinion at the "Arsenal of Spirits. He had already ordered him to investigate the movements of "Dragon''s Fires" and "Knights of the Hail. Pato, tell me the results of your investigation. Yes, sir. As I thought, the Dragon''s Fires seems to be suffering from a considerable shortage of ore. I knew it. Yes, sir. It has already been a week since the "Knight of Hail" left his equipment at the "Dragon''s Fireside". But they still have not received the equipment. I spoke to some of the adventurers of the "Knights of the Hail," and they were very upset that their equipment had not been returned to them after being left in their care. I see." Roland grew more confident in his hypothesis after hearing the report from Pato, and decided to try to put the kama on the "dragon''s fiery fire. He asked Dylan to retrieve the information using the "Fire Rest" as bait. Dylan found the ore procurement manager of the "Dragon''s Fireside" in a bar at night with heavy burdens, and spoke to him, offering the following There is a vendor who has a large inventory of fire-retardant ore. They are having trouble finding sellers. I''m looking for a guild that will buy it from me. ......" The person in charge easily bit the bullet. What?Really?That''s a godsend. We are just in need of "fire-repellent ore (fire rest). We''ll buy it from you. As we bargained and probed about price and quantity, we were able to get a fairly accurate idea of the quantities they needed and even the quantities they had in their possession. The next day, Dylan came to the person in charge, full of expectation that he could buy the ore, and with an apologetic look on his face, he said the following. I''m sorry, ......, about the ''fire-repelling ore'' you were talking about. I''m sorry, but it seems that the vendor found a buyer for it before I did. There is no more left. I''m sorry, but you can forget we ever talked about it." The person in charge left with a slumped shoulder. After receiving these investigations and reports, Roland decided on the measures he should take in the future, considering the situation and the difference in strength between himself and the others. I have decided not to have a direct confrontation with the ''hail knights'' this time," he said. Roland said this at a meeting with the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits. Oh, oh." Wayne replies delicately. (Was this guy seriously going to go toe-to-toe with "The Knight of the Raisin" ......? The other party is a major outside guild, and there''s no way a collection of weak guilds on the island can win.) Now, just because we avoided a direct confrontation with the Knights of the Hail, it doesn''t mean we can escape a confrontation with the Dragon''s Fiery Fire. After a brief moment of relief, the atmosphere at the meeting became tense again. The atmosphere at the meeting was once again tense. The other side will probably try to crush us in earnest. But they also have their weaknesses. Pato, Dylan. Report that. Yes, sir. We have investigated the movements of the ''hail knights'' who are currently requesting ''Dragon''s Fires'' to maintain and manufacture their equipment. ...... Pato rambled on with a report similar to the one he had given Roland. We have learned that ......, and from the above facts, it seems that the "Dragon''s Fires" is currently suffering from a considerable shortage of "Fire Rest" ore. We also found this out by probing the ore procurement manager at Dragon''s Fires: ......." Dylan reported his findings as well. Dylan reported his findings as well. Thank you both. You did your research well. As you can see from the above investigation, it is an undeniable fact that "Dragon''s Fires" is suffering from a shortage of "Fire Rest". Therefore, the "Arsenal of Spirits" would like to take advantage of this advantage and support the "Shield of Dawn" and other guilds with which we have partnerships in order to make the next move. What do the adventurers with whom you have partnerships say?" Aina asked. They, too, think it is premature to confront the "knight of hail" directly. This time, they asked me to send out a quest that would not compete with the Knights of the Hail. Ha, ha." (Still talking about direct confrontation. ....... Mr. Roland is pretty belligerent.) The quartet of the "Dragon''s Fires" and the adventurers'' guilds that are their offspring will be the ones to watch out for this time around. The "Dragon''s Fires" are no fools. They will seriously try to crush us from now on. We need everyone to make better equipment than ever before. Especially Aina. The fact that you have been awarded the title of "A" class is known to "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. By now, they must have been studying your armor in order to attack you. It is possible that the whole quartet will come to crush you. The quartet went all in: ......" Aina gulped and spat. Unprecedented pressure. Even though she had made equipment that was superior to Edgar Logue''s equipment in terms of status, it was still just catalog specs. This was the first time she had ever had a serious match with an opponent who was not letting his guard down. Aina, you are going to make the most powerful equipment ever. Edgar Logue''s "Black Bow," Lizetta Rhone''s "Javelin," and Raoul Bartley''s "Dragoon. I need equipment that can withstand these attacks!" <> 102 - - Art. 102. Black bow vs. Blue armor Equipped to meet the quartet! Upon receiving Roland''s order, the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" immediately worked on improving their skills and strengthening their equipment. Aina was hammering iron, remembering Roland''s words. ''Is it the forest at the foot of the mountain ......?'' Yes." Roland drew a simple diagram on the board. The "Barren Zone" near the top of the volcano, the "Metal Line" in the middle of the volcano, and the forest at the base of the volcano. The "Fire Rest" is a fire-retardant ore, and I don''t think they will use the depths of the dungeon where the "Fafnir" flies around as a battleground. It would be suicidal to fight other guilds while being consumed by the "breath of fire" of the "fire dragon (Fafnir). If this is the case, the forest at the foot of the mountain will probably be the place where they will make their move. That is where we will be facing the Adventurers'' Guild, who are the offspring of the "Dragon''s Fires". That is why I want you all to develop special ground/personnel equipment suitable for fighting in the forest. Is the equipment suitable for combat in the forest ......? Yes. However, what we have to do is not so different from what we have done before. The basic tactic is to use Aina''s "coated" armor to survive the enemy''s attacks. Wayne and Pato are strengthening their unique skills. Leena should support everyone''s production with "Ore Refining" and "Recycle". (If we are to survive the attacks from the quartet ......, "Black Bow," "Fire Spear (Javelin)," and "Dragon''s Head Basket (Dragoon)," a half-hearted defense will not be enough. Then, why don''t we try that?) Aina decided to start developing a new product that she had been envisioning for some time. It was a double layer of "exterior reinforcement (coating). She immediately consulted with Roland, and then used Roddy''s ''product design'' and Aisu''s agility (agility) to turn a fast cycle of development. Wayne was impatient as he worked. (Hey, hey, hey. Seriously? The quartet is going to take four guys to crush us. d*mn, I didn''t think this would happen. If it was just Edgar alone, I might have been able to handle it if I held my ground, but with all four of them coming at us at once, even I wouldn''t be able to get through it. The equipment I made in this little workshop (atelier) would be no match for them. What should we do?You want to run away?) Hey, Wayne. How are you doing?" Oh?Roland?" Wayne stops working when Roland speaks to him. Aina suggested that we use two layers of ''coating'' to strengthen the exterior," Wayne said. I gave her the go-ahead. ......" It''s a good and reasonable idea. But even this is no guarantee that it will survive an attack from the quartet. Defeating them is such a tall order. I''m not going to say it''s a big deal. You can''t beat them that easily. So I guess that makes you our trump card this time, huh? ...... trump card?" Wayne''s eyebrows twitched. ''Yeah, ''cause it is, isn''t it?If you can raise the firepower and support capabilities of the rear-guard mages with your unique skill "Magic Stone Cutting," you can reduce the time the vanguard is exposed to attacks. This will in turn lead to a better chance of surviving the quartet''s attacks. ......" I want you to use your power to save this workshop (atelier) and the adventurers. I''m counting on you. After Roland said that much, he turned back to Aina again. (Phew. A trump card. Oh, man, I can''t help it. This workshop (atelier) is really no use without me. I''ll develop A-class equipment quickly and save these guys.) Wayne once again set to work on the "cutting of magic stones. By that time, the thought of running away had already left his mind. Pato looked worriedly at Aina, who was absorbed in her work. (Aina-san. (Aina, you look like you''re having a hard time. I''ve been talking with Mr. Roland for a long time. Is there anything I can do?) Pato shook his head and chided himself. (No, let''s just focus on our own work here. I''m sure Aina-san is having a hard time, but I have to complete my own work. (No, let''s focus on my own work here.) Improving the quality of "Ryuon" is also an admirable support. The "Ryuon" cannot prevent attacks from the quartet, but it can outwit attacks from the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). (This should lead to saving strength for the battle against the quartet.) Thus, in the "Arsenal of Spirits," alchemists worked hard to improve their skills and strengthen their equipment, and the months passed by in the blink of an eye. The next month came. The next month, a crustal movement (not caused by the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)") occurred. The shape of the dungeon changed, and a lot of "Fire Rest" appeared on the surface of the earth again. The volcano''s flanks are clad in a red, shimmering glow, and the alluring glimmer invites adventurers deep into the dungeon where the dragon tribe is stirring. Seeing this, the "knights of hail" began to move. They were told by the "Dragon''s Fireside" that there was a shortage of ore, so they decided to procure the "Fire Rest" on their own. What a guild! After making us wait for two weeks, they want us to go out and get the materials for the equipment ourselves?We had to pay for the deposit of the equipment and lodging for the wait! The best alchemy guild in the world is appalled to hear this. Anyway, I can''t complain about it. We can''t postpone our dungeon exploration any longer. I am not sure if I want to enter the dungeon without the "Fire Rest," but it is unavoidable. From now on, the first unit of "Knights of the Hail" will venture to search for the "Volcano Dungeon". I hope you have done everything you can to gather the troops and notify the allied guilds?" Cendric and his team had to wait a long time to gather information. They had heard that the "Knight of the Crescent Moon," who had challenged the "Volcano Dungeon" last time, had tried to conquer the dungeon in three separate attempts, so they decided to follow his lead. They obtained ore in the first search, hunted the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" in the second search, and used the third search as a backup. For some reason, the "Knight of the Crescent Moon" seemed to have left without daring to search for the third time, which was not clear to me. ...... Roland and the others moved as the "Knight of Hail" alliance moved. The movements of the "Knights of the Hail" were known to the "Arsenal of Spirits" through Dylan''s information gathering. Roland and his team decided to enter the dungeon just in time for the day the "Knight of Hail" entered the dungeon. In front of the assembled adventurers, Roland made a speech. Everyone has done well to gather here," he said. While many adventurers have been swayed by the "Knights of the Hail" alliance, I thank you again for accepting our invitation. This time, we will avoid competing with the "Knights of Hail" and take a different route, targeting small- to medium-scale mining sites. Of course, if there is a chance, we will work on improving our skills and status. I look forward to seeing how each of you performs." Roland looks over the faces of the assembled adventurers. This time, in addition to "Shield of Dawn" and "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," guilds such as "Guardian of Ore," "Silver Eagle Alliance," and "Wildcat" were participating. The "Guardian of Ore" is composed of four shield users, the "Silver Eagle Alliance" is composed of one healer, one shield user, and one swordsman, and the "Wildcat" is composed of three female bandits (thieves). Guild. This makes 6 shield users, 4 archers (archers), 3 thieves (thieves), 1 healer thief (healer thieves), 1 healer (healer), 1 swordsman (swordsman), 1 healer 2, 2 mages, 1 bard, and 1 appraiser. With a total of 21 members, the team finally has the appearance of a unit. The range of operations has also expanded. With six shieldmen, a six-row flanking line can be formed, and the firepower of the mages in the rear guard can be used. (There are 20 adventurers who have formed a partnership with the "Arsenal of Spirits. We''ve finally made it this far. But we are almost there. If we can get them all up to B class, we will have a very powerful force. (Especially these four ......) [Elio''s skills Shield Defense: B to A Shield Assault": B to A Hans Bergamot''s skills Bow shooting: B to A Silent Run": B to A Magical Shooting": B to A Will Wombat''s skills Blast Magic": B to A Lana Wombat''s skills Crustal Magic": B to A (These four are all Class A qualities. If all four of them could be class A''s, it would change the way people on the island think.) As Roland was thinking about this, Aina led the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" to him. Roland-san. I brought you some new equipment. You''re here. All right, then, have all the adventurers equip themselves. The adventurers wore their new equipment according to their improved status. Pato was distributing new bows and arrows to Jeff. ''Is this my new equipment? Yes," he said. We have made special modifications to match Mr. Jeff''s status." [Jeff''s Skills and Status Bow Shooting: B Far-sightedness: B Agility: 70-80 (Jeff, you are finally equivalent to a B class. You''ve been working hard. Good for you.) Pato looked around at the adventurers present. (Over the past few days, they had persistently gathered information, strengthened their equipment, and made every effort to improve their odds of winning. I hope somehow our efforts will bear fruit. ......) Suddenly, I see the "knight of the hail" entering the dungeon. It is not equipped with "Fire Rest". I knew that the "Dragon''s Fires" lacked the "Fire Rest". Is it safe to enter the dungeon with that kind of equipment?) Also, adventurers from the outside are about to be swept away by the convenience of "Dragon''s Fires. The thought of it made Pato feel heavy. Hey, are you okay?" Oh, Mr. Dylan. Well, I''m worried about those guys." Yes." But we can''t afford to be helping other people either. Let''s just focus on our own work here." Yes, sir. Pato prayed for Roland and the others as they entered the dungeon. (Please bless them in their adventure.) There are two main routes into the "Volcano Dungeon. One is the "Crater Route" and the other is the "Lake Route. The two routes have the same entrance and end point (the crater where the "Grand Fafnir" is located), but the paths to the end point are quite different. The "Crater Route" was the route where the largest ore mines in the "Metal Line" were concentrated, and adventurers from major guilds who came from outside the island always took this route. On the other hand, the "Lake Route" is a route where small to medium-sized ore mines are concentrated, and the number of ores that can be mined is relatively small compared to the distance involved, so it is not worth the effort for large guilds and guilds that form large alliances. There are some roads that connect the two routes, but any attempt to go through them would result in a major detour and time loss. This time, knowing that the "Knights of the Hail" would take the "Crater Route," Roland and his team decided to avoid the competition and explore the "Lake Route. The "White Wolf" team looked at them with a bitter look on their faces. "d*mn. They have been exactly in sync with the dungeon explorations of the "knights of the hail. Rodo said, annoyed. I knew it," he said. "It looks like the man with the wits about him is in charge. He''s a calm guy." Zain, too, looks reluctant. Jamil also bit his teeth. I''d like to hit the "Arsenal of Spirits" somehow, ......, but we don''t have time to split our forces in two. (If it''s the "Arsenal of Spirits" and the "Knights of the Hail," then by far the attack on the "Knights of the Hail" will be more fruitful.) You guys. This time, we will not go through the "Spirit Arsenal". Our priority here is to destroy the hail knights. Jamil. Jamil. We''re getting screwed over. The debt will be repaid in due time. For now, concentrate on the hail knight. Crap." Rodo watches in frustration as the "Arsenal of Spirits" enters the dungeon. Jamil glanced at the group behind the "Arsenal of Spirits. A group that had not joined either the "Knights of the Hail" alliance or the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. It was the "Hermitage of the Dragon Knight," a guild affiliated with the "Dragon''s Fires. (According to Edgar, the quartet is also working to destroy the "Arsenal of Spirits. We have no choice but to leave this to them.) Lizetta will be the main axis of the "Arsenal of Spirits" countermeasures. Despite Raul''s explicit words to the contrary, Edgar was secretly working on his own to take the credit for the project and was moving forward with measures against the "Spirit Arsenal. He proceeded to develop a weapon that would break Aina''s blue armor in a room in his workshop (atelier) away from the quartet''s room. With Edgar''s great physical strength (stamina), the equipment was assembled in the blink of an eye, just in time for the day when Roland and his men were to enter the dungeon. Now he is watching Roland and the others enter the dungeon with the "dragon knight''s hermitage. (After all, he came along with the "knight of hail" to explore the dungeon, didn''t he? Heh. It''s just a weak man''s strategy after all. I know what you guys are going to do.) All right. I''ll get you the thing." Edgar had his henchmen carry the equipment, which was hidden from Roland and the others by a crowd of people and cloth, and revealed it to the adventurers of the "Hermitage of the Dragon Knight. It''s amazing," said Edgar. I didn''t think they could prepare it in such a short period of time. Charles gazed at Edgar''s "black bow," his 18th piece of equipment, with a half-amused look on his face. It''s only natural. I won''t let Lisetta take the credit for this. Charles sighed. (You are truly a physical wacko, aren''t you? (He''s really a physical wacko, isn''t he? ) "How can he be working on the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' while also completing the requests for the ''Knight of Hail'' and the ''White Wolf''? Charles was always impressed by this kind of energy and muscle power of Edgar. Every time he did this, he made a mental note that it was not a good idea to make enemies with him. All right. You''ve done very well. Floyd. When Edgar called out, Floyd, a B-class archer from "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage," stepped forward. This is the bow and arrow we will use against the ''Arsenal of Spirits. Huh. ...... Floyd looks at the "Black Bow" with dismay. (One of the quartet, Edgar Logue''s equipment, "Black Bow". It''s certainly a powerful piece of equipment. ......) Hmmm..." Floyd lifts his bow and arrow, frowning. It''s heavy." Status of "Black Bow Power: 100 Durability: 100 Weight: 100 [Floyd''s status]. Power: 50-60 Agility: 70-80 Have a little patience." But it''s hard to operate in this way. You guys can work something out there. Listen up. Anyway, you have to hit the arrow in order to smash through the armor. As long as you can hit it, you can always hit the B-class armor. Huh." (Aina Burke. I don''t know what unique skills you have, but I''m not going to let you get away with this.) Hey. Is that A-class archer among your enemies? No, I don''t see it. It seems true that Monica Vermale has left the island. I see. Good, good, good. It looks like my information was correct. Then we''ve got a good chance. Without Monica Vermeret, the quality of adventurers is almost even. ) Without Monica Vermeerle, the quality of the adventurers was about even. I''ve underestimated them so far, but with my real equipment, I won''t be beaten by some alchemist''s equipment.) The Arsenal of Spirits Alliance has finished entering the dungeon. All right. Hurry up, chase after them and crush them. Make sure you win the game while you''re still in the forest at the foot of the mountain." The "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" entered the dungeon with no enthusiasm. They were sick of this mission. They had already fought and lost many times, and they could not join the "Hare Knight" alliance. However, they could not go against the "Dragon''s Fires" because they were holding the loan money for the equipment. Roland and his team dashed as soon as they entered the dungeon. They knew that the quartet would try to trick them. (Right now, there is no "Fire Rest" in the "Dragon''s Fireside. ) If they were going to try to set up a trap, it would be in this forest at the foot of the mountain, where the fire dragon (Fafnir) doesn''t appear very often. As long as we can get through this forest, we will be able to scatter the enemies that are chasing us for the time being. When Roland and his team encountered monsters, they tried to avoid combat as much as possible. (If a battle could not be avoided, they would use Erio''s "Shield Assault" to knock the enemy into a stupor and then flee.) After several minutes of running through the forest, Jeff, who was acting as shingari, noticed something unusual and raised his voice. The enemy is here!It''s the hermitage of the Dragon Knight. What''s your formation?" Ten shieldmen, five swordsmen, two healers, and three archers. One of the archers carries a black bow. ?"What about the Javelin or the Dragoon? ...... No, I don''t see any at the moment." Roland tilted his head. (I thought they were going to come and smash us with the full force of the quartet. ...... Well, never mind. If they''re going to lick me, I''ll take my chances.) As Roland was thinking about this, an arrow flew in with a wind noise. The arrow hits a large tree just beside Roland. The trunk of the tree was gouged more than half its thickness and snapped off in the middle. What the hell? The Black Bow! The unit was shaken. Jeff also turned pale. Seriously? They gouged out the trunk of a tree. That''s not the power of a bow and arrow.) Everyone calm down," he said. It''s just a shot in the dark. It won''t hit you. We''re going to keep running and wear down the enemy''s status." Roland calmed them down by saying so, and the troops somehow managed to keep the unrest at bay and continue marching. (A great deal of power, to be sure. But this is ......) Roland continues through the dungeon, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the enemy fire. The adventurers of "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" were running frantically to catch up with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. However, no matter how fast they ran, they could not see the enemy''s back. d*mn it," said the adventurers. Still can''t catch up with the enemy? (Warning shots have no effect. ......?) Floyd bites his teeth when he sees Roland and his team not slowing down at all. As Roland had read, the blow he had just fired was just a shot in the dark. He was hoping to cause an upset in the enemy and lure them into a fight. (Even so, this bow is so heavy. Can''t you do something about it?) Floyd somehow made his way through the forest, feeling the strain on his shoulders. At this rate, the enemy will be able to get through the forest." Calm down," he said. There is a place ahead where a lot of ''big orcs'' will appear. There, you will run into a monster and have to slow down. As the man said, Roland and the others slowed down their march as they approached an area with a large number of orcs. It was dangerous to run through this area while being chased by the enemy, so they decided to set up a camp to intercept them. Soon, we began to see the enemy coming toward us, and we entered into a firefight. Floyd caught the enemy in range and fired his "black bow. Take that!" The arrow from the "Black Bow" still emits a loud wind noise, but misses its target and flies off to the far side, diagonally to the right. (d*mn! ....... It doesn''t hit.) On the other hand, arrows fired by Hans, Alice, Claire, and Jeff fly precisely toward Floyd, even though they are still far away. Ugh ...... wow!" Floyd panicked and switched with his shield-bearer. The shield-bearer was exposed to the arrowballs, which reduced his status and the durability of his equipment. d*mn. The enemy''s shooting is accurate. I''m just trying to shoot this heavy bow and arrow.) Roland appraised Floyd''s status from behind. Floyd''s status. Hit rate: 40 (L?40) (The hit rate is severely reduced. Some of this is probably due to wear and tear from running, but that alone does not explain it. Perhaps ......) Status of "Black Bow Power: 100 Durability: 100 Weight: 100 Adaptability: 40 percent (As expected, the adaptation rate is very low. Even just carrying heavy equipment and this long distance march. It would be impossible to maintain their status. It is as if they were equipped with high-spec weapons without any regard for operation. That sounds like something a brainiac (Edgar) would think of.) Despite its early malfunction, "The Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" decided to bet on the "Black Bow" blow. He was going to hit the enemy with a single blow of his "black bow" anyway. Although he did not know what would happen after that, something would still happen. Believing so, they formed a line with their shields and advanced forward while being hit by arrows, trying to close in to a distance where even a bowman (archer) with a lowered hit rate could hit an arrow. Eventually they got close enough to where the "black bows" could hit them, even if their hit rate was somewhat low. Tension suddenly rose on the part of Roland and the others. Roland saw that the strategy was to sacrifice the shieldmen and close the distance to hit the "black bows," and decided to prepare for a counterattack. Elio." What is it?" If the enemy gets to that tree (about 50 meters from Roland''s position), switch with Jeff and do a ''shield assault'' on the ''black bow'' when they reach the tree. Can you do it? I understand." Elio tapped Jeff on the shoulder as the enemy approached, just as Roland had said. ''Jeff. Switch." !Okay." The two switch fluidly and switch positions. Floyd stepped forward at the same time. Elio makes a "shield assault" toward Floyd. ''You are a fool to approach me yourself. You''re a summer bug that flies into the fire!" Floyd fired an arrow at Elio. Everyone present expected that the arrow he fired would pierce Elio''s shield and armor. However, on the contrary, the arrow not only scratched the blue armor, but also bounced back due to the "reflection" effect. What? The ricocheting arrow hits Floyd straight on his shoulder pad, piercing and stabbing him in the shoulder. ''Ggh ...... is''. Floyd was thrown backward and went down without a hitch. The "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" was shaken. [Elio''s armor]. Power: 140 (40 with "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)") Durability: 100 Weight: 80 Special effects: "Reflection", "Flexibility Adaptability: 90 percent Roland was pleased with Elio''s work ethic and the strength of the armor he wore. The "Reflection" and "Flexibility" were both very good. ), and the two layers of "coating" that combine both of these special effects, make for a shield armor with a power of more than 140!(Aina''s blue armor completely surpassed Edgar''s "Black Bow") Oooohhhh!" Erio continues his "shield assault" and breaks the enemy''s line of fire. The shield-bearers and swordsmen immediately followed Erio from behind and beat the floating "dragon knight''s hermitage" in a scattered manner. <> 103 - - 103. The Capture of Jabelin After the battle with the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage," Roland and his team were inspecting the wear and tear on their equipment. Roland called out to Erio, who was inspecting his equipment. Elio, good work. Roland." You did an excellent ''shield assault'' just now. Do you feel any discomfort in your equipment?It looked like you took the ''black bow'' in stride. ......" I''m not sure. This equipment is amazing, it doesn''t even move. I guess so. Aina seems to have done well." Erio''s armor had two layers of "exterior reinforcement (coating). On the outside of the armor, there is a blue "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)" and on the inside, there is a green "Exterior Reinforcement (Coating)". The armor has a strength (defense) of 140. With this armor, not even an ordinary physical attack can damage it anymore. (......) Erio''s Armor Power: 140 Durability: 90 (K?10) (The durability value is down 10 points. I guess the stone didn''t get away unscathed. (I have "Earthcraft," so I can recover from some wear and tear. ......) Jeff. Do you have a minute?" Jeff comes over. Erio''s armor is worn out from the stone. We need to save Elio''s armor for the coming battle with the quartet. I thought you already fought off the ''hermitage of the dragon knight''.Besides, we''re almost through the woods." It is true that we will be leaving the forest soon, but we will also be passing through it on the way back. And the only thing we have defeated is Edgar Logue''s Black Bow. "You mean the Javelin and the Dragoon will be coming on the way back?" That''s what I mean. So, Jeff, we''re going to fight Fafnir without Erio. Without Elio? Your bow marksmanship is already B class. You should be able to use the same hit-and-away strategy as Hans and the others." I''m going to go to ...... and see what I can find out. I''ll give it a try. So it is. Elio. From this point on, you are to be conserved. Try to avoid fighting more than necessary. Yes. Okay." Thus, Roland and his team resumed their dungeon search. The highly coordinated team, which included several B-class archers and mages, advanced through the dungeon at a tremendous speed without regard to the "fire dragon (Fafnir)" that attacked them after they left the forest, and reached the ore mining site in the blink of an eye. Edgar was blamed for the "dragon''s fiery fire. It was discovered that he had slipped out of the way and had been beaten back by the "Arsenal of Spirits. Edgar, you son of a b*tc*. I thought we agreed in advance that Lizetta would be the main axis of the battle!What the hell are you doing? Raul was so angry that he attacked Edgar. He grabbed Raul by the chest, brought him face to face with Raul, and threatened him. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The guys at the "Dragon Knight''s Hermitage" insisted that I make it for them. I had no choice. ...... Aah! Well, now we know exactly what we have to do. Lizetta said. The quartet all look at Lizetta. ''We come back from collecting ore, wait in the woods for the exhausted "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, and take them out. Is that all right?" Tsk. Well, okay." Raul let go of Edgar and scratched his head. Raul let go of Edgar and scratched his head. Edgar, you are to support Lizetta. Don''t do anything else. Then I''ll let the matter drop. Is that clear? ...... hoo, yeah, I get it." Charles. You''re an ore hoarder. In particular, take steps to ensure that the weak point of the Javelin, the silver crushing stone, does not go to the Spirit Arsenal. Copy that. Is that clear, Lisetta? Yes, thank you." (Aina. I can''t believe that you have come so far from barely making that B-class sword. It must have been a bloody effort. But I (I) won''t lose, will I?) To get things started, Lisetta first decided to ask the "dragon knight''s hermitage" that she had actually fought with about the equipment in the "arsenal of spirits. She had the ''black bow'' hit directly at close range," she said. But it bounced back." Bounced back?" Yeah, the arrow that hit the blue armor came right back at us just like that. "......" (Armor that repels physical attacks. (Armor that repels physical attacks. If Edgar''s "Black Bow" can''t even scratch you, it seems safe to assume that almost all physical attacks will be neutralized. I guess I''ll have to finish him off with my javelin. That''s true, Mr. Floyd. Didn''t the enemy have equipment made of ''silver crushed stone''?" Silver Crushed Stone?No, I didn''t see any equipment that looked like that. Lizetta was relieved. (Although, it is possible that they are still hiding it. Let''s take a precautionary measure) Edgar. Just to be safe, I''m going to use a 50-50 ratio of ''javelins'' and regular equipment. I will manufacture the Javelin and you will manufacture the other half. "Hey, hey." Edgar replied in a bitter mood. (d*mn it. That Lisetta is using people like a jawbone. However, it''s not a good idea to be so dogmatic at this time after the failure. I''m having a hard time moving around now that I''m separated from Charles. I don''t know what else I can do but sit back and watch this guy take the credit.) Lizetta manufactured a "Javelin" and supplied it to the guild "Winged Dragon Lights," to which she had called in advance. "Phew. At last you are willing to let us use the Javelin, Miss Lisetta. Ike Belford, the lancer and leader of the Pterodactyl Lanterns, was the first to be appointed as the new leader of the group. He said proudly as he received the "Javelin of Fire. Ike Belford''s skills Spear Art": B (Ike Belford. Ike Belford is the best lancer on the island. I didn''t expect him to be useful in this way, but it was worth it.) Ike and "Winged Dragon Lights" were Rizetta''s top customers. From the first time Lizetta continued to make his spears, Ike always kept Lizetta in mind. But what in the world is going on, Miss Lizetta?I can''t believe they are letting us use the ''Javelin of Fire,'' which until now has only been made for adventurers outside the island, and has never been made outside the gates. The alchemy guild is getting a little cocky," he said. We''re in trouble." The Arsenal of Spirits, right?I have heard rumors. Although an alchemy guild, they led the Adventurers'' Alliance and managed to monopolize the "Fire Rest" while the market and the guilds were suffering from a shortage of ore. That''s quite a meal." Yes, yes. The "Arsenal of Spirits". Even though it''s a freebie," he said. Edgar made a big blunder. I had to clean up his mess. (d*mn, you b*tc*! You''re getting on my nerves! ) Edgar, who was listening next to me, shook his fist. I see. I see. So that''s why they wanted us to use the Javelin. Well, that''s fine. Ike Belford will bring down the hammer of justice on the traitors to the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". All for the glory of the beautiful alchemist, Miss Lisetta. Ike knelt reverently and kissed the back of Lizetta''s hand. Lizetta looks not too disappointed. ''Well, thank you. I''ll be counting on you." I''m not sure I can do it. I''m on it." Ike gazed at the gleaming silver tip of his "Javelin of Fire" with admiration. It is a beautiful piece of equipment. With this "Javelin," it would be easy to become an A-class lancer. (Kek. What a beautiful alchemist!) Edgar was not amused and turned his head to the side. After equipping 10 of them with standard equipment and the other 10 with javelins, Ike headed for the dungeon to ambush the returning Roland and the others. He set up camp in front of the road leading to the Lake Route in the forest at the base of the dungeon, and sent a thief and an archer to scout the area. Also, in preparation for the coming battle, they should hunt all the monsters in the surrounding area. Roland and his team successfully mined the ore and returned on their way home, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Thanks to Nicola''s "dragon sound," the dungeon search was more comfortable than ever. Roland had four archers and four thieves scouting in all directions while choosing the path with the least amount of wear and tear as possible. (It is very helpful to have four archers who can search for enemies. (It would be helpful to have four archers who can search for enemies. They can secure almost the same field of view as Monica''s "Hawk Eye") As the troops were advancing in this manner, Claire, who had been patrolling ahead, came back carrying a man who had fainted. ''Claire?Is that person ......?" I am from the guild "Lights of the Winged Dragon. The "Lights of the Pterosaur" is a guild with strong ties to the "Dragon''s Fires" guild. We thought they might be assassins from the "Cutting Fire of the Dragon," so we captured them in battle. (I knew it was an ambush.) Good. Concentrate the bandits (Thief) and archers (Archers) in front. We''ll try to locate the main group while eliminating or capturing the enemy''s reconnaissance. Immediately, Hans, Alice, Claire, Jeff, Cecil and three bandits (shifu) from "Wildcat" search all around the front to locate the main body of the enemy while keeping an eye out for the scouting party from "Winged Dragon Lights". Meanwhile, Ike''s side also noticed that the bowman (archer) they had released for scouting had not returned by any time, and he sensed the presence of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance in that direction. Ike stops scouting and prepares to intercept. ''They''re here. It''s the "Pterodactyl Lights!There are about ten warriors with javelins! Claire said. ''Black Bow'' and ''Dragoon Head'', does anyone else have any special equipment?" ''...... No, I don''t see any. The other 10 are normally equipped. Now only the "Javelin"? Are they licking their chops, or are the quartet not getting along with each other very well?No, wait. It is possible that the "Javelin" is a decoy and the "Dragoon" is waiting behind it. Then ......) I''ll be right back," he said. Retreat into the woods. Let''s lure the enemy in." Roland and his team fled to a place where trees and bushes were in disarray and waited for the enemy. Ike and his men sent five warriors with javelins ahead of them, and he followed with those in normal gear. Ike could see the blue-armored Warrior fleeing into the thicket. (Is that the blue armor that defeated the "Black Bow"? But he was naked before the "Javelin," which could melt iron! As long as you hit the enemy with a javelin, you can beat him. Thinking so optimistically, Lisetta forgot to adjust the length of her equipment in anticipation of the battle in the forest (or rather, she lacked such a perspective in the first place). The "Javelin" is an anti-aircraft device designed to shoot down a "Fafnir" (fire dragon). The total length of the javelin is nearly twice the adventurer''s height. The "Javelin" could melt the scales of a flying dragon and sink it with a single blow, but in a space where trees grew thickly, the spear would get caught in the branches and trunks of the trees and could not move quickly and freely. Therefore, Roland and his men were able to retreat comfortably under the protection of the "Heavenly Horse Arrows," which were accustomed to a hit-and-away strategy. The "Winged Dragon Lights" side also tried to fight back with archers, but the "Arsenal of Spirits" side was far more skilled and skilled, and they were unable to even aim and shoot. The lightweight Alice shot at the enemy as she moved over the tops of the trees. She was not able to even aim and shoot at the arsenal. What are you doing? If your spear is too long, hold it shorter. If the trees are in your way, cut through them. As Ike said this, the spearmen (lancers) of "Lights of the Winged Dragon" held their spears half their total length in their hands and proceeded to cut down the trees. Trees cut by the tip of the "Javelin", which emitted high heat, were easily burned without any particular effort. The lancers continue on their way, but this time they feel a pain under their feet. This is ...... a water chestnut! [Cecil''s skills Trap Installation": C to A (I''m not much use in combat, so I should at least be useful at times like this) One of the skills of a thief (Thief), "Setting Traps". Cecil has A-class potential when it comes to trap setting. It''s a skill I''ve always wanted to develop, and now it''s finally time to use it in a real battle.) The lancers in "Lights of the Winged Dragon" had difficulty with Hans and his men''s "bow shooting" and Cecil and his men''s "setting traps," but somehow one of the lancers managed to catch up with Roland''s troop as it spread out. Leon, who was nearby, responded to an enemy attempting to attack with a javelin. The lancer of the "Winged Dragon Lanterns" smiles when he sees Leon. His sword is about one-third the length of the javelin, so even at half the length, he seems to have the advantage in terms of distance. I got it!" The spearman (lancer) stepped toward Leon, but Leon''s sword pierced his shoulder before the tip of his spear touched Leon''s armor. ''Gghhh, why?" The spearman is confused by Leon''s suddenly extended spacing. Leon''s sword was a "flexible sword. It can be extended to the same length as a spear with the touch of a switch. Because of its elasticity, it does not slow down even in the forest. Normally, a sword with such a mechanism would be fragile and easily broken, but the joints were reinforced by the "flexibility" effect of the "coating" to maintain its strength. When Leon saw the lancer crumble to the ground, he did not pursue him deeply and fled the scene. The other spearmen (lancer) were also caught underfoot by the water chestnuts, exposed to the archer''s bow fire and the thief''s dagger from the front, and their status was reduced so much that they couldn''t move any further. (At any rate, five "Javelin" holders lost their lives. Five more to go.) Roland analyzes the battle situation while appraising the status of the spearmen (lancers). Tsk. No good. Retreat! Judging the battle in the thicket to be unfavorable, Ike retreated to an open area with his spearmen (lancers), who were unable to move. They waited for Roland and his men to attack, instead of fighting themselves. Roland ordered his archers to provoke the enemy with "bow fire," but they stubbornly refused to move. However, they kept a watchful eye on us and were ready to attack as soon as they came out of the woods. The time passed as they stared at each other. At this rate, they would only consume more potions for their mischief, and there was a high possibility that Roland and the others would fall into poverty first. They thought about running away, but without Monica''s "Hawk-Eye," it was dangerous to go any deeper into the forest and take action with the troops. The possibility of reinforcements from the "Dragon''s Head" unit coming to the "Winged Dragon''s Light" side had not yet been eliminated. Realizing that he could neither lure them further into the thicket nor fight an endurance battle, Roland decided to take the plunge. He had Cecil retrieve the scattering rhizomes (the skill "trap installation" includes the quick release of traps), tied the five spearmen (lancers) who had been disabled in battle to the trees, and then went out of the thicket to form up. Ike''s also intercepts them. ''Finally, you''re out. You''re giving us a hard time!" The "Winged Dragon Lanterns" put the normally equipped warriors in front and placed the remaining spearmen (lancers), including himself, behind them. The strategy was to sacrifice the normally equipped warriors to set up a decisive battle with the spearmen (lancers). Roland and his team decided to eliminate the enemy shield holders with the archer''s "bow fire," and when the lancer danced out from behind, we too would unleash our shield holders and swordsmen. The "Winged Dragon Light" managed to catch the enemy vanguard in time for the "Javelin" while the "Shield-bearer" was crushed by the "Bow Shot". I got it! Ike, having caught Leon in time, thrusts out his "Javelin". Leon catches the javelin with his shield. No use!The "Javelin" is a burning spear that melts steel!Don''t think a shield of that caliber will protect you." Ike''s "Javelin" melts and pierces Leon''s shield. Like a knife in a cake, the blade of the javelin breaks through the shield and green liquid leaks out from inside the shield. However, the tip of the javelin''s handle is weighed down and stops moving. What the hell?) The shield Leon was holding was thicker than Ike thought. Moreover, the inside was filled with green paint coated with "exterior reinforcement (coating)," and the high heat of the "Javelin" melted the paint and caused it to crumple, clinging to the spear and weighing it down. Aina, who found it impossible to defend herself against the javelin no matter how thick her armor was, came up with the idea of parrying the attack in this way. (What?(The destroyed enemy''s shield clings to my spear, and it''s heavy ......) While Ike was puzzled by the anomaly that had occurred to his equipment, Leon closed the distance and brought it into sword range, smiling as he did so. I''m sorry, Ike. We have the blessing of the spirits. When Leon slashed at him, the thin armor Ike was wearing was wrecked, and Ike''s endurance (toughness) and all of his stats were uprooted, rendering him incapable of fighting. (Stupid. The quartet''s most powerful equipment is ...... so easily ......) Later, the other members of the "Winged Dragon Lights" are also subdued by the "Flexible Shield," a new piece of equipment from the "Arsenal of Spirits. Roland interrogated Ike and his men and asked them about the presence or absence of a detachment or reinforcements, but they said they had heard nothing about such a thing. He had not heard anything about such a thing. (I thought there might be another unit, but I guess that is not the case. (I had saved Erio for the "Dragoon''s Cage," but I guess I didn''t need him.) Roland and his team returned to the city with Ike and the other members of the "Winged Dragon Lights" as prisoners. After taking their equipment instead of ransom, they release Ike and his men. <> 104 - - Art. 104. The Sorcerer of the Islands Aina was anxiously waiting for Roland and the others to return. Would Roland and the others be safe? Would the equipment I had made work against the quartet''s equipment? That is why, when I heard voices coming from the entrance of the workshop (atelier), I rushed to Roland''s side. Mr. Roland! Aina? Thank God you are safe. How was your search?Was my equipment functioning properly?" Roland doesn''t answer it, but looks toward Leon, who is behind him. Leon. Show him what you''ve got. Leon then held up the "Javelin" that he had captured and showed it to me. The "Javelin" has a "flexible shield" attached to it. Aina''s face lit up when she saw it. Let''s talk about the things that are piling up inside. Everyone is tired. Take care of the adventurers'' equipment. Yes." Please come in. Dragon tea. Saki serves Roland and Aina "dragon tea" in the studio. We have just taken a break from taking care of the adventurers'' equipment. Thank you very much," he said. Thank you, Saki. Good job on your dungeon search. Please make yourself at home. Saki winked at him and said that much, then left. She was a good-natured girl. So, how did it go? Of the quartet''s equipment, the black bow and javelin were able to defeat them with your equipment. I understand that the physical attack and the special melee attack were defeated. So that leaves us with ......." Ah, the special remote attack, the ''Dragoon''s Cage. If we can surpass this, we can conquer the quartet!" Lizetta was waiting for Ike and his team to return with the ore from the "Spirit Arsenal" for a day and a half. That is why she was so upset when she saw them return not only with the ore, but also with the equipment they were wearing. Ike ....... Why are you looking like that? ...... ''No face, Miss Lisetta. Not only was I defeated by the enemy, but they also took away the Javelin that I had taken the trouble to get for you. Tell me about it. How the hell did that happen?" The ...... forest made it difficult to use the javelin, but the shields used by the enemy, the shields of the Arsenal of Spirits, were a little strange ......, and the javelin was blocked. I''m sorry. ......" You don''t mean to say that ...... "Javelin" lost?The equipment in the Arsenal of Spirits?" U......, that ......, that''s not funny." (Not good. It''s not good.) Lizetta pales as she remembers her promise to Roland. If you guys can make better equipment than I can make, I''m willing to transfer to your guild. (Even if it was a verbal promise, a promise like that. ......) He said, "Hahaha. I knew it. That''s why I said it. Lizetta is still too much for me." Edgar said with a blank look. That''s why I was against it," he said. "That''s why I was against it," he said, "because I wasn''t sure about Lizetta''s javelin. Edgar. Edgar, what are you talking about like it''s somebody else''s business?You were also making equipment for "Pterodactyl Lights", weren''t you? Don''t be irresponsible! You''re blaming me for this. You were the one leading the charge, weren''t you?Don''t put the blame on someone else." With a clang, there was the sound of iron being struck at the back of the room. Lizetta''s body shook with fear. They''re all useless, aren''t they? Raul looked around at everyone in the room as he said this. They all turned their heads away awkwardly. Raoul said, "That''s enough. I''ll take care of the "Spirit Arsenal. The "Arsenal of Spirits" and S-class appraiser Roland. It seems he''s not the only one. I guess I underestimated him a little. I''ll be your opponent from here on out, you S-class alchemist!) The "Knight of Hail" who dived into the dungeon without "Fire Rest" was exposed to the "Fire Breath" of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and the "White Wolf" attack, and came back in a crawl. The equipment he was wearing was in tatters everywhere, and Cendric''s magnificent white mustache was burnt and half grown. The members of the "Knights of the Hare" were disheartened by the lack of success, and to add insult to injury, the guilds of the Alliance were demanding their share, as had been the custom on the island since the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic". Cendric was forced to try the dungeon again to meet the demands of the allied guilds. The Knight of Hail pawned his northern furs and ivory to finance the project, and asked the Dragon''s Fires to maintain and manufacture the equipment. Captain Cendric. Are you really going to dive in the dungeon again?" Of course. We can''t just back out of this!" But the adventurers on the island are apparently useless. All they do is make demands, but when it comes time to fight, they are all cowards and baggage. We had to clean up their messes too many times during our previous exploration. I''m also concerned about the activities of the "Dragon''s Fires. I don''t trust them." What?This time, they have prepared a "shield of fire bullets" for us. As long as they have "Fire Rest," they have nothing to fear from "Fafnir," the fire dragon, or bandits! But don''t you think it''s strange?Where in the world did they get the ore this time?We can only assume that the thieves are using the ore they stole from us. ......" I''m not going to stop prying into that sort of thing," he said. Anyway, we are fully equipped. Now all we have to do is defeat the enemy, conquer the dungeon, and bring back honor!Here we go. Shoot down Fafnir the Fire Dragon and humiliate those vile bandits!We will make our power known throughout this island!" Jamil and his team from "White Wolf" watched as the "Knights of the Hail" and their allied guilds prepared in front of the dungeon. Then they looked bitterly at the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance preparing behind them. They were by all accounts alive and well, having supposedly fought the quartet, and if anything, their armaments seemed to be better equipped than before. Tsk. They are exactly matching the movements of the "knights of the hail" again. Rodo said. You''re very thorough. Zain said. Hey, Jamil. Are you sure you want to do this?Let them run wild. They''re getting better and better. If we don''t do something about it, we''re in trouble. The quartet is not that great either. For all their big talk. They don''t know anything about dungeon combat. All they do is make equipment. I guess so. I think it would be wise to give him a good smack around here. Yes," he said. The Arsenal of Spirits can only be beaten by us. Again, the target will be the Knights of the Hail. Jamil!Ugh. ......" Rod and Zain were involuntarily silenced by Jamil''s awesomeness. First of all," he said, "we will crush the ''hail knight'' thoroughly. "First, we will crush the ''hail knight'' so thoroughly that he will never be able to stand up again. (Even a quartet can''t stop the "Arsenal of Spirits. (Even a quartet can''t stop the "Arsenal of Spirits".) So, simple quality of equipment is not enough to finish them off. This Roland guy seems to be quite skilled. That''s why we need to be very careful and meticulous when we destroy him. Hmm?) As Jamil looked toward the "Arsenal of Spirits," he saw another group of people appear behind him. (Is that ...... Raul Bartley?) Raul had come to the front of the dungeon with an unfamiliar group in addition to a hodgepodge of C-class adventurers. Among them was an old mage. Ho-ho. I never thought I would be entering a dungeon again at my age. Sorry to trouble you, Maester." Raul addresses the old man with an unprecedented degree of condescension. I have heard. A new alchemy guild on the island is threatening the stronghold of the Dragon''s Fires. Yes," he said. Yes, I would like to ask for your help once again. I am Alzea the Mage. Mage Alzea was an adventurer who had made a name for himself as an exceptional mage on this island. He was also the adventurer who gave Raul the opportunity to take a leap forward. As a result of his continuous response to Alzea''s orders, Raul''s unique skill, "Magic Crafting," became an S-class skill. Raul is now half-retired on a remote island, teaching magic to his students. This time, he came all the way from a remote island to the mainland of "Fire Dragon Island. I never thought that you and I would have to work together to defeat a new alchemy guild. Yes, I''m embarrassed. What are the other members of the quartet doing? They are doing their best, but they are still young and naive. Hm. Well, that''s all right. Let me, the old man, break the nose of this presumptuous young fellow. Thank you. I am indebted to you. And then?I trust you have all the equipment you need? Yes, sir. You guys get the stuff. Raul ordered the junior staff to open the package he had brought. Inside the box appeared intricately designed armor and swords. They were equipment with Raul''s "magic work" skill. The "magic work" has the effect of increasing the effectiveness of magic skills. The "Dragoon" has the effect of converging fire magic to increase its power and penetrating power, and the sword and armor with "magic work" designs have the effect of increasing the effectiveness of "attack grant" and "defense grant". The sword and armor designed with "magic work" have the effect of increasing the effectiveness of "attack grant" and "defense grant. It seems that your skill has not diminished. This armor and sword are made to be C-class weight for adventurers, but with your support magic, they will have A-class attack and defense strength, combined with the effects of your ''magic work. It should be able to stand up to the blue armor. Blue armor? I see. I haven''t told you yet. Aina Burke, an A-class alchemist in the "Arsenal of Spirits," is making a piece of equipment called blue armor. The similar commercially available green armor had B-class or higher status on C-class weight equipment. It is probably safe to assume that the custom-made blue armor is even more potent. "Oh," he said. Who else but you could pull off such a trick? Edgar''s black bow was also hit by this blue armor. It seems that his physical attacks were bounced back. "Bouncing back physical attacks: ......" There are other reports of telescoping swords and shields that break and attach to spears. Anyway, they use all kinds of weird equipment. I see. I see. That''s a nuisance. I see. That''s a nuisance. ...... Althea smiled wryly. He is no match for your ''dragon-headed cage. Isn''t it? Oh," he said. That''s right. I have already tried it with green armor, and the firepower of the "Dragoon" was able to peel off the paint, and it also directly damaged the wearer. The same effect should be possible against blue armor. I''m not sure I''d like that. Good. Well, I''d better get going. Aram, Liam. When Alzea calls out, two mages, identical in shape, step forward. They appeared to be twin brothers. Who are they? These are Aram and Liam. These are Aram and Liam. They are already class B attack mages. If they can learn your ''dragon-headed cage hand,'' they will be class A offensive mages. That''s encouraging." Alzea''s Skills Offensive Grant: B Defend": B Aram''s Skills Explosive Flame Magic": B Liam''s skill Explosive Flame Magic": B (One B class support mage and two B class attack mages. Combined with the effectiveness of my "Magic Crafting" skill, this is a force equivalent to three A-class mages. No matter how much Roland may have his hands full with this much firepower!) In addition to the three mages from the outlying islands, Raul called for the participation of two C-class attack mages (who were in effect B-class attack mages due to Raul''s equipment). Both of them gladly responded to the call because they could use the "dragon-headed basket hand (dragoon). With this, they have two A-class attack magic cards, two B-class attack magic cards, and an A-class support magic card, which gives them virtually A-class attack and support magic cards. The unit consisted of 10 warriors with defensive capabilities, and was heavily armed and heavily armed. Even though the unit was protected by Aina''s "coating," they would not be able to stand a chance if they collided with each other. Thus began the battle. Roland and his team entered the dungeon and immediately made a dash for it. Althea and the others chased after them. d*mn. It''s hard to see the enemy''s back. What pace they are marching at! Aram said. ''If we keep going like this, we''re going to run out of strength (stamina). Master. Liam said. Don''t panic. We are almost at the end of the forest. There will be several monsters in the "Great Orc" class. They will have no choice but to slow down. As we were marching, a warrior in front of us shouted loudly. Ittaa!" !What''s wrong?" When Alzea looked, she saw that the Warrior who had raised his voice had lifted one leg and was frowning. Something ...... on the sole of his foot ......." ''This!It''s a water chestnut." What?A water chestnut? Cecil''s Skills Trap Installation": B (up1) (Cecil''s skill "trap setting" is now class B. He is now able to set traps more quickly and in the right places, and can set traps while marching. (This can slow down the speed of the enemy who is chasing you.) Hey, Roland!" As Roland was marching along, watching Cecil "set the trap," Jeff spoke to him. What is it, Jeff?" I think that where Cecil laid his traps earlier, he found just the right position to ''bow-fire'' the enemy." Hmm. Can I go with Hans and the others to set up a hit-and-away?" ...... I agree. It would be interesting to try it. Elio, Leon. What is it?" Elio and Leon turn around. ''Jeff and the "Heavenly Horse Arrow" are going to be away for a while. Can you go a while without the archer''s backup?" Oh. Oh, no problem. We''ll try the front alone. Good. Jeff. You can go. But be back in an hour. All right. Hans, you got a minute?" As he watched Jeff confer with Hans, Roland felt a definite response. (Jeff. (Jeff, you''ve gained confidence, you''ve started to make suggestions on your own.) [Jeff''s skills Bow Shooting: B to B Farsightedness": B to B Silent Run": B to A Rapid Fire: C to B Continuous Fire: C to B One-hit-kill": C to B Except for "Silent Run," all archer skills remain at the B class. At best, he is an all-rounder; at worst, he is poor in dexterity. (But ......) [Jeff''s status Tactical Eyes: 60-80 110 12 0 (Tactical eye status is equivalent to S class. The range of tactics has expanded, and independence has also emerged. The foundation for becoming stronger is steadily being laid. This will allow me to accelerate my growth even faster than before!) Oh, ittaa." Alzea and his team were trapped again. ''Ee-aye. Another Makibishi. Stop for a moment. There must be more. Let''s look for them. Those walking in front of the unit bend down to look for traps hidden in bushes and grass. It was then that the arrow flew. Gaaaah!" What the hell? Enemy attack!" ''Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fight back with the ''Dragoon''s Baskets''." !Here comes the Dragon''s Head Basket. Claire said as a warning. ''All right. Run!" Jeff said. Jeff, Hans, Claire, and Alice ran into the woods. The "Dragoon Hand" blew down a couple of trees, but by that time the archers had already left. "d*mn, they got away!" They''re quick. Hurry up and help the wounded recover!" Aram and the Liam brothers had to wait in frustration until the Warrior, who had been wounded by a bow shot, recovered. In the meantime, of course, the troop''s march had to be halted. It''s not good, Master. We will lose sight of the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance if we don''t. Disciples. Do not panic. We have a long way to go. But if we don''t, they''ll be out of the woods. Let them go. The game will be decided when they reach the Metal Line. Alzhea and the others were not only wearing "magic-work" equipment, but also "fire-balloon shields" made of abundant "fire-rest" (the "fire-rest" was brought back by the "White Wolf"). With the "Fire Rest," he could explore the "Metal Line," where "Fafnir" was flying around, without being worn out. Once out of the forest, it becomes difficult to set traps and shoot bows in the shadows. Once you enter the "Metal Line," it''s all or nothing. If we can get them into a battle, we''ll be all right. We have the Dragoon''s Basho (Dragon''s Head) on our side.) Alzhea''s downcast eyes held a cunning glint in them. <> 105 - - 105. The New Era After passing through the forest and reaching the "metal line," Alzea and his team were able to proceed more easily than before because, as expected, they were no longer being interfered with by makibishi and "bow shooting. However, they were not able to catch Roland and the others on their backs. The twin brothers Aram and Liam could see the impatience on their faces. ''d*mn, it''s hard to catch up with them. Master, if we don''t do something, we''ll lose Roland and the others." Don''t panic so much. Roland and his men will eventually slow down and we will be forced to fight them. But ...... Haven''t you noticed?We have entered the Metal Line, but since a few minutes ago we have not seen Fafnir at all. Oh, sure. Come to think of it, I don''t think I''ve seen you around much. That''s because the Arsenal of Spirits alliance is fighting Fafnir. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance? So, ...... At this rate, by the time we catch up with them, the "Arsenal of Spirits" will have been considerably exhausted from the battle with the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and their forced march. I see. If you hit that, you can ......" So we can easily defeat the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Mm-hmm. Yes, that''s what I mean. Ideally, we should immediately launch a battle right after they finish fighting Fafnir. I didn''t realize you had thought that far ahead. I''m so proud of you! Master of the art! "Ffffffff." You seem to think that a guerrilla warfare by a squad of scattering rhinoceros and archers would disperse us, but it won''t work like that. If they wanted to escape from my pursuit, they should have beaten us in the forest instead of doing things halfway. You seem to be a good schemer, playing with the quartet, but you''re still a little green.) In the meantime, a group in blue armor from the "Arsenal of Spirits" comes into view. Master. I finally caught them. It is the Arsenal of Spirits. They are waiting for us and are forming up. Hm. I guess you can''t hit them in the middle of a battle. Well, that''s all right. Bring forward the Dragoon''s Baskets to ......." "Master Althea!Fafnir" from behind. Mhm. Fafnir. Stop the attack for a moment. Put the Dragoon''s Baskets on Fafnir at ....... Master. The Arsenal of Spirits has attacked with bow fire. What?Have you lost your mind?" Althea''s unit was caught between the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and a swarm of "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)" and fell into confusion. The Alzea forces were caught between the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" horde. Let''s retreat for now. Roland, you''re attacking us with no regard. If you engage in battle with Fafnir, both armies will be exposed to the breath of fire, and you''ll be in a mess. Don''t you understand that?) However, "Fafnir" and the others attacked only Alsea''s side. d*mn, that''s stupid. Fafnir! Why do they attack only us? Aram, while fighting the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)," heard a faint tone in his ears. What is that?What is this sound? Is it the sound of a harp? [Nicola''s skills Performance": B (up1) (Nicola''s skill "Performance" is now class B. I guess now I can ask "Fafnir" to do a simple attack. Roland and his group were gathering "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" with Nicola''s "Dragon Sound" while Alzea was stomping around in the forest. The scattering of water chestnuts and having Jeff and the other archers attack was also a prelude to this. While holding a "shield of fire bullets" on the right side, Althea''s unit was exposed to arrows from the left side, and it was completely shattered. He said, "Ee-aye. "Get back. Fall back. Retreat to the forest. Althea and his team retreated at once to the forest at the foot of the mountain. Roland and the others give Fafnir the goblin meat they had promised, and resume their search. Althea, completely exhausted and having lost sight of Roland and the others, decides to return to the city and arm himself with "Dragon''s Fires. What do you mean, Mr. Ji? I can''t believe you came back without fighting a single battle with Roland. There''s hardly any sign that you even used the Dragon''s Battleship. Don''t panic. There was someone in the Arsenal of Spirits alliance who used the dragon sound. What?The "dragon sound"? Mm-hmm. So, instead of chasing after them and putting up a fight, they retreated for a time. If you keep chasing after them, you will only wear yourself out and fall into their pace. So, instead of chasing the enemy up the mountain, it would be better to return to the town to gather strength and then ambush the exhausted enemy as they came down the mountain. That''s what we thought. So, please give me an additional budget. Also, please increase the number of archers (archers) and thieves (thieves) with high agility for scouting. That''s fine. We are not only providing the equipment for free, but we are also paying the adventurers'' wages. It''s not worth it to go through all this without any results. Don''t worry. I''ve told them that I will ambush the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance when they come back. If we take the ore they bring back, we will be able to pay them back for their expense. Well, ......, if that''s what you mean. ...... Mm-hmm. Well, then, make sure you''re ready to go. Yello! With that, Althea relaxes on the couch and begins to smoke his pipe. (Are you all right? (Are you okay? This is such a leisurely thing to do. ......) Raul was suspicious of Althea''s attitude, but since he did not know what was going on in the dungeon, he had no choice but to do as he was told. After adjusting his equipment and reorganizing his troops, Althea entered the dungeon again and proceeded to the intersection of roads near the entrance of the "Metal Line. This is the junction of all the roads leading to the "Lake Route," and must be passed through on the way back. However, this was not a good place to ambush because it was not suitable for defense. So, he decided to set archers (archers) and thieves (thieves) on the three paths leading from there, and as soon as the enemy was caught in the net, they responded immediately and attacked. As we were waiting for them to return, one archer did not return anytime soon. (Huh, he was caught in the net right away. (Phew, you''re still green...) Althea advanced her troops in the direction where she thought Roland was. Sensing Althea''s troops approaching, Roland decided to turn around and take up a high position. On the flat land at the foot of the mountain, he had Lana create a trench with "crust magic," where he had his warriors and thieves lie down and fortify their defenses. Althea, expecting to win the battle as long as he could hit them with a volley of "Dragons'' Baskets," led his troops with Aram and Liam, two C-class attack mages, in the lead. Roland had them fire their bows at them. The attack mages responded with "Dragoon". The range of "bow fire" is extended by using the difference in height, while the range of "dragoon hands" is fixed by magic power and is not affected by the difference in height. Therefore, Roland''s "bow shot" hit the target, but Alsea''s "dragon hand" did not reach it, resulting in a one-sided attack on Alsea''s side. d*mn you! Liam fired his "Dragoon" at the archer who was shooting at him from a high vantage point, but the flaming bullet that was right in front of Jeff''s eyes diffused just before it hit him. Jeff''s eyes were almost on him, but the flaming projectile was right in front of his eyes. "No," he said, "get the Dragoon unit back. Hide them behind the shieldmen. Althea hurriedly moved her warriors forward, but even if they had moved forward, they would still have been exposed to bow fire, as they were being targeted from above. Reluctantly, Alzea lowered his troops. The two armies were now glaring at each other from a distance. Althea was unable to attack. The day ended with the night. The day ended with the night. So the two armies were evenly matched. They would not let us win for free. But, I guess they don''t have enough potions to spare, do they?) Roland and his team had consumed potions for the return trip to explore the dungeon, but there was still plenty of room on Alsea''s side once they had turned around and replenished. (Eventually, they would run out of potions and would need to challenge the others to a decisive battle. If that happened, it would be ours. (We''ll use the "Dragoon''s Cage" to obliterate them when they come charging at us.) However, the reason Roland did not challenge them to a decisive battle was to see if they had reinforcements. (After all this time, no reinforcements had arrived. So that was all the enemy numbers. It seems that the quartet is an individualistic group after all. I don''t feel any desire to join forces and fight together. Or don''t they know how to combine their strengths?) By appraising from a height, we could also check the skills, status, and equipment of the enemy. In the morning, before the sun came up, Loran decided to pack up and head back down the road, taking a detour and passing Alzea and his group through another road. When Alzea noticed that Roland and the others were pulling away from the camp, she hurried after them. Even the quintessential Alzea began to get frustrated. (d*mn it, I was going to ambush them, but now I''m back to chasing them. (d*mn it, I was going to ambush them, but now they are chasing me again. You''re moving around so fast. Come on, you guys!) The two armies chase each other down a winding, up-and-down road. Althea pondered the terrain ahead as she chased after Roland and the others. There was one high point ahead, I believe.) The high point was a cliff at the end of the climb. It was a precipice from which it was impossible to descend without tools. Therefore, if we sealed off the base of the climb, we could confine them. Roland, who was already low on potions, would be forced to challenge us to a decisive battle. (Okay.) "Increase the speed of your march and put pressure on Roland," he said. "Increase the speed of your march and put pressure on Roland, even if you have to cut some status! (As long as you are dealing with a "dragon-headed cage (dragoon)," you will want to take the high ground. If Roland takes the high ground, he will end up blocking the foothills.) However, Roland saw in an instant that the end of the high point was a dead end, so he passed it easily. He saw through it so easily. (d*mn, he saw through it so easily...) Then we''ll take the high ground. The "Dragoon" squad, fire a volley from behind at Roland and the others as they flee! If we take a high position, we can shoot from above with our "dragoon hands" even on this winding road. (It is only a hastily created unit after all. They may be strong against attacks, but when they are attacked, they are more fragile than you might think. The troops exposed to the bombardment of the "Dragoon" are confused and flee. Then, the heavily armed troops equipped with "magic-work" armor and swords will assault them, and it will be the end.) Aram, who had taken up a high position, caught sight of Roland and the others fleeing below him. Finally. Aram, who has taken up a high position, sees Roland and his men fleeing below him. Take that! With a roar, a flaming bullet is released. Erio was hit directly. The "exterior reinforcement (coating)" of the blue armor peels off, and Erio himself is directly damaged. "Agh!" The troops were in an uproar at the wounding of Erio, the ace. "Calm down," said Erio, "I''m not going to hurt you. It is a transient attack by the ''dragon-headed cage hand''. Leon helped Erio up and raised his voice. This level of damage is insignificant. We will march on as planned. Leon''s single voice brought calm back to the troops. The troops continued their march despite the bombardment of the "Dragoon''s Baskets". Leon willingly takes up a position behind the troops, exposing himself to the bombardment to show that the "Dragoon''s Baskets" are not to be feared. [Leon''s status. Command: 70-80 (Leon now has the ability to command. I can count on this calmness in this situation) After checking the safety of his back, Roland decides to check Elio''s damage. Elio. Are you okay?" I''m not sure. But I think my equipment and status have been cut off. [Elio''s status Endurance (toughness): 60 (K?10)-80 Stamina: 80 (K?10) - 100 [Status of Elio''s armor]. Strength: 120 (K?20) Durability: 70 (K?10) The decrease in power is due to the "exterior reinforcement (coating)" being removed. (In one blow, the "coating" is removed, and the endurance (toughness) and stamina (stamina) of the equipped person are shaved off. This is a powerful attack from a long distance. The power of the "Dragoon''s Baskets" should not be underestimated. Eventually, Roland and his team escaped out of range of the "Dragoon''s" shot, which was aimed from a height. Despite the damage, Erio and his team arrived at the planned location and used potions and "Earthcraft" to heal themselves and their equipment. Elio''s status Endurance (toughness): 60 (K?10)-80 Stamina: 90 (10) - 100 [Status of Elio''s armor Strength: 140 (?20) Durability: 80 (?10) Good (Good. I can''t recover my durability (toughness), but my armor is fully recovered. (This means I can still fight.) Unable to stall them even after bombarding them from on high, Alzea began to grow impatient. He was exposed to the bombardment of the "dragon-headed cage (dragoon)," but did not move an inch?What a high level of skill. And all my attacks have been blocked since a few minutes ago. You mean to tell me that my 20 years of experience and knowledge as an adventurer are not enough?That''s ridiculous. You look like a strong man who has fought a hundred battles. (Is the person in command really from the alchemy guild?) After that, Roland left no stone unturned. He reached a place where he said he would reach the forest at the foot of the mountain tomorrow. But it''s not good. (This is not good. The enemy has better thieves and archers than we do. (We will be plagued by the enemy''s guerrilla warfare of "setting traps" and "shooting with bows" again.) Eventually, Alzea decided to forcefully attack Roland''s position, which was stiffly fortified with defenses. However, Roland has blocked the only narrow road leading to his camp with a wall of "crustal magic. Even if they broke it down, the road would be covered with water chestnuts and trenches, and as soon as they stepped into it, they were sure to be hit with bow fire. d*mn. They haven''t let me use the "dragon''s head cage" at all since a while ago. You''re always doing such nasty things to me.) Can''t we somehow outwit the enemy? Wait a minute. Here it is. There is a way to use the "Dragoon''s Baskets. To the right of Roland''s camp was a cliff. It would take some time, but if we could get the "Dragoon" unit around the cliff, we could bombard Roland''s position from a high vantage point. Both the waterfalls and the trenches would be neutralized. Althea would use the "Dragoon" to bombard the "crust magic" wall and make a loud noise, and then use it as bait to send the remaining three attack mages to the cliff side bordering the enemy position. The wall was made with "crust magic" so that even the other side could not see our movement. (They can''t see our movement because of the wall they built with "crust magic".) Aram, Liam, and the one remaining attack mage were circling the cliff. Aram, Liam, and the one remaining attack mage were rounding the cliff. We got around the top of the enemy''s flank. Now we can show the power of the ''Dragoon Head'' this time!" However, the move was read by Roland. Four archers (archers), Hans, Claire, Alice, and Jeff, were waiting on the cliff side. As soon as Aram and Liam appeared, they were showered with "bow shots". They were like, "Whoa! We were ambushed. I''m good," he said. I''m all for a firefight. ...... a little far to the enemy''s position, don''t you think?" I don''t care. The power of the Dragoon is enough for me! I''ve got plenty of range. One of the weaknesses of the Dragoon is that the further away the enemy is, the more the converged fire magic spreads and the less powerful it becomes. Aram and Liam''s "Dragoon" usually had the power of an attack magic equivalent to Class A, but at such a distance, it would have the power of Class B. However, it seemed to be enough to damage Hans and the others. The moment the ''bow fire'' subsided, he looked up and began to counterattack. ''Take that!" Three cannons opened fire. They extended straight toward Hans and his men, but were sucked into the red jewels attached to their bows and arrows. What is that, a "firebolt"? Yes," he said. The "Fire Fault" in our equipment "Ryusenkyu" can absorb up to B class flame attacks. And "Ryusenkyu" shows its true value against anti-aircraft fire. You may think you''ve been successfully outsmarted, but it''s you who have fallen into the trap. In addition, ...... Hans unleashes a flaming "bow shot" from his "dragon-headed cage (dragoon)". With my unique skill ''magic shooting'', I can return the power of your ''dragon-headed cage''! Hans'' "magic shot" hit Aram directly. "Geez!" Aram! d*mn it." A desperate C-class attack mage slides down a cliff. "Claire." Yes." Claire hit the sliding enemy with a "barrage" of shots, disabling it from combat. ''Chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.'' Aram points his "Dragoon" toward Alice. Alice''s "Fire Felt" was still filled with the fire from the Dragoon she had just received. The "Fire Felt" cannot absorb flames in a pooled state. At least that one. ......) Hans! Okay! Alice and Hans exchange the "Ryusenkyu" they have with each other. Alice was thus able to once again catch the fire of the "Dragoon''s Cage". Hans fires another "magic shot". What? Liam got down and somehow dodged. (d*mn. What a coordination. (No chance.) Liam stayed down and persisted for a while, but his mind began to race every time Alice fired a curved arrow at him. (What?(Hatred in my heart: ......) [Alice Bergamot''s skills Hatred Concentration": A Hmph. I wonder how long I can endure before my skill, ''Concentrated Hatred''?" Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Hans finally exploded with anger and shot Liam, who stood up and prepared "Dragoon" with his "magic shot. While Hans and the brothers Aram and Liam were engaged in a shooting match, Alsea was also trying to break through the "crust magic" wall. There were no traps or trenches at the destination where they broke through the wall, and only warriors (Warrior) were waiting for them. However, they did not appear to be exposed to artillery fire. (Ee-aye. What are Aram and Liam doing?) ''If it comes to this, I''m going to have to beat you in a white hand-to-hand combat!Attack Granted!" Warriors covered with "magic-work" swords and armor are enveloped in a red light. They now combined the offensive power of a real Class A Warrior. They rush toward the enemy wearing blue armor. Leon and the others caught the enemy''s swords with their "flexible shields. The "magic-work" sword, glimmering in the red light of the "attack grant", was weighed down and rendered useless. Leon and the others knocked down their swords and tried to attack the enemy. No, no, no, no, no. The "defense grant". Althea hurriedly switched her support magic from "Attack Grant" to "Defense Grant. Oh, family! Leon and the others'' swords bounce back. Thus, the battle in the vanguard stalled and a battle line was formed. It seems my turn has come at last. Will shines the tip of his cane. Althea panicked. (Oh, shoot. The enemy had attack mages too!) Althea still had one attack mage wearing a "Dragoon", but the "Dragoon" was a powerful but linear attack and could not attack over the Warrior in the vanguard. He had used up all his strength in breaking the wall of "crust magic" and was already out of magic power. (Ridiculous. I, who have been an adventurer for more than 20 years, am a young man like this. ......) Master Alzea. You used to be the best mage on the island, but it seems that times have changed. Blast magic." When Will casts the spell, a magic circle floats under the feet of the warriors in "magic-work" armor, and a blast of air is generated. Even though the "magic-work" armor increases the power of support magic, it cannot prevent magic attacks. Their status is reduced. The "Warrior" is not a magic circle, but a magical circle. It''s amazing. Big brother." Leon and his men overpowered the enemy, and Roland took Alzea prisoner. <> 106 - - Art. 106. Each of the Specifications While Roland and his friends were still chasing after Alzea in the "Metal Line," Lisetta was wandering around town, pondering the cause of her defeat in the previous battle. My ''Javelin'' lost. How in the world did that happen? ...... I don''t get it. Hmm?(That''s ......) Lizetta saw a familiar figure on a street corner. "Aren''t you Leena Hart?" Huh?Isn''t that you, Lizetta?" Lizetta took note of the coat of arms worn by Leena. (Is that ......, the crest of the "Arsenal of the Spirits"?) I''m not sure, Lizetta. You have given us so many treats." Leena''s eyes light up at the feast on the table. She had been invited by Lisetta to a diner in town. Yes. It''s fine. Please, feel free to eat. Well, I''ll take it without reservation. Lina begins to eat with gusto. Lisetta smiles, but with a sharp glint in her eye, she observes Lina. (I can''t believe that Leena has joined the "Arsenal of Spirits. But this is our chance. If I can find out more about the inner workings of the "Arsenal of Spirits," I might be able to find out something about Aina''s weaknesses. And also the reason why my "Javelin" was defeated. ...... I see that you have joined the "Arsenal of Spirits. I was so surprised. How are you, Pato-san?" Yes, I am." Since I joined the Arsenal of Spirits, the guild leader has taken a good interest in me, and my work is going well. I have been doing good work secretly since I was at the Dragon''s Fireside. Losing Pato is a great loss for us. Yes," he said. But maybe this is for the best. Thanks to Mr. Roland, I was able to express my unique skills. (After all, it seems that the rapid progress of the "Arsenal of Spirits" is largely due to the skills of Roland, an S-class appraiser.) I envy you guys. I was finally defeated by Aina''s equipment. I was beaten so hard by Aina''s equipment, even in the Dragon''s Fireside Chat. I''m sorry to hear that," he said. I''m sorry to hear that. ......" Hey. Hey, Lena." Lizetta leaned over the table. Yes?" I wonder if you could tell me more. About Mr. Roland. Leena flinched at Lizetta''s mood, but began to speak. ''...... I see. She said she is good at developing the skills of alchemists and adventurers by using her appraisal skills. And she also makes use of the right equipment for the right training. Yes," he said. I and Pato have become easier to work with and have improved a lot since we were at "Dragon''s Fireside". Wayne, who was like a mad dog when he was in Fires of Dragons (although he was weak against superiors), is doing very well. Anything else? I guess so. He was also very good with equipment. Equipment operation? Yes, I am. Once I accompanied Mr. Roland on an adventurer''s search ......" Accompanying you on a search?Are you guys in a dungeon?" Yes," he said. There, Mr. Roland was instructing the adventurers on the operation of equipment and troop behavior according to their needs. You all improved your skills very quickly. Can you tell us a little more about the operation of your equipment ......? I''m not sure what to say. I guess so. Oh, I should get going." Oh, that''s too bad. I was going to buy you another drink. Bon apptit. Leena sat back down. After all, she had told him all about Roland''s work in the "Arsenal of Spirits. By the time she wondered if she had spoken a little too much, she had already spit out all the information Lisette wanted. Lizetta left the restaurant feeling satisfied. The reason Aina Burke has grown so rapidly is due in large part to the skills of Roland, the appraiser. And the operation of the equipment ......? If only I had the power of an S-class appraiser, or ......) Lizetta looked sharply toward the dungeon. The roar of the "dragon-headed cage (dragoon)" echoed through the air. It was indeed heroic, but it also sounded somewhat hollow. After defeating Alzea and the others, Roland took their equipment just as he had done to the "Winged Dragon''s Lamp". He took with him four B-class "dragon-headed cages (dragoon)," ten "magic-work" swords, ten suits of armor, and the "Arsenal of the Spirits Return to the When Aina saw them at the entrance of the "Spirit Arsenal," she realized that Roland and his team had won without even hearing the result. She was so moved that she couldn''t resist hugging and kissing Roland. Roland is taken aback by the thin lips pressed against his cheek and the fullness of the bulge pressed against his arm. Wow," he said. Aina? Oh, I''m sorry. I was just ......" Aina was embarrassed and backed away. The people around them laughed at the exchange between the two of them. Well, ...... anyway." Roland coughed as if he were trying to rearrange the situation. You''ve helped us win the whole quartet. Now you are the best alchemist on the island. What?Are you the best on the island ......?Well, I don''t really feel it. Haha." Wayne was astonished to see the "dragon-headed cage" and "magic-work" sword and armor that Roland brought back. (Seriously? This guy ...... seriously beat the whole quartet''s equipment. Even if four members of the quartet were to band together, they couldn''t beat Aina alone? (...... no, no) Wayne looks at Roland again. He was still praising the work of his subordinates and collaborators, leaving himself aside, despite the fact that he had achieved so much in the war. (Roland. Roland''s command. This guy''s command brought out the potential of Aina''s equipment many times over.) Raul was quietly going about his business as usual in The Dragon''s Fires. There were no words of defeat in his mind; victory seemed to be a promise. That is why he was speechless when he saw the brothers Aram and Liam return home stripped of their clothes. What the hell happened to your equipment?No way. ......" I am sorry, Raul. We also tried our best to make use of the "Dragoon''s Baskets," but we were at the mercy of the enemy''s terrain-based tactics, and their armor was unexpectedly hard. ...... In the end, we were overwhelmed by their unexpectedly high firepower, and all the equipment we were wearing was taken from us. ......" Raul staggered lightly. Suddenly, the ground seemed to lose its equilibrium. Finally, he uttered the next words. The old master is at ......, where is Mister Alzea?" The Master was wounded in the last battle and was unable to come here. ...... He asked me to give this letter to Lord Raoul." Raul looks over the letter Aram offered him. ''I retire. Alzea." Raul''s hand shakes as he holds the letter. (That old man. It''s fine that you''re retiring, ......, but if you lost, come and say a few words about it. We''re the ones who paid for it. No, it''s more than that (......). Raul shakes his head and looks down at the floor. (I don''t care about the old man at this point. Why did I lose?It''s true that the equipment made by Aina Burke is tricky, but I should still be a better alchemist in terms of overall strength. How could I lose?) Raul felt everything he had accumulated so far rattle and crumble. (The "Arsenal of Spirits," what the hell are these guys ......? What the hell am I ...... fighting?) It was fear of the unknown. The way things had been done before did not work at all. He was now like an apprentice alchemist who had just arrived at his first workplace and was at a loss as to where to start. Faced with the gap between the brilliant career he had built up and the shabby current situation, he was on the verge of self-destruction and was doing his best just to stand there. What the hell are you people doing? In the office of "Dragon''s Fires," Medes''s angry shouts were flying. The four members of the quartet could do nothing but stand in awe in front of the Medes. We have made a javelin, a dragon-headed cage, and even magical crafting equipment, and we have spent a lot of money to hire adventurers, but we haven''t accomplished a single thing?Indeed. If I take my eyes off the road for a moment, this is what happens. Raul, you''re the one supervising him, and what are you doing? Raul remained mysterious as he was yelled at, but inwardly he was chagrined. You son of a b*tc*! You''re so arrogant. We''re the ones who are cleaning up the mess you made.) However, Raul could not speak back strongly, since it was true that this time they had ignored the Medes and proceeded on their own. Since when did we become an adventurers'' guild?Since when do we go outside the workshop (atelier) and interfere with what happens in the dungeon?Since when do we imitate the Thieves'' Guild?Raul, you, don''t get me wrong. An alchemist should only make good equipment. Don''t lose sight of your own territory by going the extra mile." Despite his yell, Medes was relieved in his heart. (Phew. Somehow I managed to regain the initiative over the quartet. At one point, I wondered what would happen if all the members rebelled against me, but I was saved. I''ll have to hold the reins even tighter from now on.) And?What are your plans for the future?Yeah? No, it''s ...... that ...... What?You do whatever you want, but when the time comes to get in trouble, you have nothing?They''re a real pain in the ass! "......" No." "No," he said. I thought Raul''s way was not good either. He was too dogmatic." Edgar, who had been standing by Raul''s side, suddenly stepped forward and said. Raul opens his eyes and looks at Edgar. (This guy ......, what the hell ......?) ''Because, don''t you think?Everything is decided by Raul''s single word. Even when I objected, the opinions of others were ignored. It''s no wonder we can''t raise morale and we can''t even win. Raul. You are responsible for this failure. Is that correct? (d*mn. I can''t say anything back.) ...... yes." Raul grudgingly agreed. From now on, Edgar, you will take the lead in dealing with the Arsenal of Spirits. Us. I''ll leave it to you. I''ll make sure I live up to your expectations. Edgar responded immediately. Yoshi!Then the entire quartet is to follow Edgar." ("Yoshi!") I don''t think so. Why Edgar (this idiot) of all people? Is he crazy?) Raul looks at Medes reproachfully, then glares at Edgar. (This guy ......, he''s been up to some tricks behind my back again.) As Raul predicted, Medes and Edgar were showing off behind the scenes. Medes chuckled inwardly at the success of his plan. Raul and Edgar are easier to control than Edgar is. (If it were Raul and Edgar, Edgar would be easier to control, and I don''t want the quartet to become too close to each other. I can''t be sure that they won''t form a clique and rebel again. I need the quartet to continue to fight with each other to some extent so that my position is not threatened. With Edgar holding the reins, we can keep Raul''s head down for a while. Furthermore, it will also increase the rivalry between the quartet and make them more competitive by making them fight with each other. Hmmm. I must say, I''m impressed with your management skills.) Raul knew exactly what Medes and Edgar were thinking. (You stupid idiots. This is no time to be fighting amongst yourselves. Don''t you know that the way you''ve been doing things up to now won''t work with Roland? (......) However, he too had not yet recovered from the shock of defeat. Fighting "The Arsenal of Spirits. Just thinking about it made his hands tremble and his legs shiver with fear. I don''t know how I''m going to beat Roland. (I don''t know how I can beat Roland, either. I''m sorry, but with the way I am now, I can''t even win.) Raul was aware of all this and shrugged it off. Lisetta simply watched these scenes in silence. While the "Dragon''s Fires" was showing signs of internal collapse, the "Arsenal of Spirits" had just held a small banquet to celebrate the victory, and the next day they immediately began to make their next move. Roland held a meeting with the staff and Dylan. The other day, we finally achieved the feat of conquering the "dragon''s head cage (dragoon)," Roland said. I have shown through equipment manufacturing, dungeon exploration, and support for adventurers that if you can draw out your potential and join forces, you can defeat even a quartet. I will defeat the "Dragon''s Fires". You must have realized that what seemed like a pipe dream until now is not at all impossible. At the same time, everyone must have understood what I want to do and what I am trying to do. I will support the local guilds and make them strong enough to compete with the outside guilds." Roland looked around at the faces of those gathered at the meeting. No one seemed to have any objections. Roland continued. The Dragon''s Fires is by nature an individualistic organization. In addition to that, the quartet was defeated. The quartet''s identity as a strong and powerful organization, which was once thought to be absolute, is now shaking. Up until now, we have concentrated on increasing our strength, so we have had no choice but to simply defend ourselves against attacks from the other side. Now, however, we are about to seize the opportunity to counterattack. While the enemy is still wobbling, we will strike another blow against "Dragon''s Fires," and the "Arsenal of Spirits" will further increase its strength. As a first step, we are planning to extract excellent alchemists from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. Ideally, we would like to extract one of the members of the quartet. <> 107 - - 107. Waynes Ambition Pull out the quartet?" Aina repeated exactly what Roland had said. I see. If we can pull out the quartet, we will be able to increase our strength and also give a blow to the "Dragon''s Fires". It''s a win-win situation, isn''t it? Dylan said. Isn''t it a bit premature?" Pato said. No matter how much we have been able to outperform the quartet in the dungeon, there is still a power gap in terms of financial strength, size of facilities, and number of members," Pato said. If we plan to pull them out, they may try to pull us out too. Rather than trying to get our hands on the "Dragon''s Fires," wouldn''t it be better to continue to support adventurers as before and maintain our advantage in the dungeon? Of course, I don''t expect to be able to pull it off right now," he said. In order to make it happen, we have to accumulate funds and increase our external influence, as well as solidify our internal organization here. However, if we continue to maintain our dominance in the dungeon, the "Dragon''s Fires" will cause an internal split and fall apart. At that time, the chance to pull out the quartet will surely present itself." The room is silent. Someone gulped down a mouthful of spit. What? Don''t be so deflated. What we have to do is the same as before. We will develop our individual abilities, deepen our cooperation, and enhance our organizational strength. At the same time, we will gather information and move quickly when we see an opportunity in the market. It''s a repetitive process. Our immediate goal is to ......." Roland writes bullet points on the blackboard. Immediate goals 1. To enhance partnerships and ensure dominance in the dungeon. 2. Increase the number of people joining the partnership to 100. 3, Gather information and find ways to pull off the quartet on more favorable terms. 4Relocate to a more productive workshop (atelier) I think it goes something like this. Now, let''s start with 1 and 2, expanding partnerships. ......, Aina." Yes. What is the current production of this workshop (atelier)?How many people can you manufacture and maintain a set of "Reflective Armor", "Flexible Sword" and "Flexible Shield"?Without sacrificing quality, of course." Uh, wait a minute. Aina rummages through the materials in her hand. Roughly fifty is the limit," she said. Then how many new Class B alchemists do we need to hire to cover the cost of 100? What?Let''s see. ......" Aina hastily tries to calculate. (Aina''s not quite there yet in this area. If Ranju were here, he''d be able to play out the numbers in an instant. ......) [Aina Burke''s skills Workshop management: B to A (Is it still not enough to entrust the entire workshop (atelier) to him?) I understand. Well then, do the math for now and let me know later when you''re done." Yes, sir. Next, we need to gather information on the quartet. Wayne, Pato, Leena. What do you think of the quartet from your point of view?Do you think they''ll take us up on our offer? As it stands now, it seems unlikely. Just go to ......." Pato said, choosing his words carefully. ''But I think there is a good chance. As Roland said, it is not that they are loyal to the "Dragon''s Fires," but that they are attracted by the fact that they are the world''s leading alchemy guild, and that they are treated the best on the island. If we could offer them better treatment than that of "Dragon''s Fiery Fire," it would be possible to make them change their minds. However, I still think it is a dangerous gamble. If we initiate such a thing, there is a possibility that they will try to extract us with their money. ...... I see. Okay, Dylan. Oh. You''ll have to find out individually how much money it would take to pull the quartet out, or what level of treatment they would be willing to offer." But be careful in your contacts so that they don''t know your intentions. Don''t be more subtle than you have to be. Copy that. Now, the last thing I want to talk about is the relocation to a new workshop (atelier). What?In the harbor?" Wayne bites back. So ......, you don''t mean to move it so close to the Dragon''s Fireside and set up a direct confrontation?" Yes," he said. The outside adventurers who come ashore from the harbor are the best customers for the "Dragon''s Fires. If we can steal their customers, we will be able to inflict a major blow on the Dragon''s Fiery Fire. We should do it now!" Wayne said, leaning forward suddenly. I never thought I would have the opportunity to take revenge on the "dragon''s fiery fire" so soon. If we can move our workshop (atelier) to the harbor and deprive Edgar of his top customers ......) Wayne, calm down. This is just one of those ideals that I would like to achieve if I could. At this stage, we don''t have enough money, land, or anything else. We are still in the planning stage. We may have to drop it. What?d*mn." Mr. Roland, I think it is still premature to move the workshop (atelier), even if you are going to pull the quartet out. If we are going to accept orders from outside adventurers, we will have to handle an enormous amount of work. I think it is not too late for us to establish a strong bond with the local guild. Pato said. ''Yeah. I agree. I think so, too. I think we should put this matter on the back burner. Roland erases the item on the blackboard about moving the workshop (atelier). Wayne watched impatiently as white powder fell from the blackboard. (d*mn. I thought I could get revenge on that bastard Edgar right now. Ain''t there something? (You can find out how to get the money now at ......) Now, each of you knows what you have to do, don''t you?Well, then, get on with it." yes Mr. Roland, I''ve done the math. Aina brought a document that calculated the manpower needed to make equipment for 100 partnership members. She said, "Yeah. Let''s see. Roland looks at the results of the calculations submitted by Aina. Yeah, okay. I''ll make a plan based on these numbers. Yes, sir. Aina is relieved to have accomplished an unfamiliar task. Aina, I''ll be asking you to do more and more of this kind of thing from now on, so from now on, try to work with a little more awareness of the issues facing the workshop (atelier) as a whole. What?Ha, yes." (Ugh. Mr. Roland, I''m glad you''re letting me do this new job, but I think I may be a little over capacity.) Aina shows some fatigue on her face. Then Roland made an apologetic face. I''m sorry. I''ve been putting a lot of pressure on you. What?Oh, no, that''s okay." Aina hurriedly pulled a tired face. The only thing is that you are the only one who can be relied upon to take care of the entire studio. But they are still a bit naive compared to you. I know it''s hard, but you''ll have to work a little harder. Yes, sir. (Roland, you are so kind. (Mr. Roland is so kind.) He was concerned that I was getting tired, so he called out to me. Am I the only one who can rely on you ......? If you say so, I can''t help but do my best. Okay, I''ll do my best. I''ll do my best.) Aina got back into the swing of things and went about her business. Roland headed toward Leena. Leena," Roland said. How''s the inventory management going with the ''recycle''? Yes," he said. It''s like this." Leena shows Roland the iron B. It was smelted from iron ore that had previously deteriorated to Class C due to oxidation (ore deteriorates and loses its class after a certain amount of time after it is extracted. (After ore is extracted, it deteriorates and loses its class after a certain amount of time, so it must be used as soon as possible after extraction.) ) "I have found that ores of class B or lower can be reproduced by ''recycling'' even if they have been oxidized over time." Good. This looks like I can handle a much larger inventory of ore." Yes. Continue to improve the recycling process and discuss with Aina how to manage the ore. Understood. [Leena Hart''s skills Recycle": B to A (If Leena''s "Recycle" becomes A class, she can probably recycle A class ores as well. If this happens, not only will they be able to consume the ore themselves, but they will also be able to sell the surplus and use it as a source of funds to extract the quartet. (In a sense, she might be the biggest trump card this time.) Roland looks again at Leena, who is smelting ore in front of the kiln. She was humming a tune as she put the ore into the kiln. (Keep up the good work, Leena!) Pato was alone in his isolated room, tinkering and playing the lyre (harp) and thinking about how he should proceed with his work. (Well, I must find a way to somehow improve sales and quality of service with my skills.) Pato is lost in thought while playing the lyre (harp). (According to Mr. Roland, my unique skill "tuning (tuning)" has reached A class, so it can''t grow any further, right? If I can''t improve my skills, the only way to increase sales any further is to expand the use and range of my skills. (...... hmm?) When Pato was ''tuning'' his lyre (harp), he noticed a tone he had never heard before. What is this?Don''t tell me that a special sound besides the "dragon sound" is inhabiting ......?) Pato hastily repeats the melody he just played. Roland observed Pato from the shadows. Explanation of "Tuning". Alchemy restores a musical instrument''s deranged pitch. Doing this to a piece of equipment may give it a special effect. The repaired instrument can be given a "dragon sound". (NEW) Alchemy can give "~" to a musical instrument that has been ~. (A new item is about to be added to the description of "Tuning" of the patois. (The unique skill is about to evolve and broaden its scope.) When Roland looked at Pato again, he seemed absorbed in his work. (At this rate, it seems I don''t need to call out to him.) Roland did not call out to them, but quietly left the scene. (Well, now all that remains is Wayne.) Roland goes to check on Wayne. Wayne''s Unique Skills] Cutting": C to A (Unique skills have not grown since then. It hasn''t even reached B class, let alone expanded in variation like Aina and Pato. Am I still missing some key to growth?) Roland sighed. (In any case, we can''t postpone the conclusion any longer. Whether we give up or nurture, we have to make the next move. ......) Roland. Got a minute?" As Roland ponders, Dylan speaks to him. ''Yeah, I''m coming.'' Roland heard the report from Dylan. As for the treatment of the quartet, each of them probably earns no less than 10 million gold per year. To pull the quartet out of the quartet would require about 50 million gold in penalties in addition to their salaries. Fifty million?" That''s not all. If we pay the quartet that much, we have to raise the salaries of the other workers, too. It will definitely cause friction. I''m sure you''re right. Then, in addition to the 50 million in reserves, there would be the annual sales of the workshop. I don''t think we can afford it right now. Then again, ...... Yeah, we need to grow to 100 partnerships. But it is difficult with the existing facilities and staff, so we need to move to a new workshop (atelier), but we also need money to move the workshop (atelier)." It''s a dilemma. Yes," he said. For now, the quartet pullout will be shelved for a while. For the time being, we have to look for an affordable place to relocate and wait for the power of "Dragon''s Fires" to wane as we maintain and expand our advantage in the dungeon. Wayne was secretly listening to their conversation from the shadows. (d*mn, they even shelved the idea of pulling out the quartet?You''ve got to be kidding me. We don''t have time for this kind of nonsense anymore. We have to change Roland''s mind somehow.) Wayne recalled the content of their conversation. (Anyway, it''s a partnership. If the partnership grows to 100, that means we''ll have enough money to pull the quartet out. OK. Then we can go to ......) Wayne secretly set out to realize his ambition. The "Knight of Hail" returned from the dungeon. They once again challenged themselves to an ore mining quest with the guild''s prestige on the line, but the results were disastrous. The attack of the "White Wolf" not only destroyed the ore they had collected, but also the equipment they were wearing, and some of them even returned to town naked. Cendric, too, had barely half of his beard left before he went searching, but it was all shaved off in this search. Cendric and the other "knights of the hail" had to retreat from the island with a broken heart. They trudged along the road to the harbor looking shabby, but even the islanders did not yell at them. The islanders, however, did not criticize them because they had been modest and unassuming during their stay on the island, and they could not help feeling sorry for them as they returned home literally disrobed and naked. The "White Wolf" bandits watched from the harbor as the ship with Cendric and the others left the island. We defeated the Knight of Hail as planned. The local guilds that accompanied the hail knights were hurt more than they should have been. Now if the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance comes into the dungeon, we can take it one on one." Now let''s see how the "Arsenal of Spirits" comes in. Let''s see. The local adventurers, hurt by the White Wolf, need to secure this month''s payment, and naturally they sniff out word that the Arsenal of Spirits is looking for quests that pay well. While Wayne was drinking alone at the bar, a group of weary adventurers came through the door. The bandits had gotten to us again," Wayne said. Business is booming. I can''t get enough of it." It''s all because of the hail mongers. The adventurers grumble and order drinks. Then they noticed Wayne. Oh?It''s Wayne. Long time no see. "Oh." Wayne responded appropriately and continued to stir his drink. I heard. I heard you were transferred to the "Arsenal of Spirits. I''m not sure. Your guild is doing well these days, isn''t it?I''ve been leading alliances and so on. You should introduce me to some quests." Heh, you idiot. Who''s going to introduce me to you guys? Our guild doesn''t have time for you. I''m not. d*mn. You''re a slippery bastard. The adventurers move away, looking uninterested. However, Wayne finally realized that the demand for Roland and the "Arsenal of Spirits" was growing. The islanders are beginning to realize the value of Roland," Wayne said. (The islanders are beginning to realize Roland''s value.) "We can''t afford not to take advantage of him. Wayne looked back at the adventurers who had just spoken to him. They were still in the corner of the store, sipping on cheap drinks. As Wayne approached them, he could hear them talking. What are you going to do about it?I can''t even pay for the maintenance on the equipment this time. Maybe it''s time to move on. Maybe it''s time to get out of the adventure business and get back to the real thing." Hey, man. What the hell are you guys looking at? "Yeah?Wayne? What is it? You were so casual about it earlier. I thought you didn''t have time for us. Well, listen. There might be a way for you guys to join the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, you know?" What?Really?" How? I don''t think this is a good place for me to be. Let''s move. Wayne took the adventurers to a more intimate setting. The local adventurers who had accompanied the "Knight of Hail" on his unsuccessful dungeon expedition were once again being chomped at the bit. They also urged Leon and his team to form an alliance with the "Arsenal of Spirits" through the "Shield of Dawn. Leon and his team immediately consulted with Roland. The bandits seemed strangely aggressive this time," said Roland. There are more people than last time who want to join the "Arsenal of the Spirits" alliance. Some are even willing to join the partnership. Can''t I help you somehow, Roland?" "......" (The "White Wolf" attack was also strangely caustic. ......? Perhaps they were aware of the movements of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. If they enter the dungeon, they will set it up.) Roland?" I''m sorry. I''m not too far off from starting an alliance on the "Arsenal of Spirits" side. Really?Well then, ......" However!Up to 50 people. Any more than that and we will not be able to provide the equipment, and it could seriously degrade the strength of the force." Hmmm...50 people. That would mean turning down more than half of them. Well, I''m afraid we have no choice. The Shield of Dawn" had no choice but to accept Roland''s conditions, despite his disappointment. I''m sure that''s enough about the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance," Roland said.Then next, I''d like to talk about improving everyone''s skills. ......" As Roland was about to change the subject, he heard a murmur from outside the window. What is it?" When Roland went outside, he found that the adventurers had come in droves. They were crowding Aina, who had come out to respond. Aina was standing in front of the doorway, "Hey, what''s going on here? Shut up. Get Roland out of here! You''re not much to talk to, you know." One of the adventurers pushes Aina''s shoulder with a thump. Roland rushed to Aina''s defense. Hey, what are you doing? What''s going on? There he is. It''s Roland. Surround them! The adventurers surround Roland. Aina, who are these people? I came here suddenly. They wanted me to join the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance." In an alliance?" (This time, I''m sure they haven''t released any information about the launch of the alliance yet. Did someone leak it?) Hey, let us join the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. You''re going to launch it again, aren''t you?Don''t favor only your own people." We want our share of your quests. That''s what they told me. ...... As Roland was closing in, someone broke through the crowd and interrupted him. Hey, what the hell are you doing? You guys." Wayne?" When Roland sounded confused, Wayne stood in front of the adventurers and defended Roland. What kind of wisdom do you have to have to surround yourselves with the head of our guild, you people? Oh, Wayne. You tell him, too. We''ve got a lot of work to do. "Assigning work?Hey, you guys. We''re not the kind of guild that makes contracts easily. What? "If you want to sign a contract with us, you''ll have to join a partnership first!Then we''ll talk. Partnership? What''s that? It''s a system whereby you get priority access to the advice of an S-class appraiser in exchange for signing a lease contract with us. Now, if you want to join, get in line and write your name and guild on the application form. (Wayne?(What ......) Roland could only watch, bewildered by the sudden series of events and Wayne''s attitude. Wayne gloated that his plan had worked. We''re all set," he said. The time for revenge has finally come. Wait for me, Edgar. I''m going to use all of them and destroy you and the "Dragon''s Fires".) <> 108 - - Art. 108. Isles focus Wayne handed out partnership application forms to the adventurers packed into the "Arsenal of Spirits. The forms went quickly, and the adventurers filled in their names and the name of their organizations and submitted them. Finally, they were allowed to leave for the day. What a surprise! What is this all about suddenly? Aina said languidly. Are you all right?Aina-san." Saki, who heard the commotion and came from the cafeteria, calls out to him in a concerned manner. Saki comes over to me and says, "Yes, I''m fine. But I''m kind of tired with a thud." You just barged in out of the blue, didn''t you? Saki. Take Aina to the back. She pushed you earlier. Check to see if she''s hurt. Yes, sir. Saki pulled into the back with Aina. Roland looked quizzically at the stack of forms they had submitted. (They knew that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance would be launched soon. This time, they had only announced it to their friends, but ......) ''Oh no, that was tough. Guild leader. They don''t know how to be polite. Wayne said with a scowl. Wayne ....... They seemed to know you, but ......" I''m not sure. I used to take care of those guys back in the "Dragon''s Fires" days. I didn''t expect them to come in here like this. But, as they say, "A blessing in disguise. Now the number of partnerships in the "Arsenal of Spirits" has reached 100. Now all we have to do is take money from them and pull the quartet out. ...... Wayne, I think you''re mistaken, ......, I''m not going to let them join the partnership." Hah!Why not? Isn''t 100 partnerships the immediate goal of the "Arsenal of the Spirits?" I told you at the morning meeting today.The limit of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is 50 members. Leon''s acquaintances are all he has. We can''t afford to take them in. What are you talking about? You can manage that much with a little effort. This is our best chance to defeat the "Dragon''s Fires," so let''s go for it. Even if we can defeat the Dragon''s Fires, it won''t matter if the Arsenal of Spirits falls as well. It''s a good thing for the Arsenal of Spirits, too, because they''ll have more customers and their business rival will disappear, right?" Think about it. More customers are not always a good thing. The workload of each staff member will increase, and there is a fear that the capacity of the workshop (atelier) will be overstretched. If this happens, the service to the guilds that have been in partnership with the company for a long time, which should be treated with the utmost care and attention, will deteriorate. As a result, we will lose customers. I''m just saying, "That''s fine. It''s not that kind of thing. Just make a fool out of it. If you want, why don''t you just let them get a bad product, or make them wait and just pay for it? No," he said. That would damage the brand and its credibility, and above all, it would be an insult to humanity. Just look at this. Roland showed Wayne the guild column on the partnership application form. They came in droves, but they''re all from small guilds, right?They''re all guilds that blow up in the wind, aren''t they? I don''t think those guilds have a stable financial base. If you sign a contract with them to produce goods, you might go bankrupt without being able to collect the money you owe them. That''s the point," he said, "with the help of an S-class appraiser. Let them grow up quickly, succeed in their quests, and make money. Roland gave Wayne a jittery look as Wayne said in a light tone, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. No, but... As long as we get more contracts, we''ll have a better chance of getting funding. ......" I''m telling you, a broken plan like that, which only works on the basis of a painted picture, is bound to fail. What concerns me more is the fact that they were sniffing around about the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Someone might have leaked some strange information to them. We need to find out. I''ll go down to them, decline the partnership, and find out from whom the information came. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hey, you think about it. I''ve already told them I''m going into partnership.I don''t know what those thugs will do if I ask them to drop it now. They might attack this guild again. I guess so. Then, I''ll ask Leon and the others to escort me. They will not try to fight in front of the "Reflective Armor. If we say no on top of that ......" Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait. Why do you keep thinking in the direction of refusal like that? Why don''t you try to be a little more positive about it? Put yourself in my shoes. I''m the one who made a big show of asking them to join the partnership, remember?If I were to go back on a clean slate now, I would lose all credibility. "That''s for your own good, isn''t it?It''s none of my business. Don''t be so cold. I''m just trying to save face with my cute little guy. If I don''t do something, they''ll surround me and beat me to a pulp. Roland just cowered his shoulders. He seemed to be saying, "I''m very sorry, but there''s nothing I can do about it. (d*mn this guy. ......) I''m begging you," he said. You want to train adventurers on the island, too, don''t you?It''s good for you, too." I know you''ve been talking about the goals of the "Arsenal of Spirits" and my convenience, but do you understand what I''m talking about?What you''re doing is an overreach in the first place, isn''t it?" What? I did not give you the authority to enter into partnerships on your own! You said, "...... No, but you didn''t have a choice. In that situation, ....... We could have been hurt. ...... ''Then there is no need to accept this wish to join now that the danger has passed. I retract my previous statement and formally protest to their guild for obstruction." ......" I don''t want to be a stranger or a circumstance anymore," he said. What about you, Wayne? Me? If you''re going to go this far, there''s only one thing I want to hear from you. Are you prepared to accept responsibility for any consequences? "......" He frequently oversteps his authority and does not take responsibility for his actions. If they are allowed to get away with this kind of selfishness, "Arsenal of Spirits" will soon become an individualistic group like "Dragon''s Fires," chasing after sales figures that are only for show and sales estimates, only to find that the actual situation is a mess and to top it all off, they keep shoving the responsibility on each other after the fact. It is obvious that such an organization will end up like that." I''m sure you know what you''re talking about. ...... You don''t actually work in the Dragon''s Fires, do you? Wayne''s face turns biting for the first time in a long time as he recalls the bitter memories of his time at "Dragon''s Fires. You don''t have to actually work there to get a general idea of what it''s like. I don''t have to actually work there to know what it''s like. What the hell do you know? I can''t take that kind of time if I want to survive here!" Anyway, I can''t allow such a high-stakes project to be approved on the say-so of a half-wit who can''t even do his own job well enough." Kuku ......." I''m sorry I overstepped my bounds. But I''m serious about the trouble those guys are in. Please. I''m trying to save them somehow. [Wayne''s status]. Planning: 50-70 to 90-10 0 (Planning status is a 90-100 quality. It is a quality that can be used for alchemy, although it is a side effect. This could have some synergistic effect ......?) This is the last time I''m going to be wagging my finger." If this is successful, I''ll work on learning unique skills. I want to make up for all the dragging I''ve been through. I''m going to take responsibility for this. Roland sighed. I understand," he said. If you insist, I''ll allow you to proceed." I''m going to go to the airport. I''m in your debt. Well, now that we''ve decided that, there''s only one thing to do. Oh, and get some men and materials to ...... as soon as possible." No, you''re not.That''s not important. ?What''s that? "Bow down to Aina and ask for her cooperation." What?Why is that Aina guy coming out there?" Of course. She is in charge of most of this workshop (atelier) right now. Nothing works without her cooperation. You still haven''t apologized to her for your gaffe, have you?It''s a woman, for what it''s worth." You''re still rooting for ....... I think the statute of limitations has run its course." Aina is the one who decides that, not you. How long are you going to stay at odds with her?They always avoid each other except during meetings, as if they are playing some kind of game. It''s time for them to make peace with each other, or it''s going to be very difficult for me to work with them. I''m in charge of everything. Let me do it. Don''t worry, I''ll make it work. No. I can''t allow that. Why? You''re telling me I can''t lead my men and do the heavy lifting?" Yes. I don''t think so. (d*mn, this guy. ......) If you really want to go ahead with this project, you have to get Aina''s cooperation. I don''t know what you''re talking about. I don''t know if I can do it. I can''t bow down to him. It''s part of my job to bow down and ask for cooperation. It''s part of the job to bow down and ask for cooperation. Or is it something else?Do I have to take that much care of you?" "......" I''ll be responsible until the end. You said so yourself.Then you should at least do this." Ggh." And so, please cooperate with me." Aina looks at Wayne with jittery eyes. (d*mn, I''ve got to convince this guy somehow or I''ll never get Roland''s permission.) I''ll be right back. Please. I''m sorry about that time. I had just joined the company and I was in a temper. Now I recognize you as an alchemist. It''s fine that you approve of me, but these changes are going to get us all in trouble. Do you understand that?" I know. I know that. I''m taking this chance, man. What does Mr. Roland say? He said he''d be willing to go ahead if he could get ...... your cooperation. Aina let out a sigh. ''Huh. I can''t help it. I''ll cooperate with you for your modest growth. I''m sorry," he said. I''m in your debt!" Aina sighed. (Oh, my God, Roland, you''re so disciplined. If Mr. Roland had asked me, I would have complied immediately without having to do this.) The drastic increase in the number of people who wanted to join the partnership and the acceptance of Wayne''s proposal forced a drastic change in the production plan of the "Arsenal of Spirits. Roland immediately set out to procure new personnel as the plan got back on track. The current workshop (atelier) was full to the brim with equipment for 50 people, and to produce equipment for 100 people, the workshop (atelier) would have to be open not only during the day, but also at night. The only way to achieve this is to operate the system. This would require hiring new people for night work.) Roland appraises the girl in front of him who came for an interview. [Roullier''s skills Nocturnal": C to A Metal molding": C A (Found. Alchemist who has acquired the skill ''nocturnal'') Basically, skills and status become unstable at night. This is why adventurers on this island do not fight at night. However, those that have acquired the skill "nocturnal" can use their skills at night with the same effect as during the day. Roulier was a pale, unhealthy-looking girl with dark circles in her eyes. Her shaggy, unkempt black hair hung down to her eyes in a disheveled mess. She was wearing her hair in a messy, unkempt black mess that fell to her eyes.You seem to be a little sleep-deprived. ......" Roland asks, and the girl freaks out. I tend to oversleep in the morning because of my low blood pressure, and I''m always late wherever I go. I''ll do my best to get up in the morning, so could you please hire me somehow?" I see. Then, is it possible to work at night?We are planning to operate our workshop (atelier) at night. I will come in the evening and leave early in the morning. What?Don''t you have to get up early in the morning?I will do it. I will do it. Please let me work in that form! Loran appraised the next recruiter. [Melinda''s skills Toughness Recovery: C to A Stamina (Recovery): C to A Metal molding": C to A (Toughness Recovery and Stamina Recovery are A class. (This can stabilize the accuracy of skills even at night.) Skills become unstable at night because endurance (toughness) and strength (stamina) drop rapidly. Therefore, as long as they have "Endurance (Toughness) Super Recovery" and "Stamina (Stamina) Super Recovery," they can expect to be able to use their skills to some extent at night. Melinda, on the other hand, was a girl with a twinkle in her eye as if she had been up all night. Your eyes look a little bloodshot. ......" I''m sorry. I haven''t been sleeping well. Lack of sleep?What''s troubling you? ......" I have to work 12 hours a day to sleep. I see. We need to make a lot of equipment right now, and we are short on staff. If you would like, I can work nights and holidays. ...... What?Can I work on holidays?I will do it. I will do it. Please let me work. (Both of them are C class in "metal molding"; they should have no problem making C class equipment. (Both of them are C class in "metal molding", so there will be no problem to make C class equipment.) Thus, with the addition of new members, the "Arsenal of Spirits" started under a new structure. Aina hurriedly rearranged the schedule. (We have a newcomer, so we have to think about a new way of assigning work. She had to rearrange the schedule and make new blueprints for the newcomers. When I receive the specifications from Mr. Roland, I will assign work to each of them. I am the only one who can do "exterior reinforcement (coating)" ......, and I will manage the warehouse at ....... (Ah, there''s too much to do already) Aina, I made the steel part of the armor. I can put this in the ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' section, right?" While Aina was worrying about this and that, Wayne told her so. Aina was wondering about this and that when Wayne said to her, "Oh, no?Thanks. What''s wrong with you?You''re always so thoughtful." I''m in charge of this project, too. Besides, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We have to work together as a workshop (atelier). You can give me all the armor and shields. Pato needs to concentrate on ''tuning'' and Leena is busy refining. Roddy needs to draw up the blueprints, and you want to keep the Eyes on hand, don''t you?You concentrate on ''exterior enhancement (coating)'' and job assignments, right?" Yeah?"Well, ......, I''ll leave you to it then." You have a very special attitude. I guess you have grown up after this incident.) But Wayne had other ideas. (Hmmm. As long as we can get the project through, we''re all set. The quests that exceed the production capacity of the workshop (atelier) are over capacity for Aina, and Roland has shifted his focus to appraising night groups and adventurers, and is not paying attention to them. This is my chance to increase my influence in the workshop (atelier). Wayne looked at Aina. (It is true that Aina is currently in control, but if I can make more armor than Aina here, my stock will surely rise. If that happens, Roland will have no choice but to put me in charge of this business from now on. And my influence will also increase, which will make it easier for me to get more projects done in the future. After I have effectively taken control of this workshop (atelier), the next step is to build a new workshop (atelier). I will be in charge of the construction of the new studio, and I will stand right in front of the enemy''s nose and crush that son of a b*tc*, Edgar. And so Wayne actually builds most of the steel parts of the new equipment. Both Roland and Aina were tongue-tied at this and took a fresh look at Wayne. Thus, equipment for 100 people was manufactured in the blink of an eye. On the day of the dungeon search, adventurers who wished to join the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance gathered in the plaza. The 100 adventurers were too small to fit in front of the "Spirit Arsenal," so they gathered in the plaza. The "Arsenal of the Spirits" staff members were in charge of the plaza, fitting the adventurers with their equipment. Pato looked on with difficulty as he handed out the equipment to the adventurers. (Somehow we managed to make enough equipment for 100 people. (Somehow we managed to make enough equipment for 100 people. (But ......) Pato recalls talking to Loran. He said, "Mr. Roland, I disagree. If we expand so rapidly, there will always be a breakdown somewhere. The skills of Wayne and Leena are still in the process of development, so wouldn''t it be better to develop those skills first and then enhance support for the guilds that are already in partnership? Yeah, that''s what I was thinking, too. But there is a limit to waiting for Wayne to grow up. It has been a good amount of time since I hired him, and yet his unique skills have not yet exceeded the C level. If he doesn''t grow any further, I will have no choice but to give up on his development." "Such as ......" That''s where this plan comes in. If we give him responsibility for his work, it may help him to change his mindset. It''s a risky gamble, but I''m willing to bet on Wayne''s enthusiasm. ......" I know it''s hard, and I know it''s dangerous. I hope you can help me somehow." (Wayne''s growth ......? As a good friend, I can''t help but agree with you if you say so. However, I wonder if it will be okay. I''m not sure if it''s safe to bring up such a large group of people at once, no matter how much Mr. Roland ......) As Pato was pondering these thoughts, he saw a crowd gathering in one corner of the plaza. It seemed that someone was standing at a podium and giving a speech. (What?(A speech?) When Pato looked from behind the crowd, he saw a girl giving a speech. Gentlemen!How in the world did we come to be thus devoured!" Pato was astonished to see the face of the girl giving the speech. (That''s ...... Carla!) ''It is all because of adventurers from the outside that we have come to be this way. The reason why "Dragon''s Fires" gave priority to equipment for outside adventurers is because the council passed a resolution to open the door wide to outside adventurers. I will not stand idly by and watch adventurers from the outside ravage our garden as they please. Now is the time for all of us to stand up together. Let''s blockade the port, lock out the outsiders, and take back the "Volcano Dungeon" and the quest to defeat the "Grand Fafnir" into our own hands. Let us unite here and put pressure on the Congress. With this many people rushing to the council, they can''t afford not to listen to us." (Carla. What are you doing? Don''t tell me you''re trying to incite people to take advantage of this gathering?) Pato was appalled by her ideas and actions. And to his annoyance, not a few of them were listening to Carla''s speech. Hey, Kola! Hey, you! What are you doing with your speech? Wayne, with a scowl on his face, climbed up on the podium and grabbed Carla''s hand. What the hell are you doing? Get off me! No one not in the chain of command is allowed to make a speech without permission!Come here. I''ll pull you up in front of Roland." Pato rushed to Wayne and Carla. Wayne. Wayne. That girl is an acquaintance of mine. An?"Pato?You know him? What''s up?What''s all the fuss?" Roland comes in. "Oh, Guildmaster. Listen to me. This woman has taken it upon herself to incite the members of our alliance. I believe you came to our guild before ....... Pato, do you know her?" Mr. Roland, will you let me take care of her?" Pato and Carla moved to a corner of the square. Carla looks batty. ''It''s been a long time, Carla. ......" After the failed assassination attempt on Yugan, now you''re doing political work?" Carla glares at Pato sharply. ''It wasn''t a failed assassination. They didn''t need to kill us, they just left." So now it''s political activism. You have no right to tell me what to do. I am only trying to protect the island." (Defend the Islands ......) To Pato now, what Carla was saying seemed empty. Carla. Would you like to join the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance?" What?" The "Arsenal of Spirits" and Mr. Roland intend to eventually take a leading role as an alchemy guild on this island. And we will remove and heal the lesions that are poisoning this island." "Foci?" Yes. A lesion. The island is diseased. A disease called "Dragon''s Fires." "......" After transferring to the ''Arsenal of the Spirits,'' it became clear to me." They are like contagious patients who are sick but are spreading a virus without realizing it. Don''t you think it''s strange?The adventurers on the island have not been nurtured, and the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" has not been defeated. On the other hand, only the "Dragon''s Fires" have developed and grown in size. This is no coincidence. It is all due to the disease that the "Dragon''s Fires" are carrying. ......" He, Mr. Roland, is clearly not on the same level as the adventurers who have come from outside the island so far." Well, it certainly doesn''t look like there are any S-class adventurers, or even A-class adventurers, and they''re not as good as Yugan Aymar''s or Sein Orbesta''s troops. Don''t bother telling me that. ......" ''It''s the other way around, Carla. Compared to Sein Orbesta, Yugan Aymar, and them, Mr. Roland is far superior as an adventurer. That''s what I''m trying to say." What?" You''ve explored dungeons with Sein Orbestar and Yugan Aymar, haven''t you?And I have seen up close what they are capable of. Then, if we explore the dungeon together, we will soon find out. You''ll see what Mr. Roland is capable of." "......" You''re after Grand Fafnir too, aren''t you?Then I don''t think it''s a waste of time to check out the "Spirit Arsenal" and Mr. Roland, who will definitely be the eye of the storm on the island in the future. Thank you for your patience. Mr. Roland. She will be joining the Alliance. Pato, accompanied by Carla, returned to Roland. ''So you''re here at last. Roland gives Carla a friendly smile. ''Carla, right?You and I will eventually explore the dungeon together. I had a feeling we would. From the very first time we met. What the hell is this?) Carla looked at Roland quizzically. She looked at Carla and said, "Mr. Roland, I''m going with you on this exploration. Pato. You too?" Yes." (If Carla tries to kill Mr. Roland, I will stop her. (If Carla tries to kill Mr. Roland, I will stop her, even if it costs me my life.) Hey, wait a minute. If Pato''s going, I''m going too." Wayne said. I''m not sure if my contribution will be diminished by Pato''s success in the dungeon after all the preparation I''ve done. I''ll have to keep a close watch on him to make sure he doesn''t take credit for my work at the last minute.) The alliance, with all of its actors in place, dived into the dungeon with many problems, including hastily prepared equipment, poor relationships, and mixed feelings. <> 109 - - Art. 109. The Battle of Carla 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. 110 - - CHAPTER 110 POTENTIAL As Carla lowered herself to attack Loran from behind, someone held her shoulders. ''What are you doing Carla? I''ll be right back. Pato! I''ve already defeated all my enemies. Why don''t you sheathe your sword?" I''m not. I know what you mean. Shut up. Carla sheathes her sword and looks away from Roland. Carla. You weren''t going to attack Mr. Roland, were you?" Carla did not answer that and returned to her position. (What I had feared had happened? I was glad that I had recognized Mr. Roland''s ability, but that had put him on Carla''s list of dangerous people. Carla, do you really intend to kill everyone who comes close to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"? Was it still a mistake to bring them closer together? Pato puffed his head. (Even if there are differences of opinion now, there will always be a way for us to work together. At any rate, I guess we''ll have to keep an even closer eye on her from now on.) Carla glances at Loran again when she is far enough away from the patrol. Loran was now instructing another person. (With so many people watching, would it be suicide to assassinate Roland? d*mn. I missed my chance because the patrol stopped me. Oh well. In any case, with my current attack power, I can''t put a scratch on the blue armor Roland is wearing. The only way to finish him off with a single blow is with "Shadow Strike. To unleash the "Shadow Strike," I need someone to help me because I need a shieldman between the two of us. However, I wonder if there is anyone who will cooperate with Roland''s assassination in this situation now. ......) Carla bristles with impatience, but restrains herself. (Calm down. If the situation changes, there will be people who will not be pleased with Roland.) Carla looks at Roland with fire in her eyes. (I''ll let you off the hook for now. (I''ll let you off the hook for now, but watch me, Roland. I''ll kill you for sure.) After that, Roland and his friends decided to go a little further into the dungeon and encamp. The day passed uneventfully into the night and everyone went to sleep. The next morning, Loran visited under the vanguard unit with Carla. ''Leon. Do you have a minute?" Hey, Roland. What''s up?" It''s a change of members. She is Carla. She''ll be joining the front line today as a replacement." (What?You''re going to the front line?) Carla was impatient. (I''m not kidding. If that happens, it''s going to be even harder to kill Roland. We have to stop it somehow. ......) Replenishment?We''re just in time over here, okay?" Leon said curiously. ''Yeah, I know. But she''s too good to leave in the back. She can only be of real value when she is on the front line with the higher level guys. That''s what I think. "Oh." Leon looks at her as if he is interested in Carla for the first time. ''Did you say Carla?The vanguard isn''t as gentle as the rear guard, okay?You''re not going to slow me down, are you?" When Leon says this, Carla is miffed. A liability?I''m not kidding. I''m more worried about you guys being a liability to me." I''m not sure what to do. You seem to have a lot of bravado. I hope those words aren''t just words. Leon. She is a rear-guard bandit (Thief). She is a rear-guard thief. She will follow closely behind a shield-user and attack with "shadow strikes" when the enemies are in a fight, and jump out to attack with "sword techniques" when the enemy retreats. I want to see if it works when paired with Erio." I''ll be right back. Okay, I''ll do it. Okay. Come here a minute. Leon calls Elio. Carla finally realizes her gaffe at that stage. Oh, no! She agrees to the front line transfer by using a sales pitch. What am I doing?) Carla. Are you okay?" Roland noticed that Carla''s face was tense and called out to her. ''What?Oh, no. ......" I''ll be fine. You''re good enough to be in the front line. Have confidence. Hmm?Uh, yeah." Leon has a strong sense of responsibility, so he''s just a little bit harsh, but he would never be mean to you. He''ll recognize you in a heartbeat. Oh. Oh. (This guy is kind of hard to deal with. (He''s so gently encouraging.) Carla hurriedly warned herself that her killing intent was about to diminish. After completing the reorganization of the troops, Roland and his team started exploring the dungeon again. Not waiting long, Jeff, who was out searching, spotted an approaching monster. There are enemy troops 500 meters ahead of you. There are 20 armored orcs and 10 armored wolves. Okay. Forward march. We''ll take it from here. Follow Jeff. The messenger will bring the scouting party back and notify the rear. Leon gives the order, and the messenger archer shoots an arrow into the sky to let them know that he has found the enemy. Carla. For now, you should stay behind Erio. The others will follow you. Aaan?"You don''t have to tell me that. ......" Erio ran out toward the "Armored Orc". (Ugh. He''s fast!) Carla hurried to follow just as she was about to fall behind. Somehow, she managed to get behind Erio as he confronted the "armored orc. (Okay. I''m behind Erio. Waiting for the enemy to attack from here, I use "Shadow Strike" (......)) However, Erio does not wait for the enemy to attack, but "shield assaults" himself. Eh?" While Carla is puzzled by Erio''s rapid acceleration with "Shield Assault," Erio knocks his enemy into a coma and then assembles him. He thrusts a dagger from his waist at his opponent''s neck, easily defeating him. The surrounding adventurers also defeated their assigned monsters in turn. A ...... The battle is over before Carla can do anything. Carla. What are you doing? If you''re going to ''Shadow Strike,'' you have to match Elio''s ''Shield Assault. Jeff scolded. Shut up," he said. I know." The battle begins again. Carla looks for an opportunity to get behind Elio. (I fell behind earlier, but this time ......) As soon as Elio sees the enemy, he takes small steps in order to get a chance for a "shield assault" while measuring the distance between him and the enemy. (d*mn. He''s a shield user, but it''s hard to read his movements. His movements are more complicated than Roland''s because of the "Shield Assault.) Carla somehow prepares to release "Shadow Strike" in time with the timing of Elio''s "Shield Assault. However, Elio suddenly stopped. Carla bumps into Elio''s back. Ugh!" Oh, I''m sorry. Are you okay?" Don''t stop so suddenly. Why on earth are you ......" This time, "Fafnir" is coming, so we''re going to wait behind Jeff. Here he comes. As Jeff draws the fire dragon (Fafnir) in with his "bow shot," Erio jumps in and "shield assaults" it. Carla was watching in blank amazement, so she was late again. Hey, Carla," he said. What are you doing? You were just about to give chase, weren''t you? Jeff shouted again. Jeff shouted again. I''ll go." Leon, who had anticipated the situation and prepared for it, moves quickly and thrusts his sword into the comatose Fafnir''s head. (After all, there is still a gap with the vanguard group.) Roland thought as he watched Carla struggle to match Elio. (Carla''s skills and status are already B class, but compared to Elio and the others, she is still developing in terms of speed of judgment, tactical understanding, and accuracy of skills. But when those deficiencies are identified and filled in, both she and this unit should be able to reach a level one step higher. (For now, it is still time to watch and wait.) The front line troops are again attacked by monsters. But Carla is too busy following Erio to hit "Shadow Strike. "Carla!What have you been doing all this time? You''re just spacing out in the back." Ugh, shut up. You guys move so fast, it''s hard to tell. When Fafnir comes out, you must attack with a shield charge anyway. Keep that in mind. Jeff scolded him irritably. Leon, however, saw it differently. I''m surprised. Carla''s already following Elio''s movements. I''ve never seen a guy who could keep up with Erio''s moves so quickly. I see. I can see why Roland is paying special attention to him. Carla Grazia, she is exceptional.) Here comes Fafnir again. Carla, don''t miss this time. Shut up. I know." Erio enters the "Shield Assault" position. (From here, you''re going to accelerate rapidly, aren''t you? Then I''ll have to step in harder. ......) Erio accelerates quickly for a moment and jumps into the head of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Carla also jumped into Elio''s back without missing a beat. Jeff was startled by Carla''s cat-like suppleness. He was surprised by Carla''s cat-like suppleness.) Carla thrusts her sword into Elio''s back just in time for his shield to hit the head of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Fafnir" was hit by "Shield Assault" and "Shadow Strike" at the same time and blew out blood from his forehead as he fell down comatose. Haaaaah!" Carla jumped once more, using Erio''s back as a springboard, and showered him with "Kaiten Sword Dance". In an instant, countless cuts were made from the head to the neck of Fafnir. The "Fafnir" crashed to the ground, spewing blood from several places. "Huh. How''s that? Jeff. If I really put my mind to it, this is what I can do. d*mn. Don''t get carried away just because you''ve slayed one Fafnir. If you''re in the front line, you''re on your own when you can defeat Fafnir by yourself. "What the hell?You son of a b*tc*! Well, well, well, Jeff. You don''t have to be so strict. Carla, that was a great collaboration. Elio. "Elio, don''t spoil him. He''s going to get carried away soon. (albeit ......) Jeff glanced at "Fafnir," which had been torn to pieces and was lying on the ground. (The power of attack when it fits the mold is extraordinary, isn''t it? I have to admit that.) Leon chuckled when he saw Carla''s move. In less than a day, she''s learned to adapt herself to Erio. I''m not holding my breath.) (But not yet.) Roland "status appraised" Carla. Carla Grazia''s status Agility: 70 (up 10) - 80 (up 10) 120-130 (It is still not enough to be able to match Elio''s movements. With her potential, she should be able to match Jill''s movements. When she is able to do so, she will be able to demonstrate an attack power that can defeat even the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". Nevertheless, it was more than enough achievement for the present situation. Roland decided to be satisfied with that for today. Leon and Carla seem to be doing okay, so I''m going to be in the rear guard again. "Leon, Carla seems to be OK, so I''ll go to the rear again, just be careful not to wear out. I''ll leave the rest to you. Okay." Roland leaves the vanguard and heads toward the rear guard. Carla sees this and is surprised. Roland''s going to the rear guard?d*mn it, even though I don''t have many opportunities to assassinate people. (This is going to reduce my chances even more.) Carla. What are you doing? The next enemy is coming. d*mn it, I know." So Roland and his team walked from one mining site to another, expanding their skills and acquiring ore at a steady pace. The "White Wolves" were waiting by the edge of the lake. Many "Fafnir" dragons were resting with their wings folded. Rodo threw the flesh of a goblin toward one of the Fafnirs. The "Fafnir" sucked the thrown piece of meat into its mouth, and then held it in its hand and devoured it. The "Goblin" sucked the thrown piece of meat into his mouth, held it in his hand, and devoured it. Eat well and work hard to make up for it. Pieces of goblin flesh and bones are already scattered all around, and the "fire dragons (Fafnir)" are comfortably listening to the sound of Rodo''s "dragon flute". Some of the "Fafnir" were rubbing their swollen bellies or burping with satisfaction. Rodo. How is Fafnir doing? Jamil, who had returned from his reconnaissance, asked. Jamil. I''ve got him in good shape. If we pay them off this well, they won''t be so easy to win over, no matter how many of their enemies have ''Ryuon'' in their arsenal. I see." Jamil looked up the mountain. Even from here, he could see a large group of people quarrying ore in the mining area. The "Spirit Arsenal" has just visited its fourth mine. By now, they should have finished procuring ore and their item bags should be full. We''ll set them up just as they come down." Copy that. <> 111 - - 111. Loran vs. Jamil While the "Arsenal of Spirits" Alliance was finishing procuring ore and heading down the mountain, Aina was having dinner in the cafeteria. (Roland-san should have finished procuring the ore by now.) That meant the battle with the bandits was about to begin. (Mr. Roland, are you okay?) As Aina was pecking her beans while looking out the window at the "volcanic dungeon", a newcomer, Roullier, sat across the table from her. (Oops. The night shift is here.) Good evening, Miss Aina." Good evening. Lurie. What''s ......, eh?" Aina''s eyes fluttered as she looked at Roullier, who was sitting across from her. Aina''s eyes fluttered as she looked at Roullier, who was sitting in the seat across from her. Before, she was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and you could tell at a glance that she was in poor health. But now, in front of Aina''s eyes, the dark circles under her eyes had completely disappeared, her shaggy hair was shiny, her skin was fresh and moist, and she looked like a different person, full of life. Roulier. What''s wrong?Is your skin looking a lot better?" Yes, I am. Since I started working the night shift and was able to sleep well until noon, I have been feeling better and my skin has even come back to normal. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. That''s great. Yes. It''s really been a good thing since I came here. (I can''t believe I feel better if I stay up late at night. Weird girl. While Aina is talking with Lurie, Melinda comes to the same table with a tray. "Excuse me." She, too, was looking much better. Her eyes, which had always been bloodshot and glaring due to lack of sleep, were now covered with appropriate eye lids and blinking repeatedly. The dry eyeballs had become moist again, and the red lines that had been like cobwebs around the whites of the eyes had completely disappeared. She is now a calm and beautiful woman with well-groomed eyelashes and slit eyes. She sat down at the table, brought a platter of food to her mouth with her right hand, and began manipulating papers with her left. Melinda. The redness in your eyes is gone. You must have gotten rid of the lack of sleep. Yes, thanks to you. Melinda replies as she runs her pen over the document. Hey, Melinda. Why don''t you at least relax at mealtime?We''re past the busy season, and there''s no need to rush to get the work done, okay?" No," he said. I have to work this hard to sleep." Yeah. Yeah. I get lightheaded late at night. I have to work all hours." (They are both strange children. (They are both strange kids, and I''m glad they work the night shift. I don''t know...) Aina let out a sigh and looked out the window again. (Mr. Roland, I can''t wait for you to come home.) After completing the ore extraction quest for 100 people, Roland decided to descend the mountain and return to town. (Now, here comes the problem. On the way back, the bandits would be waiting for him. If he did not successfully pass through this dungeon, he would not have completed his quest. The "White Wolves" will be bent on revenge for what they did to us last time. And they are a large group. This is the perfect opportunity for them to deal us a blow. They will surely make a move.) Roland checked the status of the troops again. In Roland''s mind, the troops were divided into four groups. The first was the "B" skill group. These are the mainstay members whose skills and status are equivalent to B class, and who are well adapted to troop behavior. The "Shield of Dawn" and the "Arrow of Heavenly Horse" are the mainstay of this group. The second group is the "C" skill group. Although their skills are still in the development stage and their use is limited, their status is equivalent to that of B class. They are also adapted to troop activities. The "Guardian of Ore," "Silver Eagle Alliance," "Wildcat," "Mage Sisters," "Nicola the Bard," and about 20 others fall into this category. The third group is the "D" group. They are equivalent to status C and are still unfamiliar with troop behavior. About 30 of the newly recruited adventurers, who have trained intensively, fall into this group. The fourth group is the "E" group. This group consists of about 40 newly recruited adventurers who have received almost no training and have not even adjusted their status. The core of this group is the "B" and "C" skill level group, and the "D" and "E" skill level group is the follow-up group. That''s the theme of this year''s event. The rest can be found at ......) When Roland felt a gaze and turned around, his eyes met those of Carla, who was staring at him. Carla hurriedly looked away. (She could be our trump card this time.) In Roland''s mind, she was a special case. She might even reach a proficiency level of A during this search. She still left a great deal of room for development and was an inconclusive figure to be placed in any of the four groups. As Roland had predicted, the bandits set up as soon as they started down the mountain. On the narrow, winding road, they sprayed arrows at Roland and his group from the cliff tops. Roland and his men immediately took up defensive positions with their shields at the ready. Jamil peeked out from the shadows on the cliff and "status appraised" the adventurers of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Status of one adventurer Arm strength (power): 30-60 Endurance (toughness): 30-50 Agility: 40-50 Physical strength (stamina): 40-80 Kukk. It seems that even the quintessential S-class appraiser couldn''t adjust the stats of the entire troop. (I can see variations in skill levels among the adventurers.) Jamil "appraises the status" of each adventurer and identifies those with low skill levels. (Status disorder leads to performance disorder, which eventually leads to mental disorder. If we attack those with poor status adjustment first, they will naturally cause panic and self-destruct. Jamil had already set a trap. There is only one side road that can take you down the mountain to escape this "bow shooting" rain. At the end of that road, Rodo with a pack of "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)" was waiting for them. If Fafnir and a squad of warriors swooped down on Roland and his men as they fled from a hail of arrows, the alliance would easily collapse. But Roland saw that there was an ambush ahead down the road. He ordered his archers to fire a warning shot with their bows, and then ordered his troops to turn back the way they had come, aiming for the moment when the enemy stopped firing their bows. Under Roland''s command, the members of the unit evacuated out of range, starting with those with the weakest status. The retreat was carried out swiftly and in an orderly fashion rarely seen. What?) Jamil''s eyes widened. Hey, they''re pulling up." Zain said impatiently. Did they see through our plan?) Zain unleashed his "dragon-headed cage" on the retreating alliance, but they did not panic in the slightest. "Tsk. Send out the white army. But don''t start a fight. It''s just a check. If they start to attack, fight them appropriately and retreat. The "White Wolf" White Guard, which had been hiding in plain sight, comes out and closes in behind the retreating alliance. Roland, noticing this, reverses his troops and prepares to meet them in battle. The two sides stared at each other and came to a standoff. Roland watches his opponent closely, trying to read the enemy''s next move. (Will he make a move?) Roland was looking at his opponent to see what his opponent''s next move would be. (Will they make a move?) However, if we make a move, a trap will surely be waiting for us. (On the other hand, if we continue to watch, the enemy will only get ready to attack.) We already know that among the enemies there are those who manipulate the "dragon sound. If we continue to wait, they will make the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" go around and pincer attack us. We also have a bard who can use "Ryuon", but I am sure they are aware of that. There is no doubt that they are taking some kind of countermeasure. Roland ordered Lana to fortify their defenses with "crust magic. A wall of earth separates us from them. Jamil, who had climbed down from the cliff and joined the white army, frowned when he saw the situation. (Is that ...... fortifying defenses and forming a position?But this will make it impossible for them to attack from the other side, too. (No, wait.) Jamil realized what Roland was after. He was preparing for an attack from behind by Fafnir, the fire dragon. ) "If you build a wall and separate yourself from the enemy, you can prevent a pincer attack even if Fafnir comes from behind," Jamil said. Hey," he said. Jamil. Shouldn''t we attack with Fafnir?Anytime you''re ready, man." (In fact, Jamil was going to order Rodo to make the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" go around if Loran did not build an earthen wall.) No," Jamil said. If we attack now, we will only wear out Fafnir, which we have already tamed. But the more I watch, the more defenses they are putting up," he said. At this rate, we will have nothing left to attack with. Relax. The enemy must not be able to spare more potions than we do. They will surely make a move on us. Instead, we need to fortify our defenses. Warriors of "White Wolf" also put up shields on the ground and piled up soil to fortify their defenses. Roland could see this from his side as well. Despite the fact that we were on the defensive, they did not attack us. Rather, they were fortifying their defenses. Did the enemy commander see through our aim?) (If they are going to remain locked up until nightfall, Roland''s goal is probably to retreat tomorrow morning at sunrise, scatter us, and make a detour down the mountain. (If so, we should also position ourselves for a night camp, and then set up a chase position for a chase tomorrow morning.) In these few exchanges of moves, Roland and Jamil read each other''s strength. ((There is no gap. (You''re gonna do it.)) The next morning, the alliance rushed out as the sun rose. Retracing their steps back the way they had come, they made a detour, dodged the bandits, and descended the mountain. The "White Wolf" bandits soon followed, destroying the mud wall made by "crust magic. Hey, Jamil. The bandits of the Alliance are running away from us. Rodo said in an irritated tone as he ran. Don''t panic. We haven''t lost the enemy yet. But this wasn''t part of the plan. You''re already into Roland''s pace, aren''t you?" I''m not. They have an element of insecurity. Status anxiety. Status?" Yes. Not a few of their troopers are in a state of disarray. If they run like this, they will soon run out of breath and ...... status?" (Wait a minute. (Come to think of it, their agility items were the only ones that didn''t seem to fluctuate much?) After deciding that it would be impossible to train all the alliance participants, Roland decided to adjust them all, at least agility-wise. Therefore, he requested them to move through the dungeon at the same speed as usual in terms of marching, let alone fighting, and succeeded in adjusting their agility to within a margin of error of 10. Therefore, they were able to march without running out of breath as long as they were running around like this. Tsk. So that''s what I''ve been trained to do with agility? (......) in anticipation of this situation. In addition, Roland used his archers and thieves to set up traps and fire bows at the "White Wolves" chasing after him from behind, making it extremely difficult for the "White Wolves" to pursue them. The "White Wolves" were frustrated and had to chase after Roland and the others. Even Jamil, who had been the rock of the game, began to feel impatient. This is not good. If we keep going like this, we''ll be cut down slowly and miss the enemy.) Hey, what are you going to do? Jamil. We can''t catch up with the enemy." The enemy archers and thieves are powerful, and that''s a nuisance. It''s not a good idea to go chasing after them. Jamil bites his back teeth when Rod and Zain say so. Jamil bit his teeth. We have to do something.) There is a limit to how far we can go in restraining Rod and Zain. The only reason they follow Jamil is because he lets them earn the war. If they are unable to catch Roland at this point, Rodo and Zain may leave Jamil''s leadership and act on their own. If that happens, the chances of winning against Lorang will become even smaller. ...... sacrifice to stop the enemy in their tracks?" Loran. The ambush was successful. Alice, returning from the ambush, said. I cut down two of the enemy bandits (Thief). Jeff, who came back with us, says. ''All right. Good job. What do we do now?"Shall we ambush them one more time?" Jeff said. ''Ummm.'' Roland glanced at the road ahead and the position of the sun as he drove across the plateau. No, let''s not. There is a place up ahead where we can camp for the night. Let''s continue on to that point and rest for the day." All right." Roger that." (but still ......) Jeff looks at the new adventurers. (Can''t these guys run any faster?) Although their agility had been adjusted by Roland, the newcomers, who were not yet accustomed to Roland''s methods, were slowing down and dragging their feet at every turn of the march. (If only they hadn''t been so slow, we would have gotten further ahead and had more chances to set up an ambush.) Jeff, too, did not express his frustration in words, but inwardly he was frustrated. Meanwhile, Jeff''s "far-sightedness" caught sight of an enemy approaching from behind. The enemy is coming!Fifteen Thief! Jeff shouted. Fifteen?) Roland checks the approaching enemies, and sure enough, 15 bandits (Thief) equipped for melee combat are approaching. Roland became suspicious. (Are just 15 people challenging our nearly 100 adventurers to melee combat?Do they want to stop us in our tracks?(Or is there something else you''re after?) Roland once again checks their position and the distance to their destination. We are almost to the planned encampment. (It doesn''t matter if we take some time here.) Roland decided to fight. It was also with a group of skill level D. (From what I saw of the enemy''s skills and stats, even newcomers can beat them. (From what I saw of the enemy''s skills and stats, even newcomers to the group can beat them. It might also help the adventurers on the island to overcome their fear of the "White Wolf. When Roland gave the order to intercept the group, the D-skilled group leaped forward as if they had been waiting for it. They, too, were looking for an opportunity to test their skills. When they intercepted the enemy bandit (Thief) force, they easily gained the upper hand. On the other hand, the enemy thieves did not retreat even when they were at a disadvantage. They took a defensive posture and blatantly tried to prolong the battle. The enemy''s aim, after all, was to stall them.) Roland was relieved that his reading was correct. He would be able to get away with the enemy''s pursuit by quickly retreating to his position after defeating the enemy. With this in mind, Roland was about to watch the battle unfold when suddenly the armor of one of his allies was wrecked. (What?) One more person''s armor is wrecked. The adventurers with broken armor were on their butts on the ground with a pout. In fact, there was no attack from the enemy that could do any serious damage. (That''s ridiculous. What in the world?No way!) [Status of wrecked armor Power: 0 (60) Durability: 0 (30) (Durability 30!There are shoddy products in the mix. I''m pretty sure that was the armor Wayne was in charge of ......) Roland stared at Wayne with a jittery look. (Yuck.) Wayne hurriedly looks away. Roland looked bitter. (I thought Wayne''s guy was strangely quick to make it, is that what you mean?) Unrest was already beginning to spread among the troops engaged in the battle. Everyone begins to float away and be pushed by the enemy. Roland quickly appraised the situation and found that there were still a number of shoddy products. (d*mn. Now is not the time to blame Wayne.) Roland ordered reinforcements to be brought out and quickly subdue the enemy. The enemy, sensing the newcomers, decided it was time to move on and fled. (Did they escape?) If the enemy sees that our equipment is inadequate, please contact us at ....... That''s not good.) Nearby, an adventurer who has wrecked his armor is being helped up by his companions. Itete." Hey, you okay? Yeah. What the hell happened all of a sudden? I don''t know. I don''t know why my armor broke all of a sudden." Roland. Roland, take a look at this. It looks like his armor suddenly broke. Information quickly spread around. "My armor is broken?" What do you mean? "Are you sure it''s defective?" Roland noticed that the eyes of the adventurers around him were fixed on him. Sweat broke out on his forehead. Let''s see... ......" The surrounding adventurers waited with bated breath for Roland''s next words. With his heart racing, Roland pretended to be examining his broken armor. Then he turned around and smiled at everyone. It looks like I hit it wrong," Roland said. Unlucky, I guess. Hearing this, the adventurers looked as if their shoulders had relaxed. What, you just got a bad shot?" You really put me on the spot. ''Well, I''m glad to hear it, though. There''s nothing wrong with your equipment, is there?" I guess so." If there are any flaws in the manufacture of the equipment, it will hinder us in the battles to come. Roland tried his best to hide the paleness of his face as he listened to everyone''s words. (It was a close call. If it became known that a large number of defective products were mixed in, it would be a credibility problem. But what to do?(Somehow we managed to fake the situation, but if the "White Wolf" takes advantage of us, there will be no shame.) Roland''s head was spinning at high speed as he tried to get the situation under control. (We have to do something. ......) <> 112 - - Art. 112. Laughing in Crisis While the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and the "White Wolf" were engaged in fierce competition, a cruise ship was anchored in the harbor. The ship had just anchored after a peaceful journey, and one of the crew members, a baggage boy, was unloading the passengers'' luggage, feeling regretful that the voyage was coming to an end. For this voyage had been one of the most enjoyable of his seafaring career. The secret lay with a certain noblewoman on board. Dressed all in black, with a black tongari hat, black clothes, and black knee socks, she looked like a mage from the "adventurer''s town. He rushed to the guest room, inwardly thrilled each time she rang the call bell. His heart was buoyed partly because she was so pretty and wore a charming smile that he couldn''t help but turn his head when he passed her, but also because this cheerful lady spoke so openly to him, a humble boy. She was cheerful and intelligent, but she also had a certain sophistication about her. She called him at a certain time every day, and he began to look forward to that time every day. The time she spent delivering drinks to his room was a soothing reminder of the hard labor of a sailor. But that was the end of such a pleasant time. From now on, another day of arrogant customers, smug bosses, and tedious manual labor awaited him. Thinking of this, he could not help but feel a sense of regret for the few days he had spent on the ship with the lady. While he was reminiscing with the lady, the lady herself arrived with a cheerful smile on her face. She was wearing her trademark all-black outfit, black miniskirt, black knee socks, and black pointy hat. She said, "Excuse me. I''m here to pick up a package from ......, oh?You always delivered the drinks ......" You remember me?" Boy said as if he was impressed. Yes, of course. Whenever I (I) was bored, you were always there to talk to me. I am sorry to have to say goodbye like this. It was a very enjoyable cruise." I''m sure we''ll meet again." She winked. The sailor was involuntarily smitten. She winks at him and says, "Well, is this all you have ......?" The sailor pulls out a sturdy-looking broom and a bag full of some sort of luggage and hands it over. Yes, that''s it," he says. I would like to ask you, do you know where the alchemy guild called ''Arsenal of the Spirits'' is located?" The ''Arsenal of Spirits'' ....... Oh, it''s an alchemy guild that was recently established on this island. There is a workshop (atelier) attached to the back of a restaurant on the outskirts of town. That''s where the "Arsenal of the Spirits" is based. The boy gave detailed directions for the noblewoman. Thank you." Excuse me, ......, but what exactly is your business here, heading to an alchemy guild or something like that?" The lady in black smiles mysteriously. I may look like this, but I am an adventurer. Adventurer?When you say adventurer, do you mean that adventurer?" Yes, I am a witch by profession." ''No, I don''t believe it. Oh, if you like, I can call a mailing service for you.Your luggage is heavy, isn''t it?" No, thank you. We can get there if we know the general location and direction. ...... But it''s pretty far, isn''t it? I''ll be fine. I have unique skills. "Unique skills?" Before the boy can question her, the black-robed witch floats up on her broom and flies instantly into the sky, out of his reach. Sailor. Thank you for a pleasant sail. Until we meet again. She waved her hand and flew away. The sailors look on in amazement. (Mr. Roland, I hope you are well.) Lilianne flew toward the workshop (atelier), her heart pounding for her lover whom she had not seen in a long time. Roland was troubled by his head when he noticed that there was a mixture of shoddy armor. (I could fool around for now, but what do we do after this?) When Roland conducted an "item appraisal" of each member''s equipment, he found that, as a matter of fact, many of them were wearing defective equipment, especially those in the "D" training group, which had been intensively trained this time. (Should we instruct the group of skill level D and the group of skill level E to change their equipment?No, no. We cannot let the troops become distrustful at this point in time when their equipment has been wrecked. (I''ll do everything in my power to conceal the inadequacy of the equipment here!) Roland decided to cover not only those with skill level E, but also the majority of those with skill level D by placing them in the center. This arrangement places an excessive burden on the skill level B and C groups. Pato took one look at Roland''s arrangement and noticed something unusual. It''s not right. Why such an arrangement?No way!The armor with significantly low durability earlier. (Wasn''t that the only defective piece?) When the alchemist pato saw that wrecked armor, he immediately noticed the corners cut. It was inevitable that one or two defective pieces would be mixed in. But if that is a large number of them, you can find them at ....... Um, Mr. Loran. ...... Pat!"Come here a minute." Roland summoned Pato and began to whisper to him, forehead to forehead. ''We''ve found a number of new recruits with extremely low durability in their equipment. !I knew it. ......" In order not to damage the credibility of the "Arsenal of Spirits," we will somehow keep the defective equipment under wraps. You must keep this matter to yourself. Is that clear? I''m sure you''ll be able to find the equipment of the new members of ......, Mr. Roland. We will investigate the cause and pursue responsibility later. Right now, we just want to get through this crisis." (Mr. Loran. d*mn it! (......) When Pato looked at Wayne, Wayne was just looking down in the corner. (Wayne. What the hell is wrong with you? When you were at the "Dragon''s Fireside," at least you didn''t cut corners like this. Have you really gone rotten?) While Roland was rotting away at concealing the defective equipment, Jamil was tilting his head at the report from the returning stranded troops. ''What?Enemy armor wrecked?" Yes, sir. I did see it with my own eyes. What do you mean?The enemy''s armor is custom-made with special armor, right?I don''t think you can wreck them that easily. ......" I don''t know. But I''m sure it was wrecked. Just a few attacks." "Hmm." (It''s a stranded unit that you poked around in distress, but you''ve brought back unexpected war results. But still, I didn''t realize that the equipment was wrecked. ...... Was it just poor maintenance?Or some equipment-related trouble?(Whatever it is, it''s worth a poke.) Jamil decided to change his strategy. (So far, the strategy had been to target those who had not yet adjusted their status ......, but if the enemy''s equipment was malfunctioning ......) Rodo. I''m going to use Fafnir. An?"Fafnir? Yes, let Fafnir attack, and when the enemy''s attention is diverted, attack from the opposite side. Then it''s the same attack as usual. I thought you were going to use "Fafnir" as a decisive factor this time.If I go first, the enemy''s ''dragon sound'' will stop me, right?" It''s okay. It''s okay to be stopped. The goal is not to finish off the enemy, but to stop them in their tracks." As Roland and his group hurried down the mountain, three "Fafnir" dragons flew in from the right side and attacked them. Nicola tried to defend herself by playing a "dragon sound," but the "Fafnir" poured "fire breath" on her. (d*mn, the "dragon sound" doesn''t work?) Don''t worry about it. Keep playing." Roland encouraged Nicola to keep playing the harp, and soon the "Fafnirs" began to fly around in circles in the air as if they were lost. The "White Wolf" had, after all, raised the loyalty of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" in advance. I have to be prepared to take the first blow. But I can manage that much with potions and "Earthcraft. The problem is ......) The enemy attack is coming from the opposite cliff. Leon. Please." Oh! Leon quickly deployed on the opposite side of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and prepared for the enemy''s attack. Soon arrows and "Dragons'' Baskets" were flying in. The "Heavenly Horse Arrow" should shoot down the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). The D group will move back further." Leon looked at Roland''s command and frowned. (Oh, come on. You''re being too lenient with him, no matter how much of a "D" he is. (Hey, hey, you''re being too lenient with the Ds.) That''s going to put too much of the burden on the main force of Bs and Cs. Jamil was watching the battle situation on the cliff, observing Roland''s command. (As I thought, it''s not right. He is protecting certain adventurers. (It''s not just those whose status is in disarray.) Jamil has someone who can use "Item Appraisal" appraise the armor of the one who is waiting in the center of the alliance. ''This is the equipment of those who are positioned in the center of ......, their equipment is significantly less durable. How long?" It''s below 40." Armor with a durability value of 20 or 30 is not uncommon. "Hmm, I knew you were having trouble with your equipment." (A painstaking strategy has led to an unexpected harvest. I don''t know what happened to the Alliance, but I''m going to make the most of this opportunity.) After shooting down Fafnir and escaping from the bow fire of the White Wolf, Roland and his team descended the mountain again, protecting those with D and E skill levels. Then, as they were going a little further, the "White Wolf" lashed out with a "Fire Dragon (Fafnir). (The tactic of using "Fafnir" as a decisive factor changed to the tactic of letting "Fafnir" stop them in their tracks. That''s not good. This is a defective equipment, the enemy knows. ......) Roland clenches his back teeth. Jamil smiles wickedly as he watches Roland desperately try to hide the inadequacy of his equipment. (This unnatural command of the alliance. (This unnatural command of the alliance, they are hiding the defective equipment from their friends too, aren''t they?) Well, of course. I don''t want people to know that my equipment is inadequate. It''s a matter of credibility for the guild, isn''t it? Kukk. After that, "White Wolf" continued to wear down the alliance''s main force by stalling them with "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and shaking them with "Bow Shooting. When Roland and his men reached the plateau, the "White Wolf''s" white army also appeared in front of the Alliance, rallying all its forces and preparing to challenge them to a decisive battle. Roland was forced to turn around and respond. (d*mn, at this timing, when the status of the main force has been reduced, a decisive battle is ....... And on a plateau ......) (The enemy''s circumstances are unique this time.) Jamil, who has brought the situation to the point where it is just as he had hoped, carefully looks at the enemy''s lineup. Roland wanted to avoid a clash with the "White Wolf" as much as possible in order to hide his equipment deficiencies, but this was not possible on level ground. On the narrow, undulating roads, he could somehow manage to advance while protecting his skill level D and E groups, but on the wide plains of the plateau, he had to deploy his troops sideways for so long that he could not fully cover the weakest part of his force. The "D E" group had to repeatedly hit and away on the undulating terrain, slowly and steadily whittling away at the enemy''s physical strength (stamina). This is the original style of "White Wolf. But this time, they dared to fight a decisive battle on level ground!) (Is this the true form of "White Wolf"? They will use any means to sway you, and if they find a weakness, they will relentlessly exploit it.) Roland, who was helplessly lining up those with defective armor as requested by the enemy, still pondered what he could do and tried his best to find a way. (Our defenses will almost certainly be breached. Then we must do it before they do it!) Carla! Hmm?What is it?Call out that loudly and suddenly." [Explanation of Kaiten sword dance] By releasing sword techniques while spinning, it extends the distance and power of the sword. If the class is advanced, it is possible to shower a wide range of slashes. (The unique skill "Kaiten Kenbai", which delivers slashes over a wide area, may be able to break ...... this situation.) Carla. The basic tactics are as we trained. I''ll follow behind Erio and use ''shadow strikes'' and ''swordplay'' from the jump. But if there is a chance to get behind the enemy. You can use ''Kaiten Kenbu''." I see. I see. Roland gripped Carla''s shoulder as she said this without hesitation. What?What the hell?" I''m sorry to put pressure on you at a time like this. I know it''s a bit much, but I''m counting on you here. I''m counting on you. What?"Yeah." Carla takes her position without knowing the intent of the words spoken to her. The same was true on the side of the "White Wolf" who had prepared their trump card. Hey," she said. It''s your turn, boys. Jamil called out to the newcomer who had recently joined. He said, "Whew. Finally, it''s your turn. A tall, lanky man with a spear-axe (halberd) said. ''Indeed. You''ve been running and jumping and dragging us all over the mountain path. A burly middle-aged man with a spear said. But I have finally seized the opportunity I have been waiting for. Let''s show Roland what we see." A skinny, bespectacled young man said. They uniformly wore masks or masks to hide their faces. Rodo couldn''t help but look at them with a scowl. Hey, Jamil. Are you sure you can handle these guys?" It''s not okay, it''s as if these guys have been added to the group for just such an occasion as this. But it''s suspicious to see. I don''t even know what kind of a horse I''m riding. But its value as a white-arms force is real." Gilbert''s status Arm strength (power): 70-80 Toughness: 70-80 [Sebasta''s status Arm strength (power): 70-100 Endurance (toughness): 70-100 (Gilbert is considered a B-class equivalent warrior (Warrior) and Sebasta is considered an A-class equivalent warrior (Warrior). A little bit of status disruption is a concern, but ......) Gilbert: "Hey, Gilbert. Do we still have to hide our faces?" Sebasta grumbled, shaking his fat-filled belly. ''Well, don''t be in such a hurry. You can always show yourself to Roland''s guy. Right?" (Even though I was able to successfully blend in with the "White Wolf," it''s not a good idea to be out in the open now that the "Dragon''s Fires" have been exposed for their identity fraud. It is not necessarily true that my information will not be shared between the "Arsenal of Spirits" and the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. (For now, we still need to make sure that no one concerned knows that we belong to "White Wolf.) The two of you are ready for battle. Let us get into position. The battle was opened. While the alliance was trying to cut down the momentum by shooting with bows, the "White Wolves" were charging aggressively to attack with white weapons. As the "White Wolf" warriors came within a stone''s throw of the Alliance''s lines, the archers dropped back and the white arm battle began. While the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance breaks the enemy''s line of battle centered on Elio''s "Shield Assault," the "White Wolf" side also breaks through, centered on warriors with spear-axes (halberds) and warriors with spears (warriors). The battle seemed to be almost evenly matched, but the balance was gradually shaken as some of the allied camps began to suffer unnatural armor breakdowns. The battle between the Alliance and the "White Wolf" continued for a while, but by the time the sun was setting, both sides were running out of stamina, so they both turned back. The alliance and the "White Wolf" dealt blows to each other in this way, but the damage was greater for the alliance. Most of the poor armor was destroyed, and most of the ore possessed by the D and E skill levels was taken away by the thieves of the White Wolf. As for the "White Wolf," the damage was limited. Erio was distracted by the expanding damage behind him and was unable to fully demonstrate the power of his "Shield Assault. Roland was forced to regroup his troops. Roland. Claire and Alice are not coming back." Hans told me, looking completely exhausted. Claire and Alice had stayed to the end to support the collapsing alliance and had been captured by the enemy. [Hans Bergamot''s status. Agility: 30-80 Agility is down. Did Claire and Alice''s mentality collapse because of their captivity? (Hans is no longer of any use this time.) Leon also comes under Roland with a bitter look on his face. ''Roland. More than 30 of us have suffered major damage to our armor and are mortally wounded and unable to fight. In addition, more than 20 of us have been taken prisoner by the enemy. The quest is almost a failure. d*mn. I never thought this would happen. What do we do now, Roland?" "Whew." Roland exhaled heavily. (It''s not just Wayne. Elio and Hans are still half-human. So am I myself. I can''t believe I''m relying on the awakening of Carla, who just joined us at this critical juncture. I''m not ready yet. The newly joined micro guilds are not expected to be able to pay for their equipment, so the "Arsenal of Spirits" will not be able to avoid a loss during this search. The quartet pullout plan is also starting over from scratch. We should have listened more carefully to Pato''s advice that a grand alliance is premature.) Loran, our side is almost destroyed, but the enemy has a lot of strength left. After recovering with potions, they will attack again soon. What do we do, Roland?" "Hmm." Roland had a smile on his mouth. ''...... what''s up Roland? No, I just haven''t had a pinch like this in a long time." "Oh, oh." Roland glanced sharply in the direction from which the "White Wolf" had turned back. I''m sure the "White Wolf" guys must be thinking they''ve got us cornered pretty good right about now. But we won''t give up just because of this. I will surely get us out of this predicament.) <> 113 - - 113. Secrets of Strength After finishing her work for the day, Aina looked toward the "volcano dungeon" from the second-floor balcony of her workshop (atelier). She thought idly about Roland, who was probably in the dungeon fighting the "White Wolf" at the moment. While she was pondering, a black-clad witch appears in front of her, floating in the air astride a broom. ''Fah! Hello. I am Lilianne Rouchet, head of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" guild. You are an employee of the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' right?Is there a guild president, Mr. Roland?" Aina looks at Lilianne seriously, surprised at the suddenness of the situation. (Also, a beautiful stranger came to visit Mr. Loran.) As Aina was about to speak, she suddenly heard a rumbling noise coming from the "volcano dungeon". The sound of metal clanging against metal, angry shouts and screams, and what sounded like magical explosions. Lilianne turned around involuntarily. What is that noise?It seems rather murderous for a battle between adventurers and monsters. ...... Oh, that''s adventurers fighting each other." Adventurers? Yes. People who come to this island for the first time are always surprised. Adventurers are allowed to fight each other on this island. Well, is that so?" Lillianne puts one hand on her cheek and looks elegantly surprised. Lillianne puts one hand on her cheek and looks elegantly surprised. Yes, that''s right. That''s why Mr. Roland is probably in the middle of that noise right now. ......" What?"Mr. Roland?" Lilianne involuntarily stared at the "volcano dungeon" and stared into her eyes. She could faintly see two crowds of people clashing and the gleam of swords, but from here she could not grasp the details of the battle. (Mr. Roland is fighting over there at ......) Lilianne was tempted to rush to Roland''s side right now. Roland, who had been devastated by the "White Wolf," was trying to somehow rebuild his unit. (Most of the new recruits had been killed. But we will defend our existing forces!(However, in this state of affairs, it is not possible to march, let alone fight.) Roland glanced in the direction in which the enemy had turned back as if to reenergize himself, and began to issue instructions. Leon. This is the end of today''s battle. There is a place ahead where we can make a position. Let''s stay there for the rest of the day. Oh, oh." Elio was astonished to see Roland''s resolute attitude. (Roland. What spirit. Even though he was outnumbered this badly, he still hasn''t given up. Is this the greatness of S-Class?) Erio gulped and meditated. I can''t do it. (I can''t do it. Class A is too much for me.) Although they managed to secure safety in their positions that day, the morale of the troops was inexplicably low. A mood of war weariness spread among the adventurers, and many argued that it would be better to surrender to the "White Wolf. It was in this atmosphere that Jeff finally lost his temper. ''Don''t you two foot-soldiers talk all you want. We''re just along for the ride to satisfy your convenient demands, aren''t we!The moment things get a little rough, you want to surrender?You''re being selfish, you know that? Jeff, calm down." Roland soothes. d*mn, but..." Roland. If our allies get into trouble with each other now, that''s exactly what the enemy wants. Keep it down. Jeff reluctantly backs down with a bitter look on his face. Seeing Jeff''s attitude, however, the new adventurers began to complain. What the hell? What''s wrong with him? He''s talking one-sidedly. You''re trying to be an ace, aren''t you? You''re not even an A-class adventurer. Carla saw this and sighed. (Oh no, here we go again. The division between the group of talented people and the group of laggards. Sein and Yugan couldn''t get this out of their system, and they went bankrupt. I guess this is what happens when you form alliances on this island after all. I thought Roland was different from the adventurers we''ve had before, but this is as far as we''ve gotten?) Will and Lana''s faces were also clouded with anxiety. ''It''s getting a bad vibe, isn''t it, brother? Yes," he said. Even the quintessential Roland couldn''t cover so many unskilled adventurers. Roland is Roland, too. I don''t know why he decided to go on such a reckless search. I still think it would have been better if you hadn''t followed me.You can still go to ......" ''Lana, I owe Roland a debt of gratitude. This is the place for him to step up to the plate. Let''s share the alliance and the hardships here and support Roland." ...... Yes." Roland then went around to each of the guilds to persuade them not to surrender and to continue fighting. It was no mean feat, however, to persuade these demoralized adventurers to continue fighting. In the end, they were unable to reach a consensus that day, and a decision was reached only tomorrow. The next day, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was holed up behind an earthen wall without leaving their camp. Jamil blocked the way down the mountain to prevent Roland and the others from escaping, and waited patiently for the enemy to strike. Jamil was waiting for the enemy to come out and attack. Shouldn''t we attack from here? Rodo suggested. No," Rod suggested. The enemy''s defenses are strong. If we fail in our assault and lose our position, we may lose the advantage we have built up so far. It would be just what the enemy wanted. But you know what? If we don''t do something, we''ll never get away with it. No. Although they were pushing hard, the "White Wolf" was also facing a difficult phase. Since they had taken too many prisoners in the previous battle, their marching speed would inevitably slow down, and they could not treat the prisoners with impunity. If we negotiate well, they will become hostages to be ransomed from the "Arsenal of Spirits. Therefore, we must continue to provide them with potions, but if the battle drags on, we may run out of potions before they do. On the other hand, although the allied side had suffered a blow, they still had their main force and elite, and they should be able to move more easily now that they had lost a large number of their foot soldiers. In such a situation, if we made a hasty move and made a mistake, we might lose our footing. It was a delicate situation in which "White Wolf" had to be very careful. (The final nail in the coffin is the most important part of anything. If you make a mistake here, everything is lost.) Jamil noticed that Rodo still had a grim look on his face, and he chuckled. No, it''s the enemy that''s cornered," Jamil said. They are the ones who are cornered," Jamil said. That''s when they will make their last move. We just have to wait for that moment and finish them off. Leon was on the defensive, relieved that the enemy showed no sign of attacking. No enemy is attacking," he said. Thank God. If we had been attacked by the enemy at this time of division, it could have been the end of the story. However, we were still at a disadvantage. We have run out of potions. I wonder if Roland can persuade those who want to surrender by the end of the day. That will be the deciding factor.) Roland was meeting with a group of guild leaders who had offered to surrender. I hear you want to surrender to the White Wolf. Why?We''ve worked so hard to get this far, let''s finish it." He said, "....... He can''t do it anymore." Yes," he said. You couldn''t even get a handhold in the last battle. I''m done here. I don''t know. I don''t think we''re at such a disadvantage. Or, let''s all just break up and run away. If we all break up at once, some of us will get caught, but some of us will escape. Let''s leave our luck to the heavens here: ......" No," he said. Then even if we could escape from the White Wolf, we might be caught and beaten by a pack of monsters on the way. When Roland said this, one of the people present snapped. ''Well then, what the hell. Are you saying we should continue to be cornered and cruelly beaten until we''re jittery?" In the first place. In the first place, isn''t there a problem with the equipment in the "Arsenal of Spirits"?I can''t believe that all the equipment is getting wrecked like that. It''s strange, isn''t it? How can you explain it if you can''t just say it was a bad shot? That''s right. Maybe they''re cheating on the equipment specs. I get it. Three more days then. Just three more days.Let''s fight that hard, and if it doesn''t look good, we''ll surrender to the bandits." "Nah. ......!Don''t change the subject. Yes," he said. You''ve got to be accountable. ...... One more day, then. Just one more day, will you fight with me?If we surrender, we want to surrender on the most favorable terms possible. With one more day, I think we can change the situation so that we can get the upper hand in the negotiations." ......" The guild representatives looked at each other. Roland, who had finished persuading the guild representatives, could not hide his tired face. Pato spoke to him in a reserved manner. Um, Mr. Roland, how did your persuasion go? Yeah, somehow I was able to convince him not to surrender and get him to promise to keep fighting for one more day." One more day. ...... (It''s still a long way to the city, not very far for just one day, but ......) I''m sorry. Pato. I''m a little tired. Let me rest for the day." ...... yes." Pato could not speak to him any more, not very much. (Even Mr. Roland can''t hide his fatigue. It''s times like this when we have to support them. ......) Pato looked at Wayne, who was skulking in the corner. He had been acting as inconspicuously as possible, perhaps fearing that he would be held accountable after Roland had discovered that he had cut corners on his equipment. (Wayne. Roland-san is trying very hard to follow up on your mistake. Don''t you think anything of it?You were just that guy. Wayne!) The "White Wolf" crew was waiting for the Alliance to go on the offensive, and they were waiting now. Then they saw someone from the Alliance camp coming toward them. The "White Wolf" camp was nervous that a decisive battle would finally take place, but they tilted their heads when they saw only one person coming toward them, and he was a prisoner of war held by the Alliance. He was carrying a white flag. Jamil, puzzled, decided to call out to him. Stop!Hey, you. You''re the guy who was captured by the Alliance, right? What''s going on?Did you escape?" Captain Jamil!I have come as a messenger of surrender." What?" Jamil welcomed him and asked him what was going on. According to him, there was a mood of war weariness prevailing in the alliance, and opinions were divided between groups that wanted to surrender and those that were determined to fight the war to the bitter end. Roland insists on fighting, but the majority of the alliance is tired of the captain''s hard-line attitude. The man holding the white flag is a messenger sent in secret by the surrender group. The surrendered group has already lost its will to fight and intends to secede from the alliance. They intend to desert when the time is right. If the "White Wolf" attacks the alliance''s resistance group, we will have nothing to do with it, so we hope that the "White Wolf" will let us off the hook. You''ve got to be kidding me!" Rodo said irascibly. I''m surrendering now and you want me to let you off the hook?Don''t be sleepy. We have a huge advantage here.I can''t accept those terms at this point in the game. Well, wait a minute, Rod." Jamil soothed him. Hey, you''re not going to take these terms, are you?" Ostensibly. What? They would pretend to accept the surrender group''s terms and then collapse the alliance from within. Then we will split them up and hit them when they are in disarray. Once the anti-war groups have been eliminated, the rest are cowards who are not prepared to fight. We can boil them, roast them, or cook them as we like. We can make any number of pretexts, betray them, and hunt them individually." I see. Well, if that''s the way it is. "Hey, you. Tell the surrender team this. Jamil conveyed his reply to the messenger. The surrender party is to leave the camp tomorrow morning after disturbing the alliance as much as possible by causing mayhem in the camp by setting fires, ransacking baggage, taking equipment, and so on. When the time is right, "White Wolf" will also launch an offensive against the alliance''s position. If you fulfill these provisions, you can let the surrender party off the hook. Jamil sent a messenger back with these words. However, Roland vacated his position in the shadows of the night before tomorrow morning. When Jamil saw the empty camp, he finally realized that he had been deceived by Roland. The messenger who had come here yesterday had been a trick by Roland. (Yaro). You dirty son of a b*tc*. I''ll take it!If you want to die so badly, I''ll beat you to death as you wish!" The White Wolf" hurried after the alliance. However, on that day, the Alliance encamped in a possible encampment without being caught up by the White Wolf. They chose a place where they could block the road so that the "White Wolf" could not go around them. The "White Wolf" was right behind the Alliance''s position and pressing in. Good. Now that we''ve made it through today''s march unscathed, let''s go for another day! Roland said this to the leaders of the Alliance Guild in one place. The leaders of the Alliance were stunned to see their commander retract his previous statement after waiting less than a day, but they decided to accept Roland''s idea for the time being. A day had passed since the defeat, and they too had recovered and were feeling optimistic. Carla was stunned. (No way. He''s going to recover from that?) You easily scattered the ''White Wolf'' guys today." Oh," he said. We can do it. While the newcomers were chatting amiably, Jeff was getting frustrated with their ever-changing attitudes. Don''t lose your temper, Jeff. We can''t put any more pressure on Roland. Leon said. ''Yeah. I know." Jeff somehow restrains himself. Leon was relieved to see that. He was not sure what to expect, but he was relieved to see that. We should at least support him.) The next day, the chase began again. Jamil looked for a squeak of an alliance while chasing. The next day, Jamil was in pursuit again, looking for a chance to catch up with the allies. Morale is definitely down. It may be true that a part of the alliance is inclined to surrender. (Whatever the case, a little shake-up should bring out the rags.) Jamil orders an agile assault force to be formed and sent ahead to stall the alliance. Here come the enemy stall troops!"Fifteen bandits (Thief)!" Jeff said. (Seeing that our morale is low, they''ve been trying to shake us up. What do we do?) As Roland was struggling, Will stopped. ''Big brother?'' Will uses "blast magic" to create a tornado on a narrow path, making it impossible for the enemy to pass. Will?What the hell are you doing?" It would be bad if the ''White Wolf'' attacked us now. Isn''t that right?You can go ahead. I''ll hold them off here." Oh, no!Dear brother ......" If you keep invoking magic like this, of course you will run out of magical power very quickly. So you must go quickly." I don''t want to. I will not leave you. Lana. If the White Wolf captures you too, there will be no one left to pay the ransom for my captivity, right?You have to run." But ...... Come on, sweetie." Lana decisively backed away from Will. ''Roland, take care of your sister. Will ....... I''m sorry. I owe you." Roland and the others left the scene, leaving Will behind. Soon, the blast that rolled up to the heavens stopped, and Will was trapped by the "White Wolf". Hearing that the stoppage had failed, Jamil clicked his tongue. (I see. The enemy had attack mages? But I never thought they would use mages as pawns.) Jamil regained his composure and decided to launch another attack to shake up the alliance. (As I recall, the road ahead is winding for a while. ) "Shooting from a height would be effective. Jamil ordered Zain and his archer squad to go around the high ground and snipe the alliance to stop the enemy in their tracks. Zain took up a position on the high ground with his archer squad. A little far away, he could see the Alliance marching along a narrow path. Zain threatened to fire at their advance with his "dragon-headed cage" (dragoon). Roland ordered his troops to keep going, but they were afraid of the fire from the "dragoon" and refused to advance. The main body of the "White Wolf" would catch up with them if they continued. d*mn, what are we going to do?) Pato looks up at the enemy, who is camped on high ground. (It''s tough to get the Warrior to go around there. (It''s also hard to fire a shot at them with flying weapons.) Pato stares at the location of the enemy for a while, then begins to unpack his backpack as if determined to do so. (Let''s try that one.) Pato took out his lyre (harp) and began to play. Nicolas felt uncomfortable when he heard Pato''s tone. (......What is this disastrous sound?Not like "Dragon Sound?") Roland also noticed this. (No way, Pato, are you going to do that one?) [Status of the lyre (harp) Special Effect: "Demon Sound" C ("Onion Sound" is still in its infancy. At best, it can only make the demon tribe run wild. But in this situation ......) Fortunately, a group of "goblins" seemed to be hiding in one of the high places where Zain and his group were camped. Motivated by the sound of the "demon sound" played by the patrol, the "goblins" attacked Zain and his men. Zain and his men, who were not prepared for a hand-to-hand combat, had a hard time fighting the "goblins. Roland and the others moved on. What?The tone that controls the goblins? Jamil frowned when he heard the report sent by Zain. Yes, as soon as we started hearing the strange harp tones, the ''goblins'' became furious and attacked us," he said. They must be manipulating the ogres with sound, just like the ''dragon sounds'' that manipulate the dragon tribe." Jamil staggered lightly. (What the hell is this? My aim was dodged at every turn. No, it''s more than that!Why are there so many unique skills and new equipment popping up in Roland''s camp? ...... skills. (No way, Roland''s skills!) Jamil calls for someone who can use "skill appraisal" and farsightedness to appraise Loran, who is conducting under his eye. The "skill appraiser" looked at Roland''s skill structure and was absolutely amazed. [Roland Gil''s skills]. Skill Appraisal: S Status Appraisal: A Item appraisal: A Cultivation: A What a guy. ...... Hey, what''s up? His, Roland''s skills are A''s or better in three appraisal skills. He has three appraisal skills above A. His skill level is S class for "Skill Appraisal. He even has an A in Nurture. What ......? 114 - - 114. To Protect (Loran not only has excellent command skills. He is a connoisseur who specializes in training. With this skill set, he could theoretically produce any number of adventurers with unique skills or A-class adventurers. and nurture them. No, it is already becoming so. My hunch was right after all. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance must be beaten here. Otherwise, they will eventually become an even greater threat to the White Wolf.) However, despite Jamil''s determination, the "White Wolf" was unable to capture the alliance and finally reached the plateau near the forest at the foot of the mountain. Seeing an opportunity, Roland lured the "White Wolf" to the right place and then reversed his position. He then turned around and took up position. We are almost to the town. This is the last battle. Let''s deal a blow to the enemy here, take away their ability to chase us, and decide the match. Roland said this to inspire everyone''s morale, and then instructed each member of the team to take his or her place. Erio. "Erio, you are to break the enemy''s line with a ''shield assault'' anyway. I leave the location and timing of the assault to you. All right. Jeff. After cutting down the enemy''s vanguard with bow fire, if Fafnir doesn''t come, prepare for a retreat with Cecil. Oh. Leon. Leon, I need you to stay behind Erio and take command. Support and protect Erio''s "Shield Assault" and expand the battle results. Depending on the situation, you may also cut your way in. All right, man. Cecil. You support Erio, but you must leave enough stamina to ''set traps'' in case of a retreat in the forest. Yes!" Roland also remembered to create thickness behind the right flank so that Elio would not be distracted behind him like last time. (That''s it for the right wing. The problem is on the left wing where the Axe and Halberd man and the Spear man will be attacking. Carla watched from behind as Roland gave instructions. (I didn''t expect them to recover so much from that total collapse. This guy is dangerous after all. We have to eliminate him here and now.) Carla puts her hand on the hilt of her sword as she sneaks up on Roland''s back. If you''re going to do it, do it now. (Now is the time to do it. Now that Roland''s back is turned to us. I have the "Kaiten sword dance" now. Even if I''m wearing blue armor (reflective armor), I can at least strike a blow against each other (......). Carla! !!! Roland turned around, and Carla hurriedly removed her hand from the hilt of her sword. ''This time you''re not going to be behind Elio, you''re going to be behind me. ...... yours?" ''Oh, Elio is an excellent shield user and assault man, but his tactical eye is subtle. He is unable to deal with the enemy''s diversions. To ensure that I can throw you in at the winning moment, you''ll have to stay behind me. "......" The only enemies you have to watch out for are axe-spear (halberd) and spear users. When they come out, go with me. Okay?" Why ......, why you ......?" What? ......." Carla turned on her heel without continuing with the rest of her speech. The "White Wolves," who had been rushing ahead to stop the alliance, saw Roland and the others waiting for them on the plateau, and they hurriedly prepared themselves for battle. (Oh no! We''ve been lured in.) Jamil soon realized that he had been completely duped by Roland''s orders. d*mn. He had been on the run just a moment ago, but he didn''t expect Roland to make a move here.) The alliance has archers in front of them and warriors behind them. They are all ready and waiting for us. On the other hand, Jamil''s team was delayed in joining Zain, so they were not quite at full readiness. Even so, if they did not put up a fight here, they would be forced to flee. Once in the forest at the foot of the mountain, it was no more than a day to the city. (The core of the alliance was still alive and well. (The core of the alliance is still alive and well, and we must do whatever we can to beat the alliance here so that Roland can never rise up again.) Jamil ordered the attack to be launched. The two armies clash. The warrior (Warrior) on the "White Wolf" side rushes forward with his shield at the ready, while the archer on the Alliance side fires a volley of "bow shots. As the battle moved to a white hand-to-hand battle, Erio broke the enemy''s line of fire with a "shield charge. Leon and his men then joined in to pry them apart. Jamil watched patiently as his army became outnumbered. When the momentum of the "Shield Assault" eventually weakened and a chance to attack arrived, he deployed a man with a halberd and a man with a spear. Here they come!(Two spearmen!) Roland moved quickly to where the two spearmen appeared. Carla followed behind him. [Carla Grazia''s skills. Swordsmanship": B to A Shadow Strike": B to A (Oops. You''re a "Shadow Strike" user.) Gilbert, who detected the "Shadow Strike" with "Skill Appraisal" A, did not approach the enemy carelessly, but kept his distance. What are you doing, Gil?Let''s get on with it." Sebasta rushed him from behind. Danna. Be careful. The thief behind the shield-bearer, he will use ''Shadow Strike''. Mm, is that so?" Sebasta also distances himself. Roland closed the distance to make contact with the enemy. Sebasta, however, falls further back. (Now. Carla!) As Roland bent down to give the signal, Carla jumped over Roland''s shoulder, switched, and leaped forward. With blinding speed, she closes in on Sebasta''s pocket. (Heh. He switched. But his only skill is "Swordsmanship" B. Sebasta''s husband would have no difficulty in dispatching him, and he would be able to counterattack (......). Haaaaah." Carla released a "Kaiten sword dance. Carla''s spacing and attack power temporarily jumped up, and the whole area around her was bathed in slashes. (What?) Sebasta''s spear and armor are torn to shreds, and Gilbert''s nearby weapon is also sent flying. (This is no mere "swordplay. No way, it''s a unique skill!You''ve got skills that "Skill Appraisal A" can''t find.) Carla Grazia''s unique skills. Kaiten Kenpo": B (up1) ("Kaiten Sword Dance" got a B. (Did "Kaiten Kenbai", which can slash widely, show its true value at this last moment?) I''m going to have to go back to the hotel and get a new one. I didn''t calculate it. Let''s start over." Gilbert retreated with Sebasta, who was deeply wounded by the slash, on his back. The battle continued with the alliance gaining the upper hand, and the "White Wolf" was defeated. Roland and his men did not pursue too deeply, but entered the forest at the foot of the mountain to return to the city before the end of the day. Jamil hurried to reorganize his troops. He was moving faster than ever before, but even so, it was unlikely that he would be able to catch up with Roland in time. Then Zain arrived with his archers. I''m sorry. I''m late. Jamil, where are the allies?" Zain, go after him. Go after Roland. What? He''s the only one who can do it, and Roland is the only one who can do it, and we''ve got to get him here! Roland and his group were running through the forest. The troops were worn out from the previous battle, and the march was slow, but if they advanced deeper into the forest, they would be able to scatter the enemy''s search for them. (Good. We can make it. If we keep going like this, we can escape to the city. ......) Roland, the enemy! Jeff, who was searching behind me, said. What? There''s a guy with a ''dragon-headed cage''." (d*mn, those "White Wolf" guys. They will torment us to the end.) The sound of earth-shaking artillery echoed through the forest. The depleted troops were shaken. The enemy was almost there. They could not call back Elio and Leon in front of them. They had the task of dealing with the monsters that appeared ahead. What do we do?Roland." ''Get the undepleted Warrior behind us!The Reflective Armor should be able to withstand a few shots from the Dragoon! However, all those who are serving as lords are afraid of the "dragon-headed cage handles (dragoon)" and try to advance ahead of themselves. Even those who still have enough equipment are not willing to back down, putting their own interests first. At this rate, those who were heavily depleted were in danger of being bombarded and falling into a panic. (d*mn, if it comes to this ......) Roland decided to move to the tail section himself to take the bombardment. Zain catches sight of Roland. He was surprised that the target had taken the trouble to come in front of us. I''m very grateful. Zain unleashes the "Dragoon". Roland was hit hard by the bombardment. "Gaaaahhh!" Roland. Get away from me! Roland stopped Jeff, who was trying to run up to him, and staggered to his feet. I''m okay." (This guy, why ......) Carla was running near the end of the line, watching Loran. ''We''re all going back to town together. Never!" (How could you possibly make it this far?) Carla squeezed her eyes shut. That''s enough," she said. You''ve worked hard enough for these bastards.) ''Protect them!Never!" (Finally, the islanders'' awareness has changed and grown to the point where they can form a troop. (The "Spirit Arsenal" is also gaining trust and putting down roots in the local community.) I won''t let this fire, finally lit, die out!" Carla''s eyes are getting more and more tightly shut. (You''re from off the island, aren''t you?The situation on this island should be none of your business. Why don''t you just cut it out? Just like all the other people from the outside who have come here so far. ......) Open your eyes. Carla." Pato said. Pato?" Don''t turn away, look closely. Look at the reality of this island and its S-class appraisers." ...... for Roland?" Yes, keep Mr. Roland''s fighting spirit firmly in your eyes. That''s what fighting for something means!" For the second time in as many days, Roland was hit by a barrage of "dragon-headed cages (dragoon)". Roland''s armor was shattered. "Gahaha!" Roland crumpled to the ground. But Zain''s bombardment was not enough. He was out of magic power. Yarrow. How dare you hurt Roland? Seeing Roland fall, Jeff was irresistible and began to fight back. He shot arrows recklessly. Hearing the sound of gunfire, Leon came too. ''d*mn, so much for this. We''re retreating." Zain''s troops pull back. Roland. Can you stand?" Leon helped Roland up, lending him his shoulder. I''ll be right back," he said. The enemy is ......, what''s going on with the troops?" The enemy has turned back. The unit is safe. ''I see. ...... to the city ......, a little further ......, don''t stop and march ......" That''s enough. No more talking. You''ve done well. We''ll take care of the rest. Leon moves on, lending a shoulder to Roland. Wayne was moving through the forest with his head down. The adventurers around him were all looking gloomy. (d*mn. It''s my fault? But, Roland too (......)) As I did so, I heard a commotion behind me. Roland, groggy from the destruction of his armor, is barely walking, resting his shoulder on Leon''s. (Roland!Don''t tell me you''re ...... wounded?) Wayne is stunned. Wayne is stunned. Roland''s injury is nothing serious. Keep going! Leon says this to calm the upset. Wayne heard this and shook his head. (What the hell? You scared me.) Roland heard the Warrior running beside him swearing as he faded in and out of consciousness. d*mn." What the hell?What''s wrong?" This armor is no good. It''s useless. The Warrior took off his armor. [Armor Status Durability: 2 (28) (Crude equipment. (What''s still left of it?) Wayne stopped when he saw the armor with the "Arsenal of the Spirits" crest on it being knocked to the ground. (My ......, the equipment I made ......) What are you doing? Don''t stop." Rushed by the adventurers at his side, Wayne starts running again. Heck." (Tsk tsk. What am I ...... doing?) Roland saw Wayne running beside him in his fading consciousness. Wayne was in tears. (Wayne ......) The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is battered and bruised, but somehow manages to return to the city later that day. 115 - - 115. Auxiliaries Roland was wandering in a volcano. Magma flowing by. The sky was tinged orange and black. Fafnir" breathed his "breath of fire" and consumed the sky. Suddenly, arrows fly from high above, and a squad of "White Wolves" closes in from behind, swords flashing. Roland looked back at his allies. His troops were in a miserable state. Their weapons were in tatters, their legs were tired, and they all looked exhausted. He had to protect his troops somehow. With this single-minded determination, Roland desperately tried to inspire his allies. However, his allies were slow to react, and they were only inertially advancing, unable to even properly hold up their swords. The troops were tossed about by the "White Wolf''s" ever-changing attacks, which came and went like waves, and they were being overtaken at will. One by one, the allies fell, and soon Roland was the only one left. The deadly blade of the "White Wolf" was closing in on Roland''s back. Ha! Roland woke up on his bed. Sweat was pouring down his face like a waterfall. As Roland was puzzled, unable to grasp the situation, a woman with green eyes peeked out at him with concern. To Roland, she looked like a goddess. Roland," she said. You''re awake." ''Are you ...... Lily?Why are you here? I mean, here at ......." I look around involuntarily. It was my room. There was a towel and a tub of water beside him. Lily," he said. (Lily, you''ve been taking care of me all day, haven''t you?) You gave me a big surprise. I heard that you came back from the dungeon, so I rushed here. You were unconscious. Lillianne said as she wiped Roland''s face with a wrung-out towel. ''Dungeon ......, did I, did the troop make it out of the dungeon alive?'' ''Yes, sir. According to Leon, as soon as I got back from the dungeon, I must have been knocked out or passed out." I see. So the unit was safe. Oh, yes. The people who were taken prisoner by the White Wolf are at ....... Mr. Leon and the other members of the Shield of Dawn are negotiating on behalf of the Alliance. So far, there have been no problems, and it is expected that the prisoners will be released tomorrow. I see. No problems? Roland lay back on his bed as if his strength had been drained with relief. Yes," he said. So, Roland, you can rest a little longer. ...... Lillianne was about to say this when she noticed that Roland was sleeping again. His face looked more peaceful than before when he had been dozing off. Lillianne was about to say this when she noticed that Roland was sleeping again, but with a more restful look on his face. When Roland was waking up, Alice, Claire, Will, and the others who had been captured were being released from the "White Wolf. The release of the prisoners was carried out without a hitch in accordance with the island''s prisoner of war agreement by the White Wolf and Leon, who had become the temporary representative of the alliance. Alice stretched out her wrists, which had stiffened completely due to the restraints. ''Haaaa. I''m finally free from captivity. My body is so stiff! It''s been a long time since I was a POW. I hope Hans is all right. I was like, "Hmmm. I don''t know. I don''t know. I hope he''s not a liability to the alliance. Alice worries about her brother with a difficult face. ''Whoa, talk of the devil, looks like we''ve got a pickup. Will said as he looked at Lana and Hans coming from the other side. ''Alice, Claire. Are you safe?" Brother..." Hans rushes toward Alice and Claire, while Lana rushes toward Will to make sure they are safe. We''re fine," Hans said. What happened to the Alliance? I managed to make it back to the city without collapsing. But thank God. They rejoiced for a while, celebrating each other''s safety. I see," he said. Roland collapsed.'' I was pushing myself too hard, wasn''t I? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it," he said. I wasn''t much help during the retreat. I''ll have to go visit him when he wakes up. But what happens to the alliance now? Alice mumbled to herself. What?" ''Because this time it''s practically a failure, isn''t it?Our losses are still minor, but the loss of the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' must be ridiculous, right?" The alchemy guild-led alliance has seen its limits. You don''t mean to tell me that the Arsenal of Spirits itself will end ......? I''ll have to ...... ask Roland about that. ...... The five of them become uniformly somber. It was almost evening when Roland woke up again. Yes," Roland said. Uh-oh." Lillianne brings a cut apple to Roland''s mouth. Lily. I''m fine. I can move. You don''t have to be so careful." I''m not sure. It''s fine. Yes, it''s good. Ahn." "Mmm." Roland unavoidably takes the fruit Lilianne offers into his mouth. I''ve had a chance to look at the alliance''s lineup," she said. There were some poor adventurers in the unit who had not even adjusted their stats. Their equipment is also in shambles. Uh-uh. It''s not like you. To do something so reckless. The adventurer situation on this island is not straightforward. I heard this from a staff member at the workshop (atelier). I heard that adventurers are allowed to fight each other on this island. I''m not sure. There is a guild called ''White Wolf'' that makes its living by robbing adventurers, and these guys are just a nuisance. They do exactly what we don''t want them to do. The "Dragon''s Fires" are also a problem. I heard that it is the largest workshop on the island and one of the best alchemy guilds in the world. ...... Well, it is true that there are many excellent alchemists. But the reality is that they are merchants of death. They make profit by making adventurers fight each other and wear out their equipment. The situation is complicated by the small adventurers on the island. They pressure the adventurers'' guilds from outside to form alliances and depend on them, but when it comes time to fight, they are uncooperative, putting their own guild''s interests first. This makes it easier for the "White Wolf" to move around, which in turn spurs the malignancy of the "Dragon''s Fires. Hmmm." I see. So everything is different from the "City of Adventurers. How''s it going in the City of Adventurers? It doesn''t look good. Lillianne sighed with annoyance. ''Mr. Roland''s long absence from the guild is beginning to take its toll. Lillianne sighed in annoyance. "People are starting to ask how long it will take to prepare for the defeat of Grand Fafnir. I see." I have tried to defend Mr. Roland''s position as much as possible. ...... However, I am troubled. I was going to ask about the progress of the preliminary work and urge a deadline during this visit, but now that I''ve heard what you''ve said, I don''t think I can rush to a conclusion without a fight. Lillianne crosses her arms and ponders. I guess so," she said. Lillianne crossed her arms and thought about it. "Well, it pains me too that I can''t give you a definite answer. Roland also put his hand on his face and made a gesture as if at a loss. He said, "However, this incident has exposed that the alchemists in the workshop (atelier) are still mentally immature. I thought it would be okay if we shifted our focus to training adventurers, but I was naive. Looking at that defective equipment, it seems we took our eyes off the workshop (atelier) too soon. I don''t know what to do. ......" You seem to be struggling, Mr. Roland." Roland was startled by the voice that called to him. (This voice was ......) I looked toward the entrance and saw someone Roland knew well standing there. Ranju!" Aryeh and Cheal also appear from behind. We''ve finished our work in the ''adventurer''s town'' ......." I''m here to support you! I don''t know about dungeon exploration, but I think we can be of help when it comes to running the alchemy guild and workshop (atelier). <> 116 - - CHAPTER 116. A PUSHER ON THE BACK Wayne had been hammering iron like crazy all morning. He had been doing this for the past few days. In his mind''s eye, he sees armor that has been battered and beaten away by adventurers. (The adventurers throw away their equipment. There is no greater humiliation for an alchemist. He was so focused on revenge against Edgar and power struggles within his workshop (atelier) that he reduced the quality of his equipment to the point that the adventurers gave up on him. It''s pathetic. When did I become such a coward!Since Edgar set me up?Since we lost to Aina?(I''m sure I used to be more genuinely interested in improving my specs.) Wayne looked at the finished armor and quickly stepped aside. ''d*mn. No good. Not like this. I can''t even beat Edgar, let alone Aina. He immediately begins to make new armor. Aina and Roddy looked at Wayne in amazement. What the hell is wrong with Wayne, all of a sudden?" He''s been like that ever since he came back from the dungeon. I don''t know what happened in the dungeon. But ...... what the hell does he want?" I don''t know. I have no idea." In fact, from the side, I wasn''t sure what Wayne wanted. From the way he was molding, it looked like he was making Class A armor, but there wasn''t enough iron for that. The quality of the iron used also varied. They kept making armor and breaking it down, and never seemed to be able to see where they were going. Good morning, everyone. Oh, Mr. Roland. Are you all right now?I heard you collapsed as soon as you got back from the dungeon. ......" Yeah. I''m fine now. I''m sorry for worrying you. What is that noise?Is Wayne working on it?" Yes, that''s right. He''s been like that ever since he came back. It''s as if he''s possessed by something, and he''s been hammering away at the iron single-mindedly. It''s good that you work so hard, but you''re wasting too much iron. You make all that armor so crazily. There were traces of cutting corners in the equipment for new partnerships. It''s time to pay attention. Wait. Aina. Roland stopped Aina, who was about to warn him. Mr. Roland?" Something in Wayne is about to change. Let''s keep an eye on things here. Roland appraised the armor Wayne had made. (At first glance, those armors were made in a very simple way. (At first glance, these pieces of armor look like they are made in a very simple way, but if you look closely, you can see that they are all pursuing one concept. It is the specifications. He is trying to make powerful and durable equipment with the least amount of iron as possible. The relentless pursuit of status. (Was this the switch that allowed Wayne''s talent to flourish?) Roland looked at Wayne. Unlike his previous somewhat distracted appearance, he was continuing to strike the iron in a frantic manner. (The tears he showed at the end of the search. (If those tears were not a lie, then it is worth giving him a chance.) Wayne made his tenth piece of armor today, but he was never able to make anything that satisfied him. When he put the new iron on the workbench, he finally noticed something strange. What is it?What is this? It''s iron C, isn''t it? d*mn. What am I doing? Have I become so slow that I can''t even tell the quality of iron? Wayne regains his composure and goes to get Iron A. He takes the iron out of the box with the Iron A nameplate on it and feels it to the touch. (But it''s starting to come back to me. (But I''m beginning to remember how it used to feel. (But I''m beginning to remember the old sensations. When I was concentrating on alchemy, my senses became so acute that I could tell the quality of a metal just by the feel of it. (Did I even forget such a basic thing?) Wayne''s senses became more and more acute. The feel of the iron, the blows coming from the hammer, the sound of striking iron, the changing colors. Then he checked the finished armor. It was indeed thickly armored, and it had to be a high-powered suit of armor. But no.) Roland appraises the status of the armor. Status of the armor Power: 90 Durability: 30 (Highly powerful, but too low in durability) Roland looks at other armor Wayne has made. They all had similar problems. (This is what happens when you mold them before they are hard enough. This has been repeating itself since a while ago. What should we do?(Do you want me to interfere?) Roland asked how Wayne was doing. Wayne knew he was doing the same thing over and over again. (d*mn. Why do I always, always, always underestimate durability? (Why do I always underestimate durability? I just made a lot of low-durability armor last time.) Wayne takes out another new piece of iron and starts making armor. (This is what happens when you mold before hardening enough. You need to hammer in more fully. (I believe Aina used to beat faster and more carefully.) Wayne hammers the steel, remembering Aina''s form. Roland also notices that Wayne has modified his work process. (Did you notice that on your own? I''ll keep an eye on him a little longer.) And so the armor was finally completed. [Armor status Strength: 80 Durability: 80 Weight: 80 (It was done. No doubt about it. It''s the best I''ve ever made. ......, but why?) Wayne looks at the finished armor and is seized by a slight feeling of discomfort. I feel like something is missing. Why on earth would ......) Are you going to stop there, Wayne?" Wayne huffs and turns at the voice that is called to him. (Loran ....... You were awake.) That armor hasn''t reached its molding limit yet. "That armor hasn''t reached its molding limit yet, and you''re just going to stop there?" I''ll be right back. Who said anything about quitting? Wayne turns to his armor, which appears to be finished. It has not yet reached the limit of molding. But this is not "metal molding". (This is ......) Wayne takes out his cutting tools. (This is ''magic stone cutting''! Wayne uses a cutting tool to cut away the rough edges of the armor, making it smooth and smooth. When all the excess parts had been scraped off, the armor took on a new light. Roland appraises the finished armor. Status of the armor Power: 80 Durability: 80 Weight: 60 (20) Despite weighing 60, it has 80 power and 80 durability. It was a phenomenon that would normally be impossible. Effects of "Cutting" (cutting of magic stone) The power of a magic stone can be increased by shaving it. The excess parts of the equipment can be removed while retaining its power, making it lighter. [Wayne Merza''s skill]. Metal Forming": A (up1) Cutting": A (up2) (The effect of "cutting magic stone" was added and it became class A.) (Has he finally awakened?) Wayne shuddered at the sensation that ran through him. (What''s that feeling now? It was clearly different from the sensation of normal skill improvement. It was as if he was running up two steps ....... Is this Roland''s skill?This was not possible when I was in "Dragon''s Fires. There is someone who pushes me. (I can''t believe how much of a difference it makes in the rate of growth.) (I''ve seen it, Wayne. Your growth. At the same time, the biggest weak point of the workshop (atelier) was also compensated. With this, this workshop (atelier) can finally move on to the next stage.) Guys, come here for a second. In response to Roland''s call, the alchemists, who had been working individually, gather together. At the same time, Lange, Aryeh, and Cheal were also summoned. Let me introduce you to my colleagues from the "Arsenal of Spirits" headquarters," Roland said. Lange, Aryeh, and Cheal. They will be assisting me in this workshop (atelier) from today. <> 117 - - 117. Director of Ranju Aina looked seriously at Lange and the others. (These are the people at the "Arsenal of Spirits" headquarters: ......) Both Ranju and Aryeh looked not so different in age from themselves. Cheal looked like a young girl, not much older than she was. All three of them are A-class alchemists. Especially Cheal is an S-class alchemist. They should be an inspiration to you. S-class?" A little girl like that ...... A commotion spreads among the staff. Roddy." Yes." Show Cheal and Aryeh around the workshop. I understand. Aina. You come to the conference room. Lange has something on his mind. Yes, sir. That''s all I have to say. Everyone return to your posts. Sorry for interrupting your work. The workers returned to their posts, and Roland, Lange, and Aina headed for the conference room. "Good. Aina spread out the documents she had pulled out on the conference room desk. These are the books and various documents of this workshop (atelier). Lange looks over the documents. With his "Workshop Management" A skill, he could see more than just the numbers on the documents. There is one alchemist with ''Metal Forming'' A and a unique skill, one alchemist with ''Product Design'' A, one alchemist with high agility, two alchemists with unique skills, two night shift alchemists, and one alchemist with a unique skill," he said. ......" Lange looks away from his papers and smiles. He looks at the paperwork and smiles, "About one ...... problem child. Is that about it?" Oh," he said. That''s exactly right. That''s the quintessence of it. Aina rolled her eyes. (Great. This guy ...... has seen through all of the internal workings of the workshop (atelier) just by looking through a few documents.) But this Wayne guy ...... Lange turned his attention back to the documents with a frown. ''You''ve done quite well. I wonder if they think they won''t be found out if they are so reckless. He''s a very tricky guy. He is very good at stealing our eyes and doing bad things to us. Ha-ha-ha. You''re pretty good to make Mr. Roland work so hard for you, aren''t you? It''s not funny. It''s not funny. I almost died from it. Well, but if Roland is so adamant about it, then it has potential, doesn''t it? Yes. He just woke up a few minutes ago. Suddenly, Roland stops smiling and turns serious. Lange, if the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch is to grow any further, it needs to move to a larger workshop (atelier). We need funds to move to a new workshop (atelier). In order to raise the funds, we need to make the books of this workshop (atelier) into a number that we can look at. Can you do it? I understand. I don''t know how much I can do during my stay, but I will try as much as I can. Aina. "Aina, you stay by Lange''s side as long as you can and steal as much technology as possible. I''m not sure. I understand. Oh, wow. Is this the Javelin? Cheal''s eyes sparkled when he saw the captured "Javelin. That''s right. It''s amazing, isn''t it? Our guild was the first to capture the quartet''s equipment. Roddy said as he placed the "Javelin" on a low platform so that Cheal could see it better. As expected of one of the world''s leading alchemy guilds," Roddy said as he placed the javelin on a low stand so that Cheal could see it clearly. It is a magnificent work of art. Roddy listened to Cheal''s words with a smile on his face. (Not at all. You don''t know if a piece of equipment is good or bad. What a child!) When Roddy looked back at Cheal, he saw that she had somehow left the "Javelin" and was sitting at her desk, running a pencil on a piece of paper. ''Bored already and drawing?You''re a very busy girl. I''m not sure what you''re talking about, but I''m sure you''ve got a lot of work to do. Roddy choked up when he saw what she was drawing. What Cheal was drawing was a blueprint. The measurements of the weapon, its weight, materials and manufacturing methods were perfectly analyzed. (Skill "Product Design" ....... That''s pretty high-level too. Class A like me?) It''s done!" Cheal holds up the finished blueprints to Roddy. The equipment was made by ''Dragon''s Fireside''. You can see the ingenuity in every detail!However, ......, I think our workshop (atelier) could make a better product if this is the case." Roddy was stunned by Cheal''s brilliance. Next, show us the ''dragon-headed cage hand''! Aryeh was visiting Leena''s refining kiln. The two girls were very understanding and hit it off right away. They talked about each other''s skills and their positions in the workshop (atelier), and from there they explored ways to work together and quickly established a cooperative relationship. In the afternoon, Lange was assigned to supervise the site. He rearranged the workshop (atelier) so that people and objects could move around efficiently, drawing lines with paint, eliminating hazards, reconstructing the production line, and improving the system for running the work. ''Lodi. This blueprint, if we change this part, we can save more money." Uh-oh." Eyes. This work could be done faster by changing the order here. Oh, I see. Pat, I''m going to replace the walls in the "tuning" room, because you should be able to hear the sound more clearly if you put this material on the walls. Yes, sir. Also, Cheal will be using this room for ''spirit addition,'' so we''ll both be using it in the morning and afternoon, okay?" I understand. Aryeh. Can I ask you and Leena to change the layout of the ore warehouse later because it is better the way it is placed at headquarters?" I understand. Wayne, what''s with the scrap iron? What the hell is this scrap iron? You can''t put scrap iron in a place like this! Ggh. I know. Don''t make that loud voice. Then do it before they tell you!" Those in the workshop (atelier) soon realized that Lange was a manager who would not let any corners be cut. The workshop was filled with an unusually tense atmosphere, and the staff tightened their belts and got to work. The air is tighter when Ranju is around," said the manager. I could feel that the atmosphere of the entire studio was tense with just the right amount of tension. (I''m sure he will immediately push this workshop (atelier) to another level.) Roland was pleased with the changes that had come to his workshop (atelier). The problems at the workshop (atelier) seem to have been resolved. Oh my, this tea is delicious." Lillianne said as she sipped dragon tea in the dining room. ''Ah. It''s easier with Ranju here, after all. I realized that once again." Then all that remains is to finish training the adventurers. I''m sure it is. It''s just that the people on this island are not so easy to deal with. I was surprised to learn that even Roland-san can''t make it to A-class. You''ve got the right stuff, don''t you?" I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. But the problem is mentality. The adventurers on this island are very defensive of the adventurers who come from outside. In the City of Adventurers, everyone was more ambitious. ...... I see. The spiritual side. Yes," he said. That''s the really hard part." Roland looks out languidly. Lillianne looked sadly at Roland. It had been a few months since she had started serving as guild leader. I''ve gotten used to my duties as guild leader. In fact, I''m surprised at how well I''m doing my job. I am living a fulfilling life, but something is always missing. It was someone who praised him. Her visit to the island this time was ostensibly to inspect Roland''s situation, but the truth was that she was expecting to be pampered by him for the first time in a long time. In bed, she spent more time on top of Roland, but at the end, he would always gently pat her head and praise her for a job well done. Only then would she be released from all the burdens of the mundane world and be able to sleep peacefully. But when she came to see Roland, he seemed too busy to take care of himself. (Roland, you look busy, and I mustn''t annoy you by being selfish. I must be patient.) However, the more he thought so, the lonelier he felt in his heart. Just as Roland returned to his workshop (atelier), a messenger from the quest office arrived. Hey, Mr. Gil. I''ve been looking for you. You are ......, the Quest Receptionist Office. How can I help you?" I''m calling in regards to the recent double-A certification of Monica Vermale. We would love to have you at our reception desk, but you have already left. We need someone to fill out the paperwork for her. ...... Oh, I can do that at ....... Ah. Roland felt a cold killing intent on his back. When he turned around, Lillianne was looking at him smiling. What do you mean, Mr. Roland?I can''t believe Monica got a double A from the quest receptionist office on this island. Did you put Monica to work while you were on vacation?Without my permission, the guild leader?" What?"No, this is that ......" And double A''s for a class A quest? No, no, no, I killed a class-A monster by accident. I was originally just going to support the local guild ......." Lillianne now makes a puffy face. ''I''ve made up my mind. I too will take on this island''s Class A quest." What?"You too?" ''Yes, it is. Naturally, you will help me, won''t you, Mr. Roland?" Lilianne presses on with a smile that says whether or not she wants to be there. ''No, but I can''t let you do that ...... Just go!"Don''t be a nag, just arrange a class-A quest for me." Thus, Roland was forced to organize a troop for Lilianne in a hurry. 118 - - Art. 118. Positive Operation At Lilianne''s request, Roland hurriedly went to the quest reception office. In the private room of the receptionist''s office, he went through a stack of papers describing monsters and items to see if there were any suitable quests. (If it is an A-class quest that makes use of Lily''s skills "Thunderbolt" and "Levitation," it should be this one: ......, A-class monster "Flood Dragon") The A-class monster "Flood Dragon" is a water dragon-type monster that lives in the lake at the end of the "Lake Route. It appears about once a month, causing floods and damage to the town, but because it lives in the lake at the end of the "Lake Route," off the main mining route, it has been ignored by the adventurers'' guilds from outside the town and has not been dealt with, despite numerous requests from the residents to have it defeated. Regardless, they continued to be neglected. The residents have now resigned themselves to the fact that they have to somehow endure the floods that seem to come every month. The A-class monsters (which are not dealt with by adventurers from outside). If the "Arsenal of Spirits" could defeat these monsters, they would earn the respect and admiration of the local residents. (This could be the beginning of the guild becoming more familiar to the local residents.) Roland received the "Flood Dragon" materials and left the quest reception area. (That''s it for the A-class quest for Lily. Now we just need to find a way to deal with the "White Wolf.) The next day, a large number of leaflets were distributed in the city. The leaflets read as follows. The "Arsenal of Spirits" will once again form a large-scale alliance to conquer the dungeon. Adventurers who are interested in joining the alliance are asked to contact the "Arsenal of Spirits. When the townspeople saw the flyer, they lamented the economic boom, and the small adventurers'' guilds rejoiced at this seemingly sudden surge in demand. The "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" and "White Wolf" also responded to this massive recruitment of allied guilds, and began to prevent the alliances from completing their quests. In "Dragon''s Fires," the main members of the guilds gathered in the conference room to counter this move by the "Arsenal of Spirits. The "Arsenal of Spirits" has moved to form a new alliance. We in the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" will not stand idly by and let this move go unanswered. We must take countermeasures. Now, let''s see what it is. ......, Edgar. Give us your idea. "Us." Edgar stands up and describes the strategy he has devised with a document in his hand. Edgar stood up and, holding a document in his hand, stated the strategy he had devised. It is because, although we are an alchemy guild, we have been too much involved in the fighting between adventurers in the dungeon, in other words, we have made the foolish mistake of misjudging our own area of expertise. Therefore, we will refrain from fighting in the dungeon for this "Arsenal of Spirits" project. You mean, "refrain from fighting in the dungeon?But then, how do you strike a blow to the ''Spirit Arsenal''?" Raul said quizzically. Well, don''t be in such a hurry. I''ll explain it to you step by step. Edgar continued his explanation while drawing a diagram on the blackboard. The current strategy of the "Arsenal of Spirits" is basically to avoid competition with outside adventurer guilds and to target mining sites along the "Lake Route" to acquire ore. In our previous exploration, we targeted the mining sites along the "Crater Route," but the "White Wolf" inflicted a little damage, and our earnings were even at best. They will not touch the "Crater Route" for a while. Therefore, we at "Dragon''s Fires" would like to focus our efforts on the "Lake Route" and the mining sites here. If we can seize most, if not all, of the ore in this mining site, we will be able to dry up the ore procurement route of the "Spirit Arsenal. This would allow us to deal a blow to the "Spirit Arsenal" while focusing on our areas of expertise, alchemy and support for adventurers. Oh! I see. This way, we can strike a blow to the ''Spirit Arsenal'' without direct combat. In the conference room, there was no small amount of admiration for the plan that Edgar had formulated. Raul, too, crossed his arms and made a difficult face, but inwardly rolled his tongue. I see. As expected of Edgar. He has become a member of the quartet only because of his planning ability and brains. How could he come up with new strategies so quickly? It is true that at first glance, the plan seems well thought out and reasonable. But why? Why do I feel uneasy? I feel as if I am overlooking something important (......). Anyway, Edgar''s proposal was adopted unanimously, and the "Dragon''s Fires" alliance was launched to compete with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, and equipment for this purpose was manufactured in the workshop (atelier). On the day the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance headed out to explore the dungeon. A large number of adventurers had gathered in the plaza. The "White Wolf" bandits were watching from afar. They, too, had hurriedly prepared for this day. The "Arsenal of Spirits" had been beaten up so badly, yet they still had the strength to form such an alliance? This large force, is it really aimed at a large scale mining site on the ''crater route''?No, it must be." I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. What are the people of the "Dragon''s Fires" doing while the "Arsenal of Spirits" is making such a big deal about it?Do you understand?They are the ones who will suffer the most from the growth of the Arsenal of Spirits. Jamil and his team had asked for the cooperation of the "Dragon''s Fires" in order to frustrate the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance this time around. However, there was still no response from the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. Ah, the messenger to the "Dragon''s Fires" has returned. Oh, here you are. Hey, what did they say about the "Dragon''s Fires" guys? The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is supposed to be going to the "Lake Route. We have formed the ''Dragon''s Fire'' alliance to deplete the main ore deposits on the ''Lake Route. The White Wolf'' is to support the ''Dragon''s Fiery Fire'' alliance, and at the same time, interfere with the ''Spirit Arsenal'' alliance," he said. Jamil and the others looked at each other in silence for a while. I knew it," Jamil said. The "Dragon''s Fires" guys. They don''t know anything. It''s not possible for such a large alliance to take the "Lake Route". It''s definitely the ''crater route. Otherwise, it''s unprofitable. They don''t know the first thing about exploring dungeons. Edgar is the one who came up with this plan anyway. That brash bastard." I guess we can''t expect any backup from the Fires of the Dragon. It''s no use. We''ll beat the Arsenal of Spirits on our own! For once, however, Edgar was right. The majority of the assembled adventurers were a decoy to attract the "White Wolf. As Roland had instructed, they simply wandered aimlessly in the forest at the foot of the mountain, where no powerful monsters appeared, and eventually returned to the city. While the "White Wolf" was caught in a diversion, Roland and Lilianne, along with the main forces of the alliance, including the "Shield of Dawn," were leisurely heading down the "Lake Route" to the "Flood Dragon," a Class A monster. <> 119 - - 119. Collaboration with Lightning Strikes There are two monster races to watch out for in this dungeon. Roland led the troops and gave Lillianne a lecture on what the dungeon was all about. The first is the rock tribe. They are clad in strong rock, and their defenses are much stronger than normal monsters. Mmm-hmm. Another race is the dragons. They are powerful flying units that attack with their ''breath of fire'' while flying in the sky. Even you, who can use levitation, will have a hard time with them. I see. That''s a troublesome opponent. Yes. If Fafnir comes over the unit, your thunderbolts will be almost completely neutralized. Thunderbolts" can only be fired downward, which means they can engulf your troops. Now, here''s the question: what do you think we need to do to keep Fafnir from coming overhead? Would it be ...... to defeat them before they come overhead?" Yes," he said. That''s right. Find the enemy before he finds you. For this purpose, it is necessary to cooperate with an archer who has excellent search-and-find ability. Oops, speak of the devil. It seems that Claire has found "Fafnir the Fire Dragon. Arrows are being shot into the sky from a short distance ahead. It was a signal that a group of monsters, including Fafnir, was approaching. Lily," he said. Try fighting Fafnir for now. I''ll cover for you. I understand!" Lilianne rides a broom and floats up into the sky. A commotion spread through the troop. No," she said. They really are flying." Leon said in amazement. ''Well, Leon, Elio. She has powerful skills such as ''levitation'' and ''lightning strike,'' but when she lands, she tends to leave a gap. So, Leon, you take care to secure her landing spot while leading the fight." Okay." Erio. You should focus on defense and refrain from ''shield assault. This time, build your attack around Lily''s ''lightning strike. Yes. I get it. Will, Lana. You will eventually be the leaders of the rear guard, watching closely how Lily, an A-class mage, maneuvers. Use them as a reference. Okay. I understand. Lilianne flies toward the direction Claire signaled, and immediately encounters two "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)". As soon as one of the Fafnirs saw Lilianne, it opened its mouth wide and let out a breath of fire. Lilianne avoided the oncoming flames and positioned herself above the "Fafnir" and flashed the tip of her staff. A thunderous roar rang out, and the blackened "Fafnir" crashed headlong. (One of them first. Now, the other one is ......) The other "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" was wary of Lilianne''s "thunderbolt" and moved away from her. Lilianne tried to take a position above the "Fafnir," but the "Fafnir" did not allow her to do so. (Ummm................. It is very agile. I can''t get the upper hand. However, if I leave it like this, it will take the airspace above my unit and block the "thunderbolt". (What''s going on?) Lilianne glanced toward Roland. That was enough for Loran to guess her intentions. ''Jeff. Cover Lily for me." Good. All right. Jeff entered Fafnir''s blind spot and attacked with a bow shot. Fafnir" got angry and lunged toward Jeff. Jeff runs, drawing "Fafnir" to him. There is a gap!) Lilianne quickly took the top of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and released a "Thunderbolt". The "Fafnir" crashes down without warning. After confirming that she had killed Fafnir, Lilianne flew right next to Jeff. Jeff, thank you," Lillianne said. Thank you for saving my life. Oh. A decoy move. Like that?" Yeah. It was perfect. (Well, I still have some magic power left. Shall we fight some more?) The battle had begun on the ground as well. Roland had deployed his troops and was fighting against a mixed force of ogres and wolves. While Roland and his men were fighting familiar monsters such as "goblins" and "orcs," a large monster appeared from behind them. What is that? It''s the Rock Ogre! A commotion spreads among the troops. I''ll take care of it. I''ll go! Erio said. Good. Switch, Elio." Leon filled in the hole where Elio had been and made a flowing switch. It was the most basic promise in this unit that if a monster with high attack power appeared, Elio would deal with it. As Erio was taking a body blow from the "Rock Ogre," he caught a glimpse of Lilianne out of the corner of his eye. (Lillianne?) Erio, please "shield assault" the "Rock Ogre". Elio did as Lilianne said and "shield-assaulted. The "Rock Ogre" was bounced and stopped moving for a moment. Aiming for that moment, Lilianne immediately slid into the air above the "Rock Ogre" and struck it with a "thunderbolt". Struck by lightning, the "Rock Ogre" crumbled to the ground. "Oh, it''s only a single blow!) Elio stammers. Now, gentlemen. The most troublesome enemy has been defeated. We are almost there. Lillianne''s encouragement encouraged the troops to leap onto the enemy monster. Lilianne saw that the game was almost decided and headed for the landing spot that Roland had prepared for her. Roland was on his guard, keeping an eye on the entire army and watching everyone fight. ''Hmmm. After all, it''s a relief to have Roland-san in command. Lily. You are the one who is fighting well. You are the one who is fighting well. I can''t believe you joined us today. You coordinate beautifully with Jeff and Erio, as if you have been in this unit for a long time. Roland said as he took Lillianne''s hand and helped her land. ''Mm-hmm. Thank you." Lilianne looks at Loran''s profile with concern as she says this. Lillianne is a very good archer, a great shieldman, and a swordsman with a great commanding ability. The overall skill level of the unit is also high, even though it is comparable to the main force of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," except for the lack of A-class adventurers. I can''t believe that they can''t win even with such a full force. ...... (The guild called "White Wolf" that Roland is fighting against is really tough.) The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance advanced through the dungeon at a breakneck pace, thanks in part to Lilianne. Eventually, they reached the final lake where the "Flood Dragon" lived. <> 120 - - Art. 120. Flood Dragon When Lillianne saw the lake at the end of the road, she gasped at its beauty. (Wow. Beautiful) The huge lake, stretched over a depression created by incessant volcanic activity, was spectacular, and the grandeur of the view was overwhelming. The clear surface of the water clearly reflected the outer rim of the mountain. Looking at the beauty of the lake, it was hard to believe that an evil monster was lurking in the area. Lilianne forgot the purpose of her visit and was mesmerized by the view. Lillianne is so lost in admiration that she forgets what she came here to do. The Flood Dragon is almost here. Lillianne huffed at Roland''s words. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We are about to battle the "Flood Dragon". We have to be very careful.) Mr. Roland. I need information on the Flood Dragon. Yes," he said. While most dragons are lizard-shaped, the flood dragons are snake-shaped. They have a long body and use their fins to swim underwater. Its main attack method is "explosive magic," which spurts out high-powered water like a pump. A monster that lives in the water? That''s nasty. The problem is how to attack from here. It is difficult to attack an aquatic monster. If they dive into the water, there is almost no way to attack them. However, your "thunderbolt" is a different story. With your "Thunderbolt," which releases a high-voltage electric current, you can attack enemies hiding deep in the water from above. I see. Then, I should fight as usual. Is that what you mean? Yes," he said. That''s what I mean. I''ll leave all the attacking to you. Is that clear? Yes, sir. I''ll take care of it. Good. Go on, then. Lillianne straddled her broom and took off into the center of the lake. Leon. We''re going to secure a landing spot for Lilianne. The flood dragon will raise the level of the lake. Please occupy the high ground and use crustal magic to secure a foothold. All right. Leon immediately set about building a position with Lana. Elio, Hans, Will, come here for a minute. Roland took the three of them a short distance away. Elio. Hans. Hans. You''ve all been improving your abilities and have become excellent shieldmen, archers, and attack mages. I would say that you are now an indispensable part of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. However, there is still something missing in order to become an A-class adventurer: something that A-class adventurers have that you don''t. What do you think it is? Hmmm. I guess it''s skill and status. Knowledge and experience? I agree. Of course those are important. But that''s not what you need most right now. It is arrogance. Arrogance. ......?" Remember all the Class A adventurers we''ve had from off-island? Thane, the Guardian of the Academy, Yugan, the Knight of the Crescent Moon, and Monica, the Guardian of the Magic Tree. All of them had not only exceptional skills and stats, but also a strong sense of pride that bordered on egotism, insatiable ambition, and absolute confidence in their own abilities. On the other hand, adventurers on this island tend to be extremely pragmatic and play it safe, perhaps because of their weak financial, skill, and equipment base. While it is important to be pragmatic and play it safe, they tend to choose to stay small as a result. This is one of the reasons why it is difficult to produce A-class adventurers on this island. Do your job well. That is important, too. To become an A-class adventurer, you need more than that. More than that......" Yes," he said. Class A adventurers are needed in all sorts of dangerous and critical situations, without exception. The responsibility that falls on their shoulders is heavy. Failure to do so could put the unit in jeopardy. In such situations, the Class A adventurer must lead the troop and perform a decisive role that will determine the course of the game. This requires a tough mentality that borders on arrogance. Elio, Hans, and Will gulped at the height of Roland''s demands and the awesomeness of Class A. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance will be in an increasingly difficult situation. The mark of the ''Dragon''s Fires'' and the ''White Wolf'' is only going to get tougher. The time is approaching when the "Grand Fafnir" will become active, and adventurers from the outside will arrive. The demands placed on you will also increase." Roland looked up toward Lilianne, who was flying overhead. Lily is an adventurer who has everything you need for Class A," he said. Take a good look at how she fights: ......" Roland, we have a problem. Jeff, who had returned from scouting the surrounding area, comes running up to me, looking panicked. Jeff," he said. What''s wrong? Some adventurers, hired by the Dragon''s Fires, are approaching. What did you say?What''s your armament?" They are well-equipped. They''re really going to crush us." (After defeating them so completely, they still want to put up a fight? But that''s odd.) Jeff. Were they wearing any special equipment?Dragoon''s Baskets, Javelins, and so on. What?No, I didn''t see any equipment of that nature. I see. ......" (Isn''t the goal to beat our equipment?(If so, ......) What are you going to do about it?Shouldn''t we interrupt the fight against the Flood Dragon? No, let''s keep going here." ...... are you okay?" I don''t think my troops are so weak as to be upset by a crisis of this magnitude," he said. And ......." Roland looked again at Lillianne. We have the Witch of Thunderbolt over here," he said. Lilianne was drifting overhead around the center of the lake. (Really quiet. Where is the Flood Dragon? As Lillianne drifted through the air in search of her enemy, suddenly a huge shadow fell on the surface of the water. The shadow grew darker and darker, and soon the surface of the water rose to reveal the head of a water dragon with shimmering scales. The water dragon opened its mouth more than twice the size of its face and tried to swallow Lilianne. Behind its sharp fangs, one could see darkness like the depths of an abyss. Lilianne hastily gained altitude and took evasive action. In the nick of time, she was saved from being swallowed. (This is the Flood Dragon. (This is the "Flood Dragon," which is much larger than expected.) When the "Flood Dragon" confirms that it failed to devour Lilianne, it turns its head and flashes an oversized magic circle on the tip of its nose. A water cannon, like a waterfall, shot out toward Lilianne. Lilianne lowered her altitude and managed to dodge. The water cannon hit the slope that rises to the edge of the lake, knocking down about ten trees that had grown there. (It was a very powerful shot. (It was so powerful, my endurance (toughness) would be no match for a direct hit from that thing.) After dodging the water cannon, the "Flood Dragon" launched more magic. Countless magic circles were widely deployed on the surface of the lake, from which water pillars rose. Lilianne dodged the multiple pillars of water coming up from the surface of the water as she flew in a meandering motion. (This pillar of water was a decoy. The main story is at ......) Lilianne dodges the tail-slapping attack of a "flood dragon" that suddenly emerges from the water. Lilianne dodged. (But this is also a decoy!) Lilianne raises her altitude sharply and dodges a "flood dragon" bite attack that comes from a blind spot. Lilianne dodges the bite attack of the "flood dragon" from her blind spot.) Lilianne, having seen off all of the attacks, moves around above the "Flood Dragon''s" head and strikes it with a lightning bolt. (Good. (Good! It''s working!) The "Flood Dragon" twitches with the electric current running through its body, and glares at Lilianne with hatred. Lilianne faces him without timidity. Lilianne faces him without hesitation.I saw through the continuous attack. If I dive underwater, I''ll just slam another one in, won''t I?) The "Flood Dragon" stared at Lilianne for a moment, then let out a yell. What? As Lillianne wonders, she hears the rustling of wings from beyond the edge of the lake. (No way!) A group of "Fafnir" were approaching us from across the sky. While Lilianne was fighting the "Flood Dragons," the battle was beginning on land. The water level of the lake was rising, and amphibian-type monsters were crawling up from the water one after another to attack Roland and his men. Roland and his men had set up a position on high ground in advance and were prepared to defend themselves and intercept the monsters, so they kept them at bay with bows and arrows and attack magic, but there was no way to prevent the rising water level. Hey, the water level is rising rapidly. What are we going to do? Isn''t this place going to be under water soon?" Everyone, calm down. It still takes time for the water level to reach here. We have to trust Lillianne to keep this place safe." As Roland said this, the dismayed adventurers regained their composure. (though ......) Roland looks at Lillianne. She was doing her best to dodge the water column from the surface and the "breath of fire" from above. Even Lily was on the defensive when she was being attacked from above, below, left, and right. (Even Lily can only defend herself if she is attacked from above, below, right and left.) Lilianne was having difficulty with attacks flying in from all directions. (Either "Flood Dragon (Flood Dragon)" or "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" must be defeated first. ...... ) I was not able to do anything about it when the attacks came so incessantly. Lilianne felt wind pressure behind her. When she looked, she saw that "Fafnir" had opened his mouth and was about to spit out his "fire breath. (Shimaa: ......) Just when it seemed as if flames would engulf Lilianne, a fire arrow strikes the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". (This is ...... Hans!?) Hans'' "magic shooting" had a longer range than normal "bow shooting" and was able to hit the "fire dragon (Fafnir)" that was much further away. The "Fafnir" were enraged by the defeat of their comrades and headed toward Roland and his men. Roland, however, was ready for them. Will. Not yet! Okay. Blast magic!" The water, which had been looming over land, is temporarily lifted into the air by the backwinding tornado. Roland and his men, who have increased their land area and expanded their range of movement, prepare to intercept the "Fafnir" by deploying their archers on either side of it. The archers, now able to utilize their agility, took out the "Fafnir" one by one. (Well. I''ve secured the position and retreat route, Lily. If you need to recharge your batteries, come back.) Lillianne understood Loran''s intentions without words. (Quite a quintessence, Roland. Appropriate cover, perfect formation. You understand more about my skills than I do.) After all, it was he who raised me. Lilianne thought again. (Thank you, Mr. Roland. But it''s okay.) Lilianne looks sharply at the shadow of the "flood dragon" lurking in the water. (With all this support, we can''t just go back empty-handed. I will decide with this one blow!(That is the role I must play as a Class A adventurer.) Lilianne dodged the "flood dragon" that was biting her in agony, and then she struck it with a lightning bolt. The "Flood Dragon" was drained of all its stamina, and it lay helplessly on the surface of the lake. <> 122 - - Art. 122. Blue Pendant Medes officially appointed Lizetta as the leader of the "Arsenal of Spirits" countermeasures. Upon receiving authorization and a budget for the formation of a team of appraisers, Lizetta gathered the appraisers in the guild and held a meeting. (It''s finally here. We have a chance to redeem ourselves. If we succeed in this project, we can dream of reigning at the top of the quartet.) In fact, if they succeeded in training adventurers, they would have more say in the guild and would be able to take a leadership position over the other alchemists, and even over the quartet. (I have Roland to thank for that. (I must thank Roland for giving me the opportunity to surpass even Raoul in this way.) Lizetta recalls. The exchange with Roland in the "Arsenal of Spirits. And her own words. If you guys can make equipment that surpasses what I make, I''ll be happy to transfer to your guild. (I already lost once, ......, but that was a no-no, no-no. Because it''s not fair for a connoisseur to train adventurers. This time we will play fair and square, on equal terms.) Fortunately, there are three A-class appraisers in the guild, and they were also dissatisfied with their poor treatment within the guild, so they were more than willing to cooperate with Lisetta''s project. At the meeting, Lizetta confirmed that she would focus on training adventurers, and immediately approached her client, "Winged Dragon Lights," about the project. Ike Belford, the leader of Pterodactyl Lights, responded to her proposal with a resounding "yes. I never thought I would have the opportunity to take revenge on the ''Spirit Arsenal'' so soon," she said. It is something I could never have hoped for. I will gladly cooperate with your plan." The appraisers appraised Ike and immediately found room for growth. [Ike Belford''s skills. Spear Art: B to A Hm. I found it, Lizetta. His skill ''spearmanship'' has A-class potential." Thus, for the time being, it was agreed that Ike would become an A-class spearman (lancer), and the goal was to make all members of "Winged Dragon Lights" B-class adventurers. That night, Lilianne was in Roland''s room. It had been a long time since she had been able to lay skin to skin and frolick in Roland''s arms, and now she was being hugged from behind by him. She was so happy to have Roland stroking her hair and saying words of love to her. ''Lily. You did a great job." Lillianne was woozy and surrendered herself to him for a while. Suddenly, however, she raised her eyebrows in a wistful manner and began to cry softly. What''s wrong, Lily?" It''s nothing." However, Lillianne did not stop crying. I can''t believe you look so sad when we are together like this. You have to tell me. I don''t understand." Because soon I will have to return to the ''adventurer''s town. Then we won''t see each other again for a while, will we?" ......" I am happy like this now. But the happier I am, the lonelier I will be when we part. Lillianne wiped away tears. I''m sorry," she said. I got sentimental. I don''t blame you for being on the "Fire Dragon Island. I wish you good luck with your work. Lily. I have something for you." Roland took a small box from a side shelf and handed it to Lillianne. What is this?" Open it." Lillianne opened the box to reveal a beautiful blue gemstone pendant. Lillianne opened the box to reveal a beautiful blue gemstone pendant. Beautiful. What is this? The gemstone in the pendant appeared to be a sapphire, but its brilliance was deep and dazzling. It''s a special sapphire created by the breath of fire from the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). It is also known as the ''Tears of the Dragon. Even on this island, where a wide variety of ores can be found in abundance, it is said to be something that can rarely be found. I asked our alchemist to make it into a pendant. Think of it as a substitute for me while I''m gone." Yes. ....... Thank you." Lillianne lovingly stroked the pendant with her finger. The pendant reflected the moonlight, giving off a subdued, pale glow. The next morning, before leaving the island, Lilianne went around to greet the alchemists of the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch who had helped her so much. She also went to greet Aina. Aina, thank you for your help in defeating the Flood Dragon. Despite the suddenness of the quest, you were kind enough to help me prepare my equipment. ......" No, no, no. It''s our job to prepare the equipment." I left a small supply of ''dragon tea'' and snacks in the break room. Please enjoy them with everyone. This is very kind of you. ...... Aina caught sight of the pendant hanging around Lilianne''s neck. Oh, that pendant: ....... Oh. Is this it? Actually, Roland gave it to me last night. ......" I didn''t know that. I made that pendant. Oh, I didn''t know that. No wonder I thought it was a wonderful pendant. You are indeed an A-class alchemist. If it was made by the best alchemist on the island, you can be proud of it in the "Adventurer''s Town. No, no, no. Oh, no. When are you leaving for the City of Adventurers? I will be boarding a ship this afternoon. I see. But I''ll miss you if that happens. I''m going to miss Roland. I see. Lillianne is dejected. I am not sure that Roland''s work on the island will be finished for the time being, and I, too, will be busy with my duties once I return to the "Adventurer''s Town. It is depressing to think that we won''t see each other for a while. I know that the work on this island is unpredictable. ...... I fear that Mr. Roland''s mind will drift away from me." I''ll be fine," he said. It is rare to find a woman as wonderful as Lillianne. I don''t think Mr. Roland would dare to cheat on his wife without you. Thank you very much. It is a great relief to hear you say so." Lillianne, please wait for me in the "Adventurer''s Town" with a big smile on your face. We''ll keep an eye on you to make sure you don''t get any bad bugs. Thank you," he said. Please support Roland-san. Yes. I promise. Aina watched Lilianne leave the workshop (atelier). Carla was idling in her guild''s office. Since joining the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, the guild''s opinion of her has changed 180 degrees. Before, she used to cause problems with her friends, but when they saw that she had become a B-class swordsman upon her return, they completely changed their attitude toward her. She is now in a position where she is asked to do various things regarding her quests. She is now in a position where she is asked to do various things in relation to her quests. No, she herself knows exactly what is missing. The quests of the guild she belonged to were so lacking. She is aware of this when she does her own guild''s quests in detail. How advanced Roland''s command was, how demanding his demands were. And Carla''s fighting style had generally met Roland''s requirements. Just as the way her peers looked at her had completely changed, so had the way she looked at the world. In her spare time, she remembered the days when she had fought alongside Roland and his friends. Even now, when she closes her eyes, she can picture them vividly. The tingling air surrounded by powerful monsters. The deadly troops. In such a situation, if you are late in your judgment even for a moment, you will fall behind your companions. Carla looks at the composition of the enemy and the deployment of her allies, and instantly decides how to move. Leon is flying instructions. Jeff is running in quickly. Elio is making sharp movements that don''t match his big figure. Cecil is dexterously using recovery magic and flying tools in a perfect position. And Roland is watching. In such an intimidating scene, Carla, while being tormented by extreme pressure, is strangely free of fear. She follows behind the shield-bearer, looking for a chance to release a "Kageuchi" (shadow strike) and, as the occasion demands, leaps over her comrades and showers them with "Kaiten Kenbuyo" (Kaiten Sword Dance). I never thought I was capable of such an advanced fighting style. Moreover, it seemed that she still had room for growth. Roland had opened a new door for her. Compared to the vast possibilities that lay beyond that door, the familiar routine that lay before her now seemed somewhat smoky. It''s hard on everybody. A young man from the guild rushed into the rest area. What''s wrong?" The Arsenal of Spirits Alliance has defeated the Flood Dragon. What?A flood dragon? This is a surprise. It''s amazing that an outside guild could defeat a ''flood dragon'' that has been neglected for so many years. ...... The prestige of the Arsenal of Spirits will only increase. What do we do?Shouldn''t we also sign a contract with the ''Arsenal of Spirits''?" Hmmm." Carla got up and ran out of the rest stop. Carla?" Hey, where are you going?" Carla does not respond to his voice, but goes out into the street. Where do you think you''re going?(I know what I''m going to do.) Carla ran through the streets, aiming for the "Arsenal of Spirits" at a stretch. <> 123 - - Art. 123. The Flow of the Times At the "Arsenal of Spirits," improvements were steadily being made by Lange. On this day, Wayne was summoned by Lange and dragged to the work desk. What is it? You didn''t make any mistakes or skip work today, did you? I''m not here today to condemn you for making a mistake or slacking off," he said. I''ve come up with a way to improve your unique skills. I''ve come up with a way to improve your unique skills. Ugh. Another magic stone cutting? Although Wayne had achieved an A level in cutting, he was still reluctant to cut magic stones. He is still reluctant to sharpen magic stones, because he cannot get rid of the stereotype that forging swords and armor is better. He said, "I''ve had enough of grinding magic stones. You''ve done a good job of reducing the weight of the equipment, so let''s focus on that. Well, don''t say that. Look at this. Lange brings Wayne to his work desk. Wayne looks at the unfamiliar sight with a dubious look on his face. On the desk were magic stones before processing, magic stones after processing, and glass tubes. The glass tube in particular was an unusual device that he had never seen before. The glass tube, as thin as a stick, was finely graduated and filled with a silvery liquid at the end. What is this?A thermometer?" This is a ''magic meter. It is a tool to measure the height of the magic power contained in an item. What is stuck in the end is ''magic mercury. It is a special type of mercury that expands in proportion to the level of magic power. It was discovered in a dungeon in the magical world in the City of Adventurers, and has recently been put to practical use. It is the latest measuring device that we are the only ones who still handle it. Hmmm. I see that you have a "Magic Measuring Instrument" at ......." (According to Loran, Wayne''s motivation is to improve his specs. The only way to motivate this guy is to show him a tangible number of specs.) I''ll tell you what," he said. First, let''s measure the magic power of the magic stone before processing. When Lange touches the tip of the measuring instrument to the magic stone, the mercury packed in the tip expands and slowly looms up inside the glass tube. The mercury stopped at a scale of 10. ''That means the magic power of this magic stone is 10.'' "...... way." Next, I''ll measure the magic power of the magic stone you processed with ''cutting magic stone''. When Lange places the measuring device on the magic stone, the mercury expands rapidly, reaching the 50 mark on the scale. "!!!?" Wayne''s eyes changed. (This measuring instrument is seriously measuring the magic power contained in the magic stone!No, it''s more like my unique skills can change the magic this much!) You get it?"Your unique skills can bring out the potential of the magic stone to a great extent. Your job is to bring out the potential of the magic stone by "cutting the magic stone" ....... Wayne?" Wayne was single-mindedly observing the magic stone he had shaved. He seemed to be trying to determine how he could bring out more of the potential of the magic stone. I''m not sure if you can hear my voice at all. ...... So this guy is a craftsman even if he''s rotten. When you see the potential of a material, you can''t help but polish it. I knew it, Roland''s eyes are not crazy. (This guy is also an A-class alchemist.) Wayne suddenly stopped observing and picked up the "magic measuring device. I''m going to borrow this. Wayne immediately began to devote himself to grinding magic stones. Pato, who was playing the lyre (harp) and writing music, noticed a change in behavior at Wayne''s work desk. (Wayne, did you catch something?(You''re concentrating like a madman.) Wayne is single-mindedly chipping away at the magic stone. His demonic appearance was not something you could talk to. (You''ve regained the competitive spirit and dedication you had when you were at the "Dragon''s Fireside.) Pat. I brought the ore you asked for. Wow, what''s this? Pato, what are you writing on the sheet music?" Leena looked surprised to see Pato''s work. Yes," she said. I''ve been mixing up the ''dragon sound'' and the ''demon sound'' lately. If I write a score, I can record the sound and share the image with the performers. That''s great," he said. I can''t believe you can write music. It''s really just the basics. I''m still learning the ropes. (But ......, I''m starting to get it.) Pato glanced at Wayne. Wayne was just about to put the finishing touches on his work. I''m not going to lose. Wayne.) Pato also proceeds to make final adjustments to the lyre (harp) in order to put the finishing touches on it. Roland watched Wayne and Pato while working in a corner of the workshop (atelier). (Wayne and Pato are making remarkable progress. Lange''s management has been very thorough, and the principle of healthy competition is finally working. (With this, all we have to do now is leave them alone and their performance will naturally improve.) [Status of the magic stone Magic: 100 (up 90) [Status of lyre (harp) Special Effect: "Demon Sound" A (2) In the afternoon, Roland received a visit from Elio, Hans, and Will. He said he had some things he wanted to discuss with me. Elio, Hans, and Will. What''s going on?That''s unusual. The three of you working together. Roland. We''ve decided to become Class A adventurers. Class A? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I saw the way Lilianne fought, and I knew I couldn''t go on like this." How do I become an "A" class? I need your help. Will you help me?" I understand. Let''s have a meeting." Unfortunately, the cafeteria was full because Roland had a meeting with the three of them. Having no choice, the four of them tried to go to the bar, but Roland noticed Carla in front of the workshop (atelier). Apparently, she had also come to visit Roland. Roland?" What''s going on?" I''ll be back in a few minutes. We need to talk to her as well." Roland, accompanied by Carla, moved to a place where they could be alone. I''ll tell Elio and the others to wait for me at the bar first. It''s been a long time," Roland said. "It''s been a long time, Carla. Thank you for your help in the last alliance. Thanks to you, we were able to escape from the crisis. It''s been a learning experience here at ......." How have you been?I haven''t heard from him in a while, but I''m sure he''s ......." Carla doesn''t answer it, but looks away once. I heard you defeated the Flood Dragon. I''ve got a guy who wants to join me on a quest for a class-A monster," he said. Some people in the city are having trouble with the flooding. When Roland said this, Carla fell silent again. She tried to say something, but kept her mouth shut. She repeated it for a while. The clock on the wall ticked away. Roland waited patiently for her to start talking, but she still did not say anything. He had no choice but to try another topic. When we were in the dungeon, you tried to harm me a couple of times. You noticed? I may look like this, but I''ve been through my fair share of rough times. The way you hid your murderous intent ...... was not flattering." "Mm." The killing was not directed at me personally. I heard it from Pato and Elio. I heard that you tried to kill Yugan and Sein as well." ......" Why are you trying to kill adventurers from off the island?" I am a descendant of the Dragon Burial Clan. The Dragon Burial Clan? For generations, they have performed the ritual of burying the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). I see. You are a descendant of that family ....... I didn''t know that ......." Well, it''s understandable if you don''t know. It''s been a long time since they took away my role. Now only a few people on the island know of them. Carla said to herself. In the past, Grand Fafnir wasn''t as big or as powerful. In the old days, the ''Grand Fafnir'' wasn''t as big or as powerful, and the islanders could handle it just fine. But then, one day, Grand Fafnir suddenly became more powerful. We don''t know the cause. The islanders couldn''t handle it alone, so they finally asked for help from people outside the island. That is when things started to go wrong on the island. Adventurers'' guilds started coming in droves from the outside in search of rare metals, and the adventurers on the island became weaker and weaker. Now, the only guilds that challenge the outsiders are the thieves'' guilds. I still think about it. If only we had managed to stay on our own feet then, instead of relying on the outsiders. ......" Carla clenched her fists on the desk in frustration. (I see. I didn''t know there was such a circumstance. She had been fighting alone against the powerful adventurers coming from outside the island and the expansion of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". While carrying the pride of a forgotten family. ...... (But ......) So I kill any adventurer who comes from outside the island. But ......" Carla suddenly began to take on a weak tone. ''You''re not like the ones I''ve seen before. You trained the island''s adventurers, improved my skills, and defeated the ''flood dragon. I can see that you are acting not only for your own reasons, but also for the good of the island." Is that what you came to see me about this time?" Carla closed her eyes once to shake off her hesitation, and then, with a determined heart, cut to the chase. I don''t know," she said. If you say you are a friend of the island, I wonder if you could help us to keep out the adventurers from outside. I can''t do that." Oh no, why ...... Carla, no matter how much you want to, you can''t stop the tide of the times. The ...... current of the times? Yes," he said. The island''s economy is built on the premise that outside adventurers will visit. We cannot prevent adventurers'' guilds from coming from the outside. We can''t stop people from wanting to develop. It never has and it never will. We cannot stop people from moving forward. Nothing can stop you from becoming stronger, and from continuing to get stronger." Carla''s face contorted in anguish. She was violently torn between her desire to be strong and her refusal to change. Roland waited patiently again for her to get her mind right. He asked, "Is there any ...... way?" Finally Carla squeezed out. The hands of time cannot be undone. But we can change its shape and leave it behind." "Leave ......?" Yes," he said. No matter how much they are exposed to the torrent of the times and change their shape, some things never disappear and remain there. Just as you may grow stronger, but your roots remain the same. As Roland said this, Carla began to polo and cry. She began to cry. "Tell me more about the dragon burial ceremony," Roland said. Your anger and sadness. I want to know more about the roots of your anger and sadness. I can''t stop adventurers from coming from outside the island, but maybe there is something I can do to help you. Roland then listened carefully to Carla''s story and discussed it with her. Despite her hesitation, Carla decided to become a Class A adventurer under Roland. <> 124 - - Art. 124. The seeds of suspicion Cheal was praying in a soundproof room. Then, a light came down from a lamp hanging from the ceiling, and a spirit inhabited the silver spear on which it rested. The blade glittered with heat, while the handle was cool as fresh water. (Good. It is done.) Cheal tapped with a mallet or touched with his bare hand for a while, checked the workmanship, and then ran out of the soundproof room. Mr. Roddy! Come here. Cheal. What''s wrong?" Look at this. The Javelin is ready! This is ...... Roddy holds the "Javelin" in his hand. Roddy holds the "Javelin" in his hand. Even Lizetta''s "Javelin" has a wooden handle. What do you think, Mr. Roddy? No, I''m overwhelmed. It probably surpasses the quartet''s Javelin. Yay. I''ll have to have Mr. Roland appraise it to be sure, but this is ...... good enough." As Roddy was about to take the "Fire Spear (Javelin)" under Roland, he was confronted by Lange, who was standing in front of the entrance in the shape of a demon. Cheal''s face suddenly turned blue. Cheal, did you use the silver without permission?" What?Cheal, you didn''t get Ranju''s permission, did you?" Woah. No, sir. This is because Mr. Roddy said I could use it." You''re lying. I thought you were sneaking around hiding something. ......" I don''t care. You''ve made equipment that surpasses the quartet. That''s not the point. Who''s going to use this when we don''t even have a customer who is a lancer? Wayne and Pato were a bit depressed to see that. (What a child! I can''t believe he easily surpassed the quartet after only a few days on this island. ......) (What the hell are we trying to do? ......) Guys, come here for a second." Roland calls out to them, and the workers gather in droves. We have received a request from Elio and the others to make A-class equipment. Class-A equipment?" Finally, an A-class adventurer will be born from this island. ...... We are to make A-class or better armor, bows and arrows, staffs, and swords for Elio, Hans, Will, and Carla, respectively. First, Cheal." Yes! You will be the silversmith and the foundation for all of our products. I understand. Then Aina. Yes, sir. "The coating will strengthen the armor and the bow and arrow''s power and durability. I understand. Pato, you are to reduce the burden of the search as much as possible through ''Ryuonon'' and ''Onionon. I also ask you to have a meeting with Nicolas and the others." Yes, sir. Aryeh, Leena. You are to refine the ore and supply the earthcraft. Yes." Lange, you will oversee, coordinate and manage all projects. Understood. Roddy, Ize, Roullier, Melinda. You will support the main staff in their normal duties. You will work flexibly as the situation requires. understand Finally, Wayne. Roland looked at Wayne with a very serious look on his face. Wayne, too, took it straight on with a look of determination. He said, "Go for the specs. The magic of the staff and the lightness of the sword. Take it to the extreme. While the "Arsenal of the Spirits" was steadily getting into shape, Lisetta was also working on a new project at the "Dragon''s Fireside". As soon as Lizetta was appointed as the leader of the "Arsenal of Spirits" and started working, Edgar came at her with a high-handed attitude. He said, "You can''t do this new business by yourself, can you?If you insist, well, I''ll help you out, won''t I?" Lizetta smiled and softly declined. Thank you. But we are well-staffed. You should mind your own business. Lizetta prepared a document specifying the participants in the new project, their roles, and who was responsible, and had Medes sign it. She taped it up in a visible place in the conference room. There were only the names of those in Lizetta''s camp, not Edgar and his men. (This will prevent Edgar''s side-stepping for the time being. Now we just have to get on with our business.) Now, if we''re going to raise Ike to be an A-class spearman (lancer), what''s the right way to raise him?" Lizetta asked the appraisers present. Lizetta answered, "You have to develop your skills anyway. A skill appraiser said. A Class A monster cannot be defeated without Class A skills, and we should set our highest priority goal as acquiring Class A skills." No, wait a minute." A status appraiser said. ''You should work on your status first. Mr. Belford has room to grow in both power and agility. He should work on his status first, and then work on improving his skills. No, wait. The appraiser of Item Appraisal A said. Mr. Belford and the Javelin are not fully adapted. First of all, we should think about increasing the adaptability of the equipment and its owner. The three appraisers argued about this and that, but came to no conclusion. All right," said the three appraisers, "I''ll take your word for it. Let''s change the question then. What kind of equipment do I need to make to get Ike to Class A?" When Lizetta said this, the three connoisseurs fell silent. They only appraised alchemists, adventurers, equipment, and items, and had no experience in providing comprehensive support, including equipment manufacturing and dungeon exploration assistance. Lizetta bristles. (I guess when you start a new business, you can''t help but feel a bit groping. I have no idea what the right direction is. But if we don''t get through this, we won''t beat Roland.) After that, no particularly good ideas came out of the meeting. Since we had no choice, we agreed that, for now, we would ask Ike to try the quest to defeat the Class A monster and supplement what was missing there. When Edgar realized that he could not take a bite out of Lizetta''s project, he decided to instigate Medes. While going about his daily business, he brought up the new project. He asked, "Guild leader, are you serious about going ahead with that new project of Lizetta''s?" Since there is no alternative, we have no choice," he said. Since Lizetta wants to do it, we have no choice but to let her do it. In fact, I''ve overheard some unsavory rumors about her. What?What kind of rumors? "We''ve heard that Lisetta has been meeting secretly with Roland at night." What?Is that true?" I don''t know if it''s true or not. I only heard about it through people. But didn''t you think it strange?Why launch a training plan by appraisers "now"? It seems to me that it would only benefit the "Spirit Arsenal" to go to the trouble of competing with them on their own ground." Hmmm." I don''t know what Lizetta and Roland are up to, but is it really a good idea to leave her on the loose like this, repeatedly acting suspiciously?" Edgar, what do you think you should do?" I think she should be collared in some way and kept under close surveillance. ......" On the spot, Medes reserved his opinion and let Edgar back down. Edgar, however, considered it an accomplishment enough. (Now we''ve planted the seed of suspicion. Now all we have to do is wait for it to grow. Let it grow as big as you want. Until it snaps like a balloon.) Lizetta approached Ike about taking down the Class A monster. But here comes the problem. When Ike hears about Lizetta''s plan, he rushes over to explain. Succession?" Lizetta frowned at the unfamiliar words. If you want to go to the wastelands, it''s not enough just to upgrade your equipment to A class," she said. We must also devise ways to prevent the deterioration of equipment and troops that will occur along the way. (What''s that? What am I supposed to do with that?) Having no choice, Lizetta decided to find an adventurer who had previously joined the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and ask him how Roland was doing. According to the adventurer, the "Arsenal of Spirits" uses "earthcraft" to maintain the strength of its equipment while also performing training. Upon hearing this information, Lizetta headed for the guild leader''s office. The guild leader said, "Guild leader, may I come in?" Hmm?Lizetta. What''s up?" We''ve run into a bit of a problem with our new business. ...... Lizetta informed him that "Earthcraft" was needed. She said, "Hmmm. Is that what it is? Medes was not quite sure what to make of it. Medes was not quite sure what to make of it. Yes, that''s what it is. So, we would like to have additional budget for the procurement and refining of ''earthcraft'' ......." Medes'' eyebrows twitch uncomfortably. <> 125 - - Art. 125. Budget Capture Additional budget?"I thought we had already arranged enough money for new projects?" Medes said quizzically. Yes. So, as I explained earlier, we needed additional budget. We didn''t anticipate the need for EarthCraft. ''Earthcraft'' ...... Hey." Medes sits deep in his chair, a short distance away from Lizetta, who is leaning forward on her desk, and looks at her with a hasty eye. With that alone, Lizetta sensed that Medes was losing his mind about this new business. ''Lizetta, I don''t know what you''re talking about. What goes on in the dungeon is the domain of adventurers. Let the adventurers take care of the adventurers, after all, we as the Alchemy Guild ......" Guild leader! Lizetta slammed the desk and smiled with a smile of pressure. ''You said it yourself, Guild President, didn''t you?He said, "Whatever it takes, you have to present a way to defeat the ''Arsenal of Spirits. And he agreed to the new project I proposed. Isn''t that right?" It''s ...... yes, but ...... I admit that my estimates were not accurate. However, this business is still new to me. Until it sprouts, unforeseen circumstances are bound to occur. Roland is a monster who has conquered three dungeons, led an adventurers'' guild in one city, and trained numerous A- and S-class adventurers. Naturally, fighting against him will not be a simple task. It is a long, long road. There will be times when you will run into a deadlock. But it is in times like these that you, as head of the guild, must provide solid support on the ground." ......" Let me check again, the guild president wants to win the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' right?" That''s ...... of course it is, but ...... Then will you please pass this budget I''ve applied for?" But," he said. To pass a new budget, we have to cut other departments'' budgets. We can''t do that right now. ...... Then when can you make the money?" Medes was still reluctant, but unable to dissuade Lizetta any further, he had no choice but to approve the new budget. However, he gave her three days to approve it. After Lizetta left the room, Medes called Edgar. You wanted to see me, sir?" Look at this. ''Is this a new budget?Why on earth?" ''Lizetta applied for it just now. She''s finally starting to act suspiciously. (Seems the seeds of suspicion are growing nicely.) Edgar chuckled inside. ''At last, what you feared is coming true. Lizetta is prepping Roland to take over this guild." (I see. (I see. That''s what you want to think.) Edgar realized that his statement was being distorted by Medes. However, since it would be rather convenient for Edgar to increase Lizetta''s suspicions, he decided to go along with Medes'' delusion here. ''The takeover of the guild. I had no idea that Lizetta would be doing something so grandiose. But if that''s the case, we''ll finally have to tighten our surveillance on Lizetta. Mm-hmm. But what should we do? There is no clear evidence that Lizetta is betraying us even if we try to stop her. And we have no excuse to push back on this new budget application either. ......" I have an idea. Can you let me handle it here?" Three days later, the new budget was granted as requested by Lizetta. However, there was a condition attached to the use of the budget. Lizetta immediately went to Medes to complain. What is this all about, Guild President? Lizetta slammed the budget application down on Medes'' desk. ''Why do you need Edgar''s permission to use the budget! I''m not sure what to think. I''ll let Edgar join your project. That''s all there is to it. I remember I only applied for a budget, and I don''t recall you saying you were short-staffed?" There was some concern within the guild about entrusting this new project to you alone. Even just starting up a project is a lot of work, and now we''re going to have to come up with an additional budget. You can''t manage it on your own, can you?That''s why we added an additional member." (So why are you giving the budget to Edgar? He''s the one you shouldn''t give it to. Read the air!) Everyone in the guild knew that Lizetta and Edgar did not get along. Except for Medes. The guild leader said, "Guild leader, we can do it right with the current members. Let us do it." This is a decision that has already been made. I will not allow any objections. You will work with Edgar on this project. Thus, Lisetta and Edgar began to cooperate in the new business, but the new structure was fraught with trouble from the start. Edgar insisted that he be made the representative of the new business. Edgar insisted that he be made the head of the new business. This is a project I started. Why should you, who came later, be the leader? If Lizetta insisted on the right of precedence, Edgar insisted on holding the rights to the new budget, and to their surprise, the two argued all day long. In the end, the situation was somehow settled by making Lizetta the leader and Edgar the deputy leader. However, it was rather convenient for Edgar. (Good. I''m in the project. Being the deputy leader is a good position. If the project was going well, he could take over and take the credit. If it didn''t seem to be going well, he would take over and take the credit. Either way, I would get the benefit of the doubt. I''m going to destroy this new business from the inside with this two-step approach.) Lizetta glanced at the membership list with a gut-wrenching feeling. (Edgar, you''re being so transparent ....... I know what you''re trying to do. I''m not going to let you get in my way.) At the same time that Edgar was making his move, the "Arsenal of Spirits" was facing a similar problem. "Not enough ''earthcraft''?" Roland looked amused when Lange told him. ''Yes. With our current inventory, I''m not sure we''ll be able to take on the Class A quest. I see. It''s been a long time since we last procured anything, hasn''t it? Roland unfolded a map of the dungeon in his mind and checked the information related to the mining site. I have a general idea of where "Earthcraft" is distributed, but I don''t think there were many left this month. Roland considers the report from Dylan as well. According to Dylan, a project to train A-class adventurers was being launched in "Dragon''s Fires" as well. I don''t know how serious they are about this, but if they are serious about training A-class adventurers, they will want Earthcraft. If we don''t hurry, they''ll be fighting over it.) I''ll be right with you. All right. Ranju, change of plans. First priority is to procure "Earthcraft." I understand. Maintenance of existing equipment. I''ll call on the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, so please take care of the workshop (atelier). Just in case, Pato and Wayne are ......." Those two are concentrating on their unique skills, right? I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. Yes. Pato was not good at being resourceful, and Wayne became messy when his concentration was dispersed, so I was still uneasy about entrusting him with urgent matters. Roland and Lange, who are bound by strong trust, quickly read each other''s intentions without exchanging many words. They are deeply versed in both alchemy and adventure business, so even without exchanging many words, they were able to proceed smoothly without any conflict, confrontation, or suspicion, and without violating each other''s territory. The corporate culture of prioritizing the support of the Adventurers'' Guild was also prevalent in every corner of the "Arsenal of Spirits," and the staff was able to respond flexibly and without hesitation to sudden changes in schedule. The project was well managed, so there were no budget fights or unnecessary confrontations, and everything proceeded smoothly. The Adventurers'' Guild, too, had great confidence in Roland, so they quickly responded to his call. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was quickly formed. The "White Wolf" immediately reacted to the alliance. However, its movement was a little slow. Is the "Earthcraft" the target?) Jamil clicked his tongue. He had underestimated the value of earthcraft because he had long despised the support of adventurers in dungeon exploration. Even if they took it from the alliance, it was not certain that they would buy it back. The "White Wolf" had been worn out from the battle with the alliance, and the previous search had been costly because they had struck out. In addition, a fast ship that had recently arrived at the harbor had reported that a ship flying the banner of the "Philosopher''s Crown," one of the most prominent guilds on the western continent, was heading for the "Fire Dragon Island. We don''t want to be drained any further in terms of expenses before the "Wise Man''s Crown" arrives. For the time being, Jamil decided to request "Dragon''s Fires" to purchase "Earthcraft" and provide financial support. The request from the White Wolf was delivered to Edgar, who was in charge of procuring the earthcraft. An?The "White Wolf" wants to buy "Earthcraft" from you?The one you plan to take from the Arsenal of Spirits?" Edgar ponders for a moment. (I''d like to interrupt Lizetta''s work, so let''s send salt to the enemy here.) Edgar replied to the "White Wolf" side. We cannot buy "Earthcraft" in our guild. Therefore, we cannot provide financial support. We apologize for that. Jamil heard the reply and shook his fist. Edgar, I''m going to kill that son of a b*tc* later.) What the hell?Didn''t they say something about those guys collecting ''Earthcraft'' a while back?" Seems like different people are saying different things. They''re having another internal conflict. I can''t seem to get my head in the game at the critical moment. Later, Lisetta learned of this and tried to take a shot at Edgar, but he dodged her with a flippant excuse. Upon entering the dungeon, Jeff immediately noticed something unusual. He said, "You know what? Roland. Something''s wrong, isn''t it?" What is it? I don''t feel like we''re being chased at all. What?Really? I thought the White Wolf wasn''t moving this time. No way. ...... (But sure. It''s funny that I didn''t even feel any sign of you earlier.) Roland mobilized all his archers (archers) and thieves (thieves) to conduct a massive search behind him, but still found no sign of the enemy. In the end, the alliance finished collecting "Earthcraft" without delay and descended the mountain without incident. When the Alliance finished searching the dungeon, a ship carrying the guild "The Wise Man''s Crown" arrived at the port. (An outside guild came? Then there is no need to train the local guild.) Medes decided so. Lizetta''s new business is suspended and all allocated budget is taken away. The budget was allocated directly to the production of equipment for "The Wise Man''s Crown. Edgar was chosen to be in charge. Lizetta is summoned to the guild leader''s office and informed of this. Not only did your new project fail to produce any results, but even the procurement of "earthcraft" lagged behind the "Arsenal of the Spirits. This is a heavy responsibility. You must be penalized in some way or you will not be able to show your performance. Do you understand?So this time, Edgar will be in charge of manufacturing the equipment for the "Philosopher''s Crown. You are to procure the ore for Edgar. You have no objection to that, do you?" Lizetta felt something snap in her head. Oh, I see. Then, no, thank you. I will resign from this guild as of today!" What?Hey, wait. Where are you going?" Lizetta did not answer and quickly left the guild leader''s office. No one called out to her as she left. They were all afraid of Edgar''s stare. What is the number one alchemy guild on the island? It''s lousy. We have worked so hard and devoted ourselves to it, and now we are treated like this. It''s ridiculous! As Lizetta was leaving, she heard the residents cheering from behind the hallway window. They were welcoming the guild "The Wise Man''s Crown. On this day, the residents'' cheers were louder than usual. This is because "Treasure Crown of the Wise" was not the only guild that landed at the port. The second group of "Guardians of the Magic Tree," led by Yuffine, was also there. <> 126 - - Art. 126 The Treasure of the Wise About a week ago, in the "Adventurer''s Town. In the waiting room of the "Golden Eagle", Lilianne and Arik were discussing. Lillianne. How long will it take Roland to prepare the land on the "Fire Dragon Island"? If he has been away from the city for such a long period of time, using the guild''s funds, and has yet to produce any results, it is no wonder that his qualifications as an executive officer are being questioned. In fact, there have already been questions about Roland''s actions from both inside and outside the guild. Arik. As I said the other day, the situation on the ''Fire Dragon Island'' is unexpectedly troublesome. Mr. Roland is also struggling to raise a local adventurers'' guild. We must firmly believe in and support him here." But it''s no longer possible to suppress the frustration of the corps members any longer. I have my own position. I have my own position. There is a limit to how far I can go in defending those who are so preoccupied with the affairs of other cities that they neglect the internal affairs of the Gilded Eagle. If things continue as they are, all the money and effort that Roland has invested in the "Fire Dragon Island" will be wiped out. Hmmm. I see." Lillianne languidly stroked the pendant with her finger. The "Tears of the Dragon" glowed blue. ''Well, how about this? As for next term''s dungeon assignments, I''ll give the ''Mining Dungeon'' to the ''Golden Eagle''." What?" The more dungeons we are in charge of, the more income the Golden Eagle will earn and the busier our members will be at work. This would help divert any frustration with Mr. Roland, wouldn''t it?" Certainly, that would temporarily curb the discontent. ......, but then what about the second unit of the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" who are always in charge of the "Mine Dungeon"?There is no way we are going to let the city''s most powerful unit, with such a strong lineup, go idle. If that happens, it will be your turn to be pushed up against the wall. "The second squad of the Guardians of the Magical Tree will be dispatched to the Isle of Fire Dragons." On Fire Dragon Island? Yes, sir. The second unit was getting used to conquering "mining dungeons," and we thought it was time to give them some experience exploring dungeons outside of the city. Sending them to the "Fire Dragon Island" would strengthen the unit and would also help Roland-san. It would also strengthen your position while reducing discontent within the Gilded Eagle. ...... So it''s a three-way street. Arik crossed his arms and thought for a moment. ''All right. Let''s work with that." Lilianne then ordered Euphine and Shakuma to lead a second unit to "Fire Dragon Island" to support Roland. Monica also volunteered to be part of the contingent, but Lillianne gave her some reason to stay in the "Adventurer''s Town. On board the ship on its way to "Fire Dragon Island," Euphine was resting on a chair in the aisle when a man with a wry smile approached her. He said, "Hey there. Is she free?" Yuffine stares at him, but the man speaks to her even more. You are the healer of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," aren''t you? I''m a mage of the Crown of Wisdom. What do you think?Can I talk to you for a minute over there?" Hey, don''t do that. The captain told me not to get into trouble. A man who appeared to be his friend chided the pick-up artist. He said, "That''s all right. She seems to be bored. Hey. Euphine does not respond to the man''s words, and her face remains expressionless and unmoving. Don''t be so impolite," he said. We''re on the same boat. If you want, I can teach you about magic in the advanced magic zone, the City of Mages. ...... When the man tried to put his hand on her shoulder, Yuffine tapped the floor with her wand and deployed a magic circle all over the ship. ''Hey, what''s that?'' What is this? Recovery magic?Nonsense. How is it possible to deploy a magic circle over such a wide area? I''ve never seen anything like this even in the City of Mages." As the mages of the Crown of Wisdom were dismayed, the warriors of the Guardians of the Magic Tree arrived. What is the matter? Captain Reyes! What is this magic circle?You don''t mean to tell me that you were set up for battle! Hearing the words of the Warriors who rushed toward them, the mages became even more panicked. The mages became more flustered when they heard the words of the Warriors who came rushing toward them: "Ta, Captain?No way, then this guy is ......" Euphine Reyes, the ''wide-range healer''? Excuse me. The two men from "The Wise Man''s Crown Jewels" ran away with their tails between their legs. ''Yuffine. Is something wrong?" Shakuma, who had seen Yuffine''s magic circle, also came and asked. Shakuma replied, "There''s nothing wrong with that. I don''t know how much longer I have to stay here on this ship. There''s nothing to do but hang around the ship day in and day out. I get tangled up with strange men." I''m not sure what to say. It''s not all that bad. Shakuma said to appease him. If we make it to the ''Fire Dragon Island,'' we can see Roland for the first time in a long time. When Shakuma said this, Yuffine also relaxed her anger and looked out the window as she looked back at her memories. ''Yes,'' she said. I''m looking forward to meeting you, Roland. I have to make sure he sees exactly how I''ve grown. As Yuffine was saying this, she heard a rustling of people from across the aisle. A tall, slender man approached with two or three men under his command. On his chest he wears the emblem of the "Wise Man''s Crown. Where is the ''wide-range healer''?This way?" When he caught sight of Yuffine, he immediately noticed her extraordinary features and approached her with an amiable smile on his face. At first glance, he realized that Yuffine was also Yuffine and that she was not of the same caliber as the men he had just tangled with. (This guy is ...... strong. Class A?) Are you Euphine Reyes?This is an unexpected fortuitous event. I had heard that the Guardian of the Magical Tree was on board, but I never expected to meet the renowned ''wide-range healer''. And you? I''m sorry I''m late. My name is Ian Jugberg, the first ace healer of the "Wise Man''s Crown. In the "Volcano Dungeon," the work of the rear guard, including the healers, is important because of the presence of powerful flying units, the dragons. In the dungeon, there will be times when you will have to form a joint front against bandits. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ......" Ah, it looks like the ship will be arriving at the port soon." Shakuma said as he mumbled. The sailors begin hurriedly preparing to disembark. Yuffine and Ian also parted ways to prepare for disembarkation. The "Wise Man''s Crown" and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" were greeted with shouts of joy by the island''s inhabitants as they disembarked at the harbor. Both guilds were escorted to the plaza by the town''s residents. Neil Dioclea, the first support mage of the Crown of Sages, asked the man who was leading the way to the square, "What do you want me to do? Hey, I have a strange question: is it true that Thane Alvesta, the guardian of the Academy of Wizardry, has almost defeated the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)? As soon as he hears the name of the "Guardian of the Magical Academy," the man guiding him pulls back his previously affable, smiling face and turns grim. He said, "I would appreciate it if you don''t ask me about the guys at the Academy right now. So, it''s still a lie that Thane has cornered the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)''?" I don''t know. After all, the people from the mage academy left the island as if they were fleeing, without cleaning up the disaster. I don''t think they put up such a good fight against the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". After all, after they challenged it, "Grand Fafnir" was energetically rampaging and causing earthquakes. If there are any stories circulating praising their battle, I think they are just false rumors spread by someone somewhere. "Hey, did you hear that, guys?" Neil looked back at his friends with glee and called out. I heard that the story about Sein hunting down the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)'' is a lie," he said. I''ve been fed another one of Sein''s lies. A hearty laugh erupts among the members of the "Wise Man''s Crown. They had always considered the "Guardians of the Academy of Wizardry" to be their rivals, and they were getting nervous about the results of the war that Sein was blabbing about in the guild''s home base, the "City of Wizardry. Neil made fun of the guild for a while to boost the morale of the members, and then he came next to Ian. Ian was the first one to speak to Neil. It seems that the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" has not been hunted yet. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it," he said. If Sein''s story is true, there is no guarantee that another guild would not have intercepted the "Grand Fafnir" by now. But still, ......" Neil smiles with genuine joy. The way they hate those guys at the Academy of Magical Arts. It seems they''ve let the island''s inhabitants down big time. When I heard that the rampaging Sein had suddenly skipped town and headed for ''Fire Dragon Island,'' I was a bit nervous, but ...... it looks like my fears were unfounded." He''s a bastard. He had been bragging that he had a good chance of winning, but in the end, it seems that it was an unthinking expedition. After all, this is the thinking of a greenhorn. Neither of you can afford to rest on your laurels over the failure of the Academy. Glen Ross, the first attack mage of the "Wise Man''s Crown" with broad shoulders and a rigid air, said. This is not just an expedition to save the islanders. This is not just an expedition to save the islanders, but also a battle for the honor of the "City of Mages. If we return home with less success than the mages, we will be the laughing stock of the city. But it will be a piece of cake. There are no great adventurers on this island, and no one can match us in the A class. ...... There are certainly no notable adventurers'' guilds on the island," he said. But having said that, somehow things don''t work out the way we want them to every time, and that''s the hard part about this island." Still the chaperone of the young Ian and Neil, he showed his dignity as the elder of the two. The guild of thieves in particular is a tricky bunch," he said. The city''s inhabitants are not so easy to deal with. The city''s inhabitants are no slouch either, and flying units such as Fafnir are also a problem. Both of you must be on your toes and be on your toes. Heihei. I understand. All right. Neil ends the conversation with a wave of his hand in annoyance. After that, "The Wise Man''s Crown" reached the podium in the plaza. Neil, the first support mage, delivers his speech. The residents of the island are frightened by the threat of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Now that we, the "Crown Jewels of the Wise," have arrived, you can rest easy. There are some very reliable men and women in the force that has come here today. The first unit of the "Crown of Wisdom" not only has many excellent mages who have studied and trained hard, but it also has three A-class mages. A commotion arose among the audience. Three A-class students? This is a big deal." Satisfied with the audience''s reaction, Neal continued his speech. I would like to introduce to you the proud A-class mages of the first unit of the "Wise Man''s Crown". First, Glen Ross, an A-class mage who has mastered attack magic of all attributes! Glenn steps forward and raises his hand. The crowd applauded. Next is Ian Jugberg, a healer whose speed and hit rate with recovery magic are unrivaled! Ian steps forward and takes a bow with good manners. Another round of applause came from the crowd. And finally!I, Neil Dioclea, am a specialist in all kinds of support magic, offensive, defensive, and agile! Neil proudly made his triumphant triumph. The crowd''s applause reached a climax. It looks like we really do have three A-class mages! This could take down the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir), right? We, the Crown Jewels of the Wise, will not end up like the "Guardians of the Academy of Witchcraft"!I hereby promise that we will surely outperform them!" When he concluded his speech without forgetting to snub his rival guilds, he received applause from the audience. Will you form a ''Grand Alliance''?" A member of the audience asked a question. "''The Grand Alliance''?"What''s that?" It''s an alliance formed by the ''Guardians of the Magisterium. They took in adventurers from all over the island, regardless of skill or status, and challenged them to conquer dungeons. Hm. I see. What do you think, Ian?" Neil asked Ian beside him in a whisper. ''I think we should follow the precedent set by the Magisterium here, don''t you?In any case, the cooperation of local adventurers is essential. But what about the no-separation policy?You can''t have too many low-quality adventurers in your troop, or they''ll slow you down." There''s the rub. Just gather as many people as you can and then turn them away for whatever reason you can find. I see. I see. That''s the way to go. After a private consultation with Ian, Neil turns to the crowd once again. Excuse me. I was just going over some details with my colleagues. We are of course advocating a similar alliance and will be working closely with the local guilds to promote dungeon exploitation. We hope that adventurers on the island will join us. There was a gasp and a cheer from the crowd, especially from a group of adventurers. Excuse me," he said, "I''m sorry. As adventurers on the island, we would like to make a proposal to the "Wise Man''s Crown. One female bandit (shifu) raised her hand and appealed to the crowd. What is it?Miss?" How about all of you ''Wise Crown Jewels'' joining us in the ''Arsenal of the Spirits''?" The Arsenal of Spirits?" Neil wondered at the unfamiliar phrase. The "Arsenal of Spirits" is an alchemy guild that has been rapidly gaining power on the island recently. Although it is an alchemy guild, it has formed its own adventurers'' alliance, and recently it finally accomplished an A-class quest. Our guild "Wildcat" is also a member of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. I think it would be great if the "Wise Man''s Crown" would also join the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Neil always looks like a pain in the ass. (The "Arsenal of Spirits" in the "Grand Alliance" hey ....... (The island has changed a lot in the time I''ve been gone.) Neil. I think the Alchemy Guild might be a bad idea." Ian overheard. Ian overheard, "We can''t handle alchemical matters, let alone matters related to our competitors. It would be safer to use ''Dragon''s Fires''. And ......" Ian glanced toward the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" standing behind him. The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" are here, too. When it comes to the battle between the A-class players, the only thing that counts is the superiority of their equipment. The game will be decided by how many alchemists of the "Dragon''s Fires" including Raoul Bartley can be secured. I agree. I guess we can''t give up that part of the stone. Neil breaks off his sneak peek with Ian again and turns to the crowd. He turned to the crowd and said, "Brave adventurers of the guild Wildcat. Thank you for your wonderful suggestion. But I am sorry. We have a number of people in our unit who are equipped with equipment that can only be maintained by alchemists of the "Dragon''s Fires". The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is also an attractive proposition, but we will have to pass on it this time." When Neil said this, the "Wildcat" bandit (shifu) slumped his shoulders and nodded. We''ll leave our speeches for now, since we have a lot of time to kill. Thank you very much. Thank you. Neil left the podium, waving his hands in response to the generous applause from the crowd. He immediately began whispering to Ian and Glenn. Hey," he said. Let''s hurry to the "Dragon''s Fires. We need to get to the quartet before the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" do. I agree. We''ll have to get there first on this island. I agree. Fortunately, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" are unaware of this. Thank goodness they are the ones we are competing with. They''ve never been to this island yet, being novices and ......" In fact, Yuffine was already dreading the moment. She had been led here without prompting, but imho, she didn''t know what the point of this parade and speech contest was. I had been told by the locals earlier to make a speech, but I had prepared nothing and had no idea what to say. I had nothing prepared and no idea what to say," Shakuma said. What am I supposed to say in my speech? What?I don''t need to be told. I didn''t expect this. ......" What are you going to do? The guy in front of me was talking about something respectable. Hey, Rick. You should give a speech." You mean you?Oh, come on! While Yuffine and the others were jostling around in the background, the crowd began to get suspicious that the speech was not going to start anytime soon. Yuffine and the others became more and more uncomfortable. At that moment, a young man came up to the podium through the crowd. He said, "Excuse me. Let me through. Please let me through. Euphine''s face lights up when she sees the person. Oh, Mr. Roland! Yuffine. It''s been a long time. I''m sorry. Coming through. Roland stepped up to the podium with Rick''s help. The audience was stunned by the unexpected appearance of a man. Mr. Lorang, thank goodness. I was just in trouble. I''m sorry I''m late. I didn''t expect you guys to be here. It was a quick decision," he said. The guild leader told me to go to ''Fire Dragon Island'' to support Mr. Roland. ......" I didn''t know that. Let''s talk about the pile up later, for now. I''m here to talk about this place. ......" Roland told Yuffine that she should speak at this point. After hearing everything, Yuffine went with Roland to the crowd. ''Nice to meet you all. My name is Yuffine Reyes and I am the captain of the second unit of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The purpose of our visit to this island is neither ore nor the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Our purpose is to support our friend, the "Arsenal of Spirits". We hereby announce our participation in the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance! The audience gave a thunderous applause. The applause was so loud that it even stopped the "Wise Man''s Crown," which was on its way to the "Dragon''s Firing Fire," in its tracks. The applause was so great," he said. Mm-hmm. I never thought that there was an alchemy guild other than the "Dragon''s Fireside" that had gained so much local trust. Ian and Glenn said surprisingly. Neil looked at Euphine, who was waving to the crowd at the podium, with an uninterested look on her face. (What the hell is wrong with those guys? They''re newcomers to ....... I don''t like it.) <> 127 - - Art. 127. Ians Proposal When the three members of the "Wise Man''s Crown" arrived at the "Dragon''s Fires," they were greeted by Medes, Edgar, and Raul. The six immediately moved on to business negotiations. This time, not only the "Wise Man''s Crown" but also the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" was here. If you want to use the quartet preferentially, you will have to pay extra for that. Medes said with a pouty smile. (Hmmm. I didn''t expect two major guilds to come at this time of the year. Lucky us. We''ll take this opportunity to squeeze as much as we can out of them. ......) Hey, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" said they were joining the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Neil said. ''Pyo?" Medes makes a funny noise. ''In the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance?Why ...... again?" Edgar said, really wondering. ''It seems that the head of the guild of the "Arsenal of Spirits" has a pipeline to the "Guardian of the Magic Tree."'' Ian said. ''What?Is that so?" ''Yes,'' he said. I was curious, so I had a listen in the plaza. Didn''t you know?" What?Oh no. Well, how should I put it?" Medes is completely slack-jawed. So what?What do you think? Are you going to accept the request on our terms? Are you going to accept it or not? Neil pressed in. What?Of course I''ll take it, right?We will accept. We have no reason to refuse a request from a venerable guild such as yours. Medes said hurriedly to mend the situation. Neil frowned at that. (Are these guys really all right? They should at least gather information on local rival guilds. I''ve been thinking for a while that the management here is a bit out of touch.I guess Raul is the only one who can use this guild.) I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Well then, please do me a favor, Raul. Make sure to make me some ''magic-work'' equipment as usual." What?Uh, yeah." When Neil called out to Raul, Raul responded in a distracted manner. Seeing this, Neil was taken aback. (Hey, hey, hey, Raul. Even you, what''s with that feckless attitude?) ''Mr. Raoul, what''s wrong?You don''t look well. Ian asked with concern. Oh, no. It''s nothing. Raul was troubled by this thought. I never thought Lisetta would quit. She''s an excellent silversmith. I don''t know if it''s okay, but I don''t want to keep her. But I''m too busy doing my own thing right now. ......) After arriving at the "Arsenal of Spirits," Euphine and her colleagues underwent an evaluation by Roland. Roland quickly checked everyone''s condition. He checked everyone''s condition quickly. No decline in skill level. You did well. I look forward to seeing your work in the Fire Dragon Dungeon. Yes, sir. Then, everyone leave your equipment with the alchemist. After that, you can relax in the dining room out front. When Euphine said this, the team members relaxed and began to remove their equipment. The group of "Guardians of the Magical Tree" then began to remove their equipment. Please come to the front. You have the day to yourselves. Saki appears nonchalantly and entertains the troopers. Yufine, Shakuma, Rick, Lelio, and Marina. You stay here and we''ll discuss the dungeon strategy as soon as possible. The meeting was soon joined by local adventurers such as Leon, Hans, and Will, who were waiting for the meeting. The dungeon is for you to see for yourselves, but the issue at hand is how to deal with the ''crown of the wisest''. Roland writes the names of the three Class A mages belonging to "The Wise Man''s Crown" on the blackboard. Glen Ross, an offensive mage; Neil Dioclea, a support mage; and Ian Ugberg, a healer. All of them were typical Class A mages in both skill and status. Through standard training and standard quests, they naturally developed their talents. That''s about it." You mean the elite?" Leon said with a wry smile. He had been born and raised in a beat-up environment, a world he had never been a part of. But I found a weakness. You''ve already gone that far?" (In such a short time, you have gone through so many trends and countermeasures. (After all, this guy is different from ordinary appraisers. I can rely on him.) Their weakness is that none of the three has a high command capability. All of them are average at best. This is true of all guilds, and it can''t be helped, but those with the most skill and combat ability tend to take on the role of commander as well. Perhaps the same is true of "The Wise Man''s Crown. Because they are too strong, they tend to overestimate their own power. They will probably attack the dungeon by pushing their skills and power just like the "Guardians of the Academy of Magic. Roland adds the words "brains" and "gory" on the blackboard. There is another advantage here," he says. We''ve already finished procuring the ''Earthcraft. So you''re saying that some forced marching isn''t a problem." Lelio said. ''Yes, that''s right. So much for the analysis of the enemy''s weaknesses and ours. Now we just need to decide which route to take. Roland added two paths to the blackboard. The Crater Route and the Lake Route. The Wise Man''s Crown will surely take the crater route," Roland said. Last time, when the "Knights of the Hail" came, we took the "Lake Route" to avoid competing with outside guilds. This time, however, we too will take the "Crater Route. We''ll be competing head-on with the Crown of Wisdom." The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" came as reinforcements, didn''t they? Why don''t we take advantage of this opportunity? That''s not true, Leon. Even if the Guardians of the Magic Tree had not come, I would have been competing with the Crown of Wisdom. Local adventurers gulped at Roland''s awesomeness. Yuffine and the others were unperturbed. The first thing we need to do is to take out all the earthcraft distributed along the crater route. This will reduce the competitiveness of our enemies and keep the Crown of Wisdom out of the crater route. As the moon turned, new ore was exposed in the dungeon. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and the "Grand Alliance" led by the "Philosopher''s Crown" began preparing to search in the plaza in front of the dungeon. In the meantime, Erio and his team were receiving equipment for defeating A-class monsters. Here is your new equipment, Mr. Erio. Here you go. The armor that Aina and Roddy brought in front of Erio was shimmering silver in addition to the blue "exterior reinforcement (coating)" that had been used until now. They had applied the blue "exterior reinforcement (coating)" to the armor made of Cheal''s silversmith''s silver work. When Erio put his body into the new armor, he felt a weight of a different dimension. (It is a heavy weight.) It is a heavy weight. This is the weight of A-class armor.) The new one is more powerful and durable than the old one, but it''s also heavier. What do you think?Do you have any problem with the weight?" Yes," he said. I''m not used to the weight yet, but I''m sure I''ll get used to it. A new bow and arrow were also carried under Hans. Like Elio''s armor, it is made of silver. Based on Hans'' previous shooting records, we have tried to increase the power and accuracy of the ''magic shot'' as much as possible. As Hans received his bow and arrow, he remembered what Roland had told him. (The mental aspect, huh? I am the one who has the most anxiety about this issue. (In the last battle against the "White Wolves," I couldn''t do anything after Alice and Claire were taken captive.) Thank you. Aina. I''ll use it anyway." (Fight against this bow and arrow and the "Philosopher''s Crown of Wisdom. I will find the answer there.) Will and Carla had received the staff and sword from Wayne. Will touched the magic stone on the end of the staff. The magic stone, which was cut into a polyhedron shape, transmitted an enormous amount of magic power. I''m surprised," Will said. You''ve improved a lot in just a short time, Wayne. It is so different from the wand you gave me before. Will said, impressed. Carla swung the sword she had received. It is light. (How can it be this light?) The sword was forged up to A class and further lightened by ''magic stone cutting. By sharpening the sword to the utmost limit, we have made it lighter and increased its cutting ability. When Carla wondered, Wayne began to explain. ''That sword should increase the power of your ''Shadow Strike'' and ''Kaiten Sword Dance. You guys." Wayne grabbed them both by the shoulders. Wayne grabbed them by the shoulders. "Please," Wayne said, grabbing them by the shoulders, "I need you to use this equipment. I don''t want to cause Roland any more trouble. Will and Carla look at each other curiously. As Euphine was making a final check of their unit, someone approached them from "The Wise Man''s Crown" and called out to them. ''Hey there. Reyes." You''re ...... sure, Ian. I am so glad you remember me. I''m honored." I''m the ace of a rival guild. I''ll be sure to check in on you. What can I do for you?" When Euphine asked this, Ian did not answer, but turned his attention to the group of adventurers who were getting ready. This atmosphere is unique to this island, isn''t it? The champions of different continents are entering the dungeon shoulder to shoulder with each other. But this time, among others, the scene is bizarre. The local adventurers on the island have split in half and are forming an alliance with outside adventurers. We of the "Wise Man''s Crown" have gathered as many local adventurer guilds as we can, but there are just as many of you as well. If you''ve gathered such a large group, I wonder if you''re aiming for the crater route. I can''t tell you that. That''s classified information. "......" If you''re here to make small talk, I''ll let you go. I''m a busy man. "Roland Gil." The name out of Ian''s mouth made Eufine stop what she was doing to walk away and turn around. He is the head of the "Arsenal of Spirits" guild and a well-known S-class appraiser who has trained many alchemists and adventurers. He is said to have played an important role in the battle for supremacy between the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Golden Eagle" in the "City of Adventurers. It was Roland, of all people, who discovered you as a "wide-range healer. Isn''t that right?" I was surprised by ......." Did you know Mr. Roland?" No, I did my research after I came to the island. Originally, I had heard about the S-class appraiser as a rumor, but I didn''t believe it. I didn''t believe that a single appraiser could do such a big job. It wasn''t until I spent the last few days investigating the connection between you and the Arsenal of Spirits that I was able to corroborate it." "......, you have great investigative skills." (If that Neil guy is the leader of the "Wise Man''s Crown", this guy is the shadowy powerhouse.) And?"What in the world do you want with us and Mr. Roland, sneaking around like that?From a moment ago." I get it. Let''s get straight to the point. How about we stop competing with each other and join forces?" What do you mean? I want you to think this through. If things continue as they are, the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and the "Philosopher''s Crown" will be crushing each other. If that happens, who benefits?The White Wolf." ......" The last time we came to this island, we had to compete with a major guild. Last time we came to the island, we were competing with a major guild called the Guardians of the Academy of Magic, a guild based in the same city as us, but since we were from the same hometown, we were so rival that we were dragging each other down. As a result, neither of us got good results. In both "The Wise Man''s Crown" and "Guardians of the Academy of Witchcraft," there were a lot of arguments blaming the other, but it was the local guild, "White Wolf," that actually got the better of the two. Now that I think about it, I feel that we were moved to their advantage at every important point. ......" The "Sage''s Crown" and the "Guardians of the Magickal Academy" are rivaling guilds from the bottom up, so there was no room for compromise. But we are different. It is not too late. If we can negotiate, join hands, and work together on the quest, ...... I''m sorry. I can''t do that. ...... why? Our mission is to assist Mr. Loran. Mr. Roland wants us to fight you, so we are just following his orders. We have nothing against you in particular. You are new to the island, so you may not know this, but the ''white wolves'', they are dangerous. They are cunning and they will not miss an opportunity to get at you. But if we work together, we can ......" I have heard about the dangers of the White Wolf. But they''re not the only ones you''re worried about. The Dragon''s Fiery Fire. Apparently, Mr. Roland is concerned about them as well. You and the Dragon''s Fires are in charge of their equipment, aren''t you?If you were to join forces with us, would you be able to cut ties with the Dragon''s Fires now?" It''s ......" Well, that''s why we can''t work with you. Sorry. I see." Ian sighed and shook his head. ''It''s a shame,'' he said. I thought you were a man who could talk. I didn''t know you could fight the ''dragon''s fiery fire. This Roland guy sounds like a crazy person. You''ll regret it. You will regret that you trusted the judgment of a mere appraiser so much. I don''t know what you''ll regret later. What?What do you mean? There are people in the world who can''t be measured by you. <> 128 - - Art. 128. Counter-consciousness The march of the "Grand Alliance" through the forest at the foot of the mountain was slow. Hey! Can''t you run faster? Neil chided his troops irritably. The guys from the Arsenal of the Spirits are already a long way ahead of us," he said. The "Grand Alliance" gathered at the plaza in front of the dungeon at the same time as the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, but they were already far behind. First, there was a slight mishap in the troop formation stage, which prevented them from entering the dungeon at the scheduled time. In the forest at the foot of the mountain, they had trouble forming a coherent formation whenever they encountered a monster. The monsters on the right wing and in the center, where the "Wise Man''s Crown" was still in charge, were cleared without difficulty, but on the left wing, where there were many local adventurers, there was no sign of an end in sight, even though several tens of minutes had passed since the battle had begun. The left wing, where many of the local adventurers were located, showed no sign of finishing the battle, even though several dozen minutes had passed since the start of the battle. Enough or I''ll leave you here!" Neil, calm down." Glen, the elder of the two, said to him as if to correct him. The dungeon search has just begun. If you are in too much of a hurry to get going, you will run out of breath. But," he said. At this rate, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance will reach the mining site before we do. No need to be hasty. There are plenty of good ore mines in this dungeon. First of all, we need to establish ties with local adventurers. Have you forgotten what happened last year?Last year, too, we proceeded without sufficient cooperation with the local guilds, and as a result, we fell apart in the latter half of the year. It is imperative to wash the alliance''s issues while the monsters are still weak in the early stages and optimize them for the middle to end of the game. In this dungeon, ......" As Glen was about to say this, the cry of a "fire dragon (Fafnir)" ripping through the sky echoed through the air. Soon after, angry shouts and the sound of weapons clanging in battle could be heard. When Glenn turned his head to the sky, he saw the "breath of fire," which seemed to be emitted by "Fafnir," and the arrows fired by the archer flying back and forth. Is that the ...... ''Arsenal of Spirits'' fighting?" They''ve already reached the Metal Line. Glenn looks incredulous. (That''s ridiculous. He''s going too fast, no matter how much he tries. They can''t maintain their equipment and status at such a high speed. Have you abandoned the game?) The sounds of battle did not last long. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance took out the "Metal Line" monster mixed unit with unbelievable deftness. There was not the slightest sign of an unreasonable advance. But even so, Glen still could not believe it. Common sense inevitably refused to comprehend the events in front of him. (The only thing to watch out for on this island should be the Thieves'' Guild. (But then again, ......) Hey. Isn''t that a quirk?" Ian gave Neil an earful. The island''s adventurers are a bit of a shifty bunch," Ian said. If the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is too close to us, it will be bad for our face. Some adventurers might even be swayed by the other side. At Ian''s advice, Neil''s patience ran out. He puts magic into his wand. Neil!What are you doing?" I don''t think this is the time to be saving any more time," he said. I''m going to fly. Agility! How can we incorporate the strength of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" into the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance? That''s what we have to do this time. Roland said this prior to the dungeon entry. Leon, Hans, and Will. The Guardians of the Magical Tree are still unfamiliar with volcanic dungeons," Roland said before entering the dungeon. If you encounter Fafnir in the Metal Line, you are to set the example of how to defeat him. All right, man. Yufine, Shakuma. The adventurers on this island are not very good at being outside adventurers. I don''t think this is likely to happen, but when you have to fight the ''Wise Man''s Crown,'' I want you to take the lead." Yes, sir. No matter how carefully you prepare, there will always be unforeseen circumstances in the dungeon. Each time this happens, we will be forced to make improvements and fine-tune our approach, so every guild should be proactive in voicing their opinions." yes And in the dungeon. "Carla, ''Fafnir the Fire Dragon'' is coming!" Jeff said. ''I''m on it!Huh." Carla followed Jeff and showered the low-flying "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" with "Kaiten Sword Dance". (Ugh. Can you cut it?) Carla is startled by the new sword''s cutting ability. With just one slash, the sword bites deeply into the skin of Fafnir, which normally requires multiple cuts to pass through, and almost reaches the bone. Thanks to this, Carla missed the technique with too much momentum and almost lost her landing position. Cecil, who was standing behind her, rushed to finish off "Fafnir. What are you doing, Carla? You missed the shot, didn''t you? I''m sorry. I got a little out of hand. ......" (Wayne guy, what kind of slashing sword are you going to give me? If he does a bad "Kaiten Kenbai", he''ll fail to defeat him.) Elio was under attack from "Rock Fang" at another location. It is extremely difficult to completely defend against the attacks of "Rock Fang," which has high agility. However, Erio was about to do it. (Normally, I''d be okay with taking damage, but if you want to be an A-class shield user, you have to be able to kill the enemy''s power perfectly.) Erio watches closely for the "Rock Fang," which moves in small increments to seek an opening, and tries to find the right moment to strike. Rock Fang" jumped at him. Now!) Elio holds up his shield to defend against "Rock Fang''s" claw attack. However, he could not kill the impact completely and felt his equipment and status being cut down. (Heck, no?) Elio glanced back at Roland and shook his head. (d*mn. Again.) Hans was chasing a "wyvern". I can''t shoot as fast as Alice or shoot as many times as Claire. ) So, to get to A class, I have to aim for the power of the "magic shot" and ...... a hundred hits! Hans unleashes a "magic shot" surrounded by flames, but is unable to shoot down the "flying dragon (wyvern)" with a single shot. (d*mn. It''s no good. The shooting motion of "Magic Shot" is always delayed. I have to concentrate more.) Will was destroying the enemy with "blast magic" from behind the battle lines of his allies. The blast that rolled out was one larger than usual. He said, "Wow. It''s amazing. Big brother. I''m not sure I want to go back to the same place. That''s great. This cane. Looks like Wayne''s guy did a good job. But ......" (In the current battle, we could have defeated the enemy more efficiently. We had to get into position faster and create more blasts in the right places. Besides ......) Will tightened his grip on his staff. (It should be able to produce more power. (This cane that Wayne made for me should be able to do more.) Roland looked around the entire battlefield, especially watching the work of Elio, Hans, Will, and Carla. He had told the four of them to prioritize their growth, even if it meant putting aside some of their unit''s needs. I can see that all four of them have more desire than before, and the will to be A-class is real," he said. (At this rate, they will naturally improve their skills with more experience, and when they encounter A-class monsters, they will not hesitate to hit them.) Carla, I''m going to go for another ''Fafnir'' dragon. This time, you have to finish it off with a single blow. Jeff made a move to draw the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Carla followed suit. (With the new weapon, it is difficult to decide on the "Kaiten Ken Dance". Then here is ...... "Swordsmanship"!) A flash. With a single stroke, Carla sliced the thick neck of the fire dragon (Fafnir) in two. Skill and Status of Carla Grazia Swordsmanship: A (up1) Adaptability: 80% (20%) (Carla, you have a good sense of style. (Adaptation rate to new equipment is getting better.) While the locals took the lead in fighting the monsters, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" stayed in the background and watched the battle. Roland had told them to stay behind and watch the local group fight until they got used to the monsters in the "volcano dungeon. Rick, too, had been behind the scenes ever since he entered the dungeon and had been doing his best to stay in the rear guard, but when he saw Carla slash the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)," he finally reached the end of his patience. He finally ran out of patience when he saw Carla slash at "Fafnir. But when he saw Carla slash at Fafnir, he finally reached the end of his patience. I can''t stand it any longer. Lelio, we are going to hunt Fafnir too. I''m not sure. Yes, that''s right. Let''s do it. Lelio, with his quick feet, takes up a position and shoots the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" far away. Jeff rolled his eyes. This guy is fast. Is he a class-A archer? Rick casts "Agility Grant" on himself, and despite his heavy armor, he overtakes Lelio at the speed of wind and catches the claws of the swooping "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" with his "Shield Defense" and then disposes of them with his "Sword Technique. (He is a high-level user of support magic, shield defense, and swordsmanship. He''s an A-class magic knight, too.) Leon judged Rick as such. Encouraged by Rick and Lelio, the archers and warriors of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" began to challenge the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" one after another. Each of them hunts "Fafnir" by making use of their unique skills and stats. Leon observed their fighting style carefully. I see. They are the strongest team in the "City of Adventurers". Even though they have only been in the volcano dungeon for a short time, they have mastered the technique of defeating the "Fafnir" perfectly. But ......, is it my imagination?(Doesn''t there seem to be that much difference between our movements and those of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree"?) Leon looked around at his troops. (Are we already at the level of those guys from off the island?(No, no way. ......) As the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance progressed, the monsters grew in strength. The local adventurers and the "Guardians of the Magical Tree" began to compete with each other to defeat the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)," and it became a battle for the prey. As the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" danced forward, local adventurers would overtake them and take up positions in front. Then the adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" moved even further ahead, and the formation of the group lengthened. (Hey, hey, hey, isn''t this a little bit bad?) Leon sees the heated competition for defeat and begins to feel impatient. It''s still early in the game, and we can''t keep going this fast. We have a battle with the "White Wolf" on the way back. I think we should save our energy for a bit here. ...... No, but ......) Leon glanced at the "Guardians of the Magic Tree". (Am I really allowed to say such a thing?The "Guardians of the Magic Tree" is also a high-level guild from the outside. If we interfere in a strange way and things get sour, there is no way we can recover. (No, but ......) Leon now looks at the local adventurers. (The locals, who usually hide easily behind outside guilds, are now more competitive than ever. That in itself is a good thing. (That in itself is a good thing, but ......, if things continue as they are, you can see that the locals and the outsiders will get into trouble again.) Another local adventurer passed the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" and took the lead. The line would be further thinned out. (What are we going to do?If things continue as they are, the alliance could fall apart. Someone has to stop this trend. But who?(There is no one here who can talk to and convince both locals and outsiders. ......) Leon, Euphine. Tell the troops to stop." Roland said. ''That''s it for today''s search. Start getting ready for encampment." Hearing this, Leon was relieved. (You guys are so quintessential, you put in a good interval at the right time. I can cool down for now.) With a single word from Roland, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance set up camp on a small nearby hill, even though the sun was still high in the sky, and began to prepare for encampment. <> 129 - - Art. 129 Contribution and Assessment After stopping the march, Roland was checking each adventurer''s level of wear and tear and the results of the battle. Rick appeared in front of Roland with a snide look on his face. He placed the head of "Fafnir" in front of Roland with a thud. How do you like it, Mr. Roland?I killed two "Fafnir" dragons. It''s only our first day in the dungeon. ...... I see." Roland said, seemingly uninterested. Rick was puzzled by Roland''s attitude. Rick was perplexed by Roland''s attitude. Have you come up with any ideas on how to avoid wearing out in the first half of the dungeon?" What?No, that''s the thing. ......" Rick was at a loss for words. Roland had informed him in advance that the battle with the "White Wolf" in the second half of the dungeon would be the real challenge in this exploration. He also told them to think about how they could minimize their exhaustion in the first half of the dungeon in preparation for the second half. However, most of the members were so busy competing with the local guilds that they had forgotten all about it. ''Well, all right. Roland stops his pursuit of Rick and looks around at the others. ''Anyone. Anyone else with a better idea?Have you noticed or come up with anything after a day of exploring the dungeon with the addition of the ''Guardians of the Magical Tree''?" Can I have a word?" Leon stepped forward and spoke up. When Fafnir appears, adventurers seem to get into heated fights with each other. If this situation continues, we will be exhausted unnecessarily. I think it would be better to divide the group into morning and afternoon groups and have them take turns taking Fafnir. Roland''s eyes lit up at Leon''s statement. Oh," he said. Oh, Leon. That''s exactly what I was wondering too. I like the idea. Let''s adopt it right away. Anybody else want to weigh in?" May I?" Claire stepped forward. I saw during today''s search that there are a number of ''magic tree keepers'' who are able to use ''far-sightedness. If we can widen our search net with those who can use ''far-sightedness,'' we may be able to reduce our encounters with the ''fire dragon (Fafnir)'' to a minimum and reduce the amount of wear and tear on our forces." May I join you?" Will said. ''In today''s search, our ranks were stretched too thin to take full advantage of our rear guard. I think we need to devise a way to keep the vanguard from disrupting the line of battle in order to defeat the enemy more efficiently." Various other guilds suggested improvements, but none of them came from the local guilds, and none of the ideas came from the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. The next day, Roland ordered the participating guilds of the alliance to enter the mining site one by one. The first guild to enter was the Shield of Dawn, followed by the Arrow of the Heavenly Horse, Will and Lana, and the local guilds that had proposed some kind of idea yesterday. The other local guilds and the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" were last. Seeing this, the adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" became impatient. Roland would not favor them just because they were old acquaintances or because there were A-class adventurers. It was clear that he was taking up the challenge he had in mind, how to reduce the wear and tear of the first half of the battle, starting with the guilds that could make a contribution. The adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" were in a hurry to start thinking about what they could do to prevent attrition. After finishing the extraction of ore, the "Arsenal of Spirits" Alliance changed the formation of the troops, incorporating the ideas that had come up yesterday. They divided the troops into morning and afternoon groups, selected those who were good at "far-sighting" to extend the range of their search, and assigned one vanguard leader to each group to keep the line of battle moving. The "Arsenal of Spirits" Alliance, which had devised these measures, was moving up the volcano faster than it had done yesterday. A few hours after the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance left the mining site, the "Sage''s Crown" was finally about to reach the first mining site. Good. We have arrived at the mining site. We''ve closed the gap, haven''t we? Neil said, breathing on his shoulder. He worked vigorously, applying "agility" to the slowest members of his troop, "defense" to those under attack, and "attack" to those who were having trouble defeating the enemy. Thanks to his efforts, the speed of the search for the "Grand Alliance" had dramatically increased. The composition of the local guilds, which are piggybacked by us, the "Wise Man''s Crown," has become clearer.) Glenn was bitterly disappointed. He wanted the local guilds to participate and contribute to the dungeon attack. (Neil had also been drained of much of his magical power. This left us with a big problem for the second half of our search.) All right," he said. We''re going into the mining area. You guys should start picking ore as soon as you can. If I see anyone slacking off, I''ll be all over you. One moment, Captain. Whoa. What?" Neil stopped in his tracks, startled by the man who suddenly stepped forward and kneeled down. He was a man who had participated in the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance before. He was a man who had joined the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance before. How about we decide the order in which the guilds enter the diggings according to their contribution level? This way, the Alliance will be able to clearly show its appreciation for each guild, and when guilds see that they are appreciated, they will be more motivated to contribute to the Alliance, which will lead to friendly competition, which in turn will lead to a quicker dungeon attack. It will also make it easier for the members of the "Wise Man''s Crown" to lead their alliances, which will lead to a greater sense of solidarity within the alliance. (I see. I didn''t know there was such a way.) Ian was honestly impressed by the man''s suggestion. Neil, however, did not have the presence of mind. All he could think about was catching up with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance that was ahead of him. According to the contribution level, huh?You guys are currently riding roughshod over us, and you haven''t even killed a single "Fafnir" dragon. If you have time to talk in your sleep, get your hands and feet moving and get to work on the extraction of ore as soon as possible. Hora. Let''s get on with the mining site. The man who proposed the idea was disappointed that his offer was not accepted. Ian looked at the man with pity. Deep down inside, he agreed with his proposal, but he did not actually act on it. If he meddled too much in matters that were beyond his scope, he could be held responsible if he made a mistake. Ian had shown great skill in gathering and processing information, but he was out of the loop when it came to methods for evaluating contributions. In the end, the "Grand Alliance" entered the mining site in a disorderly manner, in no particular order. There was not the slightest hint of an attitude of evaluation based on contribution. Neil and his team entered the mining site, but they did not get any positive results. (Tsk. Nothing but junk ore left.) All the ore of interest had already been extracted by the "Spirit Arsenal. What the heck. Get on with the next mining site (......) At that moment, the sounds of battle could be heard from the mountain tops. It was the sound of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance fighting monsters. Hey, look. Those are the guys from the Arsenal of Spirits. They''ve already gone that far?" Glenn and Ian couldn''t believe their eyes. This is ridiculous. They''re searching faster than yesterday?) (We also sacrificed Neil''s magic power to increase our pace. (We also increased our pace at the expense of Neil''s magic.) Neil gritted his teeth. We''re leaving in a hurry," he said. We''ve got until the end of the day to catch up!" However, despite Neil''s pep talk, the morale of the local guild was visibly low. It was obvious from the earlier exchange that there was little room for the local guild to be appreciated. The local guild members were particularly reluctant to engage in battle, with some even refusing to report monsters when they saw them approaching. The monsters were getting stronger, and not only Neil, but also Glenn and Ian were forced to wear themselves out. The next day, and the day after that, the "Wise Man''s Crown of Treasures" could not keep up with the "Arsenal of Spirits," and the second, third, and fourth mining sites were also seized by Roland and his team. Rick was fighting Rock Fang and trying not to get too far ahead. He said, "Hold the line. Wait for the rearguard cover to arrive." Soon after, Will and Lana rushed in and drove away the enemy with "blast magic" and "crust magic". Rick was not satisfied while driving away the enemy. (Hmmm. I guess the way to attack a dungeon is different when the town changes. I never thought such a passive way of fighting would be appreciated.) Rick. Good job on the wall." Oh, Mr. Roland. I''m glad you liked it. "Good move. You''re getting used to this dungeon, aren''t you?" Thank you very much. No, but is this really the way to go?Anyway, I don''t really feel like I''m contributing to the project because I''m just fighting to save energy. ......" That energy conservation is important in this dungeon," he said. After all, a battle with the Thieves'' Guild awaits us on the way back. Huh. Hmm?This must be a signal from Euphine." Roland said, looking at the magic circle that appeared beneath his feet. ''Is this a signal to ''back off''? ''I think I went a little too far forward,'' he said. Let''s lower the formation." This time, Yuffine was playing more of a control tower than a recovery role. She would use her magic to signal the battle lines so that they would not spread out too far. She would signal with her magic circle to prevent the battle lines from spreading too far. This time it was a signal from the scouting party. Three arrows are shot up into the sky. Three "Fire Dragons (Fafnir)" are approaching us. ...... I''ll send a strongbow unit and an attack mage to ...... drive them away. The adventurers of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" were also adapting to the ways of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Rick was playing the role of a wall, Yuffine was in the control tower, Shakuma was in charge of the formation, Lelio was in the scouting party, and Marina was in possession of the ore, although her role was slightly different from that of the "adventurers'' town. (So far, things are going frighteningly well. The only thing left to worry about is the return home and the "Wise Man''s Crown.) Roland looks back behind him. An explosion rings out with a bang. It was the sound of powerful attack magic being released. (I''ve been firing high-ranked magic at them since a while ago, but there''s no sign of them catching up at all. I thought it was about time for them to catch up. ...... What''s going on with "The Philosopher''s Crown" right now?(Why haven''t they done anything?) It was up to "The Wise Man''s Crown" to determine whether the return trip would be successful. If they put up a fight, we had to be prepared for a three-way fight with the "White Wolf" as well. In that case, we were reaching the limit of our search. (Would they or would they not? Which is it?) Roland stared downward, but could not see the "Philosopher''s Crown of Wisdom. (There is only one more mining site for "Earthcraft," but it is a little far away. What do we do?) Lelio was scouting behind him, looking for opportunities to take credit. (You''ve lost the last few days with the dungeon and adapting to the alliance. It''s time to take some credit around here. ...... Hmm?(That''s ......) Lelio recognized the "Wise Man''s Crown" from a distance. Moreover, three A-class mages, Neil, Ian, and Glen, were just in sight. (Those are the three aces of ...... "The Wise Man''s Treasure Crown". I''ll have ...... appraise them.) [Neil DiClaire''s status. Magic: 20-130 (!(This is ......) Lelio hurried back to the main camp of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Mr. Roland." Lelio. What''s wrong?You were supposed to be scouting ......" That''s when I saw ...... ''The Wise Man''s Crown of Wisdom'' and appraised it. ...... Lelio reported what he saw. ''Well done, Lelio. That''s exactly the kind of information I wanted. Gather around a minute, everyone. As Roland said this, his friends who were nearby gathered around. Lelio has brought back some good news," Roland said. The three aces of "The Wise Man''s Crown" are severely depleted in status. This will make our return trip home much easier." A cheer went up among the troops. (No need to worry about "The Wise Man''s Crown" on the way home. Then we can explore further. We''ll pick up all the "Earthcraft" we can and call it a day!) Roland, appreciating Lelio''s contribution, awarded the honor of being the first "Guardian of the Magic Tree" at the fifth mining site. <> 130 - - 130. A New Culture Roland and his team were making steady progress through the "Volcano Dungeon," but when they reached the halfway point of the "Metal Line," their momentum began to fade. Behind them, they could hear the sound of many footsteps, and the "Wise Man''s Crown" must be close at hand. Leon began to feel uneasy. Roland. Are you sure you can go on like this?The troops are getting tired, and the "Wise Man''s Crown" is almost upon us. We have a battle with the White Wolves coming up, and if the "Crown of Wisdom" guys try to set us up, we''re going to ...... Don''t worry. I''ve already thought about that." I see. If you say so, well, ......" The ace in the hole is already worn out. Jamil will not miss it.) Good. I see the guys from the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. We''re almost there! Neil said as he led at the head of the Grand Alliance. Neil. I think it''s time we had a seat at the negotiating table with them." Ian suggested. ''If we continue to engage in encounters in the dungeon, we could both suffer tremendous damage. To avoid that, we should ......" Negotiations?There''s no need for that. The only time we sit down to negotiate is when they bow down to us!If they refuse to give way, we will force them to leave. Tomorrow is war. Get your heads up and get ready, you guys. Neil said that much and went into his tent. (Neil''s guy, are you going to fight with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance? ...... I guess it was a mistake to blast him. I didn''t expect him to be this much of a handful.) Three days into the chase. The "Grand Alliance" had become a top priority to overtake the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. To do so, they sacrificed everything. Ian was worried. Ian was anxious because he had a suspicious feeling about the movements of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Something is not right with them.) While the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was the first to arrive, the "Philosopher''s Crown" was able to pick up rare metals. Neil did not care, assuming that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance had dropped it, but Ian did not think so. Ian didn''t think so. (The fact that they did so means that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance has already finished procuring most of the ore. ) Nevertheless, they continued their dungeon search without stopping. I can only assume that they are after something. What on earth are they after?) The next day, the "Grand Alliance" was eager to finally overtake the "Spirit Arsenal" alliance, but the "Spirit Arsenal" alliance had disappeared without a trace. In the morning, they packed up their belongings and made a detour down the mountain. They were beaten!(I knew the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance had already procured the ore.) Ian finally realized that they had been lured in by the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. (The aim is to make us fight the White Wolf? (They want to use us as bait to dodge the White Wolf''s ambush.) Neil was rather glad to see his rival disappear. (Finally, the bump over his eye is gone. Now I can concentrate on searching and collecting ore.) The ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance fled in fear of us. Anyone who runs away from a dungeon has no right to call himself an adventurer!" Neil blew this to boost the morale of the troops. Ian was the only one with a grave expression on his face. Ian was the only one with a grim look on his face. (I have no doubt that the "White Wolf" will focus its attacks on us.) All we can do now is hope that the "White Wolf" will devote a little more troops to the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Ian looks downward. Ian looks downward. But what do you think?The White Wolf isn''t so naive as to let you off the hook for free.) Jamil was following behind the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and the "Grand Alliance" as he prepared for their descent. He had selected in advance the points where he would ambush the descending troops, and he had also prepared a base from which they could escape when they retreated, where he had hidden items such as potions and spare equipment such as armored suits of arms. As Jamil was making the final checks with the leaders of each group, Rodo, who had been on a scouting mission aboard the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)," came back. Jamil, the guys from the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' have started to descend the mountain. I see. So?Did "The Wise Man''s Crown" manage to chip away at the "Arsenal of the Spirits" even a little?" The "Hinya. Not at all. They won''t even let me fight. "...... I see." (Tsk. They''re useless.) It can''t be helped. The main power will be applied to the "Grand Alliance". Zain. You take a reserve unit and head for the Alliance of the Arsenal of Spirits. Okay. (Roland. Don''t think you can get away with it just because you''ve successfully scattered the Grand Alliance. You''ve come into our yard, and we''re going to make you pay for it.) Halfway down a road that sloped down on one side, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance came under attack. Arrows rained down on the troops. Enemy attack! They''re coming from the right. Roland quickly deployed his troops and fortified his defense. (Quicksilver ambushes us in a good spot. Now the second half of the battle begins. (What will happen when we add Euphine and the others to the mix?) Rick was enthusiastic as he held his shield on the front line. (Hmmm. Finally, the Thieves'' Guild has arrived. I''ve been forced to do nothing but defend myself, and here I''m going to make it up to them.) After holding his shield up for a while, the rain of arrows stopped. Good. Now. I''m going to cut you down. Follow me!" Rick pulled out his sword and valiantly charged into the enemy lines. However, his companions were sparsely following him. What?" Eventually, Rick, who stuck out, was attacked intensively. Rick pulled back in a hurry. Hey," he said. What are you guys doing? This is your chance to cut into the enemy!" But his allies around him never want to move forward from the safe zone. (What?) In the end, the "White Wolf" gets away with it after being cut down so much in a one-sided manner. Hey," he said, "I''m not going to let them get away. You guys. What do you think you''re doing? Have you come this far and got scared?The enemy got away from us." Rick was indignant, but the local adventurers just shrugged their shoulders. (d*mn. These guys ......) Leon watched with bitterness. I guess this is what happens on the way home," he said. I wondered what would happen with the addition of the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," ....... The most important thing to remember is that you should not wear out the ore you''ve got. I don''t know why we''re in this bad habit, but it''s pretty serious.) At the next ambush point, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was again taken out first by the "White Wolf" light troops, and the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was unable to keep pace with the assault. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance could not keep pace with the attackers. Enough!If this happens, I''m going to have to go in alone. Agility Granted." Rick''s body seemed to be enveloped in a green light, and he ran up the slope with tremendous speed. But just as he was about to cut into the enemy, a red ray of light came toward him. "!!!" A fireball hit Rick''s armor. G......a." Rick cringes and falls to his knees. (What the hell was that attack? It''s not even ordinary "flame blast magic. Don''t tell me this is "Dragoon''s Baskets"? The Dragoon has hit! Now. Concentrate fire." Countless arrows fly toward Rick again. What? This is it. Rick rushes forward again with his shield at the ready, undaunted by the hail of arrows raining down on him. The bandits, however, retreated and dodged Rick''s attack. An arrow shot from high up on the side forced Rick to retreat. ''Gghh. Oi, ......." Rick''s attack missed, but Erio''s tongue was in his mouth at the sight of it. (Amazing. That''s the spirit of an A-class shield user ......) As the battle stalemates, Lelio finds a perfect shooting position. It is a low spot, but there are shrubs that prevent attacks from above. (Okay. There it is. ......) !Wait, Lelio. You can''t go that way." Not hearing Jeff''s attempts to restrain him, Lelio took off running. But as he made his way toward the place he was going to run into, iron spikes rained down on him. (?(What the hell is this?) A sharp pain runs through my leg. Ugh. Ggh." (Crap. Is this ......, a scattering of water chestnuts (......)? He found that water chestnuts were spread all around him. Roland was forced to devote a number of people to rescuing Lelio. Yuffine and Shakuma were completely bewildered by the "White Wolf''s" fighting style while recovering and providing support. What is it with these guys and their fighting style? The "hearts and minds" of the people are being chipped away at, rather than destroyed. It''s like that. As Rick and Lelio retreated, the entire unit began to pull back. The unrest was about to spread throughout the alliance, as the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and the local guilds were not aligned. Hey, that''s not good, Roland. Leon said. The Guardians of the Magic Tree are still getting used to fighting the White Wolves, and our local guilds are reluctant to fight them on the way home," Leon said. We had just successfully gotten through the "Wise Man''s Crown". If we don''t do something, we''ll be entangled with the White Wolves. We have to do something. ...... Leon. Don''t you realize?" An?"What''s that?" Fafnir hasn''t come at all since a while ago. "Oh, ......." The enemy we are fighting now does not have anyone who can handle ''Ryuin''. In other words, ...... Roland pointed to the sky. It means that our ''dragon sound'' is effective. He already had Nicola play the lyre (harp). A large shadow crossed between the troops. As if a yell rang out in the sky, three "fire dragons (Fafnir)" attacked the "white wolves". The bandits fled in panic at the surprise attack from behind. Roland and his men left the line of fire without pursuing the enemy too deeply. Zain tried to regroup his troops to pursue Roland, but it took a long time because they were not the main force. Roland and his men took the opportunity to run down the mountain and scatter the "White Wolf" pursuit force. They returned to the town almost unharmed. In the town, the residents were waiting for the adventurers to return. They were anxious to see who would return first, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance or the "Grand Alliance. Some of them climbed onto rooftops or watched from observation towers to see which alliance would return as soon as possible. As soon as it was announced that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was the first to return, the town was filled with joy. The residents believed that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance had defeated the "Grand Alliance. The people gathered in front of the dungeon to celebrate the adventurers. Roland ordered his allies to take the long way back to the "Arsenal of Spirits. The town then took on the appearance of a parade. A new culture was taking root on the island. A culture of seeing the first guild to return from the dungeon. And a culture of high expectations for the local adventurers. Some of the local adventurers were even gambling on whether the locals or outsiders would win, but the expectations of the residents for the local adventurers only grew higher by the day. <> 131 - - 131. The Weakness of Earthcraft With the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance gone, the "Grand Alliance" is now free to collect ore at will, but their joy is short-lived as the "White Wolves" launch a vicious attack on their way home. The "White Wolf" bandits, worn out by their forced march, took aim at the local adventurers, whose morale had not improved. Neil, Glen, Ian, and the other mages of the "Wise Man''s Crown" followed them, but they were cut off by the "White Wolf''s" skillful diversions, ambushes, and ambushes. After several offensives, the "Grand Alliance" fell apart. In the end, the "Grand Alliance" lost more than half of its ore without its A-class mages being able to demonstrate their abilities, and about 10 of the regular members of the "Wise Man''s Crown" were taken captive. Neil and his friends hesitated to return to the town for fear of criticism from the islanders, but surprisingly, the residents showed no interest in the "Grand Alliance. Neal and his friends wondered why, but as they walked around the town, they noticed that the residents were busy praising the valor of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Bards were humming songs praising the valor of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, and people were telling each other tales of heroism. The people considered the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance to be victorious over the "Grand Alliance. Seeing this, Neil finally realized that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance had beaten him. (The "Arsenal of Spirits" Alliance, ......, you lickspittle bastards!) Next time we''re exploring a dungeon, we''ll be faster than those guys, and we''ll be back home fast!" Neil was so puffed up, but Ian had a complicated look on his face. Ian had a complicated look on his face. They''re a lot nastier than I thought they''d be.) Roland and his team won the race against the "Wise Man''s Crown," successfully dodged the "White Wolf," and returned to town with a large amount of ore, but the internal situation was not good. What is it with those people?" When the local adventurers were gone, Rick protested to Roland with a snort. I understand that you want to avoid as much wear and tear as possible in the first half of the trip," he said. But that attitude of the local guild in the second half!We are charging at them and they don''t even cover us. I can''t fight with them. If you want to form an alliance with them again, I will decline this mission. Rick. I understand what you''re saying, but ......" Roland would spend the rest of the day appeasing the members of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. He was the only one who could say, "Huh. d*mn that Rick guy, he''s always complaining ......." Euphine, who had been appeasing Rick and the others with Roland, let out a weary sigh. ''I''m sorry, Roland. I''m so busy, and you''re taking up so much of my time." ''No, thanks. It''s good to hear grumbling from the lower levels of the organization to the upper levels. It''s definitely better than having poor ventilation. What is really bad is to hear no complaints from the lower levels and to have the illusion that things are going well. With that in mind, ......" Roland, you got a minute?" Leon called out. ''Mr. Roland, it''s about your new workshop (atelier) ...... Aina also came in with some kind of project. Aina came in with something as well. I''ll be right there. Euphine looked at Roland with concern. (Mr. Roland. You seem busier than when you were in the "Adventurer''s Town. I guess it''s tough to lead a guild alliance after all.) Euphine remained pensive in the tavern after parting with Roland. (Roland-san is busy organizing the alliance, and I''d like to ease his burden somehow. Huh. But what should I do? A battle with the "White Wolf". I''ll have to think of some countermeasures.) How should we fight against an enemy that attacks and then runs away, and does not play the game of formation? While Yuffine was pondering this, someone sat down next to her. Hey there." You are ...... Ian." Yuffine''s eyes fluttered at the tall man who appeared before her again. Ian smiles graciously at her. ''I see your dungeon search went well. The city is all about the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance. Your commander did a good job. You guys were a mess," he said. I heard the ''White Wolves'' took most of the ore." I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. We''re having a hard time making up for it." That''s what happens when you underestimate your opponent. Be careful at best." Ha, ha. That''s harsh. So what the hell do you want?I thought I told you we don''t work together?" I''m here on another matter. "Another matter?" It''s about Earthcraft. Yuffine grew alarmed. The "Earth Craft" was a key item in the fight against the "Philosopher''s Crown. I heard a rumor that you guys collected a lot of "earthcraft" during your dungeon search earlier," she said. More than you can use by yourselves." "......" We''re actually having trouble right now because we''re running low on Earthcraft," he said. What do you think?I''m willing to double the market price now. ......" I''m sorry for your inconvenience. We are not in need of money. If you want to procure Earthcraft, you''ll have to look elsewhere. Heh. So the purpose of your last search was to find Earthcraft. Yuffine huffed. (This guy ......) ''In other words, you guys can''t go on the next exploration until the refining of ''Earthcraft'' is finished. Is that what you mean?" Euphine put the glass on the desk with a don and left the copper coins on the desk and left the restaurant. Wait a minute. Where are you going?" Don''t follow me, stalker. I''ll never talk to you again. Euphine went around the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and said, "Watch out for Ian Jugberg. If you talk to him, he''ll pull all the information out of your head. Neil and Glenn were sitting around the desk in the "Wise Man''s Crown" dormitory with depressed expressions on their faces. They were getting ready for another dungeon search, but there were only problems ahead. The local adventurers were demanding higher rewards with a flirtation of switching to the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, and even the "Dragon''s Fires" were taking this opportunity to find their feet. Neil recalls his exchange with Medes. We''ve heard about the results of your dungeon search," he said. We heard that you were beaten by the ''Arsenal of Spirits. I''m sorry to hear that. I just let my guard down a little bit, that''s all. I won''t be dealt the same hand twice. But you are not very good with your current equipment, are you?What do you think?Why don''t you buy not only a ''magic-work'' sword and armor, but also a ''black bow'' and a ''javelin''?" Hey, don''t meddle. We choose our own equipment. You alchemy guilds should just make and deliver what we tell you. Mr. Neal, we would like you to put yourself in our shoes for a moment. If we were to lose to a new guild like the "Arsenal of Spirits" with the equipment we made, it would be a blow to the reputation of the number one alchemy guild on the island. Our brand will be damaged. Neil stood up indignantly. Brand?That''s enough! How useful is your equipment? Adventurers who wear "Dragon''s Fires" gear have been taken advantage of by the Thieves'' Guild for a long time. You think I don''t know that?Enough of this or I''m going to terminate our partnership. I see. Then, I regret to inform you that the negotiation is now terminated. Please leave through the exit. Medes lights his pipe and begins to smoke. Ggh, ggh." Neil''s shoulders shook for a while, but he exhaled heavily to calm himself and sat back in his chair. I''m sorry," he said. I was out of line. I didn''t mean what I said. No, thank you. Then let''s continue negotiations. Medes grinned wryly. You''re giving me a hard time, you know. That''s why they come from the outside. No matter how chic they are, they can''t do anything without our help.) What are you going to do about it, Mr. Neal?Do you want to buy additional equipment or not?" Neal managed to get out of the situation, but was unable to get Medes to agree to the terms they wanted. (Tsk tsk. They''re all the same. When things get a little out of hand, they put on their shades and look down on our feet. That''s why they''re on this island. ......) Neil. The problem isn''t all about the ''Grand Alliance'' and ''Dragon''s Fires''." Glenn said. We must negotiate the release of our comrades and local adventurers who are being held captive by the White Wolf. In particular, the loyalty of the local adventurers to the Grand Alliance is declining. This must be dealt with immediately. ...... I know. I know, but ......" I''m sorry. I''m late." Ian opened the door and walked in. Ian opened the door and walked in. I told you we had a meeting at 5:00. I''ve been having a little trouble gathering information. "I''ve had a little trouble gathering information, but the results have been worth it. Did you get any good news?" Oh," he said. The Guardian of the Magical Tree seems to be using Earthcraft. Earthcraft? The Arsenal of Spirits alliance was able to march at such a fast pace in large part because they had Earthcraft. I see. I see. So that''s how it was. Then, I''ll procure some "Earthcraft" and send it to ....... It''s no use. Apparently, the purpose of the previous search was to monopolize "Earthcraft. All the major "Earthcraft" mining sites have already been seized. There are only a few on the market. What the hell?d*mn. Did they really think that far ahead in their search?" Neil bites his teeth in frustration. ''You''ve completely backed yourself into a corner,'' he said. The "Guardian of the Magic Tree" or ....... They''re tough guys. Glenn crossed his arms and growled. ''But this could be an opportunity, if you think about it. What?"What do you mean?" The fact that they have placed ''earthcraft'' at the heart of their search means that they cannot start exploring the dungeon until they have refined their ''earthcraft. I see. That is, if they enter the dungeon before they finish refining ...... We can get ahead of them in the dungeon search and take the initiative. And in turn, we can impose the burden on the White Wolf, as they did to us last time. That''s what I''m saying. Good. Once that''s decided, let''s get ready to go. We''ll have the guys from "Dragon''s Fires" get their equipment ready as soon as possible, and then we''ll call in the Alliance to form a unit in the shortest possible time. You guys haven''t forgotten, have you? Neil''s eyes regained their sharpness and he glared at them. I''m going to be the strongest mage in the City of Mages. In order to do that, I need to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)'' and become an S-class mage. I don''t know about the "Guardian of the Magic Tree" or the "Arsenal of Spirits," but I can''t afford to be a pest to some upstart guild that I don''t even know where they come from. Ian and Glenn nodded silently. After that, Neil concluded the conversation with "Dragon''s Fires" on the condition that he would pay an additional fee if he could get his equipment ready in the shortest amount of time. He appealed to the local adventurers to join the "Grand Alliance" again, appealing to them for the shortest possible preparation. Three days later, after all the preparations were completed, the "Grand Alliance" entered the dungeon. It was the next day that Roland and his team were able to gather in front of the dungeon after finishing the refining of "Earthcraft". From the dungeon, the "breath of fire" of "Fafnir" could be seen. The "Grand Alliance" had already reached the "Metal Line. The members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance looked worried. I wonder..." said the group of "Spirit Arsenal" members. Roland. What is this ......? Leon asks anxiously, looking toward the dungeon. Leon looks at the dungeon and asks anxiously, "Yeah. The Grand Alliance anticipated that it would take us a long time to refine the Earthcraft, so they went into the dungeon first. d*mn. I knew it. We''ve been had. The only weakness of "Earth Craft," which can restore any equipment in no time, is the time it takes to refine it. Many guilds do not use "earthcraft" in their exploration because they do not like the low turnover rate. (Ian Jugberg? I knew you were an expert at gathering information, but you do more than I thought you would.) Yuffine was biting her nails next to Roland. (d*mn. That little shit. Rick''s insubordination is hurting Roland''s credibility. And he''s trying to get information out of me, of all people. Remember that. If I see you in the dungeon, I''m not going to leave you there for free.) Mr. Roland. I''m sorry. I seem to have leaked some information from me. ......" I''m fine. After that, you made sure to alert the whole group and put countermeasures in place, right?I''m rather glad it was only this bad." Mr. Roland ......" Euphine''s eyes welled up as she was thrilled by Roland''s generous treatment. (But it''s not good, is it?) Leon thought. (A day''s loss against "The Wise Man''s Crown of Wisdom. On the way back, we will most likely fight the main force of "White Wolf". Besides, ......, we have our own problems over here.) Leon recalls the other day when Rick went to Roland''s room to protest with an uncharacteristic swagger. Although he did not know what kind of complaint Rick had made to Roland, Leon and his team had a vague feeling that there was some kind of trouble at the "Guardian of the Magic Tree". They were also aware that they were the cause of the trouble. (Are they going to be all right? (Are you okay, Roland?) As Leon is thinking about this, he hears a commotion from across the square. It was Rick, who had arrived, albeit belatedly. (d*mn. I guess I''m going to have to search with these guys after all. I can''t agree with that.) Rick was persuaded by Roland in the end, but he still had a hard time breaking the ice. With a grim look on his face, he pushed his way through the adventurers around him, making no attempt to hide his displeasure. Hey, Rick," he said. I''m glad you''re here. Roland spoke to him smilingly. I''m glad to hear that. Without you, the strength of the vanguard would be severely diminished. Rick glared sharply at Loran. ''Mr. Roland, I ask you again. The battle with the ''White Wolf'' that you played in the last dungeon exploration. Do you intend to repeat such a poor performance again?As the commander of the most powerful unit of the Guardians of the Magical Tree, please answer the question. Rick''s question made those around him tense. One group of local adventurers, in particular, looked tense. Roland responded with a serious look on his face. I understand. Of course, I have no intention of letting the White Wolves do what they want forever. But ...... now is not the right time. Roland dropped his eyes. The local adventurers are showing remarkable growth as a result of their exceptional efforts. We''ve finally come this far, resisting the interference of the White Wolves and the twisted alchemical control of the Dragon''s Fires. We are almost there. We just need a little more time." Rick exhaled heavily and calmed himself. I understand," he said. That''ll do for now." Thank you. However, I have something to say about how to fight the ''White Wolf'' as well. Rick. Your last fight. What was that fight? Mmm. I don''t recall teaching you how to fight recklessly like that, charging in alone and getting tossed around at the enemy''s beck and call." "......" You are a class-A mage knight and the keystone of the vanguard. If you are beaten, the morale of the entire unit will be affected. You must always be aware of that. I know, I know. I was just a little confused by the "White Wolf''s" fighting style and lost my cool. I won''t make the same mistake. I''m glad to hear that. I''m counting on you. ...... everyone, gather around." Roland gave the order, and the alliance participants gathered. As you can see, we are at a slight disadvantage because the Grand Alliance is ahead of us. However, it is only by overcoming such a disadvantage that you can really show your ability. What we have to do is the same as last time. We will proceed with the dungeon exploration as efficiently as possible, with minimal consumption. The strategy remains the same. Through the monopoly of "Earthcraft," we will keep the "Philosopher''s Crown" out of the competition. We have no intention of backing down. First, we must catch up with the Grand Alliance." <> 132 - - Art. 132. Quiet Tracking The "Grand Alliance" had managed to outrun the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, but after entering the "Metal Line," its marching speed had visibly slowed down. Even now, local adventurers are having an unusually difficult time defeating a single fire dragon (Fafnir). Neil watched on in frustration. How long are they going to take to slay a single Fafnir? It''s Neil. Don''t get so frustrated. Glenn said admonishingly. The cooperation of local adventurers is essential in this dungeon," he said. We need them to be able to defeat Fafnir on their own. I know, but... The leadership of "The Wise Man''s Crown" tried various things to boost the morale of local adventurers. Rewards were set, the chain of command was revised, and surveillance was strengthened. However, none of these measures had much effect, and in fact, they only made the work more complicated. Neil even suggested that the local adventurers be fined for being lazy, but this was stopped by Glenn. Such a measure would have resulted in the mass defection of the Alliance Guild. (What the hell is this? What is it with these people? If you have any complaints, speak up!) Neil was frustrated by the unsatisfactory work of the local adventurers and was trying not to yell at them, when he was startled by the sound of footsteps coming from behind him. They were not the footsteps of a monster. They were the footsteps of humans running up the mountain in their shoes. It was coming closer and closer. (No way.) Neil turned around and saw the "Spirit Arsenal" alliance below him. (Did those guys ...... already catch up with us?) Glenn. Change of plans. Let''s pick up the pace." The "Grand Alliance" was in the middle of a hectic battle, clearing away the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" and pulling away. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance also captured the "Grand Alliance. The distance between the two alliances is within reach if they shoot their bows. If the two alliances continued on their way, they would clash. Hostility and vigilance were suddenly on the rise, and tensions ran high. Glen. Shoot some magic to check them. Neil ordered. Mm. It''s unavoidable. ''Firecracker magic''." The explosion bursts into flames right before the eyes of the lead unit of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. The lead unit was so stunned by the "fire magic" that it seemed to burn the earth to the ground, that they stopped dead in their tracks. (Is this "fire magic" ...... Glen Ross, the leading attack mage of the "Wise Man''s Crown"?) Rick, who had joined the lead unit, was fired up with fighting spirit at the prospect of encountering such a formidable foe, and put all his strength into the hand gripping the sword on his back. He is not short of opponents!) However, a magical circle of yuffines swept underfoot, signaling them to retreat. (Chi. (Tee... Again, no fight in the face of the enemy...) Rick looks frustrated, but obeys the order honestly. Even in the center where Roland is, he senses that he is approaching the "Philosopher''s Crown of Wisdom" and that the "Blast Flame Magic" has been released as a check. He is not happy about it," he says. Tell Rick to fall back. Leon, take Rick''s place and take command of the lead unit. Keep them at the tail end of the enemy and out of bow and arrow range while you pursue. Copy that. All right, man. After switching command of the vanguard with Rick, Leon proceeded through the dungeon, maintaining a perfect distance from the "Grand Alliance. The day passed without further incident as dusk fell. (Okay. It looks like the checks and balances worked for the time being.) Seeing that the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance had not made any moves, Neil decided that it was a good idea. He called Ian and Glenn over for a meeting about tomorrow. Glenn, you''ll be in the tail section of the unit, just like you were today, and you''ll be giving them the same stare down. If they get within magic range, shoot them without mercy. Okay. I''ll lead the way. If there is a chance to pull away from the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, I will not hesitate to use my support magic. Ian. You''re in the middle of the pack. You''ll handle the information between the front and the tail, and keep the balance. If recovery magic is requested, respond accordingly. Okay. And you know that if they try to fight us or overtake us, we won''t hesitate to fight them either. Neil said with a great deal of horror. The key to the game, anyway, is whether we can collect the ore and get down the mountain before the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance does. If we do that, we can put the burden of the "White Wolf" on the other side and return home safely. For that reason, we can''t take a step back here. We will defend the lead to the death." While Neil and the others were meeting, the "Arsenal of Spirits" Alliance camped a short distance away from the "Grand Alliance" camp, Roland was also organizing his thoughts based on the information he had received from Leon. The "Grand Alliance" had not made any moves since then. (The "Grand Alliance" had not made any moves since then. So, they don''t want to fight without any consideration. If that''s the case, it''s what we want too. (Let''s wait and see for a while.) Roland proceeded to keep a constant distance from the "Grand Alliance," waited for the moment of victory, and told all departments to never initiate a fight until he received instructions to do so. The "Volcano Dungeon" has as many as 50 mining sites of various sizes that appear every month. In the first exploration of the dungeon, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and the "Grand Alliance" had extracted rare metals from as many as 15 mining sites. There are 35 mining sites left. No matter how many adventurers you gather on this island, the number of mining sites you can take out in a single search is limited to 15. Therefore, it should be sufficient for the two alliances to share the mining site. So what are they fighting over? What they are fighting for is the right to avoid raids from the "white wolves. The only way to receive that right is to procure the ore first and go down the mountain. The next day, and the day after that, the same development continued. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance followed behind the "Grand Alliance" as it advanced through the dungeon, maintaining a certain distance. When the "Grand Alliance" showed signs of encampment, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance followed close behind and encamped. Glen, who was in charge of checking the enemy at the tail end of the "Grand Alliance," was astonished at the unrestrained movements of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. What a leadership! What a leadership! They didn''t even seem to be moving at all in the face of my fire magic. I have never seen such a well-coordinated unit, even in the city of mages. Is the enemy really a hodgepodge alliance?) Neil and Ian also felt an unfathomable fear of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Normally, with such a large force marching so close together, there would be some sort of skirmish, but there was no sign of such a skirmish at all, and the enemy behind them simply pursued them quietly at a fixed distance. This was the result of Leon''s outstanding command ability. Leon''s status Command: 90-100 (Leon has become a dependable person. I can trust him with my troops without saying a word.) As time went on, Neil and Ian began to get impatient. Neil was unable to pull off the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Ian saw no signs of wear and tear on the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. d*mn. Why is that? We''re going as fast as we can. Why can''t we disperse them?) That''s not good. (This is not good. We are more exhausted than those of us running in front if we are so closely behind. At this rate, even if we finish procuring the ore first, there is a possibility that the "White Wolf" will target us. ......) In the meantime, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance has a great opportunity. On that day, the "Grand Alliance" was unable to reach the planned point and had to camp at a halfway point. It was a flat plateau as far as the eye could see, with nothing to defend it except a few sparse rocky mountains. (This is the place. This is the only place to set up camp.) Roland and his team set up camp at a point where their bows and arrows could not reach and began to fortify their defenses. It was as if this was a prelude to battle. Tension ran high in the "Grand Alliance. Neil ordered them to fortify themselves, but the work did not progress at all. The next morning, the "Grand Alliance" was ready for an all-out war, but on the contrary, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was locked up inside its defenses and showed no sign of coming out. The sound of a harp was still echoing in the air. As Neil and the others wondered why, they heard the sound of powerful wings behind them. It was a group of "Fafnir. As the "Fafnirs" attacked the "Grand Alliance," the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance also rushed out from their positions, as if in cahoots. Under the support of the "Bow Shooters", the shieldmen charged into one of the defenses of the "Grand Alliance". The Grand Alliance, forced to operate on two fronts, had no choice but to let the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance break through. Ian felt suspicious. What is it?Just when we thought the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" attacked, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance came out as if to show its support?Don''t tell me the lyre (harp) just now was "dragon sound"!d*mn. They still had their trump card in their pocket?) The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, which had broken through the "Grand Alliance," sped up and ran up the mountain at a tremendous speed. Neil was determined to overtake them again, but the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, using "Earthcraft" to its fullest, proceeded to explore the dungeon without worrying about equipment wear and tear, and soon disappeared from sight. (d*mn it. What is it with these guys? We''re running as fast as we can, and they''re just taking us for granted. Is there really that much of a gap between us and them? It can''t be. There''s no way we could lose to these unknown guys.) However, despite Neil''s thoughts, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is opening up more and more distance. Neil and his team were forced to change their strategy. (d*mn. What are we going to do?We can''t catch up with the enemy. Morale will not improve. If we continue like this, the "White Wolf" will snatch our ore on the way back again.) Neil. Got a minute?" When the race against the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance became hopeless, Glen began to speak in a grave tone. Would you leave your troops with me?" Troops?Why on earth ......" We are here to ambush the ''White Wolves'' and take them out. <> 133 - - 133. The New Workshop Ambush the White Wolf?" Neil frowned at Glenn''s words. ''We''re falling behind the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance, and this is the situation?'' It''s precisely because of this situation." Glen responded in a strong tone, as if defeated. Even if we were to continue to desperately pursue the "Spirit Arsenal" and overtake them and procure the ore first, we would still be severely depleted. If that happens, the "White Wolf" will target us on the way back anyhow. If that is the case, it would be better to ambush the "White Wolf" here and crush it. ......" If we can beat the bandit guild, we won''t have to compete with the ''arsenal of spirits'' in the first place. There are plenty of places to mine. We can also free our friends who are captives of the White Wolf. We may even be able to regain the trust of the local guilds, which are now leaning toward the "Arsenal of Spirits. It would also improve the morale of the local guilds, which has been a pending issue. You know what I mean. You can''t just split a unit in two and expect to accomplish nothing, can you?" Neil said, glaring at me as if testing me. Glen returned the glare with a look of determination. He said, "...... okay. Okay," Glenn replied. Let''s regroup." Neil left one-third of his troops with Glenn and sent him on an ambush mission against the "White Wolf. What?The Grand Alliance has stopped moving? Jamil frowned at the strange report from the scout. He immediately went on a reconnaissance mission himself to confirm the formation of the "Wise Man''s Crown. He could indeed see the "Grand Alliance" troops stationed on the plains, motionless. Jamil had Rodo ride "Fafnir" to scout the area, and he learned that there was a unit of the "Grand Alliance" moving ahead in the dungeon. (I see. (I see... They split their forces into two and tried to procure ore while holding us off on the other side.) Jamil appraised the status of the enemy from a distance, and found one person with unusually high magical power. (Is this magic power Glen Ross, the leading attack mage? Neil Dioclea and Ian Ugberg are not here. Okay.) Jamil selected some of the best performers in the unit, who were exceptionally fast on the run, to form a special unit. Jamil selected those who were exceptionally fast and good performers among his troops to form a special unit. You guys. When you attack the "Grand Alliance," pretend to be defeated and run away at a moderate distance. Then lure them to the bottom of the valley." On Jamil''s order, a special unit headed for the "Grand Alliance" position under the guise of being on guard. When they saw the "Grand Alliance" deploying, they hastily began to form up, as if they had just noticed it. It''s the Grand Alliance. They''re right in front of us. Form up," he said. Hurry." Here they come.) Glenn was filled with fighting spirit. (It was a level battle with no difference in elevation. In this case, ground power would be the decisive factor. There is no reason not to fight!) Charge!Show those sneaky bandits what you see!" The vanguard of the "Grand Alliance" charged in unison. The two units engaged in an even white battle for a while, but the "White Wolf" collapsed when Glen unleashed his "Blast Flame Magic". ''Ooooh!'' Glen Ross is here. Run away. Retreat!" The "White Wolf" bandits begin to flee. The "White Wolf" bandits begin to flee. Give chase." Glenn ordered. Please wait." A local adventurer stopped him. What the hell?" Strange, isn''t it?This movement of the "White Wolf". Normally, they hide in the shadows of the mountains and never show themselves, but today they are strangely and openly challenging us to a fight. The enemy must have been caught off guard. "The enemy must have been caught off guard. If they always fight in favorable situations, they will naturally become more determined. Here we go." But it could be a trap. As I recall, there is a perfect place for an ambush ahead, surrounded by cliffs on all sides. They may be trying to lure us there. You are thinking too much. If we sit on our hands like this, we will miss a great opportunity. Come on, let''s go." We can at least send out scouts to see what''s going on. ...... You''re being a pain in the ass. If we wait too long, we''ll lose our chance to pursue. Come on, men, get to it!Victory is at hand. We must make amends for all that we have done. Without looking aside, Glenn and his team pursued the bandits. On the way, they encountered several units of "white wolves" who seemed to be waiting behind them, but each time they fought and kicked them away, driving them to a place surrounded by cliffs. (They fled one after another. (They ran away one after another.) I knew this feeling was not a trap, and I could only think that they were running away in a panic due to an unexpected situation. (This may be an unexpectedly high war result.) Glenn is finally fired up and ready to go after them in earnest. However, when the "White Wolf" bandits reached the narrow exit at the bottom of the valley, they suddenly turned around and showed their fighting stance. Behind them, the troops that had been waiting for them appeared. Mwah. Is that the main group?" They were not the only ones who showed up. The bandits, who had also been lurking on the cliff, appeared, shot bows and arrows at them, scattered water chestnuts along the path that Glenn and his men had come, blocked their escape route, and hurt them badly from all directions. After being attacked one-sidedly for a while, Glenn and his men surrendered. Jamil was pleased to see Guren among the prisoners. (Okay, we''ve taken one of the A-class guys. The ransom alone will pay for itself. Now the "Grand Alliance" is dead in the water. All we have to do now is to destroy the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance.) While Glen was suffering a disastrous defeat at the hands of the "White Wolf," Neal and his team were pursuing their own contradictory strategies. Rather than stop competing with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, they were speeding up the mountain. (The fewer people we have, the faster we can march. ) "This way, we can catch up with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance! They are willing to let their status wear out and try to catch up with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Feeling concerned, Ian spoke to Neil. Neil, I think you should slow down a little. At this rate, we will catch up with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. We''re going to catch up." And then we''ll overtake them." Overtake?I thought you were going to seize the "White Wolf" and eliminate the need to compete with the "Arsenal of Spirits." It''s only because we''ve seized the ''White Wolf. Now you don''t have to worry about going home. We can concentrate on competing with the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' alliance as much as we want. Besides, there''s nothing better than collecting ore quickly, is there? The first one to return to the city is considered the winner. Ian was getting anxious. He also felt trapped by the fact that he had to split his unit in two in the first place. If the troops were separated like this, they would be easy prey for individual attacks. However, he could not turn back now. As for Ian, he had no choice but to catch up with the "Spirit Arsenal" alliance as quickly as possible, as Neil had said. Thanks to his efforts, the "Grand Alliance" was able to get within a few hours of the tail end of the "Spirit Arsenal" alliance. Leon, who was in command of the tail of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, detected the "Grand Alliance" approaching from the rear as a result of his spotting. (The "Grand Alliance" is approaching. What should we do?) Roland, who leads the center of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, is about eight hours away. Should they rush there, call for reinforcements, or fight alone? (Reinforcements from Roland will not arrive in time. (Reinforcements from Roland will not arrive in time, so we have no choice but to deal with the situation alone.) Fortunately, a suitable high ground for defense was right next to us. Leon decided to block the road and take up a position on the high ground, and then wait to see what the enemy would do. Soon after, the "Grand Alliance" arrived. When they saw Leon and his men taking position on the high ground, they deployed their own troops and prepared to meet the battle. Leon smiled at the sight of them. (I had heard that there were no one with command aptitude in the "Wise Man''s Crown," but ......, I see, this is terrible.) It was obvious that his agility was rattled even without a status appraisal due to the forced march. Moreover, no one was guarding the high ground behind us. Some of the local adventurers were looking anxious and cringing. They did not seem to know what role they were supposed to play. It was obvious from Leon''s location that instructions were not being communicated well. Leon decided to occupy the high ground behind the enemy. He sends a squad of archers with high agility around and has them "bow-fire" from behind the "Grand Alliance". What are you doing? Neil rushed to regain the high ground, but the exhausted and demoralized troops would not move from the spot, fearing the "bow shot". Neil and his team had no choice but to fall back and wait until their agility was restored. Leon quickly uses the opportunity to head for today''s target and scatters the enemy''s pursuit. After that, Roland and his team arrived at the mining site first, without attracting the "Grand Alliance". While the three-way battle in the "volcano dungeon" was sparking off, there was new activity in the city. On the main street leading to the harbor, near the "Dragon''s Fires," some kind of new building was being constructed. People on the street were stopping in front of the construction site and gossiping about what kind of building was going to be built. Medes was one of them, looking up at the building. It''s quite a big building, isn''t it? Medes spoke to a gentleman observing nearby. Oh, isn''t that Mr. Medes? Who in the world could that be?Who is going to build such a magnificent facility? Apparently, they are local adventurers who have joined the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. How?"The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is ....... Yes," he said. Yes, that''s right. It''s time for the Alliance to have a base of operations. I''m not sure I''d like that. It''s a very economical story, isn''t it? Unusual for a local adventurer. The Arsenal of Spirits alliance has been on a winning streak lately. The gentleman said in an exuberant tone, unable to hide his inner joy. As a prominent local figure, he was thrilled by the progress of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. He said, "I heard that the name of the alliance will be changed to the ''Spirit Alliance'' on this occasion. How delightful it is." Medes chatted with the gentleman with an affectionate smile on his face throughout. (Hmmm. That Roland guy, I never thought he''d make it this far with the local adventurers.) After parting with the gentleman, Medes continued to walk leisurely through the streets in a good mood. In fact, he was not in a bad mood. What does it matter if the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance has developed? It is the adventurers from outside who are troubled, and there is no real harm in "Dragon''s Fires. After all, the "Arsenal of Spirits" led by Roland only dealt with local adventurers, while guilds from outside the island dropped money into the "Dragon''s Fires. Now I don''t know why I was so hostile toward Roland. Rather, I now feel that Roland, like "White Wolf," is a potential friend. In fact, thanks to the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance''s defeat of the "Wise Man''s Crown" in the previous negotiations, they succeeded in raising the cost of the equipment. (Yes. No need to be bothered about it. We just need to live separately. We do the outside work and they do the local work. That''s fine. Establish a base of operations near our studio?That''s a good thing, isn''t it? (If you want, it might be possible to make a deal with the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance as well as the "White Wolf" alliance by joining forces behind the scenes.) Thinking of such a carefree thought, Medes went to work at "Dragon''s Fireside" again today. But when he opened the door, he found that it was not a base for adventurers, but a workshop (atelier) for the new "Arsenal of Spirits. At the entrance facing the street, there is a store. On the stylish window that decorates the exterior of the store, equipment handled at the workshop (atelier) is displayed, and the status and even the budget for the group are written on the window. It was clearly designed to sell to outside adventurers'' guilds. Roland had no intention of coexisting with "Dragon''s Fires. The new workshop (atelier) was built to steal customers from the "Dragon''s Fires. <> 134 - - Art. 134 The Charge of Elio What do you mean, Mr. Hyde?" Medes had gone to protest to Councilman Hyde, whom he had gotten to know well. He was talking about the fact that the "Arsenal of Spirits" had opened a workshop right next to the "Dragon''s Fires". I thought you said that no one but us would be allowed to open a workshop on that avenue that connects to the harbor. No," he said. But things have changed. Hyde said matter-of-factly. Many outside adventurers'' guilds have come to the island, and the growth of local adventurers has been remarkable, so there have been calls for another workshop near the harbor. We decided to have the ''Arsenal of Spirits,'' which has been making a name for itself recently, play a major role in the project. We don''t need two workshops in that place!We alone are sufficient to meet the demand for alchemy from the outside." But that is not the case. We have received a request from the local adventurers'' guild to build a new workshop (atelier) in the ''Arsenal of the Spirits. What? You, the document. Yes, sir. Hyde had his secretary produce the document and read it over. Alchemists Aina Burke, Wayne Melza, Patrick Garcia, and Leena Hart belong to the "Arsenal of Spirits. All of them are expected to be certified as Class A alchemists by the end of this quarter." What? The island''s reputation will be ruined if we have such promising alchemists and yet we are not given even a single workshop (atelier), right?Well, in that case, why don''t you back off here, Mr. Medeiros?" "Nuh-uh." Roland, you''re blabbing again. How many A-class alchemists can you produce out of the blue like that? Hyde is Hyde. Normally you wouldn''t fall for such a blatant scam. He must have been paid by Roland, right?) But Hyde was not paid. He had recently lost support among residents and wanted a new voting bloc for the next election. The "Arsenal of Spirits" and the local adventurers'' alliance led by them appeared to be the perfect match. (The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance''s popularity has been on the rise recently," he said. ) If we were to contribute to their activities, their image would be enhanced and the number of votes they would receive would increase. On the other hand, rumors have begun to circulate about the "Dragon''s Fires," and it is clear that they are on the wane. We have to think carefully about our future. No hard feelings, Medes.) Shortly before the "Arsenal of Spirits" was fully revealed, Lisetta had visited Lange. She had been gathering information on her own since she retired from "Dragon''s Fires" and was looking for a new place to work, when she heard a rumor that the "Arsenal of Spirits" was opening a new workshop (atelier). Do you want to join us?" Lange was responding to Lizetta''s sudden visit with a stinky look. Yes," she said. I was wondering if the "Arsenal of Spirits" would like to hire a new alchemist. I don''t recall putting out such a notice, but ...... I heard that the "Arsenal of Spirits" is going to set up a new workshop (atelier). If that is the case, won''t the staff you have now be enough? (This guy ......, where did you get your information from ......) That said, ......, is Roland not here?" Lizetta asked in a slightly modified manner. ''Mr. Roland is currently leading the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance on a dungeon quest. Oh, I didn''t know that. That''s too bad. I was hoping to talk to you for a while. Do you know Mr. Roland?" Yes. Please tell Mr. Roland when he returns. That Lisetta visited him to fulfill an earlier promise." Promise?What the ......" I''m a little afraid to say it here. (What kind of relationship does this guy ...... have with Mr. Roland?) As Lange was growing wary, Aina entered the room. She said, "Mr. Lange, I''d like to talk to you about your new workshop (atelier). ...... Oh?You''re Lizetta, aren''t you?" I''m not sure what to say. Aina-san. Hmm?"Do you two know each other?" Yeah. Well." Aina chuckled. Lizetta looks disappointed. Aina turned to Lizetta and gave her a victorious look. Aina turned to Lizetta and gave her a triumphant look. You told me that time, didn''t you?He said that if the alchemists in our workshop (atelier) can beat the equipment you made even once, you can transfer to our workshop (atelier). My "Flexible Shield" seems to have captured your "Javelin of Fire".Are you ready to admit to me and Mr. Roland a little?" "Nuh-uh." Lizetta looked chagrined for a few moments, but soon regained her relaxed demeanor. ''Well, it certainly seems to be true that the adventurer wearing my equipment lost. That''s fine. Let''s just say for once that I lost here. However, the game is not over yet. Under Roland''s guidance at the Arsenal of Spirits, I will surely make better equipment than you. Aina frowns. (...... I wonder why Wayne and the others from "Dragon''s Fires" are so proud. They can''t honestly admit defeat.) I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it," he said. Anyway, you will be transferred to us as promised. I don''t know what will happen until Mr. Roland comes back, but I welcome it. Even if we become colleagues, I have no intention of losing to you. So please plan on it." Yes. Yes, that''s exactly what we want. Ranju has a difficult time following their conversation and makes a difficult face. (I can''t see what they''re talking about at all. What the hell are you doing, Mr. Roland?) In the "volcano dungeon," Roland and his team had finished procuring ore and were about to dismount. This time, too, they tried to pull the "Grand Alliance" to the very last minute before passing, and then tried to impose the burden on the "White Wolves". However, for once, the "White Wolves" did not go along with Roland''s plan. They put their main force against the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. The "Grand Alliance," which had lost one-third of its strength, was no longer viable. Looking ahead, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance is the one to beat. Jamil decided so. The "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance was attacked by "bow fire" from ambush and "Fafnir" from the shadows of the mountains. It''s Fafnir!" They''re coming from the shadow of the mountain. Bow fire'' from the other side. "White Wolf." The adventurers of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance began to respond to the ambush and ambush by the "White Wolf" in a jostling manner. It was extremely difficult to defend the alliance, which had swelled to include the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. Nicola''s "Dragon Sound" could not cover the entire range of the troops, and the "Fire Breath" of "Fafnir" often caused chaos at the edges of the alliance. The alliance was led by Roland in the center, Leon in the rear guard, and Euphine in the vanguard, but "White Wolf" skillfully took advantage of weak points in each unit''s linkage and terrain to gradually drain the strength of the alliance. (This tangled feeling. There''s Jamil. (I guess the strategy to make the "White Wolf" turn its contrarianism toward the "Grand Alliance" failed.) Jamil was observing and commanding the formation of the "Arsenal of Spirits. (I still can''t seem to cover all of this large contingent, after all.) Jamil saw that the vanguard led by Yuffine had many members of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and that they were not well coordinated. He said, "We''ll go for the vanguard. Stall the enemy as long as possible." (If the march is delayed, the "Grand Alliance," which will eventually come from behind, can be allowed to attack. If that happens, it will be a three-way melee. (If we delay the march, the "Grand Alliance" will eventually come up behind us and attack.) Thus, the vanguard of the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, a mix of "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and local adventurers, was exposed to the most intense attacks. Rick felt itchy as he stood on the front line and caught the frequent rain of arrows. d*mn. This pattern again. (d*mn it, this pattern again.) We''re being attacked so blatantly by the enemy, and yet we can''t go in to attack them. Rick was strictly warned by Roland not to charge in alone. When assaulting, there should be at least two people, and only when there is support from the rear guard. (though ......) Rick glances at the local adventurers beside him. (I don''t think these guys have the courage to charge in. (I don''t think these guys have the courage to charge. What''s wrong? Is there any way to break the deadlock and deal a blow to the White Wolf?) As Rick was thinking about this, someone jumped out from next to him. (!Who''s there?) It was Elio. He ran up the hill and jumped into the "White Wolf" camp, hiding the upper part of his body with his shield. He was still thinking somewhere in his mind. It''s okay as it is. (I still thought somewhere, "It''s fine as it is. (But ......) In Elio''s mind is the scene where Roland is appeasing Rick. He said, "If we''re not worthy, it''s Roland who has to clean up the mess in the end. Roland has been patient with us for our growth. Now it''s our turn to support Roland!) Elio runs into one of the enemy''s defensive lines and breaks up the battle line. Seeing this, Rick smiled. ''Phew. There''s a guy with a bone to pick. Even on this island!" Rick followed Erio and cut into the "White Wolf" camp. Encouraged by the two adventurers'' charge, the other adventurers in the rear were advancing one after another. The local adventurers were among them. The "White Wolf" quickly withdrew from the scene. Roland, who arrived late, was pleased with Erio''s courageous fight. He was satisfied with Erio''s courageous fight. I''ve been waiting for it, Erio.) [Erio''s skills Shield Defense: A (up1) ''Shield Assault'': A (1) The "White Wolves" then quickly dispersed and did not suffer any decisive damage. However, the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance, whose vanguard had no more gaps due to the two A-class shield users, continued to bounce back every time an attack came from the "White Wolf" and reached the town safely. The people of the city congratulated the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance. Roland and his team parade through the city and return triumphantly to their newly built workshop (atelier). <> 135 - - Art. 135 Secret Agreement When Roland and his team arrived at the new workshop (atelier) of the "Arsenal of the Spirits," they were amazed at the imposing appearance of the building. This is our new base? It''s a magnificent building. There''s even a store attached to it. Where do we come in? The entrance for alliance members is that way. Follow me. Following Roland''s lead, the adventurers of the alliance entered the workshop (atelier). The entrance was large enough for even a large group to enter and exit without delay. When Roland and the others entered through the private entrance, they were greeted by Aina, who welcomed them into a large space. Aina greeted them, "Welcome back, everyone. We will take care of your equipment here. Please place them on the cart by the side." Looking at the side of the room, there are indeed many carts lined up on which equipment can be placed, and the workshop (atelier) staff is waiting there. After the adventurers placed their equipment on the carts, the staff promptly carried the carts to the back of the room, where they were replaced by another staff member who pushed a new cart. The adventurers, who were able to unequip themselves, began to relax their limbs as they pleased. It''s still nice," said one of them. The service spirit of the "Arsenal of Spirits" is very good. Oh," he said. It''s the itch that gets scratched, isn''t it? Roland was also pleased with the workmanship of Aina and her team. Good night, Aina. Oh, Mr. Roland. Welcome back. Your new studio seems to be working well. Yes, it is. ...... Mr. Roland! Welcome back. Lizetta interrupted Aina with such force that she almost pushed her out of the way. Lizetta!What are you doing here? The other day, I resigned from ''Dragon''s Fires'' and decided to transfer to the ''Arsenal of Spirits. I''m looking forward to working with you. Mr. Roland. Lizetta ......, you''re the girl ...... I see. You came." Roland looked at Lizetta again. Lizetta. Do you know what it means to work for us?Our project is moving to the next phase. In other words, we are moving from training local adventurers to defeating the Dragon''s Fiery Fire. We are about to have a direct confrontation with the Dragon''s Fiery Fire. If you work for us, you''ll be helping us with that, too, right?" I hope so. I came here to fight against the ''dragon''s fiery fire. (I will get revenge on Edgar for kicking me out. To do so, I must make sure of my connection with Mr. Roland. Since that Aina-san has grown so much in a short period of time, I should be able to improve with the help of Mr. Roland-san.) I will do whatever it takes to defeat the "dragon''s fiery fire. Therefore, please relearn my alchemy." I am relieved to hear that. I welcome you to the Arsenal of Spirits." Yes, sir. I look forward to working with you. Good. I''ll give you instructions on learning new skills later, but for now, I''d like you to work under Aina. Ugh. I understand. We''ll start by carrying the equipment on a dolly. Lizetta follows Aina''s instructions and begins by carrying a light bow and arrow. Wayne pushed the cart past Lizetta and said with a scowl. "Phew. Finally, one of the quartet has arrived. Don''t think that the same working style of the ''Dragon''s Fires'' will work here." You say that? Roddy said as he walked next to me pushing a cart as well. On the same day, Roland announced the launch of the "Spirit Alliance. The "Spirit Alliance" is an alliance that goes one step further than the "Arsenal of Spirits" alliance and further solidifies the loose solidarity that existed between the guilds up to that point. Guilds that join the "Spirit Alliance" will be given priority in receiving equipment from the "Arsenal of Spirits," but they will also have to comply with the requests of the "Spirit Alliance" unless there are special circumstances. In addition, the results of dungeon exploration are distributed fairly according to the contribution of each guild, and the longer a guild has been a member of the Alliance, the more benefits it will receive. The guilds that have been regular members of the alliance, such as "Shield of Dawn," "Arrow of the Heavenly Horse," "Two Mages," "Guardian of Ore," "Silver Eagle Alliance," and "Wildcat," immediately announced their intention to join the alliance. Other guilds followed suit and joined one after another. Roland held the first meeting of the "Spirit Alliance" in his new workshop (atelier). The topic of discussion was the future goals of the "Spirit Alliance. The meeting was filled with a mood of optimism, thanks in part to the two consecutive victories over the "Grand Alliance" in the recent dungeon search. It seems as if we have already achieved our goals for this month with the last exploration. The "Wise Man''s Crown" wasn''t as big a deal as I thought it was going to be. We have an abundance of ''earthcraft'' over here, so it looks like we''ve already won, doesn''t it?" So the next goal is to reinforce the troops? It''s time to update our equipment. According to Roland, now that Elio has acquired the equivalent of Class A skills, he can go to the ''wastelands,'' can''t he?" I agree. That might be possible." I don''t know. I think it is too early to tell. Contrary to the complexion of most of those present at the meeting, only one person, Roland, with a difficult look on his face, said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t think I can do this. "It''s too early to tell?You''re more bearish than ever. What''s worrying you? There are still some things the League of Spirits lacks to go to the Wasteland. What''s missing? What''s that? What we lack. It''s a relentlessness." Relentlessness. ...... Everyone is looking at it as if we''ve already won the ''crown jewels of the wise,'' but I don''t see it that way. I don''t think so. In fact, this is the most dangerous time. The battle against the Crown of Wisdom is going more favorably than ever. But here is the problem. To win out at the last moment. That is the most difficult of all. There is nothing more frightening than a lion with nothing in its hands. The "Wise Man''s Crown" must have realized how good we are, and he''s not stupid enough to play the same hand three times. We can expect them to put up a desperate fight against us. In such a situation, if we continue to fight in the same manner as before, we may well be caught flat-footed. We must win out completely against "The Wise Man''s Crown. In order to do so, we must put a merciless finishing blow to our weakened opponents. Such resolve is necessary. Everyone is quiet. (After all, this guy is different from ordinary humans.) Leon was once again in awe of Roland. (While everyone was in a mood of easy victory and relaxed, this guy, on the contrary, was becoming more and more tense. Is this a top-notch human being?) After that, with Roland''s intention, it was decided that the top priority goal of the "Spirit Alliance" was to hurt the "Philosopher''s Crown" until it was completely eradicated from the island, and the meeting was adjourned. A few days after the "Arsenal of Spirits," the "Treasure Crown of the Wise Men" also returned to the city. Once again, they were at the mercy of the "White Wolf" and had no success in the war. Even Neil, who is a stone, became depressed and did not talk much. It seemed as if they had no choice but to retreat as their funds had run out. But then, an unexpected force offered to help. The two were the "Dragon''s Fires" and the "White Wolf. They had only one hope. They wanted only one thing: to deal a blow to the "Arsenal of Spirits. If they would only do that, "Dragon''s Fires" would give them a discount on the cost of equipment, and "White Wolf" would release the prisoners of the "Grand Alliance" without ransom, and would support them in battle. Thus, the three parties, "The Wise Man''s Crown," "The Dragon''s Fiery Fire," and "The White Wolf," concluded a secret agreement against the "Spirit Alliance. <> 136 - - 136. Risk Hans, Claire, and Alice left home to go on their third dungeon quest this month. Hans left home with his sisters, and on the way to the workshop (atelier), he remembered Roland''s words. (Not enough mercy ...... or) Reflecting on the meeting. ''Roland. Could you be a little more specific?" Leon said. ''We''re getting better at fighting ''white wolves'', and when you say we''re not relentless enough, how exactly do we do that?'' I agree. For example, when we fought the "White Wolf" in the last dungeon exploration, that scene when Elio and Rick pushed back the enemy''s offensive. If the rear guard had jumped out from behind to pursue the fleeing enemy, they could have inflicted more damage. I see. The rear guard jumps out. Yes," he said. To strike a blow to the enemy, it is not enough for the vanguard to provide solid support. The work of the rear guard becomes important. It is a difficult task because the danger increases if the thinly armored rear guard moves forward. ...... (That order. (He didn''t name names, but I''m sure it was probably directed at me. It was up to me to determine if I could inflict fatal damage to "The Wise Man''s Crown" (......)). Hans!" Hans was startled by Will''s voice calling him. He found himself at the meeting place. Will or ......." There is still time before the search begins. Can we talk a little?" They decided to sit on a bench in the plaza until the order was given. What do you think of what Roland said at the meeting?" Will asked. ''Are you referring to the lack of mercy, ......?'' Yeah, that." I know. He didn''t name names, but the bottom line is that Roland isn''t happy with the way I work. Ours. Will? It''s our fault that we, the rear guard, can''t win the game while Erio and the other vanguard are pushing back the White Wolf''s attacks. Will, what''s your take on this?What are we missing?" I guess so." Will made a little thoughtful gesture and then began to speak. I''ve seen the way the Guardians of the Magical Tree fight, and it seems to me that they take risks differently than we do. Risk?" Yes," he said. From our point of view, they are very conscious of trying to get in front of us, to the point where it feels a little dangerous. But in the off-island guilds, even the rear guard may have to be that forward-thinking. I see. The awareness of taking risks and moving forward. Hans thought for a moment, then turned to Will. Will. "Will, I''m going to try to be more forward in my search this time. I''m prepared to take some risks. Are you sure?It''s double the workload and double the responsibility, okay?" I''m ready. Good. If you insist, I''ll go along with you. Let''s go directly to Roland together." They told Roland that they wanted to raise awareness of the pursuit. Roland gave his permission. However, he did so on the condition that they fulfill their original roles, such as scouting and supporting the vanguard. After checking her own unit, Yuffine, accompanied by Lelio and Shakuma, looked toward the "Grand Alliance," the enemy side. The "Grand Alliance" was about to complete its preparations, with no particular change in armament or strategy from the last time. I thought they were going to try something, but they didn''t come up with anything special. Lelio said. I wonder if they couldn''t come up with anything effective?" Shakma said. I don''t know. We don''t know what''s out there yet. Stay on your guard. ......" Just as Yuffine was about to say this, she bumped into Ian. Reyes! Shakma, Lelio, we''re coming back." Yuffine, accompanied by the two men, tried to return to her own camp. Reyes. Wait!I need to talk to you. ......" I don''t." It''s a later life." Please listen to me." I don''t like it. I''m not talking to you anymore. Wait a minute. If we don''t do something, it''s just what the White Wolf wants. We need to work together here. ...... Yuffine looked at Ian with a cruel smile on her face. Hmph. You''re the only ones who should be worried about being attacked by the White Wolf. That''s what happens when you keep playing tricks. It''s your own fault. Come on, you two, let''s go. We have to finish our last preparations. Ian''s shoulders slump as he is brushed off by Yuffine. Ian''s shoulders slump. (No good...) Ian''s shoulders slumped. As Neil said, we have no choice but to bet on a joint front between "White Wolf" and "Dragon''s Fires.) Ian glanced at Yuffine. (The current peace negotiations should be able to get her to let her guard down a little. We''ve done our best. All that remains is to wait for fate.) After Ian had been treated, Euphine went to report to Roland on her feet. I told him. I told him that I would not work with you. Yuffine said with a good smile. ''...... I see.'' Roland does not look pleased, but rather thoughtful. Yuffine scowled. (Ian is an expert in gathering information. Ian is an expert in gathering information, and he should already know the contents of the "Spirit Alliance" meeting. And yet, he is negotiating for peace at this time?) Yufineh. Be ready to cast ''wide-area recovery magic'' as soon as you enter the dungeon. Something might happen." After that, the "Grand Alliance" finished its preparations and solemnly entered the forest at the foot of the mountain. A little later, the "Spirit Alliance" also entered the dungeon (this time, the "Grand Alliance" was able to complete its preparations more quickly than usual because it had significantly fewer people than last time. (This time, the "Grand Alliance" had a much smaller number of people than last time, so they were able to prepare more quickly than usual.) Roland and his team proceeded steadily through the forest at the foot of the mountain for a while. Sporadic small fry monsters attacked them, but they cleared them up without difficulty and resumed their search. The speed at which the "Grand Alliance" was advancing was so fast that they could not catch up with it, but it was not a big problem. We could continue our search as before. Once they reached the "Metal Line," the speed of the "Grand Alliance" would slow down anyway. There are plenty of chances to rewind. That''s what everyone thought. It was not until they reached the first plateau of the "Metal Line" that they changed their minds. Suddenly, a unit of the Grand Alliance deployed in front of the vanguard unit. They were stationed on the plain, ready and waiting. They attacked in one fell swoop in front of the panicked "Spirit Alliance. Although they managed to withstand the first blow, they were met with a powerful attack by Neil, a warrior clad in "magic-work" sword armor. The unit was forced to flee when it was hit by the "Attack Grant" and Glenn''s "Fire Blast Magic". After kicking out the vanguard of the "Spirit Alliance," Neil and his men ran down the hill at the speed of the wind and attacked furiously toward the main group with Roland. <> 137 - - 137. The Battle of the World There is a battle cry and the clang of weapons. Roland gazed ahead. An arrow flew above him, signaling. We are being attacked by the enemy! (The "Grand Alliance" attacked. This feeling. I knew their goal was not ore, but to destroy us!) Soon, the shouting stops, and after a moment of silence, the sound of footsteps can be heard as a large number of people move. The troops that had preceded them had been destroyed. Roland, this is ....... The Grand Alliance has attacked us. We need to get into position quickly to intercept them." What? Are you serious? Leon. Leon, I want you to take a squad and hold the high ground behind us. The White Wolf may attack. Okay. Okay. Leon hurriedly led his troops to the rear defenses. Euphine, Shakuma. The Grand Alliance is attacking. "Euphine, Shakuma," he said, "the Grand Alliance is attacking. Erio and Rick on both wings. Use the line of recovery magic and the ''defense grant'' to overcome the enemy''s attack." Yes, sir. Understood. Yuffine and Shakuma gave hurried instructions and began to build the formation. (The "magic-work" sword armor and Aina''s "blue armor" are almost evenly matched. ) Since the vanguard can bring the battle to even, the work of the rear guard will likely be the difference in the outcome. Soon, warriors in "magic-work" swords and armor came running down the hill and slashing at us. Their momentum was so great that Roland and his men had to adjust their formation to catch the enemy''s attack. Go on!"The humiliation you have suffered in two dungeon explorations, double it." (Though it might be more advantageous in the intricate terrain in the dungeon. (You may have the advantage in the dungeon''s intricate terrain, but in a tight formation battle, we have the advantage.) As Neil descends the hill, he catches a glimpse of Roland in the enemy''s main camp. (Roland. How many times have you been trying to smoke us out with your clever tricks?) The only target is the enemy''s main circle. Let him regret that he showed up on the battlefield as an appraiser. Ian had mixed feelings as he listened to Neil''s voice inspiring his troops. (Are you sure this is the right thing to do?Even if we beat the "Spirit League" here, what happens after that?Wouldn''t we just be played for fun again by the Dragon''s Fires and the White Wolves? Ian shook off his conflicted feelings. The battle was already open. If this battle is not won, there is nothing beyond that. (There is no time to be lost. There are ''wide-range healers'' out there. As the first healer of the Crown of Wisdom, I can''t lose in a direct confrontation.) Ian runs into the back of the center, where a fierce battle is expected, and performs healing magic on the wounded warrior (Warrior). The "magic-work" warriors, enveloped in red light, cut into the enemy lines, and with Glen''s "fire magic" added to the mix, it looked as if the battle lines of the "Spirit League" would be disrupted. However, the "Spirit Alliance" responded with "defense grant" and "wide-range recovery magic" to cut down the momentum of the "Grand Alliance" white army. Not only that, they counterattacked with "blast magic" and curved bow and arrow fire. The rear guard of the "Grand Alliance" hurriedly responded. They hid under shields or moved to prevent their position from being identified. (Tsk. Can''t break it with a single blow, huh? (It''s the elite of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree", isn''t it?) Neil glanced back. Behind him were local adventurers. However, he did not see them as a force to be reckoned with. He had them as a backstop. At best, they could be used as a pursuit force when the enemy collapsed. (But the local adventurers are useless, and so are they. If they could only break the "Guardian of the Magic Tree," they would have a good chance of winning the battle.) While the vanguard repeatedly engaged in a never-ending white battle, the rear guard applied recovery and support magic, and while searching each other''s positions, they launched offensive magic attacks. However, the battle continued to be evenly matched, and it was difficult to win. Hearing the sound of battle, "White Wolf" tried to surprise "Spirit Alliance" from behind. However, they were unable to attack because they were preceded by Leon from a high position. "Tsk, tsk. The "Grand Alliance" guys. I told you that we would attack only after we occupied the high ground. Jamil clicks his tongue at Neil and his team''s poor response. Leon had the back of the "Spirit Alliance" completely covered, and there was nothing he could do except to let the archers attack. There was nothing we could do. Let''s concentrate on getting the attention of one of the enemy squads here." Jamil and his team ended up attacking passively. While Jamil and his team were struggling to attack, Neil was growing frustrated with the "Spirit Alliance," which showed no signs of breaking down. Chi. What are you doing? What are those ''white wolves'' doing?" It has been an hour since the battle began, yet there is not a single sign that the "Spirit Alliance" is threatened in the rear. (The battle has already started, you know. Be resourceful. Are you sleepwalking?) In the meantime, the right and left flanks begin to be pushed by the enemy. Rick and Elio tried to break through. We had no choice but to push back, with Neil moving to the right flank and Glenn to the left. With the increasing pressure of support and offensive magic, Rick and Elio withdrew to the "wide range recovery magic" line of battle. Seeing Glenn move to the left wing, Will also moves to the right wing. Glenn couldn''t help but admire the nameless mage who had been competing with him earlier. (I didn''t know anyone could shoot magic this far with me. ...... He may be comparable to an A-class in terms of potential. (I didn''t know there was a mage of this caliber on this island. No, it can''t be. ......) Glenn and Will continue to exchange magic shots, flanked by a warrior (Warrior) in the vanguard. While the two wings were engaged in a fierce duel, Ian was in the center trying to determine where the battle was going. (It''s starting to look like a long-term battle. If that happens, we will have the advantage.) Ian thought as he cast a recovery spell on a Warrior who had been hit by a "blast magic. (Yuffine Reyes'' "wide-area recovery magic" is certainly powerful, but its fuel consumption is also poor. On the other hand, my pinpoint recovery magic can conserve magic power. If the battle continues to drag on and Reyes'' magic power runs out first, we can win!) Roland carefully watched the overall battle situation while giving instructions. Leon, behind him, was fighting against the "White Wolf," but they were only skirmishing and did not seem to be intensifying at all. The difference in the outcome would be whether or not the "Grand Alliance" could be defeated. Roland observed the way the "Grand Alliance" was fighting. (At first glance, the three A-class mages seemed to be functioning well, with their roles divided among themselves. But in fact, not a single one of them is moving in a holistic manner.) From where Roland is, it is impossible to see into the rear guard of the "Grand Alliance. But even so, from the position where the "flame blast magic" stands and climbs, the blue glow of the support magic, and the appearance of the magic circle of the recovery magic, we can still get some idea of what each of the three A-class mages of the enemy is thinking about. The three appear to be working as an organization, but in fact they are only thinking about their own roles and are not working under a unified idea. If Roland were the commander of the enemy camp, he would make Euphine the top priority target for his tactical plan. (Glenn is caught in an offensive magic firefight with Will. Neil is looking for an opening to somehow break through our left flank. Ian is releasing recovery magic to conserve his magical power as much as possible. Is he aiming for Yuffine''s magic power to run out? Certainly, if things continue as they are, Yuffine''s magic will run out first. Then ......) Roland had almost finished analyzing the personalities of the three as well. Neil is the most influential leader in "The Wise Man''s Crown. However, he is direct and short-sighted. He acts without thinking. Glen is the oldest and most thoughtful, but he is not very resourceful and cannot keep up with changing circumstances. Ian has a broad perspective and is capable of planning a strategy, but he does not like to take the brunt of things and is easily swayed by Neil''s instructions. If we can trap Neil and make a change at Glenn''s place, we can win. Roland decided so. Hey, Roland. Carla spoke to me. ''Is it my turn yet?It''s been a long time since the fight started. ......" Roland was preserving Carla. ''What a coincidence,'' he said. I was just about to put you in. Roland directed Carla to Shakuma, who was facing Neil. Ooooh!" Erio rushes at the Warriors in the "Wise Man''s Crown" like a rampaging bull. The "Shield Assault" is coming. Make a block and push back! Neil commands and several Warriors (Warriors) scramble to stop Elio. The four of them managed to push Elio back. (d*mn. (d*mn, this "Shield Assault" guy has been holding us back since a while ago.) In fact, all they have been doing since a few minutes ago is applying "defense grant. The actuality is, the only thing they''ve been applying since the beginning is the "defense grant." Neil wanted to break through with the "attack grant" and then use the "agility grant" to quickly close in on Roland''s location and win the game, but considering Erio''s "shield assault," he couldn''t afford to neglect his defense. (Can''t you do something about it? Can''t we just wait for them to wear each other out like this?) Neil was gnashing his teeth when suddenly, Shakma ordered Elio to back off. (...... hmm?) While Neil wondered, Elio withdrew to the back. (What?Running out of stamina?Or is there some kind of trouble?) In any case, this is a chance to go on the offensive. Neil decided so. Ian. I''m going to decide the game. Cover for me. Attack grant." What? Without giving Ian a chance to object, Neil switched the support magic he had been casting on the vanguard from "defense granting" to "attack granting. Ian was forced to change his plan. (I was going to aim for Euphine''s magic to run out in an endurance battle, but ......, Neil''s orders. I had no choice.) Ian pulls his position in the direction where Neil is and covers him with recovery magic. The "magic-working" warriors (warriors), signaling Neil''s "attack grant," went on the offensive all at once. Warriors clad in red light pushed aside enemy Warriors clad in blue light. Slowly, the enemy vanguard is pushed out of the line of battle by recovery magic. Good. We are almost there, we can break the enemy''s line. But then suddenly one of the warriors (Warrior) fell down, bleeding. "Ggh, ha!" What? In the meantime, another person is mysteriously attacked and falls. Ian tried to heal his wounded ally with recovery magic. However, although the warrior had recovered only his physical strength (stamina), the rest of his stats were so depleted that he seemed unable to fight any longer. While Neil and Ian were puzzled, another Warrior was mysteriously attacked and fell. (He was attacked the moment he teamed up with the enemy. This is a rear-guard bandit(Thief)''s skill "Shadow Strike"!) Neil. It''s ''Shadow Strike. Switch to ''Defense Grant. What?d*mn. That''s what this is about. "Defense Grant." Neil''s application of the "defense grant" brought the battle line back to a stalemate. (Did he still have a hidden ball? How many ambush soldiers does the enemy have?) Meanwhile, Elio had moved away from Neil to the other side, as ordered by Roland. He and Rick worked together to push up the front line. Glenn countered with attack magic, but he was backed up, helpless before the two A-class shield users. Roland ordered Lana to create a high ground with "crust magic" in the space created by pushing up the front line. Lana quickly completed the task, and Hans climbed to the top of the high ground and began "bow firing" at the enemy rearguard. Glenn was forced to hide behind his shield. While Glenn''s attack frequency decreased, Will''s attack frequency increased. (We must do something about that bowman (archer)) Glen unleashes his "explosive flame magic" toward Hans. However, the fireball is sucked into the red ball attached to Hans''s bow. What is that?Fire Felt"? Hans shot Glenn with his "magic shot" while Glenn was still surprised. Glenn''s status is reduced and he is unable to fight. Soon, the right wing of the "Spirit Alliance" broke through the left wing of the "Grand Alliance. Neil was startled. Oh, no! While I was calling Ian to this side, the other side was ......) They''ve breached our left!" Glenn''s down!" The left wing of the "Grand Alliance" was helplessly crushed. Ian was stunned. It was too strong.) Ian was in disbelief. (I can''t believe that not only can you fight through terrain, but you''re completely outmatched in formation battles. ......) Is the enemy commander ...... really a connoisseur?" Hans and Will saw the enemy''s left flank collapse and quickly moved forward. (Here. We''ll make a relentless pursuit here to ensure victory!) Hans. You have to finish off Neil and Ian." I know. You''re the one who has to let the enemy finish him off." In the "Grand Alliance" camp, Neil was desperately trying to regroup. "Survive this at all costs!If we can get through this, there is still hope!" (Glenn was killed, but there is still the "White Wolf". As long as the day passes, his status will be restored. Then the situation should change again.) Out of the corner of Neil''s eye as he leads the retreat, he sees an approaching enemy archer and mage. It was Hans and Will. Shoot them!Stall them!" Neil ordered a group of archers nearby. Immediately, a firefight broke out between the archers of the "Grand Alliance" and Hans. Hans took out the enemy archers one by one, but missed Neil. (d*mn. I wanted to finish off Neil and Ian to win the game. I can''t get any closer. I can''t get any closer.) I''ll take care of this." Erio and Rick seem to have overtaken Hans, and then they run toward the enemy archer. Elio! ''You''re going to decide the match, aren''t you?Go!" Phew. It can''t be helped. I''ll go along with you on that bet, Elio. Rick followed Erio and charged in. The two of them came under concentrated fire from the enemy archers. Their statuses were being scraped off, and Erio ran out of strength in the middle of the assault. Rick somehow managed to phase with the enemy and was crushed. However, this opened the way in front of Hans. Hans ran through and got Neil in range again. Neil feels hopeless. (What the hell is it with these guys? What is this morale ....... I''ve never seen a unit like this ...... on the island, let alone off it.) That was as far as Neil''s thoughts went. He was hit squarely by an arrow fired by Hans and fainted. Neil!Shit." Ian tries to somehow escape through the back of his friends. They were only a short distance from Hans'' range. (Too far?No, I can finish him off. I can do it now!) Hans Vergamot''s Skills. Bow Shooting": A (up1) Hans'' arrow shot through a faint opening at Ian, who was far away, as if he were the eye of a living horse. Gghh!" Ian also falls on the spot, having had all his status reduced. Will had caught the remaining troops, who were still retreating, in his magical range. They still did not seem to know that Neil and Ian had been killed. Most of the adventurers in the Crown of the Wise had been exhausted, and those still retreating were mostly local adventurers who had conserved their status. (I cannot bear to give chase to my countrymen, but if I don''t take a shot here, I can''t grow any further. Right, Roland?) I''m going full power. Blast magic." A tornado hits the escaping adventurers. Its pursuit uprooted the last remaining morale of the retreating enemy troops. Will, who had unleashed his magical power to the limit, fainted on the spot. Will Wombat''s Skills Blast Magic": A (up1) <> 138 - - 138. Sales Conference Confronting Leon''s troops occupying the high ground, Jamil sensed a change in the battle situation on the other side of the hill. (The sounds of battle disappeared. Had the "Grand Alliance" lost?) Jamil," he said. This is ......." Let''s go back." What? Without the "Grand Alliance" it is impossible to compete with the "Alliance of Spirits". We must leave the battle zone before the enemy turns its full strength toward us. Jamil and his team retreated in turn, with Leon''s troops in tow. When Leon saw the "White Wolf" pulling up, he patted his chest in relief. (I wondered what would happen when we were pinned down by the enemy, but we somehow managed to get through it, didn''t we?) After watching the retreat of the "White Wolf," Leon spoke to Cecil, who was standing by his side. Leon watched the retreat of the "White Wolf" and spoke to Cecil, who was by his side. Tell Roland. The White Wolf has retreated. We''ll stay here for a while longer to watch for enemy movement, just in case. Okay." Cecil descends the hill and heads down to Roland. Leon turns and looks toward the "Grand Alliance" front. From where Leon was, the battle between Roland and the mages of the "Wise Man''s Crown" was clearly visible. Having defeated the enemy''s main force, the "Spirit Alliance" had shifted to a mop-up battle. However, the "Grand Alliance," which had lost three A-class mages, no longer had the morale to fight a retreat, and each guild easily disarmed and surrendered as soon as the "Spirit Alliance" approached. Leon was deeply moved to see how well Erio and Hans, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," had fought back. Now the local guilds could play as well as the outside guilds. (That Roland guy finally did it. No one who came to this island could have done it. He has achieved what no one else who came to the island had been able to achieve: the fusion of the local guilds and the outside guilds through training.) I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. He''s a big man." Roland, who had almost finished subduing the remaining enemy forces, was making the rounds to help those adventurers who had been worn out by the battle. He called out to Hans and Will, who were walking along, supporting each other on the shoulder. Hans and Will," Roland said. Good night. Roland." Ha-ha." As soon as I released the magic, my consciousness was blown away. I can''t walk properly." Will said with a wry smile. ''No, it was very powerful. There are not many mages in the world who can unleash blast magic with that much power, activation time, and attack range. Hans also had a good attack. The timing of his jump out, the accuracy of his shooting, and his shrewdness in taking out the enemy''s head. Everything was perfect. That''s what I wanted to see." Hans and Will look at each other proudly. From their point of view, they were more than happy to have Roland''s approval. Mr. Roland. Rick and Elio, who have been revived by recovery magic, also come in, both supporting each other''s shoulders. Rick, Erio. You guys did your best to the end. Without their sacrificial charge, Hans and Will''s final blow would not have been possible. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. I did what I had to do as a vanguard. No, I would have been in danger on my own. I don''t know what I would have done if Rick hadn''t come along. I''m more interested in the show, Mr. Roland. At last we have four A-class adventurers on this island. I would say that you have an impressive training ability, but now we, the Guardians of the Magical Tree, can no longer afford to be complacent. When Rick says this, Hans and Will are astonished. Four Class A''s?" What do you mean? I don''t need to wait to appraise them: their skills are now class A, Hans''s range, Will''s magic. Neither of them can be considered class B." What?Is that so?" It certainly felt like a longer range than usual, but ...... Since Elio is already in Class A, and that girl Carla''s swordsmanship has already reached Class A, Will and Hans together make four actual Class A students. Isn''t that right, Mr. Roland? Everyone present looks at Roland. Roland looks at me and says, "Oh. Rick is right. Hans'' ''bow shooting'' and Will''s ''blast magic'' both reached the A level. That''s why. From now on, I will consider you as A class, and we, the vanguard, will expect A class work from you. We in the vanguard expect A-class work from you, and B-class work will no longer be tolerated. Ha-ha. That''s scary. I''ll try." The four continued their uncomfortable conversation among those who had risen to great heights. Roland was relieved to see them. (Hans and Will are both in the A class. This would allow them to take a more aggressive approach against the "White Wolf. (They should be able to act more freely in their search.) Loran." Cecil came over. Leon has a message for you. The White Wolf has pulled out. Leon and his team remain on alert. I see. I see. Let''s go back to the city for a while. We need to get together with the Grand Alliance. Tell that to Leon. Okay." Cecil once again returned to Leon with his quick feet. Thanks to Leon''s strong protection of his back, Cecil was able to concentrate on defeating and controlling the "Grand Alliance. I''ll have to say a few words of thanks to Leon later.) Roland and his team returned to the city with the captured adventurers of the Grand Alliance in tow. It was some time after they reached the city that Neil woke up. When I got up, I found myself in the "Wise Man''s Treasure Crown" quarters. Neil was struck by a severe memory clouding. Neil, you''re finally awake. Glenn had just entered the room and called out to him. ''Is this ...... our quarters?How did the battle go with the ...... ''Spirit League''?" Glenn nodded. The battle is over. The troops were destroyed and all adventurers of the ''Grand Alliance'' turned over their equipment before the ''Spirit Alliance'' and were taken prisoner. Negotiations for the release of the prisoners of war have just been finalized. Ian has arranged the negotiations on your behalf while you were asleep." That''s ...... ridiculous." The Spirit League demands three things: first, that the Grand Alliance be dissolved immediately; second, that the Crown of Wisdom immediately terminate its contract and alliance with the Dragon''s Fiery Fire and the White Wolf; and third, that the Spirit League be dissolved immediately. And three, the troops must leave the island as soon as they are able to move. If you agree to these three demands, they will return your main equipment and prisoners of war. ......" Already Ian is negotiating with Roland in a way that he will fully accept these conditions." Wait a minute. What are you deciding on your own? I''m not going to admit defeat yet. ...... Neil then tried to get off the bed, but he could not free his body and ended up on his elbows on the bed. The damage from the arrow Hans had given him still seemed to be deep inside his body. Neil, we''ve been completely defeated. Our funds have run out, and our credibility among the local adventurers has been shattered. It''s impossible to maintain the Grand Alliance. Considering this, the request from the "Spirit League" was rather generous. I have no choice but to say so. Ggh. d*mn. Neil had tears of regret in his eyes, but as expected, he could not argue any further. A few days later, the "Wise Man''s Crown" was loading its cargo onto a ship to leave the island. At the harbor, there were no residents to bid farewell, but instead, no residents to make wild noises. Roland made sure that the islanders'' attention was directed toward the "Spirit League. Ian sighed as he led the evacuation. We''ve been completely defeated in every way.) What''s wrong with you? Sighing so loudly. Suddenly, Ian was startled by a voice that called out to him. When he turned around, there was Yuffine with a grin on her face. Yuffine. You came." I''m sorry you didn''t accomplish your mission. If you had worked with us, the Spirit Alliance, from the beginning, none of this would have happened." Ian chuckled. ''I finally understand what you meant,'' he said. It is true that there are people in the world who cannot be measured by our standards. This incident has made me keenly aware of that. I just need to know." Euphine laughed colossally. Bye, then." Are you leaving?" That''s right. We have another dungeon to conquer after this. It''s not easy to meet Mr. Roland''s demands. We can''t afford to be complacent. We have to do our best to appeal to him. Ian had no choice but to break down. Ian had no choice but to be weak. I see. So this is an S-class appraiser.) Ian boarded the boat. Soon the stern line was released and the ship set sail. (They might be able to slay the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)", right?) Neil looked at the island as it moved away from him in frustration. Glenn. This time we''ve lost completely. Oh," he said. I never thought anyone could train the island''s adventurers that well, Roland, an S-class appraiser. Roland, the S-class appraiser, is a formidable man. We''re going to start from scratch to improve our skills and stats. And we will definitely come back to this island again. After cleaning up the mess with the "Wise Man''s Crown," Roland led the "Spirit Alliance" back to the dungeon. Meanwhile, at the "Arsenal of Spirits" headquarters, a sales meeting was already underway with a view to exploring the next dungeon. Is everyone here?" Lange said as he opened the door to the conference room. Good. We''re all here. Let''s start the meeting. Seeing that all the main members had gathered, Ranju took his seat and began the meeting. The threat of the "crown of wisdom" has passed, but the "dragon''s fiery fire" and the "white wolf" are still alive and well. As you know, the reason why the "Arsenal of Spirits" built a new workshop (atelier) is to defeat the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire. In order to do so, we need to win over the outside adventurers'' guilds that are coming to us in search of "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" equipment. We have already received word from the fast boat that the three guilds that come to the island this time of year, "Knights of the Black Wall," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Archers of the Fortress," will be coming to the island this year as well. We have the facilities and manpower to make equipment for the big guilds, and we are certainly capable of making equipment that is as good as the quartet''s in terms of quality, but the fame of "Dragon''s Fires" is still very much alive and well. The three guilds that will be coming in the next term will probably choose "Dragon''s Fires" at first. No matter how much the "Spirit League" defeats the outside guilds in the dungeon, if the outside guilds keep dropping money into the "Dragon''s Fires," the "Dragon''s Fires" will not be defeated no matter how long it takes. We need to go on the offensive against the adventurers'' guilds that have decided to sign contracts with the Dragon''s Fires, and we will have a sales strategy for all three guilds by the time Mr. Roland comes back from the dungeon. First, Lizetta." Yes, sir. I understand that last year you were part of a quartet that manufactured equipment for the "Knights of the Black Wall," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Archers of the Fortress" as part of the "Dragon''s Fires" quartet. In order to sell alchemy to adventurers, we first need to know their needs, so tell us what you know about the needs of the three guilds." Yes. First, let''s talk about ''Knights of the Black Wall'': ......" <> 139 - - 139. Knight of the Black Wall Knights of the Black Cliff" is an adventurer''s guild based in the "City of Black Clay". Its characteristic feature is a strong, heavily armed knight squadron. Most orders to the alchemy guild are also for the power and durability of swords and armor. The Red Sand Players is a guild of adventurers based in a desert town. It is a troop composed mainly of bardic units. Some of them handle "Dragon Sound", so they can deal with dragon users of "White Wolf". The "Archers of the Fortress" is a guild based in the "City of the Mountain Castle. They have a full complement of archer units and are accustomed to fighting in mountainous areas, so they showed outstanding mobility in the ''volcano dungeon,'' and last year they were evenly matched against the White Wolf''s archer units. Lizetta reported that. She said, "Hmmm. That''s just like a former quartet, isn''t it? A concise and easy-to-understand explanation. Let''s start to identify the problems. If you have any questions, please ask Lizetta. As Ranju said this, he asked questions one by one. ''What is each guild''s budget?I wonder if any guild can afford my equipment with my ''exterior enhancement (coating)'' on it?" Can my harp with ''dragon sound'' compete with the equipment of the ''Red Sands Player''?" Is there any situation in which my ''cutting'' stone would be useful?" How much iron and silver should I stock?I would appreciate it if you could give me an idea of your refining plan in advance." I want to make a Javelin! Let''s see. ......" Lizetta was surprised at the openness of the "Arsenal of Spirits" as she answered questions. In the "Dragon''s Fires," the upper echelons were absolute, and those at the bottom of the organization had no say in the matter. In the "Arsenal of Spirits," however, everyone is able to express their opinions and questions without distinction. Despite this, the discussions never go in the wrong direction, and the main topic of discussion is always decided. When Lisetta said, "It is difficult to sell equipment to outside adventurers because ''Dragon''s Fires'' has a greater influence on the outside world," the discussion naturally shifted to "How do we get the outside guilds that have signed contracts with ''Dragon''s Fires'' to change their minds? Thus, the following was decided at the meeting In sales promotions to the guilds, even if they cannot win new contracts, they should at least remember the names and faces of the guilds. The guilds should be aware that the "Arsenal of Spirits" has unique skills such as "coating", "cutting", and "tuning" that can compete with the "Dragon''s Fires" equipment. In addition, in order to let outside guilds know that the equipment of the "Spirit Arsenal" is superior to that of the "Dragon''s Fires", we will continue to actively support and strengthen the guilds under the "Spirit Alliance". In addition, the guilds should be prepared with budgets and ores so that they can immediately respond to the demand of the three outside guilds to switch to the new guilds. Through the meeting, Lizetta became familiar with this workshop (atelier). This guild may indeed be able to defeat "Dragon''s Fires. Lizetta thought so. Lange and his team put together a promotional pamphlet and a budget proposal based on the contents of the meeting, and now all they had to do was wait for Roland''s approval. While Ranju and his team were working on the sales strategy for the next fiscal year, Roland and his team were killing A-class monsters one after another in the "wasteland. The "Mountain Ogre," the "Barrier Dragon," the "Division Bee," the "Shield Dragon," and so on. Elio, Hans, Will, and Carla are almost certain to defeat these monsters and earn the A-class title in the next term. Yuffine, Shakuma, Rick, Lelio, and Marina were also almost certain to defeat their respective Class A monsters and receive double-A titles. After defeating the A-class monsters and collecting the ore, Roland and his team began their descent down the mountain. They thought they might be attacked by "white wolves," but there was no battle of any kind along the way. They didn''t try to attack us. Leon gave Roland an earful. Jamil is a thief who can also ''appraise'' status," Leon said. He must know he''s no match for us. But they''re coming after you. Leon glanced behind him. There was no doubt that the White Wolf was watching the movements of Roland and his friends. But, eerily enough, they didn''t make any moves. (Avoid combat, but keep the pressure on and don''t make it easy for them. Something like that.) Leon. "Leon, continue to maintain vigilance on the perimeter. Stay alert. Okay." After that, Roland and his team proceeded through the dungeon without incident. Eventually, they returned to the city. After returning to the "Arsenal of Spirits," Roland looked over the sales strategy compiled by Lange and his team. I see. Well done. We''re all very proud of the work we''ve put together." Aina said. ''One thing that concerns me is this strategy of trying to get people to switch sides. Is it still difficult to get people to buy equipment out of the blue? Yes," he said. I still think that outside guilds intend to purchase equipment at "Dragon''s Fireside" first. I think it would be easy to change their minds between the time they just arrived at the port and the time they arrive at the workshop (atelier). I see. I understand. Then, let''s follow this plan. I''ve asked you to make flyers to distribute at ports and stores, create a quest for the "Spirit Alliance," and procure materials for equipment. Yes, sir. I''m on it! Archie Shetty, second-in-command of the Knights of the Black Wall, was resting in his cabin on a ship bound for Fafnir''s Island. There was already a tense atmosphere on the ship carrying the three guilds. Each guild was checking the other, and each had created its own compartment and was fighting for turf. This made it hard for the boys working on the ship. Just passing from corridor to corridor, they were exposed to a tense atmosphere, and if they did not work while looking out for each other, they would be yelled at for no reason. The door to the break room opened and a female knight, Liz Lewill, entered the room. She said, "Oh, what a surprise! Oh, my God. They''re all a handful. What''s wrong?" Fight, fight, fight. My hot-blooded guys and the guys from the "Fortress Archers" met in the hallway. They were on the verge of a confrontation, and I intervened in a hurry. Archie chuckled. It was his first time to participate in the "Fafnir Island" expedition, so he was enjoying himself amused and bewildered by the awkward atmosphere among the guilds. What are you laughing at?" No," he said. I just thought you must be going through a rough time too." Liz frowned. What are you talking about? You''re the second-in-command of this unit. You know that, don''t you? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Yes, I know. It''s just funny to see everyone else''s elbows on the ground. Is it really such a tough place?The Isle of Fafnir. Yes, it is. The Fafnir is a nuisance, and the outside guilds have to play games with each other, and the local guilds are not so easy to deal with either. The guild of thieves, you mean? The White Wolf? Yes. They are used to fighting in the rugged terrain of volcanoes. They attack and run, then attack and run again and again. Archie, Liz, you two. Are you there?" A white-bearded man in armor entered the room. He is Simon Pricot, the captain of this unit. He is a mature, experienced adventurer, and both Archie and Liz have great trust in him. He is a mature and experienced adventurer, and both Archie and Liz have an unusual amount of trust in him. There you are, both of you. The ship will be in port soon. As soon as we disembark, we''ll race. We will make a contract with the Dragon''s Fires before the Red Sands Players and the Fortress Archers. Be prepared for that, and be ready for anything." Captain. Are you still relying on ''Dragon''s Fires''?" Liz said, a little frustrated. What the hell, Liz. Don''t you want to leave your equipment in the hands of the "Dragon''s Fires"? Simon said surprisingly. They are not only the best on the island, but one of the best alchemy guilds in the world. They''re very good at what they do, so what''s the reason for you to hesitate? I''m not sure what to expect. Well, yes, but ......" Do you have any alternatives?" No, I don''t. ...... Liz bristled. Simon is taken aback. ''You''ve got no alternative, and you''re complaining about it?You know what I mean.Our relationship with them is our lifeline on this island. We will secure the warehouse of "Dragon''s Fires" and the alchemists before the other two guilds take them. That is the first step to winning the competition in the dungeon with the "Players of the Red Sands" and the "Archers of the Fortress. Am I wrong?" Yes," he said. Well, yes, but ......" Then get ready to go. I have to make a speech as soon as I get to the island. You each have to secure a lodging and an alchemist. Make sure everything is in order. Yes." Simon leaves the room. Liz sighs and shrugs. ''What''s up?You''ve been more persistent than ever. Archie asked curiously. No, I just thought it might be a good idea to rely on ''dragon''s fiery fire. What do you mean?" To put it bluntly. I don''t like them very much. The staff is arrogant and the old guild leader is kind of untrustworthy. Hmm?" And they''re the reason why the outside guilds fight each other every year. A lot. They don''t help us when we need it most, and they try to get us into trouble. ''Although, that''s where you''ve got to turn, right? In the meantime, the hallway began to clatter. The port seemed to be approaching. The "Red Sands Player" and the "Fortress Archer" seemed to be hurriedly getting ready to disembark. Hush. It''s started. I guess competition is inevitable. ''I always think, "What a great idea!"'' I always think that if the three guilds work together, the dungeon exploration would be more successful. The "Knights of the Black Wall," who had been preparing to disembark without missing a beat, fell behind the "Players of the Red Sands" and the "Archers of the Fortress. They were wearing heavy armor, and it inevitably took them longer than the other two guilds to unload, so they fell behind. They were late. They''re so shrewd!" I''m totally late to the party. It can''t be helped. Here''s what we can do with the speeches and the negotiations: ......" Simon said, completely flustered. Archie noticed that Liz was scurrying around. ''Liz, what''s up?'' Something. The atmosphere on the island seems different from last year?" Atmosphere?" Yeah. Last year, the residents were more welcoming to the adventurers and their party, and welcomed them with great enthusiasm. This year, however, they seem strangely quiet. Excuse me. You are a Knight of the Black Cliff, aren''t you? Archie and Liz were thrilled when the young girl suddenly spoke to them. Uh, yes." Who are you?" Archie ran his eyes over her physical appearance, trying to figure out who she was when she spoke to him out of the blue. From the looks of it, she is apparently an alchemist. ...... My name is Aina Burke, an alchemist from the "Arsenal of Spirits. Please take this pamphlet if you like." <> 140 - - Art. 140. Distorted Policies Archie and Liz look over the "Arsenal of Spirits" pamphlet that Aina has offered them. What?Wait. What is this? It''s so good! Liz marveled at the status of the equipment in the pamphlet. If this is true, it certainly meets the requirements for Class B equipment. No, rather, even Class A. ......" Archie also looked at the brochure with interest. Liz. How does it compare to the equipment in Fires of the Dragon? It''s definitely better than "Dragon''s Fires. Hey," he said, "it''s much better than ''Dragon''s Fires. Can you really make this? Yes. Some adventurers have achieved A-class status with the equipment I made. Class A? That''s great." Aina thought this might work, as the response was more positive than she had expected. (She had planned to just get people to remember her name and face, but this could lead to a deal right away.) What do you think?If you would like, you can come to our workshop (atelier) and actually hold the product in your hands to see for yourself. ......" Don''t be fooled! Suddenly, a man interrupted. It was a sales representative from "Dragon''s Fires. They are a new guild that has only recently been established. They are a guild with a poor track record. The equipment listed in their pamphlet must have exaggerated the status. I''m not sure what you mean by that. That''s not true. Please don''t say such a thing. We have equipped A-class adventurers before. Even those A-class adventurers only borrowed the power of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. "Keeper of the Magic Tree?" Yes, it is. They have only made their mark by successfully persuading an outside guild, the "Guardians of the Magic Tree," to produce A-class adventurers, not because of their ability, but because of the ability of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. If you sign a contract with them, you can be sure that they will push their hype product on you and use it for advertising purposes. I''m not sure what you mean. That''s not true. We''re raising local adventurers to A-levels, too. Local adventurers?" Simon, who had been listening silently up to that point, raised his eyebrows in a stinky manner. Archie, Liz, let''s go. What?Oh, hey." I''m sorry, lady. We have decided to go to the "Dragon''s Fireside" first. If you''ll excuse me." The "Knights of the Black Wall" quickly left the scene. What the hell is wrong with our captain? Archie asked Liz in a whisper. The word "local adventurers" really got on my nerves," Archie replied. The captain was upset that the local adventurers had dragged him down last year. I think he still holds a grudge. Aina, who had missed the "Knight of the Black Wall," met up with Dylan, who had also missed the "Archer of the Fortress," in the plaza. Aina," Dylan said. How did it go?How about "Knights of the Black Wall?" It didn''t work. I see." I thought that if the alchemist himself were in business, or ......" I had a pretty good feeling about it until about halfway through." Is that so?" Yes, sir." As soon as I brought up the subject of local adventurers, the captain suddenly hardened his attitude." Local adventurer. I see. That could be the reason. What do you mean? A lot of outside adventurers don''t have a good feeling about local adventurers. Is that so?" Oh. The more adventurers who have been to the island many times, the more displeased they have been with the local adventurers. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. I see. I see. Aina nodded dejectedly, realizing that she had said something inadvertent. What? Don''t be so downcast. There are still plenty of opportunities for you to make a sale to them. I agree. Let''s continue our steady sales efforts. Ray, the captain of "The Red Sands Players," was puzzled by the reaction of the residents as he made his speech in the plaza. Normally, simply assigning jobs to local adventurers would generate excitement and a flurry of questions, but no matter how much he insinuated an alliance with the local guilds, the audience remained cold. Conversely, the local guilds asked a series of questions about the "Spirit Alliance. Are you planning to join the "Spirit League?" Why haven''t you joined the Alliance of Spirits?" How do you plan to counter the skills and equipment of the League of Spirits?" Ray was completely perplexed by the changes that had taken place on "Fafnir Island. (I mean, what is the "Spirit Alliance"? I don''t know what that is.) On the side of the hall, Wayne and Pato were conducting business with the bards of the "Red Sands Players. The bard was in the audience, and Wayne and Pato were selling to the "Red Sands Players. This is a wonderful harp. The bard played a little and fell in love with the lyre (harp)''s magnificent "dragon sound. I''d love to have one of these made. Really?" Wayne and Pato looked at each other. This could work. However, as they proceeded with the negotiations, the bard''s tone became less and less clear. We have to agree to a clause before we can make a contract with Fires of the Dragon. The bard man said apologetically. The bard apologized and said, "The clause is that if you sign a contract with ''Dragon''s Fires'', you will not sign with any other guilds. So I''m sorry, but as long as I''m on this island, I can''t sign a contract with you guys." This lyre (harp) is fascinating, but we have to get other equipment ...... We can make other equipment for you. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. That said..." How about ''Earthcraft''?" Wayne pulled an "Earthcraft" out of his pocket and tossed it in the bard''s direction. Wayne pulled it out of his pocket and tossed it in the bard''s direction. This is ......." It''s a magnificent piece of ''earthcraft. Did you guys refine this too? That''s right. Our warehouse is full of earthcraft. Don''t you want to have enough Earthcraft to gain an advantage over the other two guilds? I''m not sure I''d like that. But the corps has its own intentions. In the end, the adventurers of the "Red Sands Players" headed for the "Dragon''s Fires" as soon as the speech was over. "d*mn. It didn''t work. I''m going to get close," he said. "It''s not easy to close the deal. (I guess no matter how good your product is, if you don''t have a good sales force, you won''t get any customers.) Well, at least they now understand our technical capabilities and we have achieved our minimum objective. Now let''s support the guys from the "Spirit League" and let them do their best. I''m not sure I''d like that. Yes. While the alchemists in the "Arsenal of Spirits" were hard at work on their sales activities, a sales meeting was being held at the "Dragon''s Fireside" as well. Ted, a new member of the quartet, was sitting in the chair where Lisetta should have been. Raul looked at Ted''s face and couldn''t help but feel a bit uncomfortable. (It is true that Ted is an excellent alchemist, but his "silversmithing" skills are not as good as Lizetta''s.) I don''t know if he''s okay. (It''s not enough to just appoint someone just to make up the numbers.) All right. Let''s start the meeting then. The theme for this term is how to win over the "Spirit Arsenal" in terms of sales. Does anyone have any ideas? Yes, sir. Ted, a newcomer, is quick to offer his opinion. (This is their first job as a quartet. We need to make a strong showing here.) Fortunately, he had a plan that Edgar had given him earlier. (Edgar also said this would work, so it should.) I say, in contracting with the three guilds, how about having them form an alliance, so that the combined strength of the three guilds and the White Wolf will counter the League of Spirits and regain our dominance in the dungeon?" Medes'' eyebrows twitched uncomfortably. Not noticing this, Ted continued. We already have a promise from the ''White Wolf'' that they are willing to cooperate with us. ...... You idiot. Ted, how long have you been working for this guild? Edgar suddenly started yelling. What?" We''re driving up prices by having outside guilds compete with alchemists for warehouse slots," he said. And if we don''t have the three guilds and the White Wolf to fight each other and wear out their equipment, we''ll have to do less maintenance, which will reduce our profits. What?But during the "Wise Man''s Crown", I made an alliance with the "White Wolf" ......" At that time, I knew that the "Wise Man''s Crown" was too weak to squeeze any more money out of them, so I gave them my support. We knew we couldn''t squeeze any more money out of them, so we supported them. What if they join forces and try to bargain with us? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Edgar is right. Medes nodded gravely. Ted. You still haven''t learned enough as a quartet. If you don''t study harder, your status as a quartet will not be secure. Ugh. Yes. Ted nodded, realizing that he had lost Medes'' appreciation. But was he really that crazy? (For now, anyway, the first priority is to reduce the power of the "Spirit Alliance. ...... I mean, wasn''t it Edgar who said to go with this plan? It''s terrible that he betrayed us.) Ted looked at Edgar, but Edgar pretended not to know. (Whew. (Whew...that was close. Oh, no, no, no, no. So the guild leader is against the alliance of the three guilds after all. (I''m glad I let Ted say that.) In the end, it was decided at the meeting to adopt a policy of having the three guilds compete against each other to raise their fees and keep the three guilds as much at odds as possible. Later that day, Ted was demoted. <> 141 - - Art. 141. The Little Ripples Roberto, the captain of the "Archers of the Fortress," was thinking over a pamphlet of the "Arsenal of the Spirits" on the way to the "Dragon''s Fires. What''s the matter, Roberto?Look at that pamphlet intently. Does it say anything interesting?" Jeremy, his deputy, asked. ''......'' Hey. You''re not going to sign a contract with this ''Arsenal of Spirits'' thing, are you?" No way. Just this pamphlet. It might be of some use. Roberto smiles wryly. What?What do you mean?" We''re going to use it as a bargaining chip with the Dragon''s Fires. Negotiation?This pamphlet?" Yes. I''ve never liked it, you know. I''ve always hated it when alchemy guilds take control of dungeon exploration. Roberto said, tapping the pamphlet crisply. Every time I don''t ask them to do something, they just tell me to buy this weapon or that the price of ore has gone up," he said. It''s just too much. ......" Even a ''dragon''s fiery fire'' can''t produce equipment with this kind of status," he said. It would be cheaper to give this to them and have them make the equipment at the "Arsenal of Spirits". What if I say so?" So, even the "dragon''s fiery fire" will have to lower its price? That''s what I meant. But the status listed in this pamphlet, is it true?It smells too fishy." I don''t believe this either. I don''t believe it either. But what if the world''s leading alchemy guild, the famous "Dragon''s Fires," has lost customers to a fraudulent guild like this?Isn''t that a blow to the reputation of the best alchemy guild on the island?" I see. You''re going to pretend you''ve been duped." That''s what I mean. If you just pretend, you can do it for free. It''s worth it, isn''t it? I''ll be right back. Let''s give it a try. Roberto and Jeremy were ostentatiously surprised at the budget they came up with in front of the "Dragon''s Fires" sales representative, and then deliberately said in conversation, "The "Arsenal of Spirits" is cheaper," and "Sometimes we should try contracting with a different guild. Just as the two had hoped, the person in charge of "Dragon''s Fires" hurriedly cut the price. The man in charge of "Dragon''s Cutlass" panicked and offered to lower the price.What are you doing!" Medes was furious with the contract brought by the sales representative. What are you people doing, taking the Adventurers'' Guild''s bait and getting them to lower their prices? But they said they would sign a contract with the ''Arsenal of Spirits'' if we didn''t lower the price. ...... Of course they were trying to pull a fast one on us anyway! But we''ve already signed a contract with these terms and ...... Go tie it back up. What? I said, "Go renegotiate the contract. Come on, let''s get the hell out of here. The sales representative rushed to the "Fortress Archers" quarters. Roberto grumbled and agreed to renegotiate the contract. I can''t believe you would just renege on a contract that was once signed. You too are a fool. The three guilds, "Archers of the Fortress," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Knights of the Black Wall," eventually concluded a contract with "Dragon''s Fires," but the appearance of the "Arsenal of Spirits" caused a slight stir between "Dragon''s Fires" and the outside guilds. We waited for the moon to turn new while staying in our quarters. In the meantime, it was time for the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and Lange and the others to return home. The members of the "Guardians of the Magic Tree" and the members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" were preparing to board the port. The members of the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch and the core members of the "Spirit Alliance" also saw them off. Aina and Ranju said their farewells to each other. Aina. I was able to teach you everything I could in the short time I was here. I''m sure you can run the new studio and be of help to Mr. Roland. Mr. Lange. Thank you very much. I will never forget what you taught me. Someday, we will surely visit the "City of Adventurers. Roland handed a letter to Euphine and the others. This is for Lily. This one is for Monica. And this one is for Jill. So Jill is finally coming to this island. Oh," he said. With the growth of the "Spirit Alliance," I would say that all the preliminary preparations are in place. All we have to do now is wait for Jill to arrive. I asked her to deliver this letter. Yes, sir. I will make sure to deliver it. Soon the ship carrying the group left the port. The people waving to each other could be seen forever on the distant ship and in the harbor. Soon the ship disappeared beyond the horizon. They are gone.) Aina looks sadly out to sea. ''Come on, guys, we don''t have time to say goodbye forever. We have to prepare for the next season''s dungeon exploration. When Roland said this, people took their eyes off the sea and turned their attention back to the volcano. ''Aina. How''s business going with the three newly visited guilds?" It seems that ...... all of the guilds intend to sign a contract with Dragon''s Fires. I see. Then it''s up to us to show them the power of our equipment." It was the next month. The "Knights of the Black Wall," "Players of the Red Sands," and "Archers of the Fortress" who had been fully equipped and procured by the "Dragon''s Fires" gathered at the dungeon''s entrance square. And as usual, the local adventurers were not ...... following the outside adventurers like bandogges. Zero!You mean to tell me that not a single person joined our guild?" Simon shouts in surprise. Simon is surprised. Yes." Liz said, also in distress. So all the locals came to the aid of the Archers of the Fortress and the Players of the Red Sands?" It seems ...... that they are going to join the ''Spirit Alliance''. The League of Spirits,......, is that the alchemy guild that you mentioned? Simon said, perplexed. Yes," Simon said, perplexed. Apparently, the most recent joint dungeon search with the Guardians of the Magical Tree went well, so they are getting bullish. But the ''Guardian of the Magical Tree'' has already left, hasn''t he?" Yes. Indeed, they were seen leaving by boat from the harbor. And you still want to call this "Spirit League"? Yes." Simon sighed deeply. (Good grief. (Good grief, what a bunch of people on this island. Here we go again. (If they get a little success with the help of an outside guild, they''ll get carried away.) It is unavoidable. We''ll do the first search without any local help." Without the help of local adventurers, the number of ores that can be procured is limited. Simon decided to win the hearts and minds of the local adventurers on the first search and put them to work on the second and third searches. ''Rock-paper-scissors!Aiko de shosho. Sho. Sho. Okay, I won." I''m like, "Oh, no. You got me." This loss hurts. The representatives of the three guilds had decided the order in which to enter the dungeon by rock-paper-scissors-scissors. Simon had won the rock-paper-scissors dungeon and had earned the right to enter the dungeon first. Simon was the first one to enter the dungeon. (Okay, I got the right to be the first one to enter the dungeon, because in this dungeon, the first one to enter has a huge advantage. (We''ll escape from the other two guilds and the bandits, bring back the ore, and win the "Dragon''s Fires" and the local guild''s confidence in one fell swoop.) Thus, the three guilds decided the order in which they would enter the dungeon only among themselves, and each made its own strategy. There was not a shred of the "Spirit Alliance" in their minds. The three guilds, having finished their preparations, entered the dungeon in turn. The "Players of the Red Sands," who entered the dungeon last among the three guilds, were hurrying ahead to catch up with the two guilds that were ahead of them. They were moving through the dungeon at an unprecedentedly brisk pace. In the blink of an eye, they passed through the "forest at the foot of the mountain" and arrived at the "metal line," without regard to the oni and wolves that were approaching. They had already reached the "Metal Line. You''ve made pretty good progress this time. The local guilds are gone," he said. We''re making progress in our search. However, it is the same for the "Knights of the Black Wall" and "Archers of the Fortress" who are ahead of us. We''ll have to pick up the pace tomorrow. What? If you enter the "Metal Line," "Fafnir" will come out too. If that happens, we who can use "Ryuon" will be more ....... Hm?What is it?" The members of the "Red Sands Players," who were talking lightly, turned around when they heard the sound of many footsteps coming from behind them. A group of people wearing unfamiliar equipment was approaching. The equipment bore the emblem of a spirit holding a hammer. It was the head of the "Spirit Alliance. What is it?Have those guys made it this far already?" You''re awfully quick for a local guild." No, it''s more like ...... they''re about to attack us." The archer at the head of the "Spirit Alliance" had already stopped and was setting an arrow on his bow. He had already stopped and was setting an arrow on the bow. If they want to do it, we''ll do it too. The "Red Sands Player" was ready to respond immediately. The greatest strength of the "Players of the Red Sands" was the bardic unit that could use "Ryuon," but the archer unit that supported them was also quite a strong group. They are skilled archers who have killed many of the ferocious monstrous bird monsters that attack adventurers traveling in the desert. They quickly spread out, hiding behind sparse trees and rocks, and began to fight back. However, the archers of the "Players of the Red Sands" were only beaten one-sidedly. The arrows from the "Spirit Alliance" hit with a hundred successes, but none of the arrows fired by the "Players of the Red Sands" hit. In no time at all, the shooting unit of the "Players of the Red Sands" was taken out, and they were unable to fight. The white army also approached to challenge them in melee combat, but were easily overcome by the highly agile archers of the "Spirit Alliance. Eventually, they were lured into a position where the "Spirit Alliance" was waiting for them in a well-prepared position. The "Spirit Alliance''s" white army launched an unrestrained assault against the "Red Sands Players," who came charging at them in disarray, and quickly defeated them. The "Red Sands Players" were quickly defeated.What?Strong." The "Player of the Red Sands" suffered catastrophic damage before he had time to utilize his vaunted bardic troops, and surrendered to the "Spirit Alliance. <> 142 - - Art. 142 Legendary Expert Witness The "Spirit Alliance," which defeated the "Red Sands Player" with a single touch of its armor, continued to run up the mountain without slowing down. Eventually, they supplemented the "Archers of the Fortress" and launched a battle. The "Fortress Archers," accustomed to fighting in the mountains, were unfazed and prepared to respond by taking advantage of their elevated position. Roland and his men, judging that it would be disadvantageous to start fighting right away, did not immediately launch a battle, but instead passed their position and continued onward, encamping when they reached the high ground (Robert, the commander of the "Fortress Archers," and Jeremy, his deputy, were wondering whether to attack the "Spirit League" passing through a lower position than theirs). (I wasn''t sure, but decided to let it slide on this occasion). The next day, they intercepted the "archers of the fortress" who were chasing them. A firefight began. While the "Fortress Archers" deployed a squad of archers, Hans was aiming at the enemy from a slightly distant location. The distance was out of range and could never be reached before, but now it was as far as he could reach. When Hans'' arrow hit one of the enemy archers, there was a commotion among them. When he hit another archer, the uproar turned into a flutter. It was a lucky shot. There was no way he could have hit them by shooting arrows from such a distance. That''s what everyone in the "Archers of the Fortress" thought. But on the other hand, perhaps the "Spirit League" has a bowman (archer) with a ridiculously long range. It was clear from their unsure steps whether to advance or hide that they were wavering between these two emotions. When Hans defeated the third archer, the "Fortress Archers" panicked. They were still out of range of Hans'' position, but they were shooting arrows at him in the dark. All of the arrows of the "fortress archer" fell at Hans'' feet just before they reached him. (I don''t think I''m going to hit anything. And I don''t feel like missing ......!) Hans released his fourth arrow of the day. The arrow hits the enemy archer straight on. Alice and Claire rolled their eyes when they saw Hans'' shot. Hans'' shot was amazing. He hit it from such a long way away with a hundred hits. This is the A class bowman (archer)......) Alice, Claire." Yes, sir. Hand me the arrow. I''ll probably have the best chance of shooting it, and I''ll save you some arrows." Okay. Okay. Claire is on the lookout for the enemy''s rear guard with her "far-sighted" vision. Alice, use your ''hate focus'' to distract the enemy as they approach. Claire''s eyes well up at the sight of Hans'' bravery. (Hans. I never knew you could be so dependable. It seems like a long time ago when I was just pacing around. I''m so happy for you, Sis.) Jeremy, the second-in-command of the Fortress Archers, was desperately trying to move his troop of archers forward. What are you doing? What are you doing? Get closer and shoot. You''re not going to hit anything if you don''t." However, Jeremy and his team were never able to even get Hans within range. (That''s ridiculous. The best archer squad in "Archers of the Fortress" can''t even get a foot in the door. And that against the local adventurers of this island. ...... There must be some mistake. Such, such ......) Jeremy huffs and puffs as he senses a deadly force from the enemy. They are aiming at us. He readied his bow and arrow to return fire. What are you doing? What are you doing, Jeremy? Why don''t we take out the enemy archers quickly? Roberto, the captain, who had seen what was happening, came blasting in (he was leading the white troops and timing their assault). However, he was immediately shot by a flying arrow. G, ah ......." Roberto. d*mn you!" Jeremy shoots back an arrow, but it is far from where Hans is. Hans moves back with ease. Jeremy is aghast. He had to have been aiming at me just now, and then changed his aim to Roberto right before.I was the one who had you in my sights now. (And yet ......) That is, Hans has no problem with Jeremy''s "bow shooting" at all. Furthermore, it means that he could afford to change his aim even while facing him in this way. Hans'' series of action choices were enough to make Jeremy lose his will to fight by making him realize the hopeless difference in their abilities. The two guilds then combined their white army units into a formation battle, but they were quickly overpowered by Will''s "blast magic". The "Archers of the Fortress" also fell to their knees before the "Alliance of Spirits. This was quickly conveyed to the preceding "Knights of the Black Wall. What?The "Archers of the Fortress" were beaten by the "Spirit League"? Simon could not believe his ears when he heard the report from Liz, who was standing guard behind him. ''There must be some kind of mistake.The "Archers of the Fortress" is a guild with a powerful archery unit. They also have a lot of experience in fighting in volcanic dungeons. There is no way they can be beaten by those weak local adventurers. ...... The "League of Spirits" really did it. The reports from all the scouts are the same. The Fortress Archers have surrendered to a squadron equipped with spirit emblems. ''No, that can''t be right. ...... For example, the guys from the local guild are working with the ''Red Sands Players'' ......." The "Spirit League" is acting alone. I''ve checked it many times and I''m sure of it. Liz said with a hint of unconcealed irritation in her voice. Something is happening that we don''t understand. If we don''t deal with it soon, something irreversible will happen. That''s what her gut was telling her. (The Arsenal of Spirits, ....... The Guardian of the Magic Tree" ....... These two guilds somewhere ......) Yes, that''s right. I remember. Legendary connoisseur!" Archie, who had been silent until then, suddenly shouted. What is it?What''s up, Archie? ''I remember now. The "Arsenal of Spirits" and the "Guardians of the Magic Tree. These are two guilds that I thought I had heard of somewhere, that have grown rapidly in the City of Adventurers." What the hell does that have to do with anything?" I''m sure you''ve both heard of it at one time or another. You must have both heard rumors about a legendary connoisseur who has appeared in the City of Adventurers. Until recently, the "Adventurer''s Town" was said to be a Class A wasteland. However, one day, A-class adventurers and A-class alchemists suddenly began to appear in droves in the guilds of this town. Lukius, Arik, Sebasta, Dorwin, Jill, and Lilianne. The "Adventurer''s Town" became one of the most famous cities in the world for A-class adventurers, and it is said that there is a skilled connoisseur behind this A-class uprising. There were rumors that there was a skilled connoisseur behind this A-class uprising. I''ve certainly overheard talk of such things. ...... Don''t tell me that legendary appraiser is now siding with the League of Spirits? Yes," he said. When you think about it that way, it all makes sense. The fact that the Red Sands Player and the Fortress Archer were killed, and the rapid growth of local adventurers in this short period of time ...... Even as Archie spoke, the crisis was steadily approaching. Already the "Spirit League" had exposed part of its image to the "Knights of the Black Wall. On the narrow mountain road below, a group equipped with weapons from the "Spirit Arsenal" could be seen marching. ''The alchemist we met as soon as we got down to the harbor said. He said they had brought up local adventurers to A class. Supposedly, there are several A-class adventurers in that unit who were raised by the legendary appraiser." What a ......." I''m going to put the adventurers on this island in the A class at ......." What?"You mean I can get an A class if I have that person appraise me?No way. Then I might want to have mine appraised." Liz said. ''You idiot. I don''t have time for this. They defeated the Red Sands Players and the Fortress Archers. Naturally, there is a high possibility that they will attack us as well. We must take countermeasures as soon as possible. What in the world should we do? ...... How about sending a messenger? Archie suggested. Even they are adventurers. They are adventurers. If we can find out why they are attacking outside adventurers, we may be able to find a way to avoid fighting them. I''ll be right back. I''ll send a messenger as soon as possible. Liz, Archie. You guys up for a messenger? Yes, sir. I''ll be there as soon as I can." Liz and Archie quickly took the minimum number of people and ran down the mountain. In the meantime, Simon was ready for battle in case negotiations broke down. Soon, Liz and Archie returned and informed us of the results of the negotiations with the "Spirit Alliance. Captain, I understand what the ''Spirit Alliance'' intends to do. Oh, I see. So?Why are they attacking us?" The reason they are attacking us is because we have made a pact with the Dragon''s Fires. They have only one request. They have only one demand: that we dissolve our contract with Fiery Dragon. What?Dissolving a contract with "Dragon''s Fires"?That''s impossible. We have already paid three maintenance fees to "Dragon''s Fires". If we cancel now, we will be charged a huge penalty. Go ask them to let us off under other conditions somehow." Simon sent them out again. I made sure they both had the following possible concession proposals. When the paths of the "Spirit Alliance" crossed theirs, they were to give way and never interfere. Cooperate with them in providing the necessary supplies in terms of items and equipment. If you wish, you may provide logistical support to the "Spirit League" in their dungeon attack. Simon waited for them to return with prayerful anticipation. In the meantime, the "Spirit Alliance" was steadily preparing to attack. They gradually encircled the small hill where Simon and the others were. Simon and the others could see the sharp arrowheads of the enemy with their naked eyes. Driven by fear, one of the soldiers could lash out and a battle could break out at any moment. Simon was on edge and waited for Liz and Archie to return. Eventually, they would return. No," Simon said. After all, the other side says they have no intention of making peace with us unless we dissolve our agreement with the Dragon''s Fires. If they continue to make contracts with the "Dragon''s Fires," they will be regarded as supplying ore to their enemies, the "White Wolves," and will attack them as soon as they encounter them in the dungeon. I''m not sure what you mean by that. Mmm." Simon wrinkled his brow in distress. Captain. Let''s cancel it now. The contract with Dragon''s Fires. Liz advised. If we continue to contract with the "Dragon''s Fires," the risk of being attacked by the "Spirit Alliance" will only increase. I agree. I think it would be better to maintain good relations with the ''Spirit Alliance'' in order to gain the cooperation of the local guilds. Archie said, agreeing with Liz. Simon was still thinking about it, but when the "Spirit League" had finished positioning the archers and shieldmen and was finally ready to attack, he decided to go for it. Simon was still troubled. I will do as they demand. From now on, we will cancel our contract with the "Dragon''s Fires" and join the "Spirit League. Thus, the "Knights of the Black Wall" also fell under the military command of the "Spirit League. The "Spirit League" ceased its attack on the "Knights of the Black Cliffs. Simon was amazed at Roland''s skill. (The captain of the "Spirit League" must be quite a man, with this decisive attitude and quick use of troops.) <> 143 - - 143. Interpretation of Contracts After the surrender of the "Knights of the Black Cliff," Roland left the command of the main group to Leon, and he himself led a group down the mountain with the "Knights of the Black Cliff. When the "Knights of the Black Cliff" returned to town, the islanders immediately began to gather. A crowd gathered. It is the "Knight of Black Cliffs. Roland is with them. Unlike ''The Player of the Red Sands'' and ''The Archer of the Fortress,'' you''re not that worn out." The residents had already seen "The Player of the Red Sands" and "The Archer of the Fortress" returning battered and bruised earlier, and had figured out that they had been beaten by the "Spirit League. This sparked more interest in what had happened in the dungeon to the "Knights of the Black Wall," who returned almost unharmed. Unable to resist, the residents rushed toward Simon and asked him a lot of questions. What happened in the dungeon?What happened to the competition with the League of Spirits?" "You don''t mean to tell me that you defeated the ''Spirit League'' and came back with the ore?" Everyone, please remain calm. Simon said soothingly to the crowd. We negotiated with Lord Roland in the dungeon and decided to join the ''Spirit League. The crowd grew more boisterous. The crowd grew louder. "It is important for us to cooperate with the local guilds. Therefore, we, the Knights of the Black Wall, will terminate our contract with the Dragon''s Fires and sign an equipment contract with the Arsenal of Spirits. A gasp and a cheer went up from the residents. Mr. Roland! Aina, holding a pamphlet in her hand, comes toward Roland. Aina. You''re here. Yes, sir. I thought I''d make a sales pitch to the returning guilds." I see. Then perhaps the other two guilds as well?" Yes. I made another sales call and gave them a brochure. We did not close the deal, but they seemed to be very confused. What about "Knights of the Black Wall"? You heard me right," he said. I have spoken with the "Knights of the Black Wall. We need to make equipment for them as well. I''ll have everyone in the workshop do some work. Yes! Simon inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. (Phew. I wondered what would happen when we were surrounded by the League of Spirits in the dungeon, but somehow we managed to keep our face to the residents.) After returning to the city, Simon and his team immediately went to "Dragon''s Fires" to cancel the contract. However, this was not to be. No." What about?" I won''t let you cancel the contract. No, even if you say you won''t let me ...... ''It''s in the contract. Neither party may unilaterally terminate the contract unless there are reasonable grounds to do so." The salesman from "Dragon''s Fires" said to Simon as he thrust the contract at him. ''I''m offering to pay a cancellation fee. ......'' No," he said. You will not pay. The "Dragon''s Fires" salesman again showed the contract. The contract only states that if you become unable to fulfill your obligations, we will charge you a cancellation fee. We are not obligated to comply with your unilateral request to terminate the contract. ......" You are not no longer able to explore the dungeon, are you?If so, you will have to buy our equipment for the next search and the one after that. Whatever promises you have made to the "Spirit Arsenal" are of no concern to us. We will not allow you to unilaterally cancel your contract with us just because you were distracted by a product that looked better than the one you were looking for! That contract yakuza!" Back in his quarters, Simon swore in frustration. Simon swore in frustration when he returned to his lodgings, "They keep pushing new prices and equipment on us, but when we make a request, they use the contract as a shield and refuse to cancel. But I''m stumped. Liz said. ''I have already told Roland that the contract with "Dragon''s Fires" will be terminated. If this can''t be cancelled, then ......" ''You''ve got to be kidding me,'' he said. I''m having trouble getting cooperation from the local guilds, and I can''t even explore the dungeons if I''m being targeted by the White Wolf and the League of Spirits. How about this? Archie spoke up. Why don''t you try to make the Dragon''s Fires do the hard work for you? Impossible? Yes," he said. Yes. In the contract, it is stated that "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" undertakes to maintain the equipment for three times and "Knights of the Black Wall (we)" have to pay for that, but it does not specify the specific status of the equipment. Perhaps this is a measure to push equipment that suits them later. They demand equipment with a status that is impossible for them to make. And if they can''t make it, then we''ll go to ......." "So it''s a good reason to dissolve the contract." I see. I see. Let''s go with that." Simon immediately went to "Dragon''s Fireside" to make a deal with the sales person in charge. I need some new equipment for the dungeon. I need you to make me equipment with this status. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that. New equipment? ...... eh?What, what is this?" The "Dragon''s Fires" sales team was astonished at the horseshit content. The salesman of "Dragon''s Fireside" was astonished at the absurdity of the sales pitch. You have heard that, haven''t you? You heard how the Red Sands Player and the Archer of the Fortress were beaten to a pulp by the League of Spirits. But that doesn''t mean that this status is ...... unacceptable. Hey, Mr. Simon, let''s compromise here with the quartet''s existing equipment. That''s fine, right?" I don''t think so. We have our own lives at stake. Besides, the "Arsenal of Spirits" says they can make equipment with this status. "......" If we cannot produce a product of the quality we desire by the due date, we may consider that to be a reasonable cause for cancellation. If you can''t make it, we ask that you cancel the contract. The salesman was stumped and went back to Medes to explain the situation. Then make it." Medes said curtly. What?" ''The customer wants you to make it, right?Then make it. What''s holding you back?" No, but... It is a tremendous status. Can you make this much in this time frame?" Edgar. What do you think?You can make it, right?" Medes turned to Edgar at his side. Edgar looked at the requirements document sullenly. Hmmm. It''s true that this status is a bit painstaking, but ....... Well, I think we can handle it. That''s right. Send it to the manufacturing department with this content." (Is everything okay?) The sales person fearfully turns it over to Raul. Raul was astonished when he saw the order form. What the hell? What is this? You guys got a contract based on this?" I''m not sure what you mean. The head of the guild said this would be fine. Seriously? Raul stares at the purchase order again. But no matter how many times he looked at it, it was an absurd request. No, no matter how much I want it, this status is quintessential ......, I can''t do it. I''ll drop it." Left with no choice, the sales person takes the request to Edgar. Edgar frowned when he saw that the case had been turned over to him. ''What''s wrong with Raul? It''s supposed to be him who does the highest-status jobs like this, right? Master Raul said he couldn''t do it himself. ...... Hmmm," he said. I see. ....... Oh, sorry. I''m getting a little sick to my stomach. Ask someone else." Edgar said and slunk away. Charles was also adamant. In the end, the case was assigned to Tim, a new quartet member. Tim was conflicted. It was his first job as a new member of the quartet. If he turned it down, his reputation would surely suffer.) Unable to refuse, Tim accepted, but then decided to push it to his subordinate. That subordinate also pushed him to another subordinate. And then he pushed his subordinate to push his subordinate to push his subordinate to push another person. The corporate culture of forcing responsibility for "The Dragon''s Fires" on people spread to every corner of the organization. In the end, the project was passed around and entrusted to a newcomer who did not understand the difficulty of the project and did not know how to assess the quality of the work. Then the deadline arrived. The finished equipment was delivered to "Knights of the Black Wall. Simon looks at the finished product and turns pale. (Hey, hey, hey. I didn''t think they would really make equipment with that status. What in the world are they going to do with this?) ''Well, then, I guess this means you have delivered the promised equipment, and the second contract is now complete. Is that correct?" The "Dragon''s Fires" salesman said as if in a hurry. What?No, its ......, I guess." As Simon was puzzled, Liz stepped forward and thrust a dagger into one of the swords that had been delivered. The great sword shatters easily. The sales representative turned blue. What does this mean?Mr. Dragon''s Fires?" No, this is that ......" What is this? What do you mean?A mere thrust of a dagger should not destroy equipment of this status. ...... You don''t mean to tell me you falsified the status of the delivery?" Simon and Archie also make a fuss here and there. Liz zipped forward to the sales representative. You failed to deliver the quality we required by the deadline," she said. In addition, you tried to deliver the product with a false status. This is something that shouldn''t happen. Isn''t this dishonest behavior sufficient cause to cancel the contract? Thus, the "Knight of the Black Wall" successfully cancelled the contract with "Dragon''s Fires" and passed through the gates of the "Arsenal of Spirits" new workshop (atelier) with a big smile on his face. The "Arsenal of Spirits" officially accepted the request from the "Knight of Black Walls. <> 144 - - Art. 144 Day of Aina Around the time the "Knights of the Black Wall" were dissolving their contract with the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire". Ike Belford, the lancer of the "Winged Dragon''s Lamp," was visiting Lizetta in the "Arsenal of Spirits. Ike. What brings you here?" It smells like water, Lizetta. If you''ve transferred to the Arsenal of the Spirits, why didn''t you let us know?" But your guild is still under contract with "Dragon''s Fires" for a period of ...... I had signed a contract with the "Dragon''s Fiery Fire" because I fell in love with the javelins you made. Now that you are gone, there is no point in continuing to contract with the Dragon''s Fiery Fire." "Ike: ......" We, the ''Winged Dragon Lanterns'' are joining the ''Spirit Alliance,'' and we ask you to show us the best of what you have created with your S-class connoisseurs." Wayne was frustrated and went to work in the "Arsenal of Spirits". (d*mn. Those kids. They stayed up late in the next room making a fool of themselves.) The room next to Wayne''s was a hangout for young people, and their antics often went on late into the night. Moreover, for some reason, they repeatedly slammed and kicked the wall on the side that bordered Wayne''s bedroom, and Wayne and I had a lot of trouble. Despite this, they did not change their attitude and ended up arguing with Wayne, who yelled at them again last night, until almost midnight. Thanks to this, Wayne had a hard time sleeping. (Ah. I''m so pissed off.) Good morning Wayne." Wayne turned around when he was approached. Oh, it''s Aina. What''s wrong?You look so unfaithful." That''s the thing. Yesterday, the guy next door was making noise until midnight. Again?You said that just a few days ago. They don''t show any remorse. Why don''t you move out already?You''re going to have a hard time sleeping, and you''re going to miss work. I''ll have to move. I should seriously think about it. After that, Aina continued to listen to Wayne''s complaints and relaxed him with small talk. Wayne''s irritation gradually disappeared from his face and he felt refreshed. By the time they arrived at the workshop (atelier), he was completely back on track. I''ll be counting on you today," he said. From today on, I''ll be in charge of the equipment for the "Knights of the Black Wall. I''ll make sure you work hard too. Oh. I''ll take care of it. Wayne enters the workshop (atelier) with brisk steps. I''m so sorry," Wayne said. He''s so helpful.) Aina sighs as she watches Wayne''s back. It was her top priority to pay attention to Wayne so that he would not have a negative impact on the workshop (atelier). While his moods are up and down and very uneven, he has the power to change the atmosphere around him, so she calls out to him first thing in the morning to keep him from spreading his bad vibes. Now that Wayne''s "adjustment" is over, I have to prepare to receive the "Knights of the Black Wall.) The primary mission of "Arsenal of Spirits" is to support adventurers in their search. Nevertheless, we cannot do this without making a profit. Even if we pursue quality, we must also strictly calculate costs and deadlines so that we can make a profit. We have already received the skill and status data of the "Knights of the Black Wall" team members from Roland, and we already know what they are capable of. We also have the estimated budget and cost of the equipment. All that remained was to operate the workshop (atelier) as planned and reduce costs as much as possible. When Aina entered the workroom, everyone had already started working. Wayne was diligently grinding magic stone, Pato was quietly thinking, and Leena was humming as she put the ore into the kiln. (Yes...yes...yes...yes...yes...yes...) (Yeah, it''s good. Everyone is concentrating) At any rate, all the Class A alchemists seemed to be in good shape. This should be enough to cope with any new orders that come in. Soon after, "Knights of the Black Wall" came to deposit their equipment, and Aina and her team accepted their equipment without delay. Aina-san! While Aina was working on "exterior reinforcement (coating)," Lizetta spoke to her. She said, "Hmm?What''s wrong?" He stopped his hand and turned to Lizetta. She said, "Actually, this morning I received an order from ''Pterodactyl Lights'' to make some equipment for them. May I take care of it?" Hmm." Aina looked over the order form given to her by Lizetta. Lizetta watched Aina''s every move, not wanting to miss a thing. (An unscheduled order. (An unscheduled order, a unique opportunity to test Aina''s skills as a supervisor.) In her mind, Aina approximates the ore required for this request, the budget, and the delivery date. Hm. Well, it looks like we can keep it within our budget. And the delivery date looks good, too. (I spent an hour or so doing the calculations, which I did in an instant at ......) "Have you explained the ''Spirit League'' and the S-class appraiser?" Yes," he said. They have joined the "Spirit Alliance" and have stated that they will accept appraisals from S-class appraisers. That''s fine," he said. Lisetta, I''m leaving this request to you. Is that clear? Yes, sir. Can you do it in three days, based on Mr. Roland''s appraisal work?" !Wouldn''t it take five days for the stones?" If you do it alone. But if you need equipment of class B or lower, you can work the night shift, right?The night shift is just available, and we can swing the job. I want you to concentrate on silversmithing. (Mmm. (Mmmm...) As one would expect from Mr. Roland, he is in sole charge of the management of the workshop (atelier). I didn''t expect you to be this skilled. ......) I understand. I will do so." Even Aina was impressed with Rizetta, who immediately conveyed her intentions. (Lizetta. You''re excellent, since you used to be a quartet. (It''s so easy and hassle-free, thank you very much.) Aina-san." Now Leena came. Hmm?"What''s wrong?" We''re running low on Iron A. ...... According to Leena, they ran out of iron due to a new order for "Pterodactyl Lights. How is that possible?We would have had plenty of iron in stock." Well, Mr. Roland instructed me to save some Iron A for the coming S-class heavy knights ......." Oh, I see. It will take some time for the new iron to come in, and this will delay the delivery to ''Knights of the Black Cliff. I understand. Then let''s substitute silver. Can you refine the silver I have left over?" Are you sure?Silver would be too costly. ......" We can work that out with Wayne''s ''magic stone cutting. I understand. Aina consulted with Wayne and Roddy, and it seemed that even with silver, they could somehow stay within their budget. After redrawing the blueprints to incorporate Wayne''s "magic stone cutting," he turned them over to Lizetta. Aina finished these tasks and went to take a break. As she was going down the aisle, she came across Ize, who was carrying the products. Aina," he said. These are the 10 finished swords Kane made, where would you like me to put them?" Oh," he said. Then put it in the shipping yard for tomorrow''s shipment. I understand. Ize pushes a cart to the shipping place. Then, Aina stops suddenly. Hmmm?The 10 swords I''ve been asking my new guy, Kane, to get done already?) Aina noticed something strange. Something is not right. Kane''s skill in "Metal Forming" is still class C. It should take at least 6 hours to make 10 swords. If that''s already done, that means ......) Eyes. Go get Kane for a minute." Aina faces Kane, who has arrived, and strikes the freshly made sword with a hammer. The sword breaks easily. Kane''s face turned pale. Kane, what does this mean?" Ugh, well, that''s ......" I told you iron has to be tightly kneaded, didn''t I?" I''m sorry. (Dangerous. Dangerous. We almost shipped a low-quality product.) Hmm?What''s wrong with it? Wayne asks as he passes by. Roddy was with him. Kane made it. He didn''t knead the steel properly. What the hell are you doing? That''s why you''re new here. Wayne, I''m not going to shove it up your ass again." Roddy said. Aina then gave Kane a stern warning and briskly assigned him work to make up for his mistake. She had Aiz, who is highly agile (agility), make the urgent portion, and the rest of the work went to the night shift, which wanted the work. Aina took care of Ize''s work (Aina had already finished her own portion at this point). Thanks to Aina''s appropriate supervision, the "Arsenal of Spirits" employees were able to return home on time today, despite new orders, unexpected problems, and schedule changes. Aina goes to give Roland a report on today''s work. Roland was very satisfied with Aina''s work. She has excellent management skills," Roland said. With this, I can leave everything in the workshop (atelier) to you.) [Aina Burke''s skills Workshop Management": A (1) <> 145 - - 145. Management and professionals As she finished handing over to the night shift group, Aina was approached by Roland. Aina," Roland said. Are you free tonight?" ?"Yes, I did. I don''t have any special plans. Well, how about we have dinner now?" Aina braced herself. Here she comes!) Yes," he said. No problem." Good. Let''s go then. I''ve already made reservations. Aina followed Roland''s lead and took a carriage to a restaurant in the suburbs. You are going very far, aren''t you? I''m not sure. I was going to go somewhere closer to home, but all the appropriate places were booked up. It was a little expensive, but this was the only place available. I see. I see." Aina looked outside. Dusk was already falling on the forest that could be seen from the car window. When she arrived at the elegant restaurant surrounded by the forest, Aina followed Roland''s escort and stepped into the restaurant. It looks like a very expensive restaurant. Are you sure you want to be treated here? I don''t care, I''m a class-A alchemist. Compared to all the hard work I''ve put in, I''m rather apologetic about this. Really?Well, then, be my guest." Aina tucked into the sumptuous food that was brought to her. Every time she brought an expensive delicacy she had never tasted before to her mouth, she expressed her delight with an honest reaction appropriate for her age. Roland joined her in enjoying the delicacies of the mountains and seas of Fafnir Island. ''Well, thank you so much,'' he said. I never thought I''d be able to enjoy such a sumptuous meal." When we had finished the main dish, Aina said. I''m glad you liked it. It was my first time here too." But are you sure you want to do this?I''m the only one who had such a good time. I feel bad for everyone else. I don''t care. I''m going to give everyone else what they deserve sooner or later." I see. But then, why didn''t you just bring everyone with you? Why only me? In fact, I have something I''d really like to give just to you. Heh. Just me." Aina squinted and looked at Roland through her wine glass. The pink wine swayed in the glass. ''Yes,'' she said. I prepared something special for you. I hope it will please you. I''d love to hear that." What will be served after the sumptuous meal? Will it be "Tears of the Dragon" like the one I gave to Lilianne? Or the key to the room? I knew there was a hotel on the floor above this restaurant. I knew this would happen eventually. Aina respects Roland and is indebted to him for his nurturing. But ....... (I guess all men are wolves after all. It''s the same even with Mr. Roland) Aina stares at Roland, who continues to smile and talk, smiling with a smile that is spacious enough not to reveal his inner wariness. (I can''t believe you invited me to a restaurant like this while dating someone as beautiful as Lillianne.) If I were to be seduced, I already knew what I would say. I''m sorry, Mr. Roland, but I can''t go out with you if you are dating another woman. I''m dating a beautiful woman like Lillianne, and it would be a punishment to have my eyes on another woman, wouldn''t it? I would like to talk about that kind of thing only after you break up with Lillianne first. I want to give you something. It''s ......" (Here they come!) Aina was in perfect shape, waiting for Roland to say something. She was surprisingly calm, even to herself. A new position. I''d like to ask you to be the head of the guild''s branch. I''m sorry, Mr. Roland, but I don''t want to be the head of a guild branch ......, eh?" Huh?" Neither of the two could instantly understand what the other was saying, and both were stunned. The other said, "Um, ......, are you the branch manager ......?" Oh, yeah. I think you''ve become a first-class administrator, and I think you''re good enough to take over the studio. That''s it? I''m not sure. You also wanted to have a workshop (atelier), so I thought you would be happy to take it on. ...... Aina felt her face turn red. Oh, no. I''ve made a terrible mistake. ......) ''No, but I''m in trouble. If you don''t take the job, I''ll have to start looking for another candidate from scratch. ......" Oh, no, no, no. Of course I will accept your offer. Of course I will. What?Really?Good. That''s great. Roland then briefly presented her with the handover regarding management and the salary. All of these things were a great honor for Aina, but she was still a little shy, and to cover up her embarrassment, she talked more talkatively than usual and drank more of the wine that had been brought to her. After eating dessert and paying the bill, they headed home. The restaurant''s horse-drawn carriage took Aina back to her street. As they were leaving, Roland wished her a good night. Aina replied, "Good night. The carriage left with Roland on board. After the carriage left, Aina stood there for a while on the street at night, watching the direction the carriage had gone. When the night wind blew and her burning body began to cool down, she finally stopped looking at the night road and returned to her house. The next morning, Aina woke up but was struck by a mysterious malaise and had difficulty getting out of her futon. She ends up being about 10 minutes late for work. Aina was very surprised to find that she was late for work. I can''t believe you''re late. Aina''s face turned red again when Roland laughed at her and told her so. When the day''s work was over, Aina received a handover from Roland regarding the management of the workshop (atelier). She took over the accounting books, business partners, and other matters one after another, and finally moved on to personnel matters. She said, "We can efficiently make high-quality equipment by taking advantage of the skills and stats each of us is good at. You already know that, don''t you?" Yes, I do. To do so, we need to utilize the right people in the right places in perfect coordination with Roland-san''s ''appraisal'' skills. I''m not sure I''d like that. That''s right. But more than skills and status, we must also consider the person''s personality and assign duties and tasks. Is it a personality ......?" Yes," he said. While Pato is a highly thoughtful and analytical person, he also has a tendency to overthink things. If he seems stuck, help him organize his thoughts. Leena is gentle and adaptable, but lacks a sense of responsibility. Be careful that she is not hiding things from you. Roddy is moderate, but he tends to be self-protective, so make sure he doesn''t feel insecure about his future. He will be a steady performer as long as his employment is assured. Ize is quick to get the job done, but he can be a bit rough around the edges, so pay attention to quality. Wayne is competitive and status-conscious, but he is also egotistical and self-centered. Be careful not to give him too much authority." Mmm-hmm. The first thing to do is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each person''s personality, and then take the reins so that the strengths are enhanced and the weaknesses are minimized as much as possible. Be especially careful with Wayne. He is dangerous because he is so competent at what he does. We need to keep an eye on him at all times to make sure he doesn''t have a negative impact on the workplace." Yes. As for Wayne, I talk to him first thing in the morning every day to get his mind off the toxicity. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. That''s quintessential." (Compared to Runge, who is all about rigor, Aina seems to use a lot of softer methods.) If Wayne wants to step up, encourage him to move into a professional position, not a managerial one. I understand. After confirming the general policy, Roland began rummaging through the shelves to hand over the documents he had been managing to Aina. Let''s see, where did I put them ......?" Aina looked feverishly at Roland''s back as he fished through the shelves. An emotion she had pretended not to notice until now. Feelings that I had actually noticed long ago. As time goes by, more and more of them are welling up. (I love Roland. I can''t help it. All the men in the workshop are children. I know that Roland has Lillianne. I know that Roland has Lillianne, but as they are far apart, their hearts are also far apart, and there may come a time when they will look back at me. There it is. Here it is. Roland found the document he was looking for and turned to Aina. Aina quickly withdrew her eager gaze and turned to face him as usual. However, a sad pain was still throbbing in her chest. After handing over to Aina, Roland decided to spend the afternoon appraising the adventurers. In the appraisal room were Ike Belford of "Pterodactyl Lights" and Liz Lewill and Archie Shetty of "Knights of the Black Wall. All three said they were interested in the appraisal and training program. (This is the legendary appraiser ......) Liz looked seriously at Loran. She wondered what a legendary appraiser he was, but when she looked at him like this, she saw that he was a young man almost the same age as herself. Ike Belford''s Skills and Status Spear Art": B to A Arm strength (power): 70-100 [Liz Revill''s Skills and Status Bow shooting: B to A Agility: 70-100 [Archie Shetty''s skills and status Shield defense": B to A Arm strength (power): 70-100 (I see. So, everyone is equivalent to a B class, but they''re not growing at the stage where they become an A class?) The "can produce a high level of power and agility, but it is not stable. So I don''t know how much equipment I should be wearing. I''m not sure I''d like to be a part of that. That''s right." Ike agreed. If I wanted to, I could handle equipment with a weight of 100, but that would cause a severe drop in status. So I would wear equipment with a weight of 70, but I feel like that''s not enough. I try to wear the best equipment I can, but I don''t know what the best stats are. Archie agreed. He said, "Hmmm. I understand. Then let''s all start by reviewing our equipment. First, Ike. You must always carry equipment weighing 90. Weighing 90? Isn''t that a little too much weight? Your power is 70 at minimum and 100 at maximum. We need to get it up to 90 and stabilize it." I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Is that how it''s supposed to be? Archie. You''re no different. Get your gear weight up to 90 so you can be active in the dungeon." I understand. Now, Liz. You have a lot of room to grow in agility. So I''m going to go the other way and lighten your equipment. Lighter equipment? Yes," he said. In exchange, I''ll ask you to move faster. During reconnaissance and combat, always move at 90 agility. Agility 90......? Yes. Alice! Yes, sir. Alice of "Heavenly Horse Arrow," who had been waiting by my side until then, came forward. ''Show her an example. Agility 90. Roger that." Alice moves sideways in an instant, readies her bow and arrow, and shoots at a target set up in the room. (is fast ......) This is the movement of Agility 90. I want you to be able to move this fast too, always at the right time." I was like, "Hmmm. I wonder if I can do it. You should be able to do it even at this stage if you want to," he said. For now, let''s try ten. Liz actually tried to imitate Alice''s movements. The success rate was 3 out of 10. (Surely ...... can''t do that?(But ......) It''s a little unstable. Yes. It is important to stabilize that instability. Once you can do this, you will be able to stabilize the activation of your skills, and eventually you will reach Class A." But ......" Archie said. ''If you''re going to be exploring dungeons under such a high load, isn''t it going to be a drain on your status?'' I agree. So you need to be followed by your companions while in the dungeon." Follow ......?" Yes. What kind of follow-up is needed when performance is unstable and status is depleted? That is your task until the next exploration. We will provide you with the best equipment, and you will be trained to take cover while your status is unstable. I see. Mm-hmm. I understand." Liz couldn''t help but let out a sigh of admiration. (Great. With just a little appraisal, she was able to instantly determine everything from the challenges we are facing to the room for growth and programs for improvement. ...... This is the power of an S-class appraiser ......) Ike, Liz, and Archie followed Roland''s instructions and received instruction on how to move to ask an ally to follow them when they were worn out and slowed down, how to stay close to an ally so that they would not be isolated when down, and how to train to defeat or outrun an enemy even in unstable status. After Ike and the others finished their appraisals, Roland was captured by Wayne. The two of them go up to the roof. ''New job?'' Oh. I''m getting used to my current job. I think it''s time for me to take a step up. Today''s work is at ......." I''m done. You can tell Aina at ...... Aina said she checked it out. She said, "Aina has checked it out, and she''s endorsed the quality of the product. They''re not going to screw it up like they did before. I see. You''ve really grown up." Right?I''ll leave it to you. I''m perfect at my job now." I''m sure you''re right. I was just about to give you a new job myself." Oh, that''s the guild leader. You''re a very quick talker. So?What kind of work do you want me to do?" "I want you to make a lightweight bow and arrow for Liz Lewill, the second-in-command of ''Knights of the Black Wall. Also, one of them has a talent as a mage, so I want you to sharpen a new magic stone for me." ...... No, that''s not what I meant." What''s that?Are you dissatisfied?I thought you would be happy to take it on. It''s a job that utilizes your unique skills, and it''s for an outside guild that will be growing at our company. That''s fine and dandy. I think it''s time for me to have my own subordinates. Like Aina. Roland smiled vaguely. Don''t worry," he said, "I''ll do my job. I''m not going to cut corners just because I''m busy teaching my subordinates. Of course I don''t expect you to cut corners. Just ......, umm, what does Aina say?" Wayne looks uninterested. He wants me to become an expert in magic stone polishing and weight reduction. That''s the one thing he said. That''s good," he said. A specialist. You can make a lot more money specializing in your own field than having a subordinate. ......" Wayne was still frustrated. ''Yes, I suppose so. For example, let''s say I just got an order from ''The Fortress Archer. What kind of budget and turnaround time do you think would be reasonable? What?"Oh no. ......" I''m sure you''ve looked over the list of skills, jobs, and stats for the ''Archers of the Fortress'' adventurers, right?" Ugh. It''s not in your nature to do the math, is it?What do you think would happen if I tried to manage in such a state?" What''s going to happen? ...... You''ll end up like Edgar. What? Even the quintessential Wayne dropped his eyes in seriousness. (Are you saying I''m going to be a scum like Edgar, who uses and devalues others as much as he uses them?) (Though it''s already quite dangerous at this point.) It''s nothing unusual. I have a lot of experience in life. I''ve seen many examples like Edgar. He has successfully kicked others down the ladder and risen to management and supervisory positions, but because he is incompetent, he is unable to manage the organization and can only protect himself by shifting the blame to his subordinates. If you want to be like that, I won''t stop you, okay?In fact, pulling other people''s legs is a simple and effective way to get ahead, if only for one reason: to get ahead. But there is no place for such a person in this workshop (atelier)!" ......" I still think highly of you," he said. But I can''t promise you a wish I can''t fulfill. Think very carefully about whether you really need to have subordinates." Medes came to the bar. When he heard that the contract had been canceled by the "Knights of the Black Wall," Medes was furious and lashed out at his men. What is this? What the hell is going on? What is this? And so they searched for who the war criminal was, but never found him. That''s as it should be. The staff members who were accustomed to working at "Dragon''s Fires" were all very careful to avoid responsibility, and Medes was the one who had given the go-ahead in the first place. Medes had no choice but to fire the rookie who was responsible for producing the defective equipment after he had slammed the sales department. Despite taking it out on him, he was still angry and, as is his habit when he was young, went to a tavern to enjoy a few cheap drinks. I''m so sick and tired of it. They''re dragging me down with them. ...... While I was mumbling like this, two members of the "Knights of the Black Wall" entered the restaurant at the wrong time. They sit down behind him, not noticing Medes. Medes said, "Oh no. You look better than I thought you would. Equipment from the "Arsenal of the Spirits." Oh. I didn''t know an alchemist of that caliber was still on the island." They work fast and provide good service. I can''t say enough good things about them." We should''ve gone this way in the first place. What a bummer. That''s the end of it. "Ha ha ha." "Hoo, hoo, hoo. "Duh, duh, duh." Medes coughed deliberately. However, the two men behind him were still unaware of Medes'' presence and continued chatting. The two behind him, however, were still unaware of Medes'' presence and continued chatting with him. They too have fallen, haven''t they? Oh," he said. Because they couldn''t beat the Arsenal of Spirits in terms of quality, they tried to bind them with contracts. And to top it all off, they''re trying to get me to grab their inferior products. The world''s leading alchemy guild is appalling. Medes was frustrated and poor and tried to get them to notice by slamming his glass on the desk with a gun. The contents overflowed and splashed onto the desk. ''Dang, dang, dang. But still the two did not notice the medes. ''Generally I didn''t like it, that guild. They were definitely working with the thieves'' guild behind the scenes, doing all kinds of evil stuff." I guess so." The head of that guild was a bit of a gangster. "Whoa, looks like the booze''s here." Let''s celebrate, then. To meeting a new alchemy guild. To say goodbye to the Guild of Clunkers. "Kampai." Pruaaaah!" Medes turned around and uttered a menacing, unintelligible sound. The two look up. What?" What? I''ve had enough of this. f*ck you, you f*cking adventurer!" Medes kicked one of their chair legs and left the store. They looked suspiciously toward the exit. ''What the hell?That old man. He''s got a bad attitude. Leave it alone. You must have had a bad day at work. Medes shouted abuse at the two, but that did not calm his stomach. So, on his way home, he decided to attack the "Knights of the Black Wall" quarters. He picked up a large stone from the riverbank and threw it at the window of the "Knights of the Black Cliff" quarters. "Whoa! What is it? Enemy attack? The "Knights of the Black Wall" dormitory was temporarily in an uproar. Medes was arrested. <> 146 - - Art. 146 Coup detat Medes was about to be taken away by the police officers who arrived at the scene after receiving the call. Orac. Don''t resist. You''re mysteriously on the ropes. Let go of me!I am the head of Drake. Drake?What the hell is he talking about? I''m talking about the old days. That''s why you''re old. I''m sure a lot of extra charges will come out when we question him." Wayne, who passed the scene on his way home, watched Medes being pulled over with a pout. Was that Medes?What the hell is that guy doing? Why is he being seized by the police (......)? As Wayne was stunned, he could hear the already gathered onlookers talking. What happened?" It seems some drunks attacked the "Knights of the Black Cliff" quarters. Well, that''s disturbing. (An attack on "Knights of the Black Wall"?(Don''t tell me you beat up the Adventurers'' Guild to get rid of your contract?) The next day, this was the topic of conversation in the break room of the "Arsenal of Spirits. I heard that Medes was arrested." Pato said. ''Wayne was passing by the scene, wasn''t he? Aina spoke up. Aina spoke up. According to a passerby, a drunken Medes threw a rock through the window of the "Knights of the Black Wall" quarters. I''m not sure how drunk he was. I don''t care how much they canceled the contract. ......" It''s also interesting that they attacked the adventurers'' guild and not the "Spirit Arsenal (we)." ...... Pato pressed his forehead in distress. When he was being arrested, he said he was the head of Drake. Drake?" I''ve heard that name from my grandfather. The elder Roddy said. I believe it was a group of con artists who were prominent on the island more than 20 years ago. Are you saying that Medeiros was the head of this fraud ring?" Lizetta frowned. "He has been yakuza-like from time to time since he was in ''Dragon''s Fires'' ....... Was that man really a half-breed?" Whatever. ...... Pato looked out the window at the "Dragon''s Fires". ''It''s going to be tough from here on out, "Dragon''s Fires" ...... News of the Medes'' attack on the "Knights of the Black Wall" traveled throughout the island that day. Simon, the captain of the "Knights of the Black Wall," was furious. "An attack in retaliation for the termination of a contract?This is unprecedented. I will not stand idly by and allow this outrage to harm my men!We, the Knights of the Black Wall, intend to strongly protest this incident to the Dragon''s Fires. Simon announced so broadly in the plaza. Upon hearing of the incident, the staff of the "Dragon''s Fires" and the outside adventurers'' guilds were immensely upset. The quartet was forced to respond to a succession of complaints demanding explanations. Oh, my God, I can''t work like this. Charles comes into the workroom for the quartet with a sigh. He had been busy with clients until just now and had just been released. d*mn. What is our guild leader doing? Even he is having a hard time because of the defection of the "Knights of the Black Wall. Raul could not help but complain about the stones. In the meantime, a new complaint came in. No good," said Raul. Production will be postponed for the rest of the day. Raoul, Charles. Do you have a minute?" Edgar beckoned them over. Raul and Charles listened to Edgar''s story in wonder. What!A coup?" Raul could not believe his ears. Are you insane?At a time like this when the guild is in trouble ......" Because it''s a time like this." Edgar said, his face more serious than ever. The recent downturn in business performance is entirely Medes'' fault. "Medes is responsible for the recent downturn in business performance," Edgar said with a more serious look on his face. All he does is drag his feet. How long are we going to let him get away with this? "......" I don''t think this guild can stand if we leave it to him any longer. Let''s all unite here and drag him down. Soon after, Medes was released. However, what awaited him when he arrived at his studio was a statement of condemnation from the quartet, jointly signed by them. The quartet''s jointly signed condemnation of the guild leader''s recent wild behavior was too much to bear. It is unbecoming for the head of an alchemy guild to attack adventurers and show no respect to his clients. We, the Quartet, demand that Medes resign as head of the guild within a week. If he fails to do so, we, the Quartet and all the alchemists under us, will not obey any of his orders and will stop all ongoing work. Thus, Edgar instigated the quartet and the staff, and also sat down to negotiate with Medes. He made a sneak visit to the guild president''s office at a time when Raul and Charles had returned to their work. Raul and Charles were back at work. It''s a big problem, isn''t it? The head of the guild. What''s the big deal? You''re part of the coup d''etat group. Medes was taken aback when Edgar approached him with an unsuspecting face. However, I can''t seem to get angry with Edgar. Edgar had a strange affability that would take the edge off his opponent''s venom and get right into his pocket. No," he said. I was carried away by those guys. You are the only one who can speak up against the guild leader. You''re the only one who can speak out against the guild leader, so you should lead the protest. Even so, I stopped them. He said, "Now is the time for the whole guild to work together as one. This is not the time for this kind of infighting. Then they said, "You know what? If you don''t move, we''ll quit the guild. When they said that, we had no choice but to do it. We can''t afford to lose any personnel from the guild. I don''t know. I doubt it." So what''s going to happen in the trial? You''re not going to throw me in jail, are you? Idiot. I just broke a glass when I was drunk.At most, you could be charged with damage to property." (I suppose I could be charged with assault, assault and battery, or even intimidation.) Edgar plunged into his mind. ''No matter how serious it is, at most you''ll pay a fine. But in any case, I intend to plead not guilty at trial." (No, not guilty, not a stone''s throw away. The evidence (story) is already up.) So what are you going to do about the Guild?We''re getting a lot of complaints, and the staff here on the street is trying to turn against us." I don''t know what''s going on. If things continue as they are, I could really be forced out of my position as guild president. There are too many rebels to purge. I have to fend off criticism somehow. ...... Guild leader. I have an idea. Say it. Please make me head of the guild temporarily. What?You?" Medes squints sceptically. ''Oops. Don''t get me wrong. I really don''t intend to be the head of the guild. This is only a temporary measure. As soon as things cool down, I''ll have you reinstated as guild leader. "......" I think it would be a shame if there was no blame to be placed on them, wouldn''t it?There needs to be a satisfactory treatment both internally and externally. I will take a step back to avoid criticism, and eventually arrange for you to be reinstated as head of the guild. In return, if all goes well, please put me at the head of the quartet. "......" I''ll take all the criticism. Please. For the sake of the guild, will you let me be the guild leader''s bullet repellant?" Medes thought about it. I don''t care about criticism from the staff. If he just dodged and dodged as usual, it would subside in time. What bothered Medes more was the slush fund in his possession. The money he earned during his anti-corporation days was mixed in with the assets of "Dragon''s Fires. It would be bad if the investigative authorities were to come to the attention of Medes about that slush fund now. Apparently, the authorities are sniffing out Medes'' past. During the interrogation, I was probed about "Drake" several times. How in the world did the authorities come to know about Medes'' "Drake" days only now? I don''t know. But at any rate, we had to somehow keep the slush fund hidden for now. However, it is difficult to openly transfer funds in the face of criticism like this. We have to somehow set up a cover and buy some time. In the end, Medes decided to go along with Edgar''s idea. Later that day, Medes'' resignation was announced. Edgar was named as his successor. Medes will remain an executive in the company for the foreseeable future. Wayne and Lizetta were outraged by this news. Edgar is the head of the guild?You''ve got to be kidding me. How the hell did he get to be the head of the guild of all guilds? And Medes is staying on as an executive?How rotten is that guild, ......, to put a former insurgent suspect, now awaiting criminal trial for gang-related activities, on the board of directors! I''m going to drag them down no matter what!" Wayne and Lizetta were exercising with an unprecedented sense of solidarity. The next day, Medes was about to go to work at the workshop (atelier) with a somewhat calmer mind than yesterday. (Whew! I wondered what would happen when I was arrested on a strange accusation, but I''m glad that I seem to be able to keep my current position. I''m glad I''ve managed to keep my current position. (That''s because of what I do on a regular basis. ......) However, just as I was leaving the front door, I was met by the police. Excuse me. You must be Mr. Medes?" You''ll have to come to the station. The two policemen quickly set up on both sides of the medes. Whoa!Hey, what''s up with you guys? What in the world is your basis for trying to take someone into custody? ......" You are suspected of serious violations of the guild''s code of ethics, including equipment status window dressing and accounting irregularities. The accusation comes from Edgar Logue, head of the Fires of the Dragon guild. What the hell? (Edgar accuses eagle ....... d*mn. Son of a b*tc*. Edgar. You set me up! At that time, Edgar was gloating in the guild leader''s chair. He was smiling. The old man should have been caught by now. As long as you''re the head of the guild, you''re done. Good-bye, Medes. Go eat your stinky food in the pigsty.) You, make a big announcement about this. And expel Medes from the guild. Yes, sir. At Edgar''s order, the secretary at his side begins to work on the document in a flurry of activity. Raul looks on bitterly. He, too, has belatedly begun to realize that Edgar has taken advantage of him. Raul is not sure if this is a good idea.Edgar is going to make the guild do as he pleases. (Are you sure you want to do this?) Thus, Medes'' past misdeeds, such as equipment status window dressing, asset concealment, and accounting irregularities, were made public, and it was announced that he would be expelled from "Dragon''s Fires. However, the outside adventurers'' guild, "The Players of the Red Sands," was outraged by this announcement. They were furious at the announcement: "He was decorating the status of his equipment!You''ve got to be kidding me!" On the same day, "The Red Sands Players" angrily announced the termination of the contract and the joining of the "Spirit Alliance. Any organization run by human beings is bound to have a scandal or two. Whether or not the management can handle them internally and nip them in the bud in advance so that they don''t become public knowledge is a matter of management competence. ...... (I never thought the head of the organization himself would expose it.) Pato had a headache as a former "Dragon''s Fires" employee. (No matter how much the outside world made a fuss, if only the inside had not admitted it, it would have never gone beyond the point of suspicion no matter how far it went. ...... Now that the top brass has admitted it, it''s over.) The "Fortress Archers," the only one of the three outside guilds left behind, was shaken. The Archers of the Fortress alone had no chance against the Alliance of Spirits. However, they did not want to pay an expensive cancellation fee. The "Archers in the Fortress" were in a heated debate over this issue, but the dispute ended with the news that Jill Irwin, an S-class heavily-armed knight of the "Golden Eagle," had arrived at the port from a newly arrived ship. On the same day, "The Archer of the Fortress" joined the "Spirit League. <> 147 - - 147. Joining Jill People disembarking from the ship at the port are lined up at the baggage claim. Sailors are busily moving around, handing luggage to passengers. Next in line, please. This is Jill Irwin. You must be Jill Irwin. Yes, I am. This way please. ...... The baggage boy took one look at the female knight and gasped. Red hair like the setting sun. Willowy eyebrows that spoke of nobility. A well-proportioned body. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and he dared not look at her with an ulterior motive. He had never seen such a beautiful woman. He wanted to kneel down, offer her all of his possessions, and become her slave. He was caught up in this feeling. Hey," he said, "you know what? You." Jill asked in a light voice. Hmph, hiya!" Have you ever heard of the ''Arsenal of Spirits''?I have to go there. It''s the "Arsenal of Spirits," isn''t it? Yes, it is. I will take you there right now. What?OK. You have a job to do here, don''t you?" No, no, don''t worry about it. Such an insignificant task will not hinder me from guiding you to the "Arsenal of Spirits". I don''t know.Oh boy. If only I knew the general directions. ......" As Jill was puzzled by the excessive devotion of the sailors, a helping hand came along. Jill!" Oh, Mr. Roland! When Jill saw Roland, she threw off the mask of the noble knight she had been until then and revealed a flash of joy. The crew was stunned by the change. As soon as she saw Roland, the aura of nobility that had surrounded her disappeared in an instant, and she became like an ordinary village girl anywhere in the world. Not only that, she began to blush and fidget whenever Roland spoke to her. I never thought you would come to the port to pick me up," she said. I was going to ask you myself. On this island, we have a tradition of giving speeches to senior adventurers who have just arrived. And I have to support them. I am so glad to hear that," he said. I didn''t know you cared that much for me. ......" The sailors are rapidly pulled back to reality from their previous dreaming. They looked at Roland resentfully as their sacred mood was ruined. Later, Gilles made a speech in the square as Roland had asked him to do. She announced her intention to join the "Spirit League. In the city, there was a sudden increase in the number of people who thought that the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was going to be defeated. After finishing his speech, Jill went to the "Arsenal of Spirits" and was introduced to the alchemists. I am Jill Irwin, an S-class heavy armor knight of the "Golden Eagle. Nice to meet you all." Aina was giddy as Roland brought in another beautiful woman. (A great beauty. Ugh, I can''t win.) ''Well, Jill. I''d like to get started on defeating the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir),'' but ...... I haven''t actually finished my weapon yet. Roland said apologetically. ''Oh, is that so? I''m not sure. So first we have to decide on a weapon for defeating the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Then the first step is to select and adjust the equipment. I''ll use Mr. Roland''s appraisal of ......." The two moved to a different room and began the appraisal process. [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 105-110 Endurance (toughness): 115-120 Agility: 100-105 Physical Strength (Stamina): 195-200 Yes," he said. I''m maintaining my status well. It seems you''ve been following the training program I''ve given you. Yes. I hope that when I see Mr. Roland again, I will not be embarrassed by my status. ......" Good. Let''s see how well the equipment fits. Yes, sir. Jill equipped "Blue Armor" and "Javelin" one by one, and asked Roland to appraise their respective adaptability rates. Oh, no! What should I do?) Jill felt her heart pounding as Roland appraised her for the first time in a long time. Just looking into Roland''s eyes makes me remember the pain, suffering, and pleasure he has given me, and it makes my body heat up. (I''m ......, even though he hasn''t even told me to work out yet. But ......) For the past few months, Jill has lived solely on the training menus sent to her by letter from Roland to feed her mind. She has consoled herself by completing the training, thinking that Roland was disciplining her. ...... (I guess there''s a big difference between having him around and not having him around.) Even just having Loran stare at me like this makes me feel like I''m being pranked. I remember the feeling of being scolded by Roland, and a chill runs down my back. (Mr. Roland. What in the world kind of harsh training do you have to go through this time ....... Oh, please hurry up and bully me, Mr. Roland) "Jill ......, Jill?" Huah, hiya!What is it? Jill huffed when Loran called out to her. ''Appraisal, done. I''m going to have a meeting with the alchemist to go over the results. You can rest now. I was like, "Yes, yes. Um, so what kind of training do I ......" No, so you can take the rest of the day off. You must be tired from the boat trip.I''ve prepared a room for you, so you can relax and enjoy yourself." "...... yes." (Oh my god. Oh, Roland. You''re rushing me like that again. ...... But I like it.) Roland then attended a meeting of the "Spirit Alliance. In addition to the usual members, Simon the "Knight of the Black Wall," Ray the "Red Sands Player," and Robert the "Archer of the Fortress" were also present. The current agenda was the reconciliation of local and external interests and the defeat of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The three outside guilds had already told Roland how much ore they wanted to procure. The representatives of the three guilds waited with bated breath for Roland to start talking about how far their wishes would go. Roland smiled at them and began to speak. Now, as for the allocation of ore within the "Spirit Alliance," I would like all of the outside guilds to rest assured that they are in good hands. As long as you fulfill the work we require, we will fully accept your wishes. Please rest assured that you can join us in our search." The representatives of the outside guilds were each relieved. They had been caught up in the mess of the "Arsenal of Spirits" and the "Dragon''s Fires," unnecessarily wasting their time and money, and were wondering what would happen. Roland assigned the scope of work to be entrusted to them according to the requests of the three outside guilds. Now that we''ve got the ore assignment, all we need to do now is to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Since our target is an S-class monster, I think it would be a good idea to formulate a strategy centered on the S-class adventurer Jill here as well." The meeting was filled with an indescribable tension. Not many people have ever explored a dungeon with an S-class adventurer. Everyone was unsure if they would be able to match. Well, of course not. Leon opened his mouth as if to represent. So?"How do we fit in with Jill Irwin?Of course, it''s not a simple matter to match up when it comes to S-class, is it? I''m not sure. First of all, Jill''s physical strength (stamina) is out of the norm. She can run around all day without getting tired. In order to keep up with her stamina, we need to march at a speed of at least 40 agility. Agility 40....... That''s a lot of money. Normally, it is said that the speed to march through a dungeon is about 20 agility. That is the speed of marching that does not carry over fatigue to the next day. However, when exploring a dungeon with Gilles, he must march more than twice as fast as usual. Another important factor is that Jill is the type of person who is motivated to take as much damage as possible. I see. I see. So you''re the type of person who is more motivated when you take damage. If that''s the case, then ...... hmm?" Leon felt uncomfortable with the words he was uttering and involuntarily thought for a moment. I''m sorry ......, Roland. Say it again. How do I motivate Jill Irwin?" I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to be confusing. Jill is the type of person who is more motivated when she is attacked as much as possible. So, we need to take that into account and organize the battle so that the burden is placed on her as much as possible. I see. I see. I''ll make sure that the burden is placed on Jill as much as possible. ...... So here''s the specifics: ...... Leon heard Roland''s explanation, but his mind had not yet caught up with understanding. (No good. No matter how many times I repeated it in my head, I still couldn''t understand it. Did everyone understand what I just explained?The meeting is proceeding normally. ......(Am I crazy for not understanding?) Even without Leon''s concern, no one understood what Roland was saying. But everyone just wondered, "Am I the only one who doesn''t get it?" So, the meeting went on with the conversation so that it would not be exposed. <> 148 - - 148. The Unique Skills of Lizetta Shortly before Jill arrived at the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch, Lizetta was trying to complete the task Roland had given her. She was trying to complete the task that Roland had given her. I think I''m almost done. Lizetta said as she opened the lid of the pot and watched the liquid inside simmer. As she did so, she remembered to wear a mask and goggles to avoid inhaling the rising steam. (I never thought I had these skills) Lizetta thinks back to her exchange with Roland. A week ago, Lizetta was summoned by Roland. "You wanted to see me, guild leader?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Come in." Roland invited Lizetta into the room and suggested she sit in a chair. After a few weeks in the ''Spirit Arsenal,'' you must be getting used to the way things work here," Roland said. I think it''s time for me to entrust you with some important work." (Here they come!) Lizetta braced herself for the wait. While working for Aina, Lizetta was always aware of Roland''s eyes on her. Although he did not seem to show his face in the workshop (atelier) very often, he was always observing the work of the staff. Lisetta always tried her best to be taken up by him. And so the opportunity finally presented itself. In fact, Jill from the Gilded Eagle is scheduled to arrive on the island soon. Jill!By that, do you mean Jill Irwin, an S-class heavily armed knight?" Yes. So I need to make some equipment for her." "......" I''m trying to figure out who should be the development leader for that equipment. ...... Lizetta, what do you think?If you''re willing to do it, I''m willing to leave it to you. ......" I will do it!" Lizetta said almost without hesitation. ''It''s not lukewarm, okay?If we are going to do this, we need to have them make equipment that goes beyond the Javelin." Of course. I hope so!" Good. Come on then." Roland takes Lizetta to a room in the workshop (atelier). Look at this. This is ......." Roland showed Lizetta. It was a "Javelin" made by Cheal. The full-body silver "Javelin" was clearly superior to the "Javelin" made by Lizetta. Lizetta soon realized that her skills were no match for the creator of this equipment. The Javelin was made by Cheal Cotton, an S-class alchemist at the headquarters of the Arsenal of Spirits, who also made the weapon that defeated the S-class monster Skull Dragon, the Dragon Hammer. ......" You can''t make a better Javelin than this one with your current abilities. If that is the case, you will have to go to ...... You need to learn a new skill. Is that what you''re saying?" Yes," he said. Yes. (You''ve just been part of a quartet. You switch so fast.) Mr. Roland. Please teach me. Tell me about the skills that reside in me. I''ll be fine." Okay then. ......" Lizetta Rone''s Unique Skills Dramatic Compounding": E to A Integrated Design": E to A Let''s start by learning how to make potions." For the next week, Lizetta half-heartedly tried making potions. Once she was able to make potions successfully, she branched out into magic potions, poisons, and explosives. He was now able to guess the type of drug just by smelling a faint scent, and he found that he could make more potent drugs than others with the same amount of ingredients. Description of "deleterious drug concoction." Using this skill to formulate medicines produces medicines that are more potent than usual. I was still in the process of making a special medicine called a ''bursting agent. (Okay. It looks good.) After checking the potion is ready, Lisetta turns off the heat of the pot and puts the contents into a medicine bottle. She then put a drop on the dragon''s skin, which was already on the table. The thick dragon skin swelled up and exploded. (The best work I have ever done. The rest is at ......) Lizetta moved into the next room with the bottle of "bursting agent. There, a newly designed and improved "Javelin" was enshrined. Lizetta poured a "bursting agent" into the inside of the "Javelin" and closed the lid. She then held up the "Javelin" and thrust it toward the head of the skewered "Fafnir". The blade is enveloped in high temperature, burning the skin and causing the surface of the blade to overflow with a bursting agent. The head of "Fafnir" exploded from the inside. (Okay. Success. The new "Javelin" that combines the two unique skills of "Blending Potions" and "Spirit Granting" has been completed. Lizetta went to report to Roland. ''Mr. Roland. I have completed the new ''Javelin of Fire''! Really?Okay, let''s take a look." Roland immediately examined the "Javelin" with Lizetta. Lizetta Rhone''s Unique Skills Spiritualization": B to B Dramatic Compounding": A to A Integrated design": B A Status of "Javelin of Fire Special effects: high temperature B, burst A Hm. It is indeed a class A skill. The Javelin also has a special effect. Yes. Thank you." Lizetta replied with a smile. Roland was impressed with how fast Lizetta had grown. (To bring her this far on her own just by showing her the direction of her skills. She has a tremendous ambition. I knew it was the right decision to select Lizetta.) Good. Then, as promised, I''m appointing you as the leader of the development of equipment to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Let''s start the meeting immediately. Roland and Lizetta moved to the conference room for a meeting. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" has six characteristics that have been confirmed at present. The "Grand Breath," which is like a tidal wave of fire that spews flames over a wide area. Mobility to fly up into the sky in an instant. Evasion using its soft body. Rock-like defense. Wide field of vision. Physical attacks that take advantage of his huge size. Mmm. I see. Attack, defense, and evasion. All of them seem to be seamless. It''s a monster with this much overall strength. To defeat it, we need to mobilize all of the unique skills of this workshop (atelier). And that''s where your unique skill comes in. This is where your unique skill, "Integrated Design," comes into play. Explanation of "Integrated Design It is possible to create a blueprint that combines multiple unique skills. Only the user knows what it feels like to use a unique skill. Therefore, it is considered difficult to create equipment that highly combines the unique skills of multiple people. However, with your unique skill "Integrated Design," you should be able to create equipment by combining each person''s unique skills without killing the strengths of each. You have already combined two of your unique skills, "Spirit Granting" and "Gagaku Mixing," to create the "Fire Spear (Javelin) Kai. You should be experiencing firsthand the feeling of integrating unique skills." [Lizetta Rone''s unique skills Integrated Design": B (up3) This time, we will proceed with Jill''s equipment production with this "Integrated Design" at its core. I understand the policy of combining unique skills to make equipment. Now it''s time to find the right equipment for Jill. Can you tell us about Jill''s skill and status characteristics and the direction of her equipment? I''m not sure I''d like that. Then let''s discuss those two things. Roland told Lizetta about Jill''s characteristics. All basic stats are above 100. In particular, her durability (toughness) and stamina (stamina) are extremely high, and even if she is attacked by "Grand Fafnir," as long as it is a physical attack, she has defensive strength that will not be affected even if she is hit a little. Therefore, in defense, it focuses on preventing "Grand Breath," and can take some damage from physical attacks such as claws, fangs, and tail slaps. When attacking, considering the enemy''s quickness, the equipment should be light and focused on the number of moves that can steadily inflict small damage rather than inflicting large damage with a single blow. Based on the above, Lizetta summarized Jill''s equipment plan. When receiving "Grand Breath," she should use a "fire shield" made of "fire-repelling ore" refined by Wayne''s "magic stone cutting" to protect against it. Physical attacks should be protected with Aina''s "Coating" two-piece armor. As for offensive equipment, use a sword that emphasizes stabbing and piercing, and focus on lightness and maneuverability rather than power. The sword should be coated with a deadly poison made by mixing a powerful medicine, which will cause minor damage and poison to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" to reduce its stamina and finish it off. Roland was very satisfied with these ideas. Yes, that''s right. (Yes, it''s well done.) After showing the equipment to Aina and enlisting Wayne''s cooperation, he gave the go-ahead to manufacture the equipment. While Roland and his team were steadily preparing to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)," Edgar was beginning to work to recover customers from the "Arsenal of Spirits" at the "Dragon''s Fireside. Even Edgar was under fire. How dare he take advantage of Medes, accuse him of betrayal, and even miss out on an important order from an outside guild! This put Edgar on the brink from the start, even though he had only been guild president for a short period of time. With both the local guild and the outside guilds taken, "Dragon''s Fires" now had only the "White Wolf" to rely on. Edgar decided to make a comeback by providing "White Wolf" with new equipment and having them defeat the "Spirit League. And so, he is currently in the conference room waiting for Jamil and his team to arrive. Edgar, Charles, and Raul were in the conference room, but there was a delicate atmosphere from earlier. ''You guys. You know what''s going on, don''t you? This is a project with the fate of the guild at stake. You''ve got to be on your toes. ......" When Edgar spoke to Raul, Raul was ambiguous, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. In fact, his position was a delicate one. Edgar''s work performance as head of the guild was far inferior to that of the Medes. For whatever reason, Medes'' role in the company was significant, and his disappearance was causing problems in many areas. Edgar could not handle the internal affairs of the company, and business was already slow in many ways. For this reason, he really wanted to express his opposition to Edgar''s methods, but on the other hand, it was also an undeniable fact that he had participated in Edgar''s coup d''tat and had been one of the key players in establishing the current system. Therefore, it would not be very cool for him to become an anti-Edgar standard-bearer in a big way now. There is a knock at the door. The "White Wolf" has arrived. It was the voice of the receptionist. Good. Let us through." As Edgar said this, an unexpected figure entered the room, followed by Jamil, Rodo, and Zain. "Hey, you''re ......, Gilbert! Yo, Raul. Long time no see. How are you?" Gilbert returned with a hail of laughter. ?What''s up with you guys? You know each other?" Jamil asked surprisingly. I don''t know who you are or what you know. ......, how dare you show your face in front of me? Of course I''m going to show my face. I''m in charge of equipment procurement for the White Wolf. Huh? Raul looks at Jamil. He''s right. From now on, Gilbert will be in charge of our equipment procurement. I''m not sure what to say. Are you serious? Gilbert is a former member of the Golden Eagle. Gilbert is a former member of the Golden Eagle, which means he knows Roland very well. No one could be more reliable in a full-scale confrontation with the Alliance of Spirits. Well, that''s that. I''m looking forward to working with you, Raul. Let bygones be bygones. After saying this, Gilbert whispered in Raul''s ear. Gilbert then whispered to Raul, "You guys are going to have to rely on the White Wolf now anyway, aren''t you?I''ve lost so many customers." (This guy ......) Well, let''s get along." Heh. Well, it''s nice to meet you." Gilbert and Edgar shook hands firmly. The two then discussed business negotiations and a plan to defeat the "League of Spirits. Gilbert and Edgar shook hands firmly. Oh," he said. I see. That''s good. Gilbert and Edgar left the other five behind and proceeded to talk, seemingly in a strangely friendly mood. <> 149 - - 149. Consensus of Opinions At the "Arsenal of Spirits," personnel changes were taking place. Roland announced the promotions at a meeting where all the staff members of the workshop (atelier) gathered together. Most of those who had belonged to the guild before moving to the new workshop (atelier) were promoted and given positions. Aina was given the position of branch manager. Wayne, Pato, and Leena were assigned the title of senior professional staff. Roddy, Ize, Roullier, and Melinda were given the title of sub-leader. Each was given a special badge and certificate, with a note on the certificate that their salary would be increased. The certificates also included an increase in salary. Now I have a title. I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. It''s very motivating, isn''t it? Wayne and Pato looked at each other''s new positions and nodded proudly. At this point, the announcement was largely expected and no surprise to anyone. ''Well, then, last but not least, Lisetta. Yes." You will be the chief developer of equipment for the Grand Fafnir. Yes, sir. I will do my best! The unexpected announcement caused a stir. What, are you serious? Wayne bites. Wayne bit out, "Even though he was part of a quartet, you''re suddenly going to pick a guy who just joined us like that?" The "Grand Fafnir" is a giant fire dragon, and Aina''s "coated" weapons would be better for it. Pato concurred with Wayne''s opinion. He said, "Oh. I see. I didn''t mention it. Lizetta has newly awakened to the unique skill of ''Integrated Design. Integrated Design?" What''s that? Another skill I''ve never heard of. ...... Integrated Design" is a skill that allows each person to create a design document by integrating their unique skills. In other words, it''s a skill that is a supercompatible to regular product design. Upwardly compatible: ......" Roddy mutters uneasily. Roland, who had noticed Roddy''s condition, immediately followed up. Roddy, you''re not out of a job. Lizetta will be designing equipment that uses multiple unique skills. Well, mainly for the outside adventurers'' guild. The design for the local guilds will continue to be handled by you, Roddy. When Roland said this, Rodi was visibly relieved. I see. I understand. Well, that''s why she can also integrate Wayne''s ''magic stone cutting'' and Aina''s ''exterior reinforcement (coating)'' to make equipment. I see." So Lizetta has been working alone lately. To awaken her unique skills." I thought you were doing something sneaky, but that''s what this is about. Well, let''s see what it''s all about, then. Pato and Wayne said in a manner that seemed to make sense to them. Anyway, the "Arsenal of Spirits" began to move under a new structure. Lizetta immediately went through the blueprints of equipment made using Aina and Wayne''s unique skills. Then she realized that their unique skills were more powerful than she had imagined. (I had no idea it was such a powerful skill. And that''s not all. They are also skillful in how they are used. ......) Lizetta was once again impressed by Roland''s ability to find talent and his skillful use of it. Having acquired the unique skill of "Integrated Design," Roland and Risetta were able to deepen their understanding of each other''s unique skills. She then creates a blueprint that integrates her own unique skills and the unique skills of the two. When Wayne saw the blueprint created by Rizzetta, he narrowed his eyes. (Hoh...) I''m sure you''re right. I see. This is very well done.) Aina, too, understood the excellence of Lisetta''s design at a glance. The "shield of fire bullets," the armor with double exterior reinforcement (coating), and the silver poison sword. Each was designed to take full advantage of Jill''s unique skills, taking her status into consideration. The three immediately set about manufacturing them. Both the "Shield of Fire Bullets" and the "Blue Armor (Reflective Armor)" were completed in no time. All that remained was the silver poison sword. The silver poison sword had the most complicated manufacturing process. First, Risetta made the mold of the silver sword, and then Wayne reduced its weight by "magic stone cutting. Aina then applied a red "coating" to the blade to complete the process. The difficult part of this sword was that there were grooves dug into the blade to distribute the poison. The grooves made for a complicated design. Moreover, the weight of the "Reflective Armor" and the "Shield of Fire Bullets" had to be reduced to the very limit. Although there should have been no problem in the design, even the slightest error in the production process would have caused it to collapse. Everything depended on how precisely Wayne could reduce the weight. (Well, let''s see what happens.) Lizetta waited for Wayne to finish the weight reduction process. Wayne," Lizetta said, "hey, Wayne. What''s going on with that sword? As Aina was taking a break in the break room, she heard Lizetta''s angry voice. An?Lizetta?What''s the matter with you? I''m not sure what''s going on here," he said. It''s not at all what the blueprints say. Lisetta slams the blueprint on the desk. Lizetta slams the blueprints down on the desk, "This will mess up the mechanism for distributing the poison through the blade, won''t it?" Oh, about that." Wayne said matter-of-factly. ''Then this is fine, because I can make it lighter this way. I''ll fix it. Wayne scribbles a new line on the blueprint. Nah. What are you doing? I am the development leader of this equipment, so do as I say. No, I''m just saying, this is better. That defeats the whole concept of this equipment. The two then argued and argued, but never settled. When Lizetta told him to follow the blueprints, Wayne replied that the blueprints were worse. Finally, Lizetta demanded that Aina remove Wayne from the development team. (Hmmm. That''s a problem.) Aina decided to consult with Roland. ''Wayne and Lizetta are arguing? Yes," he said. Do we build it according to the blueprints, or do we modify it?" I see. That''s what ......" It seems to me that both sides have a point. What should I do?" (Lizetta''s "integrated design" is class B. Does that mean there is still some barrier to cross to integrate the unique skills of three people?) I''m going to go to the office and see if I can get some help. All right. Let''s all take a look at Wayne''s work then. Maybe that will tell us something." Roland, accompanied by Lizetta and Aina, decided to watch Wayne''s work. I''ll let Wayne do what he wants with the original blueprints. Lizetta watched Wayne''s work with some dissatisfaction. Wayne, too, looked frustrated, but continued to chip away at the silver sword. As she watched, Lizetta noticed that Wayne''s work was very different from what she had imagined. (Oh, I think I might have figured it out.) The cutting that Wayne performs in one operation was an unexpectedly large cut. With this much cutting, it certainly seemed tough to shape it like the current blueprints. Eventually, Wayne''s work was completed. He said, "You see. If you keep cutting like this, you end up with this shape ....... Not even waiting for Wayne to finish, Lizetta was running out of the room. Later, Lisetta rewrote the blueprints and brought them to Wayne. When Wayne saw the blueprints, he was astonished. Just by looking at the blueprints, he could picture the completed sword. (This was the first time he could visualize it so clearly. This is the true value of "Integrated Design" ......) When I actually worked on it, the blueprint was created exactly as it should be. [Lizetta Rone''s unique skills Integrated Design": A (up1) (Looks like Lizetta was able to get over the wall. Now she can make a silver poison sword.) While the "Arsenal of Spirits" was clearing up the problems of Lizetta and Wayne, equipment was being made for the "White Wolf" at the "Dragon''s Fireside" as well, with the stakes turned around. How could "White Wolf," with only B-class adventurers and below, compete with the "Spirit League" led by S-class adventurer Jill Irwin? (There was no point in dwelling on the question. There is no time to waste. We have no choice but to strengthen Jamil and his team''s equipment as much as possible, no matter how slim the chances of winning are!) Raul had not fought an enemy stronger than himself in a long time, but he still managed to come up with a plan by desperately gathering his wits. (This is it. It''s the only way!) Raul''s proposal was as follows. The "dragon-headed cage" has reached its peak of strength. He would then discard "Magic Crafting" and use his remaining "Silversmithing" A skill to make silver daggers, long swords, armor, and bows and arrows, and use "Product Design" A to raise their suitability rate to the limit. Raul presented this idea to Edgar, the guild leader. Raul presented this idea to Edgar, the guild leader, who said, "Ummm. Rejected." What about?" Edgar''s words caused Raul to give an unintentionally dumb response. I told you it was rejected. Go try again." Wait a minute. What the hell is wrong with this idea? Problem?Oh, for heaven''s sake. Edgar turns to Raul in a tiresome manner. As if to say, "Don''t you understand if I don''t explain every single thing? "Here. This ''increase the conformance rate as much as possible. What the heck is this? Edgar said, tapping the paper with his pen with a thump. ''This is going to cost you a fortune, isn''t it?There''s no way I could approve such a low-margin product as head of the guild." I''m not sure I want to be a part of this. Budget. This is not the time to be talking about that. Right now, we need to strengthen "White Wolf" as much as possible. Anyway, I reject it. Go rewrite it now. Hey, you. Oh, dear. Raul was about to grab Edgar when Charles intervened. ''The guild is in a difficult situation right now,'' he said. Let''s all work together here. Right?" Kuch ......" Charles then led the way in revising Raul''s proposal. However, this was not the kind of cooperation or collaboration that is possible when opinions are shared, but rather a mere skeleton of a plan. While Raul''s plan was thus neutralized, Edgar poured a lot of money into his own plan, the "Black Bow Revision. (Good. If it succeeds, the credit is mine. If it fails, Raul will get the blame.) With his position as head of the guild insecure, Edgar could not afford to let anyone take more credit than he did. To this end, he had to make an excuse to oust Raul, who was more capable than he was, if the need arose. No matter how genius his subordinates may be, they are nothing under Edgar. <> 150 - - CHAPTER 150 FINDING AND ADAPTING Aina had created two pieces of armor. One was armor for Jill. The other was armor for her beloved. The armor for Jill was simply "exterior reinforcement (coating)" applied to the silver molded by Lisetta. On the other hand, the armor for my beloved was made entirely by my own hands, from molding to "exterior reinforcement (coating)". Thinking of the person who will wear it, I "strengthened (coated) the exterior" with even more care and sincerity than I did for Jill''s armor. I wonder if Mr. Roland will be pleased?) I wanted to support Roland in any way I could, even if my feelings were unreachable. And so, finally, Jill''s equipment was completed. Roland convened the "Spirit Alliance. In response to Roland''s call, the guilds that had joined the "Spirit League" gathered in the plaza. Wearing a "shield of fire bullets," double "exterior reinforced (coated)" armor, and a silver poison sword, Jill lightly twisted her body, swung the sword, and held up the shield to see how it felt. She then tried to see how it felt. It is light. ''In this fight, it''s important to be able to turn on a dime,'' he said. Roland replied. The "Breaking Dragon Hammer" has the power to crush even the most durable (toughness) monsters with a single blow, but it is not a good match against enemies with high evasion ability, such as the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The concept of this time is to accurately pile up damage with light footwork rather than a large swinging blow. I see. Endurance warfare. Yes. That''s why it''s a long-term battle. So be prepared to take damage for a long time. "Yes, yes." Jill said with a blush on her cheeks. After handing over the equipment to Jill, Roland put on his new equipment. How do you like it?Mr. Roland." Aina asked as she helped Roland put on his armor. Yes," she said. It fits me perfectly. Roland said as he checked the comfort of his armor. I didn''t realize you had made me a suit of armor as well. I thought that since you are going to fight against the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'', you would need to have armor with a double ''coating''. Ha, ha. Indeed. I''ve been so busy raising them that I forgot to think about my own equipment. Roland said with a wry smile. Aina stared at Roland. Good," Aina said. (Good, it looks good on you.)) Roland''s appearance in his armor was just as Aina had imagined. (Roland looks so cool in his armor. I''m glad I worked so hard on it.) Suddenly, Roland turns to Aina. Thank you, Aina. Now I too can support Jill''s search deep into the "wasteland. No," he said. No. No. I''m just trying to help Mr. Roland. ...... Well, Mr. Roland. If you need enhanced equipment, my unique skills are also available at ....... Boom. When Lizetta was about to appeal, Aina interrupted her by holding her down. ''Mr. Roland, please be careful. ''Yeah,'' he said. I''m off." After checking all the new equipment, Roland and his team went straight into the dungeon. Aina kept staring at Roland''s back until she could no longer see it. In the "forest at the foot of the mountain," they marched at a normal pace, not in such a hurry. They left the fighting to the newcomer local adventurers and the outside adventurers'' guild. Jill also watched their battle next to Roland. He said, "Hmmm... So far, the monsters are not much different from those we see in the "Adventurer''s Town. I''m not sure. Here in the "forest at the foot of the mountain," only the usual ogres and wolves appear. It is only when you enter the "Metal Line" that it becomes difficult. From there, the flying unit "Fafnir" and the rocky unit "Rock Ogre" come out. I see. So my turn will come after I enter the "Metal Line"? Jill looked a little itchy. Roland noticed it, too. Jill, I''m going to hit the monster as soon as we get close to the metal line," Roland said. Be ready. Yes, sir." Eventually, Roland and his team arrived at the "Metal Line. Immediately, an archer was sent out as a scout. You''re sending out a scout, aren''t you? Jill asked in surprise. Oh," she said. I don''t want the highly mobile "Fafnir" to take the airspace above our unit. That''s why we need to find them before they find us and take the lead. Mmm-hmm. Oops. Speak of the devil. I think I found Fafnir. I saw arrows shot into the sky in the distance. This was the signal for two "Fafnir" dragons to appear. "Jill, you want to go right ahead?" Yes, sir. Jill ran out like a hare. She dashed past the goblins and clawed wolves she encountered along the way and headed straight for Fafnir, the fire dragon. Jill immediately flapped her wings and caught sight of the giant creature flying leisurely through the sky. What?Is that "Fafnir"? It was a creature of both beauty and ferocity. Its thick, shimmering scales and its leisurely flight through the sky were majestic in every way. On the other hand, its sharp claws and fangs and fierce eyes searching for prey showed that it was a ferocious creature born to attack and peck at creatures on the ground. Jill rather cooed at his wickedly sharp claws. They could easily slice through Jill''s soft skin. Fafnir" also caught sight of Jill. With the characteristic eye movement of a lizard, its eyes glazed over and it stared at Jill out of the corner of its eye. Jill kicked the ground and jumped up before "Fafnir" could get into a fighting stance. She headed straight for Fafnir like an arrow and pierced his heart with her silver sword. Fafnir" coughed up blood and died instantly. Jill hung on to the hilt of the sword and drifted in the air for a while. Jeff, who was watching the scene nearby, was astonished. (Nah, what speed and power. (But ......) Jeff looks at the other "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". (If you keep going, the other one will get you.) As Jeff feared, the other "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" on the spot, realizing that its companion has been killed, comes toward Jill in a fury. Despite this, Jill continued to spread her wings and hang on to the corpse of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" drifting in the sky. (Hey, hey, hey, what in the world are you going to do? Don''t tell me you''re deliberately trying to get attacked!) Jill was instructed by Roland to break in her equipment and increase the rate of fit. The quickest way to increase the fit rate of shields and armor is to intentionally take an attack. (Come on, come on. Come on, Fafnir. Attack me!Come on!Come on, come on!) The huge, furious "Fafnir" is coming right at us. Jill drew her sword just before the enemy attacked. The wings of the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" were caught in the torso. "Gghhhh!" Jill was pulled by the wings of "Fafnir" for a while, then flipped over and fell headlong. Fafnir''s attack did not stop there. Fafnir" did not stop there, as he also spit his "breath of fire" at Jill as she fell. Jill changes her posture in the air and holds up the "shield of fireballs" on her back. Flames hit the shield and popped off, but Fafnir continued to spit his "fire breath" without regard to that. Jill, unable to take evasive action in mid-air, was hit by the high temperature and pressure of the breath of fire, and slammed to the ground. After that, "Fafnir" continued to spit "Fire Breath". Surrounding plants were burned to death. (Ugh.... This is the ''fire breath'' of the ''fire dragon (Fafnir). What heat. I didn''t know the ''breath of fire'' could be this intense. If a mere "Fafnir" is this powerful ......, I wonder if the "breath of fire" of a "Giant Fafnir" is even more intense? After experiencing the high temperature of the breath of fire, Jill leapt again and leapt out of the flames. When she reached Fafnir, she thrust her silver sword at his head and killed him with a single blow. She then leaps onto the back of the fire dragon (Fafnir) and lands on the ground. Jill, are you okay?" Jeff ran up to me. Jeff said, "Yeah. I''m fine. Jill said, somewhat satisfied. ''...... are you sure you''re okay?It looked like you were being attacked in mid-air. ......" ''Oh. I can feel it coming on rather nicely." Oh, oh. I see. That''s good." As the two were exchanging such words, they heard a commotion and the sound of battle. It was coming from the direction where Roland and the others were. It seemed that they were being attacked by a ground force of monsters. Among the enemies was a "rock ogre," whose huge body could be seen even from here. Is that the Rock Ogre?Hey! Before Jeff could assess the enemy, Jill ran off. The "Spirit Alliance" was attacked by a group of monsters, including the "Rock Ogre," and was in a bit of turmoil. Although there were many high-ranked adventurers in the guild, there was also a newly joined outside adventurer guild, and the coordination was still poor. The rules for when, who, and how to respond were not yet clear. Erio was slower than usual, but he somehow managed to leap in front of the "Rock Ogre. I''ll take care of this!" (Kuku. The "Rock Ogre". Big as always.) However, we cannot back down. The threat of the "Rock Ogre" is not only its strong body and destructive attacks. Its long reach is also a threat. With its length and rock club, the "Rock Ogre" could easily leap over the vanguard and inflict damage on the rear guard. Unlike usual, the poorly coordinated troops took a long time to retreat. In such a situation, if the deepest part of the unit is hit, it may suffer a great deal of damage. The only way to save the unit from danger was to make the enemy retreat with Erio''s "Shield Assault. (I don''t want to be hurt. But if it''s to protect everyone, I''ll do it. ......) The "Rock Ogre" moves into the motion of swinging his club down. There was not a moment to lose. Erio takes the position of "Shield Assault". But then, suddenly, a red shadow intervened. What?Jill?" Elio braked suddenly. The Rock Ogre''s club hit Jill. Ji, Jill. What are you ......? I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Just in time." Jill looks back at Erio as she catches the rock club with her armor. I''ll take care of this." What?No, but ......" I don''t care. You go push back the enemy on the other side." No, but ...... If the "Rock Ogre" is not pushed back here by the "Shield Assault," the unit will be damaged. To prevent this, Jill would have to be attacked unilaterally. (If you do that, Jill, you are the one who will be needlessly exhausted, okay?) Elio glanced back at Roland as if asking for help. Roland said, "It doesn''t matter. Let Jill take care of it," he gestured. Then, Jill," he said. I''ll leave this to you, okay? Yeah, I''ll take care of it." When Erio left, as expected, the cudgel of the "Rock Ogre" attacked the rear guard of the unit, and Jill was one-sidedly hit by it. (Ugh.... This is the "Rock Ogre" attack. How powerful. It''s several times more powerful than a normal "Rock Ogre" attack. But can you give me a harder blow?I can still totally withstand it, can''t I?) Jill cheered in her heart, but the "Rock Ogre" jumped back. It was because it was wary of Jill''s durability (toughness), which was not affected by any number of attacks. Jill had no choice but to chase after him. In an instant, he closed the gap and pierced the "Rock Ogre''s" heart. She was not so naive as to miss such an opportunity. The adventurers who had been gawking at the "Rock Ogre" behind Jill were stunned. They had no idea what had happened. <> 151 - - 151. Resistance of "White Wolf" Leon was with Roland checking the damage to the unit. Despite the confusion among the troops after the attack of "Fafnir" and "Rock Ogre," the damage was minor. Thanks to Jill''s efforts. Jill Irwin''s fighting performance was superb. Her power, endurance, and agility were all off the charts. He is an S-class fighter, after all.) There were a few places where I thought he might have taken a little too much damage for nothing, but other than that, he was one of the strongest adventurers Leon had ever seen. As he was checking the troops, Jill suddenly stepped forward in front of Roland. Roland-san!" She had her hands on her shoulders, her face was frowning, and her breathing was labored. Jill, what''s wrong?" I was damaged in the fight earlier. Could you give me some rest?" (Certainly, it would have been tough even for an S-class fighter if he had been attacked by "Fafnir" and "Rock Ogre" so many times. Leon thought so. Good. All right. Let''s rearrange the troops then. I''ll have Jill move back and ......" Wait, Leon." Roland said in a strangely cold voice. Roland?" ''Jill, I told you. I told you to adapt your equipment. What do you mean you want to take a break when you haven''t gotten any fitter yet?" Jill was jumpy and shaken. It was a strange tremor, like a spasm, if she had atrophied from being scolded. I won''t allow you to fall back. You must stay on the front lines and keep fighting." d*mn it, ......." Jill tied her lips together and glared at Roland reproachfully. Roland, however, refused to lose his stern look. Jill squeezed her eyes shut. ''...... understand. The captain''s order is absolute. I will do as Roland-san says." As soon as she thought she had said that, Jill started running toward the end of the dungeon. (Kuh. I was wounded and worn out from the fire breath of Fafnir and the club of the Rock Ogre, and I can''t keep on fighting. Mr. Roland, you are ...... the best!) After watching Jill move on, Roland looks back at Leon. ''Leon. We''re speeding up as planned. Be careful not to get swept off your feet." What?Oh, oh." I''ll follow behind and follow up with the outside guilds. Okay." Leon was not baffled by Roland''s instructions. (If an adventurer complains of weariness and exhaustion, he is to be brought back and given a rest. Isn''t that normal?Am I doing something wrong?") Leon felt his confidence, which had only recently begun to waver, begin to falter. While Leon and the others were having trouble coordinating with Jill, the "White Wolf" thieves were waiting ahead of time for the "Spirit Alliance" to arrive. The reinforced equipment provided by the "Dragon''s Fires" was disappointing. Most of them were not much different from the existing equipment, and the "Black Bow Kai," Edgar''s favorite, had no consideration for its wearers and was useless. They are useless. Not to mention Edgar, even Raul was in such a state. (After all, he is a person who cannot show his strength without the support of the organization.) The "Dragon''s Fires" will not be able to provide support. Jamil decided to do something about it on his own. (At any rate, the first priority was to reduce the power of the "Spirit League.) In Jamil''s mind was the frustrated look of "Knight of the Crescent Moon" Yugan. Even though he is an S-class adventurer, it is difficult for him to keep pace with adventurers of lower rank than himself. Rather, he would more often than not be frustrated by the low levels of those around him. On the other hand, those around them would try their best to keep up with the S-class adventurers and become completely exhausted. Cooperation between S-class adventurers and the rest is still poor. The local community and the outside world have yet to build a relationship of complete trust. If we could exploit that, we might be able to bring about at least a failure to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," if not to finish off Jill. If this were to happen, the "Spirit Alliance" would lose a lot of prestige, and outside guilds would also seek assistance from the "Dragon''s Fireside". Jamil, who had appraised Jill''s status, found that she had agility that they could not match even if they were all together, and even if they chased after her from behind, they could not even catch her. If we were to chase after her from behind, we would never catch up to her. Then, we had no choice but to ambush them ahead of time. Sure enough, by the time Roland and his team reached the base of the cliff where Jamil and the others were hiding, there was already a gap between Jill, who was already ahead of them, and the hundred other adventurers who were following them. Jamil chuckles as he confirms that his hunch was right. (Now we just need to hit the weakest link in the alliance: ......) Fortunately, it was a quick find. [Ike Belford''s status. Arm strength (power): 40 (K30) - 100 [Status of Liz Lewill]. Agility: 40 (K30)-100 Archie Shetty Status. Arm strength (power): 40 (K30)-100 What do the three have in common? They all have one thing in common: they all wear equipment that exceeds their lowest power level or move with a speed that exceeds their lowest agility level. It is like they are trying to improve their lowest value. Perhaps those three are candidates for Class A training. But an obvious weakness at this point. Kuk...the S-class appraiser''s nurturing principle has been avenged...) He said, "Fire a shot at those three. After that, against the enemies who follow up, it''s ''Dragoon''s Cage''." The thieves (shifu) who received Jamil''s instructions immediately sprang into action. They fired "bow shots" at Ike, Liz, and Archie, and then opened fire with their "dragon-headed cages" at the troops trying to cover them. The troops were immediately thrown into confusion. Enemy attack!It''s the White Wolf." You''re here!) Roland reacted to the voice coming from behind him, immediately sensed the enemy''s intention to attack and ordered his troops to get into position. Since some of the outside adventurers were not yet accustomed to Roland''s methods, it took more time than usual. In the meantime, two or three shots were fired from the "dragon-headed cage (dragoon). The local adventurers were annoyed at the poor workmanship of the outsiders. The positions of the locals and outsiders were now reversed. The local adventurers were now in the middle of a climb, not on the way down. (They had prevented us from defeating the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" because they saw that they could not take the ore from us. And they pinpointed Ike and the others who were in the process of adjusting their status. I am impressed by their flexibility in changing their strategy, and their ability to accurately hit the weak points of the enemy. But now, we have Jill over here!) Roland looked toward the front line and saw Jill running up the steep cliff toward the "White Wolf" without needing to be ordered. Whoa whoa whoa!" (Is that the bandit group from the infamous "Fire Dragon (Fafnir) Island"? And the "Dragoon''s Cage," which makes magic attacks more powerful. What a wonderful, no, what a terrible combination. (I have no choice but to take the lead here!) The bandits (Thief) on the cliff also noticed Jill''s presence. Jill Irwin is coming." Good. Follow the plan." Are they coming?) Finally, Jill ran up the cliff and reached the front line of the "White Wolf" at that moment. ...... The bandits (Thief) turned their backs and began to flee. (What about ......?) Jill, who had expected to be exposed to a fierce and concentrated attack, was taken aback. Oh, no!) It was at this point that Roland finally realized his mistake. Gilles. What are you doing? We have to put the finishing touches on the enemy as soon as possible. What?Uh, yes." Jill hurriedly chased after the fleeing "White Wolf," but the bandits (Thief) easily surrendered when they caught up with her. What is it with these people?) Jill is taken aback. In the end, Jill ends up taking only a few of the "White Wolf" bandits (Thief) captive. That''s the worst.) Roland is pale. Jill''s motivation is to take damage, so her morale is lowered against fleeing enemies. Therefore, "White Wolf" was in a sense Jill''s worst match. After that, whenever "White Wolf" attacked, Jill was quick to react, but she was continually blindsided by the enemy, who quickly retreated. Jamil also noticed something unusual. (What is it?(Is the pursuit of an S-class heavy knight null and void?) [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 85 (K20) - 110 Endurance (toughness): 95 (K?20) - 120 Agility: 80 (K?20) - 105 Physical strength (stamina): 175 (K?20)-20 0 (This is!(Is Jill Irwin''s status in a slump?) Jamil pondered. Her reaction to their own escape. She seemed to be both puzzled and at a loss. (I don''t know why, but is our hit-and-away strategy working?(Then ...... dare to try to get to where Jill is?) Even Roland had noticed the decline in Jill''s status. (Jill''s status is dropping. (Jill''s status is dropping.) She''s out of shape and unmotivated by an opponent who''s not responding well to her. We need to come up with some countermeasures.) Leon also noticed something strange about Jill. (What is it?(What''s wrong with Jill Irwin?) However, under the current circumstances, where the speed of the march is faster than usual, there is no room for anyone other than Jill to take charge of the attack on the "white wolf. "Hey, Roland. What''s wrong with Jill? ......" If you''re not feeling well, maybe we should change our current Jill-centric strategy?" The strategy will remain the same. We will stay Jill-centric." In the meantime, the "White Wolf" attacked again. Jill finally stopped even attacking the "White Wolf. Jill, what are you doing? We have to fight back! Yes, sir. I''m trying. Jill runs toward the "White Wolf" in a very obliging manner. (Huh. What''s with these guys? Running away without a fight? What a bunch of nonsense. Roland-san is Roland-san, too. You know this is not what I''m looking for.) (Okay. Here we are.) Jamil pointed the weakest men in the unit toward where Jill was. Roland turned pale. (Hey, hey, don''t do that.) (Woohoo. Here comes another weak one.) Jill defeats her enemies in a very troublesome manner. Because of this, the attack time of "White Wolf" becomes longer. When Hans and Erio went around and somehow got rid of the "White Wolf," the troops took unnecessary damage and were completely worn out. The distrust of Jill grows stronger throughout the alliance. Jill''s condition was even worse. [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 75 (K30) - 110 Endurance (toughness): 85 (K?30) -120 Agility: 70 (K?30) - 105 Physical strength (stamina): 165 (K?30)-20 0 (Gosh. Jill''s status again ......) Roland was troubled. (I can''t believe that Jill''s status, which I''ve gone to the trouble of adjusting, would be destroyed by something like this. What should we do?Should we change our strategy as Leon suggested?(No, but that might motivate her even less to get to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". Oh, hey Roland ......" Leon speaks to me with a hint of anxiety in his voice. Roland went toward Jill. ''Jill, can I have a word? What is it?" Jill gives Roland an unusually disgruntled look. (Will Mr. Roland be angry with me?But it can''t be helped. No matter how angry I get, I can''t get motivated to do anything. ......) Now I have a new order for you." "New orders?" It''s bondage play. What?Shibari-play?" Jill''s heart skips a beat. The word "bondage play" made her heart skip a beat. Jill''s complexion, which had been obviously blank, changed, and her cheeks turned vermilion. She told him, "From now on, when you fight the White Wolf, you must charge at it without your sword or shield. In addition, the first target of the attack should be the ''dragon-headed cage hand''. Leon was taken aback when he heard the order. (You''re going to make a demoralized man remove his weapon and run it into the "dragon''s head cage"? d*mn it, Mr. Roland. What a terrible order you gave me. But I understand. I will do it!" The "White Wolf" again attacked by surprise. The "Spirit Alliance" was exposed to the bombardment of the "Dragon''s Head" after the "Bow Shooting". Jamil confirmed Jill''s position and sent her to wall off the weakest unit. Jamil, after confirming Jill''s position, sends his weakest unit to wall them off. We''re being hit again, aren''t we? One of the weakest members of the team said with great gravity. I don''t blame you, though," he said. It''s just another job. I guess." Well, considering that our sacrifice is helping the whole guild, ......" Well, we''ll just have to do it." They headed toward the battlefield, smiling wryly at their own position. Whoa, here we are early. The beautiful, heavily-armed knight is ......, hmm?And you''re not wearing a sword and shield?" Jill ran into the weakest unit like a boar and blew them all away, about 10 men at a time. After that, she brushed aside the wall of people as if she was cutting them to shreds, and then she closed in on the main body of the "White Wolves". Gyaaaah!" Guffaw. Goof!" The weakest unit of the "White Wolf" had no choice but to be overwhelmed one way or the other by the beyond-human-knowledge disaster that suddenly struck them. Wait, wait. ...... I give up!I give up! Oh, no! Even in the act of PK in a dungeon, excessive pursuit of a surrendering enemy is forbidden. However, it was permitted to stun an opponent or take away his freedom to the extent that it was within the scope of empty hands. Therefore, even if they surrendered, they were tortured unilaterally by Jill. Jamil noticed something unusual. (What?) [Jill Irwin''s status. Arm strength (power): 95 (?20) - 110 Endurance (toughness): 105 (?20) - 120 Agility: 90 (?20) - 105 Physical Strength (Stamina): 185 (?20)-200 What?(Status is back on track?) Tsk. All troops retreat. Run in pieces to the designated points now!" The "White Wolf" fled as if scattered by spiders. However, Jill did not slacken her pursuit and indiscriminately beat up the fleeing bandits (Thief). Where is the wielder of the "dragon-headed cage hand" (dragoon)?I was so glad that Mr. Roland had given me such a wonderful order. But still, I can''t believe I''m playing in bondage. Ha-ha-ha. It''s a new sensation. (Mr. Roland, are you a genius?) Zain had somehow managed to leave the war zone and was taking a breather. (Phew. (Whew...it''s safe to come this far. He somehow managed to escape. But that S-class woman. She''s a monster.) However," he said, "it''s not a problem. Once you break away, there is no need to be afraid of any kind of arm strength (power). After all, in this dungeon, escape is victory. ...... At that moment, a scream was heard from the nearby woods. Zain was startled. Soon after, Jill burst through the bushes to reveal herself. "I found him, the wielder of the ''dragon-headed cage hand''! Nah, oh my gosh!" Zain fired his "Dragoon" at Jill at close range. The fireball hits Jill. (Did you get it?) A cloud of smoke hangs over the area. However, as if to cut through the smoke, a cool-faced Jill appeared. "Hee-hee!" This is the ''dragoon''s cage. It was a pretty good blow. Thank you. Jill punched Zain in the stomach. Zain was blown away, his body slammed into a tree trunk, coughing up blood, and collapsed in place. <> 152 - - Art. 152. Distant Memories As Roland and the others were restraining the "White Wolf" bandits (Thief) who were lying or cowering on the ground, Jill returned. On his shoulders, he carried Zain and the "Dragoon Head" on his back. Seeing this, the adventurers of the "Spirit League" cheered. "Oh, wow! Amazing! Did you finally finish off the ''White Wolf'' ''Dragoon Head'' user?" Jill comes straight to Roland and throws down Zain and the "Dragon''s Head". I''ve finished off the user of the ''dragon-headed cage hand''. Well done Jill. This will make your search much safer. Thanks to your willingness to take damage in the assault. Yes, sir. Thank you." Jill responded with a fresh smile. But soon after, her cheeks turned slightly red and she began to fidget. So, that ...... Mr. Roland." Hmm?" Now that we''ve achieved such success, is it time for a potion?" (Well, that''s right. I did all that work. It''s no wonder you''re drained of energy (stamina). Leon thinks so and tries to offer the potion he was holding. But Roland did not miss it. Jill''s upward glance. The sneering expectation lurking behind those eyes. It was a gesture she made when she expected to be bullied. ''What are you talking about, Jill? What?" I told you to increase the equipment''s fit rate," he said. You haven''t achieved your goal at all. Oh, u...... it''s ......" (...... No, you''re the one who told me to take the equipment off.) Leon plunged into his mind. ''Come on, I don''t have time to dawdle. We don''t have much time before we have to encounter the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Get your gear on now and resume your search. Yes, sir. Jill shivered and hurriedly re-equipped her sword and shield and moved on. Hey, Roland," she said. I think that was a little bit too much.For all the trouble you went to to finish off the "dragon-headed cage handler"," he said. I''m not sure. I think so, too. But it''s okay for Jill to be that way. She loves unreasonable demands. Oh. Oh. Come on, Leon. I''ll advance the unit. Pay attention to the condition of each member of the team and follow each other''s lead so as not to overburden the team as much as possible. Leon held his head. I don''t know!Jill''s supervision is all yours, Roland, you do all the work!I''m going crazy." After that, Roland and his team proceeded to explore the dungeon and two days passed, but they were not attacked by the "White Wolf". Were they hit by Jill''s attack, or had they reached a dead end with the capture of the "Dragoon? In any case, if they continue at this pace, they will be able to scatter the pursuit of the "White Wolf". (If "White Wolf" doesn''t attack us, then it''s a good chance for us to advance our cultivation.) Ike Belford''s status. Arm power: 60 (K?10) - 100 [Liz Revill status. Agility Agility: 60 (K?10) -100 [Archie Shetty''s status]. Arm power: 60 (K?10) -100 (It is still not a good fit. But the rate of decline in the minimum is much lower.) Two days ago, all three had a 30-point drop in the lowest value, but today it is only a 10-point drop. (This is evidence of gradual status adjustment. (If things continue to go well, we will be able to take their training to the next level.) Returning from her reconnaissance, Liz joined the main group with dizzy, unsteady steps. I can''t do it anymore," she said. I can''t move my legs. I can''t. ...... What are you talking about? Don''t be so timid. Come on, hurry up. Alice rushes the dizzy Liz mercilessly. I didn''t mean it! Hey, Liz, how''s it going? What?Mr. Roland?" Liz realized that Roland was there and hurriedly straightened her back. ''Hmmm. Looking at your status, it''s growing nicely." Really?" Liz is surprised. I didn''t feel like I was growing at all. Oh," she said. I''m almost to the "A" level. Good luck. Ha, yes." (Okay. (All right, Mr. Roland says so. Let''s do our best one more time.) Liz is completely reinvigorated and starts running again. Roland called out to the other adventurers who were also adjusting to the new situation to boost their morale. (Well, that''s it for the adventurers who are adjusting. The problem is ......) Roland looks over at Carla. She had been consistently lackluster throughout this dungeon. And her gaze is always on Jill. Carla Grazia''s status. Arm strength (power): 30 (K?10) - 50 Endurance (toughness): 20 (K?10)-40 Agility: 60 (K?30)-100 Physical strength (stamina): 80 (K?30) -130] (Carla is no doubt upset by Jill''s strength. After all, when it comes to the possibility that the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" may be defeated, I wonder if her feelings are not keeping up with her.) After that discussion with Carla, Roland joined her in researching the "dragon burial ritual. We were able to get a rough idea of the ritual. 1. Defeat the most powerful fire dragon (Fafnir) in the dungeon, i.e., the "Grand Fafnir," and throw its body parts into the crater and offer them to the mountain god. 2. Dance a special dance called the "Dance of the Dragon''s Burial". 3Take the dragon nucleus back to the town and dedicate it to the shrine (or after it is certified as rank at the quest reception desk). This is the outline of the "Dragon Burial Ritual. For 1 and 3, it is enough to do it as it is. The problem is the second part, "The Dance of the Dragon''s Burial. Roland and Carla searched through old documents, but could not find any details about it. It is true that this dance was passed down to Carla''s father''s generation, but her parents had already passed away when she was very young. (After all, we had come this far without knowing anything about the "Dragon Burial Dance. What do we do now?(At this rate, Carla could be a liability.) Not only that, he might change his attitude in some way and become an enemy. Roland shook his head. (No, don''t hesitate. All I can do is to improve her skill-status.) [Carla Grazia''s skills and status Shadow Strike: B to A Kaiten Sword Dance: B S Agility: 60-100 120- 130 Stamina: 80-130 120-130 130 (Somehow finish her skills and stats before reaching the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"! Carla was upset, but was still exploring. (Jill Irwin. What a guy. Even Yugan couldn''t hold them "White Wolves" with a single blow ....... Too strong. He might really defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Carla felt the landscape in front of her sway. ...... Lula." (...... dad) I can''t hear the voices around me very well. ''Carla! (I trusted Roland and followed him, but...) (Was it really a good idea?) Carla!Look out!" Carla huffed in response to the sharp voice. A rock that seemed to have been released by the monster was close at hand. Normally, she would have easily dodged the attack, but due to her lack of attention and poor status, she was unable to dodge it and took a hard blow to the head. Carla! Someone approaches, calling out to them. Carla felt her eyes go completely dark. In her hazy consciousness, Carla could not tell whether she was awake or asleep. The image of her father, carrying a sword on his back, going out to the "volcano dungeon" every day. Every day, she and her mother stood at the entrance to see him off. It is not certain how old Carla and her mother were when they began this ritual of seeing him off. However, the earliest memory she remembers is of seeing her father off at the front door of the house as he headed for the volcano. In other words, this memory of sending my father off was Carla''s original experience. "Go ahead, dear." Oh. I''m going to hunt the strongest Fafnir today. With that, my father broke into a smile and went off as usual. To be honest, I don''t remember exactly what my father''s face looked like. I just remember that he had a very large palm that stroked my head, and the squishy smile he showed me as he looked back at me. Gradually, however, my father''s smile began to fade. By the time Carla had grown old enough to remember, she had already seen her parents discussing with a serious look on their faces. When Carla secretly listens carefully, she can hear what they are talking about. Fafnir" is becoming more and more powerful every year. The number of adventurers coming from outside the dungeon has been increasing year by year, and the competition in the dungeon has been lagging behind. Among their competitors, the "dragon burial clans" are going out of business one after another. More and more local adventurers have joined the ranks of bandits or found their way into alliances with outsiders. The number of organizations that support us is dwindling, and it is getting harder and harder to keep up financially. Father, if you are having so much trouble with Fafnir, how about I help you?" When Carla said this, her father smiled wryly and patted her on the head. Don''t worry about it. I''m sure my father can handle a ''fire dragon (Fafnir)'' with his power. Well, but you''re right. When Carla grows up, I''ll have her learn the "Dragon Burial Dance" and help her father with his work. But that promise was never fulfilled. One day, my father did not return. According to the testimony of the adventurer who had accompanied him, he chased after a large "fire dragon (Fafnir)" in a "volcano dungeon" without hearing the orders of his companions. He was caught in a pyroclastic flow that occurred at the wrong time and was buried. Therefore, the body could not be recovered. My father returned to the mountain. That is what my mother said. She also said that it was a proud moment for her as a man born into the "Dragon Burial Clan. My mother eventually died as if following in my father''s footsteps due to the hardships she had endured up to that point. Carla was sent to live with relatives. After that, Carla joined the local adventurers'' guild. (Father. Mother. I''ll take over. As a descendant of the Dragon Burial Clan, I will surely fulfill my role.) Carla swore at her mother''s grave, holding the sword her father had left her. However, adventurers continued to arrive from the port. In the dungeon, "Grand Fafnir," a giant fire dragon, appeared. It was rumored that the "Grand Fafnir" was the most powerful dragon ever seen in the history of the world. Carla hated it. She hated adventurers who came from outside. They were shameless, trampling on her father''s gravesite without knowing what they were doing. Carla felt that someone was carrying her on his back. Her consciousness awakened. (...... Father?) But he has a skinny back for a father. (No, it''s not. Roland!) Carla. Are you awake?" Roland calls out to me, turning his head only back. He says, "d*mn. Roland, what the hell are you doing? What are you doing in charge of the troops? Leon is in charge of the unit. I''ve decided to concentrate on coordinating Jill. Then you don''t have time to carry me on your back. Put me down. Put me down. Carla tried to jump off Roland''s back, but her body was not strong enough to do it properly due to sleepiness. She was too sleep-deprived to do it properly. I''ll drop you off when we get there." ......" Eventually, the "Spirit Alliance" reaches today''s encampment. Roland and Carla sat down together and watched Leon take command. ''Are you sure?Leon is in charge." Oh," he said. Leon will soon be the one to take charge of this "Spirit Alliance". I want him to learn how to coordinate with the outside world while he is here. Are you okay with that? "......" It was an unlike you move. I would have been able to dodge an attack of that magnitude with ease under normal circumstances. And your status was terrible. You are so distracted that you can''t see your surroundings. "......" Just might have been just the thing. I was just about to tell you." Talk?What ......" Soon, we will enter the ''wasteland. And that''s where we''ll be sorting through it. "And there we will select the members who will challenge "Grand Fafnir. What? I can''t take you on a quest to defeat Grand Fafnir right now. But I can understand why you are upset." ......" As commander, I have to make a decision. I have to decide as a commander if it is safe to take you with me. If I take you with me, I need you to grow up one more step." Carla squeezed the dirt on the ground. What do we do now?" ''I''m going. I have to go." Jill may be taking down the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Can you keep your cool?" I have to see it through one way or another. As a member of the "Dragon Burial Clan". I might even learn something about the "Dragon Burial Dance. ...... I get it. Okay then, one last test." Roland turned to Carla. I''m going to ask you to get behind Jill. You''re going to have to push your agility to the limit to do that. <> 153 - - 153. Hate Control Jill''s ...... behind?" Carla asked back. ''Yes. As you''ve seen from the way Jill has fought so far, she can do everything on her own. She has the offensive power to kill an enemy with a single blow, the defensive strength to withstand any attack, the agility to hunt down fleeing enemies, and the stamina to traverse a dungeon by herself. So there is no need to fight in coordination with friends. In fact, a half-hearted attempt to work in tandem with her companions would only serve to diminish her strength. However, there is only one adventurer who has the potential to work with Jill without dragging her down. That is you, Carla." "......" You are at best a C-class in terms of power and toughness, but in terms of agility, you have the potential to be an S-class. By getting behind Jill, he can add more depth to Jill''s offensive capabilities. Of course, this is no half measure. Not only do I have to keep up with Gilles, who is even faster than I am, but I also have to be able to outrun him. Roland, accompanied by Carla, visited Gilles. Jill, can I have a word?" Yes," he said. Yes, sir?" Jill responded with a cool face despite all the fighting and forced marching she had done yesterday. Her stamina is absolutely bottomless. From today on, I want you to explore with her, Carla. When I said this, Jill smiled a troubled smile. ''Well, Mr. Roland. With all due respect, my style is unique,......, and, well, I''m afraid she won''t be able to exert her strength by forcing herself to fit in with me." Don''t worry," he said. All you have to do is explore as usual. Carla will take care of you. Huh. Roland briefly explained Carla''s style and left the rest to the two of them. The "Spirit Alliance" entered the "wasteland" where A-class monsters were stirring. Even after entering the "Wasteland," the tactics did not change much. Jill led the way in defeating the enemy, and the troops followed her lead. The only difference was that Carla was right behind Jill. Jill glanced back at Carla. (Hmmm. She''s following me. She seems to have no problems with agility and stamina. (As expected, she has been trained by Mr. Roland.) Jill was relieved. It didn''t seem that she would be that much of a liability. From this point onward, when the A-class monsters were rife, even the quintessential Jill could not afford to follow her allies. Especially in recent years, Jill had become accustomed to fighting alone and was not confident in her ability to coordinate. (Roland-san said it would be okay, though. I''m not confident. Carla. She seems to be an excellent thief (shifu), but I wonder if she''ll be able to coordinate well with us.) Leon was in close contact with Roland and was in command of the troops. He asked, "Roland, it looks like Carla is now behind Gilles, but are you sure you want Elio and Hans to stay in place as they are now?" I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it," he said. All A-Class members except Carla should be placed in the main group as they are. Carla is the only one who can keep up with Jill''s movements. Soon it was time to put their partnership to the test. As Jill was advancing through the dungeon, the cliff suddenly moved with a tremor of the earth. Phew!" Jill stopped and took on a fighting stance. What she thought was a cliff turned out to be a "mountain ogre. The "Mountain Ogre" got up and struck him with its long, burly arm. Jill quickly jumped back and dodged. He immediately counterattacked, but before Jill''s blade could pierce his rocky torso, the "Mountain Ogre" backed up and dodged. Agility is not that fast. But it has a long reach.) The enemy''s attack must be dodged with a single stroke of the paper, and the distance must be closed at once to attack. Jill decided so and waited for the next attack from the "Mountain Ogre. The "Mountain Ogre" launched a fist. Here it comes!) Jill did not jump back this time, but stepped forward. She dodged the outstretched arm of the Mountain Ogre and tried to get into its pocket. However, the Mountain Ogre, perhaps reading this, tries to use its other hand to get rid of it. (Tsk). Jill stops advancing and tries to jump back. If he dodges, the "Mountain Ogre" will lose his position. This would be the perfect opportunity. However, he felt something hit his back. "Bloop!" What?Carla?" While Jill was bumping into Carla, the fist of the "Mountain Ogre" was coming at her. Jill has no choice but to defend herself. She was dexterous enough to be blown away while protecting Carla on her back. The two of them landed on the ground after being blown away to some extent. I was surprised. (Were you clinging to my back the whole time?) Jill was more impressed that Carla had been snugly attached to her back the whole time than angry that her chance had been thwarted. She had thought that Carla would have run off to a corner to get away from the situation. (I thought I was moving quite recklessly, but he was able to keep up with me. Not only is he highly agile, but he also reads well? Carla, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up with an opponent who was harder than ever to get behind. (d*mn. This guy is also absurdly fast at falling back. It''s fast and hard to predict. Roland, you''re so easy on him, telling him to work with Gilles.) I''m sorry, Carla. Are you okay?" No, that was my fault. I''ll be careful next time." Jill glances at Roland. Loran gestured for the fight to continue. (So Carla''s not a problem. I understand.) Jill put Carla out of her mind and headed toward the "Mountain Ogre" again. Carla hurriedly followed behind Jill. (She is much quicker and less predictable than Elio. How to follow behind without getting in Jill''s way: ......) Carla followed behind Jill at a greater distance than usual. (Here, at this distance.) (...... far away) Leon, as a fellow rear-guard swordsman, watched Carla''s positioning with interest (he had just led his troops into position and finally caught up with them when he received word that Jill had started the battle). Carla''s position was too far away for a rear-guard thief. (If I were to get behind a shieldman, I''d be worried that I wouldn''t be more attached to him. ...... ) The distance was appropriate for Jill to be behind him. I''ll be fine. Leon." Roland?" Carla chose that distance because she had skin in the game. Perhaps that distance is appropriate." Hmph. Well, I guess so." Leon, for what it''s worth, also recognized Carla''s sense of style. If you ask her to do the work of looking for an opportunity from behind the shield user, I have never seen anyone better than her. Status of Carla Grazia Arm strength (power): 40 (?10)-50 Endurance: 30 (10) - 40 Agility: 90 (?30)-100 Physical strength (stamina): 110 (?30)-130 (Carla''s status is being restored. I''ve shaken off the distractions by focusing on my true role. After all, a rear-guard bandit (shifu) is her true calling.) Jill accelerated. She closed the distance while sneaking through the attacks of the "Mountain Ogre. Carla was careful not to get caught in the aftermath of the Mountain Ogre''s attack, and kept a constant distance from Jill as she followed. (I''m in the pocket. Earlier, from here, she had made a sharp back step. ......) Carla focuses her attention on Jill''s feet and the position of her center of gravity. By doing so, she can even grasp the movement of the "Mountain Ogre. Jill''s body falls forward. But it is a feint. The sound of the Mountain Ogre''s arm slicing through the air is heard. The axis of Jill''s body shakes slightly. Here!) Jill and Carla flew backwards at the same time. Speed, distance, timing. Everything was exactly the same, a single, unruffled, shadowy movement. Leon was astonished. (Whoops! They can fly backwards from that position?What the hell kind of move is that? (Jill and ......, Carla too) The "mountain ogre" collapsed. Seeing this, Jill jumps into the chest of the "Mountain Ogre. The silver sword pierced through the heart of the Mountain Ogre. However, the sword enters slightly shallowly. (d*mn.... I''ve lost my touch.) It had been a long time since I had moved with such full agility. Therefore, it can be said that it is inevitable that the aim is a little shaky with equipment that has not yet been fully adapted. However, since the sword is specialized for stabbing, it was not possible to just slice through with brute force, and it was necessary to pull it out. At that moment, Jill felt something pass through her body. What?) Without thinking, I look behind me. Carla was holding a sword against Jill''s back. (Was that a "shadow strike" sensation?) Carla''s shadow strike, riding on Jill''s thrusting blade, pierced the thick breastplate of the "Mountain Ogre. The "Mountain Ogre", pierced through the heart, collapses from the feet up. [Carla Grazia''s Skills and Status] Shadow Strike": A (up1) Agility: 100 (up10)-110 (up10) [Jill Irwin''s status]. Agility: 100-105 (Here Carla''s agility has exceeded Jill''s agility. Has she learned from watching Jill''s movements? She has also improved her speed in "Shadow Strike" and is now in the "A" class. (......) Remaining issues are Skill and Status of Carla Grazia Kaiten Sword Dance: B to S Agility: 100-105 to 12 0-130 (The remaining issues are "Kaiten Ken Dance" and agility (agility) 120-130. (Can you derive it?) As Jill and Carla continued on, they met a bipedal dragon that came striding toward them. It was carrying a large shield on its back. It was a "shield dragon. As soon as the "shield dragon" saw Jill, it raised the shield on its back and charged at her. I want it!" Jill also readied her shield and ran into the "Shield Dragon. The heavily armed knight and the "shield dragon" clashed like a bullfight, and then they pushed each other shield to shield as if they were in a fierce battle. Jill tried to pierce the enemy''s shield with her sword. The sword pierced through the shield, but did not hit the "shield dragon. It was extremely difficult to pierce a dragon hiding in a large shield with a sword. (Did I miss it? But then, Carla''s "Shadow Strike" can be used at ....... (Ugh) Jill felt something hit her in the side. It was the tail of a "shield dragon. The tail of the "shield dragon" has a spear on the end. Jill pulled out her sword as quickly as she could, but was blown to the side, missing her chance for a "shadow strike. Carla rushed to Jill''s back. Jill. Are you okay?" I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. No problem." (A large shield that makes them miss their aim, and a long supple tail that allows them to bypass the large shield and attack. Then ......) Until you can use your agility to get around the one that doesn''t have a shield. Jill feints, swings from side to side, and then tries to go around. However, the "shield dragon" reads her movement, and she holds up her shield. He can''t get around it!This guy looks slow, but he''s surprisingly smart.) The "Shield Dragon" measures the distance between the two and rushes forward again. Jill has no choice but to catch it. Then, she quickly moves away to avoid the tail. (I can avoid it, but I can''t pull it over. If this continues, it''s going to be a war of attrition. What should we do?(Do you want me to use Carla?) As Jill was thinking about this, the "shield dragon" let out a deafening cry. Then the surrounding rocky shadows suddenly became noisy, and dragon tribes such as "Fafnir the Fire Dragon" and "Lizardman" began to appear in their midst. Oh no! Did they call my friends?) As long as they cannot break through the shield of the "shield dragon," if they call in their friends, there is a possibility that they will be further attacked from the flanks. (What do we do?What do we do, Mr. Roland?) Jill glances at Roland again. ''Jill. "Jill, increase your agility and respond. Carla, get more distance between you and Jill." (Nah.) What?) Both Jill and Carla look up. ''Lo, Mr. Roland. We couldn''t break through the shield of "Shield Dragon," and with the newcomers gathering, it''s a quintessential ....... Yes," he said. So, "Shield Dragon" can be put off until later. We''ll just flank them and put pressure on them, and then we''ll start clearing out the small fry around them. I see. Then ......" No, wait a minute! Carla raised her voice in protest. ''What about me? Jill''s agility is S class. If you get any closer, ......" Carla. Your agility has exceeded Jill''s at this point." What? (My agility exceeded Jill''s?) Now you should be able to handle being even closer to Jill. But," he said, "there are a lot of enemies out there. I don''t care if I have Jill''s endurance (toughness), my endurance (toughness) is not enough to withstand the attacks from all around me. Yes," he said. So you''re going to stay behind Jill and use your agility to play with the enemies around you. (Playing with the enemy while staying behind Jill?) Remember Jill''s backstep. If you incorporate that same effect into your lateral movements, you will naturally find the answer. In the meantime, the dragon tribes were approaching. The "shield dragons" were also pressing in. Lizardmen" came from the side of the shield, and "Fafnir" came from the upper side of the shield. Carla. Let''s go! Ggh. We have to do it. The two started running. They dodge to the side when the "shield dragon" rushes forward. Then, "Shield Dragon" immediately stops and points its shield at them. The "shield dragon" stops. In that split-second, he hits ....... A flash. Jill decapitates the lizardman coming from the side of the shield. The Lizardman dies before he knows what hit him. However, the dragon tribe is not defeated. The tail of the "Shield Dragon" is coming from the opposite side of the "Lizard Man," and the "Fafnir" is circling behind him, spitting "fire breath" at him. Both the tail and the tip of the "Fafnir"''s mouth were facing Carla. (Is the target ...... me? !) Carla had to deal with Jill, "Shield Dragon" and "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" in three directions at the same time. However, this situation awakened Carla''s new strength and made her choose the best solution. Reflexively, Carla made a gesture to go in the opposite direction of Jill. The dragons were caught by her movement. Immediately after the attack was unleashed, Carla suddenly accelerated in the opposite direction, disappearing from the dragons'' field of vision and following behind Jill. The monsters stand still for a moment, unsure of what has just happened. In the meantime, Jill killed another "lizardman". The monsters regain their composure and attack Carla once more, but again their "fire breath" and spear tails come up empty. Leon frowned at the change in the war situation. What is it?It looks like the monsters have been attacking in the direction of the day after tomorrow for a while now, what are they doing?" Hate control." Hate control?" Look closely at Carla''s movements. After deliberately getting into the focus of multiple monsters, she is guiding the direction of the attack with subtle gestures at the timing when the enemy enters the preliminary movement of the attack. The line of sight, the center of gravity, the direction of the body. That alone triggers the enemy''s attack and evades it at high speed. It is an advanced technique that only those with agility over 100 can perform." What?How is that possible?" When Leon strained his eyes to look closely, he did indeed see Carla stop for a moment and sway her body slightly in time with the preliminary movements of her enemies. It was a subtle movement that made me want to attack, and if I did not look closely, I could not tell it was a feint. Whoa. Indeed. Jill often steps backward rapidly after entering the enemy''s pocket to break the opponent''s stance, but what Carla is doing is a version of that move. What Carla is doing is an application of this move. She is inviting the enemy to attack with a slight swaying movement to the side. Seriously? While keeping up with Jill''s movements, she is able to control the hate of monsters coming from all directions. Such a feat of detachment. ......" Were you inspired by seeing Jill''s (S class) movements up close? Carla is trying to broaden her fighting style here. If she keeps this up, she''ll be at ...... in a few more days.) Jill was also beginning to notice something was not quite right. (What?Suddenly the pressure from the monsters seems to have lessened. Is Carla doing something?(Well, whatever it is, ......) This is the last time." Jill jumps up and skewers the last "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" as if it jumped up. All that''s left is ...... you." When Jill confirms that Fafnir is dead, she does not wait for it to crash, but flies toward the "shield dragon" using the dead body of Fafnir as a springboard. However, "Shield Dragon" did not give in. It never let Jill take its back, but instead, it hid behind its shield as it faced Jill. Carla, while keeping her back to Jill, was also aware of the "shield dragon''s" hate. The "Shield Dragon"''s attention, which had been focused on Carla until a few moments ago, was increasingly focused on Jill. Carla had already grasped the habit of Jill''s movement. The axis of Jill''s body shook. The next moment, she would accelerate to the right. (If we go ...... the opposite way here!) As Carla predicted, Jill accelerated to the right. The "shield dragon" was so caught up in the movement that it missed Carla''s acceleration to the opposite side. Carla easily slipped inside the shield. The "Shield Dragon" is surprised to see Carla, who has somehow entered his pocket, but quickly lets go of his shield and avoids a slash. (d*mn, it missed. But ......) Jill stuffs it from the other side. Oooohhhh." The "shield dragon" intercepts Jill''s slash with its tail. The "Shield Dragon" blocks Jill''s slash with its tail, and then it pushes its tail against Jill''s and runs away. Ugh. Oh no! While Jill is struggling with her tail, he jumps off the cliff behind her and tries to save himself. (She gets away. No, we''re almost there. ......) Carla stepped on the ground as never before. (If only she were faster!) In an instant, Carla is on the back of the "Shield Dragon", and with enough agility, she unleashes a "Kaiten Ken Dance"! The slash of the "Kaiten Kenbai" cut the back of the "Shield Dragon" to pieces. The slash, which clearly extended the distance and attack range compared to the previous one, awakened Carla''s dormant memory deep within her. (This was ...... father''s doing ......) Ignoring his admonition to "never come in," Carla once snuck into the practice hall where her father was performing a secret ritual and secretly watched what he was doing. What she saw there was a strange sight of candles being cut far beyond iai sparring. Carla was often fascinated by the mystical sword dance performed by her father. This scene was similar to the image of the slash that she had just performed with her own hands. Jill was also amazed at Carla''s agility. How fast she is! (How fast she is!) If it is only agility, she might be comparable to Yugan''s. (......) [Carla Grazia''s status]. Agility: 120 (up20) - 130 (up20) Kaiten sword dance: S (2) (Carla finally has more agility than Jill. She also has a "Kaiten Sword Dance" (......?) Roland looked over the description of the "Kaiten Sword Dance" and noticed something unusual. The explanation of "Kaiten Kenbai" S. By releasing sword techniques while spinning, it extends the distance and power of the sword. If the class is advanced, it is possible to shower a wide range of slashes. (NEW) "Dragon Burial Dance" which weakens the power of the dragon tribe is granted. <> 154 - - 154. The Fire Dragons Intentions Erio had encountered a "Lizardman Phantom Warrior". The "Lizardman Phantom" is a higher species than the "Lizardman. The name "phantom" was given to it because of its rapid movement, which makes its afterimage look like a phantom. Seeing Erio, who was looking for an opportunity to close the gap between the two and make a "shield assault," the "Lizardman Phantom" smiled. He seemed to have a strong defense, but his agility was clearly better than Erio''s. He would lightly block the rush, inflict some damage, and then try to bring the fight to an endurance battle. As "Lizardman Phantom" prepared to dodge Erio''s charge, Carla suddenly appeared diagonally behind Erio. !" The figure appears for a brief moment, and then Carla quickly disappears again. The "Lizardman Warrior Phantom" could not believe his eyes for a moment, which led him to freeze his own movement. (Now!) Seeing "Lizardman Phantom" harden his body, Erio "shield assaulted" him. He held the sword and the body of the "Lizardman Phantom" with his shield and lifted the "Lizardman Phantom" up with his arm power, making it unable to move by lifting its legs. The "Lizardman Phantom" flailed his legs to escape from Erio''s shield, which was taking away his freedom, but Carla''s "Shadow Strike" was faster. The "Lizardman Warrior Phantom" was pierced through the chest and easily died. The "Lizardman Phantom" was really defeated. Elio is amazed at the effectiveness of Carla''s agility. Until now, "Lizardman Phantom" had been a natural enemy of Elio. With his "Shield Assault," which can provide instant forward propulsion, he can get in close to most enemies and push them, but he has never been able to catch the "Lizardman Warrior Phantom" alone. However, with Carla''s current agility, she can stop the "Lizardman Phantom" by controlling its weight. I was skeptical when Roland told me this, but now that I see that he was actually able to control the "Lizard Man Warrior Phantom," I have to admit that I was impressed. It''s great, Carla. I can''t believe you were able to fool the Lizard Man Warrior Phantom. Yeah, right." Carla replied with a buoyant look on her face. She recalled her conversation with Roland. ''What!The "Dragon Burial Dance" has been added to the description section of the "Kaiten Sword Dance!" Oh. Apparently, there is a close connection between the "Kaiten Kenbai" and the "Dragon Burial Dance. Then go to ......." I''m not sure. Perhaps by mastering the "Kaiten Kenpo," you may be able to get closer to the "Rite of Dragon Burial" that you desire. Carla suddenly felt as if her eyes had been opened. She had never imagined that she would find a way to achieve her long-cherished dream in this way. Carla was so happy to see him. From here on, I want you to work with Elio again. What?With Elio?" The goal of increasing agility has been achieved. From here on, I want you to try ''Kaiten Sword Dance'' as much as possible. It may be your trump card in the battle against the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Carla?"What''s wrong?" Elio calls out in concern to Carla, who is less than pleased. No, Elio. Let''s go next. I want a strong dragon monster that can test the ''Kaiten Sword Dance'' as much as possible." ?"Yeah, okay." Jill was also fighting a "lizardman warrior phantom" in another place. Even though Jill''s agility is over 100, it is still not enough to fight against the Lizard Man Warrior Phantom, who is one of the most agile warriors in the volcano dungeon. It is not easy to catch the enemy. "Ahhh!" Jill thrusts out her sword, but the "Lizard Man Warrior (Phantom)" dodges her with a flutter. (Dodged. Is the enemy attack coming?) Jill deliberately shows an opening. She was planning to either evade the enemy''s attack at high speed and break the enemy''s stance, or to intentionally take the attack and strike a counterattack. However, the "Lizardman Phantom" saw through Jill''s intention and, after delivering a blow with his sword, immediately backed away and dodged Jill''s counterattack. (d*mn. No good.) Roland watched Jill carefully as she fought. Status of the Silver Poison Sword Fitness rate: 80 (80% compliance rate. That''s good, but it''s just one more step. I''m already adapted to fighting with brawn (power) and endurance (toughness). The only thing left is how to fight using agility (......) Jill regained her grip on her sword. (You can''t catch the "Lizardman Warrior Phantom" if you do things the usual way. (You can''t catch the Lizard Man Phantom with the sword if you do it the normal way. ......) Jill thrust out her sword. The "Lizardman Warrior Phantom" dodges just in time. Jill thrusts her sword further. The "Lizardman Phantom Warrior" avoids again. Jill thrust with the sword some more, and then some more, and then some more, and then some more. The speed of Jill''s thrusts increased and became a wild back and forth thrust. The "Lizardman Phantom Warrior" gradually turned pale. The sword steadily grazes him, although the wounds are not fatal. As time passed, Jill''s continuous thrusts increased in frequency and accuracy. Bleeding also becomes something that cannot be overlooked. It was impossible to fight back as the thrusts rained down on him if he got even a little close. The "Lizardman Phantom" finally received a deep wound in his leg, and when he stumbled back, he received wounds in multiple places on his body, including his shoulder, cheek, knee, and abdomen, and he ran out of strength. Roland was pleased with the way he looked. (Yes, Jill. That sword is a sword designed for a large number of hands. It is designed to deal with enemies with high agility by using a large number of hands. That''s the answer.) Status of Silver Poison Sword Suitability: 100%. (Good. I could adjust my equipment) Adjustments were well underway not only for Jill and Carla, but also for the other adventurers. [Status of Liz Lewill]. Agility: 90 (20) - 100 Archie Shetty''s status. Arm strength (power): 90 (20) - 100 Ike Belford''s status Arm strength (power): 90 (20) - 100 Liz had been flying light since entering the "Wasteland". (Her body is light. She is not tired at all even though she is moving so fast. This is the effect of status adjustment ......) Soon came the opportunity to test her growing agility (agility). As Liz is vigilant around the troop, a "fire dragon (Fafnir)" with a collar appears. The collar is inscribed with magic letters. What is that?Barrier Dragon! Barrier Dragon" is an A-class monster for archers. It defends itself by putting up a barrier and attacking with its "breath of fire." Defeating it requires agility to dodge the flames and precise shooting skills to aim an arrow at a moment when the barrier is not in place. (According to Mr. Roland, my agility is already A class. Then I should be able to defeat the "barrier dragon. Liz decided to put up a fight. When Liz fired a "bow shot," the "barrier dragon" made its collar glow and a magical barrier appeared. Liz''s arrow was easily blocked by the barrier. The barrier dragon then dissolves the magical barrier and releases a breath of fire. Liz evaded it with her outstanding agility. This exchange continued for a while. The "Barrier Dragon" uses a magical barrier to block Liz''s "Bow Shot". Liz evades the attack of "Barrier Dragon" with her agility. After repeating the same thing for about 10 times, a change finally occurs. She has to be sharper and more precise in order to get through the barrier dragon''s magic barrier! Liz dodges the enemy''s "Breath of Fire" with minimal movement, and then destroys the "Barrier Dragon''s" collar with a precise shot from a distance. Yes!) After that, it was just a matter of finishing off an ordinary "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" with a "bow shot. Archie continued to defend against the attacks of the "Mountain Ogre" with his shield. (I thought it was too heavy a shield, but now it''s rather easy to use.) The "mountain ogre" kept hitting Archie, but eventually ran out of strength and collapsed on the spot. The rugged rock he was wearing crumbles to the ground. (Okay.... It took a while, but I was able to defeat it.) [Archie Shetty''s skills Shield Defense": A (up1) Ike was facing a "shield dragon". Ike was facing a "shield dragon" (a heavy Class A javelin, but he had grown accustomed to it during his exploration of this dungeon). Ike is undaunted by the large shield of the "Shield Dragon" and flanks it. The "shield dragon" hides its body with the shield. Ike''s javelin not only pierces through the shield of the shield dragon, but also melts it to reveal the shield dragon. The dragon was visibly dismayed. The shield dragon has a habit of being afraid of being seen through the hole in the shield. I got it! Ike guessed where the "shield dragon" was based on the hole in the shield, and thrust his "javelin" at the place where he thought the dragon was hiding. The javelin successfully pierced through the body of the "shield dragon". I dedicate this A-class title to you. Lizetta.) [Ike Belford''s skills Spear Art": A (up1) Thus, the "Spirit Alliance" climbed the mountain, steadily gaining strength. They were almost to the top of the volcano where the "Grand Fafnir" was located. At the top of the volcano, near the crater, "Grand Fafnir" was receiving reports from his wyvern. We could feel a strong force approaching, even before we were warned by our men. It was a heavily-armed knight with power equal to or even greater than the black-robed S-class swordsman who had previously reached the summit of this mountain. Moreover, unlike the black-robed knight, he is approaching in coordination with his powerful companions. Jill was not the only one who was concerned about the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir). Carla, a girl dressed neither as a thief nor a swordsman. She is a descendant of the abominable family that has diminished the power of our dragon tribe. Her power had been waning for some time, but before she knew it, her skills as an adventurer had improved, and finally she approached us with an S-class adventurer in tow. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" thought for a moment, then opened her eyes as if she had made up her mind. We can''t repel it just by waiting here. We will have to go out there and scare the adventurers. Grand Fafnir" concluded, and with a heavy heart, headed for the exit of the crater. <> 155 - - 155. Attack of the Fire Dragon Leon looked back at his unit with pride. (Ike, Liz, and Archie are also in A class, one in S class and seven in A class. (Ike, Liz, and Archie are now A class, too.) The group is more dependable than ever before, and there is not even a hint of the internal strife that is unique to this island. Despite such a large force, they are advancing through the dungeon without hesitation. With this, even the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" might be able to be defeated. That''s Roland. It''s thanks to you. How could you have made us so strong from that state?) Leon felt proud as well as grateful to Roland. At that moment, he felt the ground shake. Hm?What is it?" The anomaly was quickly conveyed to the entire unit. What is it?What''s that shaking? No way! Leon looked up at the top of the volcano. Sure enough, magma was about to erupt from the crater. (Oh, come on, seriously? !) Leon!We must evacuate quickly." Roland, who had advanced a little further, said as he hurried back. Oh. I know. I know, but this sudden eruption. I didn''t expect this. ...... It was probably the work of the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Of course! Evacuation is our top priority. After that, ...... prepare for battle!" The "Spirit Alliance" began to evacuate in a hurry. Fortunately, the "Spirit League" had many local adventurers who were accustomed to volcanic disasters, so they were able to lead the outside adventurers to evacuate quickly. Considering the topography of the mountain and the direction of the wind, they predicted where magma and volcanic fumes were likely to flow. To protect themselves from flying cinder cones, they would move around while protecting their upper parts with rock shades and shields. Also, avoid staying along valleys and in depressions to avoid the gases and smoke generated by the eruption. By the time the magma and pyroclastic flow passed through the "barren zone," all the troops were somehow able to evacuate to a safe place. However, the top priority of evacuation made it inevitable that each unit would be separated from the others. Leon was dismayed to see the glowing red river of magma and heavy plumes of black smoke heading toward the city. Another disaster. If we fail to defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," the city will probably frown upon us.) As Leon was thinking about this, there was a scream and an angry shout at the edge of the troop. What now? When Leon looked in the direction of the voice, he saw an isolated unit being attacked by a monster with dragon scales and wolf fangs. (That is a "Fang Dragon. (That is "Fang Dragon," the servant of "Grand Fafnir." ......) Leon had already heard from Roland that "Grand Fafnir" had the ability to create monsters and that "Fang Dragon" was a monster created by "Grand Fafnir. Just as it had done to Monica, the "Fang Dragon" used its agility to attack the adventurers, chopping them apart and then chopping them back together. (Hiccup. They were targeted when they broke apart.) Carla. "Carla, help them out a bit. Ugh. ......" As Leon was about to give instructions, countless shadows appeared on the ground. The "Fafnir" dragons were swarming and flying around as if they were covering the sky. Then, a huge shadow covered Leon, as if it covered the entire unit. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" (......) Leon was stunned by its majesty. Its wings were so wide they seemed to cover the sky, and its jaws were so large they could swallow an elephant. Its reptilian eye movements were the same as when it fought Sein, but its glistening skin, which looked like that of a freshly molted snake, had been exposed to the open air and was now as rugged as a rock. For a few moments, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" glared at the adventurers from the sky, and then suddenly unleashed a "Tsunami of Fire Breath. The ground was engulfed in a sea of fire. After confirming that all the adventurers on the ground were engulfed in flames, "Grand Fafnir" finally stopped breathing. Most of the adventurers would now be out of the fight. The "Grand Fafnir" was grateful for the presence of so many adventurers. When such a large force arrives, there is bound to be a vulnerable spot somewhere among the members. Then we could easily shake them up with a general attack such as "Grand Breath of Fire like a Tsunami. Most adventurers would probably die from the "Grand Breath," and even an S-class knight would not be unscathed. All that was left was to let the "Fafnir" under his command drive away the small fry adventurers, while he himself would only have to kill the S-class and a few other high-ranking adventurers. ...... Just as "Grand Fafnir" was about to think that, the flames that were fluttering about on the ground were drowned out by the wind. The scene that appeared as if cutting through the flames was something "Grand Fafnir" could never have expected. Two or three adventurers were clustered under a "shield of fire bullets" and holding out against the raging fire. Such scenes were everywhere. The shieldmen took the initiative in standing in front of the others, while those with weaker defenses, such as archers, thieves, and swordsmen, hid behind them to protect them. Even those with weak defenses, such as archers, thieves, and swordsmen, trusting in the shieldmen, held still inside their shields without making the slightest move. They did not forget to take measures so that they would not be threatened by hot winds or lack of oxygen. They chose a well-ventilated place to take a defensive posture, avoiding places where heat tends to build up or where the air is stagnant. That was all that the entire unit did in that split second without a hitch. No adventurers were running away in panic, dragging each other down, or suffering in agony from the damage. Throughout the dungeon exploration, Roland has been thoroughly prepared for Fafnir''s breath of fire. As a result, adventurers belonging to the "Spirit League," no matter how low-status they are, have learned how to withstand the "Fire Breath," and are now able to deal with it without panic. This is true even if it is a tsunami of fire breath. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" could not help but be surprised. Never before had adventurers so united and so bravely worked together as they did when they appeared before him. Then, as if to catch the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" in disbelief, a red shadow leapt out from the still swirling flames and slashed at him. It was an attack from Jill Irwin, an S-class heavily armed knight. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" was so fast that it barely managed to block the tip of its sword with its wings. The first thrust was somehow repelled, but the second thrust went deep into the wing. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" finally succeeded in knocking Jill down just as she was about to take the third blow. Jill falls headlong to the ground. But it had already served its purpose. (Okay. I got it!) The hole in the wing of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," where Jill pierced with her sword, suddenly turned purple and swelled up like a blister. <> 156 - - Art. 156 Operation Catching Realizing that a deadly poison was consuming its body, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" hurriedly bites off the purple-colored part of its wing. The bitten off wing piece was once taken into its mouth, and then spat out. The purple piece of flesh, coated in the saliva of the "Grand Fafnir," falls to the ground with a thud. The damaged part of the wing regenerates itself with the vigorous life force of the "Grand Fafnir. The "Grand Fafnir" flipped its wings and tried to turn back. At least, it is not good to be floating in the air like this. Seeing the movement of the S-class heavy-armed knight earlier, it can easily attack even a high target, and it has a deadly poison that can inflict a fatal, albeit slow-acting, wound. Having injured his wing early, he also needs time to recover. That is why the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" made a pretense of leaving the battlefield at once. Wait! Dropped to the ground, Jill quickly got up and tried to jump up again to chase after the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). But then, the "Grand Fafnir" attacked all at once. d*mn!" The "Spirit Alliance" was once again exposed to a rain of fire. The shields of fire bullets were held at the top to withstand the fire, and the glow of earthcraft was seen everywhere reinforcing the depleted armor. (I guess the first step was a success for now...) Roland thought as he watched the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" leaving through a gap in the shield and Jill following it a little later. The "Shield of Fire Bullets" had repelled the "Tsunami of Fire Breath," and the deadly poison created by Lizetta had also taken effect on the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). Jill was also in good health, despite being knocked to the ground. (The problem is ......) Roland looked at Carla. Carla was now hiding under Elio''s shield. With her low endurance (toughness), she was unable to move in front of this rain of "fire breath". It was the same for the other adventurers. They were stuck in the face of the breath of fire that was falling incessantly from the top of the building. In addition to having to defend the upper part of the building, the "Fang Dragon" was also cutting down from the sides. Shaken from the top and sides, the "Earth Craft" was limited. At this rate, they would be outgunned. (I want to get Carla to go under Jill somehow, but she can''t go on the defensive like this ....... I wonder if it was a mistake to let Carla stay by Erio''s side. I didn''t think the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" would set up so fast. ...... What are we going to do?) At that moment, a loud, earth-shattering sound echoed through the battlefield. ''Everyone, gather here with your shields pointed upward! It was Leon''s voice. He had been engulfed by the appearance of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," but as he saw that his unit was functioning, he began to regain his composure and was now back to his usual self. The shield-user''s first priority is to prevent "Breath of Fire!"The attack of "Fang Dragon" should be defended with swordsmen and thieves (shifu) putting their bodies on the line!" Leon then called out to the isolated units one by one, and they denounced him. The disparate adventurers were united, and soon they had allies next to them and behind them, so their fears receded and they began to display their usual strength. The "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" was also running out of breath, and the archer could be seen pulling himself out of his shield and launching a counterattack. The most important thing to remember is that you can rely on Leon''s command ability at times like this.) When the situation had largely settled down, Roland pondered his next move. (The troops can be left in Leon''s hands. All that remains is the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). By now, Jill should be fighting "Grand Fafnir. (I''d like to get Carla to go to Jill somehow, but ......) If it is Fafnir''s "breath of fire," Carla''s agility should be enough to fend off the dragon. The problem was "Fang Dragon. Fang Dragon" is probably faster than Carla. If Carla was allowed to go alone, the Fang Dragon would catch up with her and wear her down before she could reach Jill. Before sending Carla to Jill, the threat of the "Fang Dragon" had to be eliminated somehow. Roland weaved his way between the adventurers and approached Leon. Hm?What''s up, Roland?" Leon noticed Roland approaching and called out to him. ''Leon. I want to send Carla down to Jill. To do that, we need to get rid of the Fang Dragon." I understand. Then use the Class A guys." After receiving Leon''s informal consent, Roland approached Elio and the other A-Class members one by one. One of the "Fang Dragons" was circling around the "Spirit Alliance" looking for an opening. The adventurers had been leaning on each other earlier, building a formation and refusing to play the game. Despite Fafnir and the others'' repeated attempts to shake them with their breath of fire, they stubbornly refused to budge. It was a difficult opponent for the "Fang Dragon," which plays with its high agility. As he looked for an opportunity to attack, a shield-bearer and a thief jumped out from inside the camp. Apparently, these two were heading toward the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). The "Spirit Alliance" is moving away from the position of the "Spirit Alliance". Fang Dragon" decided to target these two. The shield-user is stiffly armored, so it will be difficult to defeat her, but the thief girl is fortunately lightly armored, so she should be able to be defeated without difficulty. Carla felt a cloud of smoke rolling in the vicinity as soon as she left the encampment. A cloud of dust!Fang Dragon?) By the time Carla became aware of the enemy''s approach, "Fang Dragon" was already moving into its final steps. It leapt at her with blinding speed, its claws piercing deep into Carla''s chest. It looked as if it was going to hit ......, but the claws of the "Fang Dragon" caught the sky and flew right past Carla. The image of Carla, which Fang Dragon thought it had captured, was an afterimage. The moment Carla realized that the "Fang Dragon" was approaching, she feinted at it and used hate control. Even though "Fang Dragon" can move faster than Carla, it is not able to perfectly capture Carla''s movements. It has the same dynamic vision as a normal monster. The Fang Dragon tilted its head and attacked once more, this time to damage Carla. But this time, Carla was ready for it. (It is not enough just to avoid it.) Carla bends at the waist and prepares for the "Fang Dragon" attack. (Use hate control to direct the path of "Fang Dragon"!) Caught by Carla''s casual movement, "Fang Dragon" lunged. However, its claws still cut through the air, and ahead of it was Erio. Ggghhh!" Erio frowns at the "Fang Dragon" that hit him, but manages to hold it down. Now!Carla!" "Haaaaah!" Carla unleashed "Shadow Strike. The Fang Dragon, which was pinned under Erio, shattered into pieces. Good. I beat it. Carla and Elio''s joy was short-lived, as the remaining "Fang Dragons" soon gathered. Four in total! Even Carla could not handle that many. When the "Fang Dragons" tried to close in on Carla from all directions, fire arrows and blasts erupted. The two magic attacks were Hans'' "magic shot" and Will''s "blast magic. The one that was hit by the magic shot was completely stifled, and the three that were hit by the blast magic had their agility reduced. Erio and Carla acted as decoys, and Hans and I took them down. It worked. Yeah," he said. Just as Roland had planned. The surviving "Fang Dragon" once left the scene, but it was clear that it had lost its sharpness in its movements. Seeing this, Roland concluded that Fang Dragon had no strength left to pursue Carla. Good. Carla. Fang Dragon" is no longer necessary. Leave the rest to us. You go straight to Jill." Carla shows a slight hesitation. You''re going to revive the ''dragon burial ritual,'' aren''t you?Don''t worry. You can do it. When Roland says this, Carla bows one head and leaves. After that, she headed down to the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" and Jill at a speed that no monster or adventurer in the dungeon could keep up with. The earth-shaking sound made by the "Grand Fafnir" led her to the battlefield. <> 157 - - 157. Arrangements & Coordinations Jill was confronting the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". Several hours of chasing followed. Seeing Jill chasing him no matter how far he ran, the "Grand Fafnir" seemed to have finally given up. It folded its wings, landed on the ground, and prepared to fight. It finally decided to fight. Let''s go! Jill thrusts out her silver poison sword. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" jumps and dodges Jill''s sword. Jill, not caring, continued to push forward. Grand Fafnir" dodges backward. Jill dives boldly into the chest of the "Grand Fafnir" and throws a wild thrust. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" saw that Jill was on the front foot, curved her body and dodged the wild thrust attack. (Ugh.... What a way to evade (......) He then struck Jill with his body in the same position. Ggg ...... is..." Jill was blown up and slammed into a tree trunk. (Now that''s the soft body that ...... Roland was talking about.) The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" did not pursue deeply, but instead looked at Jill while shaking her body. Jill immediately stood up and readied her sword. (One blow. If she could only land a blow, the deadly poison would consume the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" and slow it down.) Jill once put the sword in its scabbard and then pulled it out again (this is how the deadly poison in the scabbard is spread to the blade). Seeing this, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" became alarmed. The two started to run again. Gauging the distance between each other, they run through the barren area with fine feints. Neither had the means to corner the other, so they waited for the other to attack, aiming to counter with a momentary gap. After a while, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" changed its behavior pattern. While glaring at Jill, it began to strike the cliff with its tail. (What is it?) As Jill wondered, the cliff began to collapse. Debris rolled under the feet of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," including some rather large boulders. Grand Fafnir" picked up a reasonable piece of it and held it up like a shield. Then it rushes toward Jill. What? Jill hurriedly responded with her shield. This time the sword was for stabbing. No matter how much Jill''s extraordinary arm strength (power), it could at best pierce deeply into the rock, but it could not cut or shatter both sides of the rock. Therefore, he had no choice but to catch it with his shield. Nggu." The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" took advantage of the fact that it had found a way to prevent the poisoned sword and tried to crush Jill with its weight on the rock. However, Jill forcefully moved the rock out of the way with her power and dived into Grand Fafnir''s bosom. "Ah!" He thrusts out his silver poison sword. However, he is still dodged by the soft body. Jill also moves back and dodges a counterattack from "Grand Fafnir. The two men glared at each other again from a distance. Grand Fafnir" picked up another rock. It was a larger rock than before. (......) This is not good. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" is finding ways to cut us down while defending itself with its silver poison sword. It is not that we are suddenly hit. However, even if Jill is able to do so, her equipment will be cut down first. If the "Shield of Fireballs" is cut down, the damage from the "Grand Breath of Fire like a Tsunami" will also be greater. The two had been evenly matched earlier, but if things continued as they were, Jill was at a disadvantage. Jill was amazed at the intelligence of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). On the other hand, "Grand Fafnir" was also surprised at Jill''s high status. She was able to catch a rock that was carrying the weight of "Grand Fafnir," and then move it out of the way with her power. He had the agility to close the gap in an instant. And he has the endurance and stamina to fight such tough battles and still have energy left over. If you let up even for a moment, you will be killed. Both fighters thought so, and they took each other''s positions more carefully than ever before. The battle seemed to be deadlocked, but change came from an unexpected source. In the battlefield of the S class, where even the most ferocious monsters are afraid to flee, there is one who intervenes at a tremendous speed. I''m here to help, Jill! Carla! Roland instructed me that we should both hit the Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir) together." (Roland''s instructions at ......) Seeing Carla, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was rather pleased. This is our chance. The newly arrived thief (Thief), at first glance, seems to have high agility, but low endurance (Toughness). A heavily armed knight with outstanding durability and a thief specializing in agility. There is no way they can work well together. It has been several decades since he became the master of the "Dungeon of the Volcano. Grand Fafnir" has seen humans try and fail in this dungeon many times. In most of these cases, it was not Grand Fafnir''s fault. They destroyed themselves. Human beings have too many different values and interests to act in groups. On this island, where both locals and outsiders must search together, adventurers have always played footsoldiers against each other. No one has ever been able to come to terms with this conflict. Many strongmen from outside the island have come to the island to join forces and defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," but no matter how strong they are, or rather, the stronger they are, the more fiercely they compete with each other. Therefore, if the two of them also find a gap in their fighting styles, they will easily bring the conflict among themselves to the surface. Grand Fafnir" thought so and gloated in his heart. First of all, he would start off with a "Tsunami of Fire Breath. The "Grand Breath" is a high firepower breath that sprays a wide range of firepower, and this fragile thief cannot catch it. In that case, the heavily armed knights would have to protect them. Instead of receiving support, the heavily-armed knight would be slowed down, spending more time on the defensive, frustrated, and the relationship between the two would become strained and eventually fall apart. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" feinted by pretending to throw a rock he was holding and then unleashed a "Tsunami of Fire Breath (Gran Breath). (Grand Breath of Fire like a Tsunami? (Aimed at Carla''s low endurance (toughness)! The area was engulfed in flames. "Carla. Take cover behind my shield! d*mn." Jill hurries to join Carla while holding her shield. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" was immediately smiling at his own intentions. All that remained was a one-sided attack. However, it did not go as planned. "Haaaaaaah!" Jill was advancing forward, using her shield to block the flames. Carla, who was behind her, was perfectly positioned one meter behind Jill, a small safe zone created by the shield''s ability to repel the flames, and she kept up with Jill''s speed without losing a step. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was astonished. What an idiot. Aren''t you afraid? In front of this river of flames, if the two of them were to deviate even slightly in their moving speed, Carla, behind them, would be swallowed by the flames. It is a feat that can only be accomplished with deep trust in each other. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" hurriedly stopped his "Tsunami of Fire Breath" and picked up a rock. If the fire didn''t work, the rock would crush it. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" pushed the rock at Jill with great force, especially to Carla''s fear. It was as if to say, "If you stay behind Jill, you will get caught in the fire. However, Carla continued to follow behind Jill. Jill also did not try to force the rock out of the way, but concentrated on catching it. (There is no need for me to attack. Because ......) The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" was suddenly struck by a mysterious slash. It was Carla''s "Shadow Strike. The "Grand Fafnir" was stunned by the slash, which was transmitted through the person, shield, and rocks, and fell back. Immediately, Jill and Carla chase after the "Grand Fafnir. Carla also shows her afterimage from behind Jill, and she does not forget to play with the "Grand Fafnir". (Roland told me. Behind the powerful shield-user, this is where I will fight!) The two of them were simply astonished at their advanced coordination. All the adventurers we have seen so far, the stronger they are, the more they assert their individuality and feud with each other. However, they, this troop ....... The "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" is still unknown to them. No matter how strong the personalities are, there is an S-class appraiser who can make strong personalities shine even more intensely by combining (arranging) and (&) fine-tuning (coordinating) them, while making them work together to a high degree! Jill entered the bosom of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir). She thrusts out her silver poison sword. The "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" is softly dodged. However, he misses Carla, who was distracted by Jill and secretly went around to the side. Haaaaah!" Carla released a "Kaiten sword dance. Even a soft body could not dodge the "Kaiten Kenbai" as the slash extended far beyond the distance between the swords. Although he managed to avoid a fatal blow, the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)" felt his body grow heavy. The special effect "Dragon Burial Dance" given to "Kaiten Sword Dance" S weakened the dragon tribe. Jill did not miss the fact that the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" had slowed down, and pierced its large heart with her silver poison sword. The deadly poison went into the heart muscle of the giant dragon and choked it to death. <> 158 - - 158. Edgars Business Travel The huge body of "Grand Fafnir" kneels down and lies on the ground. Just before it fell, Jill drew her blade and moved away from the scene. Carla watched from a little distance. (Did you ......?) Although I was enthralled when we were fighting, I was in a semi-doubting mood when we actually defeated him. However, when I saw the corpse of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" convulsing and spitting something out of its mouth, I couldn''t help but believe it. Jill and Carla rushed to the red bead that Gran Fafnir had spit out. Jill. What is it?" It looks like the nucleus of a ''Grand Fafnir'' dragon. Jill said as she picked up the red bead. What''s wrong?You don''t look happy." Jill said, looking at Carla''s face. ''Yeah. Its ......." (Assuming that the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" is defeated, the "Dragon Burial Ceremony" is ......) As Carla was thinking about this, she heard a buzzing and many footsteps approaching. ''Jill!Carla!" Ah, Mr. Roland." Jill''s face lights up and she rushes to Roland''s side. I see you''ve managed to defeat the ''Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)'' ......," he said. You''re good. Yes!"Thanks to Roland''s careful leveling of the ground, we were able to defeat him without much difficulty. Also, Carla did her best to assist us. I see. Carla. You did well, too. Let''s see. That ......" Hm. Looks like the "Dragon Burial Dance" was also a success. What?Really?" Yes," he said. I have appraised the dragon nucleus and found that it has been given the effect of the "Dragon Burial Dance". "......" So all that remains is to complete the ritual. Throw the body part of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)" into the crater and offer the dragon core to the city''s shrine, and your long-cherished wish of reviving the "Dragon Burial Ritual" will be fulfilled. ...... Ugh. Roland!" Carla was so moved that she hugged Loran. What?"Carla?" Roland. Thank you. Really. ......" Carla sobbed into Roland''s chest. Roland puts his hand on Carla''s head to calm her down. Carla. We need to get to the top of the mountain to complete the ritual." ...... yeah." Let''s go together. To the summit." When the "Spirit League" defeated the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)", the "White Wolf" was calling on the "Dragon''s Fires" to launch a final attack on the "Spirit League" in the city. The volcano erupted. This must be because the "Spirit League" was defeated by the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". If we ambushed the "Spirit Alliance" coming down the mountain, we would surely win. The "Dragon''s Fires" should support us. Upon receiving this request, Raul immediately set to work. He submitted the equipment plan for defeating the "Spirit League" to Edgar again. In "Dragon''s Fires," the momentum for overthrowing the "Spirit League" was once again rising. However, in this atmosphere, Edgar was in a somber mood. Even now, he is nodding his head as he listens to Gilbert''s report. Hmmm. I see. Such a thing happened in the dungeon. ...... Yes, that''s right. Look at this. Gilbert puts his armor on the desk, which is crumpled from Jill''s attack. This is what happened to it after Jill''s attack. ...... Oh. I see. This is terrible. Edgar, who is an A-class alchemist even if he is rotten, saw the damaged armor and immediately guessed what kind of battle had taken place. From this damaged condition, the difference in power was obvious. No, thank you. If it weren''t for your report, I would have inadvertently taken Jamil and the others'' report at face value. But that''s just a consultation. ...... Gilbert slunk over to Edgar''s side and began whispering in his ear. The expression has completely changed from that of a business partner to that of a casual friend. In my opinion, I think those guys are finished with ...... and the ''white wolves''." Hmm." It''s time to cut the cord, so to speak. Don''t you think so?You''re a business owner, too. You need to think about what you are going to do and make a calm business decision. So, you can think about that plan, can''t you? Roland and his team proceeded to the top of the mountain to cut off the fangs, wings, scales, skeleton, body skin, and horns of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," turn them into items, and complete the "Dragon Burial Ceremony. This time, I threw the fangs into the crater. Then the crater was purged of evil spirits, and the gray soil near the summit began to sprout a slight green color. From the city, a more fantastic sight was visible. A curtain of light hung over the top of the volcano, as if an aurora was descending. Elderly islanders rolled their eyes at the sight. They had never expected to see the "dragon burial ceremony," which had not been performed since it ceased to exist more than a decade ago. Wayne and Pato were caught and questioned by people on their way back from the quest station. What is that curtain of light on top of the volcano? Did the "Spirit League" defeat the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)"? I heard that the "Dragon Burial Clan" was restored through the arrangement of Roland Gil. I don''t know. Roland hasn''t even come back yet. Wayne said irritably as he brushed off the persistent inquires of the townspeople. Ha-ha. Don''t be so angry, Wayne. You may have defeated the "Giant Fire Dragon (Grand Fafnir)," which you have not been able to defeat for more than 10 years now. As a local, I can''t help but be curious about what happened. But I''m not going to say that," he said. How many people are you going to ask me? Well, well, well. All will be clear when Mr. Roland comes back. The magic stone you wanted to show Mr. Roland is almost ready for mass production, isn''t it? Pato tried to change the subject to change the subject of Wayne''s incessant complaining. Heh. Well, I guess so. Look at this. Wayne pulls a crimson magic stone from his pocket, flicks it, and catches it in his hand. The stone is called the "Magma Stone. Drawing on the power of this magic stone, you can greatly increase the attack power of a flame mage." The "Flame Mage or ....... If so, that might open up a sales channel to the northern continent. Despite the high demand for flame magic on the northern continent, there was a chronic shortage of excellent mages. The "Arsenal of Spirits" was taking a share of the "Dragon''s Fires" on the island, but was still weak when it came to exporting outside the island. Wayne''s magic stone was the perfect product to establish a foothold outside the island. If we can establish a sales channel outside the island, we can sell Aina''s ''coating'' equipment and my ''tuning'' instruments. ...... It''s possible to do business more extensively," he said. And above all!It''s a great way to steal away the off-island customers of Dragon''s Fires. That way we can give that bastard Edgar a good barking match." ...... still obsessed with retaliation against Edgar?" I''m not going to say that I don''t think you''re right. Edgar is still the head of the guild. He''s still the head of the guild, and he''s the only one I''ve got to hit. Watch me. I''m going to use this magic stone of mine to knock that bastard off the guild leader''s chair. "Ha ha." I''m not so sure about that. Anyway, Wayne is finally becoming a specialist in magic stones. It''s all thanks to Mr. Roland ......?) Pato stopped when he saw a ship docked in the harbor and a crowd of people gathered there. Pato?What''s going on?" No, that boat ......." An?"A cargo ship. It was a cargo ship specially built to export goods made on the island. There are only a limited number of goods that can be exported outward from the island. The island''s luxury goods and specialties are of island origin. Most of them are equipment made with "dragon''s fiery fire. d*mn. That''s disgusting. But so what?Isn''t it always the case that cargo ships carry equipment from Fires of the Dragon?" Yes," he said. But it''s strange. The freighters usually leave at the end of the month. The way she looks, it''s as if she''s leaving tomorrow. Hmm?Indeed. Strange if you ask me." Wayne muttered, remembering today''s date. Something wrong?" Let me ask you this. Um, excuse me." Pato asked the sailor who was directing the delivery of the cargo. Hm?What is it?" What''s all this fuss?It looks as if the ship will sail tomorrow." Oh," he said. We''re going to sail tomorrow on short notice." Heh. Why is that again? I heard that there was a sudden change of plans for the head of the "Dragon''s Fires" guild. For Edgar? Yes," he said. I heard that he suddenly needed to have a business meeting with a client off the island. He''s going on a business trip. Business travel...... Well, since "Dragon''s Fires" exports equipment outside of the island, it is not so surprising that they can work outside of the island. But still, it''s a bit sudden. Pato said, somewhat unconvinced. Wayne also frowned suspiciously. (Edgar on a business trip?(At this point in time?) His unique sense of smell smells the scent of evil. <> 159 - - 159. The Forgotten The "White Wolf" was advancing through the dungeon, ready to attack the "Spirit Alliance" with the determination to crush it. However, Gilbert was not there at this critical moment. Sebasta and Willik felt restless. Hey, where''s Gilbert?Where the hell did he go at this critical moment?" It''s funny, isn''t it? We said we would meet up with you after we entered the dungeon. I don''t see how we can meet up with them, since we have already crossed the "metal line". We have already crossed the ''metal line.'' Even if we wanted to meet up with them, we would have to go to ......." ...... Gilbert''s hatred of Roland is real. Let''s believe him." Meanwhile, the staff at "Dragon''s Fireside" were busy responding to complaints. The organization, which had been messed up because of Edgar, had been receiving a string of complaints from the Adventurers'' Guild and stores due to a series of clerical miscommunications and a large number of defective products. The morale of the staff was completely demoralized, and the number of absenteeism, work-related accidents, and violations of job regulations had skyrocketed, leaving senior staff to scramble to clean up the mess. Even Raul, who had been treated as a sanctuary, was forced to stop his own work to handle complaints. Mr. Raul. We have a complaint from the Sepia Trading Company. Another complaint? It seems there was a large amount of defective armor mixed in with the armor we delivered. ...... Tch. All right, I''ll take care of it." (Edgar''s the guy, he''s away from the guild at a time like this.) Raul couldn''t help muttering a bitter complaint in his mind. A few days ago, Edgar said he was going on a sudden business trip and left Raul and Charles to take care of the rest. (The guild is having such a hard time. (The guild is in such trouble, who has time to go on a business trip?) While Raul was busy processing claims, another junior staff member came running in. Mr. Raul. We have a problem! What now?" The former head of the guild has broken into the workshop (atelier) and is making a lot of noise. He''s saying things like, ''Get Edgar out. What?Medes?" (I thought that guy was incarcerated.) He''s not a part of this anymore. Get him out." No, you can''t. They''ve broken through reception." Soon I heard screams and the sound of some equipment falling over from the reception area. It was the sound of the Medes going berserk. Raul couldn''t help but hold his head. ''Edgar!Where are you, Edgar? You set me up. I won''t allow it, Edgar. Please don''t do this. This area is restricted to authorized personnel only. Shut up! Aah! Medes pushed a female employee who stopped him. She then crowded the remaining male staff member. Hee..." Hey, you. Where''s Edgar? Where the hell is he? The guild president is on a business trip. What?A business trip?What the hell do you think you''re doing going on a business trip at a time like this!Do you think you can lick the guild president''s job? Medes blackmailed the official. The staff member became tensed. Even though he had already been legally relieved of his position as guild president, he was the one who had originally hired him. When he was yelled at, the staff members were apt to be awe-struck out of habit. I''m not going to do it. That traitor. Oh well. I have to retrieve the funds as soon as possible.) Hidden in the vaults of "Dragon''s Fires" was the black money that Medes had earned during his anti-corporation days. If the investigative authorities find this, he will face serious charges and his assets will be seized. Before that happens, he must launder the money and at least protect his assets. He will be thrown in jail. But that money. We have to protect that hard-earned money somehow. Edgar''s absence was unexpected, but that''s okay. It''s more of a convenience for us to move the assets. (......) while we still managed to get him paroled. Medes opened the safe in the guild leader''s office with a duplicate key he had just in case, and tried to remove the gold bars inside. However, the safe was empty. Oh, what is that?Where''s my, where''s my gold?) It is not only the Medes'' slush fund. The guild''s common funds were also completely gone. There he is. It''s Medes. Seize him. Raul comes in with a guard. Raul says, "Geez. What are you doing? Get out of here! In the empty harbor, two men were hiding in the shadows, looking around. How''s it going, Gilbert? It''s okay, there''s no one here. No problem. Good. Let''s get to work. Good boy." Edgar and Gilbert, two men who had been hiding in the shadows, disguise the gold bullion they have brought from the "Dragon''s Fireside" vault in the crates that will be loaded tomorrow. The old man. I didn''t expect him to have such a big gold nugget hidden away. Gilbert said, looking at the gold nuggets. Kukuk. You stupid guild members. They didn''t even know we were taking out the contents of the safe. I wonder if they''re working hard to respond to our complaints right now. Anyway, Gilbert. The "backstreet" we''re going to now, right?They will also exchange bills and assets of unknown origin for cash there. That story is true, isn''t it?" I was like, "Yeah, I''ll do it. I''m sure of it. I cashed in some assets from my former guild (the guild I belonged to before "The Golden Eagle") there. Good. Good. I''ll see you later. Let''s load up the boat and get out of here. It''s a shame we won''t be able to stop at some of the sights on this island. ......" I''ll tell you what. Are you sure about your friends?Sebasta and Willik, right?They''re from the same town, right?" Ahh. It''s okay. I was only going to use you from the beginning. I was just getting fed up with those idiots." Kukuku. You''re bad, aren''t you? No, no, no. Not as much as your Highness. "Ha ha ha." Who is he? You rotten bastard. !" The two turned to look at the harsh voice that had suddenly descended on them. When they looked, Wayne and Pato were there. I knew this was going to happen," Wayne said. What''s with the business trip? It''s just embezzlement. Wayne scowled fiercely at Ginn. I can''t believe you''re sneaking around with the guild''s money. It looks like you''ve finally gone to the bottom of the rottenness. Edgar? Mr. Edgar. That money is the common property of the guild. It should be used to rebuild Dragon''s Fires and to pay the salaries of the staff. It is not too late. Please don''t do this. Pato, too, said in an unusually angry tone. An?Wayne, Pato. Who the hell are you talking to? Wait. Edgar. Let''s keep things civil here. Gilbert interrupted. ''Wayne and Pato, right?I don''t know. I think the four of us should split this asset amongst ourselves. We''ll split it among the four of us. We won''t make you look bad. Who''s going to take your bribes?We''re not so soft-hearted as to be fooled by the same people over and over again! Wayne said this, and then he struck out at the two. In the "Volcano Dungeon," the "White Wolf" was making its final attack against the "Spirit Alliance. Sebasta saw Jill and charged. You''re Jill Irwin, aren''t you?I haven''t forgotten your grudge against me for jumping over you to become the most popular guy in town, even though you''re new!We met here, but it''s been 100 years. Defeat you and I will be class S!Gwah!" A touch of armor. Sebasta was easily blown away by Jill with a single blow and flew beyond the battlefield. Wirik, who happened to be there, was pinned under Sebasta. (Did you just hit something?(I thought I heard a familiar voice calling my name. ......) Jill tilted her head but could not recall the owner of the voice, and she regained her composure and plunged into the main body of the "White Wolf". The "White Wolf" anticipated that the "Spirit League" would be wounded to the bone by the battle with the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)," but the "Spirit League" was not as exhausted as they had expected. In fact, there were more A-class adventurers than when they left the city, and their strength had been increased. The "White Wolves" were forced to retreat after each assault, suffering terrible counterattacks. Roland decided to use this opportunity to gain a decisive advantage and deal a crushing blow to the "White Wolves. Roland ordered his "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)" to attack the "Spirit League" from the sky. However, the "Spirit Alliance" also responded by launching "Fafnir. It was no ordinary "Fafnir. It is a "barrier dragon. The dragons controlled by Rodo were one-sidedly beaten by Fafnir, a normal fire dragon that had the ability to create barriers in addition to its normal breath of fire. (Such is the case with ....... My dragon is ......) Pato''s "tuning" had improved, and with his experience in the "Wasteland," Nicola, a bard, was able to control even A-class dragon tribes. Unable to resist, Rodo ordered his men to retreat. Roland did not miss the opportunity. Ray. Can you play ''Onion Sound'' and ''Wolf Sound'' for me? I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it. I''ll take care of it. Ray, the captain of the outside guild "Red Sands Players," waited and gave instructions to his friends. Finally, it''s our turn. I''m tired of waiting. The bards of the Red Sands Players began to play on harps, flutes, and stringed instruments tuned by Pato. Immediately, the surrounding forests and shadows of rocks begin to rustle, and the ogres and wolves leap out to pursue the fleeing "White Wolf. No matter how well-trained in hit-and-away tactics the "White Wolf" thieves are, they cannot outrun the wolves and are forced to go around them. They were soon pursued from behind by the warriors of the "Spirit League. There they are. It''s the user of the ''Dragon Flute. Round them up! Ugh! Rodo, realizing that his resistance had come to an end, surrendered meekly. Only the main force led by Jamil remained. Roland spread a search network of archers and thieves to search for the location of Jamil''s main body. As they were searching for the enemy while descending the mountain as quickly as possible, Liz finally caught the location of the main body of the enemy. Roland immediately dispatched the strongest troops of the "Spirit League. Jamil, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings, was waiting at the rendezvous point with Rodo, which he had promised in advance. (Rodo is not coming back?(Don''t tell me the "League of Spirits" got you?) In the meantime, a bandit (Thief) who was patrolling the area returns. The bandit (Thief) who was patrolling the perimeter returns. The "Spirit League" is coming this way. It seems that they have found us. Captain. We''ve been rounded. The way out is blocked. (CHEERING) Prepare for battle. Hurry up." Jamil, cornered, waited for the strongest troops of the "Spirit Alliance" to decide who would win the battle. But it was in vain. The vanguard was cut down before Archie''s A-class defense and Ike''s offensive power, and Jill''s assault, which came as a final blow, destroyed the unit in less than an hour. Jamil was forced to flee the scene alone. With his quickness and good judgment, Jamil managed to escape to the forest, but just as he was about to do so, he was blocked by a thief. It was Carla. She was Carla. Get out of the way! Jamil slashes at Carla, but she dodges him with her agility, and rather than fighting back, she is beaten back. (...... to ......) He is slashed in the shoulder and cowering. His eye patch also shifted off in the spur of the moment. He was hit in the shoulder, and his eye patch slipped off. You are done here. Surrender now. Jamil laughed eerily while protecting his slashed arm. Kukuku. That''s not a good idea. I''m not a fool. Can''t you see that the trend has already been decided?Why on earth would you go that far ......" It doesn''t matter how cornered they are. There''s no turning back now. I''m just like you. I''m the one who was abandoned by the island!" Ugh. You''re ......." Jamil''s eye patch falls completely off, revealing his true face. Carla finally remembered his face when she arrived here. A kindred boy who often came to visit her birthplace as well. Jamil was also a descendant of the "Dragon Burial Clan. Jamil took advantage of Carla''s momentary fear and used his last ounce of strength to slash at her. "d*mn!" Carla shook her head as if to shake something off, then slashed down Jamil with a single sword. <> 160 - - 160. The Brave Leaves the Island Again In the harbor, Wayne had assembled Edgar and was in the mount position. ''Ha ha. You''re giving me a hard time." d*mn it. Let go." You''re on the hook for this. You and Medes are gonna go to jail together. Don''t be silly. Why would I go to ...... with that son of a b*tc*?" You got what you deserved. Clench your teeth! "Gghh." Wayne punched Edgar hard in the side, knocking him out. I''m sorry," Wayne said. Son of a b*tc*. How''s that? After all the hardships and suffering I went through, I got my revenge. Wayne guts to the heavens with a swollen, worm-swollen face. If you ignore the surrounding scenery and focus the spotlight only on his standing figure, you can''t help but see a man who has won something after a hard struggle. He says, "How can you say that?" Aina said dismissively. If we hadn''t rushed in, it would have been a close call." Lizetta said in agreement. The two were wearing armor and equipped with a "dragon-bow" and a "javelin. Behind them were Roddy and Ize, who were chaining Gilbert up. Pato is stretched out beside him, being cared for by Leena. Let me tell you the story step by step. Wayne and Pato were challenging Edgar and Gilbert vigorously, and they had been engaged in an evenly matched fistfight for a while, but Edgar and Gilbert gradually gained the upper hand. Just as they were about to lose, Aina, Lisetta, Roddy, and Eis, who had heard from Leena that something was wrong with the two, equipped themselves with weapons and rushed to support them. Edgar, who feared the "dragon-bow" and the "javelin," became visibly weak and gradually began to be pushed back by Wayne (Gilbert surrendered easily). And while Aina and the others looked on with a slightly bland feeling ("Stay out of it. Wayne said, "This is my fight."), Wayne finally knocked Edgar down and took the mount position. Edgar''s attempt was thus foiled. The two were sent back to the authorities together with Medes, and the money accumulated during Medes'' anti-corporation days was confiscated. The shared assets of "Dragon''s Fires" were safely returned to the vault. The next day, the "Spirit League" returned to the city. The people responded with cheers to their majestic return, carrying the dragon core of the "Grand Fafnir. The town was enveloped in a whirlpool of joy at the success of defeating the "Grand Fafnir" for the first time in more than ten years. Jill Irwin was awarded the title of "Double S." (Even with Carla''s assistance, she was judged to have fulfilled the requirements for S class defeat, taking into account her contribution before the encounter with the "Grand Fafnir"). Archie, Liz, Ike, and other adventurers newly trained by Roland were also certified as Class A. The fame of the "Arsenal of Spirits" will reverberate across the seas and around the world. Everyone in the city rejoiced on this auspicious occasion and reveled in the festivities of drinking and eating. The bards composed songs and sang in praise of the many adventurers who had slain Fafnir the Fire Dragon. The feast was in full swing, and the excitement in the town was reaching its peak, but the end was near for Roland and Jill''s adventure. A ship bound for the "City of Adventurers" arrived at the harbor. Carla had come to the port to see Roland off. I heard that the restoration of the Dragon Burial Clan is going well. I''m not sure. The success of the "dragon burial ceremony" will bring the city''s attention and respect back to the city. We have also received positive responses from the families who have moved off the island. I think next year we will be able to hold a much more respectable ceremony." I see. Good." ......Really, you''re just going away?" Carla said regretfully. I don''t want to let Roland leave yet. I wanted him to stay on the island longer. I have to go back to the "Adventurer''s Town" now and take care of all the internal affairs that have accumulated. I''ve been away from the guild for too long. I can''t be seen as an enforcer any longer. Mr. Roland, they are ready to sail. Jill, who had become completely like a squire, came under Roland''s wing and said. ''Yes. Thank you, Jill. I''ll be right there. As Roland was about to board the ship, Carla grabbed him by the sleeve and held him back. I''m sorry," Roland said. Why don''t you stay on this island at least a little while longer?There''s a movement in town to honor appraisers. At least wait until then. ......" Carla. I''ve been honored enough. The revival of the "Dragon Burial Ritual," the restoration of the local guild, the establishment of the "Arsenal of Spirits" branch, and the defeat of the "Giant Fire Dragon (Gran Fafnir)". Through all of these things, I was able to promote and help many people grow." But yourself. But you yourself, the S-class appraiser, have yet to receive any honors from the city! I was able to help everyone. That''s enough for me. Roland smiles at Carla, who still looks regretful. Carla," Roland tells her, smiling, "I''m sorry to see you go. It''s just the beginning. After the defeat of Grand Fafnir, the power of the dragon tribe has weakened, and a new tribe is growing in strength in the volcanic dungeon. You must now struggle to preserve the traditions of the ''Dragon Burial Clan''." ......" Until the next time I come to this island, please protect the traditions of the ''Dragon Burial Clan'' and the ''Spirit League''." I''ve been to ...... and I''ve been to the same place. Okay." Roland shares an embrace with Carla and boards the boat. Carla continued to stand on the dock as the ship departed. I hoped to see Roland''s face for as long as possible. Loran and Jill also stood on deck and waved goodbye to Carla and everyone else standing in the harbor. Farewell. Farewell, Carla of the Dragon Burial Clan. We will meet again. I''m sure I''ll invite you to the City of Adventurers this time." Eventually, the ship left over the horizon. Roland. Thank you. Carla muttered once the ship was out of sight. From the town, Saki''s singing could be heard over the music of the minstrels. It was a song known to every human on the island, the song of the vanished heroes, and an arrangement of it. It was a song that would be sung by the people from now on, perhaps until the next brave man appeared. There was once a brave man on this island. He had renewed his rusty alchemy, shone a light on his decaying guild, discovered his buried talent, and vanquished the "Fire Dragon (Fafnir)". Eventually, the brave man left. Oh, where in the world have you gone? Without receiving the honor that should have been bestowed upon you. Without knowing the feelings of the dragon dancer. Thanks to you, there are no girls on this island who know love. You have taken our love with you, along with the disaster. No brave man will ever appear again. A brave man like you will never appear again. <>